Happy Fish
4046 N Armenia Ave, Tampa, FL, 33607
Happy Fish Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Tampa for healthy meals suggestion.
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Visit below restaurant in Tampa for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
4046 N Armenia Ave
Tampa, FL, 33607 - Phone (813) 871-6953
- Website https://www.happyfishtampa.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 7:00pm
- Mon : 11:30 am - 7:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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vanessa g.
From beginning to end, Happy Fish is an excellent experience. I was immediately greeted and seated by the friendly staff and there were so many tantalizing menu options it was hard to choose one item. I opted for the Arroz chaufa de mariscos (seafood fried rice) and it was amazing, my only complaint was that the plate was humungous! The fried rice plates are definitely a 2+ person job, lots of food! I also tried a bite of my friend's ceviche which was delightful and full of flavor. I will definitely come back as it is hard to find a place with outstanding service and just as comparable menu.
(5)Stephan H.
Not only was the food incredible, the service was fast and very friendly! We'll definitely be back!
(5)Barry P.
Had ceviche dinner portion and it looked more like an appetizer. The taste was just ok.
(3)Amara G.
Shakespeare once asked ""What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Hummm. I do believe that somehow the name we were given might determine a bit of how we approach life... after all--throughout one's life everyone reinforces that word every time they speak to you...or about you...or call you. Could destiny be engraved in our names? Happy Fish would have never ever being a choice I would have made for this incredible restaurant because I found it misleading. I did not want to go there. A Peruvian place with an English name??? PLE_ PLE_PLE_PLEASE! A couple of my fabulous friends had recommended it consistently, but I kept my Mona Lisa smile and nodded my head fully knowing there would never come a time in which I would go. I am inconsistent often. Luckily. Happy Fish is a place I would return to plenty of times. The quaint corner place in the side of a shopping center deceives you. My GPS kept repeating "You have arrived at your destination" as I caught myself mouth wide open and left eyebrow rose in mocking incredulity. I became immediately skeptic, but as I opened the door I saw the place was packed with Latin American foodies. I breathed and returned smiles welcoming us. We were lucky because we took the very last table available and then a line began to form outside. People did not seem to mind the wait. The little place is decorated with colorful murals or Peruvian landscapes. The music was perfect too. We were greeted by the owner, Kevin, who cleaned, served, cashed, ordered, greeted and waved goodbye. He is on top of this very busy and wonderful eatery. Even when waiters had assigned tables they moved around and asked and served whoever needed anything. Of course we had Ceviche. We ordered two of them: Fish and octopus. Fresh seafood like few around here... The Sangre de Tigre (the white sauce of ceviche made of a tad of evaporated milk, tons of lemon juice, garlic, fish stock and onions) became the perfect gravy for the tostones (crunchy fried plantains). We could not have enough of this sauce. We asked Kevin what we ought to order and he recommended Peruvian usuals: Jalea de yuca (a huge platter of calamari, shrimp, oysters, fish topped with Yuca smothered with onions and lemon juice), Pargo frito (the best red snapper I have had since I moved to Tampa from Puerto Rico), and Arroz Chaufa (Peruvian style fried rice.) Please refrain from eating anything since the day before so that you can try to finish any of these dishes... We ate as if the Apocalypse was near; and we brought a lot of food home. We had seen our neighbor's dishes and were cautious with our ordering. There were five of us. We ordered for four... and Kevin has not realized how much money he could save if he was a tad less generous. Costumers would still flock regardless of the size of the portions. The seafood is so fresh. The taste so unique and truthful. As I roughly shook the glass sangria jar to enjoy my last glass of it, I pondered about the name... Happy Fish. I should have asked Kevin... or maybe not. I would use my existential probing as an excuse to return. Come to think of it, my seafood was perfect and it made me happy... then again Pescado Feliz does not sound as cute.
(5)Alfredo C.
Where should I start with happy fish? Every dish with a fish its delish but not a single happy fish! As soon as you walk in you will be greeted by a Peruvian waiter and asked to take a seat of your choosing. The atmosphere it's very pleasant with a relax nature and dim lightning. Perfect for a blind date or wherever you just woke up. You will also be listening to Peruvian folkloric music as the ambient sounds of choice. The food it's actually quite delicious but beware, a single dish could feed a family of four. The reason why I don't believe it deserves five stars it's because of the service. It's not bad, but it's not 5 stars worth it. Therefore I highly recommend going when you have spare time and are not in a hurry. Cheers and enjoy happy fish
(4)Evelyn G.
The waitress and cook were very attentive. The main dishes were pretty good and savory. The shrimp ceviche I had was a little tart, but delicious nonetheless. The potatoes in the fresh cheese sauce were alright. The rice mixed with mixed seafood was scrumptious and the picarones were the best thing I had at Happy Fish. Kudos to the great service.
(4)George W.
If you like Peruvian must go If you like to try something new and want something representative must go If you want an interesting family outing try it. Staff super friendly and helpful when you don't know what your getting into. Not my cup of tea but I will keep it in the short list to recommend in Tamap. Btw not all pale folks can't take the spicy. From what I see here Peruvians I challenge, trial by capsaicin.
(4)Fiorella G.
Happy Fish does not often dissapoint.. It's probably my second favorite ceviche spot in Tampa. The service is AMAZING. Every time I've gone the staff is very attentive and taken the time to explain and suggest dishes. Every single time I've gone the manager has come up and asked how the food and the service was. I like to take my friends that have never had Peruvian food to this restaurant. The place is very nicely decorated on the inside, people don't often expect that when they see where it's located: a little plaza off of Armenia Ave. I've had a couple of dishes here that have been great, and that's saying something because I am extremely picky with Peruvian food. Those that have tried lomo saltado before will love the lomo saltado here. It's seasoned a bit differently than in the traditional style but that gives it a different dimension of flavor, it's got a bit more soy sauce and the meat is very seasoned and tasty. I really like the ceviche, I don't love it (again, I'm picky). The chupe de camarones, a milk shrimp based soup, is good too! It's very large...I know it's tricky to cook and the broth aspect has always been delicious and on point but more than once my shrimp have been way over cooked. The huancaina sauce is a little runny for my taste, flavor is great though!
(4)Ben N.
TL;DR - Big plates of good food with service to match I'm not sure what impressed me more as I walked into the small unassuming restaurant, the huge portions of food or the cute abuelita polishing off one of those plates on her own. I kid you not when I say each dish can easily feed two ppl get this little lady was licking off the last few grains of rice of her meal. The food itself is really good although not life changing by any means. I've had better Peruvian food elsewhere but what makes Happy Fish special is in the value of their food. Most dinner entrees are very well priced between 10-15 bucks for what amounts to enough food to feed a small african village for a day. The star of the show is their rocoto which is a spicy lime-chile dipping sauce that they also use for their cerviche. I used that to dunk all my deep fried goodies that came with my order of Jalea con Yuca which is basically a huge mound of calamari with some fish, shrimp, and mussels thrown in. Highly recommend this because its great for sharing. The service is great and can almost be too good sometimes. We were there less than an hour but the servers and the manager came by no less than a dozen times to check up on us. Food came out quick, our waters were always filled, and if we ever needed anything we had it in minutes. My last gripe is about their sodas which they serve by the can. Once you're done, you're done. No refills. If I'm gonna pay 2 bucks for soda, I wanna be able to have unlimited refills to wash down my food #murica
(4)Tony V.
Came here as a recommendation of a friend and his Peruvian Wife. They were closing in 10 minutes when we arrived, but they still let us in, which was very nice of them. Even at closing time the food was delicious and the portions were ridiculously large. Price was more than fare and Wilson was a courteous and very pleasant server. Definitely recommend and plan to be back.
