The Tailend Restaurant & Fish Bar, Edinburgh

Finally made the trip here last Sunday evening and other than the waitress seeming to be confused as to what a lager was I’ve no complaints really, just want to go back a second time before raising the stars to 4.

The service was good up till the usual point of actually wanting to pay and leave (waitresses had retreated behind the cash desk but you need to pass it on the way out so no drama in paying as you go) and the starters very tasty (good sized portion of whitebait for my companion & excellent salmon with horseradish & oatcakes for myself. A 4th oatcake would have been handy though). We opted for the fish platter for 2 + side of chips and were unable to finish either. The haddock, scallops etc. on the platter were all well cooked (the goujons were particularly tasty) and the chips were just the right side of greasy & a sizeable amount. That 4th star is unlikely to be far away.

Onie chipper I love in Edinburgh

I preferred my drink in Priscillas (Amazing cheap cocktails) Than my fish & chips from Tailend (Over priced and ok not good) Sorry….

I was told by countless people that The Tailend has the best fish & chips in Edinburgh, so i decided to investigate.
I'm happy to say that the praise is justified. The food is absolutely delicious, certainly the best fish & chips I've had i a long long time.
I had a large Haddock Supper with Curry sauce. the haddock was perfectly cook, nice and crispy and soft inside. the chips were very good and the curry sauce was went with it all perfectly.

All in all, a good place for very good fish & chips.

just takeaway. cheap&great quality. start cooking after order. kind stuff and clean kitchen. there are few special fish of the day on blackboad.

I have to say I was a little dissapointed in Tailend.. having heard so much about it when we first moved to this area and being a seafood lover I was so keen to try them out..

We went in on a Saturday afternoon and it being quite quiet - there was only one other diner eating in mixed with the basic decor and loud thumping through the walls of house music from Priscillas next door it did not make for a particularly plesant or inviting dining experience...

I know its mostly for takeaway but the interior is just so nothing and just drab you could make a little effort... Also the food was just your average fish n chips... I expected really an upmarket fish and seafood place with some good chips thrown in.. The mushy peas were perfection but the fish and the chips were no better than what I get at my local chippy and for triple the price!

I know everyone loves this place so maybe it was an off day but personally i think the seadogs on rose street is 500% better in food quality, service, surroundings (although they are basic they are much warmer) and definetly price...

Brilliant fish! The service is fast, attentive and nice, the portions quite big and tasty.Even if the place is too big, there is enough space for the tables they have and everything looks clean.

Best fish and chips in Edinburgh. I had the lemon sole, which was amazing. They have a great selection of fish (and langoustines or calamari) on the menu. I've eaten at both the takeaway side and the sit-down. In both the service was great and the food was perfect.

Wow, just Wow.

Fantastic quality whether you sit in or take away.

Take away is made to order so don't go if you are in a hurry.

No delivery service, i asked why and he told me he could not guarantee the quality when delivered and he does a good enough trade without.

Food is excellent, best fish and chips in Edinburgh.

Would also recommed the Lunch menu, £10 for 3 courses, i got lentil soup (homemade), a small portion of fish and chips (was lots and i'm a big eater) and a banana split for pudding. I was struggling to finish this.

If you have not been then please take a trip down, it is well worth it!!!

The best chippie in edinburgh. superb fresh food

been a few times and fish is very good and the batter crispy today the fish was the best yet with a even crispier batter

I went there today for a take-away and had the battered haddock with chips.

I agree, it’s a lot better than most of the chippie’s around but after reading the reviews I was expecting a little more.

The fish was nice and crisp but nothing uber-good. Basically just a fish and chip shop… well maybe a little less greasy.

been here for carry out and sit in. Always been busy when I’ve been there. Had a geasy fish supper once but I think it was a different guy. Had to give it another chance and was not disappointed. Not just a chippie, well worth going for a sit in snack.

