If you're after fish and chips done right, this place delivers. The fish arrives piping hot with a light, shattering batter and moist. You can taste that it's been cooked to order. read more

Listen, Any fish and chip restaurant that has white linen table cloths on which is sat a small vase with a little fresh flower in it has got to be decent. Fish Central doesn't disappoint. Old school to the bone. Local villains in one corner, a table of two with Macs out working in another. Me being intrepid in Islington. King's Square might sound grand. But it's shabby. Not shabby chic. Just shabby. All the more thrilling then to find Fish Central nestled in there, across the way from the pub you'd get glassed in if you wandered in for a lager top. The restaurant is bright and airy. White and chrome. Bit of a 70's vibe. The waiters are old men. They are welcoming. I can sit anywhere. I don't need to pick from the menu, maybe I just want a small plate of fish and chips. How the hell did he know that? I nod approvingly and ask if they have tea. Course they've got tea. Stupid question. And it comes in a white mug and saucer. Food comes. Nice piece of cod, crispy batter, decent chips. Chip shop chips. No hint of parsley or lemon. Back to absolute basics. Who needs garnish? Not this lot. Tartare sauce is homemade I think. Absolute bonus. Tomato sauce is Heinz. We can live with that. I plough through it with aplomb. Friday has arrived. Local villains show each other massive respect. Handshakes, hugs and kisses on both cheek. Work meeting looks productive. Everyone's happy because they are all eating good fish and chips and it's Friday so why wouldn't you be? The old men are attentive and brisk. They've done this before. They keep it simple. One wants to know if my Mac is any good. We chat about Macs for a bit. Because he's relaxed. He's done this before. He doesn't need any of the frou frou stuff. He scribbles the bill. It's £8.50. Cheap as chips. Is this where the phrase was invented? I'll be back to try roasted skate wing. And to see if the breadcrumbed cod is as good as the battered one. There is a take away section if you just want to gobble fish and chips on the go. But my advice is, if you have the time, go in, sit down revel in old school simplicity, confident staff and customers who are pleased as punch to be there. No airs and graces. They aren't trying to be something they are not. They are just good. Really good. And that's good enough for me. read more

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Best seafood restaurant in Kings square area we were staying while in London. The fish we tried at a restaurant in a long time. read more

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We loved our time here. For starters, we ordered the Greek salad and scallops, both were delicious. For entrees, we both got Hake, I got grilled and my dad got fried. Along with that, we got tartar sauce and it was the best I've ever had. I'm not a fan of any tartar sauce except this one. Our servers were very kind and it was a pleasure to talk with them. The ambiance was nice and relaxed and I hope we get to come back soon. Edit: we came back another night and it was just as good as the first time! read more

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I don't write too many reviews but couldn't not take this chance to recognize the fantastic service we received from this restaurant! They definitely enhanced what originally was already a good meal. Really appreciate the heart and soul clearly poured into their service and food. 5/5 read more

Fish Central - Fish & chips and sardines appetizer - Seafood Near Me - London, XGL

Gem of a find! Best fish in chips and at a white table clothe restaurant. Wonderful service and staff. So friendly and treated my tweens so lovely. read more

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SIMPLY THE BEST! Freshest fish you can get in London and the prices are amazingly low. They have an impressive variety of fish, and great daily specials. We went many times and eventually tried their fried fish. Wow! better than our favorite chip shop. Who knew? Aside from best food ever, the staff are great. Excellent recommendations, and they took the time to ask what we liked before making suggestions. read more

delicious food, complimentary fish cakes (also very tasty), and exceptional service! our waiter was very attentive and friendly. theres lots of fish variety so if you want to try a spin on your average fish and chips this is the spot to go. i'd love to return and i recommend this spot to anyone read more

Finally, we found a superb Fish & Chips restaurant in London. We ordered Cod & Chips, and they were really tasty and just flawless! Cod was super fresh and was firm and flaky, the batter was light and wasn't greasy, and the chips were crispy outside and fluffy inside. The portion was generous and the price was very reasonable. The service was polite and friendly. What are you waiting for? Go & eat Fish & Chips!!! read more

If you're local, you gotta make a stop here. Food is excellent, servings are HUGE, just an all around nailed it kind of experience. I got the mussels (appetizer was big enough for a family!), Matza meal halibut, mushy peas and sticky toffee. Meal would have cost double in the states; service and quality were top notch. There's nothing else to say but make it happen!!! read more

