Tin Fish Oceanside

My wife and I ordered the 2 fish (COD) tacos with coleslaw and fries ($ 10) and split it — we were hungry and this place was convenient… Glad we made that call… We have never tried anything else here as it was our first time… These fish tacos where amazing!!! I will be back every time I’m in the area. Size was big — ingredients fresh — sauces were tasty!
Fries were hot and fresh — that is very important to me — will be interested to see if they are hot the next time I go…

We came at at around 7:30pm and there wasnt a line at all. This is not a restaurant and more of a food stand with outdoor seating. The price was good for an oceanfront food joint. Clam chowder was excellent as was the cod sandwhich.

The food was great here. Portion sizes were big, and prices were decent considering the location. The stand was located next to the Oceanside pier and had small tables outside the stand. I ordered the famous cod fish tacos with crosscut fries. They were generous with their portions. The tacos had two pieces of fried fish on a medium tortilla. The fries and fish were freshly made. Bf ordered cod sandwich and clam chowder in a cup. Both of us were pretty satisfied with our meal.

We were at the beach for a few hours & this place was right by us, it was a Weds (⁵⁄₁₈) at noon so there was no line & plenty of seating. My husband got the fish/​chips combo which he said was ok, I got the cup of clam chowder which was really good, our daughter got the shrimp combo & we thought that was the best meal, it was amazing. Both combos came with waffle fries that were so so good & some cole slaw on the side that I only ate & it was ok. We will be coming back for the shrimp & waffle fries.

Great fish tacos right on the beach. Food is very fresh and hot. The mahi mahi and original cod tacos were great!

The Tin Fish has the best fish sandwich that I have ever had.

Decent food, nice employees, and LONG lines and waiting. That pretty much sums up my experience.
This is an order-​at-​the-​counter-​and-​wait-​for-​your-​number-​to-​be-​called kind of place. I ordered a chicken taco, fried cod taco, crab cakes and a chicken tender meal that came with fries and coleslaw.
After waiting literally, for about 25 minutes, my number was called. My husband and I thought the tacos were good (chicken taco was the best). They come loaded with salsa, white sauce, lettuce and cheese, and they are quite large. I thought the crab cake was decent, but my husband didn’t like it at all. It was a breaded and fried crab cake in a firm patty that didn’t contain «lump» crab meat, but was still pretty good. My kids loved the chicken tender meal, but the pieces of chicken were very thin; they resembled chicken slivers.
The guys behind the counter were very friendly, but the very long wait for food was just too much. I would come back, though, and I would get another chicken taco and try something new.

Unilocal said it was good… so it must be good right???
It was a pretty cold night, but we are determine to try it out anyway… since they don’t have any indoor seats, so it was a bit cold… so as my husband was ordering the food… the owner went in to the shack and brought out this giant gas lamp for us… aww… he is so sweet… now we can set outside in the cold and enjoy my food…
We ordered fish and chip and chowder… it was so fresh and so delicious… we can still sit and enjoy the sky, and sea, and the food… yay…

Staying in Oceanside at a rental right at the end of The Strand, I have walked here with my partner to get a bite to eat on numerous occasions. Each time, the food has been great and service quick and friendly. I have to say their clam chowder is delicious and the oyster crackers good quality. Their halibut was melt in your mouth delish and the fried shrimp was succulent and large. The ambiance is a definite casual attire and it’s below the pier in an outdoor setting with sound of ocean waves and cool breeze in your hair. Would not suggest for those looking for a more dressed up and fancy vibe, this is a little place that offers quick and fresh seafood near the pier. Prices are reasonable for the quality and freshness of the seafood they offer. I will most definitely be eating here again when in Oceanside.

Best shrimp tacos in Oceanside. Kaboom shrimp is fantastic.
The staff were great too.

No thanks. The following is a short story based on a personal experience; the cliff’s notes is as such: customer service and food quality
Came here Friday, ordered three meals, even had a conversation with the cashier about which meal was easiest to add sweet potato fries as a side. Waited for about 15 minutes (fair enough, they were busy) and picked up our order – one meal short. We told the man, who responded that we had only ordered two meals. Went back to the cashier, who told us he never heard the third meal be ordered. We asked how long it would take to make the third meal, to which he responded «not too long», but we talked and decided we’d just share the two meals/​nix the third meal. We told the cashier we didn’t want it, he said he couldn’t do anything because he HAD ALREADY RUNG IT UP AND COULDN’T CHANGE IT. I’m sorry, but really? There’s no cancel button on the cash register? He told us we had to pay for it, which we begrudgingly did.
Got our food, only to find out that Tin Fish has gone significantly downhill since the last time we visited – half the calamari was just fried breading/​no actual calamari. We used to really love coming here, but this visit has completely changed our minds. An expensive lunch that you finish feeling hungry and upset? That’s a whole bucket of nope.

