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Recommended Reviews - Laughing Halibut
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Food: halibut fish and chips and cod fish and chips. The halibut fish is so soft, fresh and delicious. Truly the BEST fish and chips I've ever had. Hubby got the cod which was also very good, but if you had to pick, I'd go with the namesake halibut. Just add salt, some lemon and a little bit of malt vinegar and you are good to go. We were actually all set to go someplace else but the concierge at our hotel recommended Laughing Halibut nearby so we decided to go with it. He said they never freeze their fish and they've been around for 43 years. Thank goodness we did! Service: our waitress was very helpful as we were torn between halibut and cod. Ambiance: this a no frills type of place I love because the focus is on the food. There are a few tables in the back or you can get it to go.
Very much a hidden gem, about a 15 min walk from the Big Ben! I don't usually like cod or fish (not a big seafood eater), so I was specifically trying to find halibut fish and chips since halibut is a better fish (not sure if thats true or not lol). This was also my first time ever trying fish and chips. We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. The place is very small, but that's about every restaurant in London. There's a lot of tables at the back of the restaurant. I thought my fish and fries tasted so fresh and not greasy at all. I had it with vinegar and this other sauce and it was sooo tasty. Didn't really taste too fish-y in general! The workers were also very nice and kind! I would go back here!
My tour guide suggested this fish and chips restaurant after I was done visiting Winston Churchill's war rooms, and it was totally worth going to for lunch. The piece of fish I had was spectacular, a good fry and very fresh. The fries are delicious and are thick cut and have plenty of flavor. It is all served with a smile and with a nice amount of tartar sauce, a must if you do this dish properly. It also helps to serve mushy peas or a curry sauce, but this is fine as a simple dish because it really held me up for several hours after eating it. The prices are fair too but I did not want a large portion as I wanted to ensure I would be able to eat dinner later. Get the Halibut as the name implies. It is the right fish here. Cod will work too, but at this restaurant, stick with the Halibut.
Great place to get fish and chips in London. We got the namesake, the halibut, and I think it was worth it -- although we didn't try their others. Perfectly cooked fish, light and crispy breading, and good chips. Got a beef meat pie as well and it was also pretty good - good pastry. Service was lovely and kind and it's on a cute street with street vendors as well. We went around 1130 and the place was starting to fill up when we left but still plenty of space.
We wanted to try fish and chips in London and found it on Yelp, it was close to our hotel and within walking distance. The Laughing Halibut located on a small street is a family-owned shop with very friendly service. They were extremely helpful with our menu selection. Our dishes were served promptly and tasty. The restaurant seems small but has enough tables to be comfortable. The atmosphere is friendly and joyful. We paid at the counter at the end of our meal. Recommended if you are in the area.
The Laughing Halibut should definitely get points for the originality of their name, similar to the odd names (to us Americans) of pubs in London. It certainly is catchy and it caught my eye in my search for lunch after visiting Westminster Abbey, a short walk down Victoria St and down an alley. I wasn't going to leave London until I had some good Fish & Chips! Seating is a little tight with narrow tables, but the menu is pretty extensive with different kinds of fish. There's cod, haddock, plaice, calamari and skate, but halibut leads the list, so that's what I go with. We also shared a Mixed Platter to try some of the others in smaller portions. One of our friends wasn't keen on fish, so she got the roast chicken, which was surprisingly good. Also in the menu are meat pies, which my son has been on the hunt for. The beef pie was a personal sized pot pie stuffed with beef & gravy. We should have gotten 2-3 to share, but the fish platters were pretty big. The fried calamari rings in the mixed platter were like 4 inches across! Just be aware that what they call scampi is not like what we call scampi. They're just breaded fried shrimp. Halibut is basically a large flounder species caught in colder northern waters. The meat is tougher and doesn't flake like its smaller warm-water cousin. You just have to be careful in cooking it or it becomes overcooked rubber. How they get it to laugh, I don't know, but it must involve some secret tickling technique. Their cooking technique is great though, with a time tested batter recipe that fries up golden brown and keeps the fillet nice and moist. They must double-fry the chips because they came out cooked through and perfectly crispy. I tried the chips with the malt vinegar on the table, but I prefer good ol' ketchup. I feel they should have a mascot to go with the name of the restaurant. My wife would have bought a plushie of a cartoonish laughing flatfish.
Wanted to try some of the famous British Fish and chips. This was highly rated. Expect a rather plain family owned eatery on a side street with simple food. The fish-chips and chicken mushroom pie was a taste of 100% British. Came twice in three days, says it all.
