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Willman's Fish & Chips

3.5 (90 reviews)
Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Willman's Fish & Chips Photos

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WILLMAN'S FISH & CHIPS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Willman's Fish & Chips

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Seafood platter - traditional batter fish, clams and scallops.
Murray W.

If you're ever engaged in a conversation about the top fish and chip places in Halifax, several names are bound to come up. Everyone has their own preferences, dictated by personal tastes and individual experiences, but the same places tend to pop up and Willman's is one of those. Located on Isleville, just a block past the Hydrostone market, the restaurant is very clean and much more recently renovated than your typical fish and chip shack, especially ones as old as Willman's which has been around since the '40s. My buddy and I popped in around 7pm on a Tuesday, so there were only one or two other tables occupied at any given time. Perusing the menu, they have all the deep fried fare that you would expect at a place like this, but also some more unique additions that fleshed out the menu in a more unique fashion. They have a few poutine choices, including Newfie poutine (stuffing/dressing added), which I always appreciate seeing. Cod tongues in the appetizer section also added to their seafood cred. There's also a handful of baked fish options for the more health conscious among us, and interestingly a fairly large pizza section. I'm not sure how many of these they would sell with Salvatore's just a block away, but hey, not everyone likes fish I guess. Feeling hungry and wanting to try as much of their seafood as I could, I settled on the seafood platter which comes with one piece of fish with the batter of your choosing (light or traditional), fried clams, fried scallops and fries. Coleslaw and gravy were options, but I turned them down, just opting for some tartar sauce, and there were a few options for vinegars as well. They have Propeller on tap, but I opted for a Sprite instead, as somehow in my mind that seemed like the lighter option. Our food came out fairly quickly, heaping piles of brown, deep fried goodness (not in the health sense, obviously). My fish was a good size, and really I wouldn't have wanted it any larger given how much food there was on my plate. It was a deep golden brown, and the fish inside flaked easily with a fork. The fish might not have been *the* best I've ever had, but it was very good. I can't say if the tartar sauce is house-made, or taken from a bottle and put in a dipping cup, but I'm not picky when it comes to that stuff anyway, and it added its trademark zing and depth of flavour to each bite. The fries were a bit of letdown though; hand cut, but not double fried, they were limp and not nearly as crispy as they could/should have been. The clams were as spot on as fried clams can be. Some of the thinnest pieces were a little bit on the chewy side, but with something so irregularly shaped, it's got to be nearly impossible to get them all cooked 100% perfectly. The meat itself had a great, fresh clam flavour and the batter was nice and crispy. The scallops were bivalve perfection, with a light batter and super moist meat inside. The owner saw to us over the course of our meal and was super friendly the whole time. I'm not sure what the typical payment procedure is, but we ended up going to the counter after a little bit of a wait once we were done eating and our plates cleared. With a warm atmosphere and great seafood, Willman's is definitely earning their reputation.

Kell S.

I've finally found my new favourite spot for some good comfort seafood! I ordered the seafood platter(highly recommend) and the clams were fantastic, the fish was incredible, best batter- the food was hot and ready so quickly. Incredible. And the service is top notch, it makes dinning there even better! Lucian makes this place as great as it is, a true Halifax staple! Going back very soon :)

the front of the building
cheryl d.

Willman's fish and Chips tucked on the corner of 5644 Kane Street in the North End 454-0929 is a long standing Icon. Not only do the offer take out you are able to sit in and dine as well. Great prices and the portions are hefty. There are different option such as a family pack of 8 piece for $23.75. Haddock is the choice of fish for Willman's when the dip it the golden batter. Nice and light and crispy. Menu consists of Clams, scallops and even chicken nuggets for the kids. This location is a must try and I think the one and only.

Propeller esb and Lucien has it on tap at Willman's.  This British ale is the perfect companion to fish and chips
TJ M.

I decided to give my once-favorite F&C place another try and stopped by for lunch. The owner, Lucien, was a perfect host. Making a point to stop at each table to chat and joke with diners. I decided to risk slipping into a deep fried beer coma and got a pint of Propeller ESB with lunch. I couldn't decide on clams, fish or scallops so I got all three in the seafood sampler. I sipped on my beer and chilled. It struck me, for a F&C shop the dining area is clean, functional but still comfortable. It was a warm, Fall day and the many windows gave a great view of the golden Hydrostone foliage. The respectable sized plate arrived in short order. First thing I noticed was that seafood all had a slightly different looking golden batter. Got to like a place that treats clams and scallops differently. I doused the fish and fries in malt vinegar. The hand-cut fries were perfectly prepared. Too bad the fish was swallowed up by a too-thick batter. Willman's offers a lighter batter option too; I'll try that next time. The fish/batter ratio is way off on the regular offering. The whole clams, although tasty were on the small side. I prefer plumper, juicier clams. The scallops were nice and fresh but also shrimpy. Shrimpy- see what I did there?! It felt like kind of a waste to splurge on the platter when the scallops and clams were tiny morsels. It is a small thing, but I was dinged a buck for something on my bill and I have no idea what it was. The only thing I can think of was the lemon slice I asked for. I did get half a lemon but still you should advise customers of extra charges in advance. And I don't think a F&C shop should charge for condiments. And I don't know if the beer counteracted the grease but there was no afternoon coma for me! Win! I am happy to give Willman's a very good, updated review. I look forward to being a regular once again. With the nice atmosphere and option to get a brew with with your F&C I wouldn't hesitate to take out of town guests here for an authentic taste of NS seafood.

