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Clamshell

3.5 (41 reviews)
InexpensiveFast Food, Fish & Chips
Open 11:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

Clamshell Photos

CLAMSHELL ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Good for kids

Recommended Reviews - Clamshell

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Outside
Michelle R.

DEEP FRIED MARS BAR! We were told that it was a must try item in Scotland and that places that sells fish n chips will probably have it. ClamShell sold Fish and Chips and yes, Mars Bars as well. It is a tiny take away place with 3 counter stools inside, and 3 tiny tables outside. I ordered the deep fried candy and it was like 2 pounds I believe. It was cheap. The candy took about 3 minutes and I was handed a hot as lava deep fried bar on a paper. I had to ask for a napkin. I wanted to cut my candy in 1/2 so I had to ask for a knife. I know, I am such a demanding customer. I thought it was overly sweet but Stephen like it. Not the most chatty of places, and they don't put out stuff so you have to ask. I want to give them 4-stars but since they could not seem to be bothered by a silly American tourist, its a solid 3 star: they served me, and that's about it.

Trina D.

They fry everything here. And I do mean everything. You can get fried fish & chips, haggis, pickles, ribs, and candy bars here. We went to the Clamshell right at 11 am but they weren't open yet. The guy told us to come back at 11:30 am. So we walked down the Royal Mile. We ran into some friends so we decided to go to the pub for lunch. Afterwards, we came back for deep fried Mars bars at the Clamshell. Sure I can get deep fried Snickers at home, but apparently Scottish folk invented deep fried Mars bars in 1995. A group of us decided to go buy some. At £2.50 each, it was a small price to pay for warm gooey goodness. There was a line when we went and the guy behind the counter was frantically trying to get the lunch rush orders out. He was a little like the Soup Nazi with his yelling. We ordered 6 fried Mars bars and paid right before they came out of the fryer. Only 2 of 7 people were in line for these since our group decided not to overwhelm the shop but a long line of hungry people started to form behind us. Once our bars were wrapped to go, we marched outside with our spoils. Unwrapped, the bars are coated in a crispy fried batter and they are warm, melty, and chocolatey inside. I shared mine with a friend and it was a delicious treat. I wouldn't eat a whole one and still refuse to do so. It was a novelty and it was cool to eat while in Scotland.

Delicious!
Torterry C.

My hubby and I were wandering around the city and wanted to try out some local fast food. We saw this place offers Fish & Chips, so we decided to come in and try some dishes out. I read thought most the dishes on the menu, which most part of them were seafood. And the price was great as well. I ordered the seafood basket, so I could try different seafood. My hubby ordered the Fish & Chips from them. The food actually tasted really good, much better than we expected. I really like it. both of the ordered we made. We were siting the table they set outside and enjoyed the nice meal, quite nice. I could look around this cultural city. Since when we were there at almost winter, it was a bit cold. Although this place isn't so big and usually get busy quite quickly, this is great place for some fast snacks. Just take away if the place were too full.

Em C.

Clam Shell, cloistered up between posh Scottish eating establishments and continental cafes, is a good old fashioned chip shop to satisfy your fast food cravings. As far as food quality goes it's a higher standard of takeaway, and a winner in the fast food arena. Specialising in massive pizzas and succulent chippy chips, Clam Shell was always the first port of call when I visited Edinburgh as a kid. I have many fond memories of sitting out in the rain, munching my way through a soggy paper bag full of the best chips I've ever tasted. Big, fat chips drowning in brown sauce suddenly made the weather a lot more bearable. Years later, it's barely changed and still offers speedy service and yummy fish suppers. The piping hot chips from Clam are a great way to warm yourself up on a drizzly day. This place shouldn't be overlooked in favour of the surrounding fancier options because as far as chips go, they are top class.

Gibson A.

I first encountered Clamshell when returning home after a long night out on the Cowgate. I saw two guys eating out of the plastic boxes associated with chippies. I asked them where they got them from and they directed me to Clamshell, assuring me it was the best chip shop in Edinburgh. I was sceptical but too hungry to challenge it. I ordered a sauasage supper, devoured it all the way home and whole-heartedly agreed that it was the best chippy in Edinburgh. I have since been back in a more sober disposition and I still think it makes some of the best chips I've tasted. Being on the Royal Mile, however, it is quite expensive with battered sauasage and haggis suppers costing around £3-4 and fish suppers being over £5. It is worth it though as the service is great and the quality is truly amazing.

