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Chippy's Fish and Chips
Category: Restaurants Fish & Chips Fish & Chips [Edit]
893 Queen St WToronto, ON M6J 1Q5
Neighbourhoods: Niagara, West Queen West, Trinity Bellwoods
(416) 866-7474
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 12 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
29 reviews for Chippy's Fish and Chips
Review Highlights
"yummy dipping sauces."
(in 3 reviews)
"The haddock is hot and flaky in a thing, golden batter."
(in 7 reviews)
"A golden battered and crispy coat, yet moist, tender, and..."
(in 7 reviews)
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29 reviews in English
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Review from Natalie T.
East York, ON
1/21/2012
I'd say 3.5 stars
I also think the Annex location is closed down?
VIBE
it's pretty busy in here but I like that and in the summer, this is a perfect picnic in the park across the street.
I EAT
Halibut and chips. Yum to the yum. Great batter; not too overpowering or thick so you really taste the fish and the tartar sauce is fantastic! I always ask for extra on it. The chips are thick and chewy but there are way too many of them. More fish, less chips! The coleslaw is pretty tasty too.
OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK
Just because your name is Chippy's it doesn't mean you have to have an overflowing amount of chips. But they're good! Nom. -
Review from Robbie G.
Toronto, ON
11/2/2011
Was there a couple weeks ago for the first time. My girlfriend and I received a pieces of fish that resembled tree bark. Super thin cut of fish, battered and deep fried until it was WAY overcooked.
The end result made it hard to differentiate between the 'barely there' fish, and rock hard batter. Again I say....Tree Bark!
Giving this place two stars because the fries were good. But otherwise I wouldn't bother.
Also of note, you pay extra for tartar sauce which is lame, and there is no "traditional" gravy on the menu (for my fries). Safe to say we won't be going back. -
Review from Reynold P.
Toronto, ON
11/1/2011
I love me some fish and chips. A golden battered and crispy coat, yet moist, tender, and flaky inside. Pour on the malt vinegar and a bit more salt, it just makes each bite that much better.
Chippy's does a good job of making this classic pub fare. The store is dedicated to making fried fish, so they should be wonderful. Sadly, it's not the best I've had.
They got the coating done right. It's not too thick and not too crunchy that it leaves tiny cuts on the roof of your mouth. The fish is good. Moist and served in decent proportions.
One thing the fish lacks is flavour. It's actually quite bland. You add the salt and vinegar and it still tastes somewhat plain. The flavours don't meld well enough. The fish lacks salt and pepper. The chips are fine but tartar sauce should come free.
As a dedicated fish n chips parlor, it fails to impress. Although it's a a good portion, the price is steep and the seasoning isn't there. -
Review from Alison B.
9/17/2011
Chippy's is so-so. I landed here on a hunt for food to eat in the park. Not the best I've had, but it wasn't offensive or anything.
The good:
- not overly battered (read: greasy) fish
- good location for summertime eats
- service was relatively fast considering only one person was working
The bad:
- the fish to fry ratio is off. if there were two pieces of fish, this meal could easily be split for lunch
- some of my fries were cold in the middle
The ugly:
- extra charge for tartar sauce!!!!! wtf, that's half the reason i get fish and chips. -
Review from helen y.
Toronto, ON
10/24/2011
meh..
i ordered cod, one big piece of fish... i took a big bite into what looked like big piece of fish.. hoping it would be tender and juicy... to my surprise it was nothing but oily batter.. where is my fish????? only half of that piece was fish and the other half was nothing but the batter... wtf...
didn't bother going back bc was too cold but not going back anytime soon..
fries were pretty good and coleslaw made up for the half piece fish... -
Review from Luke S.
2/1/2011
Chippy's in Queen West = the dirtiest food establishment handling raw seafood in plain eyesight that I have EVER come across. It is unbelievable how they get through inspections. I mean, come on, folks, look around. Just take a peek at the top of the refrigerator, or the range hood. This is a public health disaster waiting to happen. You are dealing with fresh fish, guys!
Some of the reviews mention this is a 'hipster place'. Now is this what a place looks like where 'hipsters' like to eat? Is it maybe part of the attraction even? Is it cool to have dodged food poisoning? Kind of a "I dare you to eat this - man, you are so chill, you really did it', thing?
