Laughing Halibut

Tried 3 plates of the Cod and one order of their signature halibut fish and chips Food: large portion sizes with flaky fish with crispy but lightly breaded exterior. Food was overwhelmingly on the bland side but you could opt for tartar, mayo, vinegar, salt & pepper, and ketchup sauces, which helped. Atmosphere: is compact. We were seated at a table for four and felt cramped during our meal. Service: Friendly but prompt service.

We ordered the Cod & chips large. We shared one large plate together and it was good for both of us. The staff was super friendly. When i came and waited for my friend they let me sit there and waited for my order till my friend arrived. The food is very simple but delicious. I dont have much fish and chips experience, but i enjoyed this experience a lot. I would come back.

Ordered the halibut fish and chips which cost 21 pounds. Comes with a big portion of fries. Taste of the halibut was okay. Restaurant has plenty of seats and service was fast. Do note that the price excludes service charge and the service charge is subjected to your own discretion tipping.

This place is so good! Got the Cod and chips with curry sauce and mushy peas. Everything was super fresh, and the fish had a great texture. I will definitely be back when I'm in London!

The restaurant is very unassuming and is off the beaten path amongst other local spots. That being said the Halibut Fish and Chips is the best I have ever had and created a new bar to measure fish and chips against. Next time I'm back in town we will be back!

Truly excellent ! Friendly, fast service. The chips were so good. My wife usually doesn't eat all hers... This time they weren't going to be shared with me. Both the halibut and cod were very good. So flaky and light! Big thumbs up!

One of the finest fish and chips shop. Been here since Almost 8-9 time this month. Staff is lovely and friendly the best part is that they serve the food on time. Will visit again and I recommend others to give a try

Years ago, we stayed at St Ermin's. When I googled fish&chips nearby, this place showed up. I liked it. Now, years later, I went to find it and I did. This time, I dined in. I wanted the haddock but it would take 8 mins. So, I took the cod. It did not disappoint. The gentlemen were all lovely.

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.

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.

Overpriced. Fish and chips were decent. Tables ate quite uncomfortable. Expect more finesse for the price being charged.

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!

You know when they say don't eat chicken at a fish n chips spot? Well this one is yes and no. First of, the fish n chips are so legit. You gotta get it! Second, the wings were so tasty and cooked perfectly. Unfortunately, the fried chicken looks so good but tastes so... It was dry and flavorless which was disappointing. But hey, it's a fish n chips spot so get some, get more. It was fantastic.

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.

This was very close to our hotel. We were on the hunt for our first fish and chips in London and this was the lucky spot and within walking distance. Our food came piping hot out the grease. The fish was very crispy and I love how thick the chips are. My only gripe, which I would come to learn on from the rest of our meals throughout London, was a massive lack of seasoning, in particular, salt! It would have been utterly perfect if it were seasoned and salted right out the fryer. But alas, we still enjoyed the freshness of the fish and the overall cook of the components.

Best fish and chips we had in London. Put Salt on hot fish and chips right away. Halibut was high quality fish. Good service. If you only go to one chippy, come here.

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.

Family run, lovely folks. Not crowded, maybe because it's in a corporate area. Not too far from Westminster bridge. Fish is good! Not greasy. We ordered three items for the two of us and finished everything. I think around 30 pounds total.

I wanted fish and chips as part of my London experience. My husband looked up good fish and chips places and Laughing Halibut came up. The place was very quaint. You can smell the oil that is used to fry the fish. A friendly lady upfront seated us and gave us menus. I asked what was popular and she said either the halibut or cod. I ordered the cod. My husband doesn't eat fish so he got the chicken pie. The fish was a huge piece of perfectly fried fish. Inside was hot, flaky surrounded by a thin crunchy coating. It was very satisfying. The chips were basic. The star was definitely the fish. Husband's pie had a lot of filling. I tried a little and thought it was bland but he liked it. One thing checked off the food list.

Amazing fish and chips! Excellent customer service! I would recommend to anyone. Be prepared to wait for a table, but it is so worth it.!

I asked a local what to get and without reservation she responded the cod. It was pretty amazing and about as good as fried fish can get. No grease, perfect seasoning, right amount of crisp, good taste. The fries were a little lackluster, skip them and get more fish. There's actually a ton of options for everyone. Would definitely go again!

Amazingly delicious Baby if I tell you, we shared the large platter and ordered more of the fried cod.. The portions are perfect and the service was wonderful.. My visit to London was a must so if you're traveling anytime you London, England, stop by The Laughing Halibut and get some deep fried fish.. You won't be disappointed..

These are pretty decent fish and chips. The fish were especially done right. The coating was crisp and the fish was just right. The fries are good too, you just have to make sure you season them well. I ordered a large and was impressed by the size of the fish. The waiter recommended the Ginger beer and this was a decent combination.

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.

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!

Great for quick fish and chips on the run. The fish was great and the chips were above average. They were friendly and quick. This is a small hole in the wall behind an outdoor market.

