I found this place on Yelp. I'm not big on fish, but every once in a while I like some fish and chips. He didn't have cod, so we ordered the halibut F n C. Best Fish n chips I've ever had. Light breading. Not saturated in oil. Fish as fresh as could possibly be. The only thing was the fries were a little heavy on the salt for my taste. read more

New location by Safeway, 2417 Tongass Ave. still the great and friendly service and best tasting Cod plate lunch and sandwich. Good Menu to satisfy your seafood craving. Thank You Alava's for all your years of service, hospitality and yummy food!! read more

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Our second time, the first was 2024. Definitely the best fish and chips in Alaska. We've told dozens of friends who head this way on cruises to make the trip to Alava's, that they won't be disappointed. I will no longer make that recommendation. Last time, the service was excellent. This time, we were overcharged for our meal. The older gentleman asked the younger for the price, who reported it at $5 greater than the sign (there are three signs outside which show the oyster plate price at $20). When I remarked that the price was showing at $20 on the sign, he said, "well we fix it, but it keeps rubbing off," as he scanned my card. No apology, no anything. Some of the prices have been changed, however, this one has not been. I'm not sure I'll brave the Ketchikan public bus for another visit. Good food doesn't make up for bad business, Alava's. read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

The best halibut & prawns you will find anywhere Always good and fresh! I wish they were open 7 days a week read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - Halibut & Prawns - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

I walked here after a flight in from Seattle and the service was open and they were nice and talkable. I waited outside on their bench and chairs for my food. Around 10 minutes later I had probably the best clam chowder and the freshest halibut fish and chips and delicious Cole slaw. read more

Very good fried cod and halibut--the actual fish on the inside was probably the best part: super flaky, tender, and fresh. Reducing to 4 stars for a few reasons. The breading was tasty (very crispy), but not as incredible as Sandbar in Juneau. The fries were nice and crispy, but not very fresh. And there was also something about the food that made me feel a bit weird (achey?) for an hour or two afterwards...though it was, truthfully, worth it for how tasty the fish was. read more

The food is good, but we had to wait over an hour for food and then there was no coleslaw included with the meals. They need to streamline their orders a lot better. read more

I'm sitting here eating their delicious clam chowder as a snack, watching an eagle fly above, and now regretting having eaten lunch on the cruise ship. :) If their fish is as good as their chowder... read more

The locals at the retail store told us about this place a little bit farther from the cruise ship dock. An easy walk for delicious food!! Staff was friendly and we got there when it opened so it was so fresh. Fried shrimp and chowder was incredible. read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - Fried shrimp and chowder - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

One of our favorite places to eat in ketchikan. Don't let the Food Truck fool ya. Halibut, cod, oysters, chowder. Generous portions.

Everything is amazing. This is the best fish you will ever eat. I take Alaskan Cruises just so I can eat their Halibut in Ketchikan Alaska. Nicest people ever. Go try it for yourself, you will be amazed. Small outdoor dining area is available to enjoy it hot. read more

best cod and chips in S.E. Alaska. And the halibut and chowder no math. Local owned forever and the best crew in Ketchikan.

(Review written by my 13 year old) What's the tea big backs? I've got a big pot brewing.. It's Alavas Fish-n-Chowder! Delish and somewhat nutrish, this place has already caught my eye as a potential stamp of slay winner. But anyways! The service was fast, the food ATE, no crumbs, and it wasn't too pricey! When I first walked up, it was honestly giving food truck vibes and vibe was low key vibing!! I would personally recommend the fried halibut, and onion rings , they were sigma. Soooooo... yur. I can officially present the prestigious, perfect, profound stamp of slayyyyyyy!!!! ATE. THAT. UPPPPPPP. (No crumbs, %0 crumbs frfr). Gorl bye. read more

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Food is hands down the best while in Ketchikan. Fresh and consistent. Friendly service and worth the wait!! Will not disappoint read more

There were only two people in front of us yet we had to wait 35 minutes to get a sandwich. Ridiculous.

Food is excellent... I enjoy the shrimp and chips, halibut and chips, clam chowder... great portions...

This place is so amazing. It needs to be in every single brochure book and online website. Everything about this place is memorable. Best shrimp I've ever had in my life. The service is impeccable, the staff is friendly, the portion sizes are more than adequate and the prices are fair. You will get the best deal in town by going to this place. It's not too far off of the free shuttle and $2 bus so it's extremely convenient. There is only outdoor seating so if it's raining, you can walk into The Plaza (small indoor mall) nearby and grab a seat on a bench. There would be no reason to not be able to eat at this place. It opens at 11:00 so be there before they run out. The only complaint I have is that I did not get to go before I flew home as they were closed that day. I could've eaten every meal there and been more than satisfied. I also love the way they let you swap out your side of fries a cup of chowder. It's literally the best of both worlds. Do not leave Ketchikan without stopping by. read more

Tried the Cod fish and chips and a cup of chowder. Guy running the shop said that chowder was his mother's recipe. We liked it all a lot. Complaints to his momma. read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - View from seating area - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

Had halibut and clam chowder. Delicious. Definitely going back next time I'm in town.