(5)Stormy D.
Lomo Saltado esta muy rico!!!! Fantastic food and great service. 4 stars only because yuca huancaina was a bit bland. Lomo Saltado (steak and onions over fries) y jalea (mixed fried seafood platter) were both very good and the sweet plantains were the best we've ever had. We will definitely be back.
(4)Scott G.
Great spot close to my office which is perfect. Anitchuhos, ceviche and lomo Saltado are my favorites. Very good flavors and the spicy sauce with antichuchos is amazing. Portions are large and price is more then fair. They have cristal beer from peru which is a must try and goes well with the food. Will be back for lunch often.
(5)Eyleen T.
The owner is literally the nicest person! The service is on point. The place is always clean as well. They're constantly asking if everything is okay or if we need anything else. I've had their ceviche which is always fresh. Their lomo Salgado full of flavor but I recommend getting an extra portion of rice. The portion sizes are enough for two people, but I usually just get my own dish and take the leftovers home. Their arroz chaufa is one of my favorite. Oh always get the salchipapas as an appetizer.
(5)Dave W.
This was my first Peruvian cuisine experience, thanks to a wonderful unofficial yelp event. I'm literally blown away. We had such a large party on a Saturday afternoon that many potential patrons were waiting outside for their turn! The service was incredibly enthusiastic as we heard about the various drinks, foods, and delicacies available. The owner made a heartfelt speech thanking us all for trying the wonders of Peruvian food. Plus, he even had a two piece band there to serenade us! Now, to the food... The ceviche was mind blowing! The flavor and quantity was beyond any reasonable expectation. The fried seafood platter was also delicious! Somehow, they quickly and lightly prepared it so every single piece of seafood, shrimp, calamari, octopus, and shellfish were moist, flaky, and perfect. The quantity was again mind blowing. I also got to try a streak, french fry, and gravy concoction that was also excellent! They offered a wide variety of other dishes but we were too stuffed to try them! Next time I have to get the whole fried fish because I saw another table order it and it looked spectacular! As for the drinks... The blue corn beverage was very unique and refreshing. Unfortunately, they had run out of the homemade variety but the bottled was very satisfying. As for Peruvian beers, they had two varieties. Rather than choose, I ordered dos cervesas and enjoyed them both. One was light and the other was more of a lager style with perfect body and flavor. Now, to the ultimate kicker... The hot sauce. They make their own from a South American pepper called rocoto. It is incredibly good and will cool you off by potentially causing you to sweat profusely. We brought it home and I'm going to savor it with our leftovers and with whatever I eat tomorrow! If you have never tried Peruvian seafood or Happy Fish, you've got to do it now!
(5)Rachel M.
Happy Fish is a restaurant packed with plates that are mountain high of Peruvian food. Peruvian plates often consist of different types of ceviche whether they are combination fried seafood plates called jalea, or cooked and marinated in lime juice. They also have a wonderfully tasty side of sweet potato and yucca, and corn nuts. They are often stacked pretty high with onions, but in my case, I asked for no onions. You often will also see lomo saltado, pollo saltado, pescado saltado, and marisco saltado. Saltado means sauted, and respectively they are either with steak, chicken, fish, or mixed seafood. They saute it with soy sauce, and vinegar, and often have it with tomatoes, a mountain of onions, and side of white rice. Happy Fish, in my opinion, has the best lomo saltado out of all the Peruvian restaurants I have tried. I have also tried their mariscos a lo mancho which is a mixed seafood in a creamy sauce. In addition, I have tried the anticucho(sauted beef heart kabobs), and the papas and yuca a la huancaina(this is a traditional peruvian appetizer cold side dish of potatoes or fried yuca in a creamy cool cheese sauce). This was my least favorite because I do not like it cool. I would like it warm. Based on going to different peruvian restaurants, these are traditionally the dishes you will find at these restaurants. There are quite a bit of options available on the menu. It's not just fish. There are options for the meat eaters too. I thoroughly enjoyed Happy Fish, and if in the mood, or I would like family or friends to try Peruvian food, this would be my first choice.
(5)Boon C.
This is interesting Peruvian restaurant. They serve a special dish of the beef heart. It is a delicacy item that slice into pieces and grilled. Ana M is kind to let me try this dish. Be brave and order this appetizer. It tastes like regular beef meat. Thank to Steve to organize the UYE Latin Crawler to get to know this restaurant the first time. The ambient is nice and the restaurant is pack with people during lunch time. We have the free sample on the appetizer with potato or fried yucca in cream cheese sauce. I like the yucca with cream cheese. My entree is fried fish top with shrimp, mussel, and squid in fish broth. The restaurant did a good job on the on the fish broth. If you use the can fish broth, you need to be careful on the saltiness in the mix. This restaurant is balance their broth with a good technique not to overpower the taste and maintain light level of salty. The squid is well prepared with the softness of the texture. The shrimp count may be in the range of 10 to 15 counts a pound which means larger shrimp. When the restaurant prepares seafood you are looking for the fresh material. The seafood is really fresh and keeps in the quality. This is a restaurant serve a lot ceviche, Peruvian stir fried or deep fried. I would said they are definite are very good on this end. I have not tried their grilled meat dish and that is yet to come. Service is a bit headache since we have a group of 30. They may be able to improve at in this end when they facing busy condition.
(5)Derek C.
This place is awesome! My 2 coworkers and I stopped by Happy Fish on our business trip to Tampa, and it was by far the best decision we made during our trip! For starters, the owner, Kevin was super nice! He walked the three of us through the entire menu and continually checked up on us throughout our entire meal. Kevin clearly cares about the people that he feeds and tries to give everyone an excellent experience. The food was fantastic! You have to try to Ceviche! It was truly unforgettable! The seabass and shrimp were extremely fresh, and really everything that we tried tasted great! I would also highly recommend the Jalea and Lomo Saltado. In short, just give this place a try, you won't regret it!
(5)Carlos P.
Since they changed ownership it's. Not the same. There's a waiter that says that his brother in law owns,the restaurant abs he just treat people without respect . Then I went one night to eat and the owner was very nice he opened the door , but he was drunk , so we left . If these is what I see when I walk in there what should I expect from the food . 2 thumbs down
(1)Mike S.
Another family visit. The food quality continues to be top notch. Unquestionably my favorite Peruvian place in Tampa and I have tried several. The Ceviche is the signature dish I order repeatedly....and it is as good as always. My wife enjoyed the lomo and this time we also sampled dessert....the fresh-fried donuts with caramelized sugar sauce like flan. Also notable this time was extremely efficient service, with the owner/manager watching every table, directing servers, and pitching in to help. Every wish was anticiipated and all servers were pleasant and repeatedly asked if all was well even on a crowded evening with lots of large family parties. A credit to our neighborhood
(4)Steve E.
