Encinitas Fish Shop

I was hoping for better and actually hoping for the best but we just got
so-​so.
The fish was not cooked medium and it was dry and that was the opinion of four of us that went to eat there.
Also, the fish had no flavor.
I ordered mahi-​mahi tacos, had to send them back to take off the mountain of cheese that was hiding in the fish. They redid the order for me and I was disappointed. The fish was dry and no flavor.
The best mahi-​mahi tacos that I have ingested are grilled at Chango’s Austin, TX.
Yes, I said Austin, TX!

So far my favorite in Encinitas. The fish is fresh, the service is great. You can also purchase fish here to take home and cook. I had the Mahi Mahi sandwich, my husband had the halibut. We gave it a well deserved 5 stars !

Kind of a hit and miss spot. Food is fantastic, once you figure out how to order, staff are not at all helpfull with this process. We had a great meal & experiance, went back… not so much. The Ceviche is delicious, the tocos would pass, were dry, plain, nothing yummy. Ideally, you need a counter person who is helpful, patient, and knows the food, makes the difference!

Love the food here. Its spectacular, but beware of the price of beer.
$ 9.72 for a Sculpin beer. The owners should admit, that’s asinine for a pint of beer. A mile away I can get the same beer for $ 5. It’s no wonder the prices aren’t directly listed.

Great open air, dog-​friendly choose your own fish adventure. Fresh fish (choose your rub/​seasoning), choose your delivery vehicle (taco, sandwich, salad, or plate), choose your side (s) (best seaweed salad I have had south of LA), and good local draft beer selection.
This place is like subway of seafood (in a good way) where your first choice is the fish. We usually get the salmon, scallops, and ahi. Then you choose your marinade… If you like fresh fish, great-​laid back service from a counter service restaurant then go here.

went there last thursday for oyster night, 4pm till they’re gone.
tried 4 types of oysters with my fiancé, really liked some of them and the food and quality was very good especially for the price.
also got a couple great local beers on tap. the rough draft grapefruit ipa was excellent.

I came here for dinner on a Friday night and it wasn’t too crowded. Very do-​able. I’m not much of a fish person, so I found their fish plaques at the entrance that describe the different types of fish and what they taste like super helpful.
I had the TKO fish taco since I read so many great reviews about it and it was good, but I absolutely loved the Mahi Fish taco I had with the chipotle glaze! It was DELICIOUS! Definitely recommend it. I would come again to try other things, but there are just so many options, from what type of fish you want, to how you want it seasoned/​marinaded, to how you want to eat it. It’s awesome.

This place is great! Besides the location, the fish is fresh and the portion size is huge (not huge by Harbor Fish and Chips standard, but that’s a 2 star place in my book anyway).
I had the fish tacos, and besides the fish, I got to choose if I wanted it fried, grilled, etc, the seasoning and what type of tortilla. So many options that I can come a dozen times and have dozens of different tacos. I look forward to trying the platters as well.
The vibe is beachy and laid-​back. Bring your puppas to the dog-​friendly patio and enjoy the view.
Pros:
— location
— fish market as well as restaurant
— bar
— dog-​friendly patio
— food presentation
Cons:
— parking (I hope you like walking)
— kinda pricey
— no brewed tea

I was so excited about this place, but truth be told it’s just okay and way WAY overpriced for what you get. You are basically paying nice coastal restaurant prices for fast casual with no view and very little ambience — which would be okay if the fish was outstanding, but it was just good.
That being said, I liked the clam chowder & would return for that.

We had a really lovely lunch here.
Service was nice and we were lucky that it was not too busy, but there can be quite a line, best to go at off hours, for an early or late lunch.
Food came out quickly once we ordered and was prepared perfectly.
I love that you can chose the type of fish you would like, how you want it prepared and if you would like it as a plate with two sides, a sandwich, salad or taco, prices vary for about $ 5 for a taco to over $ 20 for a plate, but the quality is well worth it and the portions are fair.
I actually went with two kids meals, one plate and one salad, both still very generous portions and much better prices.
The onion rings are amazing and very well worth the upcharge, fries are great, salad fresh and the fish really the highlight.
I went with the salmon, one blackened, the other teriyaki, which I preferred and would get again next time, the blackened i did not care for the seasoning.
My son had the chicken strips and fries, again very generous portion, my husband the fish and chips as well as popcorn shrimp, all very good.
This is one of our favorite restaurants in Encinitas and a great stop while in the area, love the décor and ambiance, the outside seating is perfect and makes for a great beachy meal!

