Where to Eat the Best Fish & Chips in Raleigh [Voted by Locals]

For a landlocked city, Raleigh sure knows how to do a quality plate of fish and chips. As always, when we want to find the best food in the city, we know who to ask – our Raleigh local community. They came forward with their favorite spots for a fantastic plate of classic fish n’ chips in Raleigh, whether you’re looking for the British-style or Southern-style.

In case you didn’t know, fish ‘n’ chips (yes, spelled this way) is a British staple dish, and while Raleigh may sit far from Britain’s seaside towns, it does have a collection of UK-inspired pubs and taverns that serve that same traditional, crispy, battered fish n chips you’d find on the coast of Britain.

In the UK, you’d often find chip shops, or chippy’s as they like to call them, serving deep-fried fish in batter, served with chips (fries in the USA) soaked in salt and vinegar, and then served wrapped in newspaper. However, Southern-style fish n’ chips is often cornmeal-coated rather than beer-battered and seasoned with Southern seasonings. Whether you’re looking for English proper pub-style versions or Southern takes, these restaurants below have won the hearts of our local community. 

Doherty’s Irish Pub

• Address: 1979 High House Rd, Cary
• Website: dohertysirishpubnc.com

If Raleigh’s fish-and-chips fans agree on one thing, it’s that Doherty’s is one of the best. It got the most mentions when we reached out to our community, and that’s why it finds itself at the top of our list. As well as being a repeated recommendation by locals, we’ve also dined here several times and can vouch that the fish n’ chips is comparable to what we’ve experienced when we lived in Dublin.

This is the “real fish and chips.” It’s the pub’s specialty for a reason. Choose between a full portion or half portion (full is two fillets and half is one), which comes with batter-fried, light and flaky whitefish, served with tartar sauce and, for the traditional touch, malt vinegar, and cooked so they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. 

My only nitpick would be that they are served with hand-cut fries instead of chunky fries (or chunky chips as they say in England) that you’d find in the UK, but they are cooked so they are perfectly crisp. On the side, choose between tangy coleslaw or crisp haricots verts. I would say that Doherty’s offers that perfect balance between traditional Irish-pub fish n’ chips and Southern-style home cooking. It might not be 100% traditional, but it’s always consistent and so good you can be sure to return again and again. 

My Way Tavern

• Address: 522 St Marys St, Raleigh
• Website: mywaytavern.com

My Way Tavern was also a recurring recommendation from our community, who have likened it to an up-and-coming Doherty’s or Trali for English-style fish and chips. And besides their food, it happens to be one of the best sports bars in Raleigh.

In fact, My Way Tavern is one of the few pubs to serve beer-battered haddock, a North Atlantic fish that’s commonly found on menus in the UK (usually cod or haddock are the only options in a British chippy), instead of whitefish or cod. So, if British style is what you’re after, this is the top choice. Haddock tends to be sweeter and flakier than cod, with a more “fishy” flavor, so it is more of an acquired taste.

My Way Tavern’s fish and chips dish is served with slaw and tavern fries. Portion sizes are decent, and the vibes are always friendly and cheerful here, and especially considering it’s where the local Chelsea FC supporters club meet to watch English Premier League soccer games in Raleigh.

Trali Irish Pub

• Address: 10370 Moncreiffe Rd, Raleigh
• Website: traliirishpub.com

Another Irish pub (you can see a theme here) that the locals raved about for its fish and chips is Trali Irish Pub, which has a location in Brier Creek close to RDU Airport and Umstead State Park. Trali is as close to stepping into a tavern in Ireland as you can find in Raleigh; it has dark wood interiors, cozy fireplaces, and servers who greet you with warm hospitality. It also claims to have the only Irish chef in the Triangle behind the helm, so if you want a truer taste of Ireland, you’ll have to go to Ireland directly.

When it comes to their staple fish ‘n chips, they serve beer-battered COD, not whitefish like most other restaurants, and serve it with fries and tartar sauce. No greens, no coleslaw, just tartar sauce and a lemon wedge as you’d find in the UK. That’s proper fish and chips. Choose between a half portion or full portion for hungrier bellies.

Piper’s Tavern

• Address: 8304 Falls of Neuse Rd, Raleigh
• Website: thepiperstavern.com

According to our community of Raleigh locals, Piper’s Tavern is a competitor to Doherty’s for best fish and chips. Like Doherty’s, Piper’s fish and chips is a specialty on their menu and pays homage to the traditional Irish way of cooking the iconic meal. 

They also serve a tender, flaky, mild whitefish that’s been battered to crisp perfection, but they make their own beer batter in-house, so it tastes wonderfully fresh. To accompany it, they serve homemade coleslaw, tartar sauce, and french fries. What makes Piper’s popular is that it’s not only consistently good and true to authenticity, but the portion sizes are huge!  

