James Fish Bar in Sefton

Food was shocking undercooked pie. She replied we don't cook them just Hest them up. Obviously can't even heat food. Shocking service avoid like the plaque.

Started using James Fish Bar recently, really enjoy the Spanish Omlete, Special Chow Mein & Special Chop Suey. Called in while passing today, bought a portion of chips only, made a chip butter for dinner at home. The chips were really good, my only complaint is no Sunday opening, still open on Tuesday's which is good. Keep up the good work all at James Fish Bar.

Food served quickly and a good price.

Very disappointed been coming to this chippy for years but tonight I spent £20+ to be given 2 baps covered in mold.

Food was ok. Staff. Rude. Sullen and unfriendly. Not as if they were overworked. Empty apart from me. I was polite and courteous. Will not be going back.

Very disappointed with the food we got in Saturday, it was ordered over the phone they then obviously bagged the chips up and then cooked the other meals that were ordered. When we got the food home the chips were dry and the rest of the food was warm not hot. We’ve had had food from them before it is was nice but this food was dare I say not up to scratch. I’m afraid will not be ordering from this chip shop again, sorry 😢

Won’t be going again, was a great chippy. Last few meals have been awful. This time chips and gravy swimming in oil 🤢

Great food, price and service. Staff are brilliant and food made to order

Ordered from here a few weeks ago as it my Nanna's closest chippy and she likes the steak pudding, chips and gravy here. It's not a bad place, good selection of tasty dishes at competitive prices and wouldn't hesitate to order from here again 👍 There unfortunately wasn't a menu anywhere I could find online so had to pop in to see what they had. Fortunately the staff there were really helpful and managed to give me an old menu to take back so my auntie, uncle and cousins and I also took pictures of all the menu boards as the menu was slightly different and a bit more expensive than the version I was given. But it was still greatly appreciated ❤️ We ordered a big selection of dishes: steak pudding, salt n pepper chicken, chow mein, fried rice, egg roll, boiled rice, battered fish, stir fry vegetables, stir fry bean sprouts, chilli beef, and more. Food was tasty and 5 out of 6 of us enjoyed our meals. Unfortunately instead of the chilli beef we got a beef curry and a side of curry sauce was missing from our order. I had a good meal personally, but could have been better. Next time I will make sure the order is 100 percent correct on pickup. Thanks for a good meal. Hope next time it is a 5/5 😁

This chippy used to be faultless a few years ago. Always plenty of delicious, perfectly cooked chips. Now they are soggy, greasy & disgusting. The only good thing about the small portions you get now is that its less to throw in the bin!! They need to empty ppl who know how to cook fresh non-greasy, non-soggy food. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!! 🤮

Love this chippy, been a customer for many many years. However, the ribs recently reduced in portion size by easily 50% which I found really disappointing. I hate to criticise the place but paying full price for half of what you're accustomed to is sad. A favourite item I'll no longer order. If I notice other reduced portions as others point out I'll be going elsewhere for the first time in years.

Consistently lovely food, both English and chinese. Friendly efficient staff, nothing to fault. Food cooked to order.

When first opened this chippy was very good but last couple of months everything in the chippy has went smaller they have halfed there sizes of meals and a portion of chips got about 10 chips chicken fried rice is very small aswell it’s a shame I won’t be going back here because of the size of the portions the food is nice to be honest such a shame I drive out of formby now to get my meals to feed my family all chip shops in formby are terrible

This chippy has went down hill, just been given a sausage with my tea and it was stale .. it was as pale as michael jackson when he turned white. Use to be a good chippy few years back but the portien sizes have been sh!t its like getting a kids portion also the staff are miserable ..ano its not the best job but fukinel cheer up ..

Unfortunately, it wasn't open when stated. Google opening times and opening times displayed on shop door haven't been updated. It's a shame as we were looking forward to trying this place out and we walked out of our way to get there.

Hot food nice staff friendly and good service

Lived in Formby over 30yrs. Always passed James because it never looked busy and assumed meals would be substandard. Was in the pet store next door some weeks ago and thought I'd try some fish and chips. GREAT, fish was huge, couldn't finish off all the chips and £2 cheaper than the other chippies in Formby. Been in a few times since. Very nice pleasant staff. Being a fish, chips and peas man l can't comment on other meals.

Food excellent and great selection.

