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Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Civic Center/Tenderloin, Nob Hill
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So while I was pounding beers on an empty stomach last night, my buddies and I made our way to The Old Chelsea for some good old fish and chips.
The place has a very simple setup, with a few tables and chairs, and a menu on the wall behind the counter. Unfortunately, the fish and chips here leave a lot to be desired. I like how they were served fresh (i.e. very hot) from the fryer and that the fish was moist, but they were way too soggy. No crispiness whatsoever. The tartar and hot sauce were not necessarily needed, but they give the fish and chips some extra flavor and kick, which was nice.
There aren't a lot of places like these around, so I would be willing to give this place another chance, hoping that they make the fish and chips crispier.
Somehow these fish and chips are way more impressive if you order them from the Edinburgh Castle, around the corner.
They're not bad though. The batter fries up pretty light and crisp.
I'll have to try some of their other items sometime.
The best fish and chips I've ever tasted anywhere. Served up in traditional Brit style on newspaper, with malt vinegar and salt. Now I may be partial..but this place has been in existence since the 70's, that I know of. Their staying power is in quality and simplicity.
The menu is basic..very fresh battered and fried fish which I believe is cod, shrimp, scallops and oysters, served with fries or onion rings.
Five pieces of fish with fries for about $14 feeds 2 people easily. Several different combinations are offered.
Nom nom nom nom nom
Is lust too strong a word?? OK..I covet Old Chelsea Fish and Chips.
For quick, dirty and relatively cheap, the Old Chelsea is fine. Fish and chips wise I'd give them three stars, but they also do onion rings which i love and they make them up on the spot to order.
They also get an extra star for being a local business but if you are really hunkering for some fish and chips, I wouldn't necessarily send someone here. Still my faves are probably The Bitter End (although I haven't been there in years).
We were searching for food on Geary during our hookah night. The first place we stopped had JUST closed minutes earlier and wasn't serving anyone else. After settling for Thai food, we were crossing the street when the scent of fried fish waltzed up and popped us in the face. That's when we all noticed the bright yellow sign across the way.
Quick detour to Old Chelsea revealed a bare-bones operation: plain white walls, a few tables and chairs, and a simple menu displaying their offerings. After a quick discussion, we decided to get the fish, oysters, clams and scallops with a mix of chips and onion rings. So 4 massive orders for between $30-35.
We hauled our wares back to the hookah place, spread them out, and just dug in. My favorite from the bunch was definitely the fried scallops - crispy on the outside, but moist and flaky on the inside.
Definitely going back, but really, four kinds of fried seafood with fries and onion rings was sooo much overkill for me! There were five of us in total snacking away, and we couldn't finish all four massive orders. Probably should've gotten the sampler on the menu instead.
Authentic U.K.-style chipper run by Koreans in one of the tenderest parts of the 'Loin. Recommended to me by a born-and-bred Spud from the mean streets of Limerick (a.k.a. Stab City), he is maniacally obsessed with fresh chips and insists that those made here are NEVER frozen. I trust the opinions of chubby Irishmen in these matters, as should you. Unless you yourself are a chubby Irishman, in which case just follow your heart.
No nonsense fish and chips spot, there are three tables, six chairs, not a decoration to speak of, and a giant deep-fryer gurgling with oil. Your meal will be served hot as hell and wrapped in newspaper, and if you get it to go you can guarantee your paper bag will be wet with oil/malt vinegar by the time you get home. This is a good thing.
You can also order right from Edinburgh Castle and have a pint or three with your food, if you're into awesome stuff like that.
This is the best F & Cs I've ever had outside of Burdock's in Dublin.
(DISCLAIMER: This review may include international name-dropping)
I've been eating fish and chips here since I was a kid.
Until then, nothing has lived up to the texture/consistency/taste of this place.
I can't vouch for how authentic it taste compared to real fish and chips in the UK, but this is my standard right here. But then again, my memory might be tricking me.
Everything is wrapped in wax paper and newspaper the ol' fashion way.
