Naked Fish

Terrible service on more than one occasion. Food didn’t taste as good as it was on Ashlan and First. And now they’re out of business so don’t even bother!

So pretty much the consensus is that the food is awesome. It is simple and fresh, and they make it when it is ordered. It is operated by mom and pop (and son sometimes that we have gotten to know) so since food isn’t premade and sitting, it causes service to suffer, even more so when it gets a little busy. If you are nice to them, they are very nice to you, and we don’t mind the wait for the quality of food here. Don’t come expecting your chain-​salt-​laden food drizzled with tons of sauce, it is not that kind of place. Just be glad there is a place like this in Fresno.

If it wasn’t for the bomb ass Vietnamese Sandwich, they’d get no stars for the weirdest service I got there.

No customers bad service.

The food here is great. Everything has always been fresh and great flavors. I’m not a fan for their phở though. Their vietnamese sandwich are pretty tasty. My personal favorite is the BBQ garlic sandwich.
The service is okay. I have to agree with the others Unilocalers. The owners are awkward and slow. You can’t take pictures of their food, you can’t keep a menu at the table because they don’t want them to get dirty.

A while back, my husband and I decided to leave within the few minutes we were there so unfortunantley we didn’t have the opportunity to find out how great there food could have been. There was which looks like a mother and son who worked there. I guess the son was responsible for seating us to our table and he didn’t want to do his job. After he handed my husband and I the menus he said, «What do you want?» So we decided to leave.

We fell in love with this place! Food was perfect. My date had the beef phở with sashimi (which was perfectly cold) I had the BBQ pork with cold vermacelli noodles and an appetizer of gyoza. All of it was best ever quality. I know a lot of folks have a problem with the service, my advice is respect the food and be sweet to the staff (which you should be anyway) and you will have no problems. We loved it and will be back soon.

I can not believe untill i been here today, horrible horrible service. Never come back. Hello, the food wasnt for free so better show your respect to the customers. I wish i can give negative star for this pacific restaurant.

worst customer service I’ve ever experienced at a restaurant. The lady who served us (who is probably the owner) was very rude. The only descent gesture she made was to refill my water, and that only happened once. Although, the food on the other hand was pretty delicious. I ordered the korean bbq short rib vietnamese sandwich which turned out to be pretty tasty. They offer a variety of asian cuisine which is probably the only reason their restaurant is still making profit. if you do decide to eat here I suggest that you ORDER TO GO.

5 stars for the food. 2.5 stars for service
We were welcomed not so warmly but the owner showed us a table quickly and even brought us two highchairs w/​o being asked.
The menu here is beyond extensive. HUGE variety ranging from Sushi and Tempura to Curry, Thai and Vietnamese food.
We ordered a bowl of Seafood Egg Noodle Soup and a Shrimp & Veggie Tempura Udon Soup w/​chicken. The broth in the Seafood Soup was clean and light and packed with fragrance and flavor. The fresh fish is what made the soup. The calamari was very tender, almost like it’d been tenderized. At the bottom of the bowl was a nice little bunch of bean sprouts that absorbed all the wonderfulness of the soup. The Udon was one of the best I’ve ever had. Again, a very tasty broth. Very. The Tempura was light and flaky and fried perfectly. I found some tasty mushrooms and some tofu hiding under my yummy noodles.
Our servings were very generous and there was enough to take home. Our meal went perfect with our cold, rainy afternoon. Sure, the owners aren’t very warm people persons, (He wouldn’t let us hang on to a menu while we waited for our food. Said he didn’t want it to get dirty), but we will definitely return for the outstanding food.
PS…DO NOT try taking pictures. Warnings posted inside.