I read many of the other reviews and I just have to say what is better than fried seafood while watching the amazing Oceanside sunset.
I found the service to be very expedient and friendly. We ordered the special which was a sample platter with various fried items Cole slaw and waffle fries.
It was $ 15 for two of us which I thought was a fantastic value.
We ride our bikes on the strand every night and had never stopped until this night… We will definitely be back

+Tiiiiiiiinn FISH! Rusted!
+The 3 ½ star average is pretty spot on.
+Nice location
+I had the Tin Fish Combo — fish, shrimp, scallops and clam strips.
+The batter was a little thick, but I liked it.
+In all honesty, I think the shrimp, scallops and clam strips could have been cooked a minute or two longer. They were okay, but didn’t have that snap to them.
+Waffle cut fries were great!

4 stars is for location while at the beach and incredible view and ambiance, foods ok (bar type) but it’s super expensive… for convenience for the beach goers!

One of the best tacos I ever had. Chicken taco with coleslaw and crisscut fries. (It’s the only fries they serve other than sweet potato).
Just amazing is all I can say. Must try.
The tacos are big and double the size of your normal street tacos. Very filling.

Food was great. Stopped by for lunch while hanging at the beach. It’s outdoor seating on benches. I had the grilled seafood plate $ 18 which was mixture of halibut, salmon, mahi mahi, shrimp, and scallops. I ate every bit and it was delicious. Wife had crab cakes and I shared them. Kids had quesadilla and chicken nuggets. Both came with waffle fries and choice of juice or fountain drink. Kids didn’t like the fries but I thought they were good. The only downside was the wait. I would eat here again. Happy eating!

The food is three stars but the service was below par even for a «stand» restaurant. Maybe they had a bad night, but it took three tries before they got our orders correct.
The chicken tacos aren’t the best. Stick with the fish and chip type meals. The house salad is great. I’ve read the cole slaw is to «die for» but it was disappointing.

Immediately I was intrigued because it’s right on the ocean. I noticed they received many local food awards for their fish tacos. But I ordered the mixed seafood grill plate because I wanted to try more than just one option. The plate comes with salmon, mahi mahi, tilapia, shrimp and scallops — 5 of my favorite seafood.
The taste … Amazing and words cannot describe the flavor I experienced. Certainly some of the best seafood I’ve ever had.
Although you do not need any help in regards to flavor, there is a hot sauce selection that I appreciated. Free wifi, too!

Place is a hole in the wall down the staircase within steps of the beach. It was pretty dirty due to it being outside seating and you order at a window.
I had the fish and chips, very light corn meal batter and very tasty comes with waffle fries and coleslaw.
Hubby had Fisherman’s platter and nothing was left but the basket.
Parents had mahi mahi and fried shrimp. Both cleaned their plate as well.
Kiddo had chicken strips with fries… Chicken wad all gone but fries still remained on the plate.
Very good food, average priced. I was expecting it to be gross since it was pretty dirty outside but most of that was due to passerbys and beach bums littering thr place up. Sucks for the owner because it makes his place look pretty bad.

The food was good, but $ 17 for fish & chips and a tiny cup of chowder = WoWZers!!! I expected more based on all the glowing reviews.
When I see cornmeal… ish type fish batter I expect it to take me back toy roots; I instantly think «catfish». What I don’t expect is «fish & chips» which is more widely known to have a beer batter vice a corn meal batter. The «Award Winning» fish & chips here are definitely cornmeal… ish battered but sadly I was not taken back to the days of family cook-​outs & catfish fry’s. Maybe it’s just my Southern roots, but the fish was just ok. Perhaps it was the odd combination of cod being fried in cornmeal batter, but I could care less if the food is bomb. That wasn’t exactly the case here.
First, I prefer my fish to be fried a little more on the crisp side… or, as my mama orders it — «well done». The fried «cod» fish I had was soft and limp. The flavor was not bad, but I hate soft fried fish. The waffle fries were pretty good and the cole slaw might be one of my new favorites, but the star of the show for me was the chowder. Love love love that they make it to your preference — creamy or chunky. I opted for a «chunkier» clam chowder. Unfortunately, it was more like eating chunky mashed potatoes. The flavor was so good that I did my best to overlook the the drunken chunkiness.
Next time, I’ll stick with a creamy chowder in the sour dough bowl and skip the fish & chips. If I want real down home cornmeal fried «catfish», I’ll stick with «That Boy Good» down the road on Coast or Felix’s. They nailed it in the fried fish category. And they’ll definitely take you on a down South Culinary experience. For «beer battered» fish & chips I’ll stick with Harbor Café in Carlsbad or head to O’side Harbor.
3 stars because the food was better than expected in a tourist trap location, and the service was good, but the «Award Winning» fried fish was too soft for my liking and… meh, I’ve had better.