EXHIBIT 23 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-10679) of Olympic Steel, Inc. of our report dated March 14, 2003 relating to the financial statements which appears in the Annual Report to Shareholders, which is incorporated in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Cleveland, Ohio March 14, 2003 50