So everyone already knows Chippy's. We've tasted it. It does the trick... if you can get passed the obnoxiously loud music and the servers who "sing" along even louder. These days though, I tend to gravitate more towards a far less pretentious fish fry joint, run by a lovely old asian couple who do one thing and do it well. The place, as I'm sure you've already figured out, is Harbord Fish & Chips. No gimmics. No pretention. And newspaper packaging for take-out orders. What more do you need, right?
Hidden on the South side of Harbord just West of Spadina, this cozy little fish & chips joint is my favorite "I'm too lazy to cook dinner tonight and I just want something salty and deep friend" take out place. Of course, they do have some stools inside if you feel like eating in and snuggling up to a stranger, as well as picnic tables outside.
So here's my usual order... the standard really. Halibut and chips, served simply on a sheet of newsprint, doused in malt vinegar and sea salt. An amazingly crispy batter, a more than healthy portion of fish, and crispy, delicious fries. The ideal deep fried meal in my mind. Another nice little part of ordering take out is when they pile the fries down on newspaper, then lay the fish on top, they let you salt it and vinegar it up just the way you like it. And only after you've deemed the seasoning just to your liking will they wrap it up for you to take home. Nice to be included in the whole process, don't you think?
So obviously there's no such thing as the PERFECT fish and chips in Toronto, right? (well maybe there is... someone want to prove me wrong?) My one little quibble with Harbord Fish & Chips is their lack of real homemade tartar sauce. Now, this isn't a big deal to me, as I usually eat my fish and chips with just vinegar and sea salt... but I know quite a few people who LOVE to slather their fish with the weird mayo-relishy stuff. So ya, if you're one those people, at Harbord you'll probably be disappointed by the fast-food style tartar packages... they've got great malt vinegar though!
My advice: go grab the sauce from Chippy's, and order the fish from Harbord. Now THAT would be a perfect Fish & Chips meal, no?
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that's too funny. i went there for the first time on wednesday, as it's always been closed when i've been by. i didn't work for a year and seriously spent it going around the whole city trying any place with "fish and chips" in the restaurant name.. anyway, i really didn't dig harbord. i found there to be too little meat, and the chips almost tasted bagged. and yes, the lack of homemade tartar sauce is an issue.
I agree....they are noted as the #1 fish & chips joint in toronto..and honestly although there are lots of picky people out there...this is one joint that is tried tested and true to the real experience...so if you don't like Harbord Fish & Chips then you don't like best fish and chips...which means more for the rest of us. out there..!
Given how nice Trinity Bellwoods park is, I've never stayed inside Chippy's long enough to notice the annoying music or people who sing along with it. Eating Chippy's on the grass under a tree in the park actually _is_ my current idea perfect. Not that Harbord Fish & Chips isn't potentially wonderful -- I've never been -- but I don't get the hating on Chippy's.
What's the pricepoint in relation to Chippy's?
$6.85 for Halibut and chips at Harbord, versus $10.99 for the same at Chippy's. An easy decision in my mind :)
Chippy's has always been out of halibut when I go there. The tarter sauce cost extra and in my opinion doesnt compare to mom and pop's fish and chip shops like Harbourd or my fave McNeighs Fish and Chips in Etob.
where is mom and pop's fish and chip shops in etobicoke?
If you're ever prepared to cross the East-West divide, I'd argue that British Style fish and chips at Dundas and Coxwell would be the best, hands down. And it's only a short walk from there to a cushy lake view at Ashbridges Bay.
Ya, Chippy's is garbage. Tooooo greasy, and overpriced. Harbord is the shit for real F&C lovers.
Chippy's is just hipster mastorbation.
I love Harbord Fish & Chips. Though when I went, they usually had the tartare sauce in packets. Homemade stuff is better, but other than that, it was all great. And don't forget the malt vinegar on the chips.
i've been on the search for toronto's best fish and chips, and harbord is it so far. i tried chippy's and it's seriously one of the worst fish and chips i've ever had. i really miss captain mike's in hamilton and tartans in oakville...
St. Andrew's Fish and Chips in Scarborough is the best IMHO. It's on Ellesmere across the road from the Scarborough Civic Centre. A bit pricer than Chippy's but 10 times better. Being there is like dining in some Scottish grandparents' living room. Has a nice homely feel and you can order mushy peas!
I don't eat fish so I can't give my opinion on theirs...but the fries definitely rule. A bit starchy towards the end of the pile (but that can be cured with a tasty liquid of course). It's a 3 minute walk from my place ? it's the best for pre-midnight snacking.
There's a brand-new fish & chips place in Kensington Market, on Augusta just south of the Embassy. It's called Something's Fishy, and I think it's the best I've tried in Toronto. Homemade herbed tartar sauce! Mountains of thin-cut crispy fries!
I tried Harbord - My take on it would be 6/10. The fish was okay, nothing special. Batter - a little over-fried, thickness and spread wasn't consistent. But fries were good and also the fact that you can choose your vinegar/salt. Definitely better than chippy's - but not as great as others. Personally I like Kingsway F&C @ Royal York. They have the batter right - british style but not as heavy/soggy.
