In the Inglewood, Gardena & Hawthorne area there are a lot of fish markets and a good number of them are decent. Fish markets are a hidden gem that one usually finds in a certain type of city, away from the suburbs or more affluent and touristy areas. The best type of food, in my opinion, is simple food done expertly well, however my companion disagreed with me on this sunny Saturday afternoon, so we proceeded to present our points, which lasted a good hour and a half. By the end of our spirited discussion I was exhausted and hungry. I did not ask questions or for permission, hell I wasn't even listening to most of the conversation, I just instinctively drove to Bates Fish Market. In a city filled with Fish Markets, I've deduced that Bates is, pound for pound, the best fish market in the South Bay, and most of the locals would agree with me. Going to Bates is the epitome of simple food done expertly well, my apologizes for calling their food simple, seasoning is an art that not everyone is capable of pulling off successfully. Everything is good but I have a 'go to.' I always order the 3pc Seafood course that comes with 1 side but I pay more for 2 sides. Now, everyone has their favorite type of fish but I usually go with the Red Snapper along with a side of hush puppies and french fries. *Pro Tip* #1: Always, and I mean ALWAYS, ask for extra tartar sauce and hot sauce. Your meal will not be complete without it and if you don't ask you don't receive. By the end of our meal, I had at least shown my companion that there was another side to her argument, albeit I didn't end up changing her mind. Sometimes you just have to let people be who they are, no matter how wrong they are. Stay being patient and understanding of others' strong but incorrect opinions my friends.... read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - An older menu but you get the point... - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

I uploaded several pics from many of our visits. I forget to check in most times. Our go to is the Fish (5 Pieces) and Jumbo Shrimp (5 Pieces) catfish. I like extra seasoning on my fries and shrimp. The taste is so darn good. Fries are always nice and crispy. The tartar sauce is really really good. I crave this weekly but try to go at least twice a month. Service is always great. There is ample parking. Sometimes there are no spots available. The store itself is clean. Staff are clean. They are welcoming. We will always come back. read more

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Ok so the macaroni salad was good loved the taste. The garlic rice was decent, but it tasted more like plain white rice with garlic on top rather than actual cooked garlic rice. The fish and shrimp lacked flavor to be honest they could probably add more seasoning to the batter and it could have been crunchier. Fries was good of course can't go wrong there. Overall 3 starts portion size great and price was reasonable. read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - Catfish F Fish (3 Pieces) and Shrimp (Medium - 10 Pieces) - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

The food here is always fresh and always delicious. Keep in my that it is made to order so you may wait 30 min but it is well worth the wait. This is by far my favorite fish spot in Los Angeles. read more

They answered the phone and it wasn't packed on a Friday. I should have known. The quality of the food and who's cooking it is different. The batter that the fish and shrimp is fired in wasn't good. No more visits for me. read more

Today I ordered a lunch special from Bates, and let me tell you--they did NOT come to play! The food was fresh, well-seasoned, and cooked to perfection. I asked for my fish fried hard, and they got it exactly right. I literally called the restaurant back after one bite--that's how good it was! Whoever is in that kitchen... keep them happy, because they can fry some fish for real! read more

Nah, I wouldn't do this again. I was on my way from place #1 to place #2 and wanted fried catfish. I Yelped a place near and ordered. Typical strip mall, this place is located in the corner. There are bars everywhere, and your food is given through the heavy plastic. Such is a sign of the times. Service was meh. The ?owner? played on his phone instead of greeting me, and the young lady who ?was the cook? came up to exchange my order. #1: my cat fillet had bones! #2: the fries were frozen fried. You know, still got that fake cold potato taste. #3: the strips were on the smaller versus full side read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - Storefront - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

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A staple in the community that's been there for years. The best fried fish and shrimp hands down and we've tried many others in the area. Nothing compares! read more

Customer service was A1 per usual but the quality of the food has declined.. I ordered a family meal and the size of the filet sole was small and the cut it to stretch the pieces. The shrimp were over cooked and the oysters as well.. Not for what I'm paying.. damn near $60 in the trash!!! Do better.. you guys use to be my favorite as a kid and young adult read more

