Fish Fry Friday Review - Crispy's Today was Fish Fry Friday, and you know what that means... time to get in the car and hunt down some fish! This time we headed south to a little spot called Crispy's, and I'm glad we made the trip. It's only about 7 miles from the house, but that's not the point. The point is that good food is worth a little drive. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the cashier, who was super friendly. He told us if we had any questions, just ask. I laughed and told him, "I'm ordering a lot because I drove all the way from North Tucson and I want to try everything... it's not my fault, I do it for you guys!" Let's talk prices first. I'd say they're in the mid-to-upper range. For example, a 2-piece fish combo (fish, fries, and a canned drink) runs just under $15. Considering the size and quality of the fish, I think it's a fair price. Now for the feast: * 2-piece fish combo * 4-piece fish combo * 1-piece catfish * 10 jalapeño poppers * Fried pickles * Small coleslaw * Small potato salad * 3-piece chicken combo The total came to about $80, and honestly, I didn't mind because we came to sample the menu. The food was excellent. The catfish was moist with just the right amount of seasoning and a nice little kick. The cod was breaded and fried perfectly--crispy on the outside and flaky on the inside. The sauce selection was impressive too. We tried: * Tartar sauce * House sauce (very similar to Cane's sauce) * Blue cheese * Ranch * Cocktail sauce * Ketchup We pretty much sampled them all. My wife and Isaiah both loved the house sauce and tartar sauce. I kept going back to the cocktail sauce. The fries were made from fresh-cut potatoes, and you can definitely taste the difference. Something about fresh-cut fries just makes me feel healthier... even if they're deep-fried! The lobby was clean and surprisingly cool on a hot Arizona day. It felt like they had both A/C and a swamp cooler running because my wife actually got cold. Final Score: 1/2 (4.5/5) The food was fantastic, the service was friendly, and we'll definitely be back. The only reason I couldn't give a full five stars is because there are no public restrooms. Other than that, Crispy's is absolutely worth checking out if you're looking for some quality fish and chips in Tucson. read more

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I made a stop at Crispy's the other day and this is the breakdown. The 2piece catfish and cod meal I got was fresh and tasty. The seasoning wasn't too much but just enough to go with the hot sauce and tartar sauce I got. The service was good. The cashier was really nice and made sure I got the best deal for my money. The cashier also recommended the hush puppies which were good. The manager was cool too he said they bought Crispy's in 2019 I think and made changes. The only issues I had was with the fries.. maybe cook them a bit longer to get them nice and crispy .. and the drunk options they should add more to the list. Now when it comes to ambiance it's not fancy.. it's a pretty basic old school hole in the wall type spot. With some outdoor seating. I would try other options there if possible I'm on that side of town. read more

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I have wanted to try this place for a long time. ok. fish n chips. must be experts. i did just the chips as a test They were over cooked , dark brown. They say every order is fresh onthe sign. i added one star because they were nice. Actually threw away the order after 3 bites. read more

Only place in town to get decent hush puppies. Food is good and we do eat here a good bit. Nice staff and reasonable prices. Not exactly a date night restaurant but great for a quick lunch or take out. read more

Food is amazing!!you have to try they make everything fresh .They also have amazing sauces that go with all the different food! Fries are well seasoned! Recommend to eat in person .If you take food to go fries will get soggy . read more

Crispy's Fish-n-Chips - Chicken shrimp and fish - Fish & Chips Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Maybe I made a mistake by not ordering seafood on my first visit here, but I really didn't like what I tried so far, and I am in no hurry to return. They take forever and a day to make simple fried dishes. They do acknowledge they're slow because everything is made fresh or whatever, but that doesn't matter when they take 25 minutes to make soggy fries and flavorless, overcooked chicken strips. It's also hot and stuffy in here, and it's not even summer yet. Service is kind, but this place just isn't enjoyable for me in any capacity. read more

As a transplanted New Englander, one thing that's hard to find in Tucson is a great Fish n Chips restaurant. I've been all over town, and today we found this little gem. According to our server, Nayeli, all of the sauces and batters are made in-house. The fish, battered and fried to perfection, was light and tasty, and the tartar sauce was delicious. My friend had the shrimp combo, and his shrimp was in a more tempura style batter, with cocktail sauce that was bold and spicy. There is a patio for outdoor dining, if you prefer, and the interior decor was cute. The service was walk up, but the server was still very friendly, not the typical "place your order and go" service. She came back to the table to make sure we were enjoying our meal, and see if we needed anything else. They also offer take out if you prefer. We will definitely be back again. read more

