Tugboat Fish & Chips is the definition of a family-run, mom-and-pop spot, literally! The owners are incredibly kind and welcoming, and you can tell they put a lot of care into what they serve. These are the little local places I love finding and supporting. I went with the 2-piece fish and chips, and that batter is what keeps me coming back, golden, crispy, and so good around the flaky fish. We also tried the veggies and lumpia, and both were delicious. Simple, freshly made comfort food done right. Rex Tip: Don't let this ship sail without you! They close early at 7:00 PM and are closed Sundays, so plan your fish-and-chips craving accordingly. Great food, even better people, and exactly the kind of neighborhood gem worth supporting. 5 ROARS from Focusaurus Rex! read more

My first review of 2026 goes to Tugboat Fish and Chips because it was just so delicious! I've driven by numerous times over the years and wish that I would've stopped by long ago because I've been missing out on this hidden gem! My family dropped by for lunch and were warmly greeted pretty quickly. Parking was easy since there is a small lot off the main road. There's plenty of seating indoors with high chairs available if needed. Prices are very reasonable especially for the amount they give you. We opted for a 3 piece fish and chips, two extra fish, and a cup of clam chowder. The food came out relatively quick and piping hot. I was surprised with the quantity of fish they gave us and they even added a fried zucchini and onion, yum! The soup and fries were yummy but it was the fish that really stood out to me. The pieces were big and juicy with not too much batter. The batter was perfectly crispy on the outside. My husband, toddler, and I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. The service was friendly and wonderful too. We will definitely be back! read more

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Wow wow wow!!! The fish and chips here are delicious!!! My husband and I ran in right before closing and the fish was so fresh and the batter was so crispy! My husband grew up in Washington eating fish and chips at Iver's and he said this is the closest he's ever had to their fish and chips. The owners are so sweet and hooked up us with a couple extra pieces since they were closing in a few minutes. Tugboat Fish and Chips is becoming a staple in our household! Edit: sorry for the lack of a photo, ate everything with it a few minutes! Haha read more

I stopped by Tug Boat because I was seriously craving some fish and chips, and this spot did not disappoint. I placed my order over the phone, and the person who helped me had great phone etiquette, friendly, clear, and quick. By the time I arrived, my food was ready, hot, and super fresh. I ordered the 3-piece fish & chips, and let me tell you... these pieces were not small. You definitely get your money's worth here. The portions were generous, the batter was crispy, and everything tasted like it came straight out of the fryer in the best way. The inside could use a little updating, but honestly the quality of the food and the solid customer service more than make up for it. If you're craving classic fish and chips, this place hits the spot! read more

Tugboat Fish & Chips - 3 Piece Fish & chips - Seafood Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

Classic chip place! Super friendly, fast, and tasty. Strip mall vibe, but lots of seating and a very clean bathroom. Parking was a little tight, but I was glad they were busy. Tried the combo. All fresh made. Liked the clam strips and the fish the best. (Thankfully not tilapia.) Shrimp a little more breaded than I like but fresh. I scanned the back, and yes, they hand bread it all. Prices are good as well! Next trip lumpia and goyoza! read more

It's a husband and wife team and when the fish is cooked by the wife it tends to be better but the last two times when the husband was cooking the fish, it was very thin, battered very heavily and not the same light tasty batter. Everyone was disappointed with the fish for the second time. We won't be going back and we have eaten at this restaurant for over 20 years. It's usually the wife that cooks. I don't know if they've changed their recipe or he makes the batter differently but it's not good anymore. It's a shame because this was the best fish and chips in the area but no longer. read more

Stopped by early in a whim at 10:55am. I was pleasantly surprised by my greeting, seating and order taking. The fish and prawns were very good ( I did add salt). And there was a nice onion ring on top- next time I probably ly will order onion rings! Hot and fresh - really a great value! read more

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Clean establishment and everything is made fresh to order and their prices are not high. Looks like it's ran by a husband and wife and they're always super friendly. read more

Best fish chips in town! Fish is always fresh, flakey, and crispy. I also really enjoy the fried mushrooms and zucchini.

We have been enjoying fish and chips at Tug Boats now for 6 years since our son and his family moved to Fair Oaks, Ca. We eat at TB's every time we are in town. The little grandkids love it just as much as we do and it's our special date with them when we visit. The fish is always fresh and hot, and the batter is light. The meals come with chips of course, but it also comes with a surprise onion ring and zucchini slices. There are other things on the menu, but their fish and chip meals are so good we haven't tried anything else. The owners are nice and friendly and they have a comfortable dining room if you want to eat in. Literally the best fish and chip meal we have ever had. They are closed Sundays, so plan your visit Monday through Saturday. read more