King rib (left) and deep fried haggis (right). The deep fried Mars bar was messy, and went straight into my mouth.
Angeline P.

Oh god! What else can you say about a place that offers you so much fried food, so late at night? I came here at the request of a few people we met at the bar, who basically insisted that we couldn't leave Scotland without having deep fried haggis. Being a lover of haggis, I complied. But deep fried haggis wasn't all Clamshell had to offer. The King Rib (the Scottish equivalent of the McRib, but without the sauce, and HUGE), a deep fried Mars bar, and that's actually just the tip of the iceberg. This is really good drunk food, and will probably shave a few years off your life. But it's worth a try at least once. Bonus points: They serve Irn Bru, which is banned in the United States for containing ponceau, a chemical I used in lab for protein staining. It's like liquid Pixie Stix!

Fish n' Chips Irn Bru
Dave W.

Oh man, thank you Clamshell for being up late to feed a hungry tourist who hadn't eaten since breakfast. Awesome fish n' chips, slaw and an Irn Bru which was recommended by the friendly staff. I did stop by a few evenings later for a meat pie which was great too. Many thanks and highly recommended. Irn Bru will get you through!

Mars bar done.
Maz N.

Fried food - yes please! When people come along to visit I make sure we pass clamshell, not just for the classic mars bar or other chocolate bar covered in batter but for everything else deep fried! I love the fact you can share a whole selection of deep fried food while on the mile from pizza to haggis and even a burger. It always seems to be busy but the staff are efficient and calm and friendly as well. It gets the job done and deep fried food always tastes delicious! The prices are good, especially for the mile so I would recommend you pass by and grab one of everything!

The Deep Fried Mars Bar

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10 years ago

Disgusting. Absolutely the worst cheeseburger I've ever had. Not kidding. I've had microwaved frozen food that tasted better.

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12 years ago

I got fish and chips and its tasteless rubber that's been sitting under a heating lamp for what tastes like hours.

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18 years ago

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11 years ago

Definitely did not meet 4-star expectations. Doner roll and chips were average to subpar...

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16 years ago

very nice fish and ships !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Clamshell Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Clamshell

I was there in 1992 and the portions were overly generous and the brown sauce was delicious.

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Berties Proper Fish & Chips

Berties Proper Fish & Chips

(206 reviews)

££

Grassmarket, Old Town

I usually avoid restaurants in touristy areas, and despite being on the tourist-congested Victoria…read moreStreet, I had to stop into Bertie's on a friend's recommendation (and was surprised by how much I liked it!). The Lemon & Herb Baked Fish was so flavorful and juicy. I tried a Deep Fried Mars Bar for the first time and loved it (I don't know what it reminds me of, but it's crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and hot enough to burn the top of your mouth). The star was definitely the Breaded Haddock. I've had fish and chips around the UK for much cheaper, but at a slightly higher price point you get a perfectly crispy piece of fish with double-fried chips. It's really more about the experience of being in a posh fish shop. It's packed with tourists, so you'll be handed a map of the city at the end -- which I found to be pretty funny given I was living in Edinburgh at the time and came with another local. But it's charming and certainly worth a visit.

i could rave about this place for hours. stumbled into here with my friends on our week long trip…read more we were jet lagged and tired from a day of walking. this first thing was that they are three floors tall and include an elevator for accessibility. the second was that they had fully closed bathroom stalls, each equipped with a sink and were very clean. they also had an accessible AND gender neutral toilet. the overall vibe of the place was fun and they had a lot of space with many tables. for the food, they had a key with all possible allergens, and showed which foods included them or not. the first thing we were asked was if there were any allergies in the party. as someone with many allergies, this was amazing. the wait staff was wonderful and very friendly. the food came quick and was so delicious. we had a few drinks, i got the cider, and they were all so good. we have since then gone again during our week in edinburgh and i am so glad we did.