I have been to this establishment 5 times in the past 2 months, each time on Friday or Saturday. The first time, was on a Friday and it blew my mind. I ordered the "Special" - 24 shrimp for $24. The shrimp were large and lightly battered. The French fries were fresh, real potatoes and fried in different oil. They packaged the shrimp in a separate bag than the fried shrimp and left them open to breathe. This maintained the crispiness after a fresh frying. Delicious. The second time I ordered 2 "Specials" - they were exactly the same. The third time something was not quite right but it was ok - I only ordered 1 special. The fourth time the shrimp were packed on top of the fries, making them soggy. Yesterday I purchased 2 Specials. DISAPPOINTING! Fries in one order were packaged on the bottom of shrimp and were soggy and greasy. Shrimp were ok. Second order was TERRIBLE. Shrimp and fries were in two separate bags. Fries were greasy. Shrimp were two different types of shrimp - some with tails on some with tails off. They were different sizes. Also, they had been fried earlier than ordered. They were tough and not light. For a total of $56 this was a terrible meal. The quality, taste and presentation continues to degrade. I will not be back for a while if ever. read more

I love this little mom n pop fish place. It's just a little hole in the wall, nothing fancy but the service and the food are awesome! I love the fish tacos and the hush puppies are crispy and creamy! Try them.. you won't be disappointed! :) read more

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This place is a hidden treasure. On a 1-10 food was a 11. The shrimp, fish and chicken were deep fried perfect. I have eaten there numerous times and highly recommended. No, the place is not fancy but very clean and always maintained. I found it by word of mouth from Charley at the previous Marksman's shooting range in Tucson - now Zona Tactical. Every time I eat there the food is great no mis-fires. The nicest people run the front counter and serve your food . Never dealt with dark brown looking deep fry - always a lite golden tasteful presentation read more

Absolutely delicious! The food was great and so was the service. In a bit of a sketchy area gotta be honest but gotta love first avenue for that LOL! Don't let that stop you from coming here the food was delicious. Got the chicken wings hush puppies and chicken tenders. All were super fresh and steaming hot and tasted delicious. Will be back no doubt. read more

Crispy's Fish-n-Chips - Tenders - Fish & Chips Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Food look like it was cooked in old grease. I was the first Costomer to come in. About 4 other Costomer came in made their orders. Two of the patrons got their orders before me. When I did get my order I was very disappointed the chicken strips a fish look like it was burnt. The young lady got an attitude when I started to complain. Never again. read more

Amazing service and I had high hopes for this place but the fish was underwhelming but not terrible!

We were in town decided to keep with our normal Friday night fish boy was i glad we dud. This place is great. The fish was fresh and hot. Some have complained about wait times. It is a bit longer but they make it fresh and it was not an excessive wait time. Also they literally have a sign right there that says we make orders fresh thus wait tile is longer than fast food. Highly recommend if you're down for some real life friday fish fry. read more

Their website isn't working. I called the restaurant. It rang & rang. Waited a few minutes and tried calling again. It rang and rang, someone picked it up and immediately hung it back up. Reminded me of why I stopped going to Crispy's. Chose another business. Easy-peasy. read more

Wow I was so disappointed it's not the same any more they are different owners and the food is terrible !! I looked on yelp to see the reviews and I didn't realize they were from over 7 years ago !! The pictures of the food on yelp looked totally different than what we had save your money this is not the place to eat at !! We were the only ones there now I know why !! So my sister and I took a few bites of the food and just left to go eat somewhere else And by the way it cost me over 30.00 dollars what a waste read more

