In Northern Illinois, Dirk’s is the best but pricey and the location is a pain for me as it’s on the NorthSide and with the Kennedy construction, I have not been there this year.
Fresh Farms on Touhy has two fish counters. The center island has filleted fish and the quality is very good.
The rear counter has whole fish and you must be knowledgable in purchasing whole fish.
H-Mart has live tanks and the quality is usually excellent but again knowledge in live creatures is a must. Their whole fish can be excellent to fair but again you must know what to look for.
For the best quality, on-line has come of age but it’s pricey.
E-Fish in particular has been superb for the last few years since it’s start-up. Be aware that delivery costs are for a single transaction and the same no matter what you order. I always try to maximize the number of species I order to reduce shipping.
The Ama Ebi from Hawaii is superb as sashimi and cooked.
Got some live crayfish from Oregon , clean, big and superb from E-Fish. Live Goose Neck Barnacles, a first for me were superb.
https://www.e-fish.com/For scallops, Togue at Down East Day Boat is superb!!!!
https://downeastdayboat.com/We just got Cape Cod Scallops that were very large, about U10 along with some picked crab. As good as any scallop I have eaten sashimi style and seared. The pasteurized crab you usually commercially purchase might as well be another species as there is not comparison to truly fresh.
She also has other species from time to time. Get on her mailing list.
Brown Trading used to be my only source but they went to only order on the website for awhile and i have particular requirements.
I started out decades ago at Union Fisheries on Randolph.
Actual bins on the floor with ice shoveled over the fish.
Low price, but if you knew your fish, very good.
Went to Steins once, the fish was junk.
All of the old commercial type fish mongers are gone and now in the Chicago, Dirk’s is it at top pricing.
-Richard