Lil Chippy

🌊 A Hidden Gem Serving Ocean’s Finest! 🐟🍟 From the moment we walked in, the experience was nothing short of exceptional. The staff greeted us with genuine warmth and delivered service that was both friendly and lightning fast—like they knew we were counting down the seconds to seafood heaven. Now, let’s talk oysters: briny, fresh, and flawlessly shucked. Each bite tasted like a wave crashing onto the shore—pure coastal bliss. And the fish and chips? Golden, crisp perfection. The batter was light and crunchy, encasing fish so tender it practically melted on contact. The fries were the kind you’d write love letters to: hot, fluffy, and kissed with just the right amount of salt. The food here doesn’t just satisfy—it sings. Everything felt elevated yet comforting, crafted with the kind of care and flavor that earns a solid chef’s kiss. 👨‍🍳💋 If you’re looking for your next favorite seafood spot, this place is the one to beat. Absolutely unforgettable.

$1 oysters from 3:00-5:00. My girlfriend and I got 3 dozen. They had phenomenal mignonette sauces. One was a horseradish and the other was a dill. I’m not a mignonette person but these were amazing. We had to share a fish and chip of course and was super happy with it. Crispy on the outside and yummy flavor fish on the inside. We got vinegar chips with it and they were crispy and delicious as well. Highly recommend!

Absolutely delicious with friendly staff. One of our buddies (sandwiches) was delayed, and the staff apologized profusely and the kitchen gave us a free key lime pie slice. It was divine. The dining room is very small, but worth it to wait for a table. I highly recommend visiting if you are ever in the Portland area.

This place! This place is a gem and then some. Amazing oysters, perfect flavor, texture and size for an awesome oyster. The eye dropper delivery system for the sauces was a neat method to get exact amounts. The lil chippy was very tasty, not too salty nor too much oil from frying. The carrot appetizer has mega flavor with the pea puree and feta and was quite refreshing. The crab buddy is rich beyond belief and I was very glad to just have split it versus trying to scarf that richness all by my lonesome. And when the kitchen made a slight mistake because they were busy and we spent too long enjoying our oysters they more than made up for it by offering the best dessert... Key lime pie that was so light and delicate that it made the best ending to an amazing afternoon meal. Cant say enough good about this spot! Would spend hours enjoying oysters, and a really clean lager that compliments the seafood quite well.

Best fish and chips I have ever had! Hands down. We came around 6:30 pm on a Saturday and it was pretty busy. Would recommend coming during their happy hour. Wish they gave more fries but I’m not complaining, everything was delicious.

Got a recommendation from TikTok. Food was delicious. Vibes were perfect. Service was incredible. Will definitely be back when in town again. Do yourself a favor and check it out!! Literally the best fries I’ve ever had in my life, make sure to get the salt and vinegar ones! Also, very cute merch. My husband got a shirt and I got a sticker!

I ate here based upon the “Where To Find Best Fish & Chips In America” article that I read via a Grok search. I’d say that the fish was just okay. Something was amiss with the batter. It was cooked perfectly, and the fries were tasty, albeit scant. Personally, I prefer traditional fish and chips like Gordon Ramsay’s place out in Vegas. For $22, plus a small tip, as it isn’t a full service joint, I think I’ll try a different place the next time I'm laying over in PWM. I think haddock or cod would be a better base protein, as well. This place serves Hake. The service, which was limited, was quite good but limited. You order at the bar counter and the kind lady, whom I presume is the owner, brings it out. Overall, I’d say don’t get too excited if you are into traditional fish and chips. Honestly, I like Captain D’s better.

Happy hour at Lil Chippy is such a good time and a great deal☺️ We enjoy their hot fish, chips, $1.50 oysters and $3 pints of ‘Gansett!! For the chips you have to add the salt and vinegar! They offer 2 mignonettes served with droppers which is the perfect idea for oysters! The staff is very nice and the environment is relaxed with street views and plenty of natural light. We wish this place success so we can keep coming back!

Our first stop in Portland, ME was to get some fish n chips and Lil Chippy did not disappoint! The quaint, little establishment was very clean, and the service was immediate and very friendly. The fish n chips were very crispy and hot and seasoned just right. It's definitely the 'Go To' spot for authentic fish n chips!

While visiting family in New England, we found this delightful little restaurant! Best fish and chips I have ever had, and I consider myself as well versed in fish and chips. Make the effort to eat here. You won't be disappointed.

