Al's Fish and Chips
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
34 reviews
Half Moon Bay, CA
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40 Reviews for Al's Fish and Chips
So we went there and the waitress was sitting outside she didn't greet us just went straight to the register. She took our order, we were hungry and the food was done rather quickly. The calamari was not breaded which was a bit weird but ok I gave it a try.... It was ok but the dipping sauce (an aioli sauce) was wayyyy too rich. Her fish tacos were ok... but they threw in too much of that chipotle aioli sauce and it was a bit gross. The tacos were overpriced. I would not really recommend this place.
I like this place. I am not a seafood lover, but I liked the fact that while my husband ordered the fish tacos, I could get a chicken taco and it was prepared similarly. It was good. I have never had a chicken taco like this, and I'm not a person who only only goes to Sancho's or El Grullense. I actually own a mexican taqueria. When I have been here to eat, I have not had any staff problems. The owner is a really friendly guy and I'm sure he would respond to any complaints. My kids love coming here. It's a little small, but the decor is nice.
Eh, the food is pretty average overall. The fish and chips is actually pretty good (yeah, the fries are the frozen kind though). The one chicken burrito I had was bland. Their enchiladas are also lacking that kick of flavor. Crabby cheesy bread? Pretty freakin' good, minus the little crunchy things in it (sorry, can't remember what they're called). The fish tacos are bomb, but damn expensive. I'd rather go to El Grull next to Sequoia Station for a tasty taco. I did appreciate the fact that they had yummylicious, thirst quenching Jarritos available in their cooler -- kudos for that.
Now on to the HORRIBLE customer service...
First encounter: I needed to use their restroom to wash my hands and I got an "okay, you're bothering me for this?" look from the woman behind the counter. She told me the keys were on this metal rack in the back and lazily pointed to it. Wow, thanks for the tremendous help. I couldn't find the keys and I totally hated the fact that I felt like I was bothering her again by asking for assistance. She matter of factly handed me the keys after finding them at the very back of the rack, like I couldn't find them on purpose. Ugh.
Second encounter: Monotone teenager (?) with a total disinterest towards her job and makes up for the lack of excitement by texting while taking orders. Wow. Just wow. Put your damn phone down just for a minute. UGHHH.
I've been back there a couple of other times, same crappy service, same average food. Sorry Al, but I will be fully avoiding your establishment (although I frequent literally ALL the other stores around yours) because of your horrid service.
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Al's makes delicious seafood tacos in the middle of a residential Redwood City neighborhood. I had the 1 fish & 1 shrimp taco platter ($10.95) which comes with rice & Cuban black beans. You choose your tortilla and preparation (corn or flour tortillas and grilled or fried seafood). The tacos are small and not overstuffed. They can also be purchased individually ($3.35 a for fish taco).
* Grilled fish taco - chunks of mild white fish, salsa fresca, finely shredded cabbage, and a thin, somewhat creamy, pale orange, tangy special sauce - very tasty - I just wish they were larger and that I could add more salsa.
* Grilled shrimp taco - same fixings but with plump, large shrimp instead of fish - yum - probably just as good as the fish taco
* Rice - not the Spanish style you get at Mexican restaurants, plain white rice, rather boring
* Cuban beans - soupy with whole black beans. I threw some hot sauce on it to liven things up.
The food was fresh and very good but I wish they had a salsa bar. They do have an interesting rack filled with over 2 dozen types of bottled salsa/hot sauce but I prefer fresh salsa and some of those bottles of hot sauce looked old.
The place is casual with pictures of Cuba on bright walls and a flatscreen TV. Prices are higher than what I would expect for a casual fish & chips place in a residential neighborhood, e.g., $8.45 for a two piece fish and chips order. They charge extra for chips and salsa. I wanted to try their "crabby cheesy bread" but it's $6.95. The menu also includes salads, burgers, and burritos. There isn't much that's Cuban on the menu, other than the Cuban beans.
The charge minimum is $10 and they deliver. They were also friendly.
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I thought the place has reasonable food, but the restaurant itself is quite uncomfortable to be in.