Almost two years to the day from my original review of Happy Fish Peruvian Fusion Restaurant, and it is time for an update. Happy Fish will be one of the sites of our first "Latin Crawl" event for 2015, and so I needed to go back and coordinate details with the owner / chef. You'll find Happy Fish along Armenia Avenue in the Winn-Dixie shopping center, just north of Tampa Bay Boulevard. If you're coming from the south it's best to take Howard Avenue north until it rejoins with Armenia. Once through the traffic light at Tampa Bay Blvd. you'll see a McDonald's on your right, and the shopping center on your left. Happy Fish is located right in the middle of this L-shaped shopping center, next to the grocery store. Happy Fish has a new owner named Kevin, and he has improved the appearance of the restaurant by replacing the tables and chairs, adding new colorful murals to the walls, as well as adding some new items to the menu. He has also taught his staff how to interact with customers who are not familiar with Peruvian food, and they really go out of their way to explain the ingredients and preparation of the various dishes. All very positive changes. The food is just as glorious as before with a number of delicious seafood, beef, chicken, pork, and native dishes which will keep your taste buds very happy! Many of us are familiar with ceviche which is made with a variety of fish and seafood that has been marinated in citrus juice, but very few of us have experience this dish in the Peruvian style with sweet potato, yucca, and two different styles of dried and puffed corn, and then served on a platter for sharing. Seafood is the centerpiece of this restaurant with delicious platters of fish and seafood that has been sautéed, fried, and served up Lo Mein style. You'll be quite surprised to try Peruvian-style fried rice, known as Chaufa, and find yourself comparing that to something you'd find in an Asian restaurant -- only better. For the meat lovers, you can't go wrong with platters of Lomo Saltado or one of the Palomilla steak options served with sides like sautéed tomatoes, onions and herbaceous spices over rice. If chicken is your thing, then try it as Peruvian-style chicken fried rice, or Lo Mein style. Of course, you can always get the popular Latin standby of grilled chicken breast with rice and beans. There is a new dessert item known as Picarones which are very light, beignet-style, Peruvian donuts drizzled with cane sugar syrup that has been infused with orange zest. Very filling and very delicious. You'll never go back to Krispy Kremes after trying these! Happy Fish has all of your favorite Coke products, along with Inka Kola, Chicha Morada, fruit juices, beer, wine, and pitchers of sangria. Chef Kevin and his team will be ready for the Tampa Yelpers on February 21st, and he has promised to speak with us about the history & culture of Peru, as well as the interesting mix of cultures which form the basis for Peruvian cuisine. If you can join us on that date then we look forward to seeing you (Details are here: yelp.com/events/tampa-uy… ). If you're not able to join us on the 21st, then please give this restaurant a try the next time that you're in the Armenia Avenue area.
(5)Anna M.
I have been frequenting Happy Fish for many years. I was sad last year to hear that former owners decided to move overseas. I used to eat here so much that I actually became friends with their son, Percy, and we still keep in touch, even though he has moved away, too. Luckily, the transition to the new owner, Kevin, has been a smooth one. Kevin has done a great job in taking over. He has totally remodeled the interior and it looks beautiful. Kevin's passion for Happy Fish is evident when he talks about his food and his restaurant. I have had most everything on Happy Fish's menu and you can't go wrong with anything you order. Some of my favorite appetizers are the Salchipapas (French fries and sliced hot dogs) and the Anticuchos (Grilled Beef Heart marinated in Steak Sauce). The lunch specials are a great value. I normally order the ceviche special which also includes their delicious Chcken Noodle soup or Papa Huancaina, which are potatoes cooked in a creamy sauce. The portion of ceviche you are served is huge. I always end up taking leftovers home and it is good for about two more meals for me. Other entrees I enjoy other than the Ceviche Mixto are the Jalea Mixto (lightly breaded fish, shrimp, calamari, and mussels), the Chaufa (Fried Rice with Chicken, Beef, or Seafood), and the Lomo Saltado (Lean Beef). Although I try to stay away from soda, I have to always order an Inca Cola to wash my food down. If you have never tried one, you are depriving yourself. It is a delicious sweet soda with a huge caffeine jolt. Kevin, William, and his staff are very friendly and a pleasure to deal with. Sometimes, there may be a language barrier or two, but just be patient. Kevin cares about his customers and leaves the kitchen often to check in with his patrons. I stopped by yesterday to assist my Yelp friend, Steve, with the UYE details with our Latin Crawl happening on 2/21/15. Kevin graciously treated us to a wonderful Peruvian dessert, Picarones. It was a pastry topped with a delicious sweet sauce that normally takes 4-5 hours to make. It was so sinfully good. If you haven't tried Happy Fish, it is a moral imperative in my book. You will definitely want to come back again and again.
(5)Windy C.
Great Peruvian food served in huge quantities enough for two normal people or one monsterous appetite. Prices are very reasonable considering the amount of food served and it's quality. Tucked away in a corner of Fiesta Plaza, it is much roomier on the inside than it appears outside. I saw it as a good sign that it was crowded even at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The servers and the owner were very helpful and accommodating. If you like or would like to try Peruvian cuisine, put this on your list of places to go.
(4)Sydney B.
Happy Fish just keeps getting better. I've been there for lunch occasionally over the last few years, when I've had a craving for the Lomo Soltado. The dish was suggested by a friend, otherwise I would have been lost as the wait staff spoke only Spanish. Last night we went for dinner, the wait staff was bilingual and could describe the recipes, so we tried some new things that were awesome! Now I'll be craving more than the Lomo Soltado, which is wonderful.
(4)Sasha P.
I went to Happy Fish for my first UYE Latin Crawl. It was stop #2 on the crawl and I truly thought I wouldn't order anything because frankly, I was full from stop #1. However, I couldn't stop myself from trying out a few appetizers and ordering an entree. A Yelper's gotta do what a Yelper's gotta do! Let's just say that I really, really, really like this place. They make their own chicha (purple corn drink), rocoto hot sauce and fruit juices in house. William, owner Kevin's brother, told me that they get their peppers and fruits in Miami so when they run out, they're out until they can make another trip. At Happy Fish, it is a family affair and I absolutely love it. They really care about their patrons and it shows in their efforts to please. Also, they are extremely enthusiastic about Peruvian cuisine, which makes it all the better a place to support! For starters, Kevin was gracious enough to provide us with two appetizers to try: Papa a la Huancaina (potatoes covered in a creamy cheese sauce) and Yuca a la Huancaina (yuca covered in the same yummy sauce). These were both simple yet delicious appetizers. I was a bigger fan of the yuca dish, simply because I love fried yuca. A fellow Yelper ordered the Anticuchos, which were slices of marinated and grilled beef heart. I'm not a big fan of the iron-rich flavor that is typical of beef heart. However, the slice I tried was pretty good in combination with the hot sauce, which subdued some of the heart flavor. For entrees, my husband and I ordered the Lomo Saltado to share, which was BY FAR the best dish I have ever had in a Peruvian restaurant. It had strips of steak with red onions and tomato wedges, cooked in soy sauce, all on a bed of french fries and sprinkled with cilantro, a cup of white rice on the side. Honestly, the soy sauce is what brought this dish to LIFE! Who knew tomatoes were good with soy sauce? I would go to Happy Fish just for this dish alone and be the happiest person alive. Other fellow Yelpers across from us ordered the Jalea and Ceviche Mixto. I tried a few bites of the Jalea and let me just say that is was unique. I could literally taste the corn in the batter. Not fake corn. This was real, grade-A corn. Mucho props to Happy Fish! Lastly, one of my neighbor Yelpers ordered the Picarones, which are Peruvian style donuts covered in a sweet syrup. These looked like onion rings but were light and crispy in texture with just the right amount of sweetness. Really yummy! Needless to say but I'm excited to come back to Happy Fish and try other menu items! :-)
(5)Jeremy F.
Having spent a lot of time in Lima, we really enjoy eating good Peruvian food. Happy Fish is just that, great Peruvian food. I would highly recommend the Ceviche and Anticuchos for an appetizer; they are excellent here. We also really enjoyed the Lomo Saltado (which was huge) as a main course. Great Food & Great Service!!
(5)Yvonne B.
