They have counter service here. Its not fancy, but not pricey as well. Fish and chips were made to order. The fries were nice and crunchy. Kids liked the fish and chips. Also got the cheese quesadilla which was good. read more

Char West - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Char West is a no nonsense casual eatery located on Stearns Wharf. This place ain't fancy. It's counter service. The summer hours are 7am-7pm. Breakfast is served until 11 am, after that lunch is served. The menu includes coffee drinks, breakfast, burgers, fish n chips, clam strips, Clam chowder, fish sandwich, and salad. They even have a kids menu. It's a small place with limited seating with a few tables outside. The interior dining room has some windows, try to snag those tables for the view of the ocean. If you sit outside, watch out for the birds. They have no qualms of helping themselves to your food. Onto talking about the food... Char West self proclaims that the blueberry wheat germ pancakes are famous. It was past 11am when I visited, so I missed out on their claim to fame. Instead Hubs and I shared a cheeseburger and fries. $12.50. The patty was of a substantial size and pretty tasty. Moist and flavorful even fur a pre frozen patty. The bun was substantial and the fixings (sliced tomato and shredded iceberg lettuce) were fresh. sClassic, simple burger done right. I got no complaints about the fries. Served hot and golden crisp. read more

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Char West is our go-to spot on Stearns Wharf for a kid-friendly, affordable lunch, but it's also a total hidden gem for breakfast. The staff is incredible and has been there for decades, which says everything about the place. The menu is simple, solid, and consistently good, with great pancakes, coffee and homemade muffins (served warm with butter!). read more

Char West - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This is the place to go for banana pancakes!! It is very small, the service is polite (no table service) and the prices are a steal. You can wait in line at Chads, or similar, pay 2x or get free 90 min parking and eat on the pier with a great view. I choose this. It is a simple place with good prices. My meal was great! Try it. You will be pleasantly surprised. read more

Their fish & chips were very fresh. The fish was flakey and piping hot. The batter wasn't super thick and it was crispy as well. The portions are huge and we also liked their tartar sauce. The fries were a crispy as well. I wish I could have asked for more lemon but since we were all starving we just gobbled up our food. I wish we got the fried clams since someone just talked about it. Maybe next time when we come back. read more

Char West - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Food was alright, amazing location. Recommend fish and chips and clam chowder in bread bowl. The fish and chips were cooked to order.

Lots to say about this little food joint located on the historic Stearns Wharf. Nothing fancy-schmancy, but a tasty, fun, and scenic spot to entertain the many platoons of family (with kids), and friends (with kids). Our mission was to make it a fun day for both adults and children, and we knew the Funk Zone and historic Stearns Wharf would be a happy spot. We found plenty of parking in the public lot at Garden and Cabrillo Blvd, which makes it an easy walk through the Funk Zone and over to Stearns Wharf. First stop was on the pier under the flags to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center. A great spot for kids and adults. Fun and educational, with lots of opportunity to see and feel sea creatures. After a couple hours there we had a hungry crowd and walked over to Char West. Lots of seating outside their ordering and kitchen area, with benches and tables overlooking the Pacific Ocean. And for our crowd, most of whom were very picky eaters, their selection of burgers and Fish and Chips was ideal. And I do have to say I appreciated their hot and tasty food. Like I said, nothing fancy-schmancy, but quick and easy, and all with a scenic view. After a lot of well fed faces, we walked off the pier to lower State Street, and wound up the fun afternoon at the Moxi - The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, and then a tasty dessert across the street at McConnell's Ice Cream. read more

DO NOT EAT HERE. I REPEAT. DO NOT EAT HERE. I got their steak fajita burrito two days ago, and I now have the worst food poisoning I've ever had in my life. I've been projectile vomiting non stop, as well as having you know what from the other end too. I feel like absolutely garbage. whatever you do, do not eat from here, unless you'd like to feel like this too. read more

We had the tri-tip sandwich and the fish and chips (fries). The staff does a great job with the food. It was really good. The place was nice and clean and the staff took the time to answer my questions about the food. I wish we were in town longer to go back. We will have to wait till the next trip. What a great spot for lunch. Thanks. read more

This little restaurant is on the wharf. They have breakfast, salads, fish, burgers, coffees, and drinks. Prices are reasonable and the food is good. The employees are very friendly. read more

