Best Fish and Chips in Boston?

[lypp]

I'm craving fish and chips - who has the best?

[October4]

I order fish and chips a lot. Had it recently at The Ledge in Dorchester and thought it was excellent. Liked it better than Matt Murphy's, although their version is very good too.

[chefematician]

I was at the Haven last night in JP. While I didn't order the fish supper (their name for fish and chips), I did taste some of it from a friend's plate. It was by far the best thing I tasted all night at that restaurant. I'm no fish and chips connoisseur, but this was excellent. Sweet fresh haddock, crisp fry job and house made chips that were thick and fluffy on the inside while still maintaining a delightfully crispy exterior.

[KARichards4606]

O,Neals in Salem, MA. ,the Fish & Chips are awesome! The fish portion is huge I got 2 3x5 peices of fish, not fish chunks like a lot of other plaies I have been to.

[Science Chick]

I actually prefer smaller sized pieces (say 3x3 or 4x4). They seem to cook more evenly and stay crisper than big whole filets.

[gourmaniac]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but the Fresh Pond Seafood luncheon special that includes a couple of pieces of excellent fish, fries and a cup of great fish chowder is $8.99. A very good deal and excellent quality.

[bear]

That's a good deal. How are the fries?

[gourmaniac]

OK. better than Sysco but I don;t think they are fresh cut or anything nor are they a true chip (UK style). The small cup of chowder is fabulous. Also they do pretty good fried clams for $11.99 with similar sides. RE comment below. I forget about Haven, which is in my neighborhood. They do have great F&C and do I remember correctly that it includes mushy peas?

[chefematician]

Yes, mushy peas are included.

[bear]

thanks, gourmaniac. As long as they aren't full-blown crinkle cuts, I'll be happy enough.

[Neely08]

bull mccabes union sq somerville

[nohurry]

None of you Bostonians have ever heard of this one...it takes a low-budget/sophisticado
tourist like myself..............[though I used to live in Boston many many years ago and still visit regularly] to find the good hidden holes in the wall...!

I had a good fish & chips at ALEX PIZZA on Washington Street in the South End...got it on the LUNCH SPECIAL to take away and ate 'alfresco' in the little park across the street.

Of course, I always carry my own travelling container of black [malt] vinegar...they don't serve it.

[opinionatedchef]

matt murphy's:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/06/bo...

I saw a big plate of this last night at StripT's and since they seem to excel at everything else, i would bet it is excellent. And i think it might be on the menu at Plough and Stars, and , of course, Courthouse Fish..

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Courthouse Fish Market
484 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02141

Strip-T's Restaurant
93 School St, Watertown, MA 02472

Plough & Stars
912 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

[fantundo]

Strip-T's does have very good fish and chips, tho when they arrive, it looks as tho the fish is burnt. It's cooked to almost a mahogany color. But it tastes great.

[litchick]

I vote Publick House, but I haven't had it at Druid. I'll have to try for the sake of scientific comparison. ;)

I'll tell you who does it unexpectedly badly -- Highland Kitchen. SO greasy. The fish itself is good, but the batter is the pits. What's more, the extreme greasiness of the battered fish softens the fries too much, and the whole dish gets that kind of sad wilt-y thing going on. I was surprised.

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Highland Kitchen
150 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

Publick House
1648 Beacon St, Brookline, MA

[BJK]

Agreed. Love Highland Kitchen. Except the fish & chips.

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Highland Kitchen
150 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

[justacook]

It's hard to say the best until you actually have them all...I've had a lot but the one I have never been disappointed with is Matt Murphy's. It's my favorite, very traditional to England Pub style and they give ample amounts of housemade tartar and ketchup. Really good sauces. Add one (or two) Old Speckled Hens and you'll be happy! Murphy's has a great, friendly staff as well.

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Matt Murphy's
14 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02445

[lypp]

I'm trying Tavern at the End of the World tonight. I'll post results with a new heading!

[phatchris]

Be sure to get a side of Curry sauce and a Dogfish 90.

[winedude]

I recently ended up at Legal Sea Foods, and tried their fish and chips, and it was surprisingly delicious. You can pick your 2 side dishes, and I asked them for 1/2 orders of fries and onion strings, and grilled asparargus. The fries are mediocre, pre-frozen with some sort of season salt (try saying that 3 times fast), but the onion rings are state of the art, if you like the thin kind. And the grilled asparagus was yummy.

