Coconut’s Fish Cafe comes with a lot of accolades. Its original location in Maui earned an excellent Zagat score of 27, and its fish taco gets national buzz for its use of 17 ingredients, seven layers of texture and tropical flavor profile.

So, when Coconut’s opened its first Sacramento post today (1420 16th Street, in the former Noodles & Company spot), I just had to wait in line and see what all the fuss is about.

First thing to note: Coconut’s Fish Cafe is not like L&L Hawaiian BBQ. Meals don’t come in styrofoam with macaroni salad and steamed jasmine rice. The interior also isn’t quite so cheesey. Sure, the tables resemble surfboards, and the servers wear purple leis, and there are proud photos everywhere of turtles and surfers and waterfalls and rainbows and sunsets, but it all feels more tasteful than your usual Hawaiian fast food spot. It’s also quite a bit more expensive. Expect to spend $10-$15 for most of its seafood-focused meals.

For $10.99, you get two of these famous fish tacos. That may sound a little steep, but they’re enormous and filling. The stars are the tender, moist cubes of mahi mahi and ono; coleslaw treated with coconut milk and wasabi; and sweet mango salsa. Best fish tacos I’ve ever had? Well, I’m partial to the Baja style, but Coconut’s definitely isn’t kidding around.

Check out the rest of the menu here.

Photo courtesy of Coconut’s Fish Cafe