I've seen these places around and always wanted to try. I was put off by what looked like rundown restaurants that didn't seem clean. I know, I know, sometimes dives have great food. I happened to drive by this location and noted it didn't look like the typical Tugboat restaurant; it's in a nice strip mall and not a free standing building. I gave it a shot and I'm so glad I did. The interior was very clean - spotless. The staff were very friendly and attentive. I placed a large to-go order and it was ready quickly, accurately, and delicious! The fish, shrimp, and oysters were fantastic; as were the hush puppies and onion rings. The clam chowder is New England style and very thick; I prefer it thinner, but it was good. A variety of sauces came with the order in sufficient quantity. Everything was well packed to go. Super happy we tried this place and we will return. read more

So fresh and so good--10/10! Kind and friendly staff, clean restaurant, and delicious food. Everything tasted hot and fresh. Great experience and I'll definitely be back again! read more

Very small portion, wasnt worth the cost. Fish was average, fries were poor. Their home made sauce was good though Not again sorry read more

Haven't had fish and chips in quite awhile. This hit the spot. My husband ordered the Taco Tuesday fish tacos and u ordered traditional fish and chips. We slated an order of onion rings. All delicious! read more

Tried this Tugboat & it's great! Service fast & friendly. Nice small place with great food. Give it a try! read more

Tugboat Fish & Chips - Fried fish - Seafood Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

This place delivers. I think they're Korean owned? The batter was light, fish was perfectly cooked, clam chowder was hot and full of clams. A bit sad that fish tacos are only offered on Tuesdays. Tacos should be for everyday occasions. Please make fish tacos a staple. I really enjoyed this. read more

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Ordered the fish and prawns whuch came with fries and some beer battered onion rungs and zucchini. Called in my order and it was ready and being pacjed up as soon as I walked in the door 10 mins later. Everything is good! Seriously some of the best I've had in a long time. The beer batter is perfect, the seafood tastes fresh, and the fries are tasty. Excellent service at the front counter too. Got the sense the guy who help me is the owner. I'll def be back read more

Tugboat Fish & Chips - Fish and prawns - Seafood Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

We've been to this restaurant a few times. The owners are so nice and welcoming. Restaurant is clean. Food is always served with a smile. We typically get the 3 piece fish n' chips. Today we ordered a side of onion rings (which were super delicious). Portions are good sized and we are able to share the 3 piece fish n chips with my husband and myself. There were a couple of bonus pieces of fried zucchini in our fish n chips today and we may need to order this as a side next time. It is located in a small shopping center off Hazel - easy to drive by this place but it is worth a stop. We'll be back next time we get that fish n chip craving! read more

One of the Tugboat Fish & Chips locations clustered in the area (there's like 4 of them within a 5 mile radius lol). Here I got the 2 piece fish with chips and a side order of calamari. The fish and chips were very meh (rubbery fish and soggy under-salted chips) but the calamari was a 10/10 snack (super crispy and not overly chewy at all). Lady at the cashier who also cooked/prepared the food was really friendly. Overall recommend this spot if you want something like a popcorn chicken seafood equivalent (get the calamari!). read more

Tugboat Fish & Chips - 2 piece fish with chips & side order of calamari - Seafood Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

Love this place. Great fish n chips but the hidden gem is the fried bananas. I like that they aren't stingy on the tartar sauce either.

Best chowder ever. Great couple runs it. We also like the calamari. We stop by at least once a week.

I've been to this place several times over the years. But today was different. I tried their sushi! I ordered a Super California roll with my Fish and Chips and it was delicious! Plus they have a lunch special with one fish, fries, zucchini, onion rings, and choice of Lumpia or Potstickers. A ton of food without the sushi! Come Get It! read more

Best Fish and Chips restaurant; squeaky clean, friendly/great customer service, amazingly great food! Been going there for years! Great/Great/Great!! read more

Love Tugboat! Food is good and always hot. The staff are always friendly too and the place is clean.

The food itself was awesome. The fish n chips has been a favorite and the owners are kind people who make equally great food and always serve with a smile. The restaurant is fresh & clean and looks sharp. I'm starting to feel bad for all the mom and pop shops. With minimum wage continuing to climb, gas staying steady near 5 a gallon and the price of food at all time highs its really a shame. Not only does it hurt the owners but since COVID-19 im willing to bet everyone in the Fair Oaks area, has lost one of their favorite places to eat. Important to visit and to be grateful for the businesses that have stood the test of time. - Thank you kindly - #1 Best fish n chips read more

Taco Tuesday!!!! One of the best fish tacos Ive had in Sacramento! This place felt like a lowkey iykyk hidden gem. The owners are super friendly and everything is made fresh to order. Inside felt like an old school diner and the people coming in seemed like regulars. I ordered the fish tacos which they have a special for on Tuesdays. I also ordered the 2 piece fish and chips. The 2 piece fish and chips actually came with 4 medium-ish sized pieces of fish (double fried for that crispy crunch), fries, onion rings, fried zucchini and what tasted like home made tartar sauce. This was pretty satisfying on its own. The fish tacos however stole the show for me. Something about the sauce gave it that chefs kiss. Everything was lightly fried to perfection. Will definitely come back! (Sorry no pictures this time) read more

Their quality of food has stayed true and their service is top tier. I've ordered from them multiple times on DoorDash recently. Both times they added some fried vegetables on top of the fish and calamari I ordered. They give plenty of crackers when I order their clam chowder. The fries here are my favorite; classic cut, crunchy outside with a soft inside and salted just enough. This is my go to eatery for local fish&chips and clam chowder. read more

This may be the best fish and chips we have EVER eaten! We weren't sure what to expect but we ended up sharing one order of a three piece fish & chips. It was so delicious with their home made tartar sauce that we almost ordered more I appreciated the bonus onion ring on top. This is not a fancy restaurant but it is clean and comfortable with a lot of take out business. The owner and his wife told us that it has been there for 40 years. They also feature deep fried shrimp, oysters, calamari , scallops etc. and Tuesday is fish taco night! Price is reasonable for excellent crispy food. This may just be our new favorite restaurant read more

I went to the one on Folsom Blvd in Rancho. The staff is rude. They don't cook vegetables on the weekend for some reason.

Located in the strip mall (Eastbound) before the original Mikuni's is Tugboat Fish & Chips on Hazel! I've been coming to this mom and pop shop for several years now. A birdie told me that they're now serving CHICKEN WINGS?! YUMMMM!!! Right now, offered on their special menu for Wednesdays only! My husband and I frequently order the Fish & Chips, but I saw on Yelp that they're now offering CHICKEN WINGS! Oh boy oh boy were they yummy! The batter was perfect and wings came out juicy, hot, and absolutely crunchy. I especially enjoyed having a beer with my meal as it also paired very well with my malt vinegar fish & chips. They use some type of white fish and it toTally reminds me of the time I visited Alaska for the freshest out-of-the-ocean-caught Halibut fish and chips! Also, FRIED BANANA topped with a little bit of melted chocolate swirls and sprinkled with confectionery powdered sugar was an absolute delight! Not too sweet and just right! Can't wait to try their other menu items! read more

Tugboat Fish & Chips - Crispy Battered Chicken Wings YUM!!!! - Seafood Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

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You have best seafood menu and I love fried oysters and fried banana and onion rings and they are not greasy at all and it taste like made from homemade food read more

A real gem. The food at Tugboat Fish & Chips was fresh and tasty and the couple who runs it are very welcoming. Would definitely return here. read more

Pretty good mom and pop place. We ended up sharing a sampler with extra fish for lunch and it was enough for both of us. Pretty standard fried fish and chips, and service was ok read more

I'm New to this side of town and decided to stop in for some dinner. The food was really good definitely has the Korean touch. The frying was perfect. The service was good. Seems like a mom and pop place. I love that the inside is older reminds me of the 90s. I will definitely be back. read more

Fish is always fresh and delicious but if you order it to go, make sure you have your own tartar sauce and malt vinegar at home!! This is the second time I've ordered to go and specifically asked for both, this time they gave me one little cup of malt vinegar and nothing else. I won't be going to this location again! So not cool!! read more

SUCH AMAZING FISH AND CHIPS! The service was extremely nice! For two people we ordered the rowboat, which was 6 pieces of fish with the side of "chips" they were nice enough to split it into two plates for us which made eating a bit easier! The rowboat is about $21-22 after taxes. The fish was delicious, it looked as if it was 6 pieces EACH plate, but I think it's because they weren't long pieces. Either way, they were flakey and super good. The drink was about 36 or so oz. which was HUGE, we weren't expecting it to be that big. I have a photo next to a mask for size comparison. All in all we paid about $25 for the meal. Which I think is not bad at all. For good food and a full stomach. The store was very clean also. And they were super nice to help the new dine in customers when they were deciding between individual meals or a family meal. Would recommend this specific store to anyone. And we WILL be driving out here for food again soon. read more

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Excellent, everything is really good, I always drop a couple bucks in that tip jar . Mom and pop joint read more

Pleasantly surprised! I had my expectations set so low (Long John Silver), and I realized this place was different when I saw Filipino lumpia and Korean dishes on the menu! The service was great, food was fresh and made to order. The corndog I got for my son was so crispy, I almost went back to get one for myself! I ordered the catfish and it was perfection-- crispy and tasty. read more

PORTIONS: filling and hearty PRICE: appropriate, maybe even a steal! SERVICE: counter style SURROUNDINGS: PERFECT HOLE-IN-THE-WALL experience! FLAVORS: They are billed as ENGLISH STYLE FISH AND CHIPS, so it's not heavy on spices. That being said, if you want to punch up the flavor for variety they provide house made cocktail sauce, tartar, ranch and ketchup alongside table vinegar and salt. We got fish, prawns, calamari, chips and onion rings. They were perfectly crisp and cooked. BEST fried seafood I've had. BONUS ROUND: you can ask for LIGHT BATTER read more

Super nice people. The food was excellent! I got the three pieces and chips. Batter was very light and crispy!