For my part, I don't get it.
Nevertheless, I risked my life and had fish and chips and they were not bad (not that I ever had fish and chips anywhere else). A little greasy but I ate the whole thing including the Tartar sauce.
I have to agree with some of the other reviewers about the staff being exceptionally devoid of communication skills. Customer service is almost as low a priority as cleanliness is. Perhaps this is part of the 'hipster' thing too, how knew? To not say a word to your customer? Barely notice you? You, who pays to keep this dump afloat?
I can see myself going to this place at 3 am in the morning, fully loaded, and stuff my face with grease before passing out at home; I cannot see myself returning below the legal limit. -
Review from Fishee F.
Toronto, ON
12/8/2010
The fish was de-lish.
Maybe I came on an off night, I didn't experience any of the negativity expressed in the previous reviews.
The hipster doofus staff were pleasant.
There was NO obnoxious death metal playing in the background.
The fries came in an insane andre the giant sized portion. They were thick, crispy, and salty... yummmm. I can't believe I ate them all.
I ordered the cod.
The batter was perfect and crispy, if a little greasy.
I would say that the fish was a touch overcooked, but still de-lish.
Aside from feeling a bit queasy from eating 4 potatoes worth of fries, most of which were dipped in the spicy tartar sauce (YUM), I was completely satisfied.
...the following day was another issue.
:O
Highly recommend for anyone in the mood for a little slice of fat, calories, and salt... chippy's is the perfect way to get all three in one tasty meal.
Would go back! Just need 6-8 weeks to recover from the first time. -
Review from Monica F.
11/27/2010
Every time I come here it's packed. But I guess that's a good thing, yes?
Good luck trying to find a seat, especially if you're with someone else. If you do get a seat though, it's an excellent people-watching location.
I usually get the haddock and chips ($9.99) and love the fact that the food's prepared in front of me and made to order.
I'm not a big fan of the take-out packaging because you've got to eat the fish before you can get to the chips! Frustrating at times because I just want to gobble everything up at once! They could stand to cook the fries a bit longer, but sometimes they're just so packed they don't have time for that.
I think it's whack that they charge 80 cents for tartar sauce though! (My thighs and ass probably don't though.) They should at least offer it in packages. All they're doing is mixing mayo and relish together. Oh well.
Both locations are good! Check 'em out! -
Review from shyni y.
2/23/2011
I have been anti fish & chips for the longest time since my experience at the Fish house or something way back when I was still young. It jaded me and I've never tried it since. Until my friend more or less made me because he was buying food as I was more broke then a poorman's dish, and this was my only choice. I was never so glad to be forced to try something I didn't like -and I must thank my friend for getting me back on the road to trying new and different foods.
I don't think there is very much to complains except the portion is so huge that I always want to die after eating it , always have a dilemma while eating the food (should i get sick finishing the food or, throw it out).
The batter is always most perfect - the fish comes out thick ,crispy yet greasey on the outside , soft, tender and meaty inside. The fries are awesome - I am not a fries kinda gal, but I will not pass on these. The coleslaw and the sauce - all delicious. My favourite part about this chain is that ,every Chippy's I've gone to has been have been GREAT.
Big enough portion to share with a friend or buy yourself. It almost makes the incredible wait time worth it...almost...not quite. -
Review from Lupillo R.
Toronto, ON
10/13/2010
Chippy's serves fish and chips just as good as, if not better than any I've had in the UK. I love how the fish is made to order, cut and battered right in front of you. The fries are also fresh and cut in-house. I've tried a few different items on their very basic menu and have enjoyed everything.
On the negative side, the place is quite small. There are about 4 stools along the window so you're much better off taking your food to the park as another reviewer suggested. I kind of wish they didn't charge extra for tartar sauce, but the fish and chips are reasonably priced at about $10 an order so I don't mind all that much.
Cash only. -
Review from Tara A.
9/6/2010
My visit to Chippys was long overdue. Although I must admit, I shouldn't have gone because now, it's all I want. To go into chippy's is to know that you are about to have a savoury experience. The fish is battered and cooked right infront of you by some hipsters and their dipping sauces are to die for.
The space is quaint and really appeals to people who want to have a picnic in bellwoods (it's positioned right across the street) but dont' want the hassle of prepping it.