[joth68]

Just had an excellent fish and chip at PJ Ryans. Two thick pieces of cod with a nice crispy batter and decent fries(i ask for them extra crispy).

I rarely order fish and chips in Boston due to the fact that whenever I go home to Mattapoisett I end up getting some at the Chowder House or Oxford Creamery but I'm happy to have this version nearby when I'm need my fix.

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PJ Ryan's
239 Holland St, Somerville, MA 02144

Oxford Creamery
98 County Rd, Mattapoisett, MA 02739

[digga]

We LOVE the version at PJ's...even all spiffed up in minimal white dinnerware.

[jajjguy]

I've always really enjoyed the f&c at the Independent in Somerville. Not traditional, but a very light crispy batter, very tasty.

[rknrll]

Interesting.
I was done with food at The Independent when their fried clam roll was just strips.

[jajjguy]

Their food has been up and down over the years. Currently it's up. Although I've never had a bad fish and chips.

[Area Man]

Of the places mentioned so far, I have only had fish and chips at Summer Shack and Publick House. With that in mind, my go-to spot for Fish and Chips is Matt Murphy's Pub in Brookline Village. The generous serving is presented in newspaper, which when opened, releases a steamy aroma that immediately triggers salivation. The fish is always moist, the batter (almost) always crispy, and the fries are among my favorite in the city. For full disclosure, I live within walking distance and am therefore perhaps a bit biased. However, I work with a lot of people from Scotland, England, and Ireland, and after bringing them to Matt Murphy's I can consistently convert skeptics among them about the state of Fish and Chips on this side of the pond.

I'll have to check out the Druid for comparison.

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Matt Murphy's
14 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02445

[bobot]

Having had both, I would have a tough time picking a winner. They're both very, very good.

[twentyoystahs]

The best fish and chips I've ever had in Boston were found at The Banshee, an Irish pub on Dorchester Ave.......I prefer my fish and chips to be classic British style. i.e a thick beer battered tempura coating. I've posted this before, but that style is hard to find in Boston --not sure why as I'd think of all US cities we'd be #1 for this. Regardless, the fish and chips at Pops is this style also. Had a plate recently though and it was just ok. Pretty small portion and something like $14, $15. In my opinion a plate of fish and chips should run more like $7, $8 bucks, $10 max.
Walk around London or Dublin or any small British town and you'll be sure to find little fish and chips shops that specialize in this style....after having it, it's tough to go back.
For the record, I've had Matt Murphy's --while good, they aren't true "British-style," the only thing authentic about them is the presentation in newspaper.....

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Matt Murphy's
14 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02445

[9lives]

I haven't had them in the UK but I do know that much of what is served there is dogfish shark; a pretty poor tasting fish. In the US, it's usually haddock which is a tasty fish. UK is the primary market for the dogfish and virtually none is sold for US consumption. So comparing the dish in the UK and the US might not be a fair comparison

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61246842...

It's not a dish I crave often and thought Matt Murphy's was ok; didn't run back. Would like to try Druid and I'm intrigued by the place in Charlestown, TATEOW..short bike ride to let me not feel so guilty about eating the f & c..:)

[CityPork]

We caught a Dogfish on a fishing charter. We asked if we could eat it and the skipper said that people usually don't here, but they are sent to England for their fish n chips. The fishing charters hate them because when you hook them they just swim around in a circle and get tangled in everyone's lines. Very cool looking fish though.

[9lives]

Be careful in handling dogfish if you catch another. Those spines on their back are nasty. I've been in water so thick with them that you couldn't even let your line to the bottom before they'd hit...or schools of thousands, covering many acres.

Apparently I was given incorrect info by the fisherman,or I misinterpreted. The majority of f & c served in the UK seems to be haddock or cod. Nonetheless, we do ship a lot of dogfish shark there, so someone's doing something with it.

To stay on Boston centric, I'll try E & C's version next week since they're across the street from me. I've enjoyed a few beers there but haven't had much of the food. I'm a little skeptical of a 20+ chain but who knows, but since Info liked it, worth a try.

[Infomaniac]

It's been at least two years since I've had the fish n chips there but I remeber it was better than I thought it was going to be. Most of my fish n chip eating is done north of Boston.

[twentyoystahs]

I haven't had the E&C version in ages, but I do remember it was excellent, definitely british-style. Had forgotten about them, I think just b/c they are a chain...which isn't really fair to them.

I feel like I might have also had a good version at Kinsale...though it was a while ago and I can't be certain.