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Gosh I am so full! The restaurant got very busy by 8. The food was so good. I went for the fish supper. A prawn cocktail starter then a cod or haddock with chips. Choose a Dessert from the menu. I had the special of the day - which was chocolate brownie with ice cream. Only downside was dessert would've been nice with a bit of chocolate sauce. Was a tad dry. I found this place using yelp otherwise wouldn't have known about it. They had lots of specials of the day to choose from too. read more

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Honestly a massive disappointment. I looked around on Yelp and this place seemed close by and well rated, but everything was disappointing. My friend and I asked for suggestions and were suggested the Lobster Spaghetti and the Dover Sole. We then added the Ravioli starter. The Ravioli starter was flavorless. Felt like eating a ball of pasta with nothing in it. The Lobster Spaghetti was literally a pound office pasta with a few heirloom tomatoes and a few very small pieces of lobster. The Dover Sole was a nice piece of fish, but ultimately lacked flavor. It's like they forgot how to use sauce or seasoning. The Chips were bland as sin, and lacked any quality texture or flavor. Service was also ridiculously slow. After completing our meal and taking our plates, it was a challenge to flag a waiter to actually get us the check. Overall, just a lackluster experience. The food wasn't awful, just aggressively mediocre. But I would actively avoid the place if you're looking for good food, especially at this price point. read more

Fish Central started as a neighbourhood fish and chip restaurant in 1968 and it has slowly built up its reputation to be reknowned for its fish and chip. I personally don't agree but they're definitely one of the best for their other seafood dishes. It's atmosphere is bright and jolly with great energy from the staff. Customers are mainly locals but tourists are also making its way here now. A queue started to form shortly. Seafood are all very fresh, with new seafood in frequently to create a special menu for both starters and mains. Salmon fishcakes Lovely complimentary fishcakes to start. They were freshly made, incredibly light and fluffy inside making the thin crispy batter almost collapsing onto itself as soon as you bite into it. The filling was mostly mashed potatoes with bits of salmon but packed full of flavours from the addition of herbs and greens. Served with pickled cucumbers for that nice zest to it. West Mersea oysters Incredibly fresh oysters served with vinegar, Tabasco and lemon slices. The only complaints was that they weren't washed thoroughly so still had sand in some of them. Howeverthey were lovely and plump offering a clean aftertaste. Pan fried scallops Another dish where freshest and quality plays a huge part in making this so delicious. They were incredibly bouncy and sweet even without dipping it into the salsa verda. Although the latter helped add a lovely layer of herby flavour. A very generous portion for £7.45 Plain grilled Scottish lobster with chips A choice of Canadian or Scottish lobster and we chose the latter. Even being plain grilled the freshest of the lobster gave it that intense sweetness. A side of garlic butter and spicy sauce to help add addition flavour. The meat was very springy, coming straight off from its shell. Utensils given to crack open its claw to pick out the rest of the meat. Sardines Simple chargrilled sardines served with tomato and onion salsa. These almost flaked away in my mouth and although an oily fish the fishiness was very mild and more sweet due to the freshness. Chargrilled perfectly so the skin just crisp but the interior remained juicy. A lovely salsa to add a lovely contrast crunch to the texture Hot oak smoked salmon salad So thankful to the waiter who recommended this dish as it was phenomenal, especially for salmon which rarely wows me anymore. The salmon although smoked, remained moist. The strong sweetness from the honey contrasted with the savoury and spicy in the salmon marinate really gets the tastebuds going. Mixed with a lovely contrast of textures from the salad. Deep fried cod fish & rock salmon As fresh as the fish was I was not a big fan of the hard crusted thick batter which soaked up a lot of oil. However it was crisp rather than dense so was easy to break through. The fish also came unseasoned so constantly needed salt to be added to give flavour throughout. Luckily both the fishes shone on it's own as they were so fresh their natural sweetness prevailed, with cod being more delicate in taste and plumpier in texture and rock salmon sweeter in taste and more moist in texture. Rocket and tomato salad (with Parmesan) Something green, simple and light as a palate cleanser before we move onto the next dish. All very fresh with the tomatoes and lovely rich Parmesan there to give the dish umami. Whole grilled dover sole An incredibly meaty fish, meat densely packed but incredibly bouncy and delicately sweet in flavour. Perfectly grilled keeping all the moisture intact and the bone just came off the meat showing how fresh it was too. Probably my favourite fish out the mains. Grilled wing of skate Forking through the gaps of the bone to take off the meat off the bone, all done effortlessly. Each strand was incredibly tender and springy, delicate in flavour although could have done with more salt to lift its flavour. The capers help add a contrast of sourness and beurre noisette giving it a nice buttery coating. Chips were the most disappointing part of the meal, very uninspiring, bland and limp. They needed to be fried longer allowing the skin to crisp and seasoned to give flavour to the potato. Creamed potatoes were much more successful, seasoned and with the addition of herbs to give it flavour. Could have been creamed further with the help of water as it was slightly too thick and heavy. I rarely get to eat such fresh seafood in London without paying an extortionate price for it. For freshness along and one was able to cook and retain all the moisture and sweetness in the seafood, I'm so impressed it has even become my favourite seafood restaurant. However their batter used for their fish and chips was disappointing, far to thick and heavy. There's definitely a lot more better for fish and chips like Kerbisher & Malt, offering a lighter crispier batter. But nothing can beat this lively Mediterranean atmosphere, low prices and the fact it is a homely local restaurant running for 48 years. read more

