The Brunchabout Diaries
+5
You wouldn’t think much of this place if you walked past it. It’s a basic little street counter shop with some outdoor seating. However, Codmother has the most delightful fish & chips! The chips were crunchy and the batter on the fish was light and melted in your mouth. Don’t underestimate this place!
We went for shrimp and they were well friend and tender as well as good sized. The fish at the next table was large sized and looked flaky and tasty. It’s a food truck with limited outdoor only seating (and take away). It takes 8-10 min to get you order ready so if not tables are open one should as you are waiting. Basic canned drink selection.
We had heard about this place so decided to try it and it lived up to its reputation the food was cooked to order and lovely fresh fish and shrimp and nice portions and I would recommend highly.
So this is what it's like being employed! That is right, gots me a full time job and suddenly....poof, there goes the free time and my semi-regular posting time. Guess I will have to readjust things now and try to do all those things regularly employed people do, just in my spare time. It has been so long I think I have forgotten how to juggle it all. Thus I'm kicking it off with a quickie!
There’s definitely something comforting about fish and chips. Perhaps it’s because you’re disguising the fact that you want to eat fish because it’s good for you by deep frying pretty much everything. It’s especially comforting when you’ve lived in the UK, as fish and chips there is so damn good. Like everything, though, there are varying levels of good. If you ask people from the North, they’ll say that’s where you’ll find the best fish and chips. Likewise, the West Country. (Cornwall did indeed have the best fish and chips I’ve ever eaten.) Even the place near where we lived (which was no where near the ocean) did a pretty solid fish and chips, and when you’re having a bad day, you just wanted to stop in on your way home and grab some with some mushy peas to take home and make yourself feel better. Sadly, the fish and chips in the US is a subpar facsimile of the tastiness that you get from its mother country.
Great fish. Not an oily batter. The chips are actual chips not fries. Chips.
I would come back.
Great tasting Prawns(shrimp) too.
I came here expecting good things, didn’t disappoint.
The hot weather did not discourage our steps to Codmother of fish and chips. And like the name, Codmother is the Godmother of fish and chips. We just love the crispiness and the sauce. Just perfect together.
Run by these amazing young energetic women this is one of the most amazing food trucks selling fish n chips I have ever come across. If you've been around Fisherman's wharf and you don't visit this place, you've probably missed something !!
This is not a fancy restaurant and retains the street food aura. I came here for lunch and being a huge fan of fish loved their fish and chips. They are very hospitable and not only did I enjoy the food, but also had a nice little conversation with the lady at the counter. It's located in a very nice spot and I'll definitely come here the next time I visit SF.
This is one of the highest rated eateries in San Francisco, but its not a fancy restaurant like one would think. Its a food truck which serves amazing food. The portions are big, so be careful when you order or you'll end up throwing away food. Fish and chips is the trademark. They also have a combo meal which includes fish, shrimp, etc. Combo is even bigger in portion. Their dessert option, fried oreos is amazing too!
We seen good reviews of this place on zomato, so while we were in San Fransisco decided to look for it, when we found it, it had shut early because they had sold out, we were a bit upset, but knew we would be in fishermans wharf again the following day for them to have sold out so early we thought it must be good, and true enough it was the fish was great and plenty of it my husband and I shared a portion of fish and chips there were two fish it was more than enough, would definatley recommend a visit but get there early
Excellent fish and chips! I have had fish and chips multiple places and countries. It is one of my standard "good" dishes that I judge a place by. These fish and chips were some of the best I have had in this country. The last place that was comparable was in Canterbury, England. As this is much closer I am ecstatic! The portions are huge, the prices are cheap in comparison to the area. Simply a must for all those near the wharf!
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Good fish and chips, even in a metro that's basically one big port, is a rare find. Northern California is known far more for its seared tuna, cracked crab, and grilled salmon than for its fried fishy fineries. The Codmother's rise to prominence as the best restaurant in the competitive Fisherman's Wharf district, however, might signal a citywide shift from charcoal and fire to batter and oil. Not only is it undoubtedly the best basket of cod in San Francisco, the Codmother's signature dish might be the top seafood option under $15 around. Clocking in at $9.95, one unremarkable ten dollar bill gets you two crispy slabs of fresh cod stacked on a heap of crispy fries with (presumably) house made ketchup and tartar sauce. Codmother's batter is slightly puffy, lightly salted, and free from the excess oil that ruins so many other versions of the lunchtime classic. Inside, the fish is firm, yet flaky, with a distinct flavor that doesn't overpower. A single basket is more than enough to feed a hungry man; each piece of fish is nearly a foot long. Codmother is, perhaps, the perfect one trick pony because of this. They pretty much do one thing, acknowledge that, and proceed to do it stunningly well. Though the little trailer with a half dozen tables and two tents serves other dishes, none are as filling and delicious as their flagship basket of fried goodness. For a truly memorable lunch, get an order to go and split it on the pier with a gorgeous view of the Golden Gate as company.