30 years in Santa Barbara and today I decided to be a tourist. Took a walk on the pier and saw this beautiful little hidden gem coffee shop / eatery called Char West. Met the owners and found out that his son is a student at San Marcos HS-- where I coach girls basketball. Very nice people there. The coffee was delicious as well. Didn't order food but from the amount of people there eating tells me that it's worthy of 5 stars. Thank you char west. Two thumbs up. read more

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I have been here for breakfast twice. The first was just a random stop for breakfast about a year ago, but I had the best juevo rancheros. This time, I returned specifically to get the juevos rancheros again, which had become the juevos rancheros by which I now measure other restaurants. If I make it back here again, I'd probably order the same thing, except this time I also tried a single wheat germ pancake. Even with no fruit, it was just awesome. Not only is the food here delicious, but the woman behind the counter was really friendly and kind. I'm looking forward to coming back. read more

Just a frozen burger cooked on a grill kinda pricey a hamburger. Fish and chips bready.

Almost hidden gem on the Santa Barbara pier. Amazing views of SB and ocean. We have returned here numerous times on trips to SB and had burgers ,salads, fish &chips , clam chowder, as well as coffees and sweets and all were quite good. Reasonable prices and good food served here. Staff was friendly and always helpful. A Few indoor tables available but mostly outdoor options on picnic benches. Great option for quick casual meal breakfast, lunch or early dinner. When traveling with kids a quick bite that's more reasonable in price is always the better option instead of the usual long wait ,high priced "finer" dining places on a pier. Idk about you but I don't like paying $30 for a bowl of chowder my kids eat two bites of etc. This place has easy kids menu too. This is not part of review but a note to visitors of any pier. Beware of the seagulls and do not leave food unattended they can get aggressive sometimes but usually they know to stay away. Do not feed them this leads to aggression for other customers later. One more note for international visitors. Americans in food service survive off of tips and you may not have tipping where you are from but American workers are paid low wages but hope for tips to make up for it. Please be fair or even generous to your friendly servers they do appreciate it. I worked in food service before and know how hard it is to work at a restaurant. read more

Char West - Views from the outdoor dining area. - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I was leaning between 3 stars or 4, but settled on 4. Char West is located at the Santa Barbara Stearns Pier. It is tucked into one of the many businesses on the south side of the pier. Actually, since they serve Peet's coffee I was going to settle for a cup but noticed this order on the counter. A basic house salad that looked very tasty. Since one of their main dishes is fish and chips I opted for the salad and fish and chips (fries). The order was nicely prepared. The only hiccup was the fish, which was very tasty however the batter was a bit thicker than I expected. Overall, a good meal. Service was quick and there is plenty of seating inside as well as outside. read more

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Nice stop on the pier for coffee This is a no frills, no fuss, coffee shop (but also serves food?!) right on the edge of the pier. It looks like they are not getting extremely high marks for food, but if you go into the place it doesn't feel like a spot for a gourmet meal. What it is great for, and why I'm giving it four stars, is because of the beautiful view over the pier. It has some awesome seating on the rail, right outside. I suggest going there early in the morning, maybe even for sunrise, and getting a coffee. I also grabbed a bagel, toasted with cream cheese. It felt like a Bagel experience you would have at Starbucks or coffee bean. Stop in for the coffee and the views! read more

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We ordered fish and chips. Worst fish I've ever had probably some cheddar was OK and burger not the best. Don't waste your money.

Time to raise the bar. We just needed enough food to hold us over for the next city. So I went for the fish n chips Excellent. I barely had enough Tartar Sauce. But it worked. All really the best! read more

Char West - Strains Wharf from the end. - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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This is a must go to whenever my parents are visiting! My dad swears they have the best fried clams, which are hard to find in Santa Barbara off of the pier. It's a bit pricey for one order, but it's a lot of food and easy to share. You order at the counter and wait for your number to be called. They have both indoor and outdoor seating options. Obviously there are incredible views with the ocean right beneath you. Great spot to get your seafood fix! Plus, the fries are really good! read more

Char West - Fried clam strips and French fries - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This is a pretty average fish and chips. The fish isn't actually that bad, but these are just regular fries, no attempt to cut them as "chips." Considering this cost $27 after adding a drink, tax, and tip, i don't think I'll be returning. read more