Found this tiny place while walking along Larkin street. This is English pub food prepared by a Korean family in the sketchy tenderloin neighborhood.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Only open for dinner: Sun-Thu 4pm-11pm; Fri-Sat 4pm-midnight.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
** Per Marian G. (Thanks Marian!) this place supplies the fish & chips available at the legendary Edinburgh Castle Pub on Geary.
The menu includes: fish (1-5 pieces) with chips or onion rings, and also prawns/scallops/oysters/clams with chips or onion rings ($4.50-15). The sides alone: chips, onion rings, mushrooms, or zucchini are $2.75
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Your order comes wrapped in newspaper (very traditional), but not to worry they use parchment paper in between (no ink on your food). Expertly fried, golden, served hot and delicious. Yummy!!
(condiments available: salt, malt vinegar, ketchup, and silly me, I forgot to ask if they had tartar sauce packets) http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Some people say that this place is better than Piccadilly Fish & Chips on Polk. True? A bloody great question. I haven't been to Piccadilly in years, so I'll have to visit them to compare.
A limited assortment of soda cans are available in the refrigerator on the right side. If well prepared fried foods tickles your fancy, I highly recommend this place. Jolly good!
CASH only.
When I first moved to the city 15 years ago, I lived at Bush and Hyde which is just a hop, skip and a few tranny streetwalkers away from Old Chelsea.
Deep fried take-out was altogether too common a practice in those days and I'd alternate between here and Piccadilly http://www.yelp.com/bi... (same owners) on Polk St when I didn't want to brave the 'loin. I'd more often then not get a bit extra (i.e. 3 when I ordered 2 pieces) which was a nice surprise when I unwrapped that greasy package. I think it was my stunning good looks and charming personality (I'm Korean) so YMMV.
Tasty, cheap, owned by Koreans (OK. Probably the real reason behind the freebies being Korean as well). What other criteria do you need? ;-)
When you see one of the workers scurrying down the alley with a bundle of fish and chips, don't think it's because they have a delivery service. Well they do, but it's only to one address: Edinburgh Castle.
CORRECTION! I have just been informed that the good men who work here are actually Korean, and NOT CHINESE.
Delicious. Corrected Korean deliciousness.
Pretty damn tasty. I work a few blocks from here, and I come here for the fish and chips (1 piece!… Read more »
I am so glad that I didn't discover how wonderfully delicious this place is until right before I leave SF. I would quickly weigh 300lbs because this is not only in my neighborhood but some of the BEST fish n' chips I've EVER had.
There are criteria for good fish n' chips.
Allow me to share:
1) Fish should NEVER be frozen when going into the fryer
2) Fish should be hand battered right before going into the fryer
3) Fish AND chips should be placed on white wrapping paper AND wrapped in newspaper
4) Fish and chips should be salted ONLY with sea salt
5) Malt vinegar served with fish n' chips should be so acidic it makes your tongue sore
6) Fish n' chips should be prepared in a dirty hole in the wall that is reminiscent of a fishing shack or a boat.
7) Fish n' chips should be relatively inexpensive because it ain't gourmet cuisine
The Old Chelsea delivers on all those standards. Plus the old guys working there are gruff, pay more attention to the sports on TV than to you and clean things up with their bare hands.
Relax on the "cleaning things up with their bare hands" part.
Hot oil kills all bacteria.
Duh!
I've been going here (and by here I mean the Edinburgh Castle, the dining room for this hole-in-the-wall) for years. I had my first two 21st birthday parties at the Edinburgh (fake ID, envy me).
So yeah, as you'll find in other reviews, they're shite fish and chips. You'd better be BLIND drunk and half-starved before considering choking down this sucker punch of friedstuffs. You'll notice Edinburgh staff NEVER eat it, they know better.
Unless you're a bleeding tourist who insists that you haven't been to SFs premier "Scotch pub" until you've gurgitated "authentic" Korean-style fish 'n' chips, go for the mediocre pizza place next door. Even if pizza tastes for crap with malt vinegar.
Maybe they ought to change the name of this dump to The Old Fryer, Whose Oil-Trap Hasn't Been Changed Since The Reagan Administration.
