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    Chef John's Fish & Chips

    4.3 (916 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Chef John's Fish & Chips Photos

    Business Info

    CHEF JOHN'S FISH & CHIPS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Reviews With Photos

    Fish + chip, hush puppies + fries shrimp
    Casey C.

    SUPPORT THIS LOCAL SPOT! A family with a dream and it's actually good. Located in a random shopping center in Lemon Grove you may not expect to find decent - or crave fish and chips but as someone who grew up in Carlsbad / Coastal north county I didn't find better there. This is my new spot for fish + chips! The shrimp was actually the best part and the honey on the hush puppies. I'm so glad I was introduced to this spot. They do need to revamp and get some marketing out there, I'd gladly help if they needed it. Social media account and some videos online. Get some new decor - however it adds to the authentic charm of a man with a dream and plan. Pray the charm never fades and this spot stands strong among the corporate greed monsters who don't give a damn about us, chef John does.

    Menu
    Cindy L.

    Came here with my mother after she saw this place trending on Facebook and had a deep craving for it. It's a family owned restaurant with a quiet, cozy atmosphere. You can either dine-in or take it to-go. The dining area is small but spacious enough to enjoy a meal. For service, I was greeted and my order was taken and the wait for the food was reasonable. We ordered the Fried Zucchini with 3 Chicken Strips and 2 Fish with Onion Rings. The Fried Zucchini was delicious. It's crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The portion is huge. As for the batter, it's very tasty. It's crunchy, very flavorful, and not overly salty. It wasn't too oily either. It pairs really well with the condiments and a hint of lemon makes it taste better. Overall, a great experience and would definitely recommend giving this place a try if you're having a craving for fish & chips!

    Eunice N.

    YUUMMM I love fish and chips, and somehow they were able to do it even better :D Cute little shop that is family-owned. They're very friendly and are hard workers! We ordered four fish with fries and had tartar sauce. The fish were HUUUGE! Oh my goodness. We also brought them to the beach, and the crispiness did not go away! It tasted so good, great tartar sauce as well. The fries were also really good :) A little bit of a wait, but that's expected. Really happy to have come here and will definitely be back!

    Lani B.

    i love fish and chips and heard good things about them-- two stars because the employees are extremely sweet! but the food itself was extremely expensive and just sub par. i ended up not eating the plate (1 order of fish and chips) due to the fish being a lower quality than expected. it didn't taste extremely fresh and had a stronger fishy taste. 3 plates for $70 i had high hopes!

    Fish and chips
    Wai F.

    Parking 4/5 -About 10 spots available in its own parking lot Service 5/5 -Family business ran by daughter and parents, always friendly service, food's made fresh and they always let you know the accurate amount of wait time to expect for your food to be ready, we waited about 15 minutes this time. Free self served iced water is available. Food 5/5 -Fish and jumbo shrimp $26, one piece of hot fresh flaky fried white fish and four pieces of tempura style fried shrimp, fries are good, no notes. -Small eater's plate with one piece of fish $18, all very hot, fresh and delicious. Even for the small eater's plate, the portion will fill you up half way because they give such a huge piece of fish. Ambiance 5/5 -The decor takes you back to an older time and the yellow tables and chairs give just the right amount of funk. Dining area is quiet and calm, just a great place to enjoy fresh delicious fish and chips.

    Great size of fish. My hand short but meaty
    Jun M.

    Food was simply amazing. Fish and chips is what I bought. Take out 4 pieces of fish and fries for $50. Fish was nice and fresh. Batter was light but very crunchy. Service was solid. Only 3 working. I think its family. Very busy store. 30 minute wait but well worth it. Ambiance, the store was busy but it was very family friendly. I think everyone knew they were going to get great food. Parking was a little busy. But I did go on a Saturday around noon. Definitely going back to try everything else.

    Tara R.

