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Weird Fish
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
2193 Mission StCASH ONLY
(between Sycamore St & 18th St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 863-4744
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 4 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
1045 reviews for Weird Fish
Review Highlights
"Next time I gotta try the fried pickles."
(in 106 reviews)
"His also had a awesome mango salsa."
(in 73 reviews)
"And the mashed yams with coconut milk."
(in 16 reviews)
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1045 reviews in English
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Review from Caitlin F.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
I'm surprised it's taken me so long to rave about weird fish. I love this place. When we met I was a veggie and tonight weird fish has won my taste buds once again.
My favorite are their buffalo boys, which are crazy awesome. Fish and chips meet buffalo wing sauce. Yummy!
They've got a "weird fish" every night. It's a secret dish where you get a couple hints and it's always fantastic. I get it every time and I always LOVE it.
It's a lovely weird fish for sure. -
Review from Leslie G.
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
A great find for vegetarians. I tried the buffalo girls (seitan with buffalo wing sauce), yo yos (fried pickles), and the seitan and chips. All were great. The texture of the seitan was perfect.
The seitan was supposed to be "fish," but I thought it just tasted like normal seitan. I didn't notice any nori in it or anything else fish-like. It was very good. They get all their veg from their Roshambo farm, which many of the restaurant employees work at as well. Everything was fresh and high quality.
It is a tad pricey, but you're getting high-quality food so it is definitely worth it.
The space is tiny, reservations are accepted for parties of four or more. -
Review from Terry B.
San Jose, CA
1/9/2012
This place is really inviting, a small cozy little place that smells like .. FISH! The server quickly greeted us and sat us, the food came in a timely fashion and actually taste pretty darn good! I was a little let down with my clam chowder - it felt almost like it was from a can or something. It wasn't thick or high quality like something you'd expect at Boudin or on the wharf in Monterey. I'm not gonna bash the place, however.. as the fish tacos were quite good. It was a little pricey but I feel the dining experience combined with the servers being extremely polite made it better.
Oh and we were there for someone's party apparently, so they gave us free chocolate cake that was out of this world. Not to mention the atmosphere was pretty awesome with the music blaring and people dancing in this tight little resturant. I hope that guy had the best birthday party ever, cuz his friends rock! -
Review from Angela N.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2012
am i the last one to this party? 1000+ reviews. I can't say enough great things about this place. Number 1: I can eat everything on the menu - fish and vegetables. Woot! Number 2: Holy Happy Hour Menu!!! What fantastic deals! 3. Sustainable???! So, I don't have to feel guilty, either??? bottom line: go here! everything we had was great. staff super friendly and it wasn't crowded!!!
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Review from Anthony H.
San Francisco, CA
I have been to this restaurant a few times and I am finally writing my review. It is a very small place that is pretty hidden on 18th and mission. There is a small sign outside the restaurant. The environment is very cute and they have great decorations. They are very environmentally conscious with their menu and services. Their fish is sustainably caught and some produce is from their farm. Reusable bandana napkins which is always a trendy plus. Vegetarian and vegan options easily available. Customer service was also very friendly and helpful.
The food is great! My friend and I started with an order of the fried pickles ($7) which were so tasty! Watch out they are super hot (temperature wise) so I wouldn't attack as soon as the plate hits the table. I also got the Seitan and Chips ($13) which is a vegan play off of fish and chips. Delicious! I am always craving this meal! Next time I plan on trying their Spicy Tomato Soup because it sounds amazing.
Remember to pull out some cash before you come in because they are cash only. There is an ATM across the street in front of the smoke shop but it's easier to just have cash on you already. I will definitely be going back soon! =)Listed in: Vegan/Vegetarian Friendly
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Review from John A.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2012
It took a while to get water after we asked for it; the fish and chips were tiny (maybe 2.5 ounces); and the calamari was slightly burnt.
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Review from Melanie H.
Palo Alto, CA
1/7/2012
I have tried calling, checked the website and facebook and every time I have been lately it's been closed despite my being there during hours they claim to be open. I love the vegetarian options but if the phone message, website and facebook can't be changed to reflect the correct hours it's not nice for people who travel about 40 minutes each way like me and the person I was with.
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Review from Arturo V.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 11/19/2011
I went back to the Bay Area on a business trip and while walking in the Mission District I decided to give Weird Fish another chance for lunch. I was intrigued when I saw it now advertises as Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescetarian. Best of all, the old hateful and mediocre small menu was gone! The new menu for lunch had many of the old staples that made weird fish a SF institutions in the mid-2000s.
