diff --git a/src/domain/user/api.rs b/src/domain/user/api.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e827a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/domain/user/api.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use uuid::Uuid;
+
+use super::{Email, Handle, User};
+
+#[derive(Deserialize, Serialize)]
+pub struct GetUserResponse {
+    id: Uuid,
+    email: Email,
+    handle: Handle,
+    name: Option<String>,
+    profile_photo: Option<String>,
+    bio: Option<String>,
+}
+
+impl GetUserResponse {
+    pub fn id(&self) -> Uuid {
+        self.id
+    }
+
+    pub fn email(&self) -> Email {
+        self.email.clone()
+    }
+
+    pub fn handle(&self) -> Handle {
+        self.handle.clone()
+    }
+
+    pub fn name(&self) -> Option<String> {
+        self.name.clone()
+    }
+
+    pub fn profile_photo(&self) -> Option<String> {
+        self.profile_photo.clone()
+    }
+
+    pub fn bio(&self) -> Option<String> {
+        self.bio.clone()
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<User> for GetUserResponse {
+    fn from(user: User) -> Self {
+        GetUserResponse {
+            id: user.id,
+            email: user.email,
+            handle: user.handle,
+            name: user.name,
+            profile_photo: user.profile_photo,
+            bio: user.bio,
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/domain/user/mod.rs b/src/domain/user/mod.rs
index 06d98cf..88f29cf 100644
--- a/src/domain/user/mod.rs
+++ b/src/domain/user/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+mod api;
 mod credentials;
 mod tests;
 
 use actix_web::HttpResponse;
+pub use api::GetUserResponse;
 pub use credentials::{
     deserialize_handle_option, deserialize_password_option, deserilaize_email_option, Email,
     EmailValidationErr, Handle, HandleValidationErr, Login, Password, PasswordValidationErr,
diff --git a/src/handlers/mod.rs b/src/handlers/mod.rs
index 16ea71a..c3ebc00 100644
--- a/src/handlers/mod.rs
+++ b/src/handlers/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 pub mod health_check;
 pub mod middleware;
 pub mod server;
-pub mod user;
\ No newline at end of file
+pub mod user;
diff --git a/src/handlers/user/get.rs b/src/handlers/user/get.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f5ab7d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/handlers/user/get.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+use actix_web::{
+    web::{Data, Path},
+    HttpResponse,
+};
+use sqlx::PgPool;
+use uuid::Uuid;
+
+use crate::{domain::user::GetUserResponse, storage};
+
+#[tracing::instrument(
+    name = "Getting user by ID",
+    skip(user_id, db_pool),
+    fields(
+        id = %user_id,
+    ),
+)]
+pub async fn get_by_id(user_id: Path<Uuid>, db_pool: Data<PgPool>) -> HttpResponse {
+    let id = user_id.into_inner();
+
+    match storage::get_user_by_id(&db_pool, id).await {
+        Ok(user) => {
+            if user.deleted_at().is_some() {
+                let err = format!("user {} has been soft deleted", id);
+                tracing::error!(err);
+                HttpResponse::BadRequest().body(err)
+            } else {
+                let response: GetUserResponse = user.into();
+                let response_str = match serde_json::to_string(&response) {
+                    Ok(response_str) => response_str,
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        let err = format!("failed to parse user struct {} to json: {:?}", id, e);
+                        tracing::error!(err);
+                        return HttpResponse::InternalServerError().finish();
+                    }
+                };
+                HttpResponse::Ok().body(response_str)
+            }
+        }
+        Err(e) => match e {
+            sqlx::Error::RowNotFound => {
+                let err = format!("user {} not found", id);
+                tracing::error!(err);
+                HttpResponse::NotFound().body(err)
+            }
+            e => {
+                let err = format!("failed to get user {}: {:?}", id, e);
+                tracing::error!(err);
+                HttpResponse::InternalServerError().finish()
+            }
+        },
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/handlers/user/mod.rs b/src/handlers/user/mod.rs