The Devil's Advocate - Smoked fish plate

The Devil's Advocate

(629 reviews)

££

Old Town, Royal Mile

Just an awesome, rockin' final meal in Edinburgh - fantastic food, good service and energized local…read morevibe! Absolute must to get reservations! We tried on our first week in Edinburgh and failed, but were able to make reservations 3 weeks out for our last night in Scotland, and we are glad we did. Pork cracklins were a bit hard and crunchy, but everything else was perfect. We had fresh bread and langostinis for starters, along with a smokey whiskey cocktail, the Smoked Indiscretion! For mains we enjoyed the poached Cod, and the Pork with Barley. Service was very good, and wine selection was extensive. Atmosphere was loud with music and locals' chatter in the bar below, but dark tables and heavy wood panels made it a perfect place for a couple celebrating 3 weeks of travel. Highly recommend a visit to the Devil's Advocate, if you can book a table in advance.

The Devil's Advocate is undoubtedly a treasure to find in Old Town Edinburgh, especially if you…read moreaccidentally take the News Steps to get there, only to realize you should have simply taken the steps up Advocate's Close from Cockburn Street. But they call these lessons, "character building," apparently. No matter, the Devil's Advocate is worth the search. Located in an old Victorian pump house halfway up (or down) Advocate's Close, the Devil's Advocate is known for a killer whisky shelf of more than 300 different bottles from various distilleries across the Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Campbelltown, the Islands, and Islay. I finally sipped on a 15-year Tamdu that has convinced me to keep a bottle at home. Then there's the Clydeside 2024 Limited Edition Cask Strength that was wicked impressive. The bartenders are class at making and serving seasonal and regular cocktails that have their spin and character. My wife enjoyed gin-based cocktails such as the Clean Slate (with St-Germain, citrus, and sugar), Rose Garden (with Yellow Chartreuse, Cocchi Rosa, apple, lemon, and mint), and Bee's Knees (honey and lemon). I went full speed ahead with the scotch cocktails, which are essentially classics with a scotch-substituted twist. The Double Shot is an Espresso Martini with Dalmore 12 in addition to Kahlua, espresso, and demerara -- quite smooth without being too sweet. The Scotzia is a Negroni with Fettercairn 12, while the Boxcar is a Sidecar only with Aberfeldy 12. We enjoyed the bar for a few hours, watching the bartenders make magic while sipping on cocktails, while listening to 80s pop tunes. A great evening indeed.

Mums - Shepherds Pie Vegan

Mums

(252 reviews)

££

Old Town

I was so excited to try this place after seeing good reviews but our experience was terrible. There…read morewere gnats everywhere that we were killing at our dusty booth. When our food arrived we finally asked to move spots but the back of the restaurant was just as bad. I can't believe other families weren't complaining. We also found a hair in our appetizer and the mains were subpar. My husband complained about his fries and burger and the manager was combative. They comped us for one whiskey and we left as quickly as possible. The shepherds pie was very salty and the side of veggies was very clearly from frozen.

**RACIST & DISCRIMINATORY** The young blonde hair girl in…read moreher maybe late-20s hostess, bartender or server (not sure which) was super rude! We came in excited about this place, and the restaurant had open tables at about 6:50pm on a Friday ... we had just walked all day and were starving with a 2-year old and an elderly after walking all over town and sightseeing all day long. However, was told by this girl that they didn't have a seat for us. Although there was no wait, no one ahead of us and empty tables. I told her she could seat us in that booth, we didn't mind since our 2 year old wouldn't be eating. However, she cut me off and said that would not work. I thought that was weird but that should have been That it would take them about 30 minutes to get us a table. We walk around in the cold, come back to the restaurant ... there are plenty of open tables. My husband takes my 2-year old inside to wait so she is not in the freezing rainy cold (especially since she was sniffling). The hostess then says it's going to take longer and that we must wait outside the restaurant. We tell her it's cold, and we've been waiting. She then says ... "This isn't going to work, I'm not serving you. You guys can leave." She did not want to serve of us this entire time! She could have told us when we first walked in, but made us wait and walk around outside in the cold rain with a 2-year old and an 88-year old ... then decides she doesn't want to serve us. We walked in at 6:50pm, came back at 7:30pm, waited until 7:45pm when she told us she wouldn't serve us. By this time all the other restaurants were fully reserved or with 1-2 hour waits. We ended up not able to have dinner that night, and got snacks from the grocery store. DO NOT COME HERE UNLESS YOU WANT HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE! NEVER TREATED THIS BADLY BY A RESTAURANT!