I'll give them this - the food was crispy. We stopped for a drink and a bite at the bar next door only to find out the bar doesn't have a kitchen but customers call Crispy's, place an order and Crispy's delivers to the bar. Genius! Called Crispy's to inquire about a menu item and said we'd call back. Called back 4 more times only to have the phone ring in to the next dimension. Finally on the 5th try, we were able to place our order. Food arrived in pretty quick order which was awesome. Here's the lowdown: Food was priced higher than what was online - Boo Food was delivered hot and fresh and fast - Yay Tried to order the appetizer sampler which consisted of hushpuppies, onion rings, macaroni bites, fried pickles and corn bites. Found out they were out of fried pickles and corn bites. No offer of putting something else on the plate as a substitution. Was going to share with my husband but the ONLY things I wanted from the sampler were the fried pickles and corn bites. We didn't order it....of course. - Boo My guy ordered hushpuppies because he loves hushpuppies. He said they were good. I couldn't tell ya - because I don't care for them. So - Yay Ordered 10 wings (wings only, not a combo), lemon pepper flavor. Wings were fried nicely but bland as all get out. I could barely detect any lemon pepper flavoring. - Boo The bartender and other patrons were very nice and welcoming - Yay They have a screened in, clean and comfortable patio for smoking - Yay I'd been wanting to come to Crispy's for some fish & chips but after this, I can't say that I'll be back. Just not that impressed. read more

Food was just what I was looking for--fish fry. Nice employee taking our order, even told us what to buy that was less expensive. They cook everything individually so you know you're getting it fresh. Definitely recommend if your not looking for fancy but just want fried fish. read more

2.5 stars. :( Crispy's, what happened to you? The sides are all still excellent, the fries, the cole slaw, the hush puppies, the onion ring, even the tartar sauce, which I usually do not like, was really good. Fries, served with a generous portion, were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and a good flavor. I usually do not like hush puppies, but I ate this one. Not doughy, not greasy, not overly seasoned. The cole slaw was the perfect balance of sweetness. The tarter sauce was not overwhelmed with relish flavor. It was good sauce and a good thing, too, because I needed it for my fish. Besides being noticeably smaller (see my photo dated 8/14/18), it was on the dry side and chewy. That's a sign of either being overcooked or not being fresh. Since it is deep fried, I'm assuming that it wasn't overcooked as fish is easily and often (by non-skillful cooks) over-baked in an oven. So the fish was not fresh. And I used to be in the gourmet seafood retail business so I know my fish. Using malt vinegar on my fish just couldn't overcome the dryness of the fish so I atypically opted to use the tarter sauce. The breading is different, also, from my previous two visits. While still somewhat crispy, it is no longer a light, yeasty batter, like beer batter. And while the sign on their place says, "hand battered fish daily," the planks look like they are machine breaded. (See my photo dated 8/14/18.) Very disappointed. If I'm going to fork over the more expensive bucks for fish, I like to leave satisfied. I wasn't this go around. The sides were all great. But the main dance was not. Probably will not return. On a nice note, the front counter is much nicer as he put in a wall and food display case so it looks better than a converted laundromat. (Which it is.) And the service was friendly and pleasant. I tried two chicken wings, chili mango, and they were good. 5* = A top favorite. Mind-blowing good. I will definitely return and I will go out of my way to go here. Worth every dime of my money. 4* = Outstanding. Tucson-top-tier. Some elements not quite as good as it gets, but it still is worthy of my regular business. 3* = Good experience. I might do repeat business if it is convenient, the only option, the only one in its category, or on a whim, but would not be among the first thing to come to mind. Would definitely recommend you trying it to get your own take on it. 2* = Not so good. Would not recommend at all. Waste of money. 1* = How are they still in business? Stay away at all costs! read more

Crispy's Fish-n-Chips - Compare with my first photos. These are half as big. Also dry. And what's up with that batter? - Fish & Chips Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Best Fried Fish in Town! The location and the ambience may not be very fancy like Kingfisher, but the fish is delicious and the shrimp is delicious. They are both lightly battered so that you can actually taste the fish instead of in a thick beer batter that is often not quite cooked. The fish is light and flaky and not overcooked. The shrimp are large and very tasty. They also have chicken strips which is real chicken not a chicken nugget. And they serve hush puppies and the fries are hand cut and very plentiful. They also have chicken wings with various sauces available. People that work there are very friendly. I always get the two piece fish and four shrimp combo, which comes with french fries and a drink. I'm never able to finish all of the fries. I highly recommend if you like good fried fish to try Crispy's fish -n-chips. read more

I have been in Tucson for ten years and have been to many restaurants searching for good cod fish. Today I stopped a Crispys Fish and Chips with my partner, and we were both not sure what to expect. It was clean small order at the counter type rest. A Little tired looking and could use some paint on the walls. The young lady behind the counter(Nayelle) was very accommodating and helped us to decide on a good dinner. I had the two piece Cod and fries, my partner had one cod and one chicken tender and one shrimp with fries. I must say the fish was the best either of us have had in years. Furthermore, I want to thank Nayelle for the terrific service. We will be back many times. Bob Patrick read more

The fish and chips here are the real deal! You get freshly cooked food every time and that seasoning is perfect. Loved it.

