The Best Fish & Chips in Sydney: A Seafood Lover’s Guide

The best fish & chips in Sydney run the gamut from harbourside haunt Watsons Bay Hotel to cult-favourite Out of the Blue.

An aerial shot of someone squeezing lemon onto fish and chips at Manly Fish & Chips.
Manly Fish & Chips

The best fish & chips in Sydney can be found at locations across the city from the famed Watsons Bay Hotel to Clovelly cult-favourite Out of the Blue. You’ll find family-run institution Ocean Foods in Drummoyne and fish cooked over coal fire at Salmon and Bear in Crows Nest.

From Balmoral to Bondi, here’s where to head for the best fish and chips in Sydney.

Best Beachside Fish & Chips in Sydney


Bronte Road Fish

Formerly Bronte Road Bistro, this Waverley favourite has entered a new era as Bronte Road Fish; a relaxed, all-day fish joint from the same team.

The menu keeps things simple yet elevated with fish burgers, prawn katsu, tuna smash burgers, golden fish and chips and that perfectly crunchy potato scallop everyone’s already talking about. Add margarita slushies, easy-drinking wines and a sunny courtyard (plus a soft-serve window for post-swim treats), and it’s the perfect pitstop for beach-goers (or anyone craving a taste of the seaside).

Suburb: Multiple locations
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Fish & chips
Best For: Budget-friendly, Locals, Quick bite

An aerial shot of someone squeezing lemon onto fish and chips at Manly Fish & Chips.
Manly Fish & Chips

Manly Fish & Chips

Serving all the classics (and doing them very well), Manly Fish & Chips is made for locals, loved by day trippers, and welcomes sandy feet without hesitation. Whether you’re grabbing a box to eat on the wharf or fuelling up between dips, this summer staple has Australia’s classic dish perfected.

Suburb: Manly
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Fish and chips
Best For: Quick bite, Waterfront, Solo dining

Promenade Bondi (Image Credit: Leigh Griffiths)
Promenade Bondi Beach Kiosk (Image Credit: Leigh Griffiths)

Promenade Bondi Beach Kiosk

Fancy dining on restaurant-quality fish & chips whilst sitting atop the soft sand of one of the world’s most famous beaches? Promenade Bondi Beach Kiosk will sort you out. Your takeaway goodies will come straight from the same kitchen that delivers top-notch bites to Promenade Bondi Beach’s main dining room. Yummo! 

Suburb: Bondi Beach
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Cafe
Best For: Waterfront, Quick bite, Outdoor dining

A plate of fish and chips from Fishmongers in Bondi.
Fishmongers

Fishmongers Bondi

Hand. Cut. Chips. Are you salivating yet? Fishmongers has both locals and visitors besotted. With a range of sides that aren’t limited to potato scallops, punters can add brown rice, steamed veggies or a salad to their order, appealing to the ever-health-conscious Bondi-ite. Opt for the house’s battered fish and chips (or rice, if you prefer) or the octopus and calamari boxes.

Suburb: Bondi
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Fish and chips
Best For: Quick bite, Waterfront, Weekend plans

A selection of fish and chips from Out of the Blue and a bottle of wine spread out by the sea.
Out of the Blue (Photo credit: @where_do_i_eat_pete)

Out of the Blue

Tasty and dependable, Out of the Blue is about as true an example of a classic fish and chip shop as you’ll find. It’s cheap, cheerful, and family-run — just as a good takeaway joint should be. Serving up arguably the best fish and chips in Sydney under $20, OTB keeps it tight and tasty, offering a choice between hake and sustainably sourced New Zealand hoki (opt for the latter, trust us) to accompany its perfectly golden chips.

Grilled and gluten-free options are also available as well as moreish seafood bites that make for the perfect starter — think Tassie scallops, marinated octopus, and prawn cutlets.

Suburb: Clovelly
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Fish and chips
Best For: Quick bite, Budget-friendly, Weekend plans
Need To Know: Out of the Blue offer gluten-free options.

Best Harbourside Fish and Chips with a View


Boxed fish and chips on a towel at Watson’s Bay Hotel
Watsons Bay Hotel

Watsons Bay Hotel

With one of the city’s best views, it’s easy to picture yourself lounging harbourside over a long summer’s afternoon with a rosé in one hand and an oyster in the other. The seafood offering at the Watsons Bay Hotel is perfectly curated to satiate a range of appetites; from prawn linguine and smoked trout salad to seafood pie and slow-roasted pink snapper (and a myriad more). Your salty, briny cravings will always be met.

For creatures of habit, fear not; their classic fish ‘n chips remain a firm favourite. New Zealand Gurnard is battered, fried, and served as crispy as they come with the fish inside still buttery and tender. As for the chips, they’re thin, crunchy, and seasoned to perfection. Need we say more?