Cape Fear Seafood Company

• Address: 832 Spring Forest Rd, Raleigh
• Website: capefearseafoodcompany.com

Ok, we have shown you plenty of traditional Irish fish and chips now, but let’s bring you an option for those who prefer Southern-style home cooking. Cape Fear Seafood Company serves mostly seafood, so you know they have mastered the art of cooking perfectly flaky fish. The fish-n-chips platter or basket gets raved about by true fish and chip fans. They come with crispy beer-battered white fish and are served with lemon garlic aioli, french fries, and for the Southern nod, hush puppies and coleslaw. It may not carry the distinctly Irish or British pub identity, but even the Brits would lick the plate clean. 

For those who love exploring Raleigh’s broader seafood scene, Cape Fear Seafood Company is also well regarded for its shrimp and grits, so be sure to come back another day to try them. There are two locations in Raleigh, but the Spring Forest Rd location was highlighted as a favorite by our local community.

O’Malley’s Pub

• Address: 5228 Hollyridge Dr, Raleigh
• Website: facebook.com/omalleys.raleigh 

O’Malley’s is a dark, dimly lit dive bar with a cool eclectic vibe. It offers a blend of a homey Irish pub combined with American diner cooking, and is most famous for its sandwiches, but is soon to be remembered for its fish and chips.

Here you can find house-made beer-battered cod served with french fries and coleslaw and tartar sauce. In traditional Irish fashion, it doesn’t come with any vegetables on the side, but if you want to make it traditional to the UK and add some color to your plate, you can order a side of green peas and mush them with your fork. Peas are not often on the menu in Raleigh, but the British seem to have an obsession with them; they serve them with everything!

Hibernian Irish Pub

• Address: 311 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh
• Website: hibernianpub.com

With two locations in Raleigh, it’s no wonder the Hibernian had its name thrown into the recommendation pool by our community. Its flagship on Glenwood Ave is the place to go for newcomers to the Hibernian (and the best place to celebrate St Patrick’s Day), it’s a lively pub with a cool upstairs patio, live music on weekends, and jolly good craic, as they say in Ireland. The North Raleigh location is more chilled and cozy with family-friendly vibes.

But both Hibernian locations get a thumbs up for their fish and chips. They serve beer-battered fillets of haddock, paired with fries, tartar, and coleslaw. What gives the Hibernian a big thumbs up is the chips – they are thick, chunky, and just as you would find them on a plate in England. Hibernian on Glenwood also makes the best Irish coffee in Raleigh, and a great pint of Guinness!

The Pickled Onion

• Address: 10750 Wakefield Commons Dr, Raleigh
• Website:  thepickledonionrestaurant.com

The Pickled Onion is a small chain with four restaurants in Raleigh, but the flagship store is on Wakefield Drive near Wake Forest, so for first-timers, we recommend driving out to this one to get a taste of why this restaurant has grown in recent years. The Pickled Onion serves golden beer-battered AND breaded white fish with homemade pub chips, with coleslaw and tartar sauce on the side. The portion sizes are huge, and the chips are the standout – crispy golden but still light and fluffy in the center.

It’s worth noting that the breaded texture on the fish can often surprise some people looking for traditional beer batter, but for those who enjoy this dish, it adds a welcome texture. The vibes are lively here. It’s a sports bar and can often be packed on weekends and during game days.

Crosstown Pub & Grill

• Address: 140 East Chatham St
• Website: CrosstownDowntown.com

In charming downtown Cary, Crosstown Pub & Grill is a simple and cozy place to eat for hearty food, and a welcoming atmosphere with a relaxed pub like dining experience. The interior has a rustic charm with a few modern touches, but the highlight is the outdoor patio which is perfect for enjoying meals on nice weather days.

Crosstown specializes in classic pub fare with a creative twist, and we thoroughly enjoy their fish and chips, which are beer-battered fish served with homemade tartar sauce, slaw, and steak fries. If one of your family members is looking for something else, I highly recommend their burgers, and their birria tacos are fantastic and we rate them one of the best tacos in Raleigh.

Rudy’s Pub and Grill

• Address: 780 W Williams St, Apex
• Website: rudysofapex.com

Rudy’s got a few mentions from our Raleigh community. Rudy’s offers organic, scratch-made food, so everything they serve is fresh and prepared to order. This family-run restaurant is best known for its sandwiches, but the fish ‘n chips meal has been given the thumbs up from the Raleigh community. They serve beer-battered haddock with crispy fries (chunky style, not french) and served with coleslaw, house-made remoulade, and lemons.

The only critique would be that the fish-to-chip ratio is a bit off (a bit stingy on the chips). But the fish is cooked to the perfect crisp. It’s also a kid-friendly restaurant with a children’s menu, which makes this one of the most family-friendly restaurants to find decent fish and chips from this list. That makes it worth driving over to Apex for.

There you have it. 11 places to eat fish and chips in Raleigh (I know I’m hungry now). Now it’s your turn, share in the comments below, which is your favorite spot? Or can you recommend another establishment to add to our list?

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