I got very excited when I say that my beloved yam tacos were back. I said, well, as long as I don't get sick let's try it. I was happy that I gave Weird Fish another chance since I was definitely not disappointed, and I didn't get sick! I ordered yam tacos and a chipotle trout sandwich and I enjoyed both of them.
What I liked about the new Weird Fish:
1. The Yam tacos are almost as good as I remembered them. (I would give them a 9.8 where 10 would be the old yam tacos).
2. The fries in the Chipotle trout sandwich were from real potatoes, just mildly salted (a very good thing), not greasy and simply perfect.
3. Service was as friendly and efficient as in the old Weird Fish, I absolutely loved it.
What I didn't like about the new Weird Fish:
1. The "Chef's" chips they offer while you wait for your food are way too salty for my taste. I know, they just give them so people who are usually hungry while they wait for their food will devour them as soon as they get to the table. The extreme amount of salt will make them thirsty, increasing the odds that they would end up ordering one additional drink.
2. The chipotle trout sandwich was certainly good (probably too much bread for my taste), but in all honestly I never got the chipotle flavor in it.
3. I was offered "spicy" salsa for my yam tacos, but I got a bottled sauce from Louisiana that was more of a mediocre tabasco sauce. Just a reminder, you are in the Mission District, where most establishments take salsa very seriously. I would highly recommend offering something home made, probably a mild and spicy salsa.
4. Yes, there is a big sign that says "CASH ONLY", but come on, these days even girl scout cookie sellers accept credit cards (yes, even American Express in some areas). What's the big deal about not accepting credit cards? It is just a nuisance for potential new clients who may not try this place just because they are not carrying enough cash. I had to walk four blocks to withraw cash from Bank of America just to give you another chance!
WARNING: The three stars I provisionally gave Weird Fish is just a sign of my positive impression of this place for lunch. I think they are back in the right track, although they still have a way to go before they get back to what they used to be in the old days. I inquired about brunch (i.e. what used to be my favorite meal in old Weird Fish) and they told me that they are not currently offering it but that they are planning to do so "very soon". So next time I'm in the Bay Area I will definitely try brunch. If I like it, I may give Weird Fish 4 or even the 5 stars that they used to have a long time ago when this place was my favorite SF restaurant.
Look forward to trying brunch...Listed in: San Francisco
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/11/2010
Used to be my favorite spot in the Mission until they cut the menu. Brunch for vegans used to be… Read more »
Comment from Weird Fish L. of Weird Fish 11/22/2011
Thank you for coming back, recognizing we've brought back… More » -
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Review from Scott L.
San Francisco, CA
11/8/2011
They don't tell you anywhere that it's cash only. Watch out. There is no ATM nearby either. It's not a trap, but it's just inconsiderate. Any restaurant that has a liquor license should not be cash only. I know, my complaints will fall on deaf ears (they often do)...things in SF are often inexplicable and unchangeable.
Also, the veggie tacos are a whopping $11 for two small tacos. They are loaded with onions, even though it doesn't say it on the menu. I know many people love onions, but I don't. It's not hard to type it on the menu...see above for complaints falling on deaf ears...
The waitress and the music were cool, the sangria, soup, fries and pickles were great! I enjoyed it, but not sure if I'd come back again. I don't like being made to sweat over paying cash (with no warning) when the bill came to $150 for snacks and drinks for 3, and we never even ordered entrees! Lame.Comment from Weird Fish L. of Weird Fish 11/14/2011
Your message has been heard. We appreciate the positive… More » -
Review from Alexander T.
San Francisco, CA
11/15/2011
Heads up, it takes 90 minutes to eat lunch here. 10 minutes to order, 60 minutes to get your first bite of food, 15 minutes to eat it, and 5 minutes to pay the check.
In a nearly empty restaurant.
No thanks. -
Review from danielle b.
Miami, FL
10/15/2011
Loved weird fish. Cute little ambiance.
We had some sweet potato soup, the chipotle fried pickles, vegan chorizo tacos.
Fresh tea was sooo good. Our server told us the herbs in the tea were grown outside....so san francisco.Comment from Weird Fish L. of Weird Fish 11/14/2011
Thanks! Hopefully we'll see you again soon. We have some… More » -
Review from Infinite N.
Emeryville, CA
1/8/2012
I hadn't been here since the re-open, and had a chance to go for lunch. The two worst changes: cash only, and $10 clam chowder. I used to LOVE their clam chowder, and would get it with a side (salad or app). But now it's $10. So I got the lunch special instead, of a fish sandwich and a drink for the same price. A lot of the entrees are much more expensive. I understand that you're growing more of your own food, but you also don't take debit/credit cards. And a lot of us don't like to carry cash around (or more than $20-$40 at a time). So I would have had $10 soup and $19 fish and chips if you took cards. Instead my lunch special was good, but I wanted the full experience again.
