Pelican's Roost Fish & Chips — Restaurant in Auburn

I can understand the high rating from some patrons. Personally I can't rate it better than 2.5 stars.

Staffing: Extremely under staffed. Seems to be the case for alot of establishments these days. Every table not occupied needed to be bussed. Our table needed to be wiped clean. Service was slow, however they were frendly.

Atmosphere: Walked around checking out the place. For the most part it was clean, but had a lot of room for improvements. A lot of projects started but left unfinished.

Decor: Liked the decor. Old Town atmosphere & historical pictures add to the place.

Food: Generous portions, single order could easily feed two adults. Batter is more of Tempura style. Which is crispy and flavorful. However I prefer more of a beer batter. Batter was overwhelming. ... Clam chowder is more like a creamy potato & celery soup. I liked it, but wasn't much of a Clam chowder. ... After pealing away 80% of the batter the Cod flavor was average at best. Same held true for the calamari. ... Tarter sauce is pretty good. ... Fried mushrooms were mostly breading. Very small mushrooms to begin with and then they cut them in half. Would be better if they were bigger mushrooms left whole. ... Chips were just Air fried crinkle fries. Cooked right but better with ribs than as part of a Fish & Chip dish.

Service: Server never came around to enquire about how things were or if we needed anything. Had to flag them down and ask for a refill. Did come by a couple of times after dropping off the check. Anxiously waiting to be paid.

Bill: Was not itemized, we had to go get a menu to verify it was correct, and it was.

Not really some place I would patronize again, but as I stated in the beginning I can understand how others might be giving it higher marks...

This is a real hidden gem in Auburn - or on route to your favourite Lake Tahoe destinations from Northern California. You can't go wrong with fish & chips here, although I've had better tartar sauce elsewhere. As a tourist, I'd go with cod, which costs a little more than catfish. The portion is generous - we've always had leftovers. Remember leftover French fries from some other restaurants, the staleness? Not those from Pelican's Roost!

This is even more pronounced when you notice that the owners are first generation Korean immigrants. (In addition to fish and chips, they have a selection of American food like any typical American eatery.) The old lady in this family-owned joint is always warm and quick with service. (I've always come to the place after 1pm on a weekend so I can't tell about busier hours.) Seating is spacious, with intriguing retro decors indoors and an interesting "fresh air enclosed" seating area where you can go people watching - or car watching mostly, while eating. The latter is not your usual outdoor seating so you have to experience it to appreciate.

I accidentally discovered this five years ago when I entered Auburn after 2pm. After eating at another Auburn gem for some years, I decided to bring my daughter, also a fish & chips lover, to this place last year....

The fish has a good crunch to it, but lacks any flavor. We weren't given any vinegar with our fish, and when I asked for a large like what the tartar sauce came in, she gave me this tiny cup. I asked for three more because we don't really use the tartar, and was told no. My mom asked how much for one of the small bottles, $6. When we went to pay for it the lady asked if we would just add it on as a tip instead of ringing it up through a second transaction in order to avoid the .35 cent merchant transaction fee. I told my mom we could just go get one from the store instead. I'm glad we didn't buy the bottle. Even the vinegar tastes watered down. Typical prices for fish and chips, but lacking in flavor and it's clear to see why. This was our first experience here, and we won't be...