more articles like this

Tell them you found them on Edhat!
www.edhat.com/referrals

Fish Tacos
updated: Aug 25, 2011, 8:02 AM

Wondering where to take my weekend guests for the best fish tacos in Santa Barbara?

Places People Are Talking About:

Arch Rock Cafe	Baja Grill	Endless Summer
Hollister	Hollister Brewing Company	La Palapa
Natural Cafe	Paradise Cafe	Shoreline Cafe
The Fish House

What People Are Saying:

COMMENT 207758	2011-08-25 08:11 AM
cafe del sol
COMMENT 207759	2011-08-25 08:12 AM
la palapa
COMMENT 207765	2011-08-25 08:18 AM
What type are you looking for? Baja style, battered and fried crispy, topped with cabbage and a thin white sauce or just some grilled/griddled fish on some tortillas?
COMMENT 207768P	2011-08-25 08:23 AM
I know it's a chain, but Wahoo has good fish tacos...
ZIPPER101	2011-08-25 08:28 AM
Haven't been there in a while, but East Beach Grill's were quite good. Also, like those (and everything else) at Los Gallos.
AQUAHOLIC	2011-08-25 08:28 AM
Second La Palapa.
COMMENT 207782	2011-08-25 08:38 AM
Arch Rock Cafe has great fish tacos and drinks. Natural cafe.
COMMENT 207783	2011-08-25 08:38 AM
La Palapa; fish tacos, green rice, black beans. YUM!
COMMENT 207786	2011-08-25 08:43 AM
Hollister Brewing Company for the best we have ever had....
COMMENT 207792	2011-08-25 08:46 AM
Minnow Cafe used to have great swordfish tacos, but I haven't had em since Brophy Bros took over. Brewhouse has pretty darn good halibut tacos plus breat beer, cocktails, outdoor seating,and the rest of their menu. Cafe del Sol are good, too. Then there is La Carretta in Goleta; absolutely the best all-around Mexican seafood around. There is, however, only one place I would bring out of town guests for a great, authentic style, Mexican fish taco and that is Cabo's Baja Grill on Carp Ave in Carp. Hands down the best fish tacos I've had this side of the boarder.
COMMENT 207797	2011-08-25 08:56 AM
I second Hollister Brewing Company
COMMENT 207811	2011-08-25 09:13 AM
I would never recommend Cabo's in Carp. They use Basa for their fish tacos which is a type of East Asia farm raised catfish, not authentic and not a good fish to enjoy in taco form.
COMMENT 207815	2011-08-25 09:15 AM
SHORELINE CAFE!
COMMENT 207817	2011-08-25 09:18 AM
Natural Cafe
COMMENT 207821	2011-08-25 09:27 AM
Toes in the sand at Shoreline Cafe. Combo tacos (one baja fish, one shrimp).
COMMENT 207849	2011-08-25 09:50 AM
La Palapa
COMMENT 207851	2011-08-25 09:50 AM
Ok well they are shrimp not fish but still amazing: SB Shellfish Co. on sterns wharf. Super delish! Or: El Taco Tequila Taqueria on cota
COMMENT 207860P	2011-08-25 10:03 AM
Another vote for Shoreline Cafe-- tacos are great and you can't beat the feet in the sand. The laid back nature of your meal will make any visitor want to move here.
COMMENT 207870	2011-08-25 10:26 AM
I'd recommend you go to a "real" mexican place, instead of a gringo oriented place. Check out Palapa or many of the places on Milpas. Muy autentico.
COMMENT 207871	2011-08-25 10:28 AM
Palapa!!!
COMMENT 207873	2011-08-25 10:31 AM
Most of these places are using farmed fish so they don't get my vote. Mexi Fresh on the Mesa uses different rock fish from Santa Barbara Fish Market in the Harbor. Super Good! Eat the local stuff. I know Enterprise also uses fresh local just a little more $$.
COMMENT 207880	2011-08-25 10:40 AM
