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Harbord Fish & Chips
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Fish & Chips Seafood, Fish & Chips [Edit]
147 Harbord StToronto, ON M5S 1H1
(416) 925-2225
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
23 reviews for Harbord Fish & Chips
Review Highlights
"F&C are wrapped in newspaper, UK style."
(in 4 reviews)
"Giant portions of fish (go haddock."
(in 7 reviews)
"and just a few picnic tables outside, so get take out or..."
(in 4 reviews)
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Jane M.
5/5/2011 ROTD 8/24/2011
I am from Ireland, I am a potato poet, and I can tell you that Harbord is great for chips.* The chips completely outshine the fish, in my opinion. You guys, they leave the skins ON!!! and they soak the potatoes in cold water first. Their potato etiquette is inspiring.
The most important thing about this place is portion control. One serving of chips will feed a person. If you want fish too, I would say find a buddy and split a large chips (3 scoops instead of 2) and an order of fish. They have some craaaaazy meal deal type things (I think a meal for two is 2xChips, 2xFish, 2xColeslaw and 2xSoda). Yeah, I'd like to see anyone that wouldn't be rendered 'beached' by a meal like that...
There's no room to eat inside here (oh wait, there is that ONE seat!), and just a few picnic tables outside, so get take out or bring it home to eat in front of the telly. Seriously, nothing better than salt and vinegar Harbord and a backlog of Fringe to watch.
*They're not exactly chipper-chips as we call them back home, but looking at them as a standalone product, they are fantastic.Listed in: Eats in the Annex
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Review from Ayesha A.
8/24/2011
For delicious downtown fish n chips it's yum.
Cute seating outside, don't even remember seeing seats inside, but there might be a couple chairs...
The fish is deeeelish! -
Review from Phil H.
Toronto, ON
10/31/2010
Had the haddock and chips. The price was right but the resulting meal was disappointing.
Fish was over battered and a bit overcooked. I can overlook the tartar sauce in packets, but if the fish ain't great, I'm not going to be happy.
Chips were alright but I was too let down by the fish to really notice. -
Review from Steph L.
1/5/2011
Nothing like the smell of grease and dinner wrapped in newsprint!
This is a small place that serves up generous portions of deep-fried goodness.
We were hungry and ordered the dinner for two:
- 2.5 servings of halibut
- 2 orders of fries
- 2 coleslaws
The pieces of fish were massive!
The fish was perfectly cooked and the batter was thick, heavy, and super crunchy.
The fries were good, especially topped with malt vinegar. If you are getting food to go, they keep packets of the malt behind the counter that you can ask for. Not a huge fan of the packaged tartar sauce... and we still ran out even though they did give us additional packets. (I really like the sauces at Chippy's!)
The coleslaw is very soupy... if that's what you like.
The meal was a glorious amount of calories!
There was so much food that we didn't eat the coleslaw and the half of fish!
Next time, I might just get a single dinner for myself instead of sharing a dinner for two. It would end up being a bit cheaper and the perfect amount of food.
I enjoyed my fish and chips, but this place is not top of my list for F & C places. -
Review from Kent P.
9/17/2010
Favorite fish and chips in the city.
Not much room for eating indoors, so if it's poor weather...better get take out. Few benches out front. It's tiny inside - just enough room for a few people to stand while ordering. F&C are wrapped in newspaper, UK style. Pretty cool. Giant portions of fish (go haddock...it's classic) - and the fries are good...but rightfully so only a back up to the fish. Coleslaw is extra but worth it. Harbord Fish and Chips. DO IT.
four out of five amazing pats
patpatpatpat
ttyn,
-PAT.Listed in: Meat.
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Review from Sam G.
Toronto, ON
8/24/2009
All in all its OK, perhaps not quite "A-OK" but I'll round up.
The food is rather heavy, and the fish to batter ratio is a little disappointing. Tastes fine for oily food. Fries complement the fish well. Prices are good. $22.50 tax in for a dinner for two which is 2.5 fish (the haddock / cheaper of the two), 2 fries servings and two little coleslaws. You won't leave hungry... but ... "leaving not hungry" after a meal is a pretty low bar to set.