The cat fish filet is fresh and exceedingly good, the filet of sole was good but a little thin so when cooked it was crunchy I am sure this is not the norm tho so ask about them it was my 1st visit. The service was off the chain attentive, kind and professional in every since of the word. The Ambiance is needed when all you do is order, recieve and leave. If you try other dishes please let us know your thoughts So far it's my favorite Show them so love and stop by and tell'em you read my review and you'll add to it or create you own. I'd like to know your thoughts. read more

Disclaimer: This review has nothing to do with their food. This review pertains to not the best business practice for a small business. I will at some point give this place another chance it was just unfortunate I wasn't able to try it this time around, now to the review! Was really wanting some fried fish and shrimp but saw that this place was closed on Sunday so I put my taste buds on pause till Monday . So today is Monday got my taste buds all ready only to get to the place to see a typed note on the door stating they're closed on Monday's till future notice!!!! Considering they don't have a big advertisement platform you would think it would be imperative to make a "so easy to do" update on their Yelp account regarding their hours, so I'm here to tell you DON'T COME ON A MONDAY!!! read more

Best sole around, even my toddler is addicted. I just wish the service was consistent

1st time trying this place a couple of weeks ago. First of all the service was really inviting and helpful. You can smell the food blocks away while driving to this place it smells so good. I got the catfish and jumbo shrimp combo and my wife got the red snapper lunch combo. The breading on this fish is amazing and very flavorful. The entire meal was wonderful and fresh tasting. The tartar sauce is not store bought but house made and it's delicious. The price of the food is the average for places like this not too expensive not cheap but reasonable in my opinion. I highly recommend going to this restaurant for all of your fried fish needs. read more

I went 2-14-25 to give Bates another try. First waited in my car for my order to be ready. 4 piece Fillet Sole( Fry Crispy)/15 med shrimp fries(fry hard) & a roll. Go inside to get my order exactly when said it's ready and it's warm but not HOT. Fish is not fresh are fried crispy. Shrimp or just ok. Fries are not fried hard or even cooked completely. Dinner roll old. Got home and air fried fries & fish & added a lil Cajun seasoning. This was a lunch special purposely as not to get caught up in dinner rush. Ordered at 2:30 ready in 20mins and it was timely but not what I expected. I'll give a 3/5 for fish/shrimp and 1/5 for fries and I'm a fries person. read more

The fried shrimp & catfish lunch meal was so flavorful, the crispy batter was thick and tasty. They don't take EBT anymore so I had to pay cash but it was worth it. read more

They flash fry, so seafood is raw in the middle. Nice outer-flavor though. Be warned.

Amazing had to go 2 times this week! food was amazing! Service was cool! Definitely will be back and eat more shrimp! Everything is so bomb

UPDATE: Our order of a Bates Family Meal --16 pcs Fish + 30 medium shrimp; 2 large sides; hush puppies; dinner rolls. Excellent service, well-packaged, ready right on time. As far as the fish and shrimp: perfectly seasoned and fried. Plus the size of the individual pieces--8 catfish, 8 red snapper--had resumed their previous size. Pricey? Yes...as is everything these days. Overall evaluation: A read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - 5 extremely undersized Buffalo pieces --exactly 1/2 the usual size--and 5 jumbo shrimp. - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

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I had the jumbo shrimp and oysters, which were fried to perfection and the seasoning was balanced. Not too salty and flavorful! The tartar sauce and coleslaw are made in house. What I like about the tartar sauce is that it tastes like it has just a hint of dijon in it. Fries are typical frozen fries that you get from a burger joint, but that doesn't stop me from grazing them haha. The space is clean and the seafood displayed in the front look fresh. Solid place if you're having the munchies for fried seafood. read more

The food hit the spotttt! Their tartar sauce is homemade and it did not disappoint. The owners were very kind and service was great. I would recommend this to literally everyone and what a great experience I had trying this for the first time read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - 5 Jumbo Shrimp Combo Dinner - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