Rating: 8.8/10
We stopped by here because they showed up as a highly recommended eating establishment in Fisherman's Wharf. We were surprised to find this is a permanent food truck, served fair style from a tiny window. The service was awesome, with the waitress clearly enjoying humorous banter with her customers. The menu consists of a large (un)healthy portion of something friend. We both ordered the cod, shrimp, and fries basket. The shrimp and fries were tasty, the cod coating was thick, and deep fried. They also offered deep-fried desserts, drinks are offered in a bottle or a can, and the dining area is a couple of sheltered picnic and patio tables screened off from Jones street. If you like your food deep fried, you'll love the Codmother. Me, I chose to walk the two miles back to my hotel afterwards to work it off!
Had lunch here & it was good, but, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Waited in line for an hour, which is fine as I don't mind waiting for good food. The fish was very fresh & flaky without excessive batter. There were 2 large pieces & plenty of fries made from Idaho potatoes. The crazy fries were crazy delicious-fries smothered with baja sauce and fresh chunky garlic. One of our orders came with battered shrimp which were good. It's all small patio outdoor seating. People sort of hover & wait for you to finish. It was good food, but I wouldn't wait in line again for an hour. If I could just walk up and get my food I would definitely eat there. This part of the city is very busy & touristy so perhaps you'd wait anywhere you went.
The chips are too thick for my taste but still okay. Wait was not bad, tartar sauce nothing special, but the cod is totally awesome!
Best Fish and Chips on the west coast.
I work around the corner, so I'm lucky!! The food is always delish!!! Service is pretty good, sometimes they get a flood of customers so there might be a wait, but it's worth it!! For desert try the deep fried snickers!!!
This is the best fish&chips HANDS DOWN! We are here visiting from Phienix & accidentally stumbled onto this hidden gem. You get big chunks of fresh fish. It's not greasy but fried to perfection. The batter is golden and crispy. It's served on some newspaper . YUM! The staff is friendly and they keep the place tidy.
The spicy fish tacos were amazing, as were the "all over ya chips!"
Legit Fish & Chips. Every bit as good as they say. Fresh and delicious.
Great fish and chips at the right price. Small place but the staff are the best make you feel like you are eating in their home.Also none of the craziness of the bigger outfits on Fishermans wharf.
Worth a shot.
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Authentic Fish and Chips.... so good!!. My belated comments (April 2012)
My wife and I have been seeking good and authentic fish and chips since the late 60s, when it seemed that many of our favorite fish and chip shops were either closing or worse, began to use frozen items, resulting in a mediocre taste, just like most other shops that had lowered their standards.
We didn't ask for much, just whitefish and fresh cut potatoes, with malt and vinegar, and then wrapped in a newspaper. Our search ended up not finding very many shops that claimed to serve the "real thing". We had no idea that our search would have to be put on hold for a while, due to our being disappointed at the lack of authenticity.
Then we hear about Codmother fish and chips, looked it up on YELP, and decided to travel 30 miles from Redwood City to give them a try (they hadn't been in business long)..
Upon our arrival on a weekday for lunch, we ordered their mainstay... fish and chips, of course!!
Our experience: We ordered and were told the wait for our food would take a bit of time, because every order is freshly cooked to order and it was very busy. We were O.K. with that, and kept our hopes up. Meanwhile, we noticed the owner, Suzanne, had already bonded with many regular customers, calling them by name. Also, she has such a great personality and attitude that is the kind that makes friends rapidly. Staff was friendly and efficient. Crew kept the area outside tidy. When our food arrived, my wife and I looked at each other as we began to eat. We didn't speak. We KNEW that what we were seeking has now been found!.
It is obvious that Suzanne puts much effort into preparing her food, because the results prove it. In fact, her Chips are not the frozen variety, and result in the most potato-ey taste, as well as their moisture content, along with their crisp exterior (you can detect the frozen kind... they are mushy and tough for the first 15 minutes, and then quickly deteriorate into deflated dried-out, greasy chunks).
My wife also had a fried Snickers bar, and though she cannot ordinarily eat a whole candy bar, ate all of her fried one in just minutes.
We will return to try out her other menu items.
Thank you, Suzanne for your excellence. We wish you continued success.
UPDATE Dec. 13, 2012: We have returned about 15 times since our initial visit, and the atmosphere and the food continues to be top-notch. For us, nothing else comes even close to every aspect of Codmother's food items, as well as the most welcoming genius and owner behind this entire operation.
She has an awesome personality, very friendly, food was wonderful & garlic fries were awesome! Would recommend! Definitely a place to stop & eat!!
Cathleen Copeland Fink
+4.5
Excellent. Authentic. Great prices.
We had an unexpectedly good meal here! The owner Suzanne ? Was very nice and we enjoyed our visit. Good luck !
Pepper in the batter was really good. Service was exceptional. Really enjoyed this. Go on... Give it a go!
I had a small portion of fish and chips. It was tasty. A "proper fish and chips". Only thing missing were the mushy peas and pickled onions.
Amazing!. Incredibly friendly service, delicious fish and chips, and decent prices! Highly recommend this food stand near the Fisherman's Wharf. On a sunny day, it can't be beat. Many thanks to the lovely woman serving up such classic fish and chips...as a former UK resident, I can appreciate the yum factor!
