Came here with my mother after she saw this place trending on Facebook and had a deep craving for it. It's a family owned restaurant with a quiet, cozy atmosphere. You can either dine-in or take it to-go. The dining area is small but spacious enough to enjoy a meal. For service, I was greeted and my order was taken and the wait for the food was reasonable. We ordered the Fried Zucchini with 3 Chicken Strips and 2 Fish with Onion Rings. The Fried Zucchini was delicious. It's crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The portion is huge. As for the batter, it's very tasty. It's crunchy, very flavorful, and not overly salty. It wasn't too oily either. It pairs really well with the condiments and a hint of lemon makes it taste better. Overall, a great experience and would definitely recommend giving this place a try if you're having a craving for fish & chips! read more

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Saw this place in a YouTube review and had to make the drive down to lemon grove to try it for myself. It's in a non-descript old fast food joint. You'd probably just pass by it without noticing if you weren't looking for it. It seafood, so it's not cheap, and it took quite a while to get the food even though there were only a couple other parties in the place. But when it did come out, it was super hot and fresh. The tempura batter was super light and crunchy, and everything tasted good. The whole set up was kinda odd though, like there was no real thought put into the convenience of getting condiments, utensils, or drink refills. Not too big of a deal though.. The food was surprisingly good, and if I get that urge for battered seafood again, I wouldn't hesitate going back. read more

9 out of 10! I found my new fish and chips spot in SD! Ok fair warning when you see the prices you will probably want to leave but the food is fresh and the one person plate (2 fish) can easily be split between 2 people. The first time I went I ordered the Small Eater Plate of 1 piece of fish. It comes with fries and I was so full after this meal. The fish is flaky and perfectly battered. You can choose only 3 condiments (hot sauce, vinegar, tartar sauce, 2 slices of lemon, or ranch). If you want more than 3 condiments, I think it's $1 extra for each. If you want ketchup they will truly count out 3 packets of ketchup and that's it. I did ask for more ketchup and got 2 more for free so that's good. One of the reasons why I knocked off 1 star is due to the prices and the stinginess of the sauces. $1 each is wild. They do have a parking lot which is super helpful but it's a little tight especially when other customers can't park and don't care to stay between the lines. This is a true mom and pop place. The customer service is cool. Very straight forward. The cleanliness is eh but not horrid. I've come back again since and highly recommend trying them out. You won't be disappointed. read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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YUUMMM I love fish and chips, and somehow they were able to do it even better :D Cute little shop that is family-owned. They're very friendly and are hard workers! We ordered four fish with fries and had tartar sauce. The fish were HUUUGE! Oh my goodness. We also brought them to the beach, and the crispiness did not go away! It tasted so good, great tartar sauce as well. The fries were also really good :) A little bit of a wait, but that's expected. Really happy to have come here and will definitely be back! read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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Parking 4/5 -About 10 spots available in its own parking lot Service 5/5 -Family business ran by daughter and parents, always friendly service, food's made fresh and they always let you know the accurate amount of wait time to expect for your food to be ready, we waited about 15 minutes this time. Free self served iced water is available. Food 5/5 -Fish and jumbo shrimp $26, one piece of hot fresh flaky fried white fish and four pieces of tempura style fried shrimp, fries are good, no notes. -Small eater's plate with one piece of fish $18, all very hot, fresh and delicious. Even for the small eater's plate, the portion will fill you up half way because they give such a huge piece of fish. Ambiance 5/5 -The decor takes you back to an older time and the yellow tables and chairs give just the right amount of funk. Dining area is quiet and calm, just a great place to enjoy fresh delicious fish and chips. read more

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Food was simply amazing. Fish and chips is what I bought. Take out 4 pieces of fish and fries for $50. Fish was nice and fresh. Batter was light but very crunchy. Service was solid. Only 3 working. I think its family. Very busy store. 30 minute wait but well worth it. Ambiance, the store was busy but it was very family friendly. I think everyone knew they were going to get great food. Parking was a little busy. But I did go on a Saturday around noon. Definitely going back to try everything else. read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - Great size of fish. My hand short but meaty - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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** Fried Fish Friday ** We've been wanting to try this place for a while now..... Bucket list . So happy we made it out. This is a little hole in the wall place. VERY busy. Everything was fried to perfection with a tempura batter. The fried fish filets were HUGE!! We most definitely should've shared. Now we know when we go back.... This is a must try spot. read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - * Fried Fish * Fried Fish * Fried Zucchini * French Fries - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