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Review from B B.
San Francisco, CA
11/7/2011
Didn't even know this place was here until a friend brought me for lunch. The waitress was cool, relaxed, attentive and our water glasses were refilled at just the right moments. (That's important since I usually go to Yamo, across the street and you might die before you get water...p.s. I love Yamo, but it's true.) One drawback, it felt like I was eating inside a refrigerator. C c c cold. Door stayed open and cig smoke wafted in regularly from bus stop just outside.
Friend ordered garlic cheese fries (to share, which I doubted i would partake in, but ended up eating half of them.) Not your typical cheesy fries. Just a hint of garlic, and some really good crumbly cheese.
He ordered fish tacos (fried)...the waitress brought our food and apologized saying the kitchen made a mistake and grilled the fish instead, but "here," she said," have the grilled tacos on the house, and the fried ones will be out in a minute, then you can decide which ones are better." Sweet deal. Both good. Fried slightly better.
I had the Eggs and Smoked Salmon sandwich. Nice flavor. The only thing that threw me was it was a cold sandwich thru and thru. If the salmon and eggs were warm and the yolk still drippy, I think it would've taken the sandwich to a diffrent level of awesome. Still satisfyingly yummy.Comment from Weird Fish L. of Weird Fish 11/14/2011
Smoked Salmon was my favorite too, until I had the Trout… More » -
Review from Emily S.
San Francisco, CA
9/15/2011
I was stoked to come here since it was on my list of new restaurants to try for a while. Being told they were "out of" the suspicious veggie entrée was slightly disheartening, since their menu boasts organic produce sourced from their own farm. In any event we got:
-Buffalo Girls: My favorite part of the meal, since buffalo sauce is inherently flavorful and spicy. Although, I still think the ones at Source are better.
-Seared Tofu: The tofu itself was tasty but the rice was SO greasy. The only vegetables were carrots and celery. Seriously? I love all vegetables, but we just filled up on carrots and celery with our appetizer.
-Seitan Fish and chips: The exact same taste / texture as the Buffalo Girls minus the sauce, for 3 dollars more.
Service was good, not great. Disappointing and pricey are never a good combo.Comment from Weird Fish L. of Weird Fish 9/23/2011
Hi Emily, We are definitely growing our own produce and… More » -
Review from iko o.
San Francisco, CA
9/14/2011
They're back open for lunch. Loved the rock shrimp salad, enjoyed the salmon salad almost as much. Yesterday, I opted for the fish sandwich. I normally resist sandwiches at noon as it tends to sit heavy. But, this one was a on very light roll; neither a Wonderbread space roll nor a rock hard thud pucket. Just right. With the right amount of seasoning to complement the sizeable portion of fish in between, which was cooked to perfection.
The guy managing the lunch is incredibly friendly. (hey! could you be a little more gruff so I can hang out with some the more snarky reviewers?)Comment from Weird Fish L. of Weird Fish 9/14/2011
Thanks! Hope to see you again soon, Vin More » -
Review from Karena Q.
San Francisco, CA
8/8/2011
Ok, so this has been on my list of places to try for awhile. A friend raved about the food so I figured I would give it a shot when my out of town vegetarian friend visited. Not a good idea.
We split the fried pickles, which were ok, not a whole lot of batter and they were pretty greasy. Friend and I split the suspicious fish dish (linguine w/veggies and massive mussels) and some fish tacos (good, but not great). Vegetarian friend got the suspicious veggie dish, which looked suspiciously like the fish dish, sans mussels. and had more pasta than veg in her bowl. VF's bf got the trout which looked pretty boring, but fresh?
Service was great, but food was disappointing. Pricey and disappointing. I might give it another shot...perhaps go with nothing suspicious? -
Review from Kevin J.
San Francisco, CA
6/17/2011
Weird name, Weird Fish, but the food itself is pretty normal. Probably one of the best fish tacos I've ever had in my life, but that being said I wasn't incredibly impressed with the rest of the menu. Good food, but nothing has kept me coming back except for the occasional newcomer who wants to try it for themselves.
It's a small place with limited amounts of seating so get there "early" and expect a small wait. If you're not a huge fan of fish check out Corner next door, otherwise be patient and you'll have a good meal at Weird Fish.
Try it for yourselves. -
Review from jessica d.