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fish is so incredibly fresh, portions are huge, quality of everything is top tier, and the service was incredible. genuinely everyone working there could not have been kinder. can't say enough good things!! read more

We were happily surprised with the really good and honest food last night. If you are looking for super fish that honors the natural flavors and grill the fish to perfection - leaving it neither undercooked nor over cooked and dry - accompanied with what you choose rather than what they choose then give Fish Central a try. Four of us and we were all quite pleased and amazed by portion sizes. My Rock Salmon grilled with tomato and onion salad was superb! read more

Loved the staff, not so much the food. 5 stars for the friendly staff. Everyone was super nice and welcoming. The food did not impress. Had the fish and chips supper which was 13 pounds for three courses. They give a complimentary fried salmon ball, which was not bad - crispy on the outside, but the filling wasn't very good. The shrimp cocktail appetizer came with the prix fixe, and it wasn't big shrimps with cocktail sauce (which is what I was expecting), it was tiny shrimps covered in a mayo-ketchup sauce - not that appetizing. The portion of fish and chips was huge. I had the cod - crispy on the outside, but kind of mushy texture on the inside. For dessert, I had the special tiramisu - not great and I think it should have been colder. They also gave a free shot at the end (vodka, oj, and blue curacao) - yum! Overall, great, friendly service, but the food left something to be desired. read more

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I was really hungry and this restaurant is right across from my hotel so I decided to give it a try. The food is very reasonably priced for London and the space is very nice. I ordered the scallops for my appetizer and the roasted cod with vegetables as my entree. All of the seafood tasted really fresh and perfectly cooked. The appetizer and entree were generously sized and I was stuffed after finishing both. My only complaint is that the dishes needed a bit of extra salt which is an easy fix since there's a salt shaker at the table. I would definitely come back and try the fish and chips next time since that is their specialty. read more

Fish Central - Roasted cod with Mediterranean vegetables - Seafood Near Me - London, XGL

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The best first: the service was very friendly. But almost everything else was frustrating. The fish was very fresh and of good quality, but all the dishes were virtually unseasoned and to my taste much too bland. One side order for my mother never arrived, even after we reminded the staff of it. Later the restaurant became as crowded and noisy as a pub, which some might view as a feature, but was not what I had in mind for the evening. Last but not least it took at least 15 minutes after we had finished before we were given a chance to pay. read more

If you want a variety of fresh seafood in heaping portions for very reasonable prices, look no more. FC has been around for decades and its pride and genuine hospitality are evidence to why it continues to draw crowds. We arrived without a reservation around 9pm Saturday night and were fortunate to snag an open table for 3 in the way back. While it wasn't a great spot (near a staff entrance), service wasn't lacking and we had water, wine and starters within 15 minutes. The oysters are divine - enormous, well cleaned and unctuous. Half a dozen would have been plenty! The seafood pasta was a mountain of shellfish and carbs - I just barely got through 3/4 of it. My husband had the salmon main as well as the liver and bacon entree and thought both were finger licking good! I docked a star bc they forgot our order of fish soup which I have no doubt is delicious but we left full and satisfied so we'll be sure to order it on our next visit. read more

First time in London. We rented an apartment down the street from Fish Central. The staff was very friendly and provided great service. I had the swordfish and my boyfriend had the fish and chips. Good food at a good price. I suggest you call for reservations if you are going to dinner after 7:00pm. read more