The Soup Nazi lives… and is running a pan-​Asian noodle/​sushi restaurant in Fresno.
I was in the area, so decided to stop in for a quick bowl of noodles with my 1.5 year old daughter. The first sign that greets you as you approach the front door reads: «No Public Restrooms.» That should give you a hint of the hospitality you are about to receive.
Other reviewers have commented on the customer service, but I have to say that this was the single worst dining experience I have ever had — and that’s saying a lot as I’m from LA and have eaten out at literally hundreds of places ranging from hole-​in-​the-​wall ethnic joints to high-​end establishments. Other signs that «greet» you inside the restaurant include: «No photos of the menu or the dishes» and «Do not put SUGAR in the soup. Sugar is for DRINKS.» Wow.
But back to my experience… I was insulted/​reprimanded (by both the male and female owners/​chefs/​waitstaff) a total of five times over the course of my mid-​week lunch. If I weren’t toting a hungry toddler, I would have left before even ordering, but I needed to get some food in her quickly.
Incident 1 happened when I seated myself (as no one greeted us when we walked in) in a booth next to the only other couple in the place. The male curtly informed me that I was not allowed to sit in a booth with my child, as it was «unsafe.» Incident 2 happened immediately afterward when I (unassisted by him) pulled the high chair up to the edge of the opposite table, I was not allowed to do so because the aisle needed to be clear in case of fire.
Incident 3 was when I tried to order one of the «NF Vietnamese specials,» I was informed that I couldn’t have that because he didn’t think I’d like it as they were «only for Vietnamese people» and that «people from around here don’t like this stuff» and «I don’t wanna bring that out here just to hear you say you don’t like it.» [Allow me to also mention here that I’m Asian and have sampled plenty of Vietnamese food in the San Gabriel Valley and Westminster to know what I may or may not like.]
Incidents 4 and 5 came courtesy of the female. As we were waiting for our food to arrive, I let my child wander in the nearby alcove where there were a few tables pushed to the side and an empty space in the middle. As she waddled around and turned herself in circles as toddlers do, the female came by and sternly told me not to let her run around as it was «dangerous» because there were «a lot of chemicals» laying around. I just nodded and said «uh huh,» because my daughter wasn’t touching anything or disturbing anyone or anything (nor did i see any hazardous waste in the vicinity), so I just let her be. Apparently this angered the female, as she came back and told me that I’d «better put her in her chair» because «if anything happens, we are not going to be responsible!»
At that point, my daughter pooped in her diaper. Of course, there was no changing table in the restroom, so I put two chairs together in the back of the restaurant and changed her there. I’m sure this pleased the owners to no end. I’ve never felt so happy to leave a stinky, poopy diaper behind in an establishment… (Immediately after I changed her and we sat back at our table, I watched the female go over and angrily re-​stack the chairs.)
On top of all this, when the check arrived, I noticed they had already included a 15% gratuity (for my one dish) AND had calculated the tax after the tip. I took out a pen, crossed out the gratuity, estimated the appropriate tax and just left that amount.
As for the food… my noodle soup was actually quite tasty. As other reviewers have mentioned, the prices are quite a bit higher than other phở joints, but the menu is extensive and covers everything from phở to sushi to Korean, Japanese, and other Vietnamese noodle and rice options. I would not dare to eat sushi at a place that does not appear to have a high turnover rate, but the rest of the menu looked interesting. Too bad the service is so horrendous that I won’t be going back to try anything else.

The service here is awkward and slow. The portions are generous for phở, but the sushi my friend ordered didn’t look as generous for the price. It was alright, but there are much better options in Fresno very close to this location if you’re looking for good phở.
There are individual tvs at each booth, which I guess could be a perk? If the table next to you has the tv on though, it can be loud and distracting. I go to dinner to spend time with someone, not to watch tv, so to me it seems silly to have that many tvs in a restaurant.