This place is so delish! The batter is different where it's very light and not too thick. My favorite was the Jumbo Shrimp! The shrimp is still juicy and flavorful after being fried. The sauce is homemade and unique! Their Coleslaw is also so unique and refreshing! There are hints of pineapple inside~ read more

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I ordered here on a Saturday. It was to try out their fish because I saw many people walking in and out. I ordered Red snapper, shrimp, fries, red beans and rice with a side of lettuce and tomato. I was thankful that they sliced an actual tomato and had lush lettuce available for me. I live for fresh veggies!. The snapper was delicious, the fries were on point, the shrimp was thick and a nice bite. They even threw in a garlic roll and it was goooood. The red beans and rice tasted like black beans and rice but I put a little hot sauce and seasoning in them and it tasted fine. I ordered through yelp and i got the ready time mixed up plus I was late. The gentleman was nice and made a fresh batch of my order so I could be on my way. So kind! read more

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The service is great the food fresh an hot the lines are not long waiting time less the 10 mins quick on the hurrying for seafood

Heard about this place from a close friend who frequently drives from Brea to eat at Bates. I tried the fried shrimp, oyster and fish. It was simply amazing. I can safely say that this was the best fried seafood I have ever tried in my life!!! Plenty of parking spaces and very friendly staff. Spoke with the owner a bit. It's a family business! read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - Fried fish Fried oysters - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

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This place is hidden away but is a must try. It's quicker if you call ahead and place an order. I got the 20 piece shrimp with a side of fries. There isn't any seating inside so you have to eat in your car. read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - To go order of 20 Piece Jumbo Shrimp - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

Definitely the best spot for fried shrimp! My partner and I love this spot! The food is always made fresh! The batter for the shrimp is delicious! read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - 1Piece 10 Piece Jumbo Shrimp - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

This is my favorite place for swai! It's so moist and breaded just like I like it. The one star off is how stingy they are with the tartar sauce. You get one sauce for 5 pieces, even when I offer to pay for more I'm given a very strange look. I'm not sure why, it makes me uncomfortable. I'll be back but not as often as I'd like as the customer service is just off. read more

So happy we found this place! Came here on a Saturday for lunch and got the dinner combo of 3 pieces of fish + 3 jumbo shrimp and it was fantastic! You can phone in your order, and the staff are all very nice. They recommended the basa swai for the fish, and we went for the jumbo shrimp b/c it was juicier. Both were fantastic, extremely tender, flavorful, and not overly breaded. We chose hush puppies and macaroni salad for the sides, and it came with a dinner roll (all very tasty). The food just tasted really fresh. This is in the corner of a tiny, jam packed strip mall where there is parking, but it's crowded. The store is taking covid very seriously, and asking that only 2 people come in at a time. Would totally come again! read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - Menu as of Feb 2021 - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

This is my childhood hood fish market, the is good I travel 30 miles to get some. The service is good I haven't experienced anything bad. The ambiance is ok I know things change with different owners but not bad to keep me from going lol read more

I hope someone takes my review seriously, and it helps prevent an inconvenience for their future. Please avoid this restaurant. I never ordered from this store before. I placed an order via doordash last night 6/7/24, and I received the wrong order. I spent $95, and all I got was one box of a few pieces of fish (unknown what type of fish) with a small potato salad. I called the restaurant immediately, and they did not answer after multiple attempts. I then resorted to doordash, who could not refund my money. I also made sure that I made it a point to call the restaurant today. A very unprofessional employee picked up the phone with no regard to my inconvenience. My first question to him was if when people ordered via DoorDash. Do you hand the food to the dasher, or do you leave it on the counter for them to pick up. He stated that they check the phone for the name and hand them the food. I told him what happened to me, and he brushed me off the phone. This leads me to believe that it was the restaurant's fault that I didn't receive my correct order. I work in the customer service field, and the least I could have done was offer you another meal. I was robbed of money from the restaurant and doordash, and no one seemed to care. read more