If you haven't been to Chippy's, its a must in the Queen West Area.Listed in: Trinity Bellwood Must Visits
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Review from Eric F.
Calgary, AB
9/20/2010
This is an unexpected treat - a place for hipsters that actually has good food!
I like to think of myself as a fried food connoisseur (or at least on my way to becoming one, based on the quantity of deep-fryer oil I consume.) For me, Chippy's produces some excellent fried goods. The haddock is hot and flaky in a thing, golden batter. The chips are short and stout and taste a lot better than I'm making them sound.
Other options include cod and halibut, as well as shrimp and scallops. One thing I don't like is that every sauce is an extra charge, aside from the bare bones lemon/ketchup/vinegar.
But the food is so good you don't really need tartar sauce. They ran out of mushy peas, which would've been nice.
Countertop seating with huge windows opening onto Trinity Bellwoods Park, perfect for West Queen West people watching, or get your order to go and brave the pigeon gangs.
Also, because it is suitably hip, it showcases a great soundtrack - the terrific Beach House album was on for my most recent visit.
About $12 for one order of fish and chips, cash only. -
Review from John C.
Mississauga, ON
10/9/2010 2 photos
Not much room for eating indoors, But if the weather is good there's a great park in front.
Halibut and the fries are home made. Everything is very tasty.
I highly recommend it. -
Review from Alex K.
Toronto, ON
6/4/2011
Much like Harbord fish & chips, they have taken to the cheaper and less inspiring battering method (of seemingly just a dusting of flour) but it is still good fish and chips. That being said, you're mostly paying to eat on Queen West which is easily my least favourite reason to pay more for something. It's not expensive, but for what it is, it ought to be cheaper.
Listed in: Best Fish & Chips
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Review from Magdalena R.
Toronto, ON
11/29/2010
:(
My expectations were high, based on all of the wonderful reviews I've read. The staff was nice, the 'cash-only' was only a minor inconvenience, the prices were good, but the food not so much. The fish batter was very greasy and the fries were soggy. The whole group I came with was sick all night after we ate here. Perhaps a bad batch? I'm really not sure, but I don't yet have the courage to re-try. -
Review from Tom P.
Vancouver, BC
7/12/2009
Dead simple really, ordered the Haddock (all the dishes come with chips) and then ate it. Good fish, huge portion, low price, not greasy batter. Carlie (gf) had the Cod and felt the same way. Fish and chips is something that is either good or bad and, having lived on the South Coast of England for 5 years, I know good fish and chips and I regret knowing the bad stuff. Chippy's, then is good. Not great, mind you - to get that level of battered brilliance they'd have to have a slightly less crunchy batter with a little more flavour.
The portion of fries is waaaay bigger than your stomach.
Short version - eat here, it's cheap and good. But for the sake of your heart, not more than twice a month! -
Review from Deanna W.
11/18/2008
Chippy's is a fish and chip joint for hipsters. From the heavy metal/rock music blaring inside to the recylable bins inside.
Fish and Chips here is inconsistent sometimes they get the batter just gossamer crispy (whatever that means) and the fish nicely moist inside. My last visit tonight was not so, the batter was way too hard and crunchy, and the fish was completely dried out inside. Oh and it was oversalted too. Plus you have to pay extra for tartar sauce-which I'm not even sure is homemade anymore as they claimed formerly. Chips were cut up too thick this visit but on previous visits they were not so and cooked through. Pieces of fish are a decent size. If I'm paying $10 average for a fish and chip order I'd rather be eating in pub with a beer.
This location is located across from Trinity Bellwoods if you like enjoying your take out in the park. -
Review from Angela L.
3/30/2010
Perched on one of the few stools that faced Trinity Bellwoods on a spectacularly beautiful day with a huge platter of haddock and chips before me, I felt that life didn't get much better than that. The only thing that I could possibly complain about was how hot my meal was. Having come fresh out of the fryer, the gigantic boite of fries and one and two halves of fish fillets were piping hot.
The batter on the fish had the light flavouring of tempura, but stayed held together as once piece like a crispy fillet bodysuit. I was most delighted with the simplicity of the seasoning. Nothing more than a healthy sprinkle of salt was needed to naturally enhance the flavour and quality of the fish.