YES, so much YES! I was craving some fish n chips when visiting a friend recently in Scarborough and she mentioned wanting to try this place. We popped over one Saturday afternoon for a bit and absolutely loved it! Its a smaller place so I imagine there can be a little wait at times, but they do turn tables fairly quickly it seemed which is great. The menu isn't complex offering pretty much exactly what your there to eat along with a few starter options and a few entrees for those that may not be into fish n chips. For the rest of us the fish n chips were 100% spot on delicious! Cooked perfectly with no excesses fried bits, just loads of deliciously cooked fish paired with a wonderful homemade (I think) tartar sauce. The adult portions are a good size so you definitely wont leave hungry, and with the yummy tartar sauce youll be hard pressed to leave any food behind you could be dipping and enjoying. We had a kiddo with us so we also ordered a kid size fish n chips but it also was a really good portion coming with 3 good size pieces of fish and of course fries. Would absolutely send anyone looking for a good lunch here and will for sure be adding it to our list of must go places when we are in the area again.

I can't believe my luck. I got my order in then they ran out of fish and had to close for the rest of the evening. I was craving the crunchy of delicious batter deep fried fish and crunchy fries. If you are in Portland seeking fish n' chip, then this is it! Now on the first pic is the counter. Notice how clean and inviting it is. Next, Austin, takes my order. All of the staff are very pleasant. Next, Here is the hot, delicious batter coated, deep fried fish filet.

The Fish Buddy was perfect. A great blending of flavors, pickles, slaw and horseradish. Perfect size sandwich. The chips were great, perfectly cooked. The size large was enough for 2. Staff was amazing. Order and pay at counter and our meals were delivered to our table. Seating filled up as soon as customers left!!! Great location, parking can be tough during busy hours, but definitely worth the visit!

I was craving something fried so Lil Chippy seemed like the natural solution! It wasn't too crowded on a Friday night and I snagged a seat at the bar. I definitely appreciate a leaner menu and ordered the Lil Chippy. It took a bit to come out and seemed to take a little longer than it did for other patrons but not more than 15-20 minutes. The food was really good! The fish was crispy and flaky and the fries were solid as well. Recommend moving your fish off to the side otherwise your fries will get soggy! The homemade tartar sauce was also great.

Super cute urban lobster shack on the west side of Portland away from the port area. Less touristy more locals and in a real neighborhood. The server was very cheerful and welcoming. We ordered the crab sandwich and the fish and chips. The fish and chips hands down outstanding! The crab roll was enormous and very rich. We will be coming again to try their lobster rolls

I'm already plotting & scheming a way to get back to Lil Chippy ASAP for their gluten-free fish & chips. I really, really, really loved this spot. Enthusiastically rating them 5/5 stars! Firstly, the vibe was so cute. It was the perfect mix of hip & quaint, without trying to hard. It was also so sunny, cheerful, & casual, too. You place your order at the counter & they bring your food to your table. I pine for fish & chips constantly. Since I can't eat gluten, I can rarely satisfy the craving. When my partner found a gluten-free fish & chips spot in Portland, I couldn't believe my wildest dreams were coming true. Also not only were they gluten-free, they were SO GOOD! I've been dreaming about them ever since. If I lived in Portland, I'd be at Lil Chippy ALL THE TIME.

Amazing new restaurant up on Washington Ave. Small menu but what they do have is done well. My favorite was the chicken sandwich. No cocktails but a decent wine and beer menu. Service was great and friendly, you go up and order at the front then they bring it to you. Overall a cute new addition to the area.

Lil Chippy has (had) been on our list of places to try for far too long. We finally had the chance to try the restaurant and were extremely happy with the results. The staff was very nice and cordial throughout our entire service. The food was unparalleled. And the decorations around the restaurant were very cute!

This was an impulse stop when we realized the Japanese restaurant next door was closed on Sunday, but wow was this a great alternative. The oysters were better than the ones we had at a more popular tourist spot the night before, and the crab buddy sandwich was so good we had to order an extra one immediately after finishing the first. The mushroom buddy was also a great sandwich but no where near the level of the crab roll. Also a great tuna crudo and Mexican cola. This is a causal order at the counter place but the food is top notch. Don't sleep on this option if you need a bite to eat after drinking across the street.

