Fantastic food, good service, quick in and out bite! I was traveling from North Carolina to Illinois and found Charleston to be a good lunch stop. Stopped into Tricky fish as it wasn't far from the highway. You walk in and order at the counter and take a seat. Food is brought out to you on the patio or inside. I went with the Mahi Mahi taco blackened and a pulled pork taco per the workers suggestion. The Mahi was juicy and delicious with the perfect balance of dressing and lettuce. The pulled pork was delicious and portions will not leave you hungry here. I consider myself a large portion guy and was full after 2 tacos and the rice and beans side. 5he only downfall is difficulty parking as there are only 4 or 5 spots behind the restaurant. We were lucky to snag one. read more

Tricky Fish - Pulled Pork and Mahi tacos! The rice and beans have a little kick to them and taste fantastic. Definitely recommend this! - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, West Virginia

One of my favoritest places in Charleston. Came up from Tampa for a wedding and made a specific trip just to have the fish tacos and hush puppies. Truly heaven! Tastes just as good as it did last time (8-9 months ago) Check out this place, you won't regret it! read more

Tricky Fish - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, West Virginia

The fish tacos are outstanding. Packed with flavor and the service is great. I love the atmosphere too. A treat for your tastebuds.

Got the mahi-mahi and catfish tacos for this latest visit, both tasty. Good beer selection. Staff has been friendly every time I've been there. Nice, bright decor with Charles Hamilton art. ~~update July 2017~~ I've now been coming here for years, and the fish tacos are always good. These are not huge fish tacos, but they are tasty, and they have expanded their beer selection, which has a lot of local offerings. The hush puppies were really good as well. The parking lot in back is really small, so you might have to look around a bit for parking. read more

I love Tricky Fish! Years ago, I actually did not like this place. Something they seasoned the food with made everything taste the same and strange. I don't know if things got switched up over the years or I just grew to love the food, but it's one of my fave spots now. I am an adventurous eater but also creature of habit and I tend to get the same two tacos every time - fried shrimp & crispy chicken. I've tried other tacos & baskets but those two are my fave. Patio is great in nice weather. Robin that works there is awesome. read more

Still awesome. I think it just gets better every year. This is a great place. My kids love it. It's simple beach food, and it actually reminds me of the types of food shacks you'd find on the coast, but with little upgrades you wouldn't expect, like the complex bog sauce on the hot dogs, or the fresh salsas and sauces you can get with your sandwiches and tacos. The crab cakes are probably my favorite, and I love the cole slaw that comes with them. I love that the owners give back to the community in so many ways and support other small businesses and artists. read more

Way overpriced. Sloppy. Greasy and mushy. Not worth the time or money. The service was pretty awful, as well.

I passed this place on the way to my hotel after several hours of traveling. Realizing it was already 2 in the afternoon and I hadn't eaten I figured why not. I tend to like offbeat places like this. It's a hole in the wall. The walls look like hundreds of posters were pulled from the wall and the tape caught every time. But then I don't go to places like this for decor. The service was very friendly. Not tons of options on the menu but they all sounded good and prices weren't bad. I ordered the cheeseburger and waffle fries and sat to wait. And wait I did. There were 6 people at tables. Half already had food. Still it took over 30 minutes to get my food. The burger was decent but very well done. Very. If you're not in a hurry and not looking for 5 star you could do worse. Probably wouldn't be my first choice next time I'm in town read more

Excellent food and great service. Some of the tables needed to be wiped down when we arrived, but the rest of the restaurant was clean. But the taste and quality of the food outweighed that. read more

Tricky Fish - Shrimp Po'boy and onion rings - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, West Virginia

Service was very slow here. I think the staff we upset we came so late. Probably wanted to get out of there.