Oh come on, what's not to like real quality scrag served by wonderful staff. Dont want something, want to change a dish, just ask them, they shall do their very best to fit in with your choices. All at very fair prices. We all need to be supporting Local Businesses & Trade, especially when they do it this well. Now, I'll be havin' mine without the veg, can you change this for that & that for this? Perfect, i'll go and have a swift pint or two whilst it's being done & gimme some of those brill Prawn Crackers. Mint. ....no connection to James' other than a few years enjoying their food.

Good, quick, friendly service. Nice food. Good value.

Placed an order an hour in advance and asked for vegetarian spring rolls and they gave me meat ones. When I called up and double checked they did apologise but I overheard one of them say they just threw whatever was available into the fryer. I’ve pre-ordered from here a bunch of times before and the food has always been delicious but I feel sick at the thought of consuming meat and don’t feel comfortable ordering from here again. Please be aware if you have a dietary restriction or a food allergy.

Shame a "Large" chips isn't large. But hey that's shrinkflation for you. Shame they close early and you can't go after the pub closes.

The worst chips l've tried in a long time, completely uncooked! l thought l'd give them a try as they're local, l won't be bothering again. Miserable staff too...

Back open now having been closed during early period of Covid pandemic Great food at great prices. Will make alterations to suit your liking. Also sell the famous Hollands steak and kidney pies unlike the other chippy in Formby that refuses to stock them saying his customers dont like them when really its he who doesnt like them as he says they smell awful because of the kidney in them. Not only that James is much cheaper on everything like fish, pies, chinese meals everything is much cheaper and often better quality. Closes earlier these days like most chippys seemed to do. They close at 9pm but on the plus side they take card payments now. With everything increasing in price I have found this Chinese/chippy to be the cheapest for miles around. I paid £6.50 for just one fish at another chippy only days ago and today 7th Sept 2022 James fish price is £4.20 which is cheaper than any other local chippy

Fast service and very fair pricing. Tasty food.

Can't understand the bad reviews, they must have an axe to grind. Been going there for years, fish are usually freshly cooked so you may have to wait a few minutes, too many chips in one potion for one person. Always tasty and perfectly cooked food with great fiendly service.

Love the food here! Had king prawn with special fried rice and chips between two of us. Loads of food good price and really really tasty.

Got chips from there went to eat them and thought I will have to go back and get them cooked properly not really into half cooked chips

THE WORST CHIPPIE I'VE EVER BEEN TO

All meals are served on time, everything is fresh, I liked it very much.

Relative asked for fish and chips but usual port of call (The Good Catch) was closed. Given that James Fish Bar has been there for years and seems to get a fair few clients I decided to go there instead. Was told that no fish ready but they could do one so waited. I felt that the atmosphere behind the counter was not a very happy one - 3 younger women and one middle aged woman with ginger hair. Compared to the Good Catch it felt like a funeral parlour. Young person who served it up was pleasant enough and I went on my way. My relative - who had been looking forward to the fish and chips - couldn't finish it so I had a taste. The chips were hard on the inside and soggy on the outside - quite an achievement for a supposed Fish Bar. The fish was like something I have never eaten before - hard to explain but essentially no taste and the consistency of thick porridge. No I don't understand either. Anything from Iceland would have been more reminiscent of 'Fish and Chips' than what I received. Two thoughts occurred - I can understand maybe inexperienced staff making a mess of a meal but there was clearly an experienced person in charge so no excuses can be made there. Secondly I had always sort of considered the Good Catch to be pricey - but this mush was only a couple of quid cheaper (5 pound something) and trying to compare the two would be like chalk and cheese. No idea why people frequent this place - the only positive thing I could muster to say is that - the front of house at least - it appeared clean.

Great price, quick service and large portions

Great chips. Putin should be assassinated

Quick service with good food at great prices! Can't ask for more!

Lovely food freshly cooked fish to order.

Food is always nice . Staff are lovely and the inside of the chippy is always clean

Lovely chips and decent portions and friendly staff

Friendly serve really nice food

Great as always. Been using for yrs after our walks on the beach. Always a fab service and lovely food.

Absolutely disgusting, half eaten onion ring. Soggy chips not even cooked! Do not recommend to anyone, waited about an hour for 3 things and everyone else who ordered got theirs before us.