@207873 Speaks the truth. Mexican Fresh on the Mesa has the best fish tacos in SB. I was hesitant as there are so many lack luster fish tacos in SB, but so glad I gave them a try, by far the best in SB; a nice portion of properly cooked local fresh fish. Their other food can be a bit meh, but the fish tacos are top notch for this town.
COMMENT 207883	2011-08-25 10:43 AM
Char West on Stearns Wharf
COMMENT 207924	2011-08-25 12:15 PM
Mexi Fresh on the Mesa IS the best for using local fish.
BUREAUCRITES	2011-08-25 12:22 PM
Breakwater at the harbor has very tasty fish tacos. Not sure if fish are wild or fresh.
CEES	2011-08-25 01:08 PM
Inexpensive and yummy: New Baja Grill at Camino Real Marketplace. (Not Baja Fresh) For dinner (great happy hour price): Salmon Tacos at Endless Summer Bar Cafe.
COMMENT 207945	2011-08-25 01:10 PM
If you plan on heading south at all, Spencer Mackenzie's Giant Fish Tacos in Ventura - delicious!
COMMENT 207971P	2011-08-25 01:53 PM
At my house! But for a restaurant, we REALLY love Hollister Brewing in Goleta.... I have had them all over at seafood & Mexican restaurants and these always surpass the others! PS - Order them with a side of the spicy aioli that they normally serve with the fried pickles, yum!
COMMENT 207988	2011-08-25 02:56 PM
I'll affirm the Shoreline Cafe. Their Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos ROCK! The fish is Grilled - the way fish tacos should be- not batter dipped and fried. The price is reasonable too. Around $12 for 4 tacos plus all the fix'ins including their yummy mango salsa.
COMMENT 208001P	2011-08-25 03:29 PM
Minnow Cafe changed the recipe when Brophy Bros took over. I loved the old recipe. The new ones are AWFUL.
COMMENT 208004P	2011-08-25 03:34 PM
Endless Summer has great salmon tacos at happy hour pricing of only $6.00 for two tacos, rice and beans. Rarely too crowded and great views!!
COMMENT 208011	2011-08-25 03:52 PM
La Palapa, especially during happy hour, and Los Agaves on Milpas. They make a great salmon taco with homemade tortillas. Yummy!
COMMENT 208070	2011-08-25 07:50 PM
Ditto the comments re The Minnow..... their old, pre-Brophies fish tacos were the BEST, but the new recipe leaves a lot to be desired, so it is no longer my go-to place when I crave fish tacos. Sure wish they would go back to the previous recipe. In the meantime, this thread is giving me a lot of new alternatives to try!
SHAKEY	2011-08-26 12:08 AM
Ha ha boy was I way off track.....
COMMENT 208101	2011-08-26 05:19 AM
Hollister is good.....especially with the fried pickles on the side! Also LOVE the lobster tacos at Boathouse on Hendry's!! Wish Lilly's on Chapala had fish in it's mix!!
COMMENT 208153P	2011-08-26 09:10 AM
Paradise Cafe has great fish tacos; La Palapa; Arch Rock Fish for happy hour and fish tacos; I second the vote for any authentic Mexican place on Milpas St.
COMMENT 208227P	2011-08-26 11:47 AM
Ditto re the Minnow, we used to go there for years, only ordered the fish tacos. We went there ONCE after Brophy's took over. Never again. Last time we went to Brophy's, the shrimp in the shrimp salad weren't cleaned. Asked the waitress about it--" Gee, I don't know ". Never again.
ANDY	2011-08-26 02:32 PM
For lunch Paradise Cafe. Or Hungry Cat..YUMMERS
COMMENT 208312P	2011-08-26 02:53 PM
THE FISH HOUSE at the corner of Cabrillo Blvd. and Anacapa St. Made with halibut, cabbage, beans, avocado, and the best sauce! Yum !!

Comments on this thread are only open to Community Members.

# # # #