City Restaurant - Curry Sauce

City Restaurant

(75 reviews)

££

Newington

While my mother and I were in Edinburgh earlier this year, we were getting hungry walking around…read morethe city and we stumbled across this restaurant. We walk in and were seated upstairs, which gave us a great view of the busy street next to the restaurant. I ordered the fish and chips, a glass of scotch, and the sticky toffee pudding.......all were awesome. The hostess and waitress were really nice and accommodating. The food came out hot and fresh. Overall, it was a great experience and I wouldn't definitely eat here again.

Conveniently located near many Edinburgh Festival Fringe venues. Perfect for traditional British…read morefood that isn't too fancy. Seems to be able to give you a quick turnaround, if you're in a rush. Battered Fish & Chips - Haddock: A classic and seems to be their specialty. Big flaky fish and nice fluffy batter. Lots of thick crispy chips. Plus mushy peas, if you're into that kind of thing. Only issue is that sometimes they neglect to give you tartare sauce. Breaded Fish & Chips - Haddock: Maybe even better than the battered fish. The panko on top of the batter gives it a nice hearty crunch. Perhaps not traditional, but I'm a fan. Fish Cakes: The two crispy cakes are a much smaller portion than the regular fish. However, they definitely bursting with more flavor from the smoked fish and all the nice herbs. Could work if you split this and a regular fish & chips with someone. Curry Sauce: Took a few reminders to my waitress, but finally got my side sauce. A good helping. Kinda closer to Japanese curry than an Indian curry. Dipping the fries in this is purely amazing, much nicer than malt vinegar. Eton Mess: Save room for dessert! The pairing of smooth Scottish ice cream against crunchy airy meringue is perfect. Plus the raspberry sauce and whipped cream. A great way to end the meal on a sweet note.

The Mussel and Steak Bar - Scallops

The Mussel and Steak Bar

(201 reviews)

££

Grassmarket, Old Town

It's has such an unassuming look to it when you first walk in. There's just one big round booth in…read morethe back with only a few tables to the side and back of the bar. There is an outdoor space that sits on the West Bow bend of Grassmarket, but nothing was set up for that when we were there for a late lunch. Perhaps it's a seasonal thing. All first impressions aside, it turned out to be a very good lunch. We were greeted immediately upon entering. We were fortunate to get a table without a reservation. You will definitely need one here during peak times. The service was warm & friendly. Artur was very helpful in answering all of our questions. The lunch menu is limited, but you can also order from the higher priced dinner menu as well. I was mostly amazed by the fact that you get complimentary oysters delivered to your table. My husband is not a seafood fan, so I was fortunate enough to enjoy both of them. These are large & tasty Pacific oysters grown at a farm in Loch Fyne. Delicious! It was such a great starter. I couldn't pass up the half kilo pot (lunch portion) of steamed mussels. These are Scottish rope-grown mussels. I should have ordered a kilo. They were so addicting. The white wine sauce with shallots was perfect. However, I did have a difficult time deciding which sauce to choose. The whisky with smoked bacon also sounded amazing. If I had to say anything negative, it would be to maybe add more bread to soak up the sauce. I probably could have asked for more, but I didn't. That's on me. I really wanted to return to try the Surf & Turf. We just didn't have enough time to do it all. I would go back in a heartbeat. It ended up being a great find. A great experience!

Great place! Started strong with complimentary oysters as we sat down. We ordered platter of…read moregrilled scallops they were so delicious we ordered a second platter. Perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious. Ordered bucket of mussels they were good not great. More on the smaller size but generous in serving Also shared a filet mignon steak which was excellent. Also enjoyed their fish and chips which was haddock very good nice serving size. Service was great. Definitely would return and get their seafood platter. Looked amazing and would definitely serve the four of us.

Clamshell - hotdogs - Updated May 2026

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