Sad shape. Haven't eaten here in a few years but felt a craving for fish and chips today. To go Order took Forever to cook. Bad breading. Way too salty. So greasy. No napkins. Surrounding area really run down. Used to be family owned and run. Don't think it is anymore. read more

First time here.was very delicious.i had the chicken and shrimp combo and my girl had the shrimp tacos.fiod was hot and crispy

We placed a GrubHub delivery order, and almost immediately got a text that it was cancelled. There was no other explanation. I'd placed it through Yelp, so I figured I'd try thru GrubHub directly. So I remade the order and got an approximate delivery time. We sat down to eat salad and wait, and at the time it was supposed to be here I reopened the GrubHub app, and found that it was cancelled again! So I called the restaurant and explained to the guy who picked up that I'd tried to place two orders and they were both cancelled. He very casually said, "oh, yeah. I don't have the corn bites and its really hard to just delete one item, so I cancelled it." Thanks dude. Way to lose a customer. Maybe next time pick up the phone and call, so you don't leave people hanging. And hangry. read more

We don't seem to have gotten sick from it, so far. Fish baskets with one piece of dry fish, fries, an onion ring and a small hush puppy with a soda. No plastic forks? $7.50 each. Place was greasy and dirty. Smelled greasy and dirty. Staff looked greasy and dirty. Ate outside along the busy street and got the heck out! read more

Finally were able to get us us some Crispy''s and although the prices were a bit steep ( well it's not a Taco Bell) the food was outstanding! Hubby's hush puppies were awesome. Fries and chicken and shrimp basket done perfectly. Even the Cole slaw was great! Best I've ever had! Wish they were open more often! read more

We've been to Crispy's a few times. I appreciated the quality of the food for the cost. We stopped by recently and it just felt gross. It was dirty, and the kind of dirty that hasn't been addressed in a very long time. Our "server" was not well kept and hadn't had a shave in several days. I'm hoping that he had bathed. The food was edible but I couldn't get over the cleanliness. If it's dirty where I can see, I can only imagine what it's like behind the counter. We won't be back. read more

Crispy's Fish-n-Chips - The menu board - Fish & Chips Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Growing up in Oklahoma, our family was at the lake ALL THE TIME. Grandpa used to fry the fish for the whole gang (he had a diner in his younger days too many fun stories there). Anyway, I have never found anyone that can take me back to those days. This place comes the closest. The food is made when ordered, no sitting under a heat lamp here. I ordered shrimp and fish. It comes with fries of course. The fish was hot our of the fryer and beautifully coated in batter, not too thick, not too thin, and firmly adhered. The shrimp was more than I could have hoped for. The batter on it was amazing! The shrimp were butterflied to be evenly cooked. They shrimp were not shrimpy. The fries were good too, but were outclassed by the shrimp and fish. Just because I HAVE to try out wings where ever I go, I ordered some here. I was not expecting much, this is a fried fish place, but what the heck. There were decent, not outstanding, but still a fair showing. If you love the traditional fried fish/shrimp, you owe it to yourself to try this place out. It is not a fancy place but would you trust it if it was? read more

Crispy's Fish-n-Chips - Fish and shrimp. Do yourself a favor and check them out for yourself - Fish & Chips Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Exceptional fish, shrimp, and chicken! Excellent chips and sauces too. Highly recommend. Meal made to order and had a bit of a wait which was worth the time for a hot order! Will definitely go back! read more

Coating on food tasted awful. Almost like the oil was old. Couldn't eat it at all. Tried the cod and zucchini and both were unpalatable.