We regularly go to Happy Fish because the food is amazing and the service is wonderful. We have never had anything bad here. Most people go to the "main" restaurants that friends talk about but everyone should try Happy Fish for authentic delicious peruvian food. It will be worth your time. The BEST ceviche in all of Tampa and surrounding areas. Try it for yourself.
(5)S S.
This is a great little find in Tampa. Ceviche is awesome, beef stew had great flavor! Great service, must come back!
(5)Sue N.
Where better to eat on 4th of July than a Peruvian restaurant! Don't you just love trying ethnic foods? And to see when Chinese blends with Mexican which blends with Spanish..... It's not only about the food, it's also a history lesson. We stopped here for lunch today because I've been looking for good fresh Cerviche in this area. So of course I ordered Cerviche da Camarones ($13.99). The shrimp were large and tender. Flavor of the lemon/ lime juice and the cilantro was awesome. Topped off with thin cut red onion...delish !!!! It came with a 1/2 sweet potato, yucca, some funky but awesome cooked yet crispy corn kernels (don't remember what it's called, think Corn Nuts!) and some hominy. Pretty interesting!! Loved it and ate all except the yucca, just don't like the texture. Hubby had the Loma Saltado (12.99) which is beef sautéed with onion & tomatoes over French fries with a side of white rice. That beef was to die for!!! Dessert had to be the most pleasant surprise and nearly knocked my socks off (if I were wearing any) for such a simple dish. The Picarones (4.99) were freshly cooked "Peruvian" donuts with a side of homemade sugar cane syrup (like a not so thick molasses). OMG!! I think these rivaled my all time favorite Cafe Du Monde Beignets and Iggy's Doughboys!!! Light, warm and the dipping sauce made these the perfect ending to our meal. Kevin, the owner was extremely nice and informative. He not only waited on us but explained every dish to us, made recommendations, and truly cared about his business. The decor is typical strip mall decor, but this had a beautiful hand painted mural on the wall. Clean, not crowded and ohhhh, the food. Happy Fish made me a "Happy Pappi" !!! I'd give it the extra 1/2 star if they had it, but the cost and location just doesn't make it 5 stars. $38.00 plus tip is a bit expensive for lunch. Where's that 1/2 star Yelp!!!!
(4)Dani I.
So as everyone knows I'm a Peruvian food snob and I've said it before.....hard to find a Peruvian restaurant in the area but I've heard about happy fish so we tried it. Ok so we show up kind of last minute...they were extremely busy but the seated us within 10 minutes. Ordered the papa la huancaina and def lacking. Ordered the ceviche as well. And it was as legit as legit gets. BF ordered the lomo which was ehhh. The meat was a little too chewy. Finished off with Picarones and they did not disappoint.
(4)Ric R.
Honestly, not sure how this place has garnered such a high rating here. For my wife and I the experience was average. We started off with the calamari that was overcooked. The owner offered us another but we declined since our entrees would be arriving soon. Yes, you get a ton of food here, my mixed seafood with chicken and steak could have easily fed a family of four. The issue, the rice was clumpy and overcooked and most of the meat/seafood items was diced up into such small pieces they were indiscernible. They also added way too much cumin to the plate almost to the point of it overpowering all the other flavors. This restaurant does have fantastic service and the wait staff and owner are all friendly and aim to please their customers. For the area of West Tampa my experience is average.
(3)Eric H.
Friendly server and owner.
(5)Mailoha A.
Their food is super tasty and the staff is really friendly. I wish they were open later but I recommend this place for sure!
(5)Myra P.
My friend Caroline heard great feed back about this restaurant. So we decide to meet here today. Everything thing started off ok. . My friends seafood dish came out later bulled and tasted amazing.sSeafood waslm fresh from restaurant depot. So far so good. Right? Well as we were wrapping up the waitress came over with spilt bills and we hand over our credit cards. Evidently there was a problem with my card, and as I look up towards the counter the owner yells at me and demands that I go up and see him . I notice he is having trouble with my credit card that has the chip installed which means he needs to process it in a different manner, but he doesn't have the latest equipment, so I handed him a different card and as I make my way back to my table to finish up my glass of wine, one of the patrons ask me "you just got sized" I wasn't sure what he meant til I spoke with him. a little more now he's worried because he too has a credit card with a chip. Here is my question. When there is an issue with your credit card (in this case a new chip). The restaurant was not up to date with technology. How do handle it? In this situation it was mortifying.
(2)Magda R.
Huge portions ! I had the jalea ,it was awesome. I would have enjoyed something spicy with it, but I can understand not everybody likes spicy. I also tried the traditional corn drink, chicha Morada didn't enjoy it I think the corn taste was very overpowering. Place was clean. Service could have been better, perhaps they were understaffed that day, I went during lunchtime on a weekday.
(4)Kerry B.
What a great Peruvian restaurant. The service was wonderful and the food was excellent. The ceviche was delicious and one of the best I've had. I highly recommend Happy Fish!
(5)Matthias E.
Excellent food and great service, good prices! I'm glad I tried it. I'll definitely be back!
(4)Frank N.
Always looking for new places, especially when wife is craving ceviche. A quick Yelp search yielded up "Happy Fish". So where better to go to on the 4th of July than what the place calls itself "Peruvian Fusion". A little research revealed that Peru experienced an influx of Chinese immigrants after Peru freed their slaves in 1854. The Chinese have had a major impact on Peru and its cuisine. This was very evident at Happy Fish as I will point out. The name itself sounds like it could be Chinese. Wife ordered the Ceviche Camarones. It came out cold, fresh, piled high with red onion and with hominy, corn nuts, half a sweet potato and a chunk of yucca. She loved it. I ordered Lomo Saltado. Beef sautéed with onion and tomato piled on a bed of French fries and with a serving of white rice. It was fabulous. Rich, tasty and tender. Wife and I shared plates and we devoured both. My dish resembled Mongolian Beef, especially when eaten with the rice. The fries were an odd thing but it didn't hurt the dish. We had little freshly made donuts for desert served with a syrup made from cane sugar with other flavors. This was also excellent. We were waited on and served by Kevin who turned out to be the owner. Seems he was short handed that day. Needless to say our service was excellent. Kevin is an owner who cares about his food and customers. He explained all the dishes that came out. The cost for this lunch was over $40 with tip so it is not cheap but....the food is first rate and the portion generous. It was a great meal and a great find. I would have rated it 4 and half stars if Yelp would let us.
(4)Ryan D.
I love Peruvian food and when I saw this Place with its reviews, I had to see for myself. I was not impressed. The food was okay. My wife ordered the Jalea Mixta (mixed fried seafood), which was pretty good, and I ordered Pescado a lo Macho (fried fish with a seafood sauce). First off, my dish came out 12 minutes after my wife received her food. 2nd, when I've ordered this dish from other restaurants, the sauce is creamy and this one was like a broth. Not horrible but not great. Just okay. The service was the worst part. Other than the food not coming out together, it was difficult to get a refill on my drink and nobody stopped by once to see if we liked our food or if we needed anything. To end it all, it took 10 minutes to get my bill. Probably will not be back and will not recommend. There is a better Peruvian Restaurant in Sarasota called Peruvian Grill. That is a 5 star place.
(2)Allison D.
This is where I tried Peruvian food for the first time. I was CRAVING Happy Fish ceviche! We ordered 2 ceviches to go but just before we got there we decided to stay. They had our plates ready at the bar since it was so busy. We had asked the Ceviche be a mild spice because I can't handle a lot of spice in a dish. It was a bit more spicy than I could handle and Kevin, the owner, was super helpful for me to get more lime in the ceviche. It came back was overly acidic in taste. I felt super bad asking him to neutralize it with the milk but he reassured me it was no problem. It was perfect! We had leche volteada for dessert. Freaking fantastic. If you like flan, you will love this! The owner is super nice, great service and I can't wait to come back!!