Walked from Westminster Abbey to Laughing Hailbut. The place is small, but still a good amount of tables. Looks like a typical fish and chips joint. The menu has a lot of options. For fish and chips, you can pick from cod, halibut, haddock, rockfish, or skate. I opted for cod. The piece of fish is quite good size as is the amount of chips you get. Batter is crispy and not heavy. The chips are crispy and hot. Service was fast and friendly. Had a great experience! N*joy!
First meal on this Europe trip was a success! The one dish I really wanted to try in London was Fish & Chips and this place had pretty solid reviews. I went with the Cod, which was flakey and delicious. My dad ordered the English Breakfast, which came with a bunch of food for under 10 euro. It's a pretty casual spot. The silverware is in a little container on the table and you seat yourself. They do bring your food to you, but you have to go up to the counter to pay at the end. I enjoyed the vibes though because it felt more authentic and less fussy. It was pretty crowded even before noon, so that's when you know it's legit!
Order at counter or take a seat at the tables for wait staff to take your order. The place is narrow but has plenty of seating available. The fish and chips platter is good. This is our second time here it was still as good as we remember. I had the cod plate with just the cod and it was a perfect snack. Chicken wings were great too.
Such a great find within walking distance of my hotel. I visited here many years ago and I gave them 4 stars. Given the meal I got today, I'm all in with 5 stars. Today, I was looking for a quick takeaway option to eat in my room due to jet lag. This looked to be the only chip shop in the area and I felt like I should try to eat something classically British since I'm only here for a night. I would normally take the Underground to Leicester Square for Chinese takeaway but did not feel like fighting the rush hour crowds so The Laughing Halibut it was. It is a little nondescript from the outside and looking in the window, it appears to have what all classic fry shops should. Frymen behind the counter, fried items in the glass hot case, and boiling oil vats bubbling with fish. Upon walking in, I first noticed several tables in the back to eat in, and all were occupied which was a good sign. The next thing I noticed was the engaging counter guy who helped talk me through my order. He was not rushing me and he seemed to genuinely want me to have a good meal. I was also impressed that there was not a lot of fried product sitting in the warm holding cases getting stale. They fry to order and so you know you are getting a freshly made meal. There are several types of fish you can order along with other items such as chicken, burgers, pies, etc. It was actually harder to decide because I always thought that fish and chips was made out of some nondescript, cheap, trash fish. Not here. They had Cod, Halibut, Haddock and at least a couple other choices on the menu. I know jack squat about great fish and chips so the choices were wasted on me. I went with Cod at the recommendation of the counterman. It was a great choice in the end. I took mine to go so I had them overfry it a bit as I did not want it to get steamed soggy on the walk back to the hotel. The fryman did it and it was absolutely perfect on my 10 min walk back. They double bagged it and the fries after salting them and it was perfect for taking it away. The smell coming out of the bag was pretty enticing and it was funny because the 5-star hotel I'm staying at I'm sure wants its customers to dine in at its expensive restaurant with a Michelin star trained chef. My $10 paper bag of fried fish got a lot of attention as I walked through the lobby and the people that got on the elevator with me asked me where I got it from and made immediate plans to go to the Laughing Halibut for dinner. Sometimes inexpensive and comforting is what you need. Once in the room, I unwrapped the fish and it was still perfect. Blazing hot flakiness on the inside (still too hot to handle) and perfectly crunchy and seasoned on the outside. The side cup of vinegar they gave me was the outstanding foil for the oily richness of the fish. I have had some really crap fish and chips elsewhere in the UK and in Ireland. This one was anything but. It was actually perfect in price, size, preparation and taste. Nothing but good things to say about this place. The guys running it are 2nd or 3rd generation family members of the original owner and have kept the business running even through COVID. They seemed to be very nice, chatty, helpful and eager to please. This is a total gem in this neighborhood and I am now a fan. I liked it enough on this 2nd visit that I put it on my bucket list for a repeat visit on my next trip to London. You should too.
Pretty decent fish & Chips ! After taking a stroll around Buckingham palace & seeing the Royal guards in London this stop was a must ! (Because when your in London, you have to eat Fish & Chips!) Our waiter recommended the Rio drink which is a tropical fruit drink, which was a nice pair with the Fish & Chips. Our waiter had great customer service and had a great sense of humor. The fish (Cod) was cooked good & the batter was flaky. The Fries were decent as well, just needed extra seasoning which is provided at your table! Overall definitely a go to spot!