    9 out of 10! I found my new fish and chips spot in SD! Ok fair warning when you see the prices you will probably want to leave but the food is fresh and the one person plate (2 fish) can easily be split between 2 people. The first time I went I ordered the Small Eater Plate of 1 piece of fish. It comes with fries and I was so full after this meal. The fish is flaky and perfectly battered. You can choose only 3 condiments (hot sauce, vinegar, tartar sauce, 2 slices of lemon, or ranch). If you want more than 3 condiments, I think it's $1 extra for each. If you want ketchup they will truly count out 3 packets of ketchup and that's it. I did ask for more ketchup and got 2 more for free so that's good. One of the reasons why I knocked off 1 star is due to the prices and the stinginess of the sauces. $1 each is wild. They do have a parking lot which is super helpful but it's a little tight especially when other customers can't park and don't care to stay between the lines. This is a true mom and pop place. The customer service is cool. Very straight forward. The cleanliness is eh but not horrid. I've come back again since and highly recommend trying them out. You won't be disappointed.

    * Fried Fish * Fried Fish * Fried Zucchini  * French Fries
    Monica A.

    ** Fried Fish Friday ** We've been wanting to try this place for a while now..... Bucket list . So happy we made it out. This is a little hole in the wall place. VERY busy. Everything was fried to perfection with a tempura batter. The fried fish filets were HUGE!! We most definitely should've shared. Now we know when we go back.... This is a must try spot.

    Henry T.

    Good: That may have been the best piece of fried and breaded fish I have ever eaten. And I've been to London and had fish and chips over there before. Crispy outside, enough to hold together and not fall apart as it cools, but not so much that it was hard to cut or chew. The fries were also excellent. No salt, which is how I like it. And, like the fish, they were uniformily crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The meal also didn't eat too heavy, which is nice. I was thinking about getting the two piece meal, but thankfully didn't go there, as it would have been too much food. Bad: The restaurant's interior decor could use a refresh of sorts. Definitely has the feel of a hole in the wall restaurant. The drive-thru lane was closed, which was disappointing. The menu isn't on the board behind the registers. Instead, it's on a table in front, which separates the cashiers from the customers. Also not a fan of charging $3 for a can of soda as a drink. Or that I had to ask for a plastic knife to cut up the piece of fish. I get that it would be less cost prohibitive (and more convenient) to have plastic utensils but this food definitely needs hard silverware to cut and eat. The wait time for the food is 20 minutes, which also isn't ideal, though the exemplary cookery on the fish and chips does make it worth it. From the road, the restaurant appears closed or fenced off due to the construction fencing around the former brewery next door. It's hard to tell where the restaurant actually is when you approach it from the west.

    Calina N.

    Let me start off by saying I am a fan of this place. These are some solid fish and chips. It's NOT oily at all which is what I appreciate the most. It also doesn't break apart easily. Chef John definitely perfected his batter recipe down to a tea. I came on a Friday afternoon around 2pm for a late lunch. I heard about this place from social media and decided why not give it a try since I was in the area. When I pulled into the lot it was almost full and when I walked in almost every table was filled with people. The first thing that caught my eye was how pricey things were. Now I will say the portion of the protein is HUGE. The fish is long and hefty. I think I'm just not used to paying almost $30 for fries and fish. Maybe $20 is more reasonable but in today's economy this is definitely going to hurt a lot of people's wallet especially for the area. If the coleslaw was standard I would say it makes the price better but you're just getting the protein and fries and no drink so it seems like a rip off. I get it. Aside from the pricing. I thought it was weird how the lemon slices aren't standard but considered a "sauce". Again. Usually when I eat fish and chips lemons and coleslaw is standard so having to add it on is definitely a choice... Those are really the only cons I have about this place. Due to social media it has benefited the business but at a cost of having a longer wait for customers at almost all times of the day. Waiting 30 minutes, for a "fast food" type joint is kind of crazy. However, as a family owned business with husband and wife and daughter just working I can give them some grace. As they probably didn't expect to blow up as they did. So my verdict is, I can see why the locals hit up this spot. At the end of the day they are a business and things like wait, pricing of ingredients going up it's all something we can't really control, so if you can put all that to the side this place is a solid find.