We enjoyed the halibut fish and chips. Prices were a little high but it had good reviews and the fish was very tasty and cooked perfectly. This place does brisk business and has lots of customers. Service was friendly, I spoke to the owner for a bit and he told me business had been slow during the lockdown but things were improving quickly. It was a bit of a walk from the touristy sights like Westminster but the reviews were accurate and I glad I took my family to experience a great fish and chips place while in London.

Authentic London Fish and Chips! Staff was wonderful and accommodating. Small restaurant. Definitely the place where the "locals" go. Near Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. Gherkins and pickled onions delicious. Very much the feel of an American diner.

I have to say, I was rhe guy that went to a fish place amd ordered a burger. Their fish and chips looked great, but I was still adjusting to time change and was not up to eating any fried in grease. I opted for the burger. The texture and taste of the beef was somewhat off to me. It tasted more like a sausage patty than it did a beef patty. That said, this is a popular place for traditional "fish and chips". I will have to try them on a future visit.

Friendly service, lots of choices! We had haddock....forgot to take picture of food because we ate so fast.

Visiting London twice , we ate here and was excellent. The gentleman who took care of us was very helpful, would go back again.

Fresh seafood that's fried up, that one can taste! I wished that they made their tartar fresh, and then this would have been very fresh fulfilling! Ordered the mixed platter to taste the seafood variety! Shrimp (scampi) poppers are juicy and fish cods nicely done. Calamari sizable and onion rings well done! Batter wasn't too thick or thin with the right crunch. Classic diner kind of spot or takeaway order up front available. Convenient spot in Westminster Abbey for some good ole fish and chips.

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.

Fantastic place and awesome fish and chips. Family owned and very down home feel for London. Try their fish and chips if you get the chance!

Good food and very friendly staff! I would say their fish and chips was one of the best we've tried. The batter is light and flakey.

If you are not local, and want to try some great local fare this is your place. Eat where the locals eat. This place was within easy walking distance of our hotel and we wanted to do some fish/chips. Given the majority of the reviews it was obvious this low key restaurant was going to deliver on food and service. When we arrived there were at least six people in line getting take away, line out the door. I had the scampi (shrimp) and chips and the hubs got the Haddock and chips. The service was on point, quick and very friendly. The food came fast, but not too fast and was fresh (never thought I would describe fried food as fresh but whatever) and super tasty. I had to try that HP sauce and I guess it was not bad... hard to describe. At any rate, we loved our meal at this local gem and the price including tip was fantastic (especially in contrast to other restaurants we tried on this trip).

We stopped in here for lunch on a Tuesday and found no trouble getting a seat. We opted for the smaller portion of fish and chips and were shocked at how huge the portion still was! The food was excellent. Definitely would recommend popping in for a meal or take away.

I came in here after seeing the good reviews. I wanted to try fish & chips just for the hell of it since I'm visiting from the United States. Food was average, came out hot. It also tasted very healthy! It didn't take long to come other either, maximum 10 minutes of waiting. Everyone's food came out at the same time. Service was nice, nothing extraordinary, but thankfully normal. Now the reason why I decided to go with 4/5 is because the cups were dirty, each & every single one. They looked dusty and I didn't want to pour anything in there. I think they just needed to be rinsed out.

Great fish and chips for dinner. I think it was the best I had while in London. Down the street from my hotel.

Good place for fish and chips, but seems very touristy...not far from some tourist traps so it's only appropriate innit?

Really good and fun. Great fish and chips, and Guinness. We enjoyed it. Very near to Windsor Castle, great place to go for lunch if you are visiting the area.

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!

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.

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.

Delicious fried halibut and chips. Maybe the price is little high for the size of fish you get.

Decent place for grab and go- fish and chips! If you dine outside it is easily 13 so pounds. This was around 10 pounds for take out. Note- You can also dine in, but there appears to be a price difference between dining in and "take-away" as the British say it. Fish and chips were sold separately. At the time we went, we saw some fish left over under the heating lamp and we were turned off at the beginning because we thought we would be getting some leftover items, but the boss quickly had our orders fried instead of serving older fish. This appears to be a local favorite as we saw one guy who came by and the boss instantly knew his usual order. Note- ketchup / tartar sauce does cost extra. They have salt / vinegar / seasoning for the fries at no extra charge.

Best thing I can say about the fish and chips is the crispy batter, but overall it's just bland, not a lot of flavor. The chips are your typical frozen chips you can get from the grocery frozen section.

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!!!

Had the cod and haddock (with chips). We really enjoyed the meals, and the staff was friendly and helpful. We hope to visit again!

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.

The food was good. My wife and daughters had the cod and I had the halibut. Could not have asked for better service from a fish and chips place. Our server was friendly, helpful, and downright charming. If you are in the area and want a good plate of fish and chips, look no further. Highly recommend.

We ate fish and chips here twice on our visit to London. I would recommend. The waiter even gave us great advice on places to v