Good: That may have been the best piece of fried and breaded fish I have ever eaten. And I've been to London and had fish and chips over there before. Crispy outside, enough to hold together and not fall apart as it cools, but not so much that it was hard to cut or chew. The fries were also excellent. No salt, which is how I like it. And, like the fish, they were uniformily crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The meal also didn't eat too heavy, which is nice. I was thinking about getting the two piece meal, but thankfully didn't go there, as it would have been too much food. Bad: The restaurant's interior decor could use a refresh of sorts. Definitely has the feel of a hole in the wall restaurant. The drive-thru lane was closed, which was disappointing. The menu isn't on the board behind the registers. Instead, it's on a table in front, which separates the cashiers from the customers. Also not a fan of charging $3 for a can of soda as a drink. Or that I had to ask for a plastic knife to cut up the piece of fish. I get that it would be less cost prohibitive (and more convenient) to have plastic utensils but this food definitely needs hard silverware to cut and eat. The wait time for the food is 20 minutes, which also isn't ideal, though the exemplary cookery on the fish and chips does make it worth it. From the road, the restaurant appears closed or fenced off due to the construction fencing around the former brewery next door. It's hard to tell where the restaurant actually is when you approach it from the west. read more

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Let me start off by saying I am a fan of this place. These are some solid fish and chips. It's NOT oily at all which is what I appreciate the most. It also doesn't break apart easily. Chef John definitely perfected his batter recipe down to a tea. I came on a Friday afternoon around 2pm for a late lunch. I heard about this place from social media and decided why not give it a try since I was in the area. When I pulled into the lot it was almost full and when I walked in almost every table was filled with people. The first thing that caught my eye was how pricey things were. Now I will say the portion of the protein is HUGE. The fish is long and hefty. I think I'm just not used to paying almost $30 for fries and fish. Maybe $20 is more reasonable but in today's economy this is definitely going to hurt a lot of people's wallet especially for the area. If the coleslaw was standard I would say it makes the price better but you're just getting the protein and fries and no drink so it seems like a rip off. I get it. Aside from the pricing. I thought it was weird how the lemon slices aren't standard but considered a "sauce". Again. Usually when I eat fish and chips lemons and coleslaw is standard so having to add it on is definitely a choice... Those are really the only cons I have about this place. Due to social media it has benefited the business but at a cost of having a longer wait for customers at almost all times of the day. Waiting 30 minutes, for a "fast food" type joint is kind of crazy. However, as a family owned business with husband and wife and daughter just working I can give them some grace. As they probably didn't expect to blow up as they did. So my verdict is, I can see why the locals hit up this spot. At the end of the day they are a business and things like wait, pricing of ingredients going up it's all something we can't really control, so if you can put all that to the side this place is a solid find. read more

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Heard all the hype so I had to try! Food is cooked as you order so it's hot and fresh. I had the fish & shrimp with the onion rings. Everything was amazing. I loved both but if I had to choose I'd say the shrimp was the hit!! The fish was a really big piece so you will get full. Those onion rings were delicious and huge. When you order the cashier tells you it will be about 35 minutes. Pretty accurate, but worth the wait. The place was packed for lunch so come with your patience because your food comes out fresh & hot. I'll be back. read more

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Don't fall for the hype and influencer posts! We waited for ages to try this place, then when we finally did we left totally disappointed. Not only are they ridiculously overpriced ($14 for 10 onion rings, $26 for 2 pieces of fish w/fries?! Wtf), but they use cheap haddock, NOT cod -- which is false advertising since they market themselves as "serving only the highest quality foods" and stating "We serve genuine London Style Fish & Chips". Haddock (and pollock) is not "high quality" and is never used in any real Fish & Chips joint. I will admit that their batter is amazing! The shrimp and onion rings were perfection (best onion rings I have ever had)! However, at that price point I can't see why they can't use better fish. The first bite of fish was okay, perfect crunch and tasty batter, but after the second bite it just didn't taste like it should -- the filet was noticeably thinner than real, traditional fish & chips fish--it should flake thickly and be firm. In addition to the high price for what you get, their ambiance isn't quite what you'd expect for what they charge you. It's a mom and pop hole-in-the-wall in Lemon Grove, not a trendy hipster joint in North Park. With all that said, you can be the judge...but don't get sucked into all of the viral influencer posts that have been popping up lately...just sayin'. read more