Off hours on a rainy weekday was what I needed from the universe to stop into this place. Coming from a guy who does not typically order, or even like fish n chips, this place was damn good. Entering is a bit confusing because the front counter is the take-away counter. They actually have table service, but you have to go to the back. Even though I chose my own seat quickly, for some reason it took a while for anyone to take my order... but it came with an apology at least and I wasn't in a hurry. Vinegar, ketchup, mayo, tartar, S&P are on the table already. I echoed the voice and words of Anthony Bourdain in my head when I decided to order the curry sauce with my chips. I had no alcohol in me, but I just wanted to be "set right" and that the curry cauce certainly did. They have other dishes that seem of a 'higher' (nicer) caliber, which I didn't try, but it's a super casual sit-down and take-away sort of chippy.
2 years ago
I had to try fish and chips while in London. It wasn't my favorite thing to eat but I appreciate it for what it is. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Visiting London twice , we ate here and was excellent. The gentleman who took care of us was very helpful, would go back again. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Don't underestimate this little shop's mighty food. Best fish n chips we had on our visit. We ended up going here twice because we felt it was better than the pub's down the street. So good & service was great. Thanks! read more
2 years ago
7 years ago
We really enjoyed our meal here except I unfortunately ordered the skate thinking it would be deboned. It wan't so it was very difficult to eat. The fish meat was very tasty but i was making a mess trying to get the bones out. I eventually gave up and ate my beans. I wish the server would have have explained this to me. My boyfriend got the cod and chips and he devoured it. Very good sized piece with plenty of chips. Packaged mayo, tartar sauce, and ketchup are on the table. I highly recommend this restaurant but I'd stay away from the skate unless you are an expert at filleting. read more
5 years ago
Stopped in for some authentic fish and chips. Did not disappoint. Had the cod and chips and the breading was perfectly crispy the fries were good and portions were huge for the price. Nice area of town with market stalls outside. Friendly and quick service. read more
3 years ago
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6 years ago
The cod and chips were super fresh and fried to perfection. Probably would have been better if there was dipping sauce. I saw curry sauce on the menu, but wasn't sure if it was for the fish. Good prices for the food and pretty filling! read more
Really in search of great fish and chips and found this place not far from Buckingham Palace. Not a lot of restaurants close by. We really enjoyed the fish and scampi, prices are good and there was a constant stream of locals. Not at all greasy. read more
4 years ago
(3.5) Came here after landing in London and we originally ordered the Halibut but turns out they were already sold out The chips were pretty oily which is a disappointment since I love chips (fries). As for the fish we ended up getting the cod. The cod was cooked very well. Didn't taste fishy at all. Cod was overall decent but nothing to rave about. Tasted like it was missing something to it read more
7 years ago
I looked at the reviews and ordered what was suggested, sharing a large platter of fish and chips with my husband (£12 or £13) and I will say that the fish (I think we ordered cod) was outstanding in that it was very crispy and tasted fresh! It was great, and the portion size of the large was a nice size! However, we ordered the chicken and mushroom pie for £7 and I was disappointed with how small it was. It tasted good... but it wasn't anything spectacular, and the size just didn't quite correlate with the price to me. Not bad, but not great. At least that was the opinion of me and my husband. We also ordered mushy peas because so many people have talked about it but it just tasted like my homemade baby food with a bunch of butter. It was also pretty hot inside so if you're planning to order you should probably do "take out." Overall, the actual fish and chips were terrific!... but the rest was just "okay" in our books. Wouldn't make a special trip out there (like we did), but if you're in the area the fish and chips were great if that's what you're looking for. read more
3 years ago
Visiting London twice , we ate here and it was excellent. The gentleman who took care of us was very helpful and friendly, we would go back again. Fish and chips were outstanding, mushy peas too. read more
~3.5 stars When in London, its a MUST to get in touch with tradition and eat some fish & chips. I don't have a lot of compare to, but this place seems pretty decent. Located on an alleyway with several food stands, this place is very casual. You walk in, sit down, order a fish dish off their menu. Very simple. Friendly workers too. We ordered the large halibut & chips for 15 euro...a tad pricey, however, the piece of fish was humongous....one order was able to make 2 people content, especially with the amount of freshly cut chips (fries) they supplied. The fresh and flaky chunk of fish came with tartar sauce, but I opted for ranch instead. Batter was light & crispy...not too thick at all. Oh yes, they were also nice enough to find me a huge bottle of the ranch which I kept all to myself for the duration of my meal ;) BTW they take credit cards! read more
I decided to stop in since I was in the Westminister area. It was construction in the area but still easy to locate. When I arrived I seated myself. Within two minutes a waitress arrived who was ready to answer questions. When I walked in the food smelled so good. The waitress recommended the Halibut and Chips so I got that Hot snd Sticky wings, and Haddock and Chips. I was truly not disappointed. It was delish. The fish was well seasoned and great portions for the price. If you are ever near any location especially the one in Westminister area its worth going. Oh in addition they also have veggie options available. The only reason the don't get 5 stars is because there is not parking available in the area. read more