(5)Jake K.
In March I visited Tampa and found happy fish with a friend of mine. The service here was unparalleled. unfamiliar with the types of food they offered (since it is authentic), our waitress kindly explained our options and gave us samples. She she was of the kindest most attentive waitresses I have ever met. Everyone in the restaurant gets the meaning of providing an excellent experience. This isn't even to mention the quality of the food. 5stars
(5)Ohad G.
I have just visited this restaurant for the first time and also it is the first time I am eating Peruvian food. This place is excellent!!! The food is fresh and the ingredients are in high quality. The service I very good, our waitress gave us great recommendations for starters (take the citrus mussels you will not regret it) and main dishes (great place for fish and seafood( Great value for money and the portions are huge. It is fine dining with a family tone of cooking. Bottom like it was great!
(5)Keishla M.
Amazing Peruvian food. Love coming here with family and friends after church. Great service. Manager is always making sure everything is running smoothly and u have everything u need.
(5)Clara S.
Came here because I saw on trip advisor that had great reviews. The service was amazing. Everyone there was very friendly and helpful, and the owner, Kevin, came to check on us (super nice guy). My husband and I got the ceviche mix and another dish eight fried fish, shrimp, and calamari (can't remember the name of the dish.. Sorrrrrrryyyyy). Both were huge portions and DELICIOUS. They also have a huge TV so we were watching the sweet sixteen at the same time. Would definitely go again if I lived around here.
(5)Denise S.
The portions are ridiculous! The food is delicious! And the service is attentive! Happy Fish left me very happy!
(5)Alma N.
This restaurant is great!!!!!! Let's just start saying that is clean, the servers are clean and friendly. Now moving on to the menu the food prices are average but you definitely forget about this prices when you receive your meals, is amazing the quantity of food that you get but the most important thing is the quality of the food OMG one of the best plates I ever eaten. Chaufa seafood is super delicious and I took more than half of the plate home
(5)Ben C.
Happy! What a wonderful surprise. Stumbled upon during a visit to Tampa with family. Based on reviews we decided to try. My wife and I demolished the mixed civeche, it was great. Our children (ages 5 and 7) shared the steak with rice, plantain, and eggs. The staff was very helpful and immensely friendly. I would recommend to anyone who likes good food and has a big appetite.
(5)Derek H.
One of my favorite restaurants in Tampa bay. Excellent customer service, they strive to make you feel like your the only person there. Their ceviche and chaufa are excellent. Just the thought is mouth watering.
(5)Fabian M.
Fish happy, me happy. I usually say that I will come back to the place at the end of my review, or at the end of my meal. I knew I needed to come back when I saw the menu at this place, it's so diverse that I can't really rate the restaurant comfortably. The personal attention of the owner and the helpful attitude of the staff was very inviting and made it easy to understand my options. It's great that there is a book with a picture of every dish. I'm Colombian and we are close to Peru, still they have a very unique cuisine that I'm yet to master. They are very famous for their ceviche so I went with it. I thought it was very good but I'd prefer it as appetizer instead of being the main course. In my opinion it's to acidic fro a large portion. I would have had three bites and it would have been perfect. They served it with a side of potatoes with the famous "salsa huancaina" and I liked it (I added some salt). The fish ceviche was served with some toasted puffy corn... interesting, it help me offset the strength of the citrusy red onions added to the fish. I'd have it again, as an appetizer shared with one more person. I liked the fried noodles they give you when you get in and they serve it with a green creamy sauce. I had a "chicha morada:" Wikipedia says: "Chicha morada is a sweet Peruvian beverage made from purple corn, a variant of Zea mays native to the Peruvian Andes, and spices. Non-alcoholic, it is a type of chicha usually made by boiling the corn with pineapple, cinnamon, clove, and sugar. Its use and consumption date back to the pre-colonial era of Peru, even prior to the creation of the Inca empire." Pretty cool huh! Yes, I will be back with a group of my skinny friends so I can try many dishes next time. They have a lunch menu and I saw most their dishes here under $10.
(4)Super S.
I first found Happy Fish when I was down in Tampa for a job interview from Gainesville, FL. I LOVE ceviche and get cravings for it all the time...and if there is one thing I know, its that Peruvian ceviche is the ONLY ceviche!! Its the BEST ! This place is beyond amazing. The potion sizes are HUGE. The prices are totally fair for the amount of food you are getting. When you sit down you get a little bowl of crunchy chips and some delicious green avacadoish dipping sauce Its so good. Aside from the food which is 5 stars, the management is world class. The owner gave me a free Peruvian soda the first time I was there- just to try it. The second time, I went back with my boyfriend and his cousin, and he gave us a free dessert to try. Needless to say, it is the little things like that that will keep me coming back. I advice anyone who likes being treated great, eat delicious food, and enjoy a Peruvian atmosphere to go to Happy Fish!! *The only thing is that its kind of hard to find, its in a strip mall right next to Winn-Dixie- a hidden jewel!
(5)Cameron G.
I hate to give a restaurant a bad rating for not having anything vegetarian (especially when a meat is in the name), but I'm only one vote. I went with a meat eater, hoping that that HF would have at least one vegetarian meal. They didn't. Instead I had to eat a meal of sides: caesar salad, tostones, and yuca con something (I think garlic and butter). Each was pretty good but not a meal. (I didn't really want to order a caesar salad at a Peruvian restaurant, but I didn't have any other option.) Also, before we ordered, we were served something like chips with a green dip. The dip was great, but the chip substitute wasn't very good. It reminded me a little of fried Chinese wonton crisps.
(2)Jayme H.
I love ceviche and have had a hard time finding a place I love...but Tampa we have hit the jackpot! The flavored are amazing, the staff is warm and honestly care about your experience, and did I mention that food was amazing! I live about 45 minutes away and it is worth every minute of 275 traffic! Life time customer!
(5)April M.
Location isn't always everything. They're in a shady type strip mall but don't let that sway you. The inside is clean open and the service is great. William walked over and introduced himself to us and asked how we found them. He was very pleased. Food was great and plenty of it. I would definitely return when I return Tampa.
(4)Claudio P.
I was at this place and the food here isn't fresh at all. The food was not satisfying at all.
(1)Rafael C.
Only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because of the time they have; besides that the food is amazing. Found it by mistake and must say it was a great mistake, the service is always fast and there is so much food that you are destined to take some home.
(4)Coty S.
Happy Fish has the best ceviche I have ever had in my entire life. I could pretty much just sum up the entire review with just that sentence... However, please allow me to elaborate. Peruvian cuisine is perfect for me because it has Chinese influence. The complimentary crispy wontons with creamy dipping sauce remind me of that as soon as I am seated. The freshest and most flavorful seafood you have ever had in your entire life and pile it high on a platter for under $13. I just want to eat it with chopstix, because it is definitely better than any seafood dish I have had at a sushi restaurant. The flavors punch me in the face with a mix of sweet, sour lime, pungent onion, and a mix of textures. My favorite is the Ceviche Mixto with snappy shrimp, tender squid, and perfect morsels of fish. Presentation is colorful, and if you keep digging, you will find more in the fountain of seafood fluffiness. Wash it down with a glass of iced Chicha Morada (purple corn drink), and probably according to RuPaul---I'm a Happy Fish. Nothing at Happy Fish is done in small portions, so bring your appetite and some Pyrex. Also, maybe a pair of chopstix.
(5)Josef K.