Love Tricky Fish for all of the vegan options. Veggie hot dogs, red beans and rice, tacos, burgers, specials, and the best waffles fries hands down. read more

For the food: I'll give it 4.5 stars, but the wait: terrible. We had a very simple order: 3 hot dogs the exact same way. It took almost 40 minutes to get out. It was very hot when it arrived, but the home made chips were very inconsistent. I don't mind the shabby facility, the tattered and worn bathrooms, but I really like getting my food in a timely manner. The excuse was that "we came at the end of the lunch rush." I'm sure they are very used to that since they serve lunch every day and it's right near the state capitol, but there were very few customers when we arrived. I'd go back because I think the food is good, but please don't give me an excuse because 3 identical hot dogs took 40 minutes to cook and deliver. read more

This was a GREAT find during a 3 day trip to Charleston a few weeks back. Fish Tacos were absolutely great, only to be outdone by the best hush puppies I've ever had (and this was without the honey butter which people have raved about). What really put this place over the edge though was the service. I forget her name, but there was literally one girl taking orders, cashing out orders, running food, and clearing tables. Not only did she keep the restaurant flowing during a pretty busy lunch rush, but she was extremely pleasant with everyone as she scurried around. Sometimes it's the little things that make a place memorable, and I'll be coming back to Tricky fish for not only great food, but outstanding service as well! read more

Note this review was written over a year before posting. 5/22/2012. Thank you Tricky Fish for being open on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend. (Sohos and Fazio's were closed, and Pies and Pints had a 40 minute wait.) The service here was very friendly and the food was yummy. The shrimp tacos had just the right amount of spice, and plenty of shrimp. The slaw was freshly made. The beans and rice were just okay, but still rounded out the meal. And I appreciated the wide selection of Mexican beers. I enjoyed the funky atmosphere of this place. A big front deck that set the tone for the urban beach bar theme. Kids drawings tacked all over the walls, and gay dance club hits pouring out of the speakers. (It was tempting to put down my taco during the Katy Perry/Kesha medley and get the dance party going, but I refrained.) Lastly, I must give snaps to Tricky Fish (and several other restaurants on this street) for proudly displaying their rainbow flags and "West Virginians Don't Hate" signs. Thank you thank you thank you!!!! read more

I've only been in this place once, so my opinion is solely based on the first impression. We had just arrived back in Charleston from being out of town, we were looking for a place to eat lunch before heading home. We decided to stop here to eat. We had to park around back, not a big deal but the lot was littered with trash. We walked in and the first thing I notice is that the floor is sticky. We stood waiting to be seated (about 10 min) and no one came. We decided to leave, by the looks of how dirty and run down the place was we didn't think the food wasn't going to be very good anyways. I doubt we'll ever try going back read more

I'm a relatively new Charlestonian (been here 2 months) and Tricky Fish is without a doubt THE SPOT! My girlfriend and I had just a handful of lunches and dinners here before making a conscious decision to make ourselves "regulars" at the Fish. The staff is helpful, kind and tons of fun! Everyone who works at Tricky Fish is top-notch, but Robbie tops them all. if you visit when he's working (and you'll know immediately who he is), you're in for a treat! Everything on the menu is absolutely mouth-wateringly delicious! You probably came for the fish tacos, but I challenge you to get the pulled pork or crispy chicken tacos. OR, get one of each! All of the sides are delicious, and requesting extra sides of any one of their incredible sauces is never a problem and always granted. Sitting outside on the Tricky Fish deck on a cool afternoon or evening is the icing on the cake. Quite possibly Charleston's best outdoor dining spot. Be forewarned: parking can be tough at times. And the owners of the Red Carpet Lounge can be quite rude when you park in one of their spots. read more

My boyfriend and I stopped at the Tricky Fish after a recommendation from a friend as we were passing through the area. Easily accessible from the interstate, casual atmosphere, and great food! You can sit outside on a beautiful day and enjoy the sun while you eat. Pro: The Mahi Mahi tacos with jerk seasoning were amazing. Light, fresh, and bold flavor. Con: The Mahi Mahi burrito was filling, but lacked substantial flavor in comparison to the fresh tacos. Overall, would certainly recommend! read more

Tricky Fish - View from the Patio. - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, West Virginia

I love local places and this place has local written all over it. Who would have thought you couldn't get a great fish taco in WV? The mahi mahi blackened taco was great along with the red beans and rice. If your in Charleston don't skip this local place, read more

I would have never chosen somewhere with seafood on any average day, but I guess I was feeling spunky. Friends and I were driving through Charleston on our way back home and spotted this place on Yelp. Trying to find a place to park as an out-of-towner was interesting as their small lot was full and part of it was designated for another restaurant nearby. Ended up finding a lot about a block away to park in. The building looks very hippie-esque and ordering is a little odd. You order at the counter and seat yourself. There is a bar in the back if that's what you're looking for. There were three employees working: bartender, cook, and host/order taker/counter guy. I made the mistake of ordering the fried catfish which was incredibly greasy. Flavor was good, just hard to eat. My S.O. got the mahi mahi grilled tacos and I tried a bite - AMAZING. We actually ended up ordering 4 more of them a la carte and that completed our meal. Overall, a great experience and we will be back the next time we drive through. read more

Really good tacos and fried goodies. Above average beer. West by-God Virginia hot dogs. Too damn bad the fried bologna sandwich is off the menu, though. read more

Love the fish tacos. Service is amazing but the place is a little dirty in my opinion. I definitely will be going back here.