Great place to try fish and chips in London! The fish was fresh and it was cooked to order and came out nice and hot. The service is great and they also have carry out options. On my way there I walked by many people eating their carry out and that's one sign that you can tell a place is popular is when everyone around you is eating it. They also have fried chicken that I wish I had tried. read more
Very friendly staff and delicious fish and chips. We came here off a friend's recommendation and it was pretty tasty! We ordered the halibut and chips and,I will say, that they were quite pricey. I wasn't expecting a bit of fish and a few fries to cost £18-I'm no expert in the halibut market, but that seems a bit insane. Anyways, cute family establishment with plenty of tables. I would definitely come back to try an alternative item! read more
This was our first meal on our Worldtrip 2015 Honeymoon! Flying from Hawaii to London was lengthy, so we were looking for a place that served up authentic and tasty London yums to curb the jet lag. For the record, I am no fish-n-chips officiant, and I have only been to London one other time before this back in 2011. So to find a good restaurant in the middle of the bustling city, I used none other than my trusty Yelp app and sought out TLH just a couple blocks away from us! The restaurant was easy to find on the map, but it is a small eatery so keep your eyes open! The dining room can probably fit no more than ten tables, but the areas are clean. The restaurant is operated by a very nice family! I was able to meet the father, son and daughter and chat with them for a bit. Turns out they spoke Turkish and started their restaurant in London in hopes of a better life. Our group of four tried the haddock and halibut. Both fish were tasty-- the haddock was flaky and the halibut was moist. The batter was nice on both fish; not too oily or thick so the flavor of the fish meat was well received. Portion sizes are good and even the big boys got full off their meal! For what it's worth, I enjoyed TLH and the service we received from the staff. Thank You for starting our journey off on the right foot! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
WOW. I've had a lot of fried fish growing up in New England and I have to say this might be the best fish and chips I've ever had. I wanted to try the haddock, but unfortunately they were already out by the time we got there. If that's something you're looking forward to, definitely try to go earlier than later. I ended up trying the cod and it was still great! The fish was cooked perfectly--not dry at all and the fried outside was super crispy and thin. Squeeze some lemon and dip it in some tartare sauce and you'll have the perfect bite! The fries were just average--I personally wish they were crispier and had more flavor (they were kind of dry and bread sticky). I also tried the Shepard's Pie and it was also really good! Super flavorful and the crust was flakey and buttery. read more
2 years ago
Awesome cod and chips. Would go here again. Huge portion as well. The cod was perfectly breaded and cooked, moist inside, crispy outside, with a Buttery batter. The chips/fries were really nice as well, quite tasty, crispy, but soft center. Hey friendly service as well. read more
4 years ago
it was our last meal in London and we wanted fish and chips, got onto the Yelp app and found Laughing Halibut, it states it's the best traditional British fish & chip, so we thought ok, lets give them a try. I went with the large cod & chips. The fish was perfectly fried, didn't have an over fried taste to it, it was light and crispy, the fish was nice and tender, just perfectly cooked, the chips where good too, really didn't go wrong ordering this dish. The restaurant is plain and has a handful of tables, and it was packed even though it was less than an hour away from closing, and if you do not want to dine there, they do offer take away. Next time I'll have to try the halibut! read more
8 years ago
Cool place to eat the quintessential British meal of Fish & Chips! Busy place, so food is always fresh! Staff is quick, attentive and keep the flow going! read more
3 years ago
Staying in area this week, we saved the best lunch for last. Cozy neighborhood local mom & pop shop. Friendly family, delicious food and great service. Highly recommend the halibut, shrimp and Jamaican patty. Run, don't walk to this spot...you won't be disappointed!!! read more
Fish and Chips!! Yeah, I had to have fish and chips during my time in London. I was sick and coughing, and that fried food did NOTHING to help me. I had the Halibut and chips, and it was good. I felt like the Halibut was a bit dry, but it was kinda flakey. I smothered it with tarter sauce to get it a bit more moist. I had a bite of my friends grilled fish, and that was super moist and good. The chips were also good and yum. My friend and I both ordered a side of mushy peas...which. I still don't quite understand how Londoners like this stuff. Its okay, but was like...textured baby food. Was kinda meh for me. I did loved that this place was a mix of tourist and locals. Locals sat down and immediately ordered...tourists like me took a while to look up the foods. read more
Ventured in during a walk-tour day of London. Traditional chip shop with no pretension or fanciness,...just a guy with a fryer doing his thing. The cod and haddock were perfectly fried, not too greasy (as well as the chips) with plenty of malt vinegar available. The mushy peas were very creamy with a traditional flavor. Not much else to say, would definitely return if in the area. read more
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