One extra star because we had three people and after ordering the dinner for two the guy put our servings (unsolicited) into three different plates, which I appreciated. The funny thing was that since there was a dinner for 4 and dinner for 2 we asked if we could basically get a "dinner for three" which they wouldn't sell however the dinner for 2 is more than enough for three people. -
Review from Alex K.
Toronto, ON
6/4/2011
Obviously not as good as Halifax fish & chips (alone well worth the flight!) but still good. Harbord has taken the british style, deep frying a lightly battered filet of fish instead of using a heftier (and more delicious) batter. But it's still an awesome ton of greasy food wrapped in newspaper which hits the spot if it's what you're craving. Great for takeaway and just as nice for eat-in if it's nice out and you can take advantage of the picnic tables out front. It still leaves me yearning for home, but in a pinch it's just fine.
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Review from Jay G.
Toronto, ON
10/22/2009
This is definitely a hole in the wall. Not a thing in here is younger than 15years old, maybe even the oil. Walk into this fish shack and you have an extensive menu consisting of fish and chips.
As small as the restaurant is inside, each and every piece of floor space either has a chair or table occupying it. If the weather is nice I would opt to sit outside as you won't walk away smelling like 15year old oil and french fries. Service from the fryman was pretty great. He was super friendly and as accommodating as he could possibly be.
The food was lack luster. The portions look amazing and the size of fish was large and the amount of fries were more than what I could handle. Although the fish seemed large, it consisted of mostly batter. I found the batter too light and crispy and it soaked up the grease like a sponge so each and every bite would release even more grease. The fries were undercooked but you do get plenty of them.
Overall, the fish and chips are not worth traveling for. You get better fish and chips at a chain restaurant, quite the shame as fish and chips are the only things this place does. It came out to $12 for one piece of fish and a truckload of fries, if quantity is your game then its a winner but I can't justify the price for what you get. -
Review from Christine C.
Etobicoke, ON
10/21/2009
Two & a half stars.
I'm still chugging Pepto Bismol to help me get over the greasy stomach overload of Harbord Fish & Chips. Don't get me wrong, when eating fish & chips I expect a level of greasiness. About three bites into the fish and I knew I was in trouble. If this had been Texas I'd have mounted a little oil rig right on top of my basket of food and exclaimed "we've hit oil!". (urp) Maybe I've just been spoiled by the incredible fish & chips I ate at the Golden Hind in London, England.
A couple of comments to add; First off being oily is one thing but when you can taste the oil its definitely time to change the cooking fat. This was the case last night. The upside was that it was a lovely evening weather wise so we sat outside with some other Yelpers and enjoyed a few minutes of the last of the seasonal weather.
I don't think I'd be going back to Harbord F&C's, at least not without a good supply of Tums, Rolaids and Pepto Bismol in hand.Listed in: So many fish in the Sea!
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Review from Nick A.
Toronto, ON
8/5/2009
Harbord Fish and Chips is a small brick hut that looks out of place compared to some of the fancier establishments on Harbord. Once you walk in though you find a nice couple cooking delicious fried fish and thick french fries.
You can get either Halibut or Haddock and the fries are home made. Everything is very tasty and all the usual condiments are available, although the tartar sauce only comes in packets. A meal here will probably set you back $15-$20 but the portions are very large. If you're in the market for some good fish and chips, you could do a lot worse. -
Review from Rachel L.
Toronto, ON
10/5/2009
After acquiring two good Scottish friends, I learned how to stop thinking haddock is gross and love the chippy.
This chippy is around the corner from my house and was recommended by a friend. A Scottish friend and I made tracks and ordered one fish (because I was afraid of eating it) and two orders of fries (because I am not afraid of potatoes) and dove into a plate of grease, fried batter, and culture shock.
The fish here at Harbord is really good because the batter used is light and airy and does not overwhelm any other part of the meal. It is also possible to simply order fish without fries (!), which is what I opt for these days because I find the fries disappointing and the meal expensive.