index 6a97238..db97702 100644
--- a/src/handlers/user/mod.rs
+++ b/src/handlers/user/mod.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 mod confirm;
 mod delete;
+mod get;
 mod login;
 mod signup;
 mod update;
 
 pub use confirm::*;
 pub use delete::*;
+pub use get::*;
 pub use login::*;
 pub use signup::*;
 pub use update::*;
diff --git a/src/startup.rs b/src/startup.rs
index 880a971..be47e3a 100644
--- a/src/startup.rs
+++ b/src/startup.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ use crate::{
     domain::{email, user::Email},
     handlers::{
         health_check::{health_check, HEALTH_CHECK_PATH},
-        middleware::AuthMiddleware,
         server, user,
     },
 };
@@ -70,6 +69,7 @@ impl App {
                         )
                         .service(
                             scope("/{user_id}")
+                                .route("", get().to(user::get_by_id))
                                 .route("", put().to(user::update))
                                 .route("", patch().to(user::patch))
                                 .route("", delete().to(user::soft_delete))
diff --git a/tests/api/user/get.rs b/tests/api/user/get.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c5e11c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/api/user/get.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+use claim::assert_ok;
+use fake::{faker::internet::en::SafeEmail, Fake};
+use muttr_server::{
+    domain::user::{self, GetUserResponse},
+    handlers::user::BASE_PATH,
+};
+use uuid::Uuid;
+
+use crate::utils::{
+    app::TestApp,
+    http_client::{ContentType, Header, Path},
+};
+
+#[actix::test]
+async fn test_get_by_id_success() {
+    let mut app = TestApp::spawn().await;
+
+    for x in 1..6 {
+        let email = assert_ok!(
+            user::Email::try_from(SafeEmail().fake::<String>()),
+            "failed to generated valid user email"
+        );
+        let handle = format!("test.user{}", x);
+        let user = app
+            .database
+            .insert_user(email.as_ref(), &handle, true)
+            .await;
+
+        let response = app
+            .client
+            .request(
+                Path::GET(format!("{}/{}", BASE_PATH, user.id())),
+                &[Header::ContentType(ContentType::Json)],
+                None::<String>,
+            )
+            .await;
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            200,
+            response.status(),
+            "The API did not return 200 on valid get user by id request: {}",
+            response.text().await.unwrap_or_default(),
+        );
+
+        let user_res = match response.json::<GetUserResponse>().await {
+            Ok(json) => json,
+            Err(e) => panic!(
+                "failed to unmarshal json from api response into GetUserResponse struct: {:?}",
+                e
+            ),
+        };
+
+        assert_eq!(user.id(), user_res.id(), "id does not match",);
+        assert_eq!(user.email(), user_res.email(), "email does not match",);
+        assert_eq!(user.handle(), user_res.handle(), "handle does not match",);
+        assert_eq!(user.name(), user_res.name(), "name does not match",);
+        assert_eq!(
+            user.profile_photo(),
+            user_res.profile_photo(),
+            "profile_photo does not match",
+        );
+        assert_eq!(user.bio(), user_res.bio(), "bio does not match",);
+    }
+}
+
+#[actix::test]
+async fn test_get_by_id_failure() {
+    let app = TestApp::spawn().await;
+
+    let id = Uuid::new_v4();
+
+    let user_res = app
+        .client
+        .request(
+            Path::GET(format!("{}/{}", BASE_PATH, id)),
+            &[Header::ContentType(ContentType::Json)],
+            None::<String>,
+        )
+        .await;
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        404,
+        user_res.status(),
+        "The API did not return 404 when trying to GET a non-existant user id",
+    );
+}
diff --git a/tests/api/user/mod.rs b/tests/api/user/mod.rs
index 7217032..6255cfe 100644
--- a/tests/api/user/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/api/user/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 mod confirm;
 mod delete;
+mod get;
 mod login;
 mod patch;
 mod signup;