Voted #1 restaurant in Indiana — 3×·4 Indianapolis locations·Seafood market & kitchen
Fresh from the coast

Indianapolis' favorite seafood market & kitchen

Voted the #1 restaurant in Indiana — three times over. Fresh fish by the pound, colossal king crab, live lobster and the fried favorites Indy can't stop ordering. Buy it fresh, or let us cook it.

Shop the Seafood Market See All 4 Locations
★★★★★4.5–4.7 at every location
4,700+Google reviews
#1Restaurant in Indiana, 3×
A golden fried fish sandwich and waffle fries from Caplinger's Fresh Catch in Indianapolis
#1IN INDIANA
3 TIMES
The proof is in the press

Indiana's most-celebrated seafood

Caplinger's didn't just earn 4,700+ five-star reviews — it's been named the best in the state and recognized across the country. The reputation is real.

#1Restaurant in Indiana
— voted 3 times
🇺🇸Best Seafood in the Nation
— LoveFood
🏆Voted Best
Fish Sandwich
LoveFood
The best seafood restaurant in every US state

LoveFood named Caplinger's Fresh Catch the best seafood restaurant in Indiana — and one of America's best.

Read the feature
WISH-TV · Great Day
Caplinger's seafood named one of the best in the nation

Indianapolis' own WISH-TV featured Caplinger's Fresh Catch after its national recognition.

Watch the segment
Do317 · Indianapolis
Indy's best seafood restaurants

A local favorite on every "best seafood in Indianapolis" roundup, year after year.

See the roundup
See all the awards & press
Real seafood, no shortcuts

Most of the Midwest sells you farm-raised fish and calls it fresh. We never have.

With fishmonger roots that trace back to the 56th Street Fish Market in 1993, the Caplinger family has done one thing: source real seafood and sell it honestly. While others pass off cheap farm-raised tilapia as premium catch, we bring in the genuine article.

"Arguably the city's most extensive selection of seafood — from cod to octopus to skate."— Indianapolis Monthly

Louisiana alligator. Colossal, baseball-bat king crab legs. Live lobster from the tank. Oysters, crawfish, whole fish you can watch get filleted. If we wouldn't serve it to our own family, it doesn't go in the case.

See what's in the case →
The Caplinger family behind Caplinger's Fresh Catch in Indianapolis
Since '93
Family fishmongers, still behind the counter
Straight from the case

The specialties Indianapolis drives across town for

From the everyday fresh-fish counter to the showstoppers — priced by the pound, fresh every day.

Colossal king crab legs at Caplinger's Fresh Catch Indianapolis
By the pound

Colossal King Crab

"Baseball-bat" legs — the biggest, sweetest crab in the city.

 Live lobster at Caplinger's Fresh Catch Indianapolis
Live from the tank

Live Lobster

Order one or a crowd's worth — we'll have them ready.

 Louisiana alligator at Caplinger's Fresh Catch Indianapolis
Louisiana-sourced

Gator & Specialty

Real Louisiana alligator, frog legs, octopus & skate.

 Fresh fish counter at Caplinger's Fresh Catch Indianapolis
Filleted to order

The Fresh-Fish Counter

Salmon, cod, perch, halibut, catfish & more — cleaned how you like.

 Fresh oysters and shellfish at Caplinger's Fresh Catch Indianapolis
Shucked fresh

Oysters & Shellfish

Oysters, shrimp, crab and crawfish for the boil.

 Seafood boil with lobster and shrimp from Caplinger's Fresh Catch Indianapolis
For the table

Seafood Boils

Low-country boils for parties, catering & game day.
Two ways to enjoy Caplinger's

Buy it fresh, or let us cook it

The Seafood Market

Walk the case and pick your fish, priced by the pound — then we clean, fillet and season it exactly how you want. The freshest seafood in Indianapolis to cook at home.

  • Fresh fish, shellfish & specialty by the pound
  • Filleted, cleaned & seasoned to order
  • Live lobster & large king-crab orders
Explore the Market

The Restaurant & Kitchen

Hungry now? Our kitchens fry it fresh — golden fish & chips, catfish nuggets, lobster rolls, gator bites and the sides Indy keeps coming back for: mac, greens and fried okra.

  • Fried fish, fish & chips & po'boys
  • Lobster rolls, gator bites & frog legs
  • Dine-in, carryout, catering & boils
Find a Kitchen
Four neighborhoods, one family

Find your Caplinger's

Each location has its own personality — two with full retail seafood counters, all four with the food that built our name.