This is an interesting spot. The menu is huge and quite eclectic, containing Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, and other Asian dishes. The décor is… well, interesting, but that’s all part of the charm, and I came here for the food. From the leftover holiday decorations still visible, to the signs sternly warning customers not to take pictures of the menu and to flush the toilet (or face the consequences), I was amused. But, again, I came for the food. With such an extensive menu, it will take a few trips to get a real feel for the place, but I had phở on my mind when I stopped in.
I ordered the beef phở with tripe, meatballs, and brisket. The bowl was very large and delivered to my table still steaming. The scent of the spices used in the broth was intoxicating — cinammon, perhaps star anise and cardamon too. I considered this to be a good sign that the broth was not the sort of bland, flavorless, greasy stuff I’ve seen elsewhere. The tripe was very mild, the brisket was tender, and the meatballs were tasty, though they had some rubbery bits in them.
The best surprise, however, was lurking within the bowl — an oxtail! I’d heard that this place used them to flavor the broth, and it was no lie. The meat around the bone was fatty, tender, and delicious.
I confess I am still a phở neophyte and learning the ropes as I go. Up to this point, I’d assumed that it was customary to «doctor» the broth with the various seasonings that are set out alongside the phở — soy sauce, sriracha, etc. The server noticed that I had various condiment bottles set out on the table and asked if I’d put them in the broth. Suddenly sensing that this was a no-​no, I sheepishly admitted that I had. I could tell that this pained him somewhat, though he was nice enough to explain that I should put a few of the sauces (hoisin and sriracha) in a separate dipping bowl, and only use the thai basil, peppers, etc. to add to the broth. He explained that the cook spends about eight hours making the broth, and that adding other stuff to it basically spoils it. I can respect that, and in retrospect it made sense. The cook came out a little later and elaborated on the proper form, even joking that the Chinese and Vietnamese people say that the cleanliness of your bowl (when your done) reflects the cleanliness of your home). I appreciated that they took the time to educate me on the best way to consume phở.
Unfortunately I was stuffed and didn’t come close to finishing my bowl, so I guess this means I am a messy person. I’d come back again to get phở or to try other things on the menu. If you can overlook the atmosphere (or better yet, like me, find some humor in it), stop by and check out the food.

By far they make the best Vietnamese sandwiches (much better than Queen’s). In the past, I’ve ordered the deluxe but if you want double the meat order the super deluxe. Nothing else other than the fried banana with ice cream, sushi rolls, and sashimi is really good and that’s IF you get it fresh. Note, I said in the past. I haven’t gone back in over a year, despite the good sandwiches and yummy Bloody Mary Roll because the customer service sucks, sucks, sucks! Did I mention the customer service is terrible, especially the wife’s. It’s so unprofessional for her to be yelling across the room at her son too!
During one of our many visits, we ordered some chow fun. Presentation was great until I took my first bite. You know meat is bad when the minute it hits your tastebuds it tastes tart, slimy, and you salivate. I spat it out and smelled the other pieces of meat. Yup, it was spoiled. We discretly mentioned it to the owner and he sniffed it. He said, «This is what filet mignon smells like. I just got it in this morning and if you want to check the rest of the meat it is in the back and smells just like this.» No apology, no offer to replace it with something else, and they charged me for it.
Granted their sandwiches are good (hence the 2 stars) but I have never gone back and would never refer anyone I know here. Customer service is a huge determining factor if I decide to patronize an establishment again. If you can’t resist the sandwiches, try calling in ahead of time so you don’t have to deal with the customer service for more than 5 minutes but that’s if you want to risk getting food poisoning.

How is this place not on my list yet? It is after all, the only place I eat Phở at anymore. The Phở here, hands down, is the best in Fresno. Perhaps the best for miles and miles around! While it is a dollar or two more than your Phở at another noodle house, it is so well worth it. The broth itself can stand alone. Stan (the owner) takes great pride cooking it in small batches using the recipe from the first Phở restaurant in San Francisco where he worked many years ago. Star Anise is the predominant flavor with notes of pepper, coriander, and garlic. Today I even heard someone talk of tasting cinnamon as well. There is only one size of Phở offered at the Naked Fish which would probably be the equivalent to a medium bowl at any of the other Phở houses. The ratio of noodles to cuts of meat: tendon, tripe, flank, is perfect. The Phở at The Naked Fish just the right balance between Yin and Yang. Every bite, if constructed properly could have a little bit of everything in the bowl, so that at the end there isn’t a mound of noodles sitting in the bowl or beef gone to waste. For me, the piece de resistance of the whole bowl is that Stan includes the Oxtail from which he derives his broth. OMG. Yeah, I said it. Like I said in the beginning: the Naked Fish is the only place I get Phở at anymore.
Service takes a little longer because Stan makes his Phở in small batches. They are also, in my humble opinion, short staffed. However, Stan and his wife Lenore are friendly. Stan won’t hesitate for a moment to share with you his love for Phở. But be prepared for a conversation. This is a man who lives his art.
Don’t just go for the Phở either. His other menu items include Sushi — which is how I originally came in contact with the Naked Fish. Stan is an awesome Sushi Chef. He’s creative and full of original recipes. He takes great pride, so much so that he doesn’t allow cameras in for pictures so that his work can’t be duplicated. The menu also includes Korean, Japanese, and other Vietnamese specialties as well.
Go. You will become a regular.

I’ve never been to the original Naked Fish on First St but apparently they know how to keep their customers because each time we’ve been there, there’s always old customers coming in and speaking to the owners. A wonderful variety of food ranging from Japanest to Korean to Vietnamese. I would have to say their Fresno State Bulldog roll was excellent along with their korean bbq plate that I’ve gotten twice. Their chicken dumpling soup was awesome and I told my ev that I swore they got their pot sticker from Costco so we bought a bag and boy was I wrong. The only down side is the food takes some time to make but thats the price one must pay for freshness I guess. The service is great and you really can’t beat the price for their beers.

This is the only place I’d go for Vietnamese sandwiches. I love the variety of sandwiches they offer. The bread they use to make the sandwiches do not tear up your gum like the ones all the other places use!
Aside from their sandwiches, they also serve most popular Asian dishes, and even Italian! Their sushi is okay. I’ve had better.
The atmosphere isn’t the best if you’re looking for a place to socialize, but the customer service is decent. Also, as already mentioned, their happy hour beers are only $ 2.00? and, happy hour is from 6pm-​closing, I believe.

Oh boy this place is great! Covers different Asian cuisines such a Thai, Vietnamese, etc. Great Bahn Mi sandwiches! Great noodles dishes and clay pot dishes. Definitely some flavors I have never had before. Try the dumping soup! Delicious! The baby octopus salad and the jelly fish salad are very tasty appetizers.
Prices are very reasonable. Most items under $ 10. I had the phở one time. It was good, but a bit over priced.
They also have great bread for some reason.
Oh and did I mention they have 99 cent domestic beer and $ 1.50 imports. Can’t beat that!

Naked Fish moved to the South East corner of Ashlan and Fresno Street. I found out that the new Naked fish location is owned by the same guy who started the original Naked Fish on 1^st street. He sold that Naked Fish to another person about 18 months ago, but the quality went down so much it went out of business. After the new owners drove the old place into the ground, the orginal guy decided to reopen Naked Fish in the new location.
Overall I feel like they have some of the freshest Asian cuisine in Fresno. The chef/​owner there has travelled the world and worked at several different kinds of restaurants including Japanese, Italian, Chinese, and Vietnamese. He is continually looking for ways to put a little twist on some of the traditional Japanese and Vietnamese favorites. They have done a great job remodeling the interior of the new location. It looks nothing like the old Round Table that use to be there.
The menu has tons of variety and everything I have tried tastes great. The past few times I have been I have tried more of their Vietnamese offerings. I haven’t had a lot of Vietnamese in the past, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but the Vietnamese Seafood Fried Noodles I had last time were great! It had lots of huge shrimp, scallops and other fresh tasting seafood in it. Very tasty and filling. I typically go for the sushi though because it is some of the best I’ve found in town. Reasonably priced also. The owner only will use the freshest and highest quality Sushi grade fish and it comes through in the final product. I will definitely continue to go to Naked Fish.

Naked fish Japanese Cuisine is located in a former Taco Bell location. It is not only a takeout, dine in, but it is also a drive thru. They are at the moment doing some cosmetic renovation to the interior, to create a more Japanese feel to it.
Dispite of the unfinished look, the food was definitely great;
The Ricky special a house sushi roll with spicy tuna, tai, avocado, masago etc. was very tasty and spicy. The Salmon Teriyaki Donburi was also a hit, and as dessert the green tea moochi. I probably won’t come here unless I end up in Fresno again sometime, but it did for sure trigger a curiosity towards the Japanese Cuisine, so Little Tokyo here I come. If you live in Fresno you should give it a try. When you get there make sure to keep an eye out for one of the servers, don’t you think he looks like Edward Burns?