Being from Houston I'm spoiled when it comes to restaurants. Tricky Fish doesn't disappoint. The atmosphere is casual and the deck is wonderful in nice weather. The mahi mahi tacos are fine but don't stand out. A bit bland for my taste. The shredded pork tacos are fantastic. Nicely spiced. 2 with a local ale are a great dinner. Have been here twice now and will return on future trips to Charleston. read more

Pricing and menu not accurate per attached photos. Poor service and difficult ordering. I'm not impressed with this place... Even considering it is one of the most liked restaurants in Charleston. My mahi tacos were dry and under seasoned. The rice was dry. The hush puppies were absolutely disgusting!! And there was no where to park. I wish I would have gone elsewhere. read more

First time in Charleston and Tricky Fish was an awesome random find. We were wandering around town and saw a pride flag out front and thought, "Yes! Queer West Virginian tacos! Of course!" We had some great food and met some awesome people who made our trip very memorable :) read more

This just in...the Tricky Fish is a great place to go for great food and great beer (if that's your thing). The description on Yelp is spot on. The owners (whom I didn't have the pleasure of meeting) seem like sensible and responsible business owners and community members, seeking to make the world a better place than they found it. Dog friendly all the way! read more

Tricky Fish - Dog friendly at the Tricky Fish! - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, West Virginia

Been here several times and this place is hit or miss for me. Love the atmosphere and outdoor patio, and the seafood (mahi-mahi, catfish, or shrimp) tacos are usually tasty but my last pair had stale tortillas. Also, the side salad was just sad. Should have gone with their addictive homemade kettle chips! read more

Tricky Fish - Mahi Mahi and shrimp tacos were pretty good, salad was not so good (mostly cheese, iceberg lettuce and raw onion) - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, West Virginia

Yay for local, organic, different food! I got a mahi-mahi and one gulf-shrimp taco, both grilled with the buttermilk creme fraise with black beans and rice. THe tacos were great and the creme fraise was an awesome substitute for sour cream. I will say, I was hugely disappointed they didn't have hush puppies, it was one of the big reasons I had picked there but I understand that happens from time to time. The service was beyond friendly and the cocktails looked great, next time I'm eating there so I can try one. I was really confused about where to park, but it seems like everyone else was able to figure it out so maybe I was just being brain dead. Next time, make sure you have hush puppies ready for me!!! read more

Very good food! I had a grilled mahi mahi and a fried catfish taco with red beans and rice. I liked the catfish better but both were really good. I'm glad we stopped. Only thing we didn't like we're the flies bugging us on the patio and inside the restaurant. read more

Tricky Fish - A mahi mahi and catfish taco with red beans n rice. - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, West Virginia

My niece, her 3 children and I had lunch here. She and I had been her before and loved it. The food is really good and the portions are great! We got the hush puppies for all of us to share and they are the best we had ever tasted. Don't know what their secret is, but there is a hint of sweetness. All entrees we had were wonderful. The waffles fries were done to perfection. Slaw..pretty good. The chips they make are crunchy, not too salty or greasy. The only down side... Them seem a bit under staffed and our wait for lunch was rather lengthy. There is a place outside to eat and we really wanted to do that, but no tables open as the deck area isn't very large. If you are expecting a place with ambiance.. This isn't it. But it is well worth the wait and not getting to eat outside. The food is wonderful! Don't pass this place by simply because of how it looks. read more

Another stellar visit to the Tricky Fish. Fish stew was amazing and tried the jerk grilled mahi taco over the blackened I usually get, and it might be my new favorite! My daughter loved her grilled cheese and home made chips too. read more

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Quirky and hip vibe compliment the tasty tacos and strong bottled beer selections. Food takes a little while to get out, but everything tastes fresh and made-to-order. I would recommend the mahi-mahi tacos and the hush puppies. Refreshing change of pace in Charleston. read more

