H. Salt Esquire Fish and Chips

 

28

255

Bobby D.

Fremont, CA

I wish I was happier with this place.  The portions are huge, the flavor missing.  The staff was friendly and they do take credit cards, but the Fish and Chips a little below average.  Granted the size is huge, but It didnt make up for the lack of taste.  

If you do decide to go here, just get the one fish and chip meal.  It should be plenty.  I could not finish the 3 piece meal I ordered.  

The fried zucchini , however, I loved.

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Elite '08

26

87

Michelle N.

Union City, CA

I really hate to bag on places and I wish there was something I could say that was positive about the place but I'd be lying. I've got to agree with everyone else: total disappointment. Find somewhere else to get your fish n chips fix. The folks behind the counter are friendly enough but the food... bleh.

My DH and I both ordered fish and chips (regular for me, large for him) plus a coleslaw and drinks which ran us a little over $20. My DH was listening for the fryer and thought it sounded kind of low. Unfortunately, he was right. Our fish and chips was finished in 10 minutes,  crunchy and dripping with grease. We had to use napkins to pick up the fish and in no time, the napkins were soaked. The portion of fish we got was quite generous but the batter was thick and absolutely flavorless. The fish inside didn't fare well, either. No amount of malt vinegar and tartar sauce could save the fish. The fish was so greasy that we couldn't taste the malt vinegar! The chips were no better -- in fact they were worse! While the fish was fresh fried, the chips weren't. They were greasy and soggy and completely tasteless.

Our advice? Heed the Yelpers and avoid this place. It just isn't worth the time or money.

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Elite '08

37

265

Louis G.

San Carlos, CA

Yo Ho Ho (and a Cardboard Tray of Fish) - Sing to the tune of Yo Ho Ho (and a Bottle of Rum)

Fifteen men in a greasy shack
Yo ho ho and a cardboard tray of fish

Eat and the devil gets in your chest
Yo ho ho and a cardboard tray of fish

There was a tray full of fish & shrimp
One of zucchini and one of chip
If you've sailed the seas in Southern Cal
But now watch KTVU with the traffic guy Sal
The Fremont location won't put wind in your sail
This place is so greasy you'll need a barf pail
Yo ho ho and a cardboard tray of fish

Fremont port is ok but not right
Hopefully your stomach is up for a fight
Too much grease soaks into your fish
You'll beg for a genie to grant you a wish
Make it like SoCal blasted sea dogs
Yo ho ho and a cardboard tray of fish

Your mate was fixed by the tartar sauce
If you're hoping for pounds, don't expect a loss
Yo ho ho and a cardboard tray of fish

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18

229

David L.

Fremont, CA

The fish and chips are of decent quality and value.  The fish pieces are not cut very big but they are long, at around eight inches long each.  With the prices at $7.99 for 3 pieces , $5.99 for 2 pieces and even 1 piece at $3.99 (all prices include thick cut fries, the "chips"), the 2-piece deal is definitely good enough for a meal, and the 3 piece may be enough for two to share.  

Malt vinegar is placed on every table, and tartar sauce is available upon request.  I liked that they ask you if you'd like salt over the fish and chips before they shake it on.  I said no to the salt for health reason and so the taste probably suffered somewhat for that reason.  They advertise that their oil is transfat free.  The only negative that I found with the fish is that it was slightly too crispy.    

Bottom Line:  It must be tough to do business there being right next to Popeye's Fried Chicken, but this is not a bad place to go if you have a craving for English style battered fish.

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13

90

Eric C.

Newark, CA

This place turned out to be a real disappointment. I can only give them credit for a friendly staff and a traditional approach to Fish and Chips.  The food looks promising and you get a good sized serving for the money but the food is just flavorless. No amount of salt, malt vinegar or tarter sauce can help. What they really need is a better batter recipe and the correct cooking temps. As Fish and Chip restaurants are a scarcity in this area I'd like to see this place survive but I would not recommend it or bother going back until something changes.

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76

187

D-shiz L.

Fremont, CA

Whoa, this place is greasy, in a good way I suppose.  In that I mean, sometimes I am craving something deep fried, something really crispy, salty and yes by default, something oily.  It doesn't occur regularly, but every now and then, it does show up with a strong presence.  Last week, I was visited by this evil craving, which led me here to H. Salt Esq. Fish & Chips which humorously enough is located in the Fremont Hub's shopping center's "Deep Fry Row".  I just coined that b/c as I was trying to feed my craving, I realized I was at the right place.  Literally right next door to each other I could of cured my fix with Popeye's fried chicken, H. Salt's fish n chips, King Noodle's Vietnamese egg rolls or Jack's Brewing Co's buffalo wings and garlic fries.  4 business' each offering a greasy, salty goody, now you know where to go.