    Menu
    Norma D.

    Heard all the hype so I had to try! Food is cooked as you order so it's hot and fresh. I had the fish & shrimp with the onion rings. Everything was amazing. I loved both but if I had to choose I'd say the shrimp was the hit!! The fish was a really big piece so you will get full. Those onion rings were delicious and huge. When you order the cashier tells you it will be about 35 minutes. Pretty accurate, but worth the wait. The place was packed for lunch so come with your patience because your food comes out fresh & hot. I'll be back.

    Nando R.

    Hands down the best Fish I've ever had! Very fresh and delicious. Service was good. I will definitely be back in the future.

    Fish. Chips. Coleslaw. Fried zucchini.
    Loren C.

    I would call this place, the epitome of a British chippy shop. It's a tiny little restaurant, a few tables, and one thing they do amazingly well, which is frying anything and everything. Put in your order, feel free to split a one person meal because that's more than enough food for two, and be prepared to wait. There are three people working, two cooking, and one running back-and-forth between the register and the kitchen to help clear things out. Their fish, shrimp, fries, and zucchini are all expertly fried, very fresh tasting, which means they clearly changed their oil consistently, and everything tastes really good. I would personally prefer a little more salt in my batter, but that's my personal preference. Still they do a magnificent job on the fish and all the seafood. If you're craving that British isles sort of meal, this is the place to do it.

    Dining Area

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    7 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Awesome fish and chips. They do a great job. We always get it to go.......................tartar sauce is good.

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    Page 2 of 23

    Ask the Community - Chef John's Fish & Chips

    Is the fish farm raised or wild caught and is it cod?

    Haddock

    Is the fish frozen and battered by a distributor?

    No! They do everything by hand at the restaurant. Some of the best fried fish & shrimp that I have ever had.

    Malt vinegar to go with fish & chips?

    You have options. Some people like it with that, some like it with tartar, lemons, and some people like it with ranch or ketchup. They have it all.

    Is their indoor dining back?

    Yes, there is indoor dining. We just ate there on May 10, 2022.

    Do they have indoor dining?

    Presently (3/5/22) there is no indoor dining. Just take out

    Do they have indoor dining reopened yet?

    I don't think so, yet.

    View All 7 Questions

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    Brigantine - OYSTERS ROCK

    Brigantine

    4.0(1.2k reviews)
    3.0 mi
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    Have been at lunch and dinner. Love the atmosphere here and food is always good. Good selection on…read morethe menu

    It's been a week since going to the La Mesa Brigantine with my pal, Nancy. I'm still thinking…read moreabout how delicious our food was and how nicely Kylie (I hope I got her name right) treated us. Nancy and I went to the Del Mar Brigantine about a month ago and it was a disappointment as noted in my review of that location (happily and thankfully, they made up for it via our visit to the La Mesa location last Friday) in early August. Last Friday's visit was terrific. We were welcomed immediately and seated where we asked. Kylie greeted us right away and brought us some great bread. For our entrees, Nancy ordered Salmon and I ordered the Crab Stuffed Shrimp. Everything was delicious, absolutely delicious. I had been craving the Crab Stuffed Shrimp when my husband and I went to the IB location with our friends, Bill and Toni, a couple months ago but even though that shrimp is still on their menu today, they didn't, and still don't, have it. Disappointing. When Nancy and I went Brigantine Del Mar we apparently were there at the wrong time of day so I was out of luck that day too. We made a point of getting to the La Mesa location at the right time of day last Friday so I was able to get the shrimp. Obviously the third time's the charm. Thank you, La Mesa Brigantine, for a lovely meal and a lovely time, I appreciate it so much!