Not your average restaurant, but that is why I Iike it! Good Food and Wait Staff is very friendly! We love sitting outside on a pretty day! read more

Tricky Fish is a small restaurant located in Charleston, WV east side located in an urban area just a short walk from the beautiful Capitol building complex. There is no on street parking if you drive but there are spots in the back. The restaurant has a younger, eco vibe to it and has a small seating area and bar in the back which did have a WV micro on tap. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Nothing fishy so far. The menu has two vegetarian dishes (veggie dog and tofu tacos) and several sides that are vegetarian and can be made vegan on request. I opted for two tofu tacos which came with a side for which I chose red beans and rice. Once again on travel, this time for the chemical spill in the Elk River, I delayed gastro gratification until I got back to the hotel. I decided to try both a soft and hard taco which was no problema when I ordered. The soft taco tortilla was nicely grilled before stuffing with locally made tofu, iceberg lettuce, a little shredded cheese, and some crème fraîche. It was seasoned very nicely and the tofu was spot on. The hard taco was a typical yellow corn shell and filled similarly. I definitely prefer the soft taco. Next came the red beans and rice. Served in a compostable container, as is the green theme with for the utensils, napkins, etc. the dish was very good with enough of a cayenne kick to convert a napkin to a tissue. Well seasoned with a great balance of beans to rice and not a runny mess. Overall a very good meal, I just wish there were more vegetarian options to choose from. Hopefully they will expand the vegetarian items on the menu. Nonetheless, I will stop in again given the opportunity as this place is all treat and no trick. Pros: Great food, Nice staff, Fun atmosphere Cons: Limited vegetarian cuisine read more

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I like this place it may look a little rough but it's not. The service there is awesome as well as the people providing the service. I had two ahi tuna tacos and they were awesome!!! read more

Mmmm had a good time here the other week. I wanted to go to cool places on my trip down to South Carolina, so I checked out Yelp and immediately found Tricky Fish. Sounded cheap, local, and gewwwd. So we checked it out! And it did NOT disappoint. The weather was beautiful as we pulled into Charleston, so I was extremely pleased to see that Tricky Fish had outdoor seating! After getting lost while parking [it's a tight one], we walked in and noticed the decor and interior was so unique and very divey. I liked this place. It was super non-judgemental and all the people were laid back and friendly. I could see myself hanging here on the weekends. My boyfriend ordered the jerked fish tacos and I got a hot bologna sandwich [after I saw it was a favorite.] His tacos were awesome. Flavorful, but not the type of flavorful that makes you think chemicals and preservatives. This food tasted fresh and homemade. That always makes me happy. My bologna sandwich was awesome. SO much food! It was the biggest bologna sandwich I'd ever eaten. And it came with this AMAZING sauce on it. I can't remember the name of it; it had a kick and I think it's their special sauce. So good. Definitely had some curry powder in it, if that helps your decision. Yummo. Awesome prices, good food, nice ambiance. I hope I can come back some day! read more

We ate here after reading recommendations and enjoyed our meal. We had a variety of seafood sandwiches and all the fish was fresh and seasoned nicely. The jerk catfish was especially good and well worth ordering. Everything we ate was full of flavor. The chips were a bit overcooked but fine. The place has kind of a hip dive atmosphere. You won't go there for the ambiance or romance, but you will get fresh tasting seafood, outdoor seating, friendly service, and very fair prices. Worth a stop. read more

Awesome food! My husband and I had the red snapper and kettle chips. Delicious! Our server was very accommodating and helpful. We were Travelling with a dog and as he said goodbye, he handed us a bottle of water for our dog. Very kind. Thank you for the great experience. Hope we can return. read more

Walked in at 7:40 for a quick bite. Every table was dirty then the girl at counter said we are closing soon but I guess we can get you something. Great customer service!?!?! read more

Nice place! I liked the outdoor seating. I didn't know what to get, so I asked her for the one thing that I should eat here. She suggested done sort of combo fish tacos, it was awesome! She was very nice and friendly as well. The only reason I took 1 star away is because I asked for double meat, and I got charged double tacos! read more

This was an extremely lucky find! I often travel from Cleveland to Asheville so this place is right in the middle and perfect for a quick, very delicious bite. This adds a bright, hopeful star in my long and boring, arduous trip. I always get the specials- they're exceptional. Tricky Fish, you're very good at what you do! read more