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    Harbor Fish Cafe

    3.6 (935 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Harbor Fish Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    HARBOR FISH CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Harbor Fish Cafe

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    Chad C.

    Pretty awesome grilled fish Tacos and you can take them to the benches and enjoy a nice sunset dinner - love this fish 10/10

    Elisa G.

    I'm not a fried food or fish and chips kind of girl but I had to try Harbor Fish Cafe while in Carsbad. It is so convenient and inexpensive and my daughter was hungry. The seating is casual and we had an ocean view so that was GREAT. I actually liked my fish taco plate for $14.99! I would repeat since it's cute here

    Small clam chowder
    Les L.

    We were staying in Carlsbad and walked to this seafood spot recommended to us by our friends. It is outdoor seating only but with a covered awning so you're shaded. The feel is 100% beach seafood shack. The only thing that would make it more legit is if it were on a pier with a fishing boat nearby. We ordered clam chowder, a dinner salad (for health), a fish and clam combo plate, and a fish and shrimp combo plate. Portion sizes were ample. The combo plates had big handfuls of fries, a large piece of flaky white fish, and dipping sauces. It is a really solid place for casual fried seafood.

    Fish and shrimp plate
    Karina G.

    Delicious food, massive portions, good service and overall great vibes. Dined with a group of coworkers and everyone enjoyed their meal. It was that 'need a nap' afterwards level of stuffed and happy. Would absolutely eat here again.

    Carlsbad Fish Taco (grilled), Thursday Special (Fish & Chips), Fried Clam Strips

    Awesome place and even better food! The fish in the fish taco was huge and cooked perfectly. Great sauce to go with it. Fish and chips, a classic and you cant go wrong. Clam Strips, great complement to change it up within the meal. All three items were shared between 2 people and we left VERY full. Great vibes if you can catch a seat by the ocean-side of the restaurant and can people watch, with the water in the back.

    View from our table
    Shauna W.

    This was my 1st time at this place and I'm so glad I got to try it out . It's really small but all seating is outdoor and half of it has an ocean view . The staff is very friendly and attentive which I really appreciate. I was shocked at the portions of my meal, I couldn't even finish it . I had to try out the fish and chips and they are HUGE. I should have got one but I chose to get 2 and oops , it was too much food haha . My wife had the fish taco and I heard her multiple times saying , "hmmm, this is so good ". Honestly for the location , I thought the food would be a lot more money , but it was great value . We will be back ! PS the tartar sauce is the best !

    Harbor Fish Combo Plate
    Earvin F.

    As our last meal before leaving Carlsbad, wanted to make this our last stop. We opted for the Harbor Fish Combo plate, Shrimp Salad, Harbor Taco and kids cheese quesadilla. Nothing fancy or over and beyond. The fish and fries *chips* were largely portioned. The fried shrimp was definitely the winner in the Harbor Fish Combo plate. The shrimp salad was refreshing but nothing extraordinary. The cheese quesadilla was unfortunately not a win for the kiddo. Perhaps could have opted with some type of meat (i.e. chicken or shrimp) in the quesadilla. The clam chowder (not pictured) was decent/ok. Not much to rave about. It was good with sufficient amount of clams. Flavors was about average. Ambiance is definitely nice if sitting on the south table area as it has the ocean views. Recommend sitting on the south (left) side of the restaurant entrance when dining here. Service was ok, not great. Felipe C. served our table. He did check on us but nothing over and beyond with friendliness. Overall, give this place 3 stars as the food was good and portioned enough to share each meal.

    Fish n Chips
    Laura M.

    We've been eating at Harbor Fish on vacation for over 20 years. Our trip to Carlsbad is never complete until we get our Fish n Chips! The restaurant is outdoors. It's a small, super causal place with paper towels on the tables. The best part is it never changes! There's something special about a place that always remains the same. We sometimes eat there, but sometimes get it to go and enjoy at the condo or on a bench by the beach. You can get one or two pieces for the fish n chips. It comes with their delicious homemade tartar sauce and a ton of fries. You can substitute a small clam chowder or coleslaw for the fries, but the fries are good! They are seasoned and crispy. I end up dipping them in the tartar sauce too! My daughter also likes the Harbor Fish Taco. It comes grilled or fried with their homemade white taco sauce and served with fries. Harbor Fish is always closed on Tuesdays! We usually plan our vacation week of meals and restaurants and have to remember what day they are closed so we don't accidentally miss out! Also if you can get there on a Thursday they have a special on the two piece fish n chips!

    View

    Food was great, especially the soup just a warning, it comes out extremely hot. The fish and fries were fresh and flavorful, and the portions were solid. Service was okay, not amazing, but the food definitely made up for it. Nice spot with a great location by the water

    Fish
    Denise D.

    Come here all the time for the 2 piece fish dinner with family. Ordered food tonight to go and I got the worst plate ever the 2 fish pieces are small and flat almost no fish. Sad I got for my dad who is here from Nor Cal visiting brag about how great the fish is and large pieces but I got worse fish plate ever!!