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    4.5(222 reviews)
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    Outdoor seating
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    we are completely new to this area and found this place on yelp. and thank goodness we did! this…read moreplace was absolutely amazing. our server was the best. i think his name is kale? cale? sorry for not spelling it right! he explained the menu to us because we told him it was our first time. we got most of his recommendations, i didn't think we had room in our stomachs to order the rest lol. which is why, we are bringing our friends over to try this place very soon. more bellies, more food! we got: - miso soup: probably one of the better miso soups i've had. most places make it extremely salty, but this one was just the right amount. - el jefe roll: WOW i was not expecting to like this one that much. the spice was spicin'! if you cannot handle spicy foods, do not get this one. - salmon nigiri: one order comes with two pieces. the salmon just melts in your mouth. i'm drooling just thinking about it. - negro aguachiles: speechless at this dish. i could eat aguachiles everyday!! i loved it. i can't wait to try their verde one! - smoked yuzu hamachi: omg you get dinner and a show with this one. this was soooo good, i want to eat this everyday. parking was aplenty and there were a good amount of tables inside. we came on a sunday afternoon and we didn't have to wait to get seated.

    I ordered 3 things…read more Omg was good ... 8 out of 10 California was ok Toasted sushi was the worse! The rice was fried from one side the topping was not pleasant Service was slow Ambiance is nice and Ac was great

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    Guanatos II Mexican And Seafood - Three Rolled Tacos

    Guanatos II Mexican And Seafood

    4.7(49 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    I don't even know where to start except WOW. After trying an amazing mariscos food truck the day…read morebefore, I was hooked and it was all I could think about. I wanted to find a sit down spot that could deliver that same citrusy, flavor packed experience and this place was everything. We came in pretty close to closing without realizing, and I hate doing that because I know how it feels working in food service, but the staff still maintained such a great attitude. We were told to seat ourselves and while the inside was way too hot to sit comfortably, the outdoor patio was perfect. Our server brought out water and menus almost immediately and even after realizing they closed at 8pm, we never felt rushed at all. The menu is full of mariscos classics like ceviches, aguachiles, tostadas, and larger plates. Prices range from affordable to a little higher, but the portions definitely reflect that. My husband and I both got tostadas to start. I got the La Special and he got the aguachile tostada, and thinking the portions would be small, we also ordered carne asada fries and a California burrito... which we definitely didn't need... BUTT I am glad we got them because YUM! The tostadas were a 100/10. The portions alone felt more than an appetizer/snack. The La Special was loaded with raw shrimp, cooked shrimp, and octopus, all super fresh with great texture. I just wish there was a little more avocado. The aguachile had that perfect citrusy, spicy kick that makes it addicting. Incredible, and I mean it. Our server also brought out a variety of sauces like chipotle crema, green salsa, red salsa, and sour cream. I added some chipotle sauce to the carne asada fries, which already came with guac and sour cream, and it took it to another level. The portion was huge, especially compared to places charging $20+ for fries. These were around $15 and came with crispy fries, flavorful meat, and a good amount of cheese. The California burrito was $12.99 and really filling with carne asada, fries, and cheese. The tortilla was soft but held everything together well and it hit exactly how a California burrito should. I seriously left with no complaints. The service was amazing, the food exceeded expectations, and this is definitely going into our regular rotation.

    THIS SPOT IS SOOO GOOD...Welcoming, CLEAN, organized and had a charm that felt like a locals…read morehangout. The service was amazing, super nice guys and very orderly and kind. Had our dog on the patio and enjoyed tacos, shrimp ceviche (very fresh) and drinks. This spot 100% reminded me of when I went to La Paz. It's very clean, and I already want to go back. Tacos basically get two for one, loaded with meat and toppings. Best octopus we've had and we spent a lot of time in Okinawa and Mexico. 10/10 will be back!