Pretty good! I really enjoyed it here! I got the cod and chips (remember to order chips because everything is a la carte) and it was pretty good and only £9.90! I loved that even though the fries were kind of light in color they still had a good crunch. The fish batter was nice and crunchy but could have used alittle more seasoning. As weird as it sounds, this was probably the best tartare sauce I've ever had. Lmao. Anyway, definitely worth the trip. read more

Fish Central - Cod and Chips for £9.90 - Seafood Near Me - London, XGL

Fish and chips is one of those things that some people think is all the same but, No, it's not, at all. The location, on a 1960s council estate shopping precinct a few minutes south of Angel means that it's not about a hipster, trendoid place of the moment but it is all about good food and for me that's what I want. There's a full seafood restaurant which looks great and look forward to visiting next time but this visit was take away fish and chips. There's a separate take away counter on the side with a separate entrance which overlooks the restaurant kitchen so you can see the action. Our fish was freshly fried from what looked like diagonally cut thick sections of cod as we watched them being dipped in batter. The guys working the fryers were clearly at the top of their game and gave us some mini fish cake bites to snack on while we hungrily waited which were much appreciated. On eating: the batter was crisp, tasty and light and the encapsulated cod was perfectly cooked (fresh, snow white, steaming, tender flakes). The chips were great too. Just right. Portion size: generous as it should be. Mushy peas were the proper kind, not the crushed garden peas that some other places are dishing up. ...and the price was right. read more

It's been about 3 years since I was last here (I think) but after I ordered my starter (ravioli) I remembered I'd had that before, and it was as tasty as I remembered it. They give you a complementary fish cake while you wait, and the food is really good. I opted for whole lobster salad as a main and it didn't disappoint. The only things I would change is having proper pepper mills on the table, and not to put the brown edged salad on the plates but other than that, the service was good, and to be offered a free hot chocolate while I waited to pay the bill was a really lovely touch. read more

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Fish oasis near the City.Mediterranean flair without the price tag.Roast cod and Mediterranean vegetables 13+gbp only.Fish soup and appetizers also very good. read more

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Set right amongst sets of estate buildings not far from City Road, Angel, you wouldn't have guessed you'd find this place. But if you live near by, it's well worth popping into. It is filled with a great mix of people from the residents of the estates to business people in their suits. Fish Central first opened in 1968 as a local chippie but has since expanded and turned itself into a rather stylish, yet totally unpretentious place. It is set in a bungalow type building. The decor is plain, simple and clean, and the fish is fresh and wholesome. Definitely stick to the fish dishes if you can as that is what they do best there. The typical fish and chips option is always a safe bet. A choice of fish (cod, haddock, plaice) can be done deep fried, grilled or as a matzo meal order a side of chips and mushy peas to top it all off. The desserts they have are very English, and very nice too. read more

Probably the nicest restaurant in England situated in the courtyard of a council estate, though having spent minimal time in council estate courtyards I couldn't be sure. I ordered a haddock and chips. Fish was excellent, perfectly firm with a crispy batter of good flavour (seeing as the batter is, at least, 50% of the allure of fried fish it must rest on it's own laurels, rather than act as a mere crispy blanket for the fish). Chips were less good; not crispy, oily and some undercooked. The complimentary fish cakes were really delicious, though I'd probably refer to them as potato croquettes with a bit of fish inside. Service was very efficient and the staff were lovely. I didn't feel very healthy after the meal, but rock'n'fucking'roll. read more

Very good and reasonable prices. I had the roasted cod over mediterranean veggies and it was excellent. Service was spot on as well.

Fantastic meal from start to finish. Everything comes together here. The food is wonderful and the value is very good. The staff was very attentive, friendly. One thing I loved was that it didn't matter which server we asked, they always helped us out (I've been to many places where if you ask a server who is not your own, they respond with, "Let me get your server." That always annoys me.). The place itself is clean and fairly modern. The whole time we were here we got the impression that the staff really wanted to ensure we had a great meal - and we did. Highly recommended. read more

Been here about 3 times. I've always reserved, so I'd recommend that, but it hasn't seemed full to capacity and I've never seen a queue. It's well lit, unpretentious, and at a reasonable price point. Bonus points for fish cakes on the house (more than once I've had this!). Pluses: I like how the focus is on the fish and seafood. The halibut, cod, plaice, skate, are all nicely done. Batter crispy, and at least one of my friends couldn't get enough of it. I do find that, usually about halfway through, the oil tends to overwhelm me (though maybe I'm not cut out for fish and chips). This is a good place to take others who want to try "London fish and chips". read more