Have not been for a while. Great to see food is as tasty as ever and the prices are still reasonable.

Good menu, quick service and tasty

Opening hours on door says Shuts at 10pm closed at 9pm???? After we had ordered a meal got to the place to find it closed. Won't ring again

Husband called in this evening to pick up some chips as a side to our tea...he waited a while got inside asked for large chips and was immediately given a bag. Got home the chips were pale soggy and uncooked...potato hard in the middle...never again thanks

I ordered a steak pudding and chips and noticed that the pudding was not in a bain marie as would be normal but it was put into a microwave. When I got home I found the chips under cooked almost white and falling apart and the pudding wasn't hot in fact the centre was tepid. This is very basic stuff. All mine went straight into the bin. Never again!

Psychedelic coloured peas. Good covid prevention measures. Nice fish..chips ok.

Lovely food, so many different meals

We regularly visit James Fish Bar. The staff are friendly and we have never had any issues over service. All English and Chinese meals are lovely. Cannot fault them. Recommend the crispy chilli beef.

Lovely friendly staff and lovely chinese

Ordered crispy chilli beef and fried rice, I can honestly say its the worst that I have ever had, the crispy beef was soggy and chewy, the "chili sauce" was some sort of generic, bland, vinigery horrible thing, it was almost like a sweet and sour sauce with a bit of chili powder in it, and then we have the rice, greesey, with nothing else in it at all, no onions, no egg, just greesey, soggy, clumpy "fried" rice. The is obvious no chineese chef there as no self respecting chef would serve food that terrible. I also had a 35 minute wait for food that I had to throw straight in the bin. 100% will never be going there again. They should tell customers that they don't have a chef so that they can decide if they want to risk it or order something else.

Chips were lovely but sadly chop suey roll was disappointing

Ordered half a crispy duck and got diced duck ! Complained, went back for half a crispy duck and got the same diced duck ! Crispy duck is all about shedding it yourself not having it done for u ! Not crispy, hard dice, and cold very disappointed

To be fair it was pretty quiet when I was here so the service was quick & efficient but then again its quick & efficient when they are really busy. The staff are great & work brilliantly as a team The food was piping hot & they cook the fish to order & my hubby said it was some of the best fish & chips he's ever had. The chips were fresh from the frier & were delicious, they made a yummy chip butty. I've always gone to this chippy & its very rare that you don't enjoy the food.

Their chinese dishes are wonderful+ fish+ chips divine.Good service+ nice staff.Wudnt go anywhere else

Go here every night , lovely staff and great food at great prices , lovely chop suey rolls , chips and everything else I can't make my mind up what to get tonight .

Only bought potato scollops. Not cooked much like the chips I bought last week. Won't be back.

Nice place to eat fish and chips. Loved the taste and well cooked fish ! ❤ soft nicely cooked chips ! Will definetly go here again to eat the fish and chips . You can take this fish and chips to nearby formby beach . It has parking place as well . But it opens in the afternoon not in the morning like some resturants are open !! This is a take away and best during these covid times !! Just Loved the fish and chips . Very nice, soft and yummy taste .

Love this chippy, food and service are great!

Just been from Manchester the beach, stopped here for lunch, 4 lovely fish and 2 chips between us, big fish and large portions of chips. Very nice thanks.

Every dish had far too much vinegar. Barely edible.

No matter what time you go in, you are met with a smile,and then your order is taken. Whilst waiting for your order you can look at the pies and scallops and other great food. Thank you.

Just love the staff. Made to feel like family

Had to stop girl heaping chips on to carton and fish was like a piece of shark. Lovely.

Excellent choice of foods..fast service

Food quality ,price, generous portions

Not sure what has happened but quality has really dropped recently. last two times really disappointed with food. Salt n pepper chips. More like chips with chilli flakes sprinkled on. No taste in the Singapore vermicelli. And Portion size has dropped dramatically. Unfortunately will not be returning

Visited last year, and wasn’t impressed but decided to give this another go. Same problems again, they can’t cook chips. Soggy, pale, greasy and undercooked . A chippy that can’t cook chips.

Best fish around and beautiful meals

Think they got rid of the great gravy for chips but pretty decent portions

Prawn toast dripping in fat and no taste of prawns Crispy duck pancakes - disgusting nothing crispy about the duck it was like rubber and came in chunks??? Ribs were tough. Only nice thing was the chips, that we shared between the 3 of us everything else ...... went straight in the bin!!!!!