So nasty it's nas-tay.
So I'm ordering off the menu, except the plastic numbers fell off the signboard so I have no idea what anything costs. Nor does the ancient man who hobbles between the counter and the apartment-grade fridge where they keep mass-market seafood to drop in the fryer for you (think Mrs. Paul's). He turns to the manager, or owner, or something, and they both stare at the menu trying to figure out how much it is. Owner dude says something dismissive in a dialect I don't recognize.
When I come back for my order the place is full of cops, seven or eight sitting on torn vinyl chairs you would never guess anyone would sit on, gossiping about the day's take-downs. A couple turned when I came in and I gave them my usual "how's it going?" I'm happy for them but kind of worried. If they're going to chase suspects and keep their blood pressure in check and all, they shouldn't be eating the fatty food.
Hot fat makes anything taste good, and the malt vinegar and cheap-ass salt doesn't hurt either. Wrap it up in a newspaper and if you pop it open in the car, forget about suave because everything smells like grease for days. Damn tasty, damn satisfying, but it sits on your conscience for days like any other stupid decision you make at a bar.
Definately not the best fish n chips I've ever had but definately the greasiest. Really yummy when your super hungry and craving something really bad for your body but extremely satisfying.
This place is around the corner from where I live, I go very rarely because I would feel guilty if I went too much.
Good ole style Fishy's w/ Chippies. Stuff that make your tongue play games with that Guinness your drinking..Right?.....Right.. Sour ..salty ..bitter..hot and cold.
If you order it Togo... OPEN that bag up as soon as possible..steam is your enemy ..steam equals soggy food..
Old Chelsea's has been rocking this hole in the wall kicking on 20 years. When I come here ..it's 2 pieces of fish&chips w/ a side of mushrooms. Super flaky fish in a crispy yet thin batter. Potatoes fresh cut .and fried. Salt crusted crispy mushrooms sopping with grease and vinegar.
Oh hells yes I love this place. I've been going to the Tenderloin for these fish n chips since I was a toddler. I've never actually eaten here, only run in to pick up. These are without doubt the best fish n chips you will find in the States.
I also think I developed my present wrapping skills from hiding the fact I've snuck chips out of the newspaper they wrap it in. I obviously can't have my dinner mates knowing I've beaten them to it, but the smell of deliciousness permeates the entire car and there is not a thing I can do about it. If you feel you can't make the trek home, go over to Edinburgh Castle where the waiter will go get Old Chelsea's fare for you.
Definitely fish n chips worth risking life and limb for.
I was weary...you know..."Fish and chips? What the hell?"
But then there was a night, when I was at the Castle to see my friend's band play a show. And I kept smelling it all throughout the bar. So, since I walked past it on my way home, I thought...lets me bold. Lets just do it.
So you know what? I did. And I was pleased. Oh yeah...pleased as all hell by it.
Not only was it delicious, but it was the perfect amount of vinegar and salt and fried goodness.
The guy was super quick, and very efficient. Why only 4 stars? When I ordered, he told me he didn't have enough "chips" out and that he would only be able to make a half and half of chips and onion rings. I was cool with that. But then he charged me for the onion ring price, which was fine, but then I got to thinking "It wasn't MY choice to get the onion rings."
So yeah...just peeved. But the fried tastiness made those thoughts vanish for a few days. :)
Great, authentic fish & chips.
The fry batter is a thick and liquid paste (not some cornmeal dusting as I've had at other places). The potatoes for the chips are cut fresh (they have a manual fry cutting machine behind the refrigerator) and the onion rings and mushrooms are tasty. One star is lost for the scallops (which are frozen and breaded and out of a box).
The Old Chelsea provides the fish'n'chips for Edinburgh Castle around the corner, so if you've already swum a few laps in Guinness at the Castle, the Chelsea's fried fish may taste okay.
If you're sober and have any recollection of authentic British fish'n'chips, however, you will be sorely, angrily disappointed.
The fish is soggy and tastes like moist cardboard and the fries are not much better. Even with a heap of salt and some generous pours of the vinegar bottle, it's hardly a meal fit for the House of Commons, much less the upper levels of Parliament.
