We went for an early lunch. Although there are shaded tables, they were all taken. So we chose not to sit in the uncovered tables because of the heat. We waited about 15 minutes. There were a few other couples/ groups waiting for tables as well. The menu is all about fish and shrimp. So yummy. Appreciated that you can choose grilled or fried. And, props to our waitress for asking if we wanted the fries that come with our order or if we wanted to exchange it for a salad or slaw. Thankful for the options. The food was good, not Wow, but good. read more

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Hiya B.U.M.S., After spending the day down in the water at a beach in Carlsbad, we definitely built up an appetite--not a huge dinner-sized hunger, but just enough to need a solid, quick bite. Harbor Fish Cafe was the perfect fix since it's located right up the hill with and easy walking distance from the sand. We grabbed a corn dog and an order of fish and chips. The corn dog tasted just like an authentic fair corn dog, which was awesome because I really enjoy a good-quality fair corn dog. The fish came out battered with a fantastic crisp, paired with classic beach-style fries. The scenery here is fantastic, and the casual setup lets you pick your own seating when you walk in. The only minor thing to note is that they don't sell non-alcoholic specialty drinks or zero-proof craft beverages, but overall, it's a wonderful, easygoing spot. We'll definitely be back for another post-beach snack! Tips: It's pick-your-own-table, so head straight for the patio perimeter for the best ocean views while you eat. Park once down by Carlsbad State Beach; you don't need to move your car to grab food since the café is right up the walkway. What's your go to food craving after a day at the beach? Let us know below. read more

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Had to celebrate Father's Day this year with fish and chips. Found this gem in Carlsbad and was not disappointed! Although, looking for parking was crazy-we circled around 3x and finally found one within a 9 minute walk. Sort-of beat the lunch crowd as we were seated right away. Nice friendly crew, clean place and lively atmosphere inside. Didn't get an ocean view as the inside restaurant faced the streets but the day was sunny and warm. You still get that sea air. There is an outdoor patio to the left side of the restaurant which does have the view of the ocean. Ordered: - two piece fish and chips - clam combo plate - surfer burger with cheese - zucchini sticks appy - large pepsi and waters Fish was battered perfectly, seasoned and fried well. Fries were crisp and tasty. Burger was great, like what you'd get from a bbq grill cookout. We enjoyed our meal and had a good time spending Father's Day out by the sea. read more

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Outdoor eatery with views Of the beach. Great at sunset. Food is good. Staff is great! we come everytime we're in town. read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Sunset. - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

This is my parent's favorite place to come to when they come down to visit. It's right off the beach with a great view and vibe. Portions are a decent size. We all like getting the fish and chips. read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Fish & Chips - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I came here for the first time. I ordered the grilled harbor fish taco with Cajun fries. It was tasty. Next time I want to try the fried fish with fries and a clam chowder. Nice view of the ocean. I enjoyed my meal. read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Nice view of the ocean - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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OH MY FISH & CHIPS! You're right on the beach, sunset, with some crazy amazing fish and chips done just right! Well worth the visit and wait if any. read more

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We have been eating here for 12 years. The reason we only gave two stars that thickness of the fish filet keeps getting thinner and thinner and thinner. Our fish and chips filet was probably less than half the size of what it used to be pre-Covid. I understand that the family must make a profit to stay in business, but as the portion thickness decreased, the price has increased at the same time. I mentioned it to our server, and he said one word "shrinkflation." That's not the right answer to give to your clientele. The overall service has stayed very good; that's why it got two stars instead of zero. read more

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. read more

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Amazing outdoor, quick-service seafood spot right by South Carlsbad Beach. They've got all the favorites--fish & chips, clam chowder, fish tacos--and everything was super fresh. Portions are generous, and the service was friendly and efficient. It's not a big place, but tables turn quickly, so the wait isn't too bad. Perfect spot to grab a bite and enjoy a sunny day by the ocean with the family read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Seafood favorites - Fish & Chips, Fish Tacos, Clam Chowder with all the condiments such as Tapatio, ketchup, and Tarter sauces - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

The perfect beachside meal! With the recent sunny weather, we spent the day roaming around the coast in Carlsbad. We happened to come across Harbor Fish Cafe and were enticed by the crowd and amazing smells! They're located just steps from the beach. They're your classic casual seafood joint and are known for their Fish & Chips. We got the 2 Piece Fish & Chips and some Fried Zucchini. Wowie was this good! The fish was perfectly crispy, the fries were well seasoned, and the homemade tartar sauce was insane! Definitely some of the best I've had. Fried Zucchini is an underrated app and their version of it was 1000% something to write home about. They come in the form of long strips and are served with their house ranch. Perfectly done! Absolutely no notes. read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Fried Zucchini - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Outdoor seating was great, and service was friendly. Ambiance is Southern California relaxed beach town vibe. Bonus: right next to a small park. The food ... not so good. We had: Spicy Carlsbad Fish Taco with grilled fish. A single, very large taco. More like a burrito with open ends. Unfortunately bland: lacking in flavor. The fries had more spice, and it wasn't much. Carlsbad Fish PO'Boy. Also missing flavor. Dinner salads. Rather basic lettuce and some vegetables on a paper plate. We like this the best because it had the most flavor. read more