I'll preface this by saying that my partner and I have eaten a LOT of fish-and-chips in our lifetimes, particularly when we travel to seafood-y destinations, and we keep a (short) running list of the best ones we've ever had. Before eating here, we only had two fish-and-chips spots on that glorified list (Fish. in Sausalito and Mia's Country Van in Iceland). Now, we've added Lil Chippy to the mix. Lil Chippy is more delicious than it has any right to be. The restaurant itself is unassuming, pared back, simple and cute and clean. The menu is short, the ambiance is casual, and the service is warm. You place your order at the register and they bring the food over to you. Over the course of our visits, we've tried a bunch of stuff on the menu. The tuna crudo and roasted cauliflower are good, but the Hot Fish and Lil Chippy are to die for. The fish in both dishes is so delicately fried: Lil Chippy manages to achieve that rare, perfect crisp without making the dish oily or heavy or overly greasy. The batter is incredibly light, and the fish is insanely tender. The fries that come with the Lil Chippy are delicious, too. Throw in a pint, and you have a perfect dinner. My only complaint is that malt vinegar for the fries costs extra. Note, also, that they close at 8pm, which is a bit earlier than the average restaurant in Portland. But these are all nits: I'm sure I'll be back soon for that delicious fried fish.

Got the lil chippy, crab roll and fish sandwich to go, very good but fries were a bit soggy, definitely eager to try them again in person to see if better. Also a disappointment we ordered and paid for an extra dipping sauce which they forgot. Bartender was very kind and friendly. Ambiance was very cute. But all in all very tasty. Would go back and probably try to eat there.

Amazing gluten free fish and chips! Batter was delicious, drinks were great. Loved the hot fish!

Lil Chippy serves up delicious fish and chips and similar small bites on a limited yet inventive menu. I had the Mushroom Buddy (battered oyster mushrooms, cilantro, aioli on a bun) and it was SO GOOD. The sauces we got--curried ketchup, old bayoli, tartar sauce-- were also excellent. The mushrooms had the same consistency as fried clams! Yum. Sadly, my friends found the fish in the classic Lil Chippy and Fish Buddy to be slightly overcooked and the fries a bit too crispy. However, we chalked it up to a weird batch and fully plan to be back and try out their cold snacks (tuna crudo, tomato salad) or the salt and vinegar chips. The inside is super cute, with ample seating and fun fish-themed decor. They also have a mini "patio" on the sidewalk with three picnic tables. They have a fun collection of Lil Chippy merch for sale in store. Our server was super friendly and helpful as well. Can't wait to be back!!

Extremely charming and serving it's intended purpose, Lil Chippy, is your new go to spot for a delightful fish & chips. A limited menu tells me that you're confident. You know you can deliver to the people. And they do. I got the signature dish - the Lil Chippy. Big 'ol perfectly fried piece of fish with the most satisfying crunch on a bed of fries. Refreshing beer to polish it all off. The counter service was quick and painless, food served right to you. Now... how to get my hands on one of these adorable drinking glasses...!

Went to this new spot and was pleasantly surprised. The interior had an open and bright environment that's perfect. Even though it's small it feels a lot bigger inside than it actually is. They also have good outdoor seating as well. The service was good. You order everything by going up to the counter then they will serve it to you at your table. It's a little strange but it works for this place because of its size. The food was outstanding and we left satisfied. We got the lobster buddy which was their lobster roll. It was warm and buttery and the price was pretty good. We also got the fish and chips which is their staple. I was expecting a lot since this is what the place is based around and I was very satisfied with it. The fish was crispy and never got soggy and the size was huge! The fires were also very well done and nicely seasoned. They also have plenty of dippy sauces available too. Definitely give this new spot a try you won't regret it. Some of the best fish and chips in Portland!

Outstanding food. Chicken sandwich was tasty and crispy. The hot fish were crispy but airy and the fish was perfectly cooked. Will be going again and again and again.

Can't say enough positive things about this place. The fish and chips were phenomenal, and oysters were amazing. Everything came out fast and fresh, friendly helpful staff. If you are hungry, but don't have the apatite for the full order of fish & chips I would recommend the hot fish!

Went here on a whim while passing through town. Ordered the fish and chips and beet salad. OMG! Coleslaw was flavorful and unique, batter on the fish was flaky and the fish was moist. Chips were perfect and the beet salad was excellent. Staff was friendly and helpful. A gem and worth the stop!!

This is the spot, happy hour was so good. $3 narragansetts with $1 oysters and their hot fish, which was the highlight for sure. Will be back many more times

Loved Lil Chippy and will 100% be back! The fish & chips were amazing -- some of the best I've ever had -- and the curry ketchup was a unique addition. The woman who served us (maybe owner/manager?) was very kind and knowledgeable about the menu, and helpful in offering drink suggestions. The space itself is bright and clean, we loved our seats by the window in the corner of the bar. So happy I tried this place on a whim, looking forward to coming back soon.