[chickendhansak]

More reading suggests that dogfish, as "rock salmon" might be particularly big in London, never the home of good fish and chips in the view of the rest of the country. In fact it seems that just this year, a prequel to a famous sitcom set in south London has been made, and it's called Rock and Chips.

And on the Boston tip, I am definitely going to try The Druid's F&C soon and will report back.

[StriperGuy]

Add that to the list of goofy euphemistic names for fish along with Chilean Sea Bass, Mahi Mahi (actually the Hawaiian name for Dolphin), and Orange Roughy (Slimehead).

Gotta say Rock Salmon is just absurd. It's a shark, a crappy little, bottom dwelling, bait stealing, garbage eating, shark.

[treb]

And remember escargot are snails!

[StriperGuy]

Yah, and once you've seen a whole big bag of them, freshly collected, and foaming cause they aren't happy being in a bag together, it gets a little harder to eat those escargot... ;-)

[Science Chick]

So as not to cause confusion, even though Mahi-Mahi means dolphin in Hawaiian, it is dolphin *fish*, right (AKA dorado)? Not dolphin mammal, right? Orange Roughy is Slimehead? That is too funny!

[StriperGuy]

Correct, Dolphin Fish which is nothing like dolphin the mammal aka flipper.

Here is a picture of a fairly big Dolphin Fish.

And just for clarity sake, Chilean Sea Bass did not exist until 10-20 years ago. It's really name is Patagonian Tooth Fish a much less "Menu-Friendly" name.

[nsenada]

I think Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag carried some of that:

Lisa: How are the southwestern pizza fingers?
Moe: They're, um...[reads] "awesomely outrageous".
Marge: Oh, these look good: guilt-free steakfish filets.
Moe: Nah, nah, let me level with you, Marge: that's just our name for
bottom-feeding suction eel. You don't want that.

[hyde]

"menu friendly" or "sales friendly" being the operative term here.
fish eaters should get used to all types of new appellations as we begin the descent into finishing off the remaining stocks of ocean dwellers.
anyone over 50 should be horrified at the speed that finfish went from a foodstuff that had sustained world populations for thousands of years, and you, literally, could not give away to a rareified, expensive habit that has decimated existing stocks and threatened the whole category.

personally, this is fine with me. had to eat fish as a kid, now, as an adult do not, never liked it, still dont. find the process of catching them excrutiatingly boring, impossible reheat it as a leftover, and expensive. leave 'em all in the ocean, better for the biosphere if we do.
but my bet would be that humans will overfish until there is nothing left and then be shocked that it happened.

[Pegmeister]

Oh, I really wished you hadn't told me about orange roughy. I had it on a trip to Delaware and loved it.

[annejudge]

You mean the name, or the fact that populations have crashed or are crashing around the world because they don't reach sexual until they are several decades old and so just can't stand up to fishing?

[Pegmeister]

Both, I haven't been in touch with the demise of fish populations. Recently had grouper in Aruba and later found out it was overfished, so no more.

[hckybg]

There is a good documentary about overfishing called "End of the Line," which i saw at Tufts's downtown campus a few months ago. It leaves you with that familiar feeling that the apocalypse is nigh, but was still very enlightening and not the same as all the other food movies out.

[nasilemak]

second the documentary. a must for seafood lovers.

[litchick]

I have always detested orange roughy (one of the only fish out there I don't like) -- and now I have even more reason!

[yumyum]

I really enjoyed the F&C at the Druid recently. Served in a slightly kitschy newspaper, the chunks of fish were perfectly cooked and light and flaky. Maaaaaybe a little pale by British chippie standards, but delicious. Take a friend. The portion is huge.

[rknrll]

Yeah...that's why the sandwich is a good solo choice!
The bread they use is SO soft. Some greens and tartar sauce seal the deal.

9 bones with fries...yes please.

[chickendhansak]

OK, my take on the fish and chips at The Druid: probably the best fish and chips I've ever had in a pub, anywhere.

Excellent fish in a not so impressive pale, slightly pasty batter, but the batter coating is so thin it doesn't cloy. But the large chunks of white fish were fresh and tasty.

Chips again were quality, a good balance between crispness and softness. Could do without the herbs sprinkled on them; a minor criticism.

Easily the best fish and chips I've had in Boston, and better than any pub fish and chips I've ever had. Does not beat a northern English fish shop, although the fish itself is more generous than you would get there. (Mind you, they wouldn't be charging $15 for it either.) I take my hat off to The Druid. Very, very good.