Char West - Fish & Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This restaurant is pretty nice! It has ample outdoor seating (it's sometime filled up, but just wait for a family to leave and you should have a place to sit) and their food and service are also decent. We ordered the fish and chips which were really good and had HUGE portions. Two fish per serving and a lot of fries! They also include lemon and tartar sauce of some sort which pair really well with the fish. Their fish is flakey and has a really good consistency! Their fries are also really good and I recommend their food. We also got a raspberry iced tea which was pretty good. There are around 8 or 9 outdoor tables and about 4 indoor ones, but they're not very spaced out so just to be cautious, don't sit indoors. The staff is nice and gets you your order relatively fast. All their food is made fresh so while you're waiting you can visit the other shops around the wharf. They are a bit pricier than normal restaurants but the view from the outdoor seating is beautiful so it's honestly worth the seaside experience! Definitely recommend read more

Char West - Fish & Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This place is alright, good if you want something quick to eat on the pier like we did. The fish and chips came recommended by a local, I think I would've enjoyed it more if the batter had a bit more salt in it. The fish inside was nice and flaky, although it was kind of bland so that's where the salt would've come in nicely. They make it to order, though, and staff is nice. Convenient spot. There are common tables nearby so you can eat and look at the water. If it weren't $16 I probably would score higher, but I've had better for less. read more

Char West - Fish and chips were okay, fish tasted fresh but needed more salt in the batter - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I went here on a school trip for lunch and the burger was amazing! The seasoning on the fries was good and the patty for the burger was super tasty and juicy. Because of my school trip, the service was a little slow. The view while eating outside was very pretty and peaceful. Would recommend get the burger read more

I was having a glass of wine at the deep sea across the dining area and got hungry. The clam strips are wonderful and the staff is very nice. Overall I give it a solid eight out of 10. read more

Char West - Clam Strips & Chips. Wonderful staff. - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The best fish and chips I've ever had. We've been to Char West many times and the fish and chips are always outstanding (I also think you can sub a salad for the chips). read more

Very disappointed, I wasted $21.42. I should of trusted my gut, but I didn't eat breakfast and I was hungry. I ordered the fish and chips and a medium Coke. The menu sign read, "You must try." I thought, we on a pier so it must be good. The fish(2 pieces) was battered cod, the battered cod lacked any flavor. It was way too greasy. It had a weird after-taste to it. The worst battered fish I have ever had. The chips/french fries were good though. I think if it wasn't so greasy I could of enjoyed it more. A real downer for this place especially since it was on the pier. read more

Char West - Fish and chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I wish I could give this place 0 stars actually. A huge disappointment and with them advertising fish & chips you expect cod. We were served a fresh water tilapia which was so fishy and gross! Double battered to hide the flavor. Probably frozen before. Left unsatisfied with an upset stomach and bad taste in my mouth. Not cheap either! **AVOID THIS PLACE for eating ** However you can't beat the ocean view! read more

This is on Stearns Wharf and it was delicious! The fish was SO filling and you get a really good amount! The tartar sauce was great and a good amount of fries were given! The clam chowder was tasty and flavorful!! Highly recommend! You can't beat the view! read more

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This is where I got my afternoon cappuccino! It was delicious, all the ladies were friendly and just lovely we stayed and watched the ocean activitiessince they had a beautiful view! read more

Excellent fish & chips!! And chowder! We go there every time we go up to SLO to see our son at school.

The breakfast is wonderful. Everything is made fresh to order. The 3-2-1 is our favorite. 3 pancakes, blueberry, banana wheat germ are the best, 2 pieces of bacon and 1 egg. I can also recommend the omelets. Grandkids love this place, the view on the pier is spectacular. read more

Really good fish and and chips... golden brown and freshly fried. Great view of the Santa Barbara coast line. The only thing is the price I did not like.... $15 for 2 pieces of fish... a bit pricey,,, but I guess you are paying for the view. read more

Char West - From the deck - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We came here for iced coffee but they didn't have it on the menu. We asked and they are able to serve it over ice. We ordered a small size for $4.95. Surprisingly it came in a coke cup with paper straw, just funny! Coffee was decent :) read more

