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One of the first food dishes people think of when referring to the United Kingdom is fish and chips. It's definitely the first food item I think of so I knew that I had to try it in London when I visited. Before the trip, I researched a bit to decide where to try this dish since I figured I would only eat it once during my trip. After reading some articles online and reviews from people, I decided on Poppies. It was the perfect restaurant that had consistently good reviews and was conveniently situated near places in our itinerary. The restaurant has an old diner vibe and there are many tables that accommodate small to medium groups. Decor on the walls are photos of famous people. Service was quick and friendly. Mink only wanted to try a couple bites so I ordered a Large Haddock and a Pint of Camden Pale Ale. Our server was quick to bring out my beer and the kitchen had my order on the table several minutes after. They even brought out a smaller plate for Mink. The fish was perfectly fried as the meat was moist and flakey. It was more on the bland side but the tartar sauce, lots of vinegar and lemon wedges helped. The chips were ok, not the best I had during the trip but it was decent. Thankfully there was a lot of ketchup and ground pepper. I'm satisfied with my pick of trying this dish at Poppies. Overall, it was a good meal and I'm happy that I got to eat this dish in its originating country.
Ordered: Regular Fried Haddock with Chips (~£20) Tartar Sauce (£1) Aya's take: Poppies is another one of those popular fish & chips spots in London. We were looking for a bite to eat around 10:30pm (they close at 11pm) but they weren't allowing dine-in anymore. A bit disappointing but we went next door to the takeaway side to place a quick order. The Fried Haddock with Chips was below average. 1) it wasn't fresh, 2) it lacked flavor, and 3) they charge £1 each for any condiment you want. They gave us the tiniest amount of tartar sauce which was crazy considering the size of the fish. We also asked for ketchup and were told it was also £1. I have never experienced having to pay extra for condiments like this when it should come with the meal. Who in London eats fish & chips without tartar sauce!? That should never be a separate charge. This meal will fill you up but not satisfy you. Maybe dining in during the day would be totally different but based on my experience, I wouldn't recommend it and wish I saved the calories for something better instead.
Mediocre fish and chips. Visited the Notting Hill location and the decor and smell of the place seemed really enticing. They have a to-go window, so we decided to give it a try. I ordered the medium cod and chips, and was surprised that tartar sauce was an extra cost. The system is slightly strange that they give you a ticket and ask that you wait outside by the window. When your order's ready they call your ticket from the window and ask that you come inside to pickup the food. It would make more sense to hand the food out from the window? I did like that when picking up the food the staff asked if I wanted vinegar and salt on top, considering the batter itself was pretty bland. The exterior of the dish wasn't very crispy which I was looking forward to. We ate it a few minutes after taking it to-go so I don't think it had time to become soggy. The fish itself was juicy and flakey. The chips were good, not the best. Enjoyed the tartar sauce and without it would've found the fish to be bland. Overall, an Instagram worthy spot but the taste is lacking. Hope to find better fish and chips the next time I'm in London
My friend and I were visiting London and wanted the best authentic fish and chips we could get our hands on. We asked a local on the tube and this is where we ended up! The fish was great. Flaky, crispy, pretty much unseasoned, but I prefer adding the salt and vinegar myself. The chips were good too, and the portion sizes on them were huge. The interior was of a nice vintage style and very clean. Service was quick and friendly. The price is unjustfiable, however. The fish and chips were already expensive, but to add onto the tiny amount of tartar sauce provided would be an extra charge (and they don't even let you take the jar!). Otherwise a pleasant experience!
As a tourist just looking for fish and chips I was more than satisfied coming to this mid-century "diner" that had a nice little buzz going on, which was enough to draw me in from the street. It was nice to see they offered a multitude of fried fish options and a full bar to boot! Knowing how expensive London is I was only marginally surprised that the bill for two for lunch, which included two "small" beers each was over £85.00.
Yea ... probably the worse fish and chips I have ever had . Im unsure why this place was so crowded . The food definitely gave neighborhood latenight / im starved and theres no other place open - energy . It was just that. Nothing helped with taste , not the tarter , not the ketchup, DEFINITELY not the malt vinegar .... Annoyed by my choice to experience "fish and chips" and to have had it taste so Mediocre was a Major disappointment. Even more so because we were headed to our train to Paris and had no time To eat elsewhere ...
There are TONS of places to eat fish and chips! This place was recommend by this YouTuber that's lives in London. Also, on Facebook there are two different London groups I belong too and they all recommend this place. This place did not disappoint. The staff were really helpful explaining the different type to f fish to choice from. My mom had a beer & I just had tap water. I hate her fish since it was huge. It was Delicious! It was so light and flaky. The tarter was good. I am so glad we stop here.
Surprisingly good for a very beige plate! Wished everything came more salted but I didn't mind seasoning on my own--like a pick your own adventure. I can't remember if we had the haddock or cod but the fish was lovely and flakey, chips were also surprisingly good though visually a far cry from the shoe string this Yankee is accustomed to. Cute retro ambiance. Not sure why there were a bunch of photos of iconic Americans such as Elvis but it works!
A hopping place to get some great fried food and a beer. The spot is full of character and vibes. Dine in or take out. Food came out fast and extremely hot. If you eat here, expect to pay a decent amount for your food. Prices lean to the higher side. An example, halibut and chips, 25.00 plus the service fee. So 28.00 for a fish and chips. Having more tarter sauce would have made my day. I did not ask so I do not know if someone can more tarter sauce without a charge. Worth a stop and I suggest splitting with your other human(s). Large amount of food.
My first (and only) fish and chip experience during my London trip. I made reservations on open table but we didn't need them. For a party of 3 on a Tuesday night around 8pm we walked in and got sat almost immediately. Food was good but bland. The chips has absolutely no flavor and were undercooked (in my opinion). The fish was good. Served very hot and the fish was cooked very well. It was a very busy place and in true London fashion all of the tables are super close together. We had multiple servers attend to our table. It was the end of the night so could tell they were trying to clean up, restocking condiments and such. Overall I liked Poppies. I came here based on a "places you have to try in London" list. Good experience, just not someplace I absolutely have to come back to.
Came in here on our visit to London, based on a local's recommendation. We had to try the Traditional Fish and Chips before we left. It did not disappoint. We tried the Haddock, the fish was fresh, mild in flavor. Not impressed with the chips. They weren't crispy enough. Rotisserie chicken was ok. Ambiance was great, a different vibe. The homemade tartar sauce was yummy!
4 years ago
For my second Fish and Chips meal in London, I knew it had to be Poppie's. I swung by one morning just as it opened, and waited ~10 minutes for my hot and fresh cod and chips to come out. Overall, I thought theirs was a bit softer than other spots, but just as delicious, especially when doused with vinegar on a cold winter day. Everyone was quite welcoming and nice, and I felt like a true customer during my visit. I'll likely be back for another visit during my next trip to London! read more
Amazing fish and chips! Solid and very cute restaurant. We were a big party of 8 and got right in for lunch and had good service too. Fish was perfectly cooked and a nice big piece for the large order. Totally hit the spot and the restaurant was great. read more
4 years ago
Decent, but expensive. Hole in the wall restaurant, where the cod and chips is a fairly small portion (even for the large), with a minuscule amount of chips, and the dine-in version is a whopping £4 more expensive at £20 than the takeaway. Gravy was thick, but rather tasteless, and the fish could've used at least twice the amount of batter I understand this is London, and prices match the location, but looking what you can get just a 15 minute underground ride away for the same price, Poppie's isn't worth it. read more
TLDR: Good for drunk food, that's it. Tasteless food - Maybe the only reason this place is still in business is because it's nestled in the middle of a bar area. I can see this being a valuable spot if you are super drunk and just need to line your stomach, but for dinner it was a total bust. Both my fish & chips and my partners chicken & chips were totally miserable (flavorless). Cramped quarters - We were seated in the back hallway which is barely enough room to scoot your seat in while the servers and other customers walk right behind you constantly. It was also so loud we couldn't have a decent conversation and the other tables are too close to your elbows for my taste. Service without a smile - Service was lacking compared to what I'm used to in the US but here it was particularly bad. Servers seemed to be scowling the whole time and be ready to flag them down if you need anything since they won't notice you unless you grab one of them. read more
4 years ago
Was told this was THE fish and chips place to try but it was kind of underwhelming for me. The chips were a bit too chunky and pasty consistency and the fish was a bit too greasy. Service was fast and friendly at least, but not a must try for me personally unfortunately. read more
1 year ago
I'm sure there are better neighborhood chip shops but for us, we wanted to get something consistent when we were in Soho and Poppie's was a solid choice for us. I'm surprised they have so many choices of fish to choose from but the haddock and cod are by far the best. Fish was fresh, fried well (but not greasy) and the chips were pretty darn good. I'm assuming I paid tourist prices (about 15 GBP per plate) but it was a good meal. Our server was fun and friendly and made some nice recommendations. Not an expert on the chippy but for us it was pretty good. read more
The fish and chips are amazing! I ordered the haddock which was surprisingly a big piece of fish they fried - the fish was so flaky and fell apart easily that I didn't even need a knife. The only thing is I wish there was more tartar sauce to spread on that fish. Mmm. I had this for lunch and felt it was very filling. We ordered the cartmel sticky toffee pudding which we weren't sure our stomachs could handle after all the fish and chips so asked for the bill. We noticed that we were charged for it anyway so we asked the waiter for it. Haven't never tried this pudding before I was surprised at how sweet it was! The ice cream tasted like French vanilla flavour which is another sweet addition to the pudding covered in the hot sticky toffee sauce. Not a fan of this dessert. I definitely recommend trying the fish and chips here though! A must try in London. read more
A strain to give 3 stars. We've been exhorted to go here for years, both by earnest YouTubers and by actual IRL human friends who have sworn by the "awesomeness" and "quality" of Poppies. We tried to eat at the Camden location once years ago, but got such a terrible seat (nearly in the actual doorway) - and such a scary view of the prices - that we left before ordering. So we finally tried the Soho location today, and honestly, we should have bolted. The place screams "clip joint!" as you walk in. Prices on the menu outside are higher than advertised online. Seating is cramped. Decor is "cute," for some value of cute that includes lots of posters of John Travolta and tattooed Marilyn Monroe, etc. As for the food... husband got cod and chips. The fish was fresh. The batter was odd: somehow not truly crispy, and it slid weirdly off the fish. My battered sausage wasn't fried enough. The batter was pale, but it was also too crisp, and cut into my gums! I am not sure how to explain this. The sausage was enormous, and of decent quality, but truly nothing to write home about. Which brings us to the chips. Which were dreadful. The insides were done, but there were only two on my plate that were even vaguely crispy! English chips aren't supposed to be super crisp like American fries, but these seemed to have simply laid down and died. The tiny pot of tartar sauce with a branded lid was adorable! The servers were both sweet and perfunctory, which works for a chippie near Leicester Square. But this place isn't a patch on the Golden Union, on Poland Street. You should eat there. :-) read more
2 years ago
I change my mind. Fish and chips are good actually. I highly recommend this joint to anyone who's had an estranged relationship with fish and chips. The batter was light yet crispy. The fish was juicy, but somehow did not make the batter soggy. The fish skin included with the fish was a nice surprise. The chips also had a light crispy shell with pillowy soft flesh. read more
What's up: We were back in London after a quick trip to Paris. One of the other fish and chips place that was recommended to us was Poppie's, so we stopped by to grab a late lunch. Environment: The decor of the place has a very retro look to it; the red lighting was interesting. One entrance led to the sit down restaurant while the other entrance led to a take away counter. Restrooms are located downstairs near the front of the restaurant. What was ordered: We ordered the Traditional Fish and Chips in Cod and Haddock. I also ordered the Sausage (also comes with chips). Each plate came with a little jar of ketchup and the fish dishes came with tartar sauce. The fish dishes were ok, although I wasn't too fond of the Haddock. The texture of the sausage was different than what I expected but was not too salty. Yay/Nay/Meh: Meh. Overall, the food was ok. I didn't think it was awesome or memorable. The staff was not very friendly and were a bit awkward around us. I think this place was overrated; we had a better experience over at Golden Union. Credit cards are accepted. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
first time having mushy peas and got to say they're good! according to our food tour guide, poppie's make their fish and chips the traditional way, meaning they have more oil compared to using a beer batter. we made the mistake of ordering two separate plates instead of sharing one because a few bites in and i was deep fried food OUT! read more
poppie's is a rip off, straight up. it's akin to going to a restaurant in times square in nyc. it's one thing if you have that understanding going in, but as an unwitting tourist, i learned that lesson quickly. it was something like £25 for the halibut and £7 for an appetizer of calamari rings. the price of the halibut is already kind of a rip off, but the calamari was unbelievable. my jaw was agape when it hit the table. there were SIX pieces of calamari. literally more pounds than pieces of calamari. so dumb. icing on the cake was the wait staff's attitude. she couldn't have cared less about us. in fact, she was kind of nonchalant to rude about everything. like we were bothering her by existing in the restaurant. THERE IS BETTER FISH AND CHIPS TO BE HAD IN LONDON! must be insanely obvious to most folks, but for people like me who seriously had no idea, it's worth stating. read more
3 years ago
I guess this has become quite a hot topic: half who say it's overrated and have who say it's among the best they've had. I think it's honestly a great fish and chips in the middle of Soho, but wouldn't say it's the best I have ever had. The prices are reasonable, it's a great piece of fish, and the seating is ideal for the center of Soho. Their other location is the original but still this is a must stop if you're in the area. read more
4 years ago
A+ for the food. I ordered the cod fish and chips with a side of mushy peas. The fish was crispy, non greasy, flaky and fresh. Chips were creamy, potato-ey and excellent. Dare I say, the best chips ever! Service was mediocre. The wait staff needs training in how to deliver excellent customer service, considering they add an "optional" service charge to the bill. That part seemed shady. The wait team hovered around talking amongst themselves, but never asked us if everything was okay or if we needed anything else. 5star rating for the food because I'd rather have great food and mediocre service than great service and mediocre food. read more
7 years ago
This place was ok. We didn't have to wait in line even though we didn't have a reservation, which was great. The waiting staff was alright as well. I wouldn't say they were particularly friendly, but they were attentive enough. The food was good. However, I would not put their fish and chips at the top level by any means. I guess my reason for giving a 3 star review is that it was pricey for what you got in terms of both the quantity and quality. But then again, I guess it is the price you pay for an iconic fish and chips place in London. read more
Best fish and chips I've ever had. I honestly didn't really have any mindblowing fish and chips on a previous trip to London. But Poppie's changed it all for me! We got the cod. And oh my goodness.. The texture on the deep fry was incredible. The cod done just right. The chips (Fries) were the perfect size. It showed me that something as simple as fish and chips can be taken up to the next level. I was very impressed read more
This was my first taste of food in London (not to mention all of Britain as well as all of Europe). I have to say... ... ... I am pretty unimpressed, but I can't tell if that's Poppie's fault or the dish itself. Large Cod Fish & Chips (17.95 GBP): You do get an entire battered cod, but even then it's not quite enough to split between two people. The fish tasted exactly as I expected it to: a giant fish stick. The chips were the epitome of average - nothing memorable about them. The ketchup and tartar sauce come in these minuscule jars that make dipping quite hard and hold very little sauce to begin with. Hot Seafood Platter (16.95 GBP): Cod bites, basically just more of the same. Calamari and scampi tasted good, I'll give them that. Whitebait was underwhelming. Comes with more of those mindnumbingly average chips that I described earlier. I'll tentatively give them a 4 stars, because what if I just hate fish and chips in general? Maybe Poppie's actually has the best fish and chips in the whole world, and I would never know... because I'm not a Londoner. Anyways, more realistically it seems like you can get this quality or better for cheaper elsewhere. read more
I'm not one to order fish and chips regularly during my meals, so I can't compare Poppie's to any other experiences. Poppie's has 3 locations in London, and this particular one is in the SoHo district, surrounded by pubs and nightlife. My husband ordered both ordered the cod fish and chips. The skin was crispy and the fish itself was cooked perfectly (it broke upon sticking my fork in), but the actual batter was a little bland, so I doused it with black pepper. We also ordered a side of mushy peas (it looked like baby food to me) which is a popular side to enjoy with your fish and chips entree. The chips were good and plentiful. Each order also comes with ketchup and tartar sauce. The service was friendly and the restaurant itself had a retro 1960s feel. The table next to us noticed that we were from "across the pond", and also offered to take a photo of us. read more
4 years ago
2 years ago
Coming to London, you expect to have fish and chips. Thing is, you don't have to go to a pub for the good stuff. Crispy solid pieces of cod were ordered to go. Served with Heinz malt vinegar and tartar sauce, this was delicious even by itself. Take a pass on the fries and as recommended by the guy behind the counter, get a cup of split pea to go along with the fried slices of Poppie's fish. read more
I stopped in on my hunt to try different Fish and Chips while in London, and even though I had heard some good things, this didn't live up to the hype. The food was good, but nothing special. The cod seemed to lack any sort of flavor despite adding lemon and using tarter sauce. The staff seemed nice, but they were kind of hard to find if needed. The main thing that I lacked about this place was the overall design and vibe. It had an old school diner/neon vibe, which was really nice, but the food just didn't live up to some of the other places near by. read more
2 years ago
Solid fish and chips! Vintage feeling, very informal. Not as cheap as you would expect for the location. read more
Iconic fish & chips for last 50 years. Cod or Halibut can't go wrong. Chips ( we call fries in the states) are marvelous. Good size portions. You may want to buy more tartare sauce. Staff was friendly and attentive. It was a good stop for our first day in London after a 20 year hiatus. read more
3 years ago
Great location right off the main streets of town. Fast service served within 10minutes of ordering and great recommendations. Amazing flavors and the chips were extra crispy, the homemade tartar sauce made it even better read more
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If you are anything like me you probably researched multiple top 10 lists of best fish and chips in london and found poppies was on all of them. My friends we have been deceived. This place sucks. The fish was flavorless and bland and the crisps/chips/fries or whatever they call them here were shit as well. It is moments like this I am proud to be an American, and am thankful for those who fought against not only British tyranny but the awfulness of British cooking as well. #godblesstheUSA #freedom read more
Cool location, neat interior, and great spot for fish & chips. I love the thick cut chips, and as I was taught by our waiter, they go great with vinegar. Staff was super nice, even let me take a pic in the kitchen when they were busy. Only negatives are that I love a lot of ketchup, but they charge for extra, and that the menu is false advertising as they have a small and large portion of cod listed yet told us they never have a small portion of cod. Overall very nice and would come back. read more
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8 years ago
Poppies - fishnchips - Updated August 2026
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