Costco Vs Sam's Club: Which Chain Has The Best Seafood Selection?

Whether you're a seasoned chef or trying new recipes for the first time, there's nothing better than a fully stocked kitchen. Fresh, high-quality ingredients can be found at grocery stores across the country, but wholesale chains seem to have better variety at cheaper prices. When it comes to things like seafood, however, which is better: Costco or Sam's Club? While both have a pretty decent selection, an overwhelming number of customers say Costco wins this time.

Overall, Costco has a better variety of fresh and frozen seafood staples, including whole lobster tails and fish, seasoned and marinated salmon and trout filets, shrimp, oysters, and more. You can even get entrees like the Sea Cuisine tortilla-crusted tilapia, which our reviewer ranked number one among Costco frozen seafood dishes. The prices are typically higher than Sam's —for example, depending on location, Kirkland Signature's Fresh Farmed Salmon Fillet is $14.74 per pound, while Sam's version is $11.87 per pound — but customers say it's worth it for the freshness and flavor.

Of course, Sam's Club does have standout items, too, like the seafood boil kit for less than $100 and the Member's Mark Premium Seafood Sampler Box for $119. But even customers with both memberships turn to Costco for fish. "The seafood is really the tipping point for me. Sam's Club seafood is awful," one user on the r/Cooking Reddit thread said. Other Redditors say the shrimp cocktail, scallops, and sea bass steaks are Costco favorites.

While Costco is anecdotally known for quality fish, both Costco and Sam's Club adhere to the highest sustainability standards for seafood. Both chains have Sustainable Fisheries Partnerships (SFPs) to ensure all of the seafood is obtained in ways that keep fish populations thriving and their habitats healthy. Most products from each store will also have some kind of label or seal for the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), meaning both farmed and wild-caught seafood were harvested sustainably. So, if you're in a pinch or trying to save money, Sam's Club frozen seafood is definitely still worth buying.

If you're wondering which Costco seafood items should you buy or avoid, steer clear of the frozen Alaskan salmon burgers (our reviewer said they're under-seasoned and too salty). Opt for items like the miso black cod instead, the Costco seafood dish people are comparing to an iconic plate at Nobu. And if you're feeling fancy, get the monkfish. "I like it tossed in seasoning and grilled, or cubed up and made into a chowder," one r/Costco Redditor said.