I really like this place. It's really nice and inviting! I'm not a huge fan of fish ( I know. Bad Mainer) but they have other options. I got the chicken buddy. It's a very tasty fried chicken sandwich topped with a mixture of ranch, hot sauce and pickles. It was really good. My friend got the lil chippy (fish and chips) and she said it was phenomenal. They both came out very quick and the staff there is really nice. The only downside, but not the fault of the establishment, is parking is awful down on Washington Ave. BUT it was well worth the hassle. Try this place out!

The adorable new fish and chips restaurant Lil Chippy was delightful! We came opening weekend and were welcomed to a bustling, open, space with counter service and both outdoor and indoor dining options. The place is small but inviting, with a cute little bar in the back center of the restaurant. We ordered a tuna tartar appetizer, the herb and greens salad (so fresh and flavorful!) and of course, the main deal - Lil Chippy's namesake fish and chips. The batter was crispy and light, and the house made tartar made it a delicious piping hot meal. I only wish we were given more chips with the meal. The slaw also was well done, classic New England flavor. They have other fish sandwiches there as well as a spicy one I want to try, a great adage to the neighborhood!

Very small, unpretentious fish and chip shop... but it also serves decent beer and wine! The staff are extremely friendly, nice and helpful. My wife and I split a 2 piece with chips and slaw for $32. Definitely recommend it. Doesn't hurt that there's a brewery across the street to sample something after dinner.

Loved this spot! Not in the greatest area but the atmosphere in the restaurant is great. I love the decor and attention to detail. Friendly and helpful staff. Got a fish buddy (sandwich) which was delicious. The brioche roll was amazing! Went during happy hour and also got 6 oysters, chips & dip, a beer and a soda. Everything was under $50, very reasonable. Will be back!

Came by during happy hour. Had some oysters, fish buddy and a beer. Food was excellent, quick service. Very pleasant employees. Very clean, not modern, charming beachy vibe. Definitely will be back. A+

I finally was able to make it in to try Lil Chippy and it was excellent. Best Fish-n-chips I have had in a long time, I didn't get a chance to try any other items but will when I return.

Extremely good food. The best fish and chips in New England. I love Lil Chippy. I love Portland.

Everything we had was excellent, but the Hot Fish is absolutely incredible. Don't skip it. Cute little spot with good beer / wine selection, too -- great addition to Washington Street!

Very nice staff. Food was underwhelming for the wildly expensive price. It was not salted and they did not have vinegar. Great location.

Best fish and chips I've had in southern Maine. Schilling on tap which is legit with aforementioned meal. Cool spot

The food was delicious and the staff was so friendly and helpful. You could tell they really wanted us to have a good experience and we did. The oysters were fresh, the batter on the fish was flavorful and not too thick, and the homemade fries were amazing! Excellent decor. Great vibes.

Fish and chips were perfect, greens and herbs so fresh and tasty. We also had the blistered shishito peppers which were fantastic. A local recommended to us and we were not disappointed!

Delicious fish and chips, the best I've had in a very long time. Crispy, tasty, not at all greasy, cooked fresh and to perfection. Great service, and a nice welcoming atmosphere. You won't be disappointed.

Great fish & chips! The batter was super flaky and delicious and the ratio of batter to fish was perfect

If you want fish and chips, this is definitely the place to go. The batter is great and the fish super tasty. Highly recommend if looking for fried food....but the tuna crudo also very good.

My new favorite lobster roll in all of Maine. Cute place, simple menu, outdoor seating, dog friendly, wonderful service. Vegetarian option . Try their hot sauce (which I hope they start bottling!)

Excellent crispy fish and terrific chips. Clean and bright dining room with friendly wait staff.

Hands down - best fish & chips in town! The ambiance Is low-fi stylish and service is impeccable ... can't wait to go back! Be aware, it's so good they will at times sell out completely and need to close early, so don't delay!

We ate at this charming new addition to the Wash Ave food scene. Stylish but functional decor and wonderful staff. It was their first weekend open. The fish was breaded and cooked to perfection - delicious! The chips were good but I think I got the bottom of the fryer. My wife's hot fish "buddy" was tasty and delicious. Not as crispy, possibly due to the seasoning. Overall a very good dining experience. I am happy to see them in our neighborhood and plan to return. Would love to see fish and chips for lunch as well.