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    Guanatos II Mexican And Seafood - Inside

    Inside

    Guanatos II Mexican And Seafood - Shrimp Ceviche Plate (tostada not the plate it came with like 6) so fresh! Good with salsa they bring you / hot sauces.

    Shrimp Ceviche Plate (tostada not the plate it came with like 6) so fresh! Good with salsa they bring you / hot sauces.

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    Casa Gabriela - Como Una Flor Cocktail

    Casa Gabriela

    4.2(868 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    This was our second time here, this time for brunch! We got the burrito and the queso fundido…read more OMG!! The queso fundido was sooooo amazing! I definitely want to get it again in the future. The burrito was so good as well. I was not too fond of the agave syrup drizzle as I don't like mixing sweet and savory, but if that's your thing, go for it! Eventually I only had room for the filling, so that was nice and savory. The cafe de olla was delicious as well. I REALLY commend this restaurant for not using AI graphics. The signs and menu looked like they were designed by a real designer. Great job! My only complaint was that the table next to us had an iPad kid with loud volume. I feel that restaurants should impose policies of not letting personal devices be so loud as to not bother other patrons.

    We had a 6pm restaurant but still wound up having to wait until 6:15 for our table to be ready…read more Which was no big deal, because they were very busy that night and they had a nice little waiting area. The host was very nice and personable so we didn't mind waiting at all. The decor/ambiance was nice throughout. Sadly we got seated at one of the bar height tables on the patio that had EXTREMELY uncomfortable tall metal chairs that had an unusual tilt to the seats leaning down towards the back (all 3 people in our party were super uncomfortable and left with horrible back back and numb legs). So just a tip, make sure you request to sit at a normal height table, they seemed fine in comparison as far as we observed. On a positive note, our waitress was very friendly and attentive, unfortunately we were not able to change tables when we asked but we understood because they were so busy. We were determined to make the best of it though because we were all really looking forward to the food and drinks after reading so many good reviews. We all ordered different specialty drinks which were fine, a little to syrupy and overly sweet for our taste but I could see how some might like that, the presentation was seriously lacking compared to the photos on their website though, again we just chalked this up to them being busy so no big deal, just a bummer because we wanted to cute tasty drinks for our ladies night out. The biggest bummer though was the food... We ordered everything our waitress recommended, so perhaps the kitchen was just having an off night because they were so busy.. It did take well over an hour to get served after ordering, but we are troopers and wouldn't have minded waiting so long if the chairs hadn't been so uncomfortable. But we were seriously disappointed with every dish, everything was "fine and edible" but lacked any real flavor. These are the dishes we had: Appetizer - Tabla de Antojitos (presentation was okay) platter included: Chicken barbacoa empanadas (very bland) Sweet potato, caramelized onion & chipotle taquitos (flavorless and used regular potato not sweet potato) Mini queso fundido (was literally just cheese and beans with no chorizo or seasoning at all) Bacon wrapped jalapenos (these were okay, just nothing special) Entrees - Enchiladas Marisco Suiza - Presentation was good, it was a pretty dish thanks to the sauce and looked promising, but unfortunately the food was very bland, seriously lacking in the flavor department. Birria de la Abuela - Presentation was lacking it looked like someone just threw the food on the plate, and it was edible but not good. Crispy Carnitas - This we all agreed was the most edible thing we got. Presentation was lacking, but the beans and carnitas had good flavor and was cooked just right. It still wasn't "great", but it was better than everything else we had ordered. Overall we were pleased with the staff we encountered during our visit all very friendly, but very disappointed in the food. We left in agreement that we could've spent a fraction of the cost at just about any of our local friendly taco shops for the same or similar dishes and had much better tasting food.