I like Harbord, but the fish can be too greasy. I won't go to Chippy's - too yuppy, and way too expensive (man, it's fish and chips for crying out loud!). I'll leave Chippy's to the lemmings.
However, there was a great place out east on Danforth, called Len Duckworth's. Great fish and chips, not too greasy, price was right. Always a line-up of locals, working stiffs. I remember "chips and scraps" when I was a kid.
the fries are made from fresh good quality potatos and the fish is the best.fries are hand-cut so they must be fresh and they're all potato unlike some places where they add stuff to it so it can last like weeks.tell me that's not disgusting ok.fresh fries.fresh fish.best fish and chips.
Yeah. It's amazing how some moron decided to create a hipster fish n' chips and people actually bought it... Chippy's sucks, for all reasons concerning why any diner would want to eat at any establishment.
Now as for Harbord... not as cheap as it could be (who the hell wrote that it's $6.85 for halibut and chips?), and the batter is waaaaaaaaaay to crispy and overcooked. But you get a lot of golden fry and the people who run the place are doing a decent enough job after taking it over many years ago. Solid.
Now for the best in Toronto? Fuckin' simple, my friends.... DUCKWORTHS on Danforth. This is exactly what you want in a traditional Fish and Chip place. If only it weren't so goddamn outta the way for me, y'know? This is the place you and your dad should go to get along for a change...
Honorable mention goes to the long-standing VIKING'S in Etobicoke.
I really didn't like this place at all. The batter was wayyy too thick and there was hardly any fish inside. Furthermore the batter was incredibly dark brown and seemed way over cooked to me. I tried to cut into it and all I got was the batter breaking into tiny pieces and dust. Where was the fish? somewhere in there I guess, but I had to get through a layer of greasy sawdust first.
Maybe they just messed up my order though as many of you here seem to like it, and the picture above doesn't look as dark and overcooked as mine was.
Though I really don't think I'll go there again for the fact that they had crappy tartar sauce. If you're going to be a "mom and pop" homemade fish and chips place, get some real tartar sauce instead of stuff in little packets that tastes like garbage and is a pain to get out and onto the fish.
I always thought the place looked cool, and maybe I just have weird taste in fish and chips, but I was really incredibly disappointed with my meal.
I don't get why nobody has mentioned Penrose Fish and Chips yet. If you're willing to stray into the scary above-Bloor (yea, even above Dupont) neighbourhoods of Toronto, you'll find this slice of heaven at Mount Pleasant just north of Davisville. Chippy's is pretending to be what Penrose really is - and while I like their chips, their fish is dry and batter is soggy in comparison. Plus their chips, as good as they are, don't hold a candle to the big fat suckers at Penrose. As for Harbord, it's at least an honest mom and pop, and their portions are more than you can ask for, but it's more batter than fish and I challenge the average person to want to finish the chips. Penrose's halibut (I've never gotten the haddock, and never will) is tender and juicy...and the batter is like a warm hug. It's the kind of meal that will make you say "Screw it, I don't care if I die young for eating this."
Chippy's sucks! (note: windows are covered up)
Terrible service to boot!
Owner is an assh0le!
Harbord is the best!
I always liked harbord, i walked passed a chippys and saw the guy at the counter coughing up a hair ball and never had any desire to walk by again, when i go to harbord its nice to see them making everything right infront of me and i can load up my fries with as much vinegar and ketchup as i want, what a bonus!
Harbord is good, and I didnt like the fish at Chippies, over priced and over rated.
I consider myself a bit of a connaiseur and there are a lot of terrific places in Toronto, some of them mentioned here, Duckworth, Viking, St Andrews, Reliable, Kingsway and lots more.
Another bonus, probably the only one open on Sundays is Harbord, and that is when I go there, maybe even today, lol.
the BEST FISHN CHIPS IN THE CITY IS JOHNS FISHN CHIPS ON DUNDAS near kipling, greek owned and you have choices with the batter--you can have that heavy batter or breaded which is light and amazing or grilled--there fish is amazing, and the best baklava ever, it is a family owned place, and i have been going there for approx 25 years, it is not cheap, but it is worth it, the fries are fresh, and i have not found one place in the city that beats it. I do not like to eat greasy batter, that is not fishn chips
Re Penrose - yes, their fish & chips is good, but they close at 7, 6:30 on Saturday (!). Not much use to those of us who work in other parts of the city. Also it should be noted for pescetarians and others who may care, that they fry in beef fat.
I've been there twice and the fries both times were very good, nice and moist but had the right amount of crispyness on the outside. The fish could be more consistent, the batter was good but the first time when I ordered the halibut it was overcooked. The second time I got the haddock and that was nice and moist (although I prefer the flavour of halibut over haddock). It's worth going to if your in the area and are looking for an alternative to Chippy's (whose fish doesn't compare, imho).
chippys 4 life!
Just went there today. Not only prices are same as Chippy's now (10.75 with taxes for haddock & chips) but the tartar sauce really is a big issue. The place is really nice but i must say i was disappointed with what i got after reading the review and comments here.