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. read more

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This is a must when you visit Carlsbad. Fish and chips are amazing and the tartar & shrimp cocktail sauce are to die for. The batter on the fish and shrimp is crispy and not greasy. And top it off with the exclusive Harbor Cafe pilsner for a complete meal. read more

4 stars for nostalgia alone. Carlsbad was my neighborhood for 5 years and I ate at Harbor Fish Cafe once a week during that time. That beach is still my favorite. The food is good. I am not going to say it's crazy great (although I feel like it used to be). And the prices have gotten pretty insane in the past 5 years. But I still love getting a cup of clam chowder and the giant fish taco or a 2-piece fish and fries plate when I am in town. And I have to credit Harbor with making me understand that I DO in fact love fries, I was just waiting all my life for someone to actually make them crispy enough. The staff has always been really friendly with me. I still feel at home here. read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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

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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 ! read more

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We had dinner here we ordered a few fish and chips, coleslaw, salad, and clam chowder. We've been going to the one in Oceanside for years. It was our first time at the Carlsbad spot. Everything was good! We will definitely come back to this spot! read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Fish n chips coleslaw - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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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 read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

The food was delicious the service was accommodating and the views were amazing! We are looking forward to coming back.

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. read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Fish and shrimp plate - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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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! read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Fish n Chips - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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I've been coming here since I was literally a baby and the food never changes. Best fries you could ever have. Best fried fish I've ever had. Idk what makes the ranch sauce so good but it is. Solid clam chowder. Don't get the salad. Yes, the staff has attitude there's no denying that. But when you live in a place with a million tourists coming and going and doing their acrobatics on the lawn out front and filming DIY music videos for tik tok... it can get very irritating very quickly. So cut them some slack. They just want to go to the beach but they have to stare at it all day and deal with the annoying-ness of people asking for a public restroom instead. Not much seating for how busy it gets but we never eat there anyway. Take it to go and eat at the many ocean view benches all around there. Be careful of the squirrels lol but really. I would be devastated if this place ever closed. It is the rock that never changes and the heart of downtown Carlsbad. read more

"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, read more

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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, read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Walked right in after a sunset got the Wednesday night special. The fish taco is as large as a burrito and I had the grilled option with Cajun seasoning. Also substituted chowder for fries. The service was great and the food came quickly. read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - The taco is as big as a burrito and very tasty - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Service was fast and food was delicious! Very close to the beach. Definitely will come back again! read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Harbor Fish Plate - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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. read more

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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! read more

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We came here for Fathers Day. Nice spot across the Ocean. Amazing Fish & Chips. My kids loved the food. The service was really good. Our waitress was friendly. The ambience as lay back. We highly recommended read more

Love this place for their delicious fish tacos, views and simplistic approach to dining. Packs a big punch with a calming and inviting attitude. read more

This was really not great at all, our party left pretty disappointed. We love fish and chips and this really just lacked flavor, we also thought the cocktail and tartar sauce were really bland. Such a bummer as this is a really nice prime location next to the beach I wish we would have chosen somewhere else for lunch. I will say that service was super great both employees who helped us were awesome. read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - Fish & chips - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Get the fish and chips. Not bad, and right on the water. Definitely skip the $18 fish taco (singular) unless you are visiting from the Midwest (seems to me like that's exactly how they'd do fish tacos). Like seriously who puts sharp cheddar cheese in a fish taco. Somehow it was dry too, though it had plenty of cabbage slaw. Worst fish taco ive had in California. Avoid this place. French fries and 1 fish taco should never be $18, especially when they are desabridos. Unfortunately that was my 3rd and last visit. So much potential = ( read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - $18 Carlsbad fish taco (singular) with undercooked tortilla and sharp cheddar cheese. - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Excellent location at Carlsbad Beach with outdoor seating and beach views. The service was excellent, the fish and chips were cooked perfectly and were very tasty, and the price is reasonable. Lots of food for the price. Just a great casual eating spot. read more

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!! read more

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The fish was delicious, fresh tasting and very generous portions. Location was just near the beach and open patio, seating which I liked. read more

This little gem is a must try! The fish and fries were amazing! The fish was tender yet crispy and very good in size, the fries were so crispy yet tasted baked, so good. The jumbo shrimp did not disappoint! Very large in size and all meat, not breading. We also tried the Cole slaw which was tasty and fresh. Service was excellent, all staff were very friendly and accommodating. Highly recommend this place. read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - 2 Piece Fried Fish and Jumbo Breaded Shrimp Plate. - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Service was good. Barely no wait to get in on a Sunday evening. Food was just okay. Decent portions , clam chowder was too peppery, definitely NOT New England clam chowder (I'm from New England). Clam strips were mostly "stripped" of clams. The fried shrimp were really good and the fries were delicious. The fish was a lot of batter and less fish. Just okay. Won't rush back. read more

Hands down the best fish tacos / fish and chips I've ever had. The fried fish is so fresh and crispy. Whenever I'm near this side of California I always stop by just for this place. Service staff is friendly and kind. Ambiance is perfect for a seaside fish joint. Highly recommend! read more

Harbor Fish Cafe - 1 Piece Fried Fish - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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I got got the fried shrimp plate and it was 20% shrimp 80% batter, and half of that batter was straight RAW. You can tell based on the taste of the fries they don't clean their oil they fry in often. Shortly after eating I got food poisoning, no lie quite possibly worst food/experience ever. read more