After making it to Scotland myself, I brought back with me a very handy bottle of HP brown sauce which completely transforms the entire experience and makes it even more delicious that even thought possible. If you have any idea what I am talking about, well, good.
As for the ambiance, sure, there's none, but that's why I like it. It's literally a brick shack on the street with a cute sign and interesting clientele, just like the chippies back in the UK.
If you're looking for a fancier and more authentic chippy with full chippy accessories, head up to Chippy's on Bloor, where you can get battered salmon and mushy peas!
PS Yelp asked me if this place is good for kids and my initial reaction was no - this is not a healthy meal by any means! -
Review from Bijan V.
8/13/2008 1 photo
Something about this place makes me like it. Maybe it's the incredibly small and cozy feel to it. This little shack on Harbord spits out Fish & Chips of really good quality. I feel it really is one of the best Fish & Chips places in the downtown area (closely competing with Chippy's Fish & Chips on Bloor & Bathurst).
There's just something about this place that when you walk into it, you really feel like you're sea-side and the server is a sea captain serving you fresh fish. The fish then come wrapped in newspaper and filled with fine chips.
Although this isn't a fancy place (obviously) so don't expect TOO much but if you're craving really good normal fish and chips for a good price then you've definitely found the place!Listed in: The UofT Student / Resident
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Review from Catherine M.
ON
11/22/2008
Sometimes I have daydreams about fish and chips, and in such daydreams, this is where they're coming from. I'm thankfully far enough from Harbord Fish and Chips that it can remain a once-in-a-while type of treat, but it is delicious enough that I could see eating it more often.
While the outside (and inside, for that matter) are nothing special, the downmarket shop offers what I consider to be the best fish and chips in town. The takeout comes wrapped old-school style in newspaper, and the food is made piping hot to order.
I like the halibut meal, and have been known to split a two piece meal with a friend considering the huge proportions of food involved. The fries are generously cut, salty and that perfect combo of just being crispy enough on the outside but soft and mushy inside. The fish tastes as fresh as you can get from a Maine seashore fish shack, and the batter is nice and golden crispy. After having this fish I can understand why people loathe ordering pub-style puffy beer battered fish. It is dreamy, to the point where you might tussle over who gets to eat the last crispy morsels of batter scraps. Yes, it's that good. Let's rue the day that the store gets bought out or franchised, and hope that it never comes, because there just aren't enough simple, affordable meals around town these days.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from N.J. G.
Toronto, ON
9/5/2009
Great service.
Pricey but you get A LOT to eat, easily shared between two. The food is a good, quick fix.
The fries are decent, perhaps better enjoyed if they are eaten on site. Mine are usually a bit smoshed when I get around to eating them. I can only stomach the grease from this meal about once a season but it's worthy of repeat business.
I like that the takeaway is packaged like the Brits do it, in newspaper :)
Give this place a try at least once.Listed in: French (Freedom) Fries
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Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
1/30/2009
When I walk into Harbord F&C, I'm transported back into my childhood, to a place that mimics everything my own parents would do in their own restaurant.
From CityTV blaring on the television, to the makeshift, semi-uncomfortable seating crammed in every patch of real estate they can find, this place screams HOME HOME HOME to me.
Though I have to agree with Deanna in that the fish is pretty thin, I do like the puffy batter. The chips and coleslaw are all right, too. I mean, there's nothing fancy about the food -- where most shops boast about homemade tartar sauce, these guys dole 'em out in packets -- but it's definitely a nice stop for fast food in a quirky building.
Plus, the people who own this place are simply adorable. Mama? Papa?
I'm sold. -
Review from Sean Y.
Toronto, ON
6/19/2009
This place is not a restaurant.
It is a gallery.
The only piece it contains is the poster by the door to the right of the counter. -
Review from Danny W.
Toronto, ON
3/14/2011 2 photos
Most of the time when I feel a hankering for fish & chips and don't feel like taking the trek out to my fav spot B&B i'll head over to to Harbord to get my fix. It's a small place but they at least they have benches for you to enjoy your f&c and people watch.