Absolutely a fantastic place to eat in Tampa. The food was fresh and delicious, and the owner, just a super nice gentleman! He and his staff were very accommodating and it was an all around terrific experience. I highly recommend Happy Fish!
(4)Anita H.
Visited for the first time today for lunch. Had the shrimp ceviche. Was absolutely delicious. Plan on going back this weekend with my husband for dinner. Highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Katy S.
This was my first experience with Peruvian food. On a Latin American food crawl with a bunch of other Yelpers, I didn't really know what to expect. I have now learned what to expect from Happy Fish: 1. Fresh and tasty Ceviche - some of the best I have had with some interesting sides. 2. Great Sangria! I consider myself to a be a Sangria aficionado and this stuff was quite good. This was our middle stop on the crawl, so I really didn't try that much, but I would definitely be interested in coming back and sampling more of the cuisine.
(4)Daniel S.
Excellent Ceviche, outstanding service, reasonably priced. Definitely the best Peruvian we have found in this area. We will be back!
(5)Deb F.
Some of the best restaurants we've discovered have been in strip centers. While not fancy, it's clean and quaint and the food was spectacular. Service was excellent, thanks Sheila and Kevin. We had the Pescado a la Macho (seafood soup) and it was really delicious. The fish was so light and delicate and the broth was packed with flavor. The rice was tender and really seasoned well. Honestly, we over ordered for two people, but everything looked so good, we had to try more. It was a seafood night for us, so the Pargo Frito (red snapper) with two sides (Sweet Plaintains and Yucca con Mojo) was in order. The plaintains were crispy outside and soft and luscious inside. The yucca was so flavorful and tender. We had more than we could finish, but we heard the couple behind us raving about the Crema Volteada so not to be left out..... It was the perfect size of cream, white chocolate and cinnamon and we loved it. Sweet perfection. We will definitely be back. Great for a couple or a group. Can't wait to take friends and family.
(5)Jennifer M.
What fabulous food and seevice- give it a try- be brave! I had the sound of the day and octopus ceviche, and my cousin had the grilled chicken platter- both were great!
(5)SH K.
Was back this weekend after an initial visit about 2 months ago. First off, the food is good. Had the fish ceviche both times, and the fried rice. What really bugs me about the place is the hapless service. Good natured staff, but they seem to be dis-organized and a little un-trained. In my 40 min there this weekend, I saw things being dropped several times, drinks spilled once at the table, and my feet being stepped on.
(3)Katie K.
Best Peruvian food I've had since I was in Peru. Ceviche and jalea were so fresh and delicious. Our waitress, Sheila was helpful and very attentive. Awesome restaurant!
(5)Ron B.
Excellent food, great prices. I got a paella style dish, seafood and yellow rice. Also sampled the dishes of others with me and everything was delicious. Will definitely be back.
(5)Honest C.
I ordered the Lomo Saltado, which is beef sauteed with onions, tomatoes,, herbs over fries and a side of rice.the portion was huge for the money, it could feed 2 moderately hungry people. I also tried a friend mixed Ceviche, wow also amazing. It was one of, if not the best Spanish dishes I have ever eaten. The owner Kevin was walking by and asked us how the meal was and got us drinks, he is a owner that works hard. If your are on the fence about going here do it. You can spend more money and not get food this great.
(5)Wendy Harding H.
So I found this under "seafood" on Yelp and just what you wouldn't expect from such a hidden restaurants... The best kept secret...Ceviche that's out of the world GOOD. I will never (and you will never) find ceviche like this and such nice portions for the price, too. We had the owner and another server serving & they were very helpful with understanding the menu, but better yet? ...They have this VIDEO going that shows the preparation of the different dishes they serve from start to finish! Just watch the video and you'll decide quickly what your taste buds are craving. This will be one of me new regular spots.
(5)Ariel C.
It is my first time passing through Tampa and I had no idea where to go, and selected Happy fish based on the reviews on trip advisor and yelp. So happy we came here, very authentic delicious food in generous portions at reasonable pricea. Fresh fish and vegetables, which is great because I am trying to eat healthy. Friendly waitstaff
(5)Omar M.
It's a must destination. With plenty of food to take home. Every dish was super delicious.
(5)John S.
The best ceviche in Tampa! Very friendly and helpful staff. The portions are enormous and everything was cooked to perfection. I highly recommend it!
(4)Morton Z.
Came here to eat with a friend and his family. I got the bistec a lo pobre, steak with potatoes (fries) and egg. The portions are fairly large and the food is pretty good. The service is great! The owner is very courteous and actually goes around to every table to make sure everything is going well. I would recommend this place to someone looking to eat some Peruvian food. Thumbs up!
(5)Carlos F.
World class ceviche!!! The whole fried fish was outstanding! The seafood a lo Macho was terrific!! One of the best meals I've ever had! Utterly fantastic!
(5)Katrina P.
I am a huge lover of restaurants that are unique, small businesses, and offer good food at good prices that fit in our newlywed budget, enter Happy Fish. After church, we headed to Happy Fish since I know my husband is down to try new places and I'd only been here one other time and was craving it since then. Happy Fish is a small restaurant hidden in the back of a shopping plaza, that's the only down side to the experience. It'd be easier if it were in its own, but that's ok I'll still go ;) Food - fabulous. I would describe Peruvian food as a mix between Asian food and Cuban food and Latin food. It makes no sense but that's all I got. I've tried the ceviche and today we shared the palomino steak with fried egg, fries, plantains, white beans, yuca, and salad. This brings me to my next point... Portions - Huge. You definitely get a lot for your money! Portions are big enough to share for sure! Our friends also got a lo mein dish and shared plus had leftovers! Service - pleasant and friendly staff who is helpful to help you decide in what to get inf you ask questions and are a newbie. Overall - if you're wanting to try a new restaurant with a casual feel and unique food, this is the place!
(4)Jenn M.
Excellent ceviche! With freshness like that, I cannot wait to try more of their menu!
(4)Tamara M.
We loved our meal at Happy Fish. With an extreme craving for ceviche pushing us along, we were really hoping for something great. Yelp reviews led us here, and we weren't disappointed. The menu says "Peruvian Fusion," and they do seem to have a variety of dishes for different palates. We went traditional, with Papa a la Huancaina, which came with a nice version of the traditional creamy cheese sauce. We also had their ceviche mixto. This was a beautiful, generous presentation and a nice portion of fresh fish, shrimp, octopus/squid, etc. We said spicy was fine, but it wasn't overly picante, so ask for hot if you like it that way! Prices were fair, and service was friendly and helpful.
(4)Theresa A.
We are visiting from Jacksonville Beach, FL. We came in and had ceviche, fried red snapper with sweet plantains, a soup (parihuela) with fish, shrimp, squid, octopus and cilantro, that was made with a tomato base with a side of yellow rice. The food was fantastic. The service was great and very friendly.
(5)TJ T.