Friend wanted to take me to Encinitas Fish Shop as he’s visited the restaurant with his family and they’ve all enjoyed the seafood. The weather was sunny, warm, and bright the weekend of our visit. The ordering (and waiting) is similar to that of Blue Water Seafood. There appears to be only one cashier taking orders so the wait time can be long.
This is how to order at Encinitas Fish Shop: pick a fish (ahi, scallop, salmon, etc); pick a marinade (terriyaki, blackened seasoning, lemon butter, etc); and pick a style (taco, plate, sandwich, etc). The prices are a bit cringe worthy but is on par with fresh seafood restaurants.
Your order is brought to your table when ready. Encinitas Fish Shop was busy that day so most tables were full. We were able to snag two seats at the outdoor communal table. Make sure you wear sunscreen as there’s limited shade for both communal tables outside.
We ordered:
BALLAST POINT GRAPEFRUIT SCULPIN:
— I remember this Sculpin costing more than what we are used to paying. Maybe $ 8+? There’s an outdoor bar but the bartender was on break (which was odd since there was no back up bartender and the outdoor patio was busy). The draft Grapefruit Sculpin tasted crisp and downright perfect on that warm afternoon while waiting for the food
TKO TACO $ 5 (+1 for avocado):
— This grilled mahi mahi taco comes with cabbage, cheese, white sauce, and tropical salsa. Friend opted for the corn tortilla. The mahi was grilled nicely and tasted fresh. It was a nice ‘heavy’ taco with the ample toppings and friend enjoyed this taco. I believe there was mango in the tropical salsa that day.
FRIED FISH TACO $ 5 (+1 for avo):
— I want to say friend chose the red snapper for his second taco. The taco is topped with cabbage, cheese, white sauce, and pico de gallo. I preferred the fried fish taco over the grilled. The batter wasn’t too thick and the pico de gallo had a nice freshness to it.
TERRIYAKI SALMON PLATE $ 16:
— I chose the salmon (the fish), terriyaki sauce (the marinade), on a plate (the style). The $ 16 price tag seemed hefty but it was a nice size portion especially with the two included sides. The salmon was grilled beautifully and the fish tasted softly flaky. The one issue that I had was the charred taste of the fish. It tasted too ashy — almost like they didn’t clean the grill before putting the salmon on. Otherwise, the salmon was quite nice. The onion rings are hand battered but weren’t as crispy as we’d prefer. But it was a generous portion that we appreciated. The coleslaw was vinegar based versus mayonnaise. Maybe we ate this too late (into our meal) as the cabbage got weepy and soft.
It is a self service type of restaurant but I liked how someone came by to bus the table and asked friend if he wanted a refill on the beer. It made Encinitas Fish Shop feel more like a restaurant than an ‘order, eat, leave’ kind of place. I’d visit again if I was in the area and try a few more items on their menu.