When I go there I always get the haddock, not only is it cheaper then halibut but the results turn out better. The time I tried the halibut it was overcooked and tough, in that the moisture had come out of the fish but the batter retained it so it was wet but biting into it was like biting into a sponge. After that I only ordered the haddock and I've been satisfied with the results so that's my fish of choice from now on (plus it's bigger too, which is a bonus). The fries are good, I hate to admit this but they do fries better then B&B's in that they have that crispiness on the outside but still moist on the inside, consistenly too. Cole slaw is extra so I've never tried it and tartar sauce is from packets, which you kind of expect. Prices are pretty much in line with most other f&c places, coming out to a little north of $10 and the owners are a friendly couple so how can you not support them :)
Good place to go to when the weather's nice. -
Review from Kasi N.
5/21/2009
Having spent (some may say suffered) a school terms worth of meals in the UK, I have learned to truly appreciate the simplicity of good fish and chips. Harbord Fish & Chips more than hits the mark. The only thing truly missing are the mushy peas.
They have haddock and halibut (I always opt for the slightly more pricey latter) in various combination/deals. 2 pieces of fish, chips, coleslaw and a pop will cost you nearly $20 but you will definitely not go away hungry. It's all made-to-order right behind the counter by the wonderfully sweet ma-n-pa couple owner/operators. The batter on the fish is extremely thick and flaky, which I love (but I know some people aren't a huge fan of).
The packets of tarter sauce leave much to be desired and the fries can be hit-and-miss in their level of "doneness" (technical term) but the portions are ultra-generous and they have some of the only coleslaw I'll eat (devour, more like).
In nice weather the shanty picnic tables crammed out on the sidewalk make for a perfect psuedo-seaside dining experience. Or, opt for the takeout and you can season to your liking before getting your newsprint-wrapped F&C to go. -
Review from James S.
1/8/2011
A hole in the wall sort of place. THe price was quite reasonable for the amount of food one received. Also the fish and chips were wrapped in newspaper which is a nice touch. T he chips wee also quite good. Nothing spectacular but good. The fish however was overcooked and battered. I felt like I got very little fish for my dollar. The tatar sauce was also just from packets. and not very good. I would recommend other fish and chip shops in the near by area over this one.
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Review from Ariel G.
8/24/2009
My overall experience there was much like Sam's. Its a bit pricey, very very simple (spartan), and on the ambiance scale a zero. The fish is good, but there are many other places in that league. Seating is only available on very old picnic tables outside...not a terrace!
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Review from Deanna W.
11/5/2008
A cozy tiny fish shack on Harbord Street. Although I love the greasish smells wafting from their walls, I find their fish and chips to be a bit of too much puffed up batter with not much fish inside. :( Also the packets of tartar sauce aren't really tasty....but the KFC style coleslaw is a taste guilty pleasure! Fries aren't bad, sometimes undercooked but you do get a lot of 'em.
Listed in: Gone Fishin'-Fish and Chips
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Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
9/19/2008
I like to think of myself as someone who know good fish and chips, it's not hard you're probably good at it too. The beauty of fish and chips is that it's so simple: it's deep fried fish and French fries. Despite it's simplicity, its apparently very easy to mess up but fortunately for me and everyone else in Toronto there is Harbord Fish and Chips. Some places go in for the fancy fish or new kinds of French fries with different sauces. Harbord Fish and Chips will have none of it, from their little shack (and it literally is a shack) on Harbord they make it the way it's supposed to be, fresh cut fries, the potatoes are sitting in the sink, and freshly battered fish deep fried are served hot and delicious. It is worth the trip to the little shop because you are not going to find a more pure example of what fish and chips should be. They don't hide behind gimmicks they make it pure and simple and they do it so well. I highly recommend Harbord Fish and Chips to everyone, get the halibut and enjoy.
Like the review? Check out the link to my blog on my profile. -
Review from Barney F.
Etobicoke, ON
10/7/2009
This hole-in-the-wall has been around since I was in highschool (Central Tech) in the late 60s. It's nice to know that the tradition of greasy fish and fries has continued to this day. Great then (25 cents for a box of fries), just as great today.