    Dan R.

    "So deliver me, deliver me Baby take this heart, set it free" (Tom Petty) When a restaurant advertises "Giant Fish Tacos", you sure expect them to deliver on that promise. Well Harbor Fish really came through with the goods. We had a wonderful lunch yesterday. They were pretty crowded, but we had two seats on their outdoor counter. My Spicy Carlsbad Fish Taco had a huge chunk of grilled fish, spicy slaw, onion, cilantro, and cheese on a folded tortilla. In truth, it was more like a sub sandwich or big burrito in every dimension. The taco came with spicy fries, but we swapped them out for regular fries. It was a great value for $18.99. The taco was amazing (and yes, it was spicy), and the fries were crisp on the outside, soft on the inside and terrific. My wife's Shrimp Salad was six chilled shrimp served over a bed of romaine with zucchini, tomatoes, cheese and choice of dressing for $12.99. These were no shrimpy shrimps -they were big and plump and cooked to perfection. We shared a large soda (and I mean LARGE) for just $3. Service wasn't great, the crucial "Check-back" was very late in the game. By my eyes, the patio was under-staffed, so maybe that was understandable. The patio was crowded, and truth be told, that counter was too crowded for the number of chairs they have set up there. Maybe reducing that number by one would be a good idea. Harbor Fish is a very popular destination, and my cousin (who is a native) raved about it. She was right on the money about the place,

    Wayne W.

    I can't say enough good things about this place! If you haven't tried it -- TRY IT! The fish and chips plate is my absolute favorite. I don't know what it is about their fish, but it never disappoints -- crispy, flaky, and always cooked just right. The seating area is small, but if you're lucky enough to grab a seat facing the ocean at sunset... it's chef's kiss. Such a vibe. There's a parking lot just west of the café, but it fills up pretty quickly. Luckily, there's plenty of street parking nearby, so it's usually not a big deal. The staff is always on it -- super friendly and fast with the food. Whether you're a local or just passing through Carlsbad,

    Carlsbad Clam Chowder 1 Piece Fried Fish
    Chris W.

    Everything was amazing. The shrimp cocktail to the Fish! The clam chowder was delicious! I couldn't believe it was that flavorful. The clam chowder large and the shrimp cocktail could have been a meal by itself. The local beer was ice cold too. Oh btw the service was awesome! Joshua was very friendly and mindful. U have to come here if you're in Carlsbad!

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    2 months ago

    Always a spot we visit when in town. Amazing clam chowder. Beautiful views and the fish tacos are GIANT

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    Harbor Fish Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Harbor Fish Cafe

    Where is the best place to park?

    There's a SMALL lot next to it but somewhere on the street around it if you can

    Outdoor seating dog friendly?

    Yes

    Are they open for dine in or take out?

    We are open for both! You must wear a mask to be admitted. Thank you!

    View All 5 Questions

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    Make the trip down south to Carlsbad Docents it's worth it

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    4.6(444 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

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    Photos
    American Heroes & Brew - Interoperability

    Interoperability

    American Heroes & Brew - Onion rings

    Onion rings

    American Heroes & Brew - Outside patio

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    Pizza Port

    3.6(2.6k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    5 stars for the pizza & beer/wine & atmosphere 2 stars…read moresalad & wings Been going to Pizza Port for decades every time we are in Carlsbad. Always busy & popular place. Indoor and outdoor seating, handicapped accessible plus they have extra seating upstairs and now an additional patio on the side. Picnic bench style tables, not great for older parents. Dogs allowed! Pizza, beer and wine is absolutely always fantastic! Love the Roma pizza! Tons of toppings!!! Salad is typically fine but this visit it was just meh. Very simple salad with just lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, and cucumbers, but the lettuce was just okay & majority of the cucumbers were old/disgusting - look like they had been frozen or gotten cold and then uncold and then recold. Definitely should not have put those on a salad and given to a customer. Need some quality control. My son got the wings and will usually devour them, but was done after one, I tried them and so did my husband.... Would not get again, tasted super fatty. We have gotten the mozzarella sticks before and those are decent. You placed your order at the counter and then they will call your name for pick up once your food is ready and appetizers typically come out first. Separate ordering at the bar for beer and wine. Trivia night on Wednesdays 6-8 p.m.. Always busy, sometimes hard to find a table but pretty quick to get in and get out. Will for sure be back but only getting pizza and beverages.

    We love Pizza Port in OB and we discovered that we love Pizza Port in Carlsbad…read more Same awesome pizza and beer. They always have a seltzer on tap for Becky. The staff at both locations are as excellent as the food. Pizza Port! Get some!

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    Pizza Port
    Pizza Port - Garlic Veggie with pesto base

    Garlic Veggie with pesto base

    Pizza Port - From across the street

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    Harbor Fish Cafe - seafood - Updated May 2026

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