San Francisco, CA
9/2/2011
I really had a good time here. The staff were great and so were the fellow diners. I had the fish tacos, awesome, hard to go wrong. My friend had mussels that were a bit sandy. So, she didn't enjoy her meal. We also had the fried pickles just because you know, fried pickles. Mostly they were just warm pickles. This place caters to those of us who are vegetarian vegan, & sometimes pescitarian. This would be me! I loved the idea of the surprise dish..but I went for the fish tacos.
The fish is sustainably sourced and much or maybe all the food is organic. So, this place is a mixed bag but worth a visit. -
Review from Domini D.
San Francisco, CA
9/30/2011
huh. i'm a bit mystified by the bad reviews. first of all, i admit that even though i live very close, i didn't bother with weird fish because i thought there wouldn't be enough vegetarian options.... wrong!
a couple of years ago, i met some friends there for lunch. i don't recall the service, but i do remember that the quiche was yummy, and whatever spirits they were serving did the trick.
still here, and visiting now for dinner... over the last two years, i've been here maybe 10 times? once for brunch again, and several times for dinner. tonight, and three other times in the past month, also 3 or 4 other times for dinner with various friends of various food persuasions.
YUMMY! i love this place. i was super bummed when they were closed for a little bit for remodeling, but delighted when they opened again and as mentioned have been four times since.
i can't speak for the meat dishes, but holy diver, RoShamBo Farms FTW. (edit- roshambo is their farm- has no one else mentioned that they have their own farm from which they pull veggies??! and that they are all local and sustainable? hello. awesome.) i wonder if the people who are slamming this place think that all of those aisles at the grocery that are not Produce and the Butcher are "food"?
i am delighted to be able to visit this restaurant repeatedly. i get the Buffalo Girls every time for their spicy spicy deliciousness, and then try one or two of the other veggie offerings. i've had the Roma appetizer and the Heirloom appetizer, the Beet Salad (don't think i ever tried plain ol' beets and greens [in this case, purples], but this was subtle and flavorful- nice touch on the mild soft mozza-like cheese slabs for 'dressing'), the sweeter salad (not the one with edible wildflowers, though next time!), the veggie yam tacos (stuff them in my FACE.), and whatever the suspicious veggie dish was the night i went.
how lovely to have someone prepare food for me! yummy food they pulled out of the ground and didn't over-season or over-spice half to death. i have never had a bowl of tomatoes with fresh mozza that was more yummy. the same lady friend and i had the heirloom, and also the roma, appetizer on different nights, and i think we were both trying to keep from greedily shoveling the tomatoes onto our plates! :)
maybe you just have to have a taste for real food? not sure, negative reviewers; i was surprised to look at yelp- i expected to see the fanatic devotion that is Philz Coffee. i stick to my closet desire that the Weird Fish chef make me all of my meals, but i know i'm not bonkers because all of the previously-mentioned varied friends have said "oh! that was soooooo goood!" while tasting first bites of their dishes.
the vegetarian food is wonderful, hands down.
also, i've always had good service. the waitresses (all ladies in my visits) have been knowledgeable about the dishes AND ABOUT THE WINES! i'm NOT a wino, but i can tell one from the other and if i'm paying 7-10 bucks a glass, i want to know what i'm enjoying. pleased to say that the servers have made good recommendations, and been able to adequately describe the choices. what they may not have in encyclopedic quantity (beer and wine), they make up for in quality. the Jezebel white they have these days is enough to make me spend half my check on wine.
if you want McDonalds or food fit for a preservative palette, go somewhere else. if you want glorious tomatoes, subtle flavors, unexpected ingredients, killers produce, SATAN WINGS, oh- and really really really great ambience- come sit and make your taste buds pay attention. -
Review from Elizabeth B.
San Francisco, CA
7/10/2011
Sigh. I had been looking forward to trying this place when it reopened!
Food was good, but the fish n chips was heavy on the chips, light on the fish. The salad with seasonal veggies and shrimp was pretty tasty. Drink selection could use some work.
What bugged me about the experience was the clumsy service. The waitstaff was nice, but wasn't sure how to seat our party of 3. We ended up waiting for a large table, which was almost taken by another party when it finally cleared before I had to step in and let the other diners know that we had been waiting 15+ minutes for it. We were then told that another party might be seated with us because it was a 6 top and we were only 3 diners. That is reasonable, but if the waitstaff didn't think this was appropriate seating for three, then why did they specifically have us wait for it to open up? The clunky service continued through dinner. Again, friendly, but perhaps poorly trained? Or maybe just getting used to the rhythm after reopening?
Anyway, it was an OK experience but I probably won't go back. -
Review from J M.
Oakland, CA
7/29/2011
Small place and seems like a cozy spot. Service was great.
