Another Santa Rosa local secret that had been around for generations! No frills, order at the counter and find a table outside kind of place. Great fresh fried fish. A locals' favorite! I recommend trying this place because you won't regret the quality and freshness of the food you get. Oh, yes, there is a 3% credit/debit card fee. read more

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It's been a couple years since my last takeout, and I have missed this place! Golden crispy battered cod, with perfectly fried prawns and delicious housemade cocktail and tartar sauces. Food was quick and Hot. Two tables for seating outside so to-go is your best bet. Friendly service, looking forward to trying the scallops and fried artichokes next vist. read more

Mel's Fish & Chips - Very reasonable, great combo plates - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Came by a few times since we were doing errands in the area. Seating is outside with a few tables set up for use. Staff was really friendly and you order at the counter. There's a white board by the door which had some specials not listed on the menu in general. The food came out quick. So far, we've gotten fried pickles, zucchini rings, fish tacos, chicken tenders, fish n chips, and fried green beans. Everything tasted good and was cooked well throughout. My standouts were the zucchini rings and the green beans. The green beans were easier to eat, fully cooked through, and breading tasted great. The zucchini rings were also cooked through nicely. They're also quite hot at the beginning temp wise so I had to wait a bit. read more

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Had some great fish tacos here recently! Nice folks and the tacos were suoer hot and fresh! My favorites in Santa Rosa for sure! I really liked the slaw they put on them! Great spot for a quick bite of your age in the area! read more

Mel's Fish & Chips - Tasty fish tacos! - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Very small spot with only a few tables outside and it's very popular so take out is a good option. We ordered on the phone and food was ready in 10 minutes. We ordered a fish and chips combo and fish tacos. The pieces of fish are large and nice crisp exterior. The fish taco had a nicely seasoned slaw to go with it. Overall a nice spot for a quick dinner. read more

Mel's Fish & Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

It is not the same since Mike sold it 5 years ago. The fish is more frozen, not as fresh. The oil is greasier. I used to go here 3 times a month. Now maybe once a summer. I have switched to Betty's Fish and Chips which is fresher and less greasy. read more

Great fish and chips! I can't wait to go back! Not a great parking lot but a very convenient location. The fish was a really good size and I thought everyone was nice. read more

Fried artichokes - delicious Fried fish tacos - delicious Near bottle barn Lots of take out business read more

Greasy fish, scallops and shrimp. Too heavy a batter. Plus side... good frys and ok fish taco. read more

Great food, fast service and reasonable prices. Check them out on fb Sonoma foodies or ig for specials for an even better deal! Call ahead or walk in for take out or eat out front. Homemade sauces and coleslaw...everything else is fried and it's all delicious. Clam chowder on Fridays. The fish and seafood are great. I suggest to Try a fish taco or a battered Cajun dog. #shutupandeat read more

Mel's Fish & Chips - 3piece fish and chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

The worst fish and chips ever. Over cooked fish dry and dark batter Soggy crinkle cut chips. What a waste of good money. NEVER retur read more

Mel's Fish & Chips - Thick soggy batter! - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Always been an excellent choice, been going for many years. Nice variety of combos and sides. It's a perfect alternative to Petalumas old 4th & C and worth the stop in Santa Rosa. They don't have indoor seating, it's a small place. read more

I like this place. Anytime I'm in Santa Rosa around a meal time I try to get the Mel's. Nice people working there and the food is delicious. I have always found the fish fresh with a thin batter cooked perfectly. I had a combo with 1 fish, 2 prawns and 2 scallops with fries. My son had 2 fish tacos. The fish was right out of the fryer. The prawns were juicy and plump. Scallops are larger scallops, not the bay scallops. I didn't get a pic of the tacos but he said they were really good. If you are traveling north or south on US 101Mel's is a couple blocks off freeway. read more

Mel's Fish & Chips - Combo 1 fish, 2 prawns, 2 scallops and crispy fries. - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

It's been awhile since I've been there it hasn't changed the inside just enough room to order they had 2 tables out there with condiments. I ordered the Oyster and chips they were utterly delicious the oysters were huge of course the breading helped the chips or fries were cooked to perfection nice tan color and had a snap to them plus the coleslaw was separate not like Cape Cod where they put the coleslaw under the fries granted they are separated by the lining. Mel's is very good I'd be back. read more

Mel's Fish & Chips - My Oysters and chips and my Jarrett's fruit punch in the other basket coleslaw and cocktail sauce. All were yummy!! - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Kitchen cleanliness sketchy ( I thought it was closed recently for remodeling) Fish coating had bitter flavor Fish was ok by itself but batter over cooked and with that bitterness from unknown origin. Ambience. If you like the food ; it's take out as there isn't any inside seating. Personally I don't like sitting on the sidewalk with truck bumpers almost in my lap. But you know this going in Won't go back will stick to Betty's Fish n Chips , expensive but worth it , or Acme Burgers . I wish I was able to enjoy my combo meal but it was a disappointment since I read so many positive reviews read more

Very small and inconveniant. Very good but overpriced for basicly a breaded street taco.

