Uncle Al's Seafood
400 First St.
Long Beach
562-436-2553
I first went to Uncle Al's about five years ago. I thought at the time the food was good, the tartar sauce was one of the best, but a little on the high side. I figured since I was back in the area, I would give Uncle Al's another try.
I ordered the lunch combo plate, 4 jumbo shrimp and 2 pieces of fish, I asked for red snapper, with green beans for about $8.61. The batter used for the fish and shrimp is cornmeal, which gives it a thicker texture and crunch. The fish was crunchy but there was no flavor to the fish and I like red snapper. You needed to add the tartar sauce to have any flavor.
The shrimp was also crunchy and fairly good sized. They were cooked just right and much better than the fish. The tartar sauce is regular tartar sauce mixed with, I believe ketchup giving it a sweeter taste than regular tartar sauce.
Service was OK. While I got there around 5pm, there is no mention of when lunch is served. Some places will serve lunch portions all day long. The server was kind enough to give me the lunch portion but they should write in their menu what time lunch is served. The server was matter of fact and short. She wasn't friendly, didn't smile at all and spent most of the time behind the counter, eating!!!!
I would not go back to Uncle Al's. The food is good but nothing great. And the prices, for dinner are high and not worth it at all. If I had paid the dinner price for the shrimp and fish, I would have felt it was a rip off.
But, I was taken by the autographed picture of Mr. John Mackey, Hall of Fame TE for the BALTIMORE COLTS!!!
Mr. Mackey should have been the first TE to go into the HOF. But due to politics, Mr. Mackey helped the players form their union, he was the second TE selected, after Mike Ditka. When Mr. Mackey was inducted into the HOF, he said "I played for the BALTIMORE COLTS." and refused to accept his HOF ring in that village. Instead, Mr. Mackey received his HOF ring, where he played, in BALTIMORE, for the BALTIMORE COLTS!! Currently Mr. Mackey is suffering from demenia, which is much like Alzheimer's, so keep him in your prayers.