The family-owned spot is just what you need when you have a insatiable craving for deep fried yummy goodness. They'll hook you up with mozzarella sticks, fried chicken, potato salad, fried, battered and fried cod and shrimp, hush puppies, fried zucchini -- and at less than $12 for most meals. True to fashion, they even offer a mix-and-match option. Need to fill the hordes of people? Check out the family meals. Perfect for Friday nights and game nights. The spot is mostly a come and go. It seems like most people order the food in advance, or order it on the spot and watch a little bit of what's on the solo television set before heading out. There's good reason. There's about 10 seats inside. Outside, the patio overlooks a busy street and inside you will find in competition that sound from the TV, radio and the loud hum of what's probably the heating and cooling unit. But we keep coming back because the food is mighty tasty. Plump, perfectly spiced shrimps. Larger cut fries in the style of some of my L.A. favorites. And cod with the perfect amount of batter -- never sloppy greasy. And you want your face on fire? They gotcha. Hot sauces abound! Red Devil, Costello, Louisiana, etc. And there's no Coke and Pepsi divide. They sell both. Even V8! read more

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True to the name it is nice and crispy fish, very nice and flaky handful of labor we opted to try both the cod and the shrimp and we are very pleased with both of our selections. One thing that I might add is if you're in a rush you might want to try ordering your food prior to getting here because it does take a while because everything is cooked fresh and made to order in the store and nothing seems to be pre packaged. It would be nice if they had found like to have ice in my drinks but they do offer a variety of canned drinks & I was pleased to see my favorite Arizona Green tea :) I would've given five stars if those minor things like ice & speed didn't matter but to me they do also they may want to invest in bee removal as the outer eating area & inside was swarming with several bees! I will be coming back since the food was super tasty & i must try the shrimp tacos they look delicious read more

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Divey place north of downtown with excellent food, clean and best fish n chips. crispy's is a small place with indoor and outdoor seating. I'm a fan now. Everything is fried, with cod, chicken, shrimp, wings and the fish tacos are all breaded sufficiently, but not overdone. The fish was flakesy and moist. Fry basket came with a onion ring and a hush puppy. Drinks are cans with Dad's, bubble up, squirter, Canada dry, Dr Pepper and coke. ice tea in cups, sweet and unsweetened. friendly staff. tartar sauce, ketchup and vinegar although the ketchup tasted watery. Bathrooms needed attention, but very clean in rest. I'll check again and hopefully I can give a 5 star. read more

Crispy's Fish-n-Chips - Inside a little divey, but clean bathrooms are worse today - Fish & Chips Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I came here on a friend's recommendation. The location is right on the road's edge so if you eat outside, you will be entertained by all the local traffic. When I first walked in I was met with a smell that seemed to come either from the fish or the oil. That smell alone would prevent me from eating inside. Maybe a better ventilation system is needed?? We ordered up our order and ate outside. First off, I loved those hush puppies. But the fries were lacking in taste and the shrimp were large in size but tasted like they had been cooked in old oil. I was a bit disappointed in the overall meal. The staff was very friendly and many customers were coming in to order their lunch. read more

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Great fish and chips. The cod was fairly hefty and delicious. I was surprised to see no malt vinegar for the fish... that's a first at a fish and chips place, ever..... They do have a great selection of hot sauces though. Tartar sauce is great. Hush puppies were great. French fries were very good, seasoned, floured and fried. Yum Yum. Service was quick and courteous, the young lady did a great job, especially during a rush. read more

This place is popular, so popular that the wait is long, and the cook shouts out wait times from the back when they get behind. The fish was tasty, the shrimp was great, everything else was meh. The biggest negative was the cook yelling obscenities from the kitchen when he started getting backed up. I'll pass next time. read more

This place is a little rough but pretty good! Looks pretty old, the cook was cursing while I waited, it was a kind of long wait even at 2pm on a Wednesday, but overall I liked it! The fries aren't anything special but the onion rings and hush puppies were tasty! The cod was okay on its own. Had a lot of salt tho. But once you added some vinegar or tartar really couldn't tell the salt. Overall I'd recommend! I've had way worse at other places in Tucson. read more

Crispy's Fish-n-Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

No nonsense walk-in, order and go home with your lunch or dinner Got a 2 pc and a 3 pc fish and chips; tasty fish, krinkle fries and NOT dripping with grease or cooking oil. Tarter sauce was tasty with just the right amount of tang; the coleslaw could have been colder There is no drive thru. I'd give it 4.5 stars but only 4 since they don't have malted vinegar and when I was there, no straws for the included soft drink read more

Yelp almost made me miss out! Hadn't been here in years and saw the ratings weren't great anymore and thought they'd changed. Yes, it took a little while to order and then get food but that is because it is made fresh when you order and it seemed many customers had a lot of questions when ordering. Food was piping hot and crispy (I ate it there) and the price was more than fair. read more