I ordered fish and chips and the mystery vegetable dish. I love the vegetable dish and how it was sauteed! I want to go back and try the rest of the entrees.
The price was reasonable and not over priced. I want to go back! -
Review from t k.
San Francisco, CA
5/30/2011
I haven't eaten at Weird Fish for a while, not since their menu changed, apparently, so I can't comment on the recent negative reviews. All I know is that their "Mysterious Fish Dish" satisfied my curiosity and my belly every single time, their beer battered yoyos (fried pickles!) are deeeelicious, and both their fish and veggie tacos have filled me up surprisingly well.
I'll cut my "review" short because I'm really writing to let folks know that they're not closed permanently (YAY!). They have a relaunch reception on June 21. -
Review from stefanie h.
San Francisco, CA
10/16/2011
weird fish was really anything but weird--pretty normal and mediocre actually.
our group had the fish and chips, fish tacos, fried calamari, fried pickles, and the mussels. nothing really stood out, and the prices were pretty steep for what it was. we tended to enjoy most of the non-fried food dishes over the fried; perhaps frying is just not their forte.
not weird, not that good either. -
Review from Kelsey L.
San Francisco, CA
2/17/2011
The only reason I'm giving this 1 star instead of 0 is that our waitress was lovely and apologetic for the situation tonight. We went there tonight for dinner having received the "Scout-Mob" 50% off (or really $20 off) coupon. Yay! I thought, a perfect chance to go back to Weird Fish, now that their prices are about 50% too high. $18 for decent Fish and Chips? I don't think so. But, for $9 I was ready to eat some greasy goodness. The food was pretty good (for the 50% off price), the service was casual and kind, but THEN when the bill came and we then put down the printed out valid coupon that said "50% off, valid until 3/15/11, up to $20 off, 1 per table".... all of these requirements we were meeting... and the waitress said, "I'm sorry, we don't have the resources to support this promotion..."
I was like, well, you should have thought about that before you emailed this to thousands of people who will now come to your restaurant (it's good advertising... 50% off coupons!) She went on to say, we're going to put a sign in the door that tells people we aren't honoring this.
"Great idea!" I said. "However, such a sign was NOT there when we came in, ordered, ate, and so I would kindly request that you honor the valid printed advertisement." She protested and said the owner wouldn't allow her to. As I asked again, she said she would go call the owner. She did so, and STILL the owner said no, but the very kind waitress did her best to help us and was able to surreptitiously comp us one of our fish and chips. She was sweet. I felt bad for her. The owner on the other hand is a little shady... how do you get "accidentally" signed up for a huge promotion... and then NOT publicize that you aren't honoring it, and then not make good for the few people caught in the middle of that? Creepy. Just plain mean.
When we left we did see they had already put a sign up telling others that they aren't honoring the promotion. So, if this review saves anyone a trip down there.... unless you want to pay $18 for Fish and Chips and $9 for a glass of wine... don't visit Weird Fish.
I felt very bad for the wait staff since this clearly wasn't their fault!! just bad business practice not to honor a printed coupon without prior notice. Period. -
Review from Pilar P.
Napa, CA
6/30/2011
I came into Weird Fish on a Wednesday night around 7:45pm. I was having dinner with my boyfriend and another couple. We are all foodies and we're looking to the new chef Gavin Braid to surprise us. He delivered!
Firstly, we ordered a bottle of the Syrah which was delicious and inexpensive. To start we tried the Buffalo Boys which were spicy with a blue cheese dressing- a cool take on wings. Then we have fish tacos which were fantastic. I loved the pickled cabbage, the tortillas, fish(cod?), and the sweet mango salsa. It all worked tremendously. My favorite part of the meal was the salad Gavin created using fresh ingredients from Roshambo Farms-- mixed greens, rock shrimp, beets, mint, and rhubarb. It was acidic, fresh, and flavorful. Everyone I was with was in agreement on this! Lastly, we tried a hot pot filled with squid, seared fish, mirepoix, and a really tasty broth. Everything was cooked really well and I loved the brown rice inside, too.
For dessert we had a mascarpone/ricotta and candied walnut concoction that was fantastic. I'm usually a chocolate dessert kind of girl but I really enjoyed all the flavors here and hope it stays on the menu for a while. Thank you to Gavin and the new kitchen crew for a delicious meal. I'll most certainly be back this summer. I urge people to check out this 28 seat gem in the Mission District.
** street parking
** Cash only -
Review from H. S.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2011
I used to love this place, but times have changed. The food and wine are astonishingly overpriced compared to the quality. $12 for tacos with a blob of unflavored, overcooked lentils on the side, $19 for adequate but bland fish & chips.