The (deceased) Battery still holds the chips crown, but for a pub, they were unexpectedly good.

The missus had the vegeburger and, what do you know, that was also excellent and really better than anything I've had in Boston. Blows the "famous" Christopher's vegeburger away.

Top marks all round to The Druid.

[hckybg]

The veggie burger is always awesome, as is the regular burger and many other items on the menu. it really is one of my favorite places in Boston at almost any time of day.

[mahlzeit_yumyum]

Hmm. . .all these votes for the Druid. I'll have to try theirs as well.
I really like the fish at The Thirsty Scholar. Can't say about the chips because I always substitute it for mashed potatoes. I go there specifically when I'm craving fish and "chips". At the Thirsty Scholar the fish is also fresh and tender with a nice crispy flavorful shell. It's really great - not a greasy doughy sponge. The fried fish at the Thirsty Scholar is the best I've had so far.

[nightsky]

Are they still serving the mug of homemade ketchup at Matt Murphy's? That was a great touch.

[Area Man]

They no longer do that, however they still make their own ketchup and it is very close to the mug version. It is now in a squeeze bottle and is slightly smoother, so as not to clog up the nozzle. It's still great.

[PhuKew2]

AGREE with Area Man -- Matt Murphy's are the best in Boston (in fairness to all, I have not tried the Fish and Chips at many of the other places discussed on this thread) -- happen to have fish and chips in England and Ireland and still find Matt's better than any I have had elsewhere. They really do it right.

[Jenny Ondioline]

I think The Druid destroys Matt Murphy's, a place that's been coasting on rep for years. The last time I got the fish and chips at MMs - -and it will indeed be the last time -- I was served fish that looked like the trimmings left over from a proper filet, on top of grease-sodden, ice-cold chips. It was a bad joke of a dish.

[PhuKew2]

Ouch ! That stings. I have not been to MM for a few years so I will have to try the Druid and adopt a new standard !!! Thanks Jenny !

[yumyum]

I agree I love the Druid's fish and chips. But the F&C at Magoun's is even better. (Broken record alert... love my neighborhood pub!)

Fish and Chips at Courthouse seafood are also good, good fresh fish as you can expect, but the sysco chips leave something to be desired.

[Nab]

Ouchie. I have fond memories with the previous incarnation of MMs. I was at the 'new' MMs last year for drinks, they have a nice little whiskey service, and I noticed some good-looking grub go by, in particular the smell of mussels that perfumed the entire room causing us all to salivate in synchrony. I was excited about returning for a meal.

[CookieLee]

+1 Matt Murphy's

[Food4Thawt]

Morse Fish Co. in the South End has great fish and chips. In Jamiaca Plain, J.P. Seafood. I had to get over the embarrassment of ordering cooked fish in a sushi restaurant but it's really good and a huge portion.

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Morse Fish Co
1401 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118

[joebloe]

Where is the Druid?

[rknrll]

1357 Cambridge St.
Inman Square...a couple doors down from the 1369 coffee place.

[MC Slim JB]

I love Morse Fish, but its fries are really weak: frozen crinkle-cuts. This is my problem with fish and chips as a rule: not many places do both parts really well.

I like the version at J.J. Foley's Cafe as an example of decently-fried fish, decent fries, fair prices, good beer, nice people. But there's not a huge amount of differentiation in fish and chips at the pub level, in my experience: most are fair to middling. I'll have to try the Druid, as it gets cited by a lot of Hounds.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

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J.J. Foley's
117 E Berkeley St, Boston, MA 02118

[hckybg]

I bet you'll like the Druid. I also find that their fries (chips) are generally excellent--potatoey and a nice size.

[rknrll]

The fish sandwich is also excellent.
$6 or so cheaper and it's so good.

One of my favorite low-key lunch spots...gets pretty hectic at night.

[wide load]

Take the Red Line to the Wollaston stop in North Quincy and walk a few short blocks to Billings Road. At #61, you will find a small storefront fishmarket and restaurant, Burke's Seafood. It is family owned and operated. It features fish bought DAILY, delicate preparation (no heavy duty breading), and a wine and beer selection. Very reasonable prices and a welcoming atmosphere. Worth the trip.

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Burke's Seafood
61 Billings Rd, Quincy, MA 02171

[CocoDan]

I too am a fan of Burke's Seafood. Although I don't eat much fried food, everything I've ever bought there has been super fresh. A little pricey, but you get what you pay for. Yes, it's worth the trip. The fish and chips are truely delicious!
Enjoy,
CocoDan

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Burke's Seafood
61 Billings Rd, Quincy, MA 02171

[rknrll]

The Druid.