I would call this place, the epitome of a British chippy shop. It's a tiny little restaurant, a few tables, and one thing they do amazingly well, which is frying anything and everything. Put in your order, feel free to split a one person meal because that's more than enough food for two, and be prepared to wait. There are three people working, two cooking, and one running back-and-forth between the register and the kitchen to help clear things out. Their fish, shrimp, fries, and zucchini are all expertly fried, very fresh tasting, which means they clearly changed their oil consistently, and everything tastes really good. I would personally prefer a little more salt in my batter, but that's my personal preference. Still they do a magnificent job on the fish and all the seafood. If you're craving that British isles sort of meal, this is the place to do it. read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - Fish. Chips. Coleslaw. Fried zucchini. - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

Support family owned restaurants! Who doesn't love some authentic fish n chips right? Chef John's Fisn & Chips is a must try. Local to Lemon Grove, the restaurant offers a unique look both inside and outside. Unlique these corporate fast food chains nowadays that look boring and cookie cutteresque, Chef John's establishment is appealing to the eye. Food is made to order, so you know not to question the freshness of your plate! Yes it can be a wait, but definitely worth every minute of it. Portions are  generous , and although the price point may be a bit steep, you get what you pay for and that's quality eats here! read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - Fish and Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

Although we had to wait 1/2 an hour for our food, it was totally worth it. Enjoying dinner with the wifey. Chill spot. Everything was really fresh & delicious. read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

Good quality fish and shrimp. Small family owned business in Lemon Grove. Only a few tables available for dine in. Somewhat of a small menu. Expect to drop a coin here. Service is slow as there are only three employees. Cook, prep and cashier. I ordered 4 fish, 4 shrimp, two fries and a coleslaw and total was $70 + a 45 minute wait. read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - Business Hours and telephone number - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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It's been a while since my last visit to Chef John's. Today it wasn't busy in the dining area but the pick up service was busy. The food is still very tasty. We ordered the Fish and Shrimp plate which included fries. The prices however have increased over the years like most places so we don't eat here as often as we would like. 2025/9 read more

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No no flavor we got the two piece fish and four jumbo shrimp the, it had a lot of batter, and The cocktail sauce It was a little different than what I'm used to and their malt vinegar was kind of watered down. No taste, it's like that they probably do their own mixture for the sauces, it's not up to par that I'm used to. The fish had a lot of batter and like I said the batter had no flavor and french fries my husband he said he didn't like the oil that it was cooked in, I hope they revamp their product cause it could be good I feel. read more

Food was about a 7/10, so no complaints there. But for the very high price, it should be mind-blowing. And it wasn't. For 2 people it was almost $70 before tip, and we got 2 plates and drinks. I fell for ShoPhoCho on YouTube who said these were the best fish and chips he ever had. I'll go ahead and disagree with him here. read more

Seems expensive but you aren't getting fish that is mostly bread. The breading is light. You actually have a large piece of fish. They make it when you order. read more

This place is busy (probably due to video from a Social media food influencer). I went on a Saturday only to be told that wait would be 45 minutes. I left. Went back today (Monday) and it was still busy. Ordered 1 fish/ 4 shrimp, onion rings, & fried mushrooms. While the portions were large. Was it worth the $50+. No. The fish & shrimp had no flavor. The onion rings were huge and tasted good. The mushrooms were very large and alright. The wait was approximately 1 hour. Probably won't return. read more

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Great fish and chips the portions and quality are fantastic,hush puppies were great too. They give you plenty of all the condiments and the service is wonderful.I highly recommend this little Gem for great fish and chips. read more

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This place is way OVER PRICED . I called to order & when she said my total I had to repeat it because I couldn't believe what they were charging for some fish & fries . I told them never mine & hung up. I guess I will never eat here again. read more

Documenting the food and sharing the food experience at a old school family-owned seafood spot named "Chef John Fish & Chips " in Lemon Grove. After all these years, we finally made time to checkout it out. Validating that the food is made-to-order, on that same note I want to share and confirm that the food is fried, crispy, and fresh. (On a sidenote) if you do not like well cooked french fries , simply ask or request at the time of your order for a (light fry) on the french fries. We ordered Chicken and fish combination plate, and Fish and Calamari combination plate. Our order took about 10-15 minutes. Raising awareness: it's nice at Chef John Fish & Chips that they have ice cold water to drink and provide ice cold water to drink as a alternative to buying cans of soda. Expect to spend say $60.- $70. dollars for two people, and/or say $100.00- $120.00 dollars for three people. So, if your in the mood for fried, crispy, and fresh food check out Chef John Fish & Chips for yourelf. read more