I have been looking forward to coming here ever since it opened last year. Not that King’s isn’t great and all (I’m lying, I’m not really a fan), but to have a new, dedicated fish house close by was a nice proposition.
Anyway, when we walk in, the artwork and wooden décor remind me of Harbor Fish North in Oceanside, just coated in blue paint. Descriptions of salmon, mako, and scallops are framed by the tables. And an open case showcases the moist flesh of many a skinned and delicious fish on ice. Passed that case is the register and my first of two gripes about the Fish Shop.
There was a nice line forming behind us, all the way to the menu bin and the door, and there’s only one register at the counter. With a wide selection of fish, each with a wide selection of preparation styles, and a wide array of sauces to pour on them, orders can get a little complex. Add in the fact that many people are ordering for families or don’t even know what they want when it’s their turn, and the wait can be prohibitively long. On a busy weekday afternoon, when all the nearby offices are letting out for lunch, that wait can stretch out even further.
After making our order, we took a table inside and waited a fair amount of time before our food arrived. I started with the Onion Rings, beer battered and well fried. They were sweet, the onions inside soft, and the dip for them was a tangy aioli that was well suited. Fantastic way to start the meal.
I had a Jumbo Shrimp Taco in a flour tortilla with a simple salt and pepper marinade. The shrimp were plump, not overcooked, and had that pop to each bite that you look forward to if you know how to eat shrimp. I asked for avocado on top, which they cut, but didn’t separate, but it was fresh and went well with the salt on the fish. With the slaw and salsa across it all, this taco was quite tasty.
Alongside it, I also had the Lobster Taco, cooked up in a lemon butter marinade, and served in a corn tortilla. Like the shrimp, it was cooked well, leaving the meat plumped and juicy, and the sauce was light, not soaked in butter that would make the whole taco a mess. And the taste, it was outstanding. Normally, when cooked in mass amounts, delicate flavors can be lost, but the Fish Shop took care to make sure that everything came through the way it should.
My son had the Kid’s Fish and Chips, served with a massive amount of well cooked fries and good sized chunks of battered fish. He ate two of the fish and enjoyed his fries, though he stayed away from their tartar.
My girlfriend followed suit, having the Fish and Chips Plate herself. Again, like the onion rings before, the batter was sweet and flavorful, not overly salty, but it did suffer from my second gripe about our lunch, in that it was exceedingly oily. Whether this was from not being drained properly or that breading holding on to the oil more readily, it didn’t change the fact that it left a wet mess on her plate, some bites gushing in ways that it shouldn’t. Still, it was pretty good.
And all of this was topped off with a Choco Taco, an Ice Cream Truck treat for my kid that he loved. I’d definitely like to come back, try a few other selections in a few other sauces in a few other ways. With such an extensive menu style, we won’t be running out of choices anytime soon, and I already know quite a bit is impressive. Not perfect, disorganized ordering and an oily fry, but definitely worth a shot and, in our case, probably a second and a third.

This was a little bit below average. A disorganized ordering system that took far too long, and I ordered my Mahi with lemon butter, it didn’t taste like anything and somehow my fish was cold.
Ordered the Veggies because they were listed as being Broccoli and carrots, and arrived as zucchini and carrots, I don’t eat zucchini but they were nice about replacing it. The couple of carrots I did eat and they were VERY good.
Dog friendly patio was nice. Food just wasn’t good enough to go back, and the price wasn’t inline with the vibe of the place. (Meaning, too expensive for what it was)

Bottom Line: Definitely one of the best places in North County for great seafood.
I’m a fan of the Pacific Beach Fish Shop so I was excited when the Fish Shop opened in Encinitas. Despite 70 miles of coastline there doesn’t seem to be as many awesome seafood restaurants as one may expect in San Diego, the former tuna capital of the world. Given that, when I do find a great spot I latch on, hook, line and sinker.
For me the best thing about the Encinitas Fish Shop is the quality of the fish. Like any legitimate seafood place you can look in the case and eyeball the fresh fish before making your selection. I also like the casual atmosphere of the eatery and the options for pairing fresh fish with a local craft beer or glass of wine.
If you haven’t been to the Fish Shop before, Here is how it works — you order your food at the counter, grab a table either inside or on the open air patio and then a server brings your meal out to you. You can either order a specific item from the menu or take advantage of their «three step» menu. The three steps are choosing your fish, choosing a seasoning and finally choosing the «style» of your meal (taco, sandwich, plate, or salad). A little later, perfectly grilled, steamed, fried, broiled, etc. fish arrives at your table. I love fish and chips but I think the Fish Shop has quality fish so I like it lightly seasoned and grilled.
On my recent visit, I got the ahi plate and it was delicious. It was lightly seared and very flavorful, especially with the lemon butter seasoning I selected. My friend and I shared sides of fresh veggies, fries and macaroni salad. As another Unilocaler noted, the macaroni salad was really light and not overdressed which I appreciate. The fresh cut fries were really good too.
The Fish Shop has done a great job of making the space at 1010 S. Coast Highway theirs. It is hard for me to remember what the former St. Germain Café looked like. The décor at fish shop is cohesive and perfectly suiting for a casual seafood eatery.

I stopped by here for lunch, as I was out and about in North County, which has a lot of great places to eat I may add, and ordered the Blackened Salmon Plate with a side of macaroni salad and onion rings for $ 15.50.
I asked for the salmon to be prepared to a medium rare temps. It arrived more medium, but it was still very moist and juicy the way I like it. The blackened was crust was well executed and not only had those perfect crisscross grill marks, but the rest was well seasoned and had a well developed color. The meat was succulent and very flavorful. It was a very nice 8 oz piece of salmon for the price, not to mention the two sides that came with the meal.
If you like macaroni salad, it is a mus try here. I really liked it because it was well cooked and the amount of dressing was just right. I do not like over dressed macaroni salads so this one tickled my fancy. It also tasted very good and came with bits of carrot and celery for added texture and scallions for that nice peppery punch.
The onions rings were good, but I felt they were a little over done because the sweet onions inside were a bit dry and overdone. They were certainly crisp, a little oily, but they were well seasoned and had great color. However, onion rings with should have tender sweet moist onions inside, not dried up ones, so easy on that frying please.
The young lady at the ordering counter had a great sense of humor and was helpful when I asked questions regarding the menu and such. I really liked the outside patio area with the bar. It’s a nice area to hang out, have a cold one with some great eats, and get some sun!

So my dad was visiting me this weekend from out of town, and he I asked him what he felt like for lunch, and he said he wanted fried fish. I quick Unilocal of the area, Encinitas Fish Shop popped up on my radar, which, I have had this place bookmarked to try for a while, so perfect! We showed up a lil after noon, and there was already a line to the door, which got longer while we waited to order. It’s an «order at the counter» type of place.
We ordered:
— TKO taco (mahi mahi, with tropical salsa, add avo for $ 1.00 extra) tasty! Got a lil soggy though
— calamari (the ring type, and the minis with tentacles)
— fish and chips $ 12.50 (added ½ rings ½ fries I think $ 1.50 extra charge)
— small shrimp ceviche
— small clam chowder
— bill came out to around $ 50.00
A bit pricey, but the food was delicious. My dad loved it! We ordered too much though, we brought some ceviche and calamari home. They’ve got great patio seating with heat lamps. They’ve got a mini lot on the side, and street parking.

I heard great things about this place and just had to try it. We went around lunch time the line was long but not out the door. There are also seats outside on patio. We would have sat outside but all the seats were taken.
We ordered clam chowder, calamari and shrimp and chips. The calamaris were delicious and came with jalapeños and some sort of red peppers. Decent size calamaris and had light batter on them. The shrimp & chips were big in size, definitely ordering those next time. I didn’t ordered the soup but mom did. The first time it came out, it was cold. We immediately told them and they replaced it with another. I also noticed beers, wine and desserts on the menu. I will be back to try other items on the menu.

There are three steps to ordering fish here if you’re getting it prepared. You pick a fish, then you pick a marinade and lastly, you pick the style (e.g., taco, salad, sandwich or plate). You order/​pay at the counter and they bring the food to you. There’s ample indoor and outdoor seating.
I went with the RED SNAPPER with the FISH SHOP SEASONING as a PLATE so it came with two sides. I had the house cut fries and seasonal vegetables. The cut of fish was generous, though overly-​seasoned. The vegetables helped to cut it. The fries were great. I’d go with a different seasoning next time.

Dog-​friendly, kid-​friendly with large outdoor patio, this location of Fish Shop in Encinitas is a hits all the marks with its laid back, casual ambiance and seafood-​centric menu.
They got pretty good selection of local beers as well as wines. The ordering process is very simple: pick your fish, the marinate and the style (taco, salad, sandwich or a plate), get a number and the food will be delivered to you once its ready.
There are variety of fish filet on display so you have an idea of what you are getting, as well you can buy whatever is for sale and cook it later at home.
We generally come here for fish tacos, and most of them are always a hit with a few exceptions, i wouldn’t recommend to get a scallop taco — bland, very little substance.
I hear people are raving about their ceviches but i haven’t tried it yet.
Its a solid place for fresh seafood, you will not be disappointed!

⁷⁄₁₁: Torn between 3.5 and 4. I thought the tacos and torta that we ordered tasted okay and it was a bit pricey for what it is and oh the lines were super long.
Okay so you’re probably thinking then why the 4 stars Mia? Well what bumped it up was their service. The lines were long because their service was so tentative. It was our first time there and I have to say we asked alot of questions. We didn’t know if the fish were cooked well done or seared and if we can choose how it was cook. We also asked about all the seasoning because well we have never been there so we would like to know. As she explained everything we asked she answered very politely. We didn’t feel rushed at all and she also gave us her opinion about what she like and if one of their seasonings were considered spicy.
I feel if you have never been to a place it’s nice that someone is actually there to explain it. Although busy the place had seating for us by the time we ordered which was great. Great place for kids and adults. The have beers on drafts and a barish area to sit, eat and drink.
Overall great place to try some fresh fish.