They don't serve the fried pickles anymore because they're trying to be a "farm to table" restaurant. Dude. You are in no way growing your own soy, lentils, cod, avocados. Let us speak as honestly to one another, as gentlemen. Somehow, you have become a formerly serviceable restaurant trying to go upscale by printing your menus on earth tone paper in a lowercase sans serif font. Please. Somehow you have also decided to do this while serving inexplicably uninspired food made of the cheapest possible ingredients.
This is not the neighborhood to be phoning it in. El Metate has better tacos for $5.50. Gracias Madre has more thoughtfully and well-prepared entrees and sides and lord knows they aren't cheap. They're still cheaper than this. Cha Ya has better vegan for cheaper - and they aren't cheap. Mission Chinese Food is its usual magic factory of delicious.
Unless you're used to Financial District quality, and Financial District prices, stay away from here. -
Review from Sarah S.
El Cerrito, CA
9/4/2011
Wow -- something has happened to this place since it re-opened. Our friend, who used to love their fish tacos, couldn't finish hers, or the salad, which was covered with a strange vinegary syrup of a dressing. Good luck if you're hoping for vegetables. Our waitress said, when we tried to order the "suspicious veggies" (almost the only veg dish that wasn't deep-fried) that it was way too early (it was after six). She said, "The kitchen doesn't usually figure out what the specials are going to be for a couple of hours until after we open so it's not ready." The tofu-grain-vegetable plate we wound up getting was doused in a salty, sour, greasy, sweet sauce. And, though the menu claims that the vegetables are sourced from the chef's farm, the tofu bowl had nothing but a few matchsticks of carrot and celery.
It sounds as if usually the service is good and we were unlucky with our server, who was smiling but belligerent, complaining about the kitchen and the hours and the way they hadn't closed that afternoon, walking off in the middle of our trying to ask about the menu items, not bringing us silverware until well after the food arrived, bouncing by the table to say, "You're finding it great, aren't you?" and saying, as she picked up the plates onto which we'd scraped the sour, strange, limp buffalo wing coverings (we ate the rubbery seitan inside because we were ravenous), "Oh, glad you liked the wings. They're one of my favorite things on the menu!" She was so clearly outraged to be waiting tables -- not just ours. Still, we tipped decently: our theory is that she was hired two days earlier and is really an out-of-work software designer who can't believe that this is her new life.
It was an expensive meal too, though perhaps worth it if one thinks of it as a) dinner theater (not a meal we'll forget), and b) an incentive to stay home and cook. Just in case you, like me, eat out a little too often. Otherwise, the circumstances under which I'd recommend eating here would be the following: a terrible plague strikes the entire Mission district, but you survive and find that you're starving. You pick your way across the bodies on the street and discover that Weird Fish is the only place left open. Obviously, whatever they put in the food (massive quantities of vinegar, maybe sugar, and some mysterious other worldly spice?) have kept the staff alive.
Otherwise, most of the local tacquerias would charge about a quarter of the price for much better food. And Gracias Madre is just across the street. A bit of a wait, but well worth it. -
Review from zz z.
Bay Area
6/17/2011
I meant to write a review months ago, so this is like 3-4 months late...!
A friend of mine loves this place and wanted a few of us to meet here.
It wasn't all-that, and a bit on the pricey side for what it was - Not that I mind paying up for a good meal, but I just wasn't blown away by the food. It was healthy-tasting, but too bland.
Very, very small beer selection, if you could even call it that, and sorry but I like beer with my fish...!
And another thing, it just a felt a little too hipster in there for me.
The service was excellent, though, so the place gets an extra star for that... :) -
Review from Valerie W.
San Francisco, CA
12/26/2010
Dear vegans and your bad reviews:
You have made an extreme lifestyle choice. And that is fine. Part of me admires your choice. Veganism is sort of the dietary equivalent of an Ironman competition. But let's face it. The vast - and I mean VAST - majority of the other people on this planet have not made that same choice. Ok? Come to terms with that and stop acting like the culinary equivalent of the Taliban. And please try to remember that flaming small businesses on Yelp when not truly justified can really do harm.
Btw, I am not affiliated in any way with this restaurant and I don't work for a dot com. But these vegan reviews really piss me off. This is a great place with great seafood. People who love fish will love Weird Fish. It's a good fish place.
Cheers. -
Review from jess f.
San Francisco, CA
10/18/2011
I live in the Mission and know going out on a Friday night can be complicated but there was no wait at Weird Fish so we decided to go there... We should have waited and gone elsewhere, there's a reason there was no wait.