Scrum-didly-yum is how I would describe this restaurant. 11/10 fried fish and 11/10 friendly service. This place is no fluke and worth taking the free shuttle ride from the dock. The only thing I would be aware of is that there is only outside seating. When we went it was lightly raining but we ate in the mall across the parking lot. I got the sandwich but others in my group got the halibut or cod fish and chips but we all agreed it was delish!! read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - Cod sandwich - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

If you're looking for great fish 'n chips in Ketchikan, this is the place! The small building isn't fancy (quite spartan actually!), but the food is simple, consistent, good quality seafood served by the owner's family plus a little extra help while dad is recovering from a health scare. The fried halibut filets were fresh and cooked golden brown - and both it and the fries were crispy and hot because everything is cooked to order. It might seem a little pricy ($20 for 4-5 thick strips plus fries & cole slaw) but its location right across the street from the cruise ship berths makes it a bit of a tourist trap that can command these prices consistently because of convenience and great food. We stayed in town for a week and came back 3 times because it was so good every time! Give them a try when you're in town...bet you won't regret it! read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - The menu is limited right now because the owner has been in the hospital, but the food they serve is worth a visit! - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

Best fish and chips on the island, love that it is very fresh! I normally do not eat fish, but i will always get fish from this place! The service is amazing read more

Wow this is probably the best breaded shrimp I have had, the halibut was good as well. The chowder on the other hand I can't say the same, I can't say, I've never ever had clam chowder with carrots and corn in it, and I hope to never again would be delish with out that sadly read more

Honestly, just okay. I heard rave reviews. I wasn't hungry, but HAD to have fish and chips here since it was so highly talked about by so many. It didn't surprise me that I waited a really long time... I mean a REALLY long time. Hmmm, when I asked the guy if he preferred halibut or cod, he said cod. Ok, that may be true but, oddly, he told the next 3-4 parties that they were out of halibut. So not sure if the halibut is really better or just that the cod was available. Even more odd was that this was "cruise ship day" and they didn't have their halibut delivery yet and it was just after 12noon (however, they do just open at 11, but you'd think that they'd get their boats back by then). Odd, I mean I get it, but odd. So, after my long wait, I had the cod and chips. Not bad, but not really anything too darn special. Light and flakey with a perfect crunch. I'd order again and would recommend checking this place out when in Ketchikan. It's a total "typical fish place" along the water in a (basically) fishing type town. There is seating inside of if you get it to go they wrap it up with all the sides. I got mine to go and even after boarding back on the ship it was still pretty delicious! I teetered on giving them 3 stars, but really this was a total "Alaska" place to go and I love these types of small businesses!! You betcha, go check them out. read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - Ordering counter at Alava's - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

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Great food! Always hot, tasty, and served quickly!Chowder especially good! Central location

All the food is delicious here the fish is outstanding mix it up and do a combo 1/2 halibut and 1/2 shrimp yes. My favorite place for fish and chips I do have to share can't eat it all bring your appetite! read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - We got 1/2 shrimp and 1/2 halibut omg so delicious I love this place. - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

Onion rings were out of this world. The batter was so flavorful. Cod was also a good portion and delicious. Chowder full of chunky goodness. Could have been a little hotter. Staff was very welcoming and chatty. read more

Wow amazing fish and chips. Chowder was good. But oh man the fish was a great. Location is close to Walmart and the service was good. Will definitely be back. read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

Best Fish & chips on the island. You can get your choice of halibut or red snapper. All fish is fresh & locally processed. Home made French fries are seasoned just right. onion rings are available on the side. For a change of pace try Mile's clam chowder. Beverages include canned soft drinks and I hear milk shakes are on the way - Vanilla, strawberry, & chocolate. Sue Ann's cole slaw could be a meal in itself. For a real treat try the barn door slammer sandwich with oysters. read more

Isaac was right! Fish and chowder meal. Best in town! #AlavasFishnchowder We tried three other places. One was so thick it held up a spoon, another the Louisiana spices overwhelmed the flavor, and one was like corn soup. #sharingalaska read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - Fish and Chips with Chowder - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