I wasn't too impressed with the tartar sauce though. It was more like mayo with some green flakes in it. In fact, I suspect that it was not actually tartar sauce at all, but garlic mayo that was mistakenly served to me. Also, I find Cash Only to be quite the inconvenience. The dude behind the counter didn't seem to mind tossing my order into the fryer while I went down the street to use the ATM though. Warning: If you are not with CIBC, be prepared with cash or be prepared to slap an extra $1.50 onto your meal total. Lastly, they didn't sell any non-carbonated beverages other than water. Where's the iced tea?
Judging from the limited number of seats (which is not conducive for dining in) and proximity to both 7-11 (which has a much wider selection of beverages) and Trinity Bellwoods (can you say al fresco?), I think that the solution is clear:
Take away, take away, take away! -
Review from Amy D.
12/9/2009
******Yelp Correction******* It lists with their info that they accept credit cards and that is flase, they are strictly cash only.
That little detail really factored into my low rating. I dont get how business owners are going to inconvenience customers by making them pay at an atm to get out money or walk to their bank just so they dont have to pay the service charge. Also our first impression was the cook outside infront of the building, smoking as we entered. So after we ordered 2 cod and chips portions and the total came to $18.06. Now being in retail i always give people an extra penny, this guy would not take $18.05. so i know none of this has to do with food, so lets get to it. I love cod, even though its the cheapest i always find it delcious. This had no taste. The only reason i gave Chippy's 2 stars was bc their chips were so good. -
Review from Vanessa G.
Toronto, ON
9/2/2008 1 photo
The first time I went here was after a terrible morning at work. I was sad and needed some good old-fashioned comfort food to get me through the rest of my day. I'd had a mad hankering for some greasy fish and chips so I googled it and Chippy's was the closest place. When I stepped inside, I was greeted by loud, heavy, glorious rock and roll and boys with piercings a plenty, tattoos and ill fitting clothes.
But I didn't let their unkempt appearance fool me - they whipped up a delicious order of fish and chips that could compete with the finest pub fare in Britain. Although their food is scrumptious, you won't be able to enjoy it in their establishment, as seating is quite limited. However, Trinity Bellwoods Park is right across the street and there are some benches outside as well.
If you're looking for a different (but still delicious) fish and chip experience, Chippy's is the place to go. You'll still get delicious, beer battered fish served in a cardboard container with a mound of hot and fresh French fries, but it's the unique ambiance of Chippy's that will have you coming back for more.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Monica S.
6/10/2009
Not a huge fan of Fish and Chips, but when I get the craving I'm all in.. Chippy's halibut friedX2 is the way to go.. no thats not what its called - but it's super fried - SO don't plan on ordering the Diet Coke with it, because it won't help.
Healthy heap of fries.. yummy dipping sauces.
Sure I'll go back.. after I work out a ton so I don't feel guilty. :) -
Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
10/31/2008 1 photo
One of the best surprises that I ever got when I was walking around the neighbourhood was turning the corner close to Trinity-Bellwoods park (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) and I came across Chippy's. I'd just gotten back from a trip to the UK and had chippies on the mind, bemoaning the fact to my friends that there's no decent fish and chips to be had this side of the Atlantic. Tales of being able to select the type of fish you wanted, fries made from actual potatoes, and the prospect of mushy peas made me rue and drool all at the same time.
Enter Chippy's. A small take-away shop with maybe a half-dozen stools for "dining in", the main traffic Chippy's gets is from the strollers in the park, or those heading home looking for dinner to be grabbed on the way. Once you enter Chippy's, you're faced with the menu board of fish options. Yup. You get to pick the fish. Halibut. Cod. Haddock. Salmon (seriously?). The spuds are cut daily, and fried up for you. No fake taters here. Since they've got the deep-fryers going anyway, they also serve up a mean funnel cake. Me, I'm more about the fish.
Oh, and grab the mushy peas. Fantastic. -
Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
10/25/2008
Old school fish and chips love.
This is where you go when you have that craving for the real deal, the kind of chips (fries) that bring back memories of crisp afternoons, ice skating with your dad. Comfort food on max.
There isn't really anything special about the actual spot. It's more of a takeout joint then an eat in place. They have a few seats, but it's really not a date joint.