When we went in it was a good 10 minutes before our waitress brought us water or menus. 10 minutes later she came back for order (the restaurant was neither packed nor busy). Our appetizer came out (tasty but small and not matching the description on the menu) 10 minutes later...
We then waited at least 45 minutes for our food after our appetizer (1 salad by the way) was served. Our waitress avoided us (it's a really small restaurant so you have to go out of your way to avoid someone, especially when it's not full, which it wasn't).
Every one else in the restaurant, including the tables that arrived after us received their entrees long before we did. When we asked where our food was the waitress simply said they were making it now. We ordered 3 simple dishes, the fish fingers, an order of tacos, and the tofu dish... nothing complicated.
She never apologized but just kept saying "thanks for understanding guys"... I work in the service industry and an "I'm sorry" goes a long long way.
To top it off, the food was salty and mediocre! And overpriced... Would have been better off going to a taqueria actually.
I had high hopes for Weird Fish after it was closed for many months, perhaps they should have stayed closed for longer to get it right.
Won't be going back.
No wonder there was no wait, looks like all the other folks waiting at the 10 other restaurants in a 1 block radius already knew that it wasn't worth the wait. -
Review from Jason R.
Culver City, CA
12/14/2010
I instantly get this queasy/annoying smirk thing when I hear shit like, "farm fresh, locally grown, fresh caught and foraged" Seriously, cut the shit and just bring me the food, then I'll know if its good, not with stupid hype words.
I got the food, and yes, it was fuckin good.
Anyways, the place is about as big as my garage (basically only had room for about 20 people at a time, max). We waited literally for an hour and some change before we were seated. So, hearing both of those you'd think, "so you still give 4 stars?
My sister dropped the Yelp card and either the owner or manager (whoever was hosting, some dude) squeezed 5 of us in a little 2 person table. If he didn't do this, we probably would've waited another 1/2 hour or so. He must have also relayed the message to the waitress because she was extra nice and very informative about the menu. (Hopefully this is standard and not just because we said "Yelp.")
I had Fish and Chips, like 4 different times in SF because we were only there for a weekend and I felt I needed to get a good grasp on fish and chips. This place had the best. Truly fresh caught, not overly battered. It came with Slaw that was equally good. BUT, the fries weren't as crispy as I would've liked, but they were good.
I also had another thing called Lil B. I really don't know what the fuck you can call it, but it had goat cheese, fried tofu, fried kale and some other stuff. It was a side order and dude, 5 stars for this plate.
Also I want to add something about the beer. I got some Lager, I forgot what it was called... seriously one of the best tasting beers I've ever had. And I drink a lot. -
Review from claire l.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 1/26/2011
This past Sunday was my first visit since the menu make-over, and I was well pleased. Dinner was delicious and the service was great.
We came in around 7:30 and there was an empty table for four, which was a pleasant surprise.
We had two appetizers from the Something/Anything/Whatever category (like the Suspicious Fish, a mystery dish, unique to the night it is served, with veg/non-veg options). One was a winter vegetable ravioli with celery root puree, the other was an exquisitely seasoned clam and grilled squid lettuce wrap. Both were very, very good.
The boy got seitan and yam tacos, and loved them. My cousin ordered the winter vegetable linguine, which she enjoyed. A friend and I both ordered the Suspicious Fish, which was, as Marina N. described, a local black cod with fennel, celery root, super tender baby carrots, gigante beans, and pleasingly mellow brussels sprouts. The cod was perfectly cooked, with crispy skin and silky flesh. The sauce/veg was hearty and addictive.
We shared one of each dessert. The chocolate pot de creme and poached pear were both very tasty. I wouldn't say either was exceptional, but they were a fine end to the meal.Listed in: The Tastiest Places in the Bay
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/10/2008
Get the pea shoots! Tasty fresh greens with soy and ginger. The rainbow trout is bomb-diggity!… Read more »
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Review from aaron t.
8/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
bottom line: appearances can be deceiving.
there's no way you could imagine the interior of this restaurant from glancing at the outside. this is probably true of most restaurants in the mission, but i was very impressed with the decor. i opted for the popular fish tacos and thought they tasted alright, though there was way too much vinegar. the mango salsa inside the taco was a welcome surprise though, and again, was not what i was expecting from the taco's outward appearance. the deep-fried pickles were recommended on yelp but to me they just tasted like pickles with some breading, nothing too special. overall, food was just alright, while service here is outstanding. -
Review from Amanda B.
San Francisco, CA
3/3/2011
I love weird things and I love fish, so it's not a huge surprise that I would really like Weird Fish. Right?