I go to James's Fish Bar at least twice a week. The staff are really friendly and the food is good to

quite possibly the slowest chippy i’ve ever visited, have 4 staff on the front with only 2 women actually working, the two younger girls just stand with their arms crossed mindless to helping their colleague so out. food wasn’t poor but nothing to rant and rave about.

I'm not a local, but had a half decent Chinese here. Don't know if there is a better one around but the duck pancakes are generous

Only stop there in the way home from either the squirrels or taking the boy swimming. But as a chippy it's got everything you would expect and nice gravy plus for Formby the price ain't to bad .

Best chips i have had. Always fresh

Not very nice food staff miserable chips awfull whent in the bin out side shop barm cake stale and I only spent £4.50

Outstanding staff very friendly . Unfortunately we had a bad experience with Spanish omelette . My father was ill in the night prawns not cooked ...luckily I had a mushroom omelette. No problem

Enjoyed my meal last night very nice could have done with a little more duck!!!and less onions

Excellent service, quick fresh fish and chips

Don't like leaving bad feedback, but food was cold, fish and chips are really greasy, well over the top with batter to compensate for small piece of fish. Wont be going again. Sorry

Fast food take away. Extensive menu of both English and Chinese food, Both are good tasting and good value.

Visited here on the way back to New Brighton. You get a good size portion of chips and the fish (hadack) was well cook. Chips were very greesy. Overall I'd say it was ok.

Wouldn't use again, food was under cooked for my liking.

Always very fresh and always very busy a lot to choose from parking isn't great ,only a very small park in front of James fish bar

Lovely pleasant staff quality food

Absolutely horrible service shouted at for not seeing a sign then purposely took forever with food 1 star is lowest I can give but would give 0 if I could

Never had a fish before that had no taste, very bland, sadly the worst fish and chips

Gr8 shop all most all food cooked to order.nice staff

Quality chips, car park outside

Cant understand some of the bad reviews as I have always found the food really good and the staff always greet you with a smile and have been coming here for years

Nunca he comido pescado tan fresco y sabroso en ti. k. Y las fichas son "HERMOSAS", y la porción es más que amplia, lo recomendaría si disfrutas de una sabrosa comida de pescado y patatas fritas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ve a la barra de pescado James, formby. hay una amplia selección de comidas chinas son una delicia también. SOLO VAYA Y PRUÉBELO PARA SI MISMO, créame.

When we visit Formby, its a must to go to James' We order cod and chips and all the xtras that a large family gathering will need. Its great take away food and smashing value I don't know if they deliver we always collect.

Ok service. Ok food. My order wasn't put in at first because most members of staff were too busy chatting to each other. Some of them even didn't wear hair nets. My order did arrive fast but as I ate it immediately afterwards I found the fish still tasted frozen and the chips were so hot that they started to burn my lap.

The best fish and chips ever. The staff are great. Thank you.

Not really keen on the chips as they can sometimes be a bit undercooked and mushy. The chinese food is lovely and reasonably priced. Would be nice if they had a delivery service though. The salt and pepper chicken is fab.

Soggy batter that was inedible surrounded a tasteless piece of fish. The chips, I cannot describe how bad they were. What I can say is hat they were heaped into the wrapper. Maybe more emphasis on quality rather than quantity would be a good idea.

Excellent take away. Lovely food friendly staff

Called here as I wanted a fish supper, after being let down by a pub chain, queuing up, and seen what people were accepting, so left, can nobody get decent fish & chips in Formby?

Tuve una experiencia similar hace las edades pero decidí darles otra oportunidad. Todos queríamos s y p patatas fritas así que conseguimos 3 porciones y varios otros detalles. Las patatas fritas eran mal cocida, así que todavía dura en el medio. Era como No preparado con chili copos. . Mi hermana nos dieron una comida china que no tenía ninguna coherencia a todo y la salsa era aguada. La última vez que me dieron una comida de allí estaba aguada, pero eso fue el año pasado. Esta vez me dieron un pescado que estaba muy bien, pero por desgracia no fue todo lo demás. me llamó y me dijo el gerente que debe ser un cocinero y se puso muy defensivo

Always good food and lots of it...very speedy service too