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Finally got to try this place after passing by it for so many years!Ordered the zucchini for $13.99 and their 2pc fish n chips for $25.99. Fish were huge and so good!! The place could use a little tlc tho. Trash were over filled to the floor. There was only 1 cashier which i think is the daughter and 2 elderly couple cooking and preparing. Waited 45min but it was worth the wait! Got there around 6p and since they close at 7p, you could only order to go. read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - Fish and chips (fries under lol) - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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This place has some of the best fish and chips ever. I have seen Chef John's trending recently on social media, and fish and chips are one of my favorite dishes. My family was feeling sick so I opted to calm in my order for pickup. We ordered the 6 piece fish and 2 fry (to-go only) for a whopping $53.99, along with a side of fried mushrooms ($11.99) and hush puppies ($6.49). I came in and the inside is quiet, and straight to the point. The people working, who I assume are family, are extremely nice and polite, I truly felt I was welcomed. They packed my meal with love and I was on my way. Let's start with the fish. It was AMAZING. The batter was tasty and perfectly fried to a golden crisp. Chef John truly knows a great recipe. They are extremely large as well, if you are a small eater you can do with one. The tartar sauce was also a great pairing with the fish. It was eaten up quick and I recommend purchasing additional if you love a saucy meal. The fries are your generic fries, still good nonetheless. The fried mushrooms were also amazing given the same batter is used. I just feel the value isn't there for $11.99. The hush puppies are also delicious, however, they are EXTREMELY tiny. I know cost is increasing across the board but I feel like the value for the sides are not there. Overall, Chef John's Fish and Chips will now be a repeat for my family and I. The family meal is hefty but delicious enough for me to return. read more

Awesome fish and chips. They do a great job. We always get it to go.......................tartar sauce is good.

We had considered this place for a while. We live close by. Our customary F&S places are downtown. Great fare/$ there.. Our first visit here we noticed the price & fish type(haddock.) Our go to place serves cod & at times halibut on special. For 3.00$ less per serving. Downtown. The batter is good here as is the service. Too pricey & you're not being served codfish. read more

It's hard to believe I didn't know about this place sooner! I've had fish and chips everywhere and this place takes the cake. I imagine the dining area will need to be expanded soon. Portions are large and perfect. Clean oil, perfect batter! Amazing read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - Fish and chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

This is my very first review, and I am writing it because I left feeling embarrassed, disrespected, and unheard. I went to this fish and chips place in Lemon Grove with my sister and my 81-year-old mother for Saturday lunch. Before we even walked in, we noticed the handicapped parking space was blocked off, which was very disappointing, especially when bringing an elderly parent. Inside, the restaurant looked like a small family-owned place, so I wanted to support it. It was busy, so I thought the food must be worth it. We ordered 3 pieces of fish with fries, coleslaw, and zucchini. The total was about $55, which is very expensive for fish and chips in Lemon Grove. After waiting about 25 minutes, our food came out on only 2 trays with no plates and no lemon. Since there were 3 of us eating, I went back and asked for lemon and 3 plates or extra trays. The young lady told me she had already given me one. I explained that we were 3 people and asked if we were expected to eat from the paper lining the tray. She said yes, because we were sharing, and refused to give us anything else to eat from. That was humiliating. I ended up eating my food off a napkin because I was not given a plate or even an extra tray. No paying customer should be made to feel like that, especially not while dining with an elderly parent. Although the food was okay, it was expensive for what we received, and the service made the entire experience unacceptable. I understand restaurants get busy, but basic respect and customer service should never be optional. If three people are paying $55 for food, they should be given a proper way to eat it. I truly hope the owner reads this and makes changes, because customers deserve to be treated with dignity. I will not be taking my business there ever again. read more

Okay - this place is insane and I mean it in a great way!! Took a while to order & recurve my order but it was the best fish and chips I think I can remember having! I believe it's a family run business so if you're expecting fast food - not here! It's made fresh to order. The decor is exactly what you'd expect - seafaring style. read more

Chef John's is still as good when he was the only one there is the restaurant over 20 years ago. Nothing has changed other than having help and needing a larger parking lot. I had enough fish and shrimp for the next day. I ordered the fish and shrimp combo with an extra fish. The service was on point making sure that you had a drink of something and sauces. The atmosphere was the a little busy; no one was complaining. read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - Two pieces of the fish and chips. The shrimp came out later piping hot. - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

The hype is real and legit!!! One of the Best places for fish n chips. Everything is crispy with a light batter. Even the coleslaw is very good and my wife usually doesn't like most places version but she loved theirs. The wait can be long bc it's all made to order and it does get busy. BUT, the wait is worth it. Congratulations on all the success.. hope you stay around gut a very long time. Can't wait to come back next time we're in San Diego, Lemon Grove. read more

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how do I justify a one star review for one of the best fish places in San diego? service! and price. So a couple months ago I went in and their soda machine was down. I paid their $3 a can of soda with no issues. A month or so later came back and soda machine was still down. now another 6 weeks later the machine was still down and I brought a can of soda. i told them I wouldn't need a drink as I brought one and they said they would deny me service. when I pushed back she said I had been taking advantage of them for the past 10 years. After some thought I purchased my 4 pieces of fish and two orders of fries and a packet of the crumbles that float off the fish for around $60. it will be a long time before I go back. read more

So went in for the first time wanted to try the fish because my brother sent me a YouTube video looked really good so I drove to Lemon Grove and I ordered the shrimp and fish he got four shrimp and one piece of fish and then I substituted the french fries for the onion rings the total price was $28 for this plate plus tax so we're looking around 29 dollars the breading was light and very crispy but the fish had a fishy taste it didn't taste clean the shrimp or just okay the breading had literally no flavor and the same braiding was on the onion rings and even those didn't have a lot of flavor they make everything fresh to order so be prepared to wait a good 25 minutes before you get your food but would I go back I don't think so there was a long line so people do like it for me it's a no for you you might love it I don't know but I won't be going back it's too far of a drive I can go other places and get actually better for my taste read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - First time here - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

Dude!!!! This is it. Worth the trip out. Mozz sticks on point man hard to find in sd fish was amazing the shrimp was great. Fries were crispy. It takes a bit cuz it's all don't to order so like 10/15 mins. This isn't Rubios man. This is craft, this is art. I'm from the cape and miss fried seafood like this. Cocktail sauce was legit. Not that tobacco crap you ppl do out here. It's not rocket science ppl. Here is the recipe. 1/3 Jar of horseradish. Few blasts of ketchup, dash worchester sauce, squirt of fresh lemon juice...Mix to taste. Too spicy add ketchup. Not spicy enough add horseradish. That's it. Don't f it up. K.I.S.S. Wait time? I'd wait in line for 20 mins to eat here. read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - Greatness - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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We decided to drive to San Diego from San Bernardino to try Chef John's food, yes and go to the beach and some shopping as well. Got the fish, calamari, fries and onions ring. A lot of fried food but very good. Large pieces of fish (bigger than most restaurants). Cooked very well. YUM, The calamari was crisp and just done well. The fries and onion rings had a great crunch. We also go the coleslaw and went perfect with the meal. The ambiance was okay, but service was good. EVERYTHING was cooked to order so you May have to wait. Would we drive back for the fish...no, BUT if we were in San Diego we would definitely stop by. read more

absolutely love love their fish & chips - they are super fresh and crispy every time so account for a little wait time or call ahead. The tartar sauce is addicting too omg. read more

Amazing fish and chip. Service great. Friendly people. Simple restaurant ambiance is basic. Portions are big. One order could be good for 2. Top 3 fish and chips I have tried in San Diego read more

2.5 stars. Had seen this place on social media, so with high expectations, was pretty excited to try. Hole in the wall joint. We got the most popular fish and chips combos. Not cheap. Fries are pretty good, but... it's hard to explain as the fish seems both greasy and dry at the same time. Pretty disappointing. I hate to say it, but Greek Chicken's fish and chips are way better and I don't even think they're known for that. Note that I have no affiliation with Greek Chicken. read more

Do not trust the low reviews of this place. The people that complain are used to going to fast food chains where your food is out in 5 min or less. There's only 3 people working the kitchen; it's a Mom and Pop spot. It's always busy but it's worth what you pay. The food is phenomenal. All of these people complaining that their food was cold are lying; I got my food came home to Santee 25 min away; my food was still hot. People lie for no reason like this reviewer lower and the other people giving bad reviews. I waited 50 min on a busy day during lent, the food was worth the wait. Not too greasy, the fries are good by themselves too, the shrimp hits as well. Try it for yourself before you believe these lying low reviews. Same people saying these things are mad that their food didn't come out like it was McDonalds read more

Chef John's Fish & Chips - 4 fish and fries combo - Fish & Chips Near Me - Lemon Grove, California