The people that said they weren't friendly, well you weren't kidding! I walked in during standard dinner time and the place was empty except for three workers. As I walked in, they stopped there conversation and just stared me down. They all looked pissed. No one said a word to me the whole time. I just gave my order. Then gave them the cash from what I read on the register. Waited for my order and left.
The fish taco was pretty tasty. But since I've had just as good fish tacos at some local taquerias that are slightly more friendly, I think I'll stick to them.
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You could drive by this place and not even know it was there. The inside is really nice, I assumed the owner must be from Cuba by the decor.
After setting out to find the best Fish n Chips spot in the area. My brother recommended this place. We ordered 2 orders of 4pc fish and chips, It was so much food. These are large pieces of fish we could not even finish one order. The fries were actually a little cold, I mean like they were pre-frozen and they were not able to thaw in the hot oil. The fish was okay.
I was a little disappointed because although the fish and chips are cheaper here than the other places, the quality of the fish was not so great. I looked at both the paper menu and the board menu and I could not find what type of fish it was.
I will go back to try some other items on the menu.
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I went to Al's Fish and Chips today for the first time. It was a pretty good place and I would go back again. My husband told me about this place and he said that he likes the chicken and chips. I checked it out on yelp and was a little nervous because I didn't see a ton of great reviews but I was pleased with my order of the 2 piece fish and chips. The fish was good and they give you a whole bottle of tartar sauce. The two piece was a good choice because I was full after the two pieces. I had a bite of my husband's chicken and it was ok, I'm glad that I stuck with my choice of fish and chips. They have a wide variety of beverages (beer, soda, water, gatorade). I will be going back to this place again.
Big fan of Al's fish tacos and coleslaw. Since it's so close by, we frequently pop in for a to go order.
Super yummy fish tacos! You can get them grilled or fried, be forewarned that the fried ones are quite heavy, and delicious. They make everything fresh here, I've seen the girls chopping onions and tomatoes for thier pico de gallo and they dip each fish fillet in batter and into the fryer only after you've ordered it. I've also tried the grilled fish burrito, which was delicious and the garlic calamari, also fantastic. They also have chicken and steak for you meat eaters but I haven't tried those yet ( I gave up meat for lent). The BF is quite partial to the fried chicken tacos though and when we brought our co-worker here she discovered that the crab enchiladas are in fact made with real crab, always a plus! Kind of in the middle of nowhere Redwood City but worth the trek through a random residential neighborhood.
UPDATE: Try the grilled fish tacos, I like them waaay better than the fried ones. They have better flavor and you don't feel like you just ate a ball of grease afterwards.
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We took a food writer friend with us the last time we went to Al's. He was thrilled about how perfectly the calamari and fish and chips were fried, crisp yet moist, with a delicious batter. He kept spontaneously raving about Al's for the rest of the day.
I was almost delirious over the wonderful fish tacos, because -- before Al's -- the only Bay Area restaurant I'd found that makes them to my taste (Ensenada style) is the Flying Fish Grill in Half Moon Bay.
The only snag we hit was that our three-year-old had to be coaxed into trying the chicken and chips, because the chicken was real pieces of meat, freshly battered and fried, and she is used to kiddie-style ground up/frozen chic-o-bits type fare.
My experience has been that the cooking at Al's improves with each visit; don't see how it can get much better than this, though.
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The grilled fish and shrimp tacos were awesome. I definitely recommend rolling in here and trying out the fish tacos. For my money I think they were as good as Sancho's.
They have a ton of different hot sauces here including habanero technology. Even the beans were awesome.
My friends weren't incredibly fond of their fish'n but if they had followed the advice from yelp they would have had the tacos. I'm definitely coming back here!
Al's Fish and Chips tacos are the apple of my eye. Al's Fish and Chips tacos make me hungry when I'm full, and full when I'm hungry. Al's Fish and Chips tacos are the light that holds back the darkness.
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not very good food. and the employees don't even converse with trhe coustumers. and the fish fryer reaks of fish because they don't clean it regulary. DONT GO HERE.