I've been dying to eat at Happy Fish after having heard so much about it. Unfortunately, I probably will never go back. My friends and I ate here on a Sat late afternoon. The plaza of which HF is located is super crowded, lots of people parking, leaving, sitting in their cars, etc. Be sure to park far away from the crowd if you don't want any scratches and dents on your car. The restaurant is of decent size and has a mom and pop feel. The menu is of decent size and I'm guessing lots of non-Latinos eat here because there's also a photo album of the different dishes offered, which was very helpful. I went there already knowing what I'm going to try, the ceviche. 4 out of the 6 of us ordered the Ceviche Mixto (fish and shrimp), the other 2 ordered pork chop and steak. I think most of us enjoyed the ceviche, except me. Either I don't know what real Peruvian food is, or it really is just not good. Not that it was bad; it was just mediocre. I've definitely had better ceviche elsewhere, ie. Terra Sur Cafe and a place that is now closed in the plaza at Hillsborough and Sheldon. I miss that place. Oh, and I definitely can better ceviche. Why didn't I like the ceviche. For starter, I think the fish is too cooked. Perhaps it was marinated in the limes/lemons too long? Maybe that's how Peruvian ceviche is? I don't know; all I know is that I don't like it marinating too long. Biting into it I can tell there was no part of the fish that is raw. Second, I had ordered it spicy, but it was not spicy. We asked for the spiciest sauce available and I poured it on, but it wasn't spicy. And third, there was too much chopped onion. Yes, the onion was on top of the ceviche so we could push it aside, and all of us did just that. What I did like were the side items. Love the giant kernel corn (hominy), yuca and sweet potato. Wish I had some plantains though. Unfortunately, by the time I wanted to add it, the server said it'd take way too long because there are lots of orders ahead of me. The Ceviche Mixto is $14 and the portion is pretty decent. Most of us had a little bit of leftover to take home. My friends who didn't order ceviche expressed disappointment in their dishes as well (pork chop and steak). One of my friends ordered the beef tongue appetizer and gave each of us a taste. Disappointingly, no one liked it because it tasted like either it was cooked in vinegar or soaked in it before/after cooking. I've had beef tongue at another local Peruvian restaurant and it did not taste vinegary. Once again, maybe this is how it should be? I just know that I don't like it. Let's talk about the service. It was good that our server had enough patience for us because we did take about 30 min to decide what we want to eat. However, my friends asked multiple times for a certain sauce and was forgotten all of those times, until a friend who speaks Spanish asked. Unfortunately, the sauce finally arrived after we were all finished with our meals. The food came out one dish at a time and a couple of us had to wait a very long time to get ours, I was one of them. We were beginning to think they had forgotten us. One dish that was supposed to be for another customer was given to us, then got taken back after our friend had already started eating it. A waitress who only speaks Spanish thought we wanted to order a dish when we asked her what the dish was. Maybe that was our fault for asking. At the end of our meal, it took forever for the waiter to bring us the check. In fact, since we waited so long and no check, I thought it might be like a deli where you walk up to the register and tell the employee what you had ordered and he takes your payment. But no, we were supposed to wait for the check. Which finally came after about 10 min more of waiting. To sum it up, 3 out of 6 of us were disappointed with Happy Fish's food and all of us were disappointed in the service. I'm positive the 3 of us will never come back. My search for good ceviche continues...
(3)Peter C.
Great food and service! I was looking for a Peruvian restaurant to add to my ethnic food list of places to go and found this one. I will definitely be a regular customer here from now on!
(5)Cassidy M.
This place is awesome. The snapper is amazing with chicken friend rice. Very large portions. Bring your appetite and extra pair of pants.. Lol
(5)JaxMan T.
Lovely family run restaurant with best Ceviche in the bay area! This place closes early on weeknights - our group of three arrived five minutes before closing and we were seated and treated to excellent service - though we lingered over delectable South American Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio more than an hour and a half past closing. Very authentic, very different, and very fun. Amazing to see such dedication to quality and such pride and care with the customers. Happy Fish = very happy customers!!
(4)Sheila C.
Thanks to the recommendations of good friends and the excellent comments that the Happy Fish Restaurant owns in the Internet, I decided to visit it for the first time. Upon arrival I found a environment where Peruvian music reigns and where the beautiful view of Machu Picchu (which is framed on their walls) makes you feel as if you were in Peru. I must emphasize that the service was more than excellent, the waitresses,the manager, and the owner of the place passed by our table repeatedly , checking if everything was fine and making us feel very welcome. The food is delicious and they have a variety of dishes, all with exquisitely tasty. I recommend everyone to visit Happy Fish, you will find a wonderful experience that you will want to repeat.
(5)Melissa M.
Had the Ceviche and the Lomo Saltado for lunch today. Both were absolutely delicious! My 8yr old daughter said she liked the Ceviche and was particularly excited to have the octopus in it. She also loved the little chip strips they set out. It was a whole lot of food, but I definitely don't mind having leftovers to enjoy later! :)
(5)Victor R.
Ate here today with the family & it was very good. Steak had a great flavor. The owner & his staff were very nice & constantly checked in on us to make sure we were enjoying our food. Deserts were good also & we look to returning whenever we are in Tampa.
(4)Jo H.
Always on the lookout for good ceviche, we stopped in for lunch and were very pleasantly surprised! Delicious ceviche, large portions and friendly staff. Fun atmosphere too. We will definitely be back!
(5)Brett N.
Why 4 stars? Because this ceviche rocks! --- --- --- There is just nothing on our Earth like Ceviche. It's incredibly fresh, and wonderfully tasty when done right. Happy Fish does it very well, and I can't wait to visit again. I visited during a UYE, and this was stop #2 out of 3 on our little food crawl. I can't really offer a very detailed review because I'd already eaten a bit at the first stop, while also trying to conserve precious stomach space for stop #3. Happy Fish was the very nice, light snack in the middle. I'll definitely be back for something a little more regular, because my sample was awesome.
(4)Michael X.
Amazing Ceviche and Huge portions!!! This place has fantastic Peruvian food. It set up for family/group dinning. The decor is very simple, the service is hit or miss but everyone is friendly. The ceviche is offered with fish, shrimp and/or octopus, or some combo of the 3. The one thing i wish is that they offered smaller portions. Be ready to share dishes or take a lot home with you.
(4)Zao Z.
Ceviche was overrated. I had far better in NYC and even Naples florida. It should have been more fresh. Some of the other ingredients tasted like it was out of a can. Some of the other food looked alright though. The place wasn't dirty but felt it. It was dingy and could use a little fixing up or lighting. It could be better.
(3)David D.
I'm sorry, I don't get all the "it's fantastic" reviews. When you walk into this place, it reeks of onions. I had the ceviche de camarones and the chicken fried rice. The ceviche tasted "pickled" and OMG do they overload on the onions. Gross! The chicken fried rice was a very large portion and super bland. No flavor, unless grease counts as a flavor. And did I mention they like to serve onions? They really like to serve onions. Steer clear.
(1)Vincent A.
It took us a while to find this place just outside of the south tampa scene. It's the rougher area north of soho, but not in a cool hipster way like Seminole Heights. Don't expect to be impressed by the location but the food is spectacular. They serve large portions, have quality seafood and a couple different bottles of Peruvian beer. The owner came by and asked us how we were doing a couple times. He was awfully proud of the high trip advisor ranking, but it is well deserved. I'll be back.
(4)Tony P.
Excellent Peruvian cuisine. Ceviche was abundant and fresh and tender. Double the portion size of other Peruvian eateries. Fresh whole fried fish was tender and huge. Great portions, service and value. Hours are earlier in the evening never open after 8pm on weekends and 6:30pm most week nights plan accordingly. Worth adjusting your evening schedule for this excellent seafood resturant.
(5)Sarah B.
This was my first time ever trying true Ceviche. While here we tasted the Shrimp Ceviche, which was awesome and super fresh. The Ceviche is served on a huge platter and definitely enough to share with a group. In addition to the massive mound of fresh shrimp ceviche the dish was also served with yummy dueling corn's, one pile of crunchy corn and one pile of puffed marinated corn (yes I know... this sounds weird... but it was good). The platter also was served with dueling starches of sweet potatoes and yucca. We also ordered pitchers of sangria which was really tasty and economical :)
(4)Grant L.