The fish tacos were tasty! And the German couple next to me kept raving about how great the fish and chips were.
Best fish and chips in San Francisco, expats will love it.....great big portions of proper British style grub. Suzanne the owner is really friendly too.
... it was a great find! It looks like a food truck that decided to stay put in the area and why not? The food's worth it. Suzanne, the owner, was so sweet about everything and made the experience even better than we had expected. Love her British accent too!
We shared the combo, which was fish, shrimp and fries.
Possibly the best fish I've had and the chips were super crispy. The shrimp was just ok. The tartar sauce was out of this world. The fish and shrimp would have been a little better if there was some salt/seasoning on them.
The meal was piping hot right to the last bite. The atmosphere was neat but it would have been better if there was some music playing in the background.
They have malt vinegar and other condiments on the tables.
The most awesome fish n chips my wife has had this side of the pond. The fish n chips are fresh fried to order and taste incredible.
Wholeheartedly recommend this place, we have been back multiple times.
I was craving clam chowder. Great spot for the price. Calamari was delicious. Friendly staff. Lots of sitting at the time I came here. Parking in the area is always a price to pay. Worth it.
When I say this was some of the best fried fish I've ever had, I'm not exaggerating. It was crispy, light, flaky, meaty, hot, and absolutely delicious. And they didn't need to use a beer batter! As a Muslim I can't have beer batter so finding a place without beer batter was amazing and then for it to be so freaking good was out of this world.
The fries were also perfectly done with a delicious sauce on top
Two fish tacos were just under $12. Tacos were good, not great. Be careful, the fish had just come out of the fryer and was piping hot. Waited about five minutes for the fish to cool off some. Portion size is very good. The tortillas should be grilled, they are served at room temperature. You'll have to wait about 15-20 minutes for your order to be ready. The wait is a good thing because that means they are cooking to order, your food will be freshly cooked. Next time I will definitely order the fish-shrimp-chips combo. I give this business a solid recommendation
Food quality and quantity was very good, one plate is enough for 2 person, personaly I liked mainly the French fries,fried calamari and shrimp but fried cod fish I didn't like much,
Good variety of fried seafood items! Very tasty and quick service. There're a couple of benches around the van if you want to dine in
We ordered a combo meal with shrimp, fish, and garlic cheese fries. There is plenty of food for two of us to share. Loved the light batter on the shrimp, one large piece of fish, and plenty of fries. I wish drinks were not a can of soda, but I understand when the area is on the go. There were plenty of tables, and a few had an umbrella for shade. Bathrooms are a block away and require a code, so make sure you ask for a code before walking in that direction. Highly recommend dining here and would again if in the area.
This place was packed on a weekend so my partner and I made a mental note to drop by on a weekday. Went on a Tuesday late afternoon and got a table. We shared the fish, chips and shrimp combo. The fish were fried to perfection - crisp outside and flakey on the inside. The fish was not dry at all. The deep fried shrimp was a nice touch and the fries were good. Would definitely go here again if I visit San Francisco again.
Quick, easy, and outside! This place was just what the dr ordered for my wife and I who were looking to something quick and good. My wife said she loved the flavor of the clam chowder, but the bread was a bit stale. I got the fish and chips and thought they were tasty. The fish was meaty but the breading was fairly basic. If you like that, then this is the place for you.
A not-to-be-missed chip truck in Fisherman's Wharf! Delicious, fresh fish, shrimp and chips and excellent value and portion size. The perfect spot for a quick bite while exploring the area! 👌
Probably some of the freshest fish I ever had in my life tbh.
Everything was good - personally I cannot
complain. It’s something about those “chips” that just…. Nom nom nom.
Definitely worth a try if you are in the area.
Found this cute food truck/restaurant and had to try the fish & chips. The food was delicious and very reasonably priced for San Francisco. They also have a nice little courtyard type area with picnic tables to eat at.
I brought a friend to lunch at The Codmother for Fish and Chips. Both of us agreed that the fish was delicious and freshly made. Two crispy but, not greasy, battered piece's of cod. The fries were also excellent. Thick cut, crispy outside and soft on the inside. They offer tarter sauce, and malt too. The staff was friendly as well. Street parking is tough but there are garages and lots nearby. A very good meal if your in the Pier 39 area.
Really tasty, worth walking over to from Pier 39. Seating can get a little tight, I was well after the lunch rush and still lucked out getting a table. The serving size of the regular 2 piece is generous, plenty of food. It was cooked fresh too.
We like the menu a lot with their selection of different chips. We had the combo fish with shrimps with garlic fries $22.50 and a regular fish and chips with garlic fries $20.50. My friend lucked out and received a much bigger portion of the garlic fries. This was the best part of the meal. The fish and shrimps were perfectly fried. Best eaten on the spot before the batter gets too soggy. I would have preferred a drier, more crispier batter and a single big piece of fish instead of two smaller pieces. Their chips however, were excellent. Not too big of a cut and not too small. Generous amount of garlic. Our Yelp community was correct. The hype for this food truck is real. Good job staff at the Codmother.
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