Bearcats Fish House - Algoma

Tucked away in the middle of nowhere is a tiny smoked fish shack that is definitely worth a stop on your journey to or from Door County. Their brown sugar smoked salmon is a crowd favorite, and it's easy to see why. It’s super flaky, tender, and has just the right amount of richness, perfectly balanced with salty and sweet flavors. It's delicious on its own but even better when served on crackers with cream cheese, shallots, and sliced lemon! If you forgot your cooler (or if, like us, yours is already packed), you can buy a styrofoam cooler and ice for just $1. We wanted to try their smoked chubs, but they’re only available in January. Looks like we’ll be making a winter trip!

I've visited this seafood market several times since discovering it, and let me tell you, it has everything you could possibly need for seafood. It's clear they have a successful operation for a reason—they run like a well-oiled machine! I'm a big fan of crawfish, which may not be a typical request in the North, but they offer both whole and tail options. Their selection of smoked fish is fantastic as well, perfect for making a dip. On my last visit, I even picked up a case of fresh oysters. As you can probably tell, I spent 28 years in Florida, and my seafood preferences reflect that southern influence—crawfish, oysters, and smoked fish are all staples for me! By the way, I drive all the way from Two Rivers just to shop here. They’re also open to special requests, like for oysters, so it’s worth checking with them first.

If you're a fan of fish and seafood, this is definitely the spot for you. They have a wide selection of frozen fish and seafood, and they smoke their fish on-site. They also offer other delightful items. The store itself is small and situated in the city of Algoma. We often stop by Bearcats to pick up some smoked fish.

I love this place, but the Algoma location is temporarily closed due to a fire. Please see attached photo of the sign on the door. The Green Bay location is open.

A destination worth driving hours for. A holy temple of smoked fish goodness of the highest order. This, my friends, is a very special store. Yelp may be full of 5-star ratings, and a fair number of them are mine, but only a very small group of them get the kind of admiration I have for the products and service provided by this store in tiny Algoma, WI. Smoked, local product. Look in the back and they're unloading just caught gutted fish preparing for more stock. Doesn't get any fresher than that. Oh, and the service is first rate. Burly guys wrapping up fish in newspaper and then securing in plastic bags for your trip home. Can't wait to return for another load.