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    Casa Gabriela - Chicken Tinga Empanadas

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    4.1(67 reviews)
    9.4 mi

    I chose to have my early birthday celebration here and the Endless Dining during dinner time for…read moreabout $80 at their Surf & Turf Buffet was easily the best and fanciest buffet I've ever been to. I highly recommend making a reservation, especially if you have a large party. My group of 4 was able to get seats at the bar, otherwise we were going to have to wait about an hour and a half. We also got super lucky with a new member scratch off, and my friend won a free dinner for 2 at this buffet which is a $160 value!! And I won enough in Blackjack to cover the rest of us, so our meal was free, girl math. The service at the bar was lovely and very quick, so no complaints there. The food, oooooh weeeee the food. I was genuinely shocked at how well cooked most of the proteins were considering they're cooking in large batches. Best proteins were the lobster and fried lobster. I guess I'm used to seafood boils with all the seasonings and the holy trinity, but once I switched gears mentally, could I taste the sweetness of the lobster which melted in my mouth. I was very impressed. The Dungeness crab was similar and was a very close second for me. The XO Shrimp was the most flavorful protein by far. I'm usually advertent to to shrimp cooked in large batches because it always inevitably becomes overcooked and rubbery, but the XO Shrimps were large and perfectly cooked! The first lamb and prime rib I ate were lack luster in the cook, but very flavorful. A friend got some fresh and the cook was visibly better than what I had. The King crab legs were a huge disappointment. Not only were they Prince crab legs, but they were overcooked so the tiny bit ofr meat was sticking to the inside of shell which made it very difficult to get it out, even with the provided tools. While I thought it was really nice that they provided crackers and extraction tools, I felt like a surgeon in OT, which in hindsight seems like a lot for some catfish King crab legs that I didn't even get to eat. Thank goodness the Snow and Dungeness clusters didn't disappoint mommy. A dish that I didn't think much of but ended up surprising me were the mussels in a white wine garlic sauce, they were chef's kiss!! Make sure to spoon extra sauce over you shells, Kayla Tip (TM) (its trademarked can't take it hehe). The sushi options were basic, but well made and fish tasted fresh. The zucchini fries were crispy and paired great with the Caesar dressing, thank me later. The Brussels sprouts were good to me, but even I could tell it was bit heavy on the Balsamic vinaigrette. The mashed potatoes and fried mac & cheese bites were my favorite sides, but I was on a mission and could not afford to accidentally fill up. Desserts are typically my favorite, but the desserts here were a mixed bag for me personally. They're mostly all miniature sized which is perfect after eating your weight in not only the surf, but the turf. Have a little, have a lot, who cares. There were several fruit based mini cakes and tarts that were packing so much fruit flavor. The strawberry cheesecake was my favorite because of the graham crackers, YUM. The mini macarons were delicious and my favorite flavors were the vanilla and pistachio. The creme brûlées were also a hit! I usually don't eat these at restaurants because I'm sensitive the acrid, burnt taste from the crystalized sugar, like they really be tasting like straight up flame torch to me lol, but I didn't pick up any of that on these so they were sweet and delicious! If you don't have a sweet tooth then maybe the other bland and sugar-free options are for you. The apple crisp/crumble was devoid of any spices and sugar, it tasted like microwaved apple pie filling straight out of the can. The sponge cake with fresh fruits looked crumbly and dry. Overall this buffet gets a 5/5 despite any negatives because a good buffet is hard to come by, let alone a GREAT one that's also a really good bang for your buck.

    ***IT IS INDICATED NOWHERE THAT ID IS REQUIRED TO VISIT THE RESTAURANT ITSELF…read more Security (somewhat rudely) wouldn't let me through to eat bc my ID was slightly expired. I had to take off my glasses and all just to be denied and it was so intrusive and annoying lol. They did not care that that I simply had a dinner to attend and had no interest in drinking or gambling. Our party had to drive 30 mins to and from downtown SD for jack. We were so hungry and looking forward to this experience :( Consider revising the policy or advertise that it exists, please. In the majority of other casinos, you aren't carded literally just to eat buffet. They simply stand staff at each machine or have them walk around, you lazy c_nts. I've also purchased alcohol just about everywhere in SD without being carded.

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