Not a friendly place! I have been here three times and each time I swear I would never go back. The foods not bad, but the people working here are the most unfriendly I have ever seen. It's like they are doing you a favor by taking your order and they are pissed that they have to work. Just like that one reviewer stated, there was one girl on her cell phone and was making my order while she was talking to a friend on the phone. Unless they get people who care about their job, I will drive the extra miles to Cooks. Better food and nicer people.
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I have only eaten here twice, and both times I had the same thing: shrimp tacos..and they are delicious. The shrimp are fried and its in corn tortillas with cabbage and this yummy spicy cream sauce. They really are quite good.
The only reason that I gave three stars is that the people that work here are not friendly AT ALL. No smiles, no nothing. Sorry, am I putting you out by coming in here to buy food? I get the sense they get a lot of their business from the surrounding neighborhood. Maybe they can afford to not be welcoming. I am not asking for a hug, just service with a smile.
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Yuck yuck yuck. I rarely have fish n' chips because it's not exactly good for you but I like to indulge every once in awhile. I got my order to go and when I got home I was so sad, the fish was waaaaaay undercooked and the chips were obviously from the freezer. I ate one piece of the fish, three fries, threw the rest away and cried face-down on my bed.
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I am particularly partial to the shrimp tacos. Big battered fried shrimps in a bed of cabbage and salsa/sauce. The fish and the carne asada tacos are also good but for me, the shrimp tacos are the best. This is my place when I have a fish or shrimp taco craving. I've been here on consecutive weekends!
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Wandered into this with high hopes. I had been told by some neighbors that this was the place for fish and chips. Boy were they wrong.
They get one star for cleanliness, and the other for promptness in serving me.
The fish and chips were just shy of acceptable. I could tell the quality of fish was a bit sub par, and it was just greasy, greasy, greasy. The fries were pretty good though.
The lack of the other three stars is a result of the people that run the place being SO unfriendly. I don't think I have ever seen such poor customer service in a little family owned business. They seemed downright put out to sell me food. Because of this, I will not being returning.
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Fish Taco's are great,fish and chips are poor , And I know beiing from the UK.Not sure why they don't Answer the phone on a week day at 6:00.After many tries ,they might pickup up ,it seems like I'm bugging them,not cool!
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Had a hankering for some fish tacos (hey it's in my profile for god sake), so I did a little yelping and found this place in my old stomping grounds of RC. What impressed me the most was the selection of items......everything from tacos to plate specials listed on one of those neon chalk boards.
Alright, getting down to it: the fish tacos were good, and meticulously prepared. Let me say that again for the kids in the back of the class smoking, they were put together with care by someone who apparently takes pride in their work! Two battered fillets (I'm thinking cod fish), placed on two steamed corn tortillas, with cabbage, some chili mayo, and salsa, wrapped halfway in foil. Both, as I gazed down upon one of Gods greatest creations (only subordinate to a properly prepared steak au poivre) THE fish taco.....anyway, they were identical to one another. As if the server hand placed each tomato piece for presentation. Truly amazing for strip mall cuisine.
I ordered a side of chips and salsa ($1.25)...........ok wait, I know what most of you will say, "But I'm not going to pay for chips and salsa, that should come with the meal!!!" But I actually don't mind places which charge a nominal fee for C & S, because there is an expectation of quality at that point. Not like at Baja or Chevys where if the chips are stale you can't say much b/c that would be like complaining that the pepper in the shakers on the table wasn't fresh, "OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT FRESH!!!" But with paid for chips I can certainly send them back if they have that not so fresh feeling, if you know what I mean.
All-in-all, a great place for some pretty good tacos.
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Just visited Al's for the first time tonight. After years of eating fish tacos in Baja I've become a little hard to please in the fish taco area. Typically they are average at best. BUT I was very happy to say this is one darn good fish taco, not exactly Baja style but tasty none the less. And the very flavorful Cuban style black beans and rice was an extra bonus.
Will have to give a STRONG recommendation for people to try Al' if you are in a fish taco mood. If you have never tried a fish taco, give it a go you will like it. Took me a while to try one after I moved to San Diego but now I'm a lover of them.