Great hole-in-the-wall spot. Staff was super friendly and responsive. Had fish tacos and fish basket and both were cooked fresh and perfectly done. read more

Mel's Fish & Chips - Fish tacos and fish basket - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

The fish tacos are delicious and the owner of the pat 2 years Justine , has her heart and soul in it. Tatiana made us the BEST fish tacos ever! Watch for there 3$ fish taco specials and try something else. read more

I had a craving for fish and chips and had to get my fixed at Mel's! I had the 1 piece fish and chips and was very happy with the portion. Perfectly batter fish and the fries were very good as well. I usually use Sarson's malt vinegar and was awesome. I was here 6 months ago and had the 2 piece then, still good consistent quality. As prices had risen quite a bit in the last few years, its still a nice treat once in awhile! read more

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One of my family's favorite spots for fish and chips. It has always been delicious for as long as I can remember. Service is great. That's not the issue. Is issue was the price!!! We got 2 orders of 2 piece fish and chips. Jalapeno poppers. And hush puppies and two bottled drinks. $70!!! Ok, I get it's expensive to eat out nowadays. But I just spent $70 at your restaurant and you charge me $1.00 for two tarter sauces!?! (The meal only comes with one small cup of sauce for 2 pieces of fish!!) And the hush puppies, our first time trying them, they're yummy but very small in size and portion. Six hush puppies for $7.00 That's kinda outrageous! read more

Good service, Good food! We have eaten at Mels years ago and it was great! I wasn't sure it was open anymore, being so busy with life, the 2017 fires, then the Pan Demic I hadn't been back in years. Passing by one day I saw the sign and thought I would check it out. I found out a new Owner 3 yrs ago and the place looked the same. Ordered 3 Fish & Chip dinners to go and was pleasantly surprised! Fresh, light flakey crust and moist cod filet's! The Cole Slaw was extremely good with a different flavor I have never tasted! It had me wanting more as it was Superb Well done new owner, we will definitely be back read more

I ordered light batter on combo #3, 3 prawns, 3 scallops & clam strips. What I got was an over cooked meal. Staff was friendly. The cooks need cooking training. I might go back one day. read more

This is still my go-to place for fish and chips. The ownership changed a while back and it took a while for the quality so stabilize, but every thing is solid and the crew is all up to speed now. Since the last time I posted, I've only had one meal that seemed less than stellar, and I can live with that. I eat here once a month and the food is generally flawless. You can see from my previous post, made during the ownership transition, I was very critical. Things have evened out since then. I avoid the fries, and suggest you do so also. They don't add anything. I usually get the Sampler, with one piece fish, two jumbo shrimps, and five fried artichoke hearts. It comes with a nice little tub of Cole slaw, a decent tarter sauce, and some shrimp sauce. Ranch dressing is also offered but it's not my thing so I also skip that. So: Why do I hold back and only offer four stars? There are a few things I wish were different. First, the restroom is in the back of the tiny kitchen. This place is tiny... smaller than my bedroom... and I always feel uncomfortable asking to use it. You must walk right through the middle of the workspace to get there. I hate asking. It just makes me feel uncomfortable. Second? The tables outside are getting pretty nasty. The are these cheap white plastic folding things, and they are becoming unclean-able. The oil from so many meals has sunk in, and they are always a bit oily seeming and a bit gross. They need to be replaced... not just cleaned more often. Plus, the four small tables are out on the sidewalk and subject to the elements... hot, cold, wind... whatever. Less than ideal some days. My only other (eternal) complaint is how busy the place is. Mel's was written, favorably, up in local the paper...and has been nearly impossible to eat in a timely since then. Sometimes I walk up, see a hoard of people waiting, and I just just turn around and leave. Every thing is cooked to order, taking about 10 minutes per, so and it takes some time. Call me impatient... and yes I am that... but I'm not standing outside and waiting half an hour while I wait for the visible orders to get cooked ahead of mine (unsure if I will be able to get a table) while the lunch crowd arrives, often in large groups, pushing the tables together for a leisurely lunch outing to see if the reviewers at the paper got it right. And there are also a steady stream of call in orders, too, so the wait can be even longer than expected some days due to these unseen diners arriving in their cars. Like I said, the place is tiny and they can only cook a couple of orders at a time. I fear Mel's might become a victim of their own success as they become even more popular. But: It is the best fish in town. The menu is varied with plenty of good choices. I go there regularly. I guess that says it all. read more

I have been eyeing this place on Yelp and convinced my Gf to try it with me since she doesn't like fish as much as I do but was willing to give it a try. We came a little late around 7 PM and we were worried our food would be lower quality close to closing but safe to say it wasn't! Everything was freshly fried and crispy. We got 2 piece fish n chips, cajun battered hotdog w/ chips, side of chicken tenders, and a sampler pack w/ onion rings jalapeno poppers and mozzarella sticks. They gave us 2 ranches and 2 coleslaws and 1 tartar sauces to go with it (although I paid for an extra tartar) They brought it outside to us when it was done. I did not know they gave us a whole cardboard tray with paper over it instead of to-go boxes so be prepared to have hands to carry it. We have seen no pictures on here or anyone describing the cajun battered hot dog and I will say it is really delicious! It is one big thick spicy hot dog with a nice snap. I recommend giving it a try since it's one of the cheapest items on the menu. I will say that the fish, fries, and tenders have little seasoning(or maybe It's all in the batter) and but it's still really yummy without it.Feel free to put ur own seasonings when you get home! read more

Mel's Fish & Chips - 2 piece fish n chips, cajun battered hot dog w/ chips, chicken tenders, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers sampler pack - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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New owners the fish was so over cooked I couldn't eat it! They didn't even put tartar sauce in the order . Very greasy someone needs to turn the heat up . Frys tasted like they were cooked hours before I got them . I'm sure they must have raised the prices ! read more

Eat here once a week. I put up with the mistake Kim makes every other order because it's tasty. Called in a order, arrive 12min later to pickup, wasnt ready (thats fine). Waited another 28min and watched people who order after me leave. Of'c they lost my order, wasted my time, and now this place is not worth it. read more

I love this place!! It's been about five years since I have been here, only because I moved out to deep West County and it's not an area that I am in frequently anymore. The food was delicious; just as good as I remembered !! Me being my usual impulsive self dug into the to-go-box the second I got into the car and I didn't see any of the vinegar. I was sad because I was craving it! (the best part, right?) so I walked back in and asked for one, which she immediately gave me along with a little chuckle.. Now I feel like a jerk because it was definitely there and I just didn't see it! The point of my story is that they are amazing and their service is also amazing. The attached photo shows (lightly reheated in the air fryer) clam strips, so you can imagine how good they look and taste fresh fresh! I love this place so much that I drove nearly 40 minutes just for this! EDIT: I wrote this review before trying the ketchup that they served it with... Absolutely amazing!! Definitely has a horseradish kick and I am loving it!! read more

Mel's Fish & Chips - Clam strips with chips and you can see a little corner of the fried fish - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Solid fish and chips! The fish tacos are tasty too. Service was friendly. Small store with some outdoor seating.

SO GOOD! This spot gives you perfectly battered and fried seafood every time! It's a small joint perfect for take out, they have a few tables outside if you would like to eat there. Nothing fancy just good food. Prices are fair, service is polite and fast. read more

Mel's Fish & Chips - Front - Fish & Chips Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Been coming here on and off for many years. Food is great, portions are good and prices are fair. Personally called them today and thanked them after I ate my lunch. Fish was fresh and crunchy and fries were crisp and piping hot. Keith read more

We ordered Fish and Chips as we'd heard great things on Facebook about them. Easy to order over the phone. Staff is pleasant. Order was generous and we were able to share. The batter on the fish is a bit thick but very tasty. Love the chips. read more

100% improvement! The past two times I've gotten food have been fantastic. Much better than I experienced the time that made me write a critical review. The fish was great and the batter wasn't slipping off. The Cole slaw has more dressing on it and it was great! I think I want to go back and order some more of just that. And we got everything we ordered. I'm very happy to update my critical review and give them 5 stars. Thanks folks! read more

The food was great. The service was fast and friendly. I got my food Togo, they put it all together in a box that is easy to carry and transport in the car. Look forward to eating here again. read more

Expensive, crowded, not authentic but not Mc Donald's either. The location at a strip mall near a busy road is not romantic. Staff not very happy either. read more

Ordered the Fish & Chips and they were delicious. Big pieces of fish. The cole slaw was also delicious. Defiantly going back.

Adorable Santa Rosa fish and chips shop on the west side of town. Great food! I had the fish and chips ...they were fantastic! Crispy and flavorful. I'm not even a fish and chips guy. The fried clams and prawns are great. I didn't try the Cajun dog but it looked great! Solid service in this local mom and pop. Boylans soda. Limited seating . Take it to go or eat in your car! read more

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Loved the fish & chips. Better than Betty's. Will definitely go back. Four stars, love the batter.

Large, flaky pieces of cod cocooned in a crispy, fried batter make for a delicious meal. The serving size is generous, and the quality is excellent. It can be difficult to nail fish and chips outside of London or New England, but Mel's rises to meet the challenge. From the looks of the outside of the restaurant, you might be dissuaded from eating there, but you will be missing out on a delicious treat. If you are in the mood for a quick, tasty meal, make sure to put Mel's near the top of your list. read more

This place has been our go to for years and years so we were curious how it would change with the new owners. Aside from price increases, it was just as good AND the clam chowder was available! Crispy crust, tender flakey fish. Fries were salty and good. Chicken strips were tender and delish. read more

The 3 piece always hits the spot after a long day, the fish is always cooked to perfection. The ladies are always in a good mood and the environment always seems so welcoming. I can't recommend this place enough to my friends and family. This will always be my go to spot for some fish and chips. read more