Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Klein.
Hi Laura, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I fell into restaurants as a teenager and never really left. While working my way through college in Lawrence, I discovered how much I love hospitality—and the tight-knit community that comes with it.
The turning point for me was landing a job at Teller’s, a beloved Lawrence spot where I started as a host and eventually rotated through every front-of-house role. The energy, the pride we took in our food and wine program, and the friendships I made there convinced me this could be a career, not just a day job. I was excited to go to work and i fell in love with all of the exceptional humans that I met there. I honestly felt like the walls were magic because of the people I met there.
Over the next several years I worked at a collection of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops around town, each one deepening my connection to Lawrence’s hospitality community. In 2016, while finishing my degree at KU, a former coworker invited me to help launch a new concept—Mass Street Fish House—offering 4 percent sweat equity. I went all-in: working nights and weekends elsewhere, then spending my days designing the bar, building opening inventory, writing the wine and cocktail lists, and hiring and training the team. Watching that idea turn into a living, breathing restaurant was electric.
Nine years later we’re light-years from where we began. We survived COVID, grew our seating by 40 percent, and two years ago I bought out my majority partner and brought in a dream working partner and former Tellers coworker and best friend, Samatha Waeckerle. Mass Street Fish House is still evolving, and so is our team—but the excitement I felt on day one is very much alive and we feel more ambitious and inspired than ever.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
t’s definitely at times felt more like a roller-coaster than smooth road. We’ve weathered painful leadership changes and more tough conversations than I can count. COVID forced us to close, then operate in a drastically reduced footprint, and—once we built our patio—scale back up almost overnight. On top of that, a seafood-focused menu means constant supply-chain puzzles; one missed shipment can throw an entire service off.
Through it all, our team held tight. Some of the people who unlocked the doors with me nine years ago still clock in every day. Restaurant folks are tough and resourceful—we face the unexpected daily and, frankly, many of us thrive on that chaos. No matter the shutdowns, shifting safety protocols, ownership changes, or management transitions, one thing has stayed constant: a crew that shows up, works hard, and keeps looking forward.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
At heart, we’re a neighborhood oyster bar: top-quality, sustainably sourced seafood and minimal-intervention wines served with the kind of warmth you’d expect from your favorite neighborhood spot. I’m proud that we can pour grower champagne next to a briny East Coast oyster without a hint of pretense—because great food should feel inviting, not intimidating.
What sets us apart is that balance of excellence and approachability. One night we’re the spot for a 40th-anniversary dinner; the next, we’re where friends meet for happy hour after yoga. Our team’s genuine hospitality, paired with seafood that rivals coastal markets and produce straight from Kansas farms, keeps regulars coming back and first-timers feeling like they’ve found a hidden gem.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most is creating something meaningful—for the team that shows up every day and for the guests who choose to share their time with us. A restaurant isn’t one-sided; it’s an ongoing conversation. I may have a clear vision, but the final result is always shaped by what Lawrence wants and needs in return.
That’s why I focus first on the people who work here: making sure they feel supported, encouraged, and valued. When our team thrives, their generosity flows naturally to our guests, and the circle of hospitality widens. In the end, it’s about building community—starting inside our four walls and rippling outward to make Lawrence feel cared for, welcomed, and appreciated.
Pricing:
- Happy Hour everyday 4pm-6pm
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.massfishhouse.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/massfishhouse
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/massfishhouse