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Great fish tacos, the battered fried kind, very crispy and good, with a citrusy sauce and cabbage on top. The fish taco special comes with cuban black beans and some plain rice.
A nice place for lunch and to hang out talking with friends. It's I guess a little bit of a dive in atmosphere, with very plain tables and the TV going. But, it's comfy.
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Daaaayyaaam Good fish and shrimp tacos. You can order the fish or shrimp fried or grilled, but I was craving Ensenada style tacos. The fish taco could have a tad more fish, though it was really tasty with that sauce. NOW, the shrimp tacos had large almost prawn size shrimp and was perfect! I have been dreaming about going back ever since I finished that taco... My bf loved the salmon plate too, comparable to the plate at Back A Yard cafe in Menlo Park.
Small mom and pop's joint, friendly staff, cooked to order= Winning Combo!
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Finally I found this place during open hours! I have to say it was really good (I had the fish and shrimp tacos)... the only thing is though I think I have a limit to how much fried food I can eat in one sitting so by the end I felt a little gross... nothing bad with the food ... i think it's just me...
Great fish tacos,Sometimes staff rude and short which puts me off a bit. Fish & chips are just okay.Hope they work on that being it is in the name.Go for the tacos!,Won't be there half the time or answer the phone,call first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Update:
Tried fish and chips again,Still the same.Lowered 1 star for that,Tried
Cook's Seafood Restaurant in Menlo Park.Cook's knows how to make
them right !
I love their fish tacos... the food is great and the price is right. my daughter likes the baby shrimp. the place is clean.
Love the shrimp here, and the fish and fries are always hot and delish. My husband loves the beans and the fish tacos.
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If I had written a review 6 months ago, it would have been 5+ stars! I have had some GREAT fish taco's here. Always seemed to have the same young ladies working the counter, with what looked like Mom sitting on the side watching. I have been to Al's twice now in the past month, where the service was just not good. Where are the two friendly gals that did such a great job? Where is Mom making sure everything is done right? Last night I called twice in the course of 15 minutes to place an order to go. I let the phone ring for quite some time. No answer, so I drove to there. I walk in and the girl was on her cell phone, there are no other customers and I placed my order. I mentioned that maybe there phone was not working since I had called and no answer. (No response to that statement) Miss No-Personality took my order, and my money and then proceeds back to her cell phone conversation. And while I am there I hear the phone ring and you guessed it... no one bothered to answer the phone. So I wait 15 minutes before my food is given to me, and Miss No Personality starts putting my food together without wearing gloves or washing her hands. Euuuu after handling the money! Oh well. While I was there a lady was waiting at the counter to place an order. She was asked to wait a minute while my food was assembled. I got my food and left. I then see the lady who was waiting at the counter leave too. I guess she never did get service. Well on to the food. When I got it home (less than 5 minutes) it was already cool, so it was not a real pleasant dining experience. The Fish was fishy tasting, which I never experienced here before. I might give it one more chance and then I'll just find another Fish Taco stop. Too bad Cooks Seafood doesn't make fish tacos..... They excel at Fish and Chips!
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I love Al's, and I don't even like fish! This is the only place I've ever gotten a fried chicken breast sandwich that wasn't frozen and breaded - it's hand -battered, just like the fish. Their burgers and fries are good too.
Just got back from Al's Fish & Chips in Redwood City. We had been meaning to go for sometime and tonight was the night. All I can say is that, sadly, it was a waste of calories. If fish & chips can be both soggy and dry at the same time, well, this was it. Clearly the fish was freezer burned and the fossilized chips were just that. Also tried the signature fish taco's - they were lifeless and uninteresting. If anyone wants fish tacos in RWC, they'd be better off heading over to Sancho's. As for the fish & chips - I'm going to drive a little further and go to Cook's in Menlo Park. Any other opinions out there?
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Profound quote of the day: The San Francisco Bay Area is under-served by good fish taco joints. I mean...head to San Diego and you can drown in good ones (and I ain't talkin' Wahoo's). So when one finds a good place, it's like finding the big J in the sky. Al's Fish N' Chips serves smokin' good fish tacos! My mouth is watering just thinking of them, and my hands are shaking as well. OK, my hands always shake, but....