Alava's is an example of why you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. On the outside, this place is small and looks a little rundown/old. A dive in the best sense of the word, although you wouldn't think that right away. We consulted Yelp before deciding where to eat, and the reviews all pointed to Alava's for the best fish n chips the island has to offer. When we walked in, I instantly felt like I'd made a mistake. Definitely a no-frills kind of place. A lot of the menu items were blacked out, so all we had left was fish n chips, fries and chowder. Luckily, that's all we needed to know what a gem we had on our hands. YOU GUYS. This place is outstanding! The fish n chips had the lightest and flakiest breading, delicately moist fish and just all over fresh and beautiful. After sampling other places, I have to agree with other reviewers: Alava's is the best! We almost didn't get the clam chowder but the lady in the kitchen said it's homemade, so we went ahead and got a cup. This is a thin but silky version with potatoes and corn and just very very good. If you're local, you probably already know, but if you're a tourist, PLEASE do yourself a favor and head to Alava's for lunch. You absolutely won't be disappointed. Listen to the reviews - this place is a true star. read more

Best fish and chips I've ever had! Fresh, wild-caught fish that's fried to order! French fries are previously frozen, but still fried to order! The fish sticks were piping hot, but I couldn't wait to eat them so I burned my tongue just a little. The breading was thin, crispy, and perfect. The tartar sauce was good as well. I didn't care for the cole slaw, though. They persuaded us into trying the clam chowder-it's housemade! And it was also the best because it wasn't chunky, overly creamy or salty. It had the right consistency and great flavor/seasoning. We were in a time crunch to get back to our cruise ship, but they got our food out to us quickly. The service was friendly, too. My only complaint is that it's pretty expensive. The shrimp was $20! read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - Best clam chowder in the world! freshly made in-house! - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

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Small shack in a grocery store parking lot but best fish and chips. The locals will go here and avoid the places close to the docks catering to the tourists. Prices are super reasonable for the portion of food. Batter is light, crispy, and great flavor that complements but doesn't overshadow the clean, fresh taste of the fish. I had halibut and cod; both were excellent but the halibut was definitely the best fish and chips I've had. Each order is fried fresh too so don't come here expecting mcdonald's-like speed and do come here expecting the wait to be well worth it. You can take the free city bus from the docks to the grocery store stop and it's a short walk across the parking lot to get to Alava's. Super friendly folks too. read more

Great atmosphere and outstanding chowders - the service and food were remarkable. If you are for great food and memorable experience - this is the place read more

Best fish and chip. Best. We were in emerald princess cruise and stopped in ketchakan. I checked Yelp reviews and decided to have fish and chip here. So good. We also got fish and chip in skagway and Victoria. Nothing is comparable. This is the best one. read more

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It is a hole in the wall type spot for fish and chips. For this reason, it is not as touristy as the Alaska Fish House. It is a good spot to get fresh fish. However, I did not love the fish and chips. We ordered the halibut. The breading was a bit sloppy and not as good as other places I tried. The oil from the fish was also runnier than others. The oil also did not look that fresh but we went at the end of the lunch rush so it might have been because it was used throughout lunch. We also wanted to try the clam chowder but it was sold out by the time we got there. It has rave reviews so I would definitely suggest trying it at the beginning of the lunch rush because I was not all that impressed at the end of it. If you are looking into an Alaska cruise and/or things to do during a day trip/ shore excursion at Ketchikan, feel free to message me for recommendations or my thoughts on the cruise I went on [also in the link in my profile]. read more

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Delicious fish. Best in town plus reasonable prices and enough left over to share when you get home, worth the short drive and the wait since they don't have cooked fish just sitting there. Good, personal service. One of my favorite places and at the top of the list for take out. read more

Location closed!! Visited Ketchikan via cruise ship on October 3, 2019 and walked around everywhere trying to find this place. After looking at photos we found a small lot where I believe the location use to be. It was empty! No building there at all and just a empty patch of dirt. Very sad I couldn't try it out as it was on my list of foods to try when in town. I wonder what happened?? read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - No longer there? - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

So glad we stopped at this little shack! I've never had such amazing fish and chips before. I ordered and the owner walked out back to got a fresh piece of halibut - cut breaded and fried it in front of me. Best meal I've had the entire cruise yet, better than my $70 fancy meal on board the ship. Also the best chowder I've had in a long time, and at an amazing price for a tourist trap port-of-call. Family owned, friendly, clean, generous portions, great tasting - what more can you ask for? A must have if visiting Ketchikan. read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - Halibut chips - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

Alava's fish n chowder is delicious. Don & miles are very friendly, and serve awesome fish! Visiting Ketchikan and saw the shack by Walmart had to stop! I highly recommend them! 10/10 great food/service! I love the calm chowder & COD! read more

Alava's Fish-n-Chowder - Pacific cod & shrimp - Food Stands Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska