Harbor Fish & Chips

I've come to Harbor Fish and Chips for years and years. Before, it used to be called H Salt Fish and Chips and was on the corner of Fruitdale and Meridian. They moved some time ago and the same family owned and operated it, until it got sold to a different family I think. The food is exactly the same, that's why I still patronize the restaurant. The fried shrimp have no tails so I can eat the entire shrimp, and the fish are crunchy with not too much batter. The fries(chips) are crunchy and hot, while the fried zucchini are crunchy on the outside and zucchiniee on the inside. So good! 😋 The only reason I gave 4 stars for service is because the old family would let me substitute fried zucchini for chips on the 1 fish 3 shrimp combo, which is my all time favorite. The new family took over and stopped that service, so now I have a bunch of chips and have to pay for the fried zucchini I loved for so long. Overall, it's still a good experience, but I've slowed down in my visits just because of the new family's business practices, which in the long run is causing them to lose money. But they're still running strong so they must not need my money that badly 🤷🏽‍♂️

We were craving some fish and chips, and there aren't many of these places left. Now this a mom and pop shop, and pop is in the back frying up the food. If your looking for fancy, this place is not it. The food was good, but the ice machine didn't work for our soda and the ketchup was watered down. I dont want to give a bad review because they were a nice older couple probably just trying to make it. So I will say that the food was good, service was great, but I would probably fond another place for fish and chips next time I have a craving.

Okay, this review is complicated because I’m trying to be as objective as I can, but let me start by saying that even on a bad day, I prefer Harbor Fish & Chips to anyone else I have tried in the Bay Area, and therefore I give it 5 stars. That’s not to say the place is perfect but I’ll explain later. Not gonna lie but we have been disappointed with Harbor Fish & Chips, HFC, like everyone else is saying recently and so in the past few years we have tried two places in the Saratoga Prospect Rd area, one place on Meridian and Willow, two places in Downtown San Jose, 1 place on Story & White Rd, and even a shop in Bodega Bay. Not very extensive tries I know but I’ve had to pay over $25 for a simple two piece fish and chips at these shops and all of them had the same problem. You take a bite and your mouth is flooded with oil despite all of them looking absolutely amazing. We can take a little grease no problem but all had issues beyond a little grease filled bite. Lack of flavor in the batter despite its glamorous appearance. ALL FISH & CHIPS SHOULD TASTE GOOD BEFORE ADDING CONDIMENTS. Having been so disappointed we concluded that we should try HFC again and eat earlier in the day (when the fryer has had plenty of time to reach proper temperature - meaning it cooks hotter and faster without flooding the mouth with oil) and when it’s not busy. Why? We have learned that HFC is better before the crowds come in, the restaurant is cleaner and better maintained and more pleasant to sit and eat in. The owner (a senior) has more energy earlier in the day and pretty much is done after 7pm, and even more so when the place is humming, so don’t waste your time in those cases. We noticed after the pandemic that HFC has watered down their tartar sauce and they no longer have napkins at the table, which has us bringing our own ketchup and tartar sauce and requesting napkins when we get our food. We also have to remind the owner to salt our fish and chips straight from the fryer so the seasoning hits at the right time of the cooking process when flavor is locked in. Simply put we have not found anyone who cooks a tastier fish and chips than HFC and we order the 6 piece Fish & 2 Chips for $25 dollars. I don’t understand why anyone says they’re expensive. Regarding the chips, no matter what the cut is, anyone can cook a chip and you pay a premium for a fresh potato cut chip from In N’ Out or Five Guys, but not anyone can cook a proper fish, be it frozen or fresh, in a proper layer of batter for both first and second fry cooks. So yeah this place is not perfect but other places we’ve tried with better ratings, fancier presentations, more help and more money does not hold a candle to Harbor Fish & Chips. In case you're wondering, we’ve dined with HFC since 1996 when his Sister owned the business on Meridian and Fruitdale, and then finally at Union and Bascom. She’s the person behind the artwork on the wall’s and the interior design of the place, but sold her share to her brother who is obviously not a spring chicken and we recognize that there’s probably not going to many more years for the place to be open so we’ll enjoy it for now when we’re in the mood for some decent fish and chips.