I guess I should not necessarily expect the Asian owners to understand the subtleties of foods from a foreign culture. But we're talking about British food...and British food HAS no subtleties!
Sorry, guvnah. This bloke says the OC is bollocks.
I do crave fish and chips once in a while and I still have yet to find a Really, Really good place. Somewhere where I say I am coming back for sure.
This place was probably even worse than some of the others that I have tried. I kinda expected more since it was a place that specialized in it.
I thought it was way too greasy. Don't know if it was the time I went in. It was about 10pm in the evening so maybe the regular "fryer" was not in the house.
Next time I am in the mood for Fish and Chips, I will certainly look for another spot....
Only works if you are at Edinburgh Castle, order the Fish and Chips that are delivered wrapped in newsprint and shake a whole lot o malt vinegar to cut the grease and order a Lime and Lager!
Fun when the bag piper used to come out to play a few songs. But hey, you ain't paying London/English pounds.
A+ on the food. Very Tasty, Very Greasy
F- on the sanitary conditions
I'd go back if I were drunk and didn't care, but I wouldn't take my wife, and that's not because she doesn't eat deep fried food ;)
It's hard to give 2 stars, because the food was really good, but these guys need to clean up their act pronto.
Eat at your own risk. It is tasty though.
Old Chelsea is everything you would expect from a no-nonsense fish and chips joint. We ordered the four piece with chips and a side of onion rings that came in news print (and it was nice to get one extra piece). The crust was crispy but the insides were all delicate and moist. Not oily at all. Exactly what's needed on a cold night. The neighborhood can be a bit sketchy, but it's mine and I love it.
The combo with the french fries, onion rings, fish, prawns, and oysters have made my world complete. Obviously this is all very fried and greasy, so I would only recommend this to people who enjoy fried and greasy foods.
There's something very comforting about being able to watch them make it in front of you. It's not already fried and sitting under a warming lamp, and it's not frozen Van de Kamps they throw in the microwave.
I love the Old Chelsea! Down and dirty, greasy, cheap fish and chips. Malt vinegar and paper. They really hit the spot.
I've been eating here for almost 4 years and have never had a problem with the staff or my food. I treat and tip the staff really well and they treat me well in return (extra chips and last minute orders before closing!).
When you eat their fish and chips at Edinburgh Castle, you've got beer and atmosphere to go with the food. but if you're in need of a quick fish and chips fix, go here. it's down and dirty fish and chips, so make sure you have a place to eat them, cause you probably don't want to eat at this establishment.
The fish is top notch, and the fries are good too. 4 stars for the food, 2 stars for everything else.
The fish & chips leave a lot to be desired, but the fried mushrooms are nummy and I love the newsprint wrapping; it makes me feel like I'm eating a present! A very greasy, nasty, possibly unsanitary present.
Also, if you actually go into the Old Chelsea instead of ordering from Edinburgh, you'll find the cooks kind of sweet in a non-English-speaking sort of way.
Not many places make fish and chips like this anymore - with that giant ever bubbling vat of grease flavored with beef or something. Picadilly used to be where I got my fix every other month or so, but while they're rebuilding, I've ventured over to Old Chelsea. A slightly.....seedier area, but like I said, not many places make it like this any more. Definitely a to-go type place, unless you want to reek of grease for days.
Try the mushrooms, skip the 'rings...don't look at the plate/paper after you're done eating.
pictures speak a thousand words
(my review is in the photo gallery)
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whoa whoa whoa, what's up with all the hate?
it's a frickin hole in the wall, not a four star establishment
take it as it is
who gives a crap if it's not an ina garten caliber kitchen
all the food is EFin deep fried = hot oil = bye bye bacteria
SHEESH
All I have to say about this place is WOW. I went there recently and it was a mistake. The food is not bad (which is why I don't give it a one star) but make sure you go to Edinburgh Castle first when you go order your food. Otherwise you will go to a place that smells like oil.
