California Fish Grill — Restaurant in Irvine

California Fish Grill is a great place to get great quality seafood without emptying your wallet. This was my first visit to the new CFG in Irvine, which had just recently opened. As typical with a good value eating establishment, the place was very busy. When we arrived, my family found ourselves in a line starting at the entrance door. For a walk-up and order type of restaurant, I found the place to be very nicely decorated and modern. The line moved fairly quickly.

The main meals up on the overhead, consist of groupings from the Chargrill, Fresh Salads, Taco Combos, Wraps and Fresh Wraps along with Starters and sides. After ordering, we looked for a place to sit. The tables didn't seem to flow very well, with tables situated every which way. Once were were seated the wait to get our meal was a bit lengthy.

My go to meal is the Battered Fish and Chips. It is a great value and I always have to bring home leftovers. I love the crisp, light brown batter and plentiful fries! This time however, I decided to try something from the Taco Combos. I ordered the Grilled Cajun Mahi Mahi tacos, my wife ordered Sea Bass from the Chargrill and my daughter ordered Calmari from the Fryer. As with the Fish and Chips, the plates offered generous helpings. The tacos were well filled with Mahi and the grilled flavor with the light touch of cream sauce was excellent! My wife's Sea Bass was grilled nicely, but we had some concern whether it was Sea Bass after the server put it on the table and called it White Fish. In addition, we are not used to seeing Sea Bass cut lengthwise. They assured us that it was Sea Bass and the server was mistaken. None the less, it was excellent. My daughter's Calamari was golden brown and fried up nicely.

There are 2 other seafood venues in the Market Place, but this place is the best value. If you just want to get in and get out, you can't beat CFG. The other seafood restaurants are going to see some tough competition for customers with the popularity of...

Update (August 2025): ⭐⭐⭐ I used to love this place, but my most recent visit was really disappointing. The fish batter has definitely changed — it’s now so salty that it overwhelmed the flavor of the fish itself. Not everyone can (or should) eat that much salt; I think it’d be much better to season lightly and let customers add more if they want. On top of that, no one told us when our food was ready, so it sat there about 10 minutes before we got it. By then, everything was lukewarm. Between the salty batter and the service slip, it just wasn’t the great experience I remembered. California Fish Grill: This Place Rocks! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you're craving amazing seafood without breaking the bank, you HAVE to check out California Fish Grill in Irvine Market Place. Seriously, the fish is cooked to perfection - crispy on the outside, tasty and juicy on the inside (not dry at all!) - and the prices are totally reasonable. And their Dynamite shrimp salad? Don't even get me started!

But here's the thing: it's not just about the food (although it's seriously good) or the great value. The service is what makes this place truly special. If I'm not mistaken, his name is Antonio Novoa, and he is an absolute gem. He's super friendly and always goes above and beyond to make sure you have a great time. He even remembered my husband and I from a visit months ago (I was shocked!).

Oh, and bonus points: they have a dog-friendly patio, so you can bring your furry friend along for the fun!

Honestly, the whole experience is just awesome. Great food, amazing service, reasonable prices, and a relaxed atmosphere – what more could you ask for? If you're in the area, definitely give California Fish Grill a try (and say hi to Antonio...

Subject: Disappointing Fish Size Inconsistencies - Classic Fish and Chips

I'm writing to express my disappointment with the inconsistent size of the fish portions in your Classic Fish and Chips. While the quality of the fish and chips themselves is generally good, the size of the fish has been incredibly variable, leading to a very frustrating dining experience.

On several occasions, I've ordered the Classic Fish and Chips and received a perfectly acceptable, regular-sized portion of fish. However, on other visits, I've been served what amounts to barely half of that size. It's not a slight difference; it's a noticeable and significant reduction. This inconsistency makes it hard to justify the price, as I never know if I'll be getting a full meal or a significantly smaller, less satisfying portion.

This issue not only affects the value for money but also damages the overall perception of your restaurant's reliability. I understand that there might be slight variations in size, but the discrepancies I've experienced are far beyond acceptable.

I hope you'll address this issue and implement stricter portion control to ensure consistency in the Classic Fish and Chips. Customers should be able to rely on receiving a consistent and fair portion size with every order. I enjoy your food, but I'm hesitant to order again until this problem...