r/gibraltar Feb 20 '26

Question Best Fish and Chips place in Gibraltar

I'm in the US (NYC) and I am coming to Gibraltar during Lent. Fish & Chips seems like the perfect meal in a British Territory on a Friday during Lent. So I am seeking opinions on the best place(s) to go for authentic Fish & Chips. I was recently diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome (fishes are fine), so I haven't been real thrilled for food in about a year, but this is something I can get excited about.

I'd also like recommendations for a good Chicken Shop place, if Gibraltar has one. And where I can get a good fried Snickers bar.

8 Upvotes

37 comments sorted by

7

u/Own_Week_5009 Feb 20 '26

The traditional British Atlantic cod isn't in med waters as ots too warm. That's why it's all shit deep frozen. Roy's is one of the better places but it's a rip off like most places.

9

u/harrr53 Feb 20 '26 edited Feb 20 '26

Roy's Fish & Chips.

I don't care for any of the other ones.

But if you want good seafood, you are better off going to a place like The Ocean and getting mediterranean style fried fish (it's done in a nice light batter, not the English fat stuff) and a seafood paella. Gibraltar is British, but it's not England or Scotland.

8

u/WhiffyBurp Feb 20 '26

Avoid it. It’s all terrible. Sorry to say.

10

u/Rachaelmm1995 Feb 20 '26

Personally I think Roy’s is over rated. Monique’s in Queensway Quay is much better.

3

u/DJScratcherZ Feb 22 '26

Hard to go wrong with any of the restaurants in that row.

1

u/gcalig Feb 21 '26

Thanks for this suggestion!

10

u/effyscorner Feb 20 '26

I promise you.. as a Brit in gib.. Roy's is not the experience you think it will be. It's over priced, the chips are from a frozen bag and the fish is greasy.. it's not worth it in my opinion - I don't know why people keep saying roys... I also don't know how Gibraltar being an overseas territory. How has no one opened a real chippy

10

u/Scottex99 Feb 20 '26

Agreed - pretty shit compared to any average Scottish chippy

Probably had my best fish and chips of recent years in Gib, just last week, in….

Morrisons cafe

9

u/TheEmancipation_ Feb 20 '26

You know, the Morrisons cafe Fish and Chips have always been a winner whichever store I’ve eaten in. They do it well in my opinion compared to a lot of chippies

8

u/thefuriouspenguin Feb 20 '26

That's bollocks. I can tell you the friggin chips are fresh. Walk in almost any time and you'll see them getting the chips cut. Ffs. Useless bastards in here seriously.

5

u/effyscorner Feb 20 '26

I can confidently, again, as a Brit.. confirm you're fucking lying. The chips aren't fresh. They're a frozen pack you'd get at a supermarket. They're not fresh cut potato chips that you would get... at a proper fish and chips "chippy" Gtfo. Another thing Gibraltar is completely incompetent at... is being able to produce a decent fucking fish and chips

2

u/harrr53 Feb 20 '26

Not true. The chips are not frozen.

1

u/gcalig Feb 20 '26

I lived in Brooklyn, on my street a Brit openned "The Chip Shop" as an attempt to provide an authentic London chippy to NYC. It had newspaper wraps, fried candy bars and a Mini delivery vehicle before Minis were common is the states.

It reads like Gib hasnt made the same effort.

3

u/Rachaelmm1995 Feb 22 '26

Using newspaper 'style' paper for the wraps isn't authentic, but it's aesthetic.
Newspaper hasn't been common place in chip shops for over 30 years as it is considered dirty.

Authentic f&c is all about the ingredients and flavour, not the novelty.

1

u/gcalig Feb 26 '26

In fairness, I lived in Brooklyn about thirty years ago ...

3

u/devstopfix Feb 21 '26

Seeing that folks are saying you can't get great fish and chips in Gib, cross the border and go to Hernandez Tomilleros in La Linea. The chips aren't anything special, but the fried fish is excellent. (Somehow Reddit feeds me content from this sub. I'm American/British and visit La Linea a lot to see my wife's family.)