The crazy thing that I had to observe recently was this bum/punk dude who came in looking to cause trouble. Since this place is on Larkin it's the ghetto and you see all sorts of characters there. So the guy first stole an onion ring while the cook, who was this old asian dude, chased him on the other side of the street. That is some major props but he could have been shot or really hurt. The worker there is this crazy asian man who does not give a damn. Then that bum returns and steals the quarter jar for the kid donations and the old asian guy came out and chased him again. From that moment I decided if I want Fish and Chips to only go to Edinburgh first because I will never go inside this place again. :)
in the days that i roam the dive bars on geary and thereabouts,
inevitably i wind up here for an order of 2 piece fish & chip to go. they were GRREEEAAAT!
this spartan hole in the wall was hosted by one or more koreans, adept in the art of frying fish to go.
the fish was previously frozen chinese pollock. the fries were previously frozen. nevertheless, my hunger was vanquished.
btw, my conclusions were a result of all night drinking. your results if
you eat the same fish & chip while you are sober may vary substantially.
So I was standing there salivating as he sliced large rings of onion right into the batter. He transfered the dripping rings into the hot oil with a pair of tongs, in the process he lost grip of the tongs and they fell on the filthy floor...oh yes. I stood there wide eyed. I held my breath as he picked up the tongs he then CONTINUED TO USE THEM AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! I'M NEVER GOING THERE AGAAINN!! BESIDES, they use frozen oysters and frozen prawns right out of a box, I saw it with my own EYYYYES.
Uneven. You can get something really tasty or something dripping grease. Better off ordering at the Edinburgh Castle but even then you can be disappointed. Go to Piccadilly's further up Polk instead.
These are the BEST fish and chips in San Francisco. Confirmed by my British roommate (closest thing to an expert I can think of). I've been eating here since I was a kid... my parents brought us back fish and chips from here for years before we were introduced to the tenderloin. If you're not feeding the kids, I second the endorsement of the Edinburgh Castle. They send runners down the alley to this place, so you can sip a black&tan while you wait! It gets points for ambiance over the stall-style Chelsea... sure they probably pay off the health inspectors, but lets face it... if that place was spick 'n span they just wouldn't taste as good, would they? Still hands-down my favorite dinner in the city. I'm a classy, classy guy.
fish and chips. you like it or you dont.
you CAN opt to just have a friend punch you in the chest.
youll get the same heart attack effect you would have eating here.
i love it.
try everything. clam strips. mushrooms. cod. shrimps. whatever.
its all good once its battered and fried. and do it right. salt and pepper the fcuk out of it and use tons of tartar sauce and ketchup and vinegar if you are into that malt thang.
dont half ass it when you are gonna be bad.
3 out of 5 cardiac arrests
The fish was ok and I'm not typically a fan of soggy chips. And to top it off a crackhead wondered in while the guy was cooking our food. Crackhead only had two crumbled dollars which couldn't buy him anything, so while the cook's back was turned he stole one of OUR onion rings and strolled back outside munching on it. Then he proceeded to come back and run off with the charity display with quarters in it. The cook chased him in the street then the crackhead started throwing the quarters all over the street. It was quite a spectacle. Crackhead story aside, the food only gets 1 star.
Greasy, but YUMMY! It's not a place I would go to everyday, but when I'm craving for some fish and chips I go here. They fry up some very tasty and crispy food, and I love the vinegar and salt on them. My favorite are the mushrooms.
I prefer the Old Chelsea to Piccadilly. We had fish 'n' chips last night that were utter perfection. Delicious batter, fresh fish, and french fries soggy only from the malt vinegar. I love the Celtic art work on the wall - if it weren't for the blaring Vietnamese radio station, you'd swear you were in Dublin.
With the demise of Piccadilly, this is now my go to spot for fish 'n' chips. Even though it's owned by the same people the quality doesn't seem to be up to par with their sister restaurant. Still good I guess, but for some reason it's better at Edinburgh (maybe it's the beer?)
Gross. Not good. Very dirty seeming. Sorry, but I can't hang.
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Fish & Chips
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
Category: Burgers
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Potrero Hill
Category: Grocery
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond
Category: Burgers
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