Seafood platter, out of clams. :(
Terra M.

A fantastic place to visit if you're looking for great fish and chips. We ordered the seafood platter so we could try everything at once since it was our first visit. Sadly, they had just run out of clams so we were offered extra scallops or fish. Scallops of course! Our order was on the table in minutes, so hot we had to wait a few minutes to dig in. Absolutely delicious fish, we went with the lighter Lucien's batter. Most impressive were the scallops, so often they're overcooked, but these were perfect, and so sweet. Hand cut fries were excellent as well. Our server was alone and quite busy, yet still attentive. It was nice to see the cook bringing orders out when she was tied up with taking orders. Nothing sat waiting for pickup. I'm sure this would have been five stars if the clams had been available, simply judging by the quality of the items we were able to get. Oh, and make sure you try their coleslaw. The chunky cut is a nice change from the usual stringy coleslaw you get at most places.

Lucien style (lightly battered) fish and chips
Barb M.

Awesome fish and chips. Got the lightly breaded lucien fish and it was perfect. Light, crispy, not too greasy and the fish was fresh and moist. Fries were only average, but we came for the fish, so who cares. Nice seating on the deck and super friendly wait staff. Everyone we mentioned Willman's to before we went totally raved about it...and they were all correct! Great place!

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10 months ago

Great food (love the clams) and friendly service. My friend had fish and chips and was very happy with his order.

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10 months ago

Excellent fish! We got the light batter and it was great! Excellent service! Nice mom and pop local restaurant.

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1 year ago

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9 months ago

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1 year ago

So yummy in my tummy, on my list for best fish and chip places in NS. Top 3 for sure!

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3 years ago

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11 years ago

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12 years ago

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6 years ago

Great fish and chips and even nicer owner. Fresh fish and good fries. Always know what your getting and been around for a while!

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7 years ago

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11 years ago

Tried this spot a few more times, awful just awful. Not worth the long wait and not fresh at all but claims so on menu, poor taste indeed.

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Shuck Seafood and Raw Bar - Small seafood platter with snow crab, oysters and scallop ceviche

Shuck Seafood and Raw Bar

(91 reviews)

$$

Waterfront, Downtown Halifax

I've been to Shuck several times. Always good food, nice location and good service. It's also well…read moredecorated and has a pretty good deck for people watching. However I never find the food gets to the level of some of the other Halifax waterfront restaurants. We sat in the back patio, so away from the wind but limited views. Mixed emotions about that but it was a good spot for a quiet meal. We shared several appetizers and, as I said above, everything was good. The tuna tartare, maybe really good and the oysters as well. Hats off to the gluten free options, including calamari. Our waiter was excellent, knew his menu and gf possibilities. Never a bad choice but there are better ones in the area.

We didn't get any oysters. We actually enjoyed our food for the most part, despite the three stars…read more This is a case of the ambiance ruining a meal to the point that we had to just learn, laugh, love about it. Skip the $45 lobster cocktail app. Yes, there sure is a deceptively generous half pound of lobster on that funny little plate, but it and any other seafood listed as part of this dish are drowned in a runny, very dill forward cream sauce. The chorizo shrimp pasta was fantastic. Pasta was al dente. Textures and flavors wonderfully layered. Delicious. The burger was fine. Fish and chips also fine, fries were fresh and hot. Great wine and cocktails list, languid but friendly service on a Thursday night in July. The interior space is all cement, metal and stone. Nothing offers acoustic relief from every tipsy guffaw, loud comment and the noise of the bartender shaking that martini, scooping the ice or collecting glasses. I wished I had brought my AirPods. If you're tired after a day of exploring and just want a decent meal in a place that's easy to find, go for it. We did see a couple wrestling with the $150 seafood tower. Two wide tiers placed too close together. It looked challenging. I know it was because we could hear them negotiating it from across the room.