Al's is a Cuban-inspired place, albeit with not a lot of Cuban dishes. Located in a relatively obscure and out-of-the-way part of Redwood City, it is nevertheless worth it for anyone passionate about fish tacos who is within a 25 mile radius of Redwood City to give Al's a shot. Since I'm feeling too inarticulate to write complete sentences anymore, let's just go with a few descriptors of Al's fish taco product: crisp yet not crunchy, with fish that's delectably fresh tasting, a "secret sauce" that's creamy and flavorful yet not thick and overpowering, crispy cabbage...and a product that's wrapped in half-foil so as not to inevitably fall apart. In fact, when I hit the "3/4 of taco complete" mark, I scoop up the remains at the bottom of the foil, tilt it upside down on my plate, and mow down the remainders with a fork.
Al's also serves fish and chips--as the restauran't's name would indicate, burgers, salmon, chicken tacos, etc. Alas, I've never had anything but the fish tacos. Yes, they are that good. Oh, and they recently started making chips...as in "chips and salsa" chips, not french fries, which they also have, of course. Get the chips fresh and hot...they're simply the best product you will have ever tasted, along with their fresh salsa.
Atmosphere of the restaurant: nothing to write home about, but it's not bad. Fairly clean, flat screen TVs playing a weird assortment of programs (Food Network one week, basketball the next), and usually a bit of 98.1 Kiss FM in the background, although one of the behind-counter people appears to like KOIT-FM (painful yes, but how about those EXCELLENT fish tacos while you're listening to Anita Baker)?
Staff can either be indifferent, OK, or great...depending on who you get. A young and lovely woman named Delilah (girlfriend of Al, the owner) is simply awesome. You'll know if you get her--very energetic and friendly.
Any and every Saturday we're in the Bay Area, we make Al's a ritual.
Salud!
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Fish is fresh and regardless if you get the tacos or the fish & chips, delicious. In the middle of a residential area but that's ok, less than a half mile away from home for us. Great for the family and BR is 3 doors down.
Wow... I really wasn't expecting a lot from a place called 'Al's', but this place is GOOD. An interesting variety of fresh, healthy-ish food for a hole in the wall in a strip mall. I'll echo Jennifer here - they actually make the food after you order it. I'll be back. Well, I've already been back twice, but I'll be back again. You can bet on it, Al.
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Corn dog lovers know the delectable treat that is the fresh, hand-dipped corn dog delight.
Well, batteredNfried fish aficionados will have an analogous feeling of joy as the kind ladies of Al's dip their fish first in the batter, and then into the hot oil.
The feeling is just FRESH (Despite the greaseeeee)
Apparently the fish tacos are dandy, for those who want to prolong their lifespan. The only real method that extends human life is the ultralow calorie restriction. Can a life be measured in discrete units of energy converted (calories eaten), as opposed to minutes and years? Al's is not the place to discuss this. Shut up and fill your face with the best fish on the peninsula (TAKE THAT RoseNCrown)
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Tasty fish taco's. I've only been here once, but I plan to make this one of my regular lunch spots.
Excellent shrimp taco - crispy fried juicy shrimp. Mmm.! I also ordered their fish and chips, which was ok but not as great as the taco. I would've preferred that the fish be crispier, but overall it was decent. I'll definitely be returning to try the fish tacos!!
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I love Al and all the staff... always a family atmosphere and GREAT FOOD!!! I love the chicken tacos.. my fave!!!!!
Great service, yummy yummy FRESH fish tacos (served battered and fried... don't complain..just don't eat McDonald's for a week and you will be fine).
Food takes 10 minutes or so because they are really making your food when you order it.
This pregnant lady was oh-so-happy to have delish fish tacos...oh and the calamari was extra-goody-licious too.
I love the secret sauce that seems to go on everything. It is some sort of mayo spicy chipoltle creamy goodness.
It's not cheap, but it is tasty and fresh.
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they do a nice job here.....great customer relations and service....makes you want to go there and support the little guy....mmm try the steak tacos
great fish and shrimp tacos with salsa instead of the creamy sauce.
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