I should in fairness say that I’ve no real business rating a chippie in Scotland. I’m from the U.S. and haven’t had decades of greasy chips in sodden newsprint to develop my palette to this particular delicacy. But within my narrow experience, these guys excel. I can also report that everyone I know who knows this place (most of them Scottish or English) agrees. This chip shop is the business.

What makes them different? For one thing, they don’t serve deep-fried burgers, pizza, kebabs or mars bars. They do fish…and chips (well, they do some bizarre sausage-y thing, but that’s Scotland for you). Second, unlike lots of chippies, they don’t just set up rows of fish half cooked, and then finish them off as you come in the door. Everything is cooked to order. The chips are hot and properly crisped. The batter is light and the fish not swimming in grease. They also offer an excellent range: haddock and mackerel as usual, but also less standard variations as “specials”, such as skate and monkfish.

A trivia detail: there is a famous (almost legendary) chippie up in Anstruther, winner of many awards. I’ve been there and it’s good, but no better than the Tailend. And guess who used to run the Anstruther chippie and won all the awards? The guy who now runs the Tailend. 'Nuff said.

Having on occasion made the trip to Anstruther when I was at school in Fife to visit their old chippy, I was so pleased they had moved to Edinburgh and the new premises, 'Tail End’ does not disappoint.

Light fluffy batter, fresh fish and perfect chips make this the best Edinburgh chippy and I make the detour on the way home when my partner is at business dinners for an excellent (if unhealthy) dinner.

My only problem, is the local fish and chip shops no longer seem so good

This is the best fish and chip shop I have ever been to (the fact that I live 5 minutes away is a bonus!). It was set up by the same family that established the Anstruther Fish Bar so I expected great things when I visited and I wasn’t disappointed! All of the fish is cooked to order which means the batter is always fresh and and light. The choice of fish is also excellent with unusual daily specials such as monkfish, halibut and crab as well as the traditional haddock and cod. They also have an attached restaurant which I haven’t tried but is usually pretty busy with families. The menu is pretty much the same as the chip shop as far as I can tell. The chip shop is usually pretty busy and you may have to wait c.10 minutes even when it’s quiet (as they have to cook everything fresh). Well worth the wait though!

Have only had takeaway from this upmarket chippie. The batter on the fish was light & crispy, even after the journey home. The portions are plentiful and there is an excellent choice on the menu both sit in & takeaway. There is a bit of a wait because the fish is cooked to order & not left sitting on a hot shelf to dry out. It isn’t cheap but you pay for what you get & the quality is second to none!

Finally had the time to go & sit in for tea at this remarkable zen to fish & chips. The prices were very reasonable & the service was friendly & reasonably efficient if not quite 5*. Two of us had the Arbroath smokie with bacon, delicious!!!! The fish tea with bread & butter, mushy peas & tartare sauce was also very good, although we did have to ask for the sauce.
We all had a magners to drink & although it was a small bottle, it was brought with a pint glass 7 lots of lovely ice!
Most of all the bill was fairly reasonable.
Do give it a try!!

I got takeaway at tailend and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I haven’t been in a chippie yet that didn’t have the fish already cooked and waiting for you under heat lamps. They brought out the fish, battered it and fried it all right in front of my eyes. Now, this did take longer than the preheated stuff, but it was worth it. The one downfall, you have to pay for ketchup…being from the states, I love the ketchup. But other than that, I loved the place…and I will be going back for more!

Best fish supper ever. Light, crispy batter on a good sized piece of haddock with chips that taste superb. All food is freshly made to order so you wait a while longer than other chippies but it is definitely worth it.

such a let down…. slow service and tiny portion, two portions of calamari and chips £12. FIVE squid rings per portion!! When i asked about it i was told squid is expensive and it was at least a squid and a half each! what a silly thing to say you get squid fron 1” to 30foot long! It was also tough. You can get squid for £6-7 per kilo your lucky if there was 250g per portion!! Chips were good though and place looked clean