Suburb: Watsons Bay
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Weekend plans, Waterfront, Group dining

A selection of fish and chip boxes from Bottom of the Harbour .
Bottom of the Harbour (Photo Credit: @where_do_i_eat_pete)

Bottom of the Harbour

Keeping true to its postcode, Bottom of the Harbour is laid-back and low-key and boasts idyllic views across the harbour. For a healthy dose of summer nostalgia, opt for the classic beer-battered fish and chips. It’s always fresh, always tasty, and perfect for munching on the sand.

The grilled prawn or octopus skewer is popular with those wanting to avoid fried food as well as plenty of non-seafood and vegetarian options for those who require it. Pick up your haul, rinse your hands in the ocean and get settled in by the water’s edge. Could a more Australian meal exist?

Suburb: Balmoral
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Fish and chips
Best For: Quick bite, Locals, Weekend plans

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Best Fish & Chips on the North Shore


A close up of fish and chips from Salmon and Bear in Crows Nest.
Salmon and Bear

Salmon and Bear

For fish and chip lovers on the North Shore, get yourself to Salmon and Bear in Crows Nest, pronto. Run by hospitality veteran Joe Ward, most of the goodies here are cooked in a Spanish-inspired Mibrasa oven — a coal-fired oven that uses fire and heat to impart a delicate smokey flavour.

It means your fish will have crunchy, crispy skin on the outside while it’s perfectly moist, almost poached on the inside. While the menu is full of standouts (think fish pie and Sicilian fish stew), you can’t go wrong with their classic fish and chips with battered hake, thick-cut chips and tartare sauce.

Suburb: Crows Nest
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Group dining, Locals, Weekend plans

Best Fish and Chips in Sydney’s Inner West


A box of fish and chips from Ocean Foods in Drummoyne.
Ocean Foods

Ocean Foods

Run by third-generation fish-and-chip specialist George Nittis, Ocean Foods is renowned for its dedication to fresh produce and is consistently packed with patrons desperate to get their hands on a potato scallop and barbecued baby octopus. A proper local, on top of serving some of the best fish & chips in Sydney, Ocean Foods is a pillar of the community, often raising money for charity and providing a place for locals to gather.

Suburb: Drummoyne
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Fish and chips
Best For: Locals, Families, Weekend plans

FAQs About the Best Fish & Chips in Sydney

Promenade Bondi Beach Kiosk and Fishmongers are the go-to spots for fish and chips in Bondi. Promenade’s kiosk serves takeaway from the same kitchen as its main dining room, so you can eat restaurant-quality fish and chips on the sand. Fishmongers is known for hand-cut chips, with brown rice, steamed veggies or salad as lighter sides. Nearby in Waverley, Bronte Road Fish offers golden fish and chips, potato scallops and a soft-serve window. Further along the coast, Out of the Blue in Clovelly is a classic family-run takeaway.

Watsons Bay Hotel and Bottom of the Harbour in Balmoral are two of the best places for fish and chips with a harbour view. Watsons Bay Hotel serves crispy battered New Zealand gurnard with thin, crunchy chips. Its broader seafood menu includes prawn linguine, seafood pie and slow-roasted pink snapper. Bottom of the Harbour is a low-key Balmoral favourite where the classic beer-battered fish and chips are made for eating by the water’s edge. Both are ideal for long summer afternoons and weekend plans.

Bondi, Bronte, Clovelly and Manly are the best spots for beachside fish and chips in Sydney. At Bondi, Promenade Bondi Beach Kiosk serves takeaway from the same kitchen as its main dining room, and Fishmongers is known for hand-cut chips. Bronte Road Fish has a sunny courtyard and a soft-serve window for post-swim treats. In Clovelly, family-run Out of the Blue is a classic takeaway shop. Manly Fish & Chips at Manly Wharf welcomes sandy feet. Grab a box and head for the water’s edge.

Out of the Blue in Clovelly and Ocean Foods in Drummoyne are two of the best budget-friendly fish and chip shops in Sydney. Out of the Blue serves classic fish and chips for under $20. You can choose hake or sustainably sourced New Zealand hoki, served with golden chips. Ocean Foods is run by third-generation fish-and-chip specialist George Nittis. It is known for fresh produce, potato scallops and barbecued baby octopus. Both are family-run local institutions that keep things simple and affordable.

Fishmongers in Bondi, Out of the Blue in Clovelly and Bottom of the Harbour in Balmoral all offer lighter alternatives to classic battered fish and chips. Fishmongers lets you swap chips for brown rice and add steamed veggies or salad. Out of the Blue offers grilled and gluten-free options, plus seafood bites such as Tassie scallops and marinated octopus. At Bottom of the Harbour, grilled prawn and octopus skewers suit anyone avoiding fried food, and there are vegetarian and non-seafood options too. Coeliacs should check preparation methods directly with each venue.

Had a taste of all the best fish & chips in Sydney and after more delish takeaway meals? Check out our edit of the best restaurants in Sydney and the best seafood in Sydney.

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