The Five Fishermen Restaurant

The Five Fishermen Restaurant

(287 reviews)

$$$

Downtown Halifax

The seafood chowder was excellent, containing far more varieties of seafood than the normal…read morechowder. The mixed seafood platter included a lobster claw perfectly boiled so it was fully cooked but still juicy--not rubbery as at many other places. The scallop was well-seared and nicely seasoned so as to add flavor but not to take away any natural scallop flavor. The shrimp were properly cleaned and sautéed just as taught in the culinary school I attended. And the risotto that acted as the bed for serving was rich and creamy. The different sauces added to each portion of the risotto holding the various delicacies added joyful surprises for the tastebuds. The cheesecake was marvelous and would have won the contest for best dessert of the trip, but it barely lost to Five Fishermen's PBJ Ganache, which won for its heavenly offering of chocolate Service provided by Kevin and his trainee Dan was friendly but not intrusive and entirely correct. The restauran's decor was welcoming and conducive to good conversation.

We had high hopes for Five Fishermen, and while there were definitely some highlights, the overall…read moreexperience didn't quite justify the price. First off, the atmosphere is lovely--refined but not stuffy--and the service was wonderful throughout. Our server was friendly and attentive, which really helped set the tone for the night. We originally wanted to try a couple of cocktails, but the prices were sky-high, so we stuck with beer instead. Thankfully, the beer selection was solid and went well with our meals. I ended up ordering the burger, mostly because the steaks were way out of our price range. That said, I was pleasantly surprised--the burger was excellent. Super juicy, with a delicious aioli and tomato jam that really elevated it. My wife had the vegetarian risotto, and while she enjoyed it once everything was mixed together, the base risotto itself was pretty bland. Not a bad dish, but definitely not worth what we paid for it. If we weren't on a budget, we might have been able to explore more of the menu--and maybe that would have changed our impression. But as it stands, this one's a 3 out of 5 for us. Nice place, but just too expensive for what we got.

Evan's Seafood Restaurant

Evan's Seafood Restaurant

(120 reviews)

$$

Downtown Dartmouth

Great spot just off the ferry terminal with a waterfront seating area and mini bar. The lobster…read moreroll was delicious; served warm with a good portion of meat. I'd also recommend the Poutine and fish and chips (not pictured).

TL;DR/The Short Version: Seafood restaurant right at the…read moreAlderney Ferry Landing. Food was good, but the Platter for 2 was really small for 2 people. The Long Version: I had heard great things about Evan's Seafood so my husband and I made a special trip to Dartmouth from Halifax on our vacation to check it out. It's right by the Alderney Ferry Landing so we took the ferry over and we were right there (ferry fare was $3 a person and it's a 15 minute ride). We got the Platter for 2 ($40) which came with 2 pieces of haddock, 4 Digby scallops, a half order of clams, half fries and half salad. We got to choose our salad (from Cesar, garden, spinach or Greek) and we got the garden salad with the dressing on the side. The amount of food was not sufficient for 2 people, imo. We had to go get a second dinner afterwards, lol. (My husband is an average-sized man and I am a much smaller than average-sized woman). Everything fit on one regular-sized dinner plate. However, the food did taste good ;) The Platter for 2 is gluten-free by default. The haddock breading was crunchy and I liked that it wasn't overly greasy. The scallops were a good size and were nicely cooked. Tender and not rubbery. The clams were good as well, although there was lots of batter on them. The fries were crispy and although not shoestring fries, I still enjoyed them. The salad was fresh and had a good variety of vegetables, but it was only a few mouthfuls. You order and pay at the counter. You tell them if you want to sit indoors or outdoors. They give you a numbered table sign and you place it wherever you want to sit. They will bring the food to you when it's ready and will clear the table when you're done, but they do not check up on you otherwise. Ambiance is...well...you're eating at a ferry terminal, lol. But if you eat outside, you're by the water. The patio was busy though, so we ate inside. I'm glad we tried it and it was fun taking the ferry over. (178)

Dave's Lobster

Dave's Lobster

(40 reviews)

$$

Waterfront

Tasty butter lobster roll on one of if not our last night in Canada, we stayed in Halifax twice in…read moreour trip and saw this place the first time, but didn't try it until the end. The lobster was soaked either butter and delicious. People working the shack were friendly, the table area was a little sketch and dirty...

Their half n' half ($29 based on the market price) was the ideal way to sample two of their…read morecreations, a roll made with cold and warm lobster fillings: The chilled version, dubbed the local, was tossed with mayonnaise, celery, and chives. I found it was refreshing for a hot day and given the ingredients were less flavourful, the lobster's sweetness was more pronounce. Yet, there's something about the some fancy or warm version that was tastier. Who doesn't like garlic butter with lemon and chives thrown in for freshness? It was delicious, but a tad overcooked so the lobster was chewier than the cold version. If you're hungry, one roll will not be enough. Luckily, it comes with a quarter spear of pickle and bag of chips (they were out of coleslaw and potato salad by the early afternoon). Not necessarily filling, but enough to leave you satisfied. If you can hold off on diving into the roll, I recommend walking further down the harbourfront to find a table away from the main food area. While there was tables available in The Salt Yard, it's also a seagull pit. Finding a clean table can be difficult and you'll have to watch out for a wayward wing brushing close to your head. Not exactly the most relaxing way to have lunch, even if the lobster roll is good.