When visiting London you HAVE to try local fish and chips. We were told to try Fish Central and it was quite impressive . Very fresh , simple and tasty! read more

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Best advice I've ever received from a cabbie. Wonderful food. Splendid service. Perfect portions. read more

Fish Central - Seafood Near Me - London, XGL

fantastic food, fantastic dining experience and best value for money in London. Definitely the best batter fried fish in london, onion rings and chips are also fantastic. Service is great, they always give a complimentary starter and they pace the food just right - long enough for a nice meal but short enough to keep you eating. Fish portions are HUGE. great value and taste! They also do a fantastic job of accommodating large (20+) groups read more

Wow!! The fish is soooo fresh and the service is fantastic. I loved my grilled cod and the Chardonnay. Our server was super friendly and gave us a complimentary appetizer to try. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in London! read more

Fish Central - Seafood Near Me - London, XGL

Quite possible the best Fish & Chips restaurant in London and I don't say that lightly. Nice decor, friendly attentive service, good value and the food was absolutely superb. Haddock in a light golden batter, a decent helping of chips; crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and all bereft of any fatty grease. Possibly even better(!) were the mushy peas! I will put my neck on the line & say they WERE the best I've had. A hidden gem just on the outskirts of the city that's well worth a visit; I know I'll definitely be back, maybe even tomorrow! read more

Been to this plaice (get it? Yeah, I know) many times before and always have good food. As a pescatarian this place should be ideal for me, but not so. Unfortunately they deep fry all the battered fish, fish cakes and chips in the same oil that they use for meat so I can't eat any of that, so the options are limited, but if you are not bothered by this sort of thing then get your laughing gear round this place and tuck in. Service was lacking this time and there was some confusion between order and table, but this is the first time this has happened in all of my visits. Definitely try the apple pie :) read more

LOVED IT! Highly suggest fish and chips. Don't let the "poshness" of this place fool you! They're super friendly and great service. Fried food usually irritates my stomach and this didn't at all. Very enjoyable! read more

This restaurant was a surprise for us. Tucked away around the corner in a quiet neighborhood. Walking up to the restaurant it doesn't "glow" 5 star. I am a generous reviewer, but have never given 5 stars. They earned it. Hospitality from the moment we walked in to the moments as we were leaving. "At your elbow" service, not hovering, but anticipating our wants and desires before we knew they were there. Medium to large menu with , of course good selection of fish, but grilled items as well. The food was cooked to perfection, with a great blend of flavors. Small surprises along the way and a meal closing, palate cleansing, slice of sweet watermelon. All brought joyfully and sometimes seemingly invisibly by a great professional staff. A great delight. read more

Dinner here last was wonderful! I am so happy to have found such a delicious, affordable, and easily accessible seafood restaurant. It is a bit out of the way, but worth going if you are in the area. Fish central's menu has starters, main course fishes cooked in one of three ways (deep fried, grilled, and with mazo meal, I believe), and a number of side dishes to have with the fish. There are meat dishes as well, but no one in our group ordered one and I cannot attest to it. We ordered 2 starters to share: mussels and baby octopus (which was one of the specials of the day). The mussels were a yummy mess and we thankfully used the wet towel provided to wash our hands. For main courses we ordered the cod with chips. Huge pieces of cod, plenty of chips, and over all very good. I'd recommend making reservations beforehand. When we arrived the first thing the host asked was whether we had reservations (we did not). We waited about 15 minutes for a table which wasn't too long for a Saturday night, but for a party of 4 or more I imagine the wait would have been longer as this is not a large restaurant. Finally, a note on the staff--so courteous and professional! Truly excellent service and on a caliber in which I have not experienced in many London restaurants. read more

I do not say this lightly, but we may have taken the first step toward getting over our Royal (defunct pub in Wales) fixation. Spot on fried fish in all its glorious permutations: hake, haddock, plaice, cod, etc. Fries were also excellent. Service was friendly and speedy. Luckily the prices were extremely reasonable, so they offset the cost of the taxi. read more

Been going with family & friends to Fish Central for years - always good fresh fish beautifully cooked in friendly atmosphere. Never been dissapointed Son & family over from Oz in May & they JUST Had to go to Rick Steins in Padstow whilst in UK. Got a text from them on leaving ' Pretty good but not nearly as good as Fish Central'. read more