[BJK]

Agree that the Druid is excellent. You'll also find an excellent fish and chips at Courthouse Seafood on Cambridge Street in East Cambridge for a measly $7.99.

BK

[phatchris]

Great fish at Courthouse...not so much the chips though.

[Moopheus]

Indeed, the chips are pretty ordinary fries. Still a good deal for $8. Not sure I'd go out of my way for it, though (I don't--it's only a couple of blocks away.)

[iamsam]

In my opinion, Publick House has the best fish and chips in the area. The horseradish tartar sauce is a close second to Neptune's.

JJ Foley's does a decent job also

At the other end of the spectrum is Pop's rendition. Precious little piece of fish and a soggy fry job.

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Publick House
1648 Beacon St, Brookline, MA

[phatchris]

Tavern at the End of The World's fish and chips are very good.Also really good curry sauce.

[Pegmeister]

Not familiar,with End of the World where are they located? As much as I love fish and chips I'm more intriqued about the curry sauce.

[MC Slim JB]

TatEotW is at 108 Cambridge Street in Charlestown, near Sullivan Square. Fine little place: owner from Belfast, good jukebox, fine mix of Irish pub fare and some unexpectedly good curries (the chefs are Nepali).

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[lypp]

Awesome tip - I've driven by that place a few times (mostly when I'm going to pick my car up from the tow lot) and I would never had thought to stop. I'm intrigued by the fish and chips AND the curry!

[rknrll]

The draft beer selection is pretty good...and the bottled beer selection is excellent (with some of the lowest prices in the city.)

[phatchris]

I was in there Thursday and the bottle prices are creeping a bit.

[Pegmeister]

Thanks, definitely adding this place to my list.

[YoungstownBoy]

Am going back to Boston for a week in October. (used to live in Cambridge, 1998-2002) This TATEOTW is EXACTLY the kind of place I am looking for. The wife can have her fish and chips, and I get to eat some curry!

Charlestown I liked. REAL close knit. But still friendly.

[Prav]

Tavern at the End of the World, serving fish? That's so "hitchhiker's guide"!

[blink617]

Tried this last night. It was great. Perfectly fried flaky cod, decent fries, some sort of pinkish sauce (might have had beets in it, not your typical tartar sauce), and a mild, vinegary coleslaw. Malt vinegar on the table, and if you're not a traditionalist they'll bring you some curry sauce for your fries. And only $10 for a plate of fish and chips. We're so going back.

[powerfulpierre]

Had exactly the same thing last week and it was some of the better fish I have ever had, light flaky and tasty. I agree that the "pink" sauce was a nice touch and the coarse-cut coleslaw was great. I would have ordered a side of it. Mrs had the proscuitto, fig jam and gorgonzola pannini and I couldn't get a bite from her. "We're so going back" says it all.

[Avid Rita]

Jaspar White's at the Summer Shack in Cambridge's Fresh Pond area are pretty damn good. That enormous industrial scale room still turns me off, but the seafood is always fresh and prepared with great respect. Doesn't hurt that there is a ton of parking there, and access via the Minuteman Bike Path or it's mere steps away from the Alewife stop on the Red Line.

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Summer Shack
149 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02140

[catsmeow]

I've never had it but a friend of mine always raves about Simcos. There's 2 locations... Roslindale and Mattapan. Both are take out.

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Simco's
679 Canterbury St, Roslindale, MA 02131

[rknrll]

Easily The Druid.

[hckybg]

Druid, but bring a friend to help.

[Soxfan49]

Definitely The Druid

[gourmaniac]

Just tried the fish and chips at Simco's (Mattapan). 8-9 thin fillets crispy, and greaseless, a perfect fry job (NB probably first order of the day) and a huge portion. The chips were poor. Sysco, overcooked, and dry. Big contrast to the fish. For $10.00 including a good cole slaw and tartar sauce, it was excellent value but next time, i would just order a fish box.

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Simco's
679 Canterbury St, Roslindale, MA 02131

[MC Slim JB]

Simco's on the Bridge in Mattapan is one of those places where I like the cheap fried fish better than the fancy one: I prefer the $10.50 whiting plate better to the $13 haddock. No question their fryer guys are good. I don't love the fries, though: they have that Burger King sprayed-on-starch thing going on.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/