Market + RestaurantCaplinger's Fresh Catch Shadeland Avenue location, Indianapolis east side

Shadeland Ave · FLAGSHIP

★★★★★4.5· 2,943 reviews
7460 Shadeland Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46250 · East side / Lawrence
Visit Shadeland
Market + RestaurantCaplinger's Fresh Catch Southside location on South Meridian Street, Indianapolis

Southside

★★★★★4.7· 1,192 reviews
7620 S Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46217 · Greenwood / Southside
Visit Southside
Seafood KitchenCaplinger's Fresh Catch Seafood Kitchen on Pendleton Pike, Indianapolis

Pendleton Pike

★★★★★4.4· 570 reviews
9535 Pendleton Pike, Indianapolis, IN 46236 · Lawrence
Visit Pendleton Pike
Seafood KitchenCaplinger's Fresh Catch at The AMP food hall, 16 Tech, downtown Indianapolis

The AMP · Downtown

★★★★★4.1· 80 reviews
1220 Waterway Blvd, Container 1, Indianapolis, IN 46202 · 16 Tech
Visit The AMP
4,700+
Google reviews across 4 locations
#1
Restaurant in Indiana — voted 3×
30+
Years sourcing real seafood
USA
"Best seafood in the nation" — LoveFood
Straight from the counter

What Indianapolis is saying

Real, recent Google reviews from across our locations.

★★★★★

"This is the first restaurant here in Central Indiana that's worth dining at. My catfish nuggets were so juicy and tender yet crunchy and flavorful — just perfect."

TheresaShadeland
★★★★★

"I have now ordered live lobsters from Caplinger's multiple times. Their customer service is phenomenal — responsive, and they even called back after the fact."

Mike SwisherSouthside
★★★★★

"One of the few places in the state where you can find quality frog legs and alligator bites. The fries, cornbread, and hush puppies are their best sides."

Mr. ProbabilityThe AMP · Downtown
★★★★★

"Incredibly clean — no funky smells like fresh markets often have. The food they serve all looked delicious. Just mad at myself for not going sooner!"

Mandy McCauleySouthside
★★★★★

"Some of the best seafood we've had! We're on a trip from Oregon and stumbled on this place — it is amazing. The catfish is always seasoned and fried perfectly."

Laura B.Pendleton Pike
★★★★★

"Everything was excellent. Good portions, excellent taste, fair prices, quick service — AND they have fried okra. Omg."

Maxwell MurphyShadeland

Boils, trays & catering for any crowd

From a backyard low-country boil to a corporate spread or a 20-pound king-crab order — Caplinger's caters the freshest seafood in Indianapolis. Tell us the headcount and we'll handle the rest.

Request Catering & Boils
Good questions

Caplinger's, answered

Where can I buy fresh fish in Indianapolis today?
Caplinger's Fresh Catch runs full retail seafood counters where you can buy fresh fish by the pound and have it filleted to order. Our Shadeland (7460 Shadeland Ave) and Southside (7620 S Meridian St) locations carry the full fresh-fish counter — salmon, cod, perch, halibut, catfish, oysters, shrimp and more.
Is the seafood fresh, or is it farm-raised?
This is the whole point of Caplinger's. We source real, fresh seafood and sell it honestly — no passing off cheap farm-raised tilapia as premium fish — including Louisiana alligator and colossal wild king crab.
Do you have king crab and live lobster?
Yes. We're known for colossal "baseball-bat" king crab legs and live lobster from the tank. Order a single lobster or a large quantity for an event — just call ahead for big king-crab orders.
Do you cook the seafood I buy?
Two ways to enjoy Caplinger's: buy it fresh at the market to cook at home, or order it cooked from our kitchens — fried fish, fish & chips, lobster rolls, gator bites and classic sides. We can also clean and season your market purchase.
Is Caplinger's really award-winning?
Yes — voted the #1 restaurant in Indiana three times, ranked among the best seafood in the nation by LoveFood, voted Best Fish Sandwich, and featured by WISH-TV. See our Awards & Press page.
How many locations do you have and where?
Four, all in Indianapolis: Shadeland Ave (east side), Southside (S Meridian St), Pendleton Pike (Lawrence) and The AMP at 16 Tech (downtown). Shadeland and Southside have full retail seafood markets; Pendleton Pike and The AMP are our Seafood Kitchens.