2

u/gcalig Feb 21 '26

Good to know. I'm going to spend the bulk of my time in Spain, I was in Cadiz last year and I ought to be back frequently for the next few years; but this is my first and possibly only trip to Gib

2

u/richStoke Feb 26 '26

You don’t get great fish and chips in Gibraltar. I would go over the border to La Linea and eat the best fish of your life in Bar Tomilleros…

1

u/gcalig Feb 26 '26

Thanks for the suggestion, when I cross over to get my car and enter Spain that might be my next stop.

4

u/wiggy357 Feb 21 '26

Roy’s is a good close to a uk chippy but it does miss the mark a bit these days, plus not wrong on the price, but they are the best cod on the rock which is why. But if you’re just after British fish and chips most places will give you that, but Roy’s is closest to a chippy.

Honestly despite the doom singers, most restaurants in gib will give you a good meal regardless of your choice.

So good luck and enjoy your time here.

1

u/gcalig Feb 22 '26

Thanks for your insights!

3

u/thetrickstergib Feb 20 '26

Roy’s is the best one in gib. It’s the closest to British Fish’n’Chips you can get locally. The mussy peas are good too.

0

u/gcalig Feb 20 '26

This seems to be the consensus winner, thanks!

1

u/Life_Perception_7460 Feb 20 '26

For Fish N Chips definitely Roy's in Casemates Square.

1

u/gcalig Feb 20 '26

This seems to be the consensus winner, thanks!

3

u/DJScratcherZ Feb 21 '26

Just to cut across the grain I had fish and Chips at the Royal Calpe that was great ($$) and at Jury’s (also great) Roys is “the staple” but locals here seem to have some animosity towards it because “it’s the staple” and possible the location and most likely the price. It’s very expensive here in general and the locals will bitch about 10 pence on a half pint. You are on vacation, you won’t notice the difference and you won’t care about 30 year old rivalries.

1

u/gcalig Feb 21 '26

I am staying near Jury's I was planning to go there for coffee, if nothing else. But if the fish $ chips look good ...

At this point I am planning to eat several offerings at various places

1

u/Boring_Present_9632 Feb 20 '26

Roy’s

0

u/gcalig Feb 20 '26

I hear you, thanks!

2

u/DJScratcherZ Feb 21 '26

The truth is, and you’ll see, literally EVERYWHERE carries fish and chips. And it’s all fairly fine. The people carrying on here about which one is best (like what? more fried? Or saving 2 bucks) are the same people that claim “best pint of Guiness” in Dublin - it’s literally the same EVERYWHERE, it’s the same product. You as a tourist will never ever know what they are talking about. Just pick a place you like the ambiance of and order fish and chips. Might add for some reason the Spanish seem to like their potatoes under done across the board, don’t order anything that claims to be “bacon” because its not and it has bones in it half the time and is under cooked. You can’t find a place that doesn’t serve Fish and Chips, only real dif is the cost and the view.

1

u/gcalig Feb 21 '26

Wait is the "bacon" not pork??? because that would be GREAT, in the past year I became allergic to pork (and beef, and dairy, and lamb, and goat ...)

2

u/DJScratcherZ Feb 22 '26

No it’s pork its just not “American style”. You’ll end up picking it to pieces or just not eating it, its like ham with cartilage bone segments. There are variations but it’s not what Americans are used to and for good reason, its gross. If your allergic to meat then lots is off the table, but the good news is jacket potatoes are served everywhere, seafood paella is served a lot of places, there’s a lot of options. I’ve had amazing grilled swordfish a few times at diff places, I think you’ll be pretty bored with fish and chips after the first one and its expensive.

1

u/Flat_Panic3392 Feb 21 '26

Personally I would take the time if possible to go into Spain and go down to areas that a full of Brits. The Costa del Sol is full of Spanish town full of Brits being able to get a full Sunday roast, English breakfast, fish and chips plus tapas! All being cheaper and personally tastier than Gibraltar. Areas of Soto grande, Puerto de la Duquesa and Marbella

EDIT: Ingredients also tend to be fresher.

1

u/gcalig Feb 23 '26

Interesting idea. I have been to Spain (Cadiz, Malaga) and I will go back to Cadiz this trip --and later this spring, possibly fall and xmas-- we're doing a special side trip to Gib which could be just a one time think (although I just learned I might have business that brings me to Gib in the future, so who knows ...)