Fishmonger Ari — Restaurant in Phaya Thai Subdistrict

Fishmonger, one of the most popular fish n chip place in Bangkok. Due to its many rave reviews during the past few years, the food itself is worth mentioning. But here's why it has a 2 stars from my personal opinion.

Place is 7 mins walk from BTS Ari Station. Usually, during week days, they recommend you to booked via LINE application to avoid dissapointment. Weekends are for walks-in only.

The fish n chips itself are impeccable and spotless in term of cooking techique and fish's freshness from the local sea.

Heres why the place get deducted 3 stars:

1). As other many reviewers mentioned. Service mind here is absurdly zero to none. From the first moment visiting the restaurant, the staff member (whose on the phone outside) was pretty rude and clueless in term of customer service skills. I asked whether "can i come in 2 mins early" and he was like posting in hand gesture of 'talk to the hand', signifying he's on his break and on the phone etc.

2). There's only one POS ordering system which is on the counter bar on the 1st floor. Meaning, every time you have to order, you have to walk to the counter to order for each unique menu. And pre-paid here is the payment system. Imagine if there's jam pack session, yes, you have no option but to wait only, even its just one drink.

It is a great idea on one focal point of purchasing though. But it need to came up with "better result" and "resolution time". In particular majority of customers pay via QR app.

3). The young gentleman on the counter/cashier seems to be the owner. Although with a pleasant outlook and smile, the wording seems to be quite aloof and intimidating when speaking to customers. Whether its a speech refering to "fish's recommendation" or "customer's preferences of tastes". Seems he wanted to break the ice, but the dialect itself seems weird and kind of "pushy".

4). The 2nd storey staff members are also pretty lost and lack of enthusiasm. "One word" answer, no eye contact, and seems lack of confidence in serving or guiding customer to the bathroom and such. Understood there's a language barrier, but atleast "hospitality" interms of gesture should be evidently seen.

It's a pity for such a great restaurant that cooks wonderful Aussie/New Zealand style Fish N Chips ....let down by lack of training and quite poor operation in flowing...

The best thing I consumed in Fishmonger Ari was Gambas al Ajillo. It was quite decent.

The fish and chip itself was very "so-so". I ordered coral trout/grouper (กุดสลาด) fish and chip. The batter was certainly crispy but far too thick, just a bit ticker and it could be considered ปาท่องโก๋กรอบ. The fish is overcooked and no longer flaky. They said on the plate that this is what "Ko Lanta proudly served", I found this statement frightening. If this is what they are proud of, I cannot imagine what they un-proud of would turn out.

Boon restaurant (บุญโภชนา) who isn't a specialist in deep-fried fish does a much better job on their Deep-fried Goby with seasoned soy sauce (ปลาบู่ทอดราดซีอิ้ว) or River Fish Restaurant (ร้านปลาแม่น้ำ เอกชัย 31) also does a much better job on their Deep-fried Sheatfish with garlic (ปลาเนื้ออ่อนทอดกระเทียม). I might even be on the fence here to point that, objectively speaking, Laem Chareon Seafood (for most branches) also do a better job than this on their Deep-fried Seabass with seasoned fish sauce.

So, the verdict of the price per performance here is "one time only." Don't need to visit again.

PS. Of course, since it's this stupid UK dish, I had to douse it with salt and vinegar. That dill sauce was edible but...

A great spot for Fish lovers! You can pick your fish and customize it into any dish you’d like. They also offer a ‘fish of the day’ option. Each dish costs around 300 THB plus 7% VAT, and the portions are generous—one dish can easily serve two people. I went with a GF, ordered 3 dishes, and we were absolutely stuffed.

The food quality is excellent, flavorful, and definitely worth the price. You place your order and make payment at the counter on the ground floor before heading upstairs to dine.

The overall ambiance is pleasant, the staff are friendly, knowledgeable about the menu, and great at recommending dishes. The restroom is also clean, which is a big plus. However, the seating can feel a bit cramped as there are limited tables, and they’re placed quite close to one another, which might feel slightly uncomfortable during busy hours.

Reservations are not accepted by phone; you need to book via Line or the ‘QueQ’ app.

There’s a paid parking lot in front of the restaurant. Don’t forget to get your parking ticket stamped for a discounted rate—30 THB per hour instead of the regular 50 THB (though it’s still a...