Would echo the previous review about it being a great experience for a tourist (presumably non-Peruvian). Good value, and although I also don't quite know what I ate (a more informative menu and better English-speaking staff would help), the fish and non-fish dishes weren't overly filling/greasy. Also, the (new?) owner, upon seeing that staff misunderstood our order, took ample time out of his busy weeknight operations to graciously explain the mistake and order a new one, which served as perfect leftovers. Docked slightly for excessive noise and below-average (rookie?) customer service.
(4)Hernan G.
I must say it is the best Peruvian Restaurant in the Tampa Bay area! My friends and I always love to come here whenever we want to eat some good Ceviche, Lomo Saltado, and Arroz con Pollo. Amazing!
(5)Fadi A.
Excellent customer service, the owner greeted us soon as we walked in and answered our million questions lol everything on the menu looks good and tastes amazing. Prices are mad reasonable too. Oh and the portions are huge, most you can feed 2-3 people with.
(5)Jairo B.
I recently moved to Tampa and a coworker recommended this place, as I was born in Peru (raised in Miami) and have a love for Peruvian food. I took my family here and was not disappointed. The ceviche was delicious and very plentiful...very authentic. I also shared the lomo saltado with my family and could not stop eating. The staff was very nice and the chef came out to greet us. It was a very nice experience and this place will be a regular spot for us for the future. Highly recommend.
(5)Mable G.
I went during lunch with 2 friends and the food was great. The only part that was a negative was the wait once we put I our order in. For 3 people, it took about 45 minutes to cook our food and the restaurant wasn't very busy at the time our order was placed. I would suggest, if you are pressed for time to order ahead or come back when you are able to wait.
(4)Sabre T.
This was my 4th time here. As with every other visit the food and service was fantastic. Do try the heart! I wasn't sure about it, but now I am a huge fan.
(4)Pedro S.
The pulpo ceviche was great I'm from Sinaloa and they eat a lot of seafood over there so I was satisfied on how great there food was
(5)Matt D.
My constant craving for ceviche brought us here after reading all the great reviews. I was impressed by the friendly service. The ceviche does not disappoint. It's huge, fresh, and very reasonably priced. The place was packed, and they were short on staff due to it being a holiday, but the service was pretty slow. We'd definitely come back if we are in the area again.
(4)Denise V.
Excellent food and service. We ordered the ceviche de camarones and arroz con mariscos which were both presented nicely and tasted even better. The chef greeted his guests often and helped his staff when the restaurant began to fill around 5pm. I highly recommend this hidden gem of a restaurant.
(5)M R.
If you love ceviche and fresh seafood, this is the place to visit. We are regulars especially during lunch, and the food never disappoints. The portions are more than generous so be ready to leave with a to go box in hand. Happy fish = happy customers;)
(5)Richie M.
So we drove allllll the way from St. Petersburg to come to Happy Fish. It was our first time and definitely won't be our last. Everything was perfect. From the food to the service and then some. They even stopped us before we walked out and gave us some oh so fresh and delicious rice pudding for dessert for free. We will be back for some truly authentic Peruvian cuisine!!!!!
(5)Larry B.
Incredibly good you have to try this place it's unbelievable. We had the ceviche fish stew and deep fried fish sea bass and snapper
(5)Steve Z.
I love coming here with the family. I recommend the ceviche. But I'm sure anything else you get you will be happy with. I haven't been disappointed yet and have been eating here for 2 years. The service is outstanding as well. The cooks and management will come to your table to make sure you are happy with everything.
(5)Karla D.
Best Peruvian food in the area so far hands down. Very delicious variety of food. The price is very affordable for the quality and tons of food. Nice service, very friendly staff very homey & welcoming.
(5)Ramon R.
Ceviche is delicious and plentiful. I had the picante de mariscos and it was very good. Prices are reasonable. Since the place is in welfare check central the prices are much lower than Carrollwood's Terra Sur. The food is worth a try. They didn't get the 5th star because the Papa a la Huancaina sauce lacked seasoning and potatoes were cold; also you get to hear the family airing out their personal dilemmas which caused them to delay service. I had to ask for drinks twice. If they can cancel their telenovela they will be a 5 star place.
(4)Jean G.
The Tampa Bay Area has a wide range of diverse dining experiences and finding good food can be a challenge. A friend told me about Happy Fish and I had to try it. Their food portions are AWESOME! You get your money's worth of food and it tastes amazing. The staff is really friendly and courteous to the costumer, giving the whole dining experience a great vibe, I highly recommend that you try this place out because it doesn't disappoint.
(5)Diana C.
This place is pretty amazing. It is VERY cheap compared to other Peruvian restaurants, and the portions are abundant. I order the Lomo Saltado, which can feed about 2-3 people and it's DELICIOUS! And anything that you do order, make sure you order the green sauce on the side as well. The service is not bad (very kind but forgetful), the cook/owner seems to be the waitress as well. I give this restaurant 4 stars because I am a huge fan of seafood and I must say that their Ceviche Mixto is not the best. Their Jalea is amazing and a HUGE portion BUT they don't make the sauce (Leche de Tigere) that goes with it any longer because "limes are just too expensive." For Ceviche and Jalea with the sauce, I used to go to Machupicchu but the service there is TERRIBLE!!
(4)Mike S.
Had dinner with my dad here tonight. I loved the fact that we were the only non-Hispanic people in the restaurant, and the waitstaff was very pleasant...and patient with our broken Spanish. The CEVICHE is as good if not better than most places in town, but as a MUCH larger portion. My dad & I split the plate, and went back for seconds! We got the Ceviche Mixto with very generous portions of fish, shrimp, calamari, and octopus. They also throw a piece of yuca & sweet potato along with the tasty white corn, roasted corn, and a very generous pile of onions! The medium or "medio" is not very spicy, so if you like it spicy--ask for picante---they'll accommodate. We also split the seafood soup, which, while light on the other shellfish, had an entire fish filet spread throughout, with white rice to mix in. It's not spicy at all, and the cilantro gives it a nice finish. What this place lacks in decor & location, it makes up in quality & serving size. Two people can eat comfortably, with leftovers, for about $30. We'll be back.
(4)Eddie A.
I'm not a professional food critic, nor do I try to be, but please visualize with me: I am sitting in my living room eating from a container of left over Ceviche Mixto (large portion sizes) reviewing the to-go menu planning my meal for my next visit. It was that good! My girlfriend ordered the Lomo Saltado (Beef sautéed with onions, tomatoes, herbs and fries). There is none left. Paired with $2.50 beers, we departed with a new favorite restaurant. Please open a location in Ybor/ Downtown Tampa. It would make a fortune off of me alone.
(5)Alexandra S.
Really great Peruvian. Start with the enormous and flavorful ceviche which is full of fish, shrimp and octopus. Plenty to share. The lomo salteado is amazing. Tons of beef and great flavor. Service is friendly and they have local Peruvian beer. Oh and all this goodness is super affordable.
(4)Dayna P.
The ceviche mixto is excellent and the prices are very reasonable. The service was really slow on the Friday night that I went.
(4)Lissette V.
Don't be turned off by the hole in the wall outside. The inside is moderately sized. The prices are fair and taste is as close to home as you can find in Tampa Bay. The fish ceviche is quite fresh and their tallarin saltado de mariscos (seafood speghetti dish) is to die for. But by far, both my husband and I enjoy the Jalea (fried seafood) the best. We splirge every now and then. We know we should not eat fried food but this is not done all the time. It is a nice family friendly atmosphere. Great portions!
(5)Jeff R.
Food is excellent! Great service, and generous amount of food for price. Best Peruvian food in Tampa have had so far!
(5)