Black Sheep - Tomato on sourdough

Black Sheep

(46 reviews)

Waterfront, Downtown Halifax

Located in a historical building and right next to Alexander Keith's, Black Sheep makes the perfect…read morepairing offering great food, drinks, and service. We came here right at opening for breakfast and there was already a decent amount of people starting their day here with a meal. The staff was warm and welcoming and seated us right away. Even though it was breakfast, I like that their menu offered some lunch options in case you're looking for something more heartier. The food is fresh, tasty and well-seasoned. I ordered the seafood chowder which was delicious and included tons of seafood. The breakfast options are plentiful, but whatever you do, be sure to try their blueberry lavender jam! It's so delicious and made fresh in-house with local blueberries. It was so good, that I wanted to buy a jar, but couldn't since I had a long flight afterwards and it needed refrigeration. I'd definitely recommend this spot to grab a bite and drinks and I hope they offer a shelf-stable blueberry lavender jam soon!

Much has changed since we previously lived in Halifax, and while not the most seismic of shifts in…read morethe grand scheme of things, Black Sheep's upgrade from a tiny space on Dresden to the former Red Stag (or Alexander's if you're old enough) space was noticeable nonetheless. We came by on a quiet weekday evening in the lead up to the holidays, and the menu was as diverse and creative as ever. The small plates were calling to us - and as always, they let us try as much as possible. The ricotta toast light and bright, with layers of seasonal savouriness. Tender slivers of poached pear, spiced walnuts, watermelon radish and arugula came together for a wonderful mix of tastes and textures, and a fig balsamic glaze brought further sweetness and richness. My wife and I have always been fans of dahl curries, and Black Sheep's presentation was next level, or even multiple levels, for what is normally not a particularly visually appealing dish. Seared halloumi was perched on top, surrounded by a colourful mix of papadam, raita, pickled fennel and red onion, and cilantro. The resulting composition was an enjoyable spin on this dish, while still sticking respectfully close to its roots. I first came across ćevapi/ćevapčići at a Bosnian grocery/restaurant in Ottawa, and loved the grilled, casing-less sausages, and how they paired with accoutrements like ajvar (a red pepper and eggplant sauce), red onions, and flatbread. When I saw it on a restaurant menu in Halifax, it was an automatic "yes"! The little pork sausages had a great char from the grill, and had a rustic grain to the meat, but were still quite tender and juicy. The extra bits complemented them well, with the vegetal freshness of the ajvar, some tartness from the tomatoes and pickled red onion, and a salty pop from the feta. Last but not least was an order of fries. Since they opened, Black Sheep's hand-fries have consistently been some of the best in the city, and their iconic squid ink mayo still makes for delish dipping - with a goth vibe. I hope Black Sheep is doing well in their new digs, because the food that they're making is still as destination-worthy as ever, and now they have the space to match it.

Waterfront Warehouse

Waterfront Warehouse

(147 reviews)

$$

Waterfront

Really liked this place…read more We were in town on a cruise and happened upon this place after walking along the waterfront. The vibe was really cool. I ordered the tuna poke bowl. It was super fresh and really tasty. My husband ordered the fish and chips. The piece of fish was humongous. My mom ordered the blackened haddock sandwich. She said it was a little spicy and that the kettle chips were cooked perfectly and really nicely seasoned. The server was super friendly and the service was quick. The location is great. Tons of outdoor seating. Also, the price was super reasonable for fresh, tasty tuna and fish.

This spot looks the part--right on the water, lots of buzz, seafood galore. But for me, it fell…read moreflat. Classic tourist trap energy. First off, the lobster was wildly overpriced. I get that it's Halifax, I get the location... but come on. You're paying more for the place than the food. What really soured the experience, though, was the greeting--or lack of it. I always say, how you're welcomed into a restaurant sets the tone. The host? Cold. Dismissive. There was a wait for a table, which is fine, but when I tried to grab a drink at the bar while waiting, she shut that down like a school principal with a no-nonsense rulebook. No explanation. No offer to help. Just a hard "no." I'm still confused--why not let someone enjoy a drink while they wait and happily spend money in the meantime? Missed opportunity all around. Not somewhere I'd go back to. Plenty of better options in Halifax that serve good seafood and treat people like guests, not inconveniences.

Willman's Fish & Chips - seafood - Updated May 2026

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