Char West - iced americano small $4.95 in a coke cup and paper straw - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Ordered fish & chips plus one clam chowder. The Good: Fish was thick and juicy. The Bad: Expensive. $99+ for 4 people at a place where you order and get your food and then bus your table. Batter was greasy but edible. Chowder was so salty that neither my husband nor I could eat it. I heard a man at the next table over say that he was a big clam chowder fan but this chowder was way too salty. The Ugly: There was old bird poop on the table so obviously not cleaned well or regularly. I did not ask for an adjustment on the chowder. I did step in after we ate snd said to the lady behind the cash register, "I'd like to give you some feedback. The chowder is extremely salty snd I heard a man at a nearby table say the same thing.". She ignored me. I said, "I'm just trying to give you some friendly feedback." She said nothing - just tuten away." I'll never return. read more

During a weekend getaway, my boyfriend and I ended up staying at an Inn that is walking distance to Stearn's Warf and decided that it would be a great place to grab our first lunch of the trip. Rather than look anything up online, we thought it would be fun to walk over there and go with what looked good. There are a few dining options on the Warf, but Char West seemed to be the most casual with order at the counter service, but still smelled delicious and had tables overlooking the harbor. My boyfriend opted to try the Fish and Chips and I went with the Turkey Breast Sandwich. While the Fish and Chips were unfortunately deemed as quite bland and lackluster, my turkey sandwich was fairly tasty. The ingredients all tasted very fresh and I especially enjoyed a side of creamy ranch dressing doused on my sandwich as well as for a dipping sauce to my side of otherwise plain French fries. While I would generally consider their pricing expensive for something so casual, in terms of Santa Barbara food pricing, Char West definitely seemed to be one of the most affordable options near the ocean. Char West is in no way a bad option for a relaxed lunch, you may just need to doctor your food up a little with sauces and spices. read more

This is just an average fish and chip joint. You do get two decent pieces of fish, but they serve a low quality fish. The clam chowder wasn't much better. I got mine in a bread bowl. I'm accustomed to the bread bowl toasted but mine was warmed in the microwave. The best thing was the fries. For what you get they are insanely over priced. read more

Char West - Microwaved bread bowl, low quality fish - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Their awning advertises "Cappuccinos and Espressos", so I stopped in for a coffee. I ordered an Americano, which costed $7. I watched them pour drip coffee and then tell me it was an Americano. read more

Scully's catch of the day! Yes that's a movie reference. A ridiculously small portion of my reviews end up being 1 stars. So, when a places earns this dubious rating you know it's absolute garbage. Such is the case with Char West Fast Food. Located on Stearns Wharf, Char West was the only place that was grab and go. Fish and chips on a pier seemed like a slam dunk at the time. Generally speaking, fish and chips is battered fish (usually cod, haddock, or halibut) and fries. The printed description from this business states "All fish is supplied locally and fresh daily". Who knew frozen Tilapia was a "local and fresh" specialty here in Santa Barbara! Okay, so their marketing information is total B.S., but is the food really that terrible? - Both the fish tacos and the Fish and chips were both equally inedible. It was fishy and had no redeeming value.. I've eaten Tilapia before but this was so salty, which is weird seeing this fish is generally mild tasting. Everyone in our group unanimous agreed that the fish was very low quality and tasted bad.. One said it tasted like dirt. Oddly enough, someone at the adjacent table was complaining too and she said it tastes like dirt. - The french fries were good. - Avoid the expensive Clam Chowder too. Way too salty and practically no clam...Much better to be found at Souplantation. It's a real shame when restaurants sell crap at high prices to tourist. These owners assume that tourists wont be back anyway so why put any quality into their product. Fortunately Yelp can help give tourist real information so that informed dining decisions can be made. The best decision you can make is to spend a few more dollars and dine at any of the other fish restaurants on the wharf. Tip - If your fish tastes bad just take it back to cashier. They'll offer to give you something else or your money back. They wont hassle you or ask questions, in fact they acted like this happens a lot. read more

Char West - All disgusting - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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The fish and chips was like eating cake with my fish. Fish had no taste And as I say the batter was so cakey read more

If i could i would leave it zero stars .....don't recommend to anyone First thing they fry the fish and potatoes in the same oil... * people can be allergic to fish * they should take that in consideration. second the fish and chips was very oily and the tartar sauce is not tartar sauce its more like mayo sauce ... Dissatisfied read more