Tried this place the other day. I ordered catfish and shrimp with potato salad and hush puppies. The catfish was delicious! Bomb.com It was well flavored. Crispy yet light. It was still juicy. So well balanced. Yummy in my tummy. The shrimp was great as well. Perfectly cooked and also well balanced in flavor. The potato salad as good but something was off. Maybe too much mustard. I'm not sure. I would order it again though. The Hawaiian bread that came with the meal was gross. It was way too hard to eat. It did not taste homemade. Tasted like the ones you buy from the store and they just warmed it up. Causing it to get stale. Yeah no thanks. Now the hush puppies I was the most excited about and they were disappointing. They were so overcooked and the flavor was bad. I didn't even eat them. I tried to give my dog one and he wouldn't eat it. I will definitely order from here again for the catfish though! That's was some darn good fish. Give it a try! read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - Cat Catfish Dinner, Potato Salad, Hush Puppies - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

"Good Bates" is what it was referred to. This corner fish market in Gardena is legit. I wish I could give it like 3 1/2 stars though. The new dude taking orders wasn't very comprehensive but I was able to complete my order and have it correct. The parking is HORRIBLE in that lot so CALL AHEAD. I think it's great that they call you back once you're food is ready too. The flavor was solid, not too salty but wasn't booming with the Cajun I'm accustom too. Still fire. I order the 3 & 10, which was a lot, not to mention it wasn't a listed combo so I had extra fries. Prices come standard, fish is always pricey Lowkey. But it was worth every dime, and fresh, and hot...... mmmmmm mmmmm mmmmmmmmmmm *break dances* imma get that good bates soon again! read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - 3 Piece Fish and 10 Medium Shrimp Combo - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

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Ooh I was craving some fried fish,and since wasn't familiar with the area, I went to Yelp. I found one fish spot, drove there and the place looked hella sketchy. "Naw, I ain't ordering any fish from there". So back to perusing yelp. Saw the stars and read the reviews for Bates, and figured I'd give them try. Drove there and not gonna lie, I was a little scared because the little strip mall it's in is super tiny and a bit run down. But, many of the fish markets in the hood be some of the best tasting fish lol. Just as I thought, the fish was bomb. Fresh, and seasoned well. I ordered basa swai and sole. The fish market is small, but glad to see it was clean inside. If I'm ever in the area, I will definitely order fish from Bates. read more

The food was mediocre, portions were very small for the price, and customer service was HORRIBLE!!!!! The place is next to a laundry mat inside a small strip mall. In fact, the fish market sign is on the exterior of the Laundry mat, LOL. The actual place is in a creepy little corner with a rusty old metal gate, definitely not welcoming. Customer service. The person taking the order, an older man who I assume was the owner, had a very negative and rude disposition. This was my first (and definitely last) time at this place so I politely asked a couple of questions to which he responded with an angry and disdainful tone. You would have thought I had asked him to go get his fu**ing shine box. It was baffling. The food. It was barely edible. It was obviously cooked in very old, low quality oil and tasted as such. It definitely needs to be changed. The shrimp and oysters were small with a thick layer of unpalatable batter. I was an exceedingly courteous customer and have never written a negative review until now. This guy did not have to be nice, but I could have done without the dismissive attitude. read more

The fish was fried perfectly. Absolutely no complaints. I will definitely be returning soon! read more

I ordered red snapper, I feel like I got catfish. The shrimp wasn't good. Wouldn't come back

This fried fish joint is the best. I drove all the way from south OC to eat this for lunch. Waited some 5 minutes before my food was ready, picked it up, and stood outside in the parking lot eating in my trunk. I got no complaints, the prawn and oysters got me feeling good. It's worth the drive every time read more

Bates Fish Market Number One - Prawn, catfish, and red snapper - Seafood Markets Near Me - Gardena, California

Best Catfish around this area. Love the service and they alway give enough sauce for the fish.

Fried filet of sole, is the best here. Prices are fare. The jalapeno salsa for the fish is a must.. I always call ahead to save time. read more

Best fried fish in Gardena. The service is amazing . They have non black getting down on some fried