I seem to only like them in the winter. That's when the fries cravings come out in full force. -
Review from Jimi S.
ON
12/12/2008
i cant say i was all that interested in having fish and chips before chippys came around and i think that might be the case for a few folks out there, so congratulations to them for that. it also seems that they had some kind of hand in introducing different kinds of fish into the whole mix and other notables such as scallops and so on. so again, nice work.
what has made the effect of those things diminish for me is their overbreading of the fish and its subsequent greasiness. ive always felt a little queasy after having eaten here. the fries are great, the accompanying sauces tasty, the choices varied but this important aspect wanting.
and yes, as preposterous as it sounds, this location loves the kill, kill, kill, devil, devil, devil music. its offensive how loud they play it and stupid. im surprised the owner hasnt said anything. -
Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
10/22/2008 1 photo
I love fish and chips. I often search out different fish and chip places because I think that it is one of the best and cheapest meals you can get. This is what brought me to Chippy's on Queen West. I had been out for some time and the idea of freshly fried fish was making my mouth water. I knew that the restaurant was just over the hill and as I approached I anxiously anticipated my crisp bounty of the sea. I walked into the store front and was assaulted by death metal turned up all the way up to eleven. Now I have no problem with other people's taste in music, since I long ago realized that music is a very personal thing and that it is a place where there should be no judgment. That doesn't mean however that I want to hear what other people consider to be "good" music. I actually do have a bit of a soft spot in my heart for the cannibal corpses of the world, but I don't think that it is music to dine by. As I stood in line gently dabbing the blood from my ears I realized that I couldn't do it. I love fish and chips and Chippy's is one of the best but I was driven away by the music. I can't recommend this location because they've forgotten that while the customer isn't always right, if he's deafened he won't come back.
Like the review? Check out the link to my blog on my profile. -
Review from Miguel C.
Toronto, ON
3/23/2010
I worked across the road from this place for 2.5 years and over the time must have been there about 3 times. I give it my 3 strikes your out rating. Each time I go there I feel like I'm bothering the staff. They are the most unfriendly bunch of staff I've ever met. Never say hi how are you, never turn down their music to pay some attention to me. Once I stood there while he played on their computer changing the music. Fries are good but over priced. Not worth the strange service. Also not a big fan that they don't take credit cards. I don't care cash around much anymore so I had to run to the bank machine at 7-Eleven. Don't work in the area any more and will never visit there again.
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Review from Mark M.
Toronto, ON
3/26/2010
Chippy's is getting all my Fish and Chips related business from now until I find something better. If I never find something better, I would still be happy I have Chippy's.
I went here one evening with my sister to grab some sustenance. Place is small and dead simple which immediately made me smile. I ordered the Haddock and my sister had the fish cakes. Service was a little slow but the portions were large.
It's really hard to screw up deep fried fish with a side of fries. Most places with bad Fish and Chips usually stray from tradition which causes mixed results for the final product. Gladly they keep it simple here and my Haddock was great. My sister's fish cakes were a little undercooked but the pretty lady frying all the good stuff had no problem taking it back and upgrading her to the Halibut for no extra charge.
Chippy's is great. Cheap, fresh and filling. I can see myself coming here very often. -
Review from Karen M.
Toronto, ON
8/5/2009
I think Chippies is great. I have a friend from Ottawa who is originally from Australia and every time she visits we go to Chippies. It is kind of a hangover traditions for us to go get Chippies and then eat it in the park. I have tired the halibut, haddock, salmon and prawns and all are good but I prefer the white fishes and tend to go with the halibut since it is cheaper. The chips are great and you get TONs of them. The icing on the cake with Chippies is their dipping sauces. I have had the garlic mayo and mushy peas but these days I am hooked on the currie. So tastey, not spicey at all but there is something about it that I like. As for the decor it's simple, retro-ish and has a few stools at the window to eat at and enjoy Queen West. Loud rock/metal/punk is played and the staff always seem to be cute, attentive and fun. Sure it could could be considered fish and chips for hipsters but since it has been around since before hipster was a bad word and the food is really good, it shouldn't really matter.
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Review from John M.
2/12/2009
super good. supposedly trendy now, but like you care. eat 'em in the park with lots of lemon.
Listed in: Toronto: the cleaner, more…
