Sea Fish Restaurant — Restaurant in Colombo

Whenever I come away from a holiday, there's always one place that remains in my mind, and this place is definitely it. I was desperate to find a hole in the wall food experience with traditional local food, so I asked a local Tuk Tuk driver for recommendations which brought me here. Plus, the fact that it's a bit hidden away and hard to find only adds to the experience in a similar way that people love to become lost in the laneways of Melbourne only to finish up by thinking, where did I just go?!

Going with the hole in the wall experience, there was nothing fancy or pretentious about this place, which made it easier to relax. I ordered the prawn gravy with some additional extras and a beer whilst waiting. The waiter brought over an apron in preparation, which at first I thought was due to an assumption that I would be a messy eater ;) but no, he knew what was going to come. Every item of food on my plate (and table) was packed with flavour, to the point where I forgot I was sat in a restaurant in Sri Lanka because I was so absorbed in everything that my food had to offer. Once I came out of this hypnotic food haze, I noticed the occasional splash of gravy on the table and my apron, I'm not sure when those splashes happened, but it just made me smile more as it was as though the meal had taken over my mind and body, only to release me when the meal was done. Afterwards, when sat with my second beer, I could hear other customers (also wearing aprons) commenting on the flavours and how satisfied they were. The restaurant also had a mixture of locals and tourists and my only negative on this place is that they don't have a recipe book for sale as I definitely would have bought two....one for me, plus a gift to take back...

Disgraceful treatment at Sea Fish!

We visited Sea Fish in Colombo with a group of friends, looking forward to a good meal after having a drink at another restaurant nearby. Instead, we were treated with shocking disrespect by the staff. And the manager was even worst! As soon as we arrived, we were told we couldn’t bring bottles after 8pm—despite the fact that we claimed that we will leave by the time being after having dinner and so. It felt like they were simply looking for an excuse to turn us away.

The way the staff approached and spoke to us was dismissive, unprofessional, and completely lacking in basic hospitality. No effort was made to welcome us or even clarify the situation respectfully. Their attitude ruined the mood of our evening. We expected a proper response from the manager but he sounded with single words and it’s harsh.

Being a customer for so long and Sea Fish may have a reputation for food, but with this kind of treatment, it’s not worth it. If you’re looking for a place that values its customers, this is not the one. Absolutely disappointed. Totally unacceptable to get treated like this! Shame on the...

Sea Fish is a restaurant that started out in 1969 and was situated at Gall Face, apparently at the same site where the Taj Samudra now stands. It’s a family business that has been handed down through 4 generations. The fact that an eatery has survived so long warrants a visit and that is why it was on my “to do” list. Walking into the restaurant there are well appointed tables with a predominantly blue theme (even the napkins). The servers were eager that I order drinks, but I politely declined.

I ordered the fried breaded Seer Fish (2600 LKR). It came with a small salad, a small amount of French fries (that seemed reheated) and tartar sauce (that really needs some serious work). So I ordered, more French fries (1200 LKR), really? The fish (two small steaks), were flaky, tasty with a good texture and bite. Right through the meal, there were serious flies hovering around my food. I made a comment to the server and he just nodded his head. Nobody seemed to care. My original plan was to order the lobster. So...