Their fish is good, cut thick so you can see the flakes.  The batter is flavorless but it serves purely as a textural component.  It will taste as good as the oil is clean and whatever you decide to dress your fish with, whether salt n malt vinegar, hot sauce, tartar sauce or ketchup.  The "chips"/fries are thick cut so you can taste and feel the potato.  They also offer fried shrimp, mushrooms, zucchini and onion rings.  Those are made to order so they will always be piping hot, as the fish and chips can be made in batches and may sit under the lights for a while.  

I am going to be straight up and not down play the grease factor here.  This place is essentially several deep fat fryers that pay their bills.  Upon entering the smell and texture of the air engulfs you and I prefer to eat my grease to-go, as to not linger any longer in the "fried" air.  The oil glistens on the fried batter and I often ask myself what am I about to get myself into.  Then "crunch, crunch, salty. salty, crunch", and next thing I know, I've devoured a 2 piece with chips and a soda.  For maybe a couple times a year, this place deserves 4 very greasy stars.

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0

93

Jon N.

San Jose, CA

I don't know if this one changed owners since the last people reviewed it, but when I went it was pretty awesome.  Everything was fried to order, so my food was very fresh and crispy (and VERY hot - let it cool for like 4-5 mins or it will burn the shit out of your mouth).  

The batter on the outside has a good crunch while the fish inside was moist, firm, and tasty.  The fries are also really good.  They're really thick, so one the inside they're still very potato-ey.  Quality.

The guy working behind the counter was nice.  My one problem is that the little cuppies they put the tartar sauce in are too small, but they'll give you as many as you need.

For fast food, it's a little on the pricey side (like $7 for a 2 piece fish and chips, $8 for a 3 piece), but I'd say its okay for what you get.

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Elite '08

425

404

JeFF T.

Fremont, CA

I grew up going to H.Salt Esq with my parents.  I was delighted to know when I moved to Fremont, that there was one so close to me.  Over the years, the quality has gone somewhat downhill, which can be attributed to various owner changes.  The 'fish' pieces that they give you are typically huge.  However, they tend to cover it in a thick batter, which often times soaks up a lot of oil.  The 'chips' are a little on the thick side, which I wish they'd cut just a slightly bit thinner.  It's not bad, but compared to the good 'ol days, it's ok...for Fremont.

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21

70

Randy R.

Fremont, CA

The poor old fellow who runs (owns?) this place needs to visit other fish and chips restaurants to get an idea of what it's supposed to taste like.  The food here is awful and there's a feeling of extreme cheapness.  Example:  it was a big deal to get a second knapkin!  Seriously!  Everything we had was so greasy that I wondered if *any* of the grease had been drained from it after frying.  I don't know how this place can stay in business serving food this bad.  This is the worst fish and chips I've ever had.  We won't be back and that's a shame because it's a convenient location for us, etc.  I hope we don't get sick from this stuff.

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121

336

Matthew C.

Fremont, CA

Kind of a cool British-sounding name, but kind of just a plain shop. Good enough for me. Cheerful quick service. At best, gets the job done. -Matt

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36

394

Valerie F.

Fremont, CA

They're a bit on the oily side but edible. I've had worst in Jolly Olde England so I guess it's okay.

Better than most fastfood chain places which I'd put at a 0 or 1.

It's not In&Out but it's not as bad as McDonald's either...

If you really have a fish & chip craving and don't want to pay the $$$ at Jacks.

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0

11

Robert L.

Fremont, CA

They are not super top of the line but are not the bottom of the pit either for battered fish and chips. Battered deep fried fish and chips isn't the kind of food that most people tend to go for in the Bay Area. This is mainly because few places know how to make English-styled battered fish and chips. Most people are more familiar with bread-crumbed fried fish that is called "fish and chips" in most restaurants. And most people also tend to not like English-styled battered fish and chips, feeling that it's too "heavy" or "greasy" or "awful." In the UK, battered fish comes as the standard coating, with breadcrumb-coated fish unavailable in many outlets. Haddon Salt operated his fish and chips store in Skegness, in the northeastern corner of England, as his father had before him. in 1965, persuaded by the American enthusiasm for his fish, he and his wife Grace came to the United States and opened their first shop in Sausalito, California, under the name of "Salt's Fish & Chips." Since H.Salt originates from England, you can now understand why they prepare their battered fish and chips in an English style.

The firm white fish (I believe it's cod as it is commonly used for this purpose) that H.Salt used was fresh and flaky. Their batter taste was quite right on. However, their frying oil was a bit too hot, resulting in the batter getting cooked a bit too fast and the pieces appeared a bit on the dark brown side. They need to tone down the frying oil's heat a tad bit and the beer battered pieces would be light golden brown. All in all, the fish pieces were very crispy and tasted great with tartar sauce. They are inexpensive, as you can get two pieces of fish for less than $6.

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