It so good that we have the Halkakas with Hungarian fishes, but these are real seafood:
The TheBigFish is located next to Oktogon and owned by the same management, who runs the fish market in Budaörs, so excellent ingredients are guaranteed. This makes the 95% of the good seafood and the good steak. The remaining 5% is the chef’s responsibility which means not to mess up what is already fine.
For those who already find this post a bit boring: the restaurant still has some problems at the beginning, it isn’t particularly cheap, however Budapest has no other seafood restaurant like this.
The location is perfect, so is the design. I like the higher chairs, the counter is full of fresh fishes and it is really good that we can see how our dinner is made. And I love as the sun is shining through the huge windows. It is really bright.
However the ordering process has problems. I don’t know how to improve it but it isn’t good the way as it is now: you go to the counter and tell what you'd like to have. The only employee chooses a fillet or a whole fish it depends on what you've chosen. Then he walks back to you and asks if it's ok. It's ok. Then he measures the fish. After these he does the same with the next course. And with your partner's fish. And with all the fishes of the guests. So for 3 persons it takes 5 or 6 minutes. Till then people have to stand in the queue. They are waiting for you. And there are more and more people. After the opening with half an hour when you are already eating at the table because you've arrived first, you take a look around and you realize that it takes almost half an hour to get to the counter. You don't even think about having another fish, although you could still eat, but you can only think about standing in that damn queue.
It is good that you can order drinks also from the waiters, but it is quite hard to catch them, because on Saturday the place was so full you couldn't find a free seat no matter how hard you’ve tried. The TheBigFish is a huge success.
Obviously not because of the ordering process, but because of the food, that is really sensational. Although we didn’t have anything special. We had roasted calamari, salmon steak, trout, sea pike and herring salad with yoghurt. We weren't fully satisfied because the pike, the trout and the side dish was cold. Although when I've mentioned this to the waiters they immediately took them away, brought them back and it was hot. And it wasn’t even drier than it was when they took it away and it was also warm.
So after the problems at the beginning here comes the point. It wasn't messed up. What for more the emphasis is on what makes these fishes good fishes. I could only taste high quality and fresh fishes near a sea. It is absolutely evident that everything has a fresh and clear taste at the TheBigFish. The way the juicy and well-seasoned food is made, the good concept and technique and the significant routine makes this place what it is. I loved the calamari and you also have to try the pike. The seasoned olive is the best side dish, although the fried potato wasn’t the best, the mayonnaise potato salad and the French layered potato is also excellent for the fishes. The wine of the house isn't really good however you can get a drunken smile of it, just like from any other Croatian wine.
Altogether it took 12.290 HUF for three of us. This isn’t cheap, but at the end we were full but in a way you cannot be full in Hungary: full of good fishes without feeling bad. We also had wine and after all, this is way healthier than a knuckle of pork (which is also great).
In another point of view: another restaurant with the same quality isn’t even cheaper than the TheBigFish in Budapest and if you would like to have the same courses on the beach at a sea you won't pay less. So the place isn't expensive, it is reasonable and virtually it has no competitors in Budapest. That's why it is good news for everyone that has opened.
You all should go and eat a lot of fish, because it’s good for you.
TheBigFish
Budapest, Andrássy út 44.
06306942855
11:30-22:00
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