The small dining room painted my favorite shade of turquoise blue and walls anointed with flea market finds make this a cozy, peaceful escape from the grunge of Mission Street. The menu is tiny and mysterious, perfect for experimenting and taking culinary risks. The waitress I had was adorable and kind and suggested yummy wine and gave hints at what the secret dishes were on the menu.
And, the butterscotch pudding was a perfect end to a yummy meal. I hate to bring back my overused bathtub metaphor, but seriously you guys. Fill up a clawfoot of this stuff and drown me in it already. -
Review from Marina N.
1/23/2011
Delicious dinner tonight with great staff and cozy atmosphere.
The table was ready exactly when they said it would be. Had an excellent celery root & leek soup with truffle oil to start. Had a glass of riesling and a ginger lemonade (which was the perfect sweet/tart blend).
The Suspicious Fish Dish was a delicious black cod served with a generous super delicious helping of brussel sprouts, giant white beans, leeks and carrots. Because of some dietary restrictions (such as mercury limitations), I asked a few pointed questions about the suspicious fish and our waiter was glad to answer them while still maintaining the secret identity of the fish.
The desserts available were chocolate pot de creme with pomegranate seeds and a cinnamon clove pastry cream; and a poached warren pear.
For the vegetarians & vegans -- I noticed at least four veg options on the menu tonight, including a dessert, some with the option to make them non-veg such as by including squid instead of seitan. I didn't inquire about the cooking methods (butter vs oil, etc.) but it seemed to me that at least four options were vegan.
Note - if you're trying to figure out why this place has any negative reviews, let me summarize for you. It's mostly vegans that got upset about them now offering *fewer* vegan dishes on the menu. -
Review from Makiko O.
New York, NY
12/22/2010
Weird Fish taught me that dinner can be suspenseful.
Among the many things on the menu, it was "Whatever" and "Something" that caught our attention. The lovely waitress explained that these dishes would be prepared with the freshest ingredients and a hint of inspiration from the cooks -- that's it. No one knew what veggie or seafood would be used. We were in for the adventure and suspense. And the meal was served.
Everything was beyond delicious. The dishes were very avant-garde yet simple. I remember there was a garden-fresh beets dish, something with melty oysters, but the rest is all blur because I was simply in heaven. -
Review from Napoleon R.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2011
Some of their fish dishes are delish. The waitstaff is hip and helpful. Their decor is delightful. They have vegan options.
My only complaints are:
1) The plain presentation of the food.
2) An utter lack of sweet things to drink. Even their lemonade is sour. Not tart. Sour.Listed in: Late Night Specials
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Review from Jason B.
3/9/2011
Weird fish. Also sustainable, good, complicated, unique, cozy, accommodating, secret and satisfied fish.
Weird: The name.
Sustainable: Their purpose.
Good: The two tacos. One yams and seitan. One squid. Side of black beans. Packed with cabbage and a sauce.
Complicated. The two tacos. So many flavors, almost overpowered one another. More focus on the core ingredients (yams, seitan and squid) would have made them even better.
Unique: The two tacos. Totally original.
Cozy: The space. I think my studio is bigger. Open kitchen in the back is cool, as is the subtle counter which lets you watch your Mission neighbors enjoy the food.
Accommodating: The two tacos. On the menu it's listed as two of either kind. My friendly waitress let me do one of each.
Secret: The chef's special. No details given. Mine turned out to be a beet salad that was excellent.
Satisfied: Everyone around me, clearly enjoying their food.
Three strong stars for the food, another given for the service, space and purpose.
P.S. Unlike some yelpers, I had no problem using the Scoutmob offer.Comment from Weird Fish L. of Weird Fish 3/26/2011
Appreciate your detailed feedback on the dishes you… More » -
Review from L N.
San Jose, CA
4/16/2011
Weird Fish is weird. Just kidding. The food is good. Our waiter was friendly and the experience was positive. I wouldn't mind coming back here again.
Question: What's weird about your fish? -
Review from Visvamitra L.
Pomona, CA
1/19/2011
I love the size and quaintness of this place. I wish all restaurants were like this.
I would have liked to have seen more diverse ingredients the night I went. I ordered "something" appetizer and the surprise me fish dish....because I like to be surprised that way. Both dishes had much of the same ingredients in them, which sort of annoyed me. Fortunately I don't mind grilled radicchio. Our server was not a great communicator, as I did not know if my appetizer was my app, or the main course because it was a good deal for $5, but bad for the $24 the main course was. Fortunately it was the app! Over all pretty cool place. two courses for three with drinks came to about $140 with tip.
