Downtown Fish Bar in Tunbridge Wells

Great take away fish and chips in Tunbridge Wells - well cooked, fresh fish, crispy batter, crisp and tender chips, huge portions and very reasonably priced. Gets very busy so phone ahead and ask to collect if you can.

Crispiest chips in town, really tender cod. Lovely staff, great atmosphere. Will definitely come back! Thanks for the effort guys ☺️

Have used once before and loved it. This time however the quality wasn’t there. The chips looked and tasted un-fresh , like they had been reheated. Delivery was very quick. The batter on the fish was soggy. No crunch at all. “Sweaty”. It’s such a shame as my last experience was so different. Not even a wedge of lemon!! No presentation.

First time here in years and I wasn't disappointed. The fish was beautifully cooked, moist and tasty and the batter was great. Best fish I've had in a long time thank you

Highly recommended. Good fish and chips every time, and we usually have them every couple of weeks .

Have always had amazing food bar the last time I ordered via Just Eat, it took over an hour and the food was obviously cold and nasty, I called and nicely they replaced even though is was not their fault, but asked that I order direct in future. Well I done that today pipping hot food delivered within 10 mins, fish amazing chips proper chip shop chips 10 out of 10

Through lockdown have been ordering through just eat, and has been great till today, when the delivery rider did not turn up (not downtowns fault) they then delivered the food themselves, unfortunantly it was not up to their normal high standard as it had been waiting for 30 mins, a call to them to explain my disappointment and within 20 mins had a full replacement. Truly great food and great service, completely recommend.

Ordered cod and chips for my father to be delivered as a surprise for Saturday lunch. Contact at the shop was very helpful and organised the delivery for me to his care home which was so kind. It made an 88 year old man very happy for the rest of the day. Great service thank you. It could become a regular thing......!

We used Deliveroo. The food never arrived, it was discovered the driver had dumped it having claimed he could not contact us. Deliveroo gave us the run around. The fish bar took no responsibility and said there was nothing they could do. Very unimpressed and will never user this fish bar or deliveroo again.

Good fish and chips slightly more expensive then the average chip shop, but well made and worth buying!

Great menu, great delivery service and fantastic food. Gluten free fish and chips as well. Very friendly owner.

This was great fish & chips. It’s a weird little place at the top of the town. We had 2 large serves of cod and chips for about £17. The chips were crunchy, the fish was thick and fresh and everything was hot. Take your take away to the nearby park.

This little place was reccomended to us as we were on holiday and hadn't a clue where the best fish n chips shop was. Well , we were not disappointed, i had haddock and chips the best yet, lovely fresh fish which is what you should get when eating fish. An added bonus was the lovely owner has opened a kebab shop next door which the rest of our family ate. Wow fresh and tasty, we had combination donner and chicken plus a chicken shish . We would recommend this gem to anyone wanting freshly cooked decent meat.

Used to be a regular customer, but won't go anymore : chalk and cheese since they have changed ownership.

Lovely hot day so fish chips and mushy peas steaming hot. We sit across from Downtown fisheries. Very good food. Staff friendly and welcoming and knowledgeable. Loved everything. It's glutton free but that didn't bother me.

Lovely friendly staff, and wonderful food! This is just a chippy by the way, not a restaurant but a nice place, very clean (5 on the hygiene score). Would definitely go again.

We love the place and have been going for years. The ownership has changed but is great, theyre freindly always able to cater for you and have increased the size of the menu! Perfect for the park to enjoy with the kids in the sun!

Well worth the trip from Crowborough. Everything cooked fresh,and staff are happy to see you, and from the queue people keep going back. Excellent value for money and portions are on the generous side

Perceived wisdom is that this place is the same since change of ownership. I disagree the food is just as good. Bonus is that the queues are smaller so no 20 min waits!

Went on Saturday night, 6.30, beautiful summer’s evening. No queue which was a bad sign. Batter on fish was excellent, but they have a serious problem with their chips; anaemic, under-flavoured, soggy, made worse by being put in polystyrene boxes. I know that you rarely find a chippy that does both fish and chips exactly right, but surely it must be harder to get the fish on-point (which to be fair they did) than the chips. Am sure that all is required is some training. Visit Marino’s in Rye to find out how to cook a perfect chip. But they need to do it quickly.Sorry to have to write this, DTFB has been a part of my family’s life for 20 years.Paul

We have been going to this Fish Bar every Friday evening for about 18 months and have always been really impressed with it, preferring to travel the extra miles, rather than go to our nearest. BUT, it's now under new ownership and we have noticed a steady decline until tonight when it suddenly took a turn for the worst... We had to throw the food away. The fish was so greasy, no crisp batter.. and the chips had a strange taste, were virtually cold and hard. The gravy was almost a solid...I can only describe it as a gloop! My son's sausage wasn't pink inside like it used to be - it was grey and full of large bits of fat! Such a shame! We won't be going there again!

Most impressed with the staff and food. Telephoned the day before to check open on Bank Holiday. On the day telephoned to make contact. All portions of fish very good as were the chips. Staff very friendly and even got a litre soft drink due to the numbers ordered. Fish very tasty and GREASE FREE. It is possible they use tempura batter which is quite healthy. Excellent value.

I really love this fish and chip shop. The food is always great and the staff are so lovely. The batter on the fish is always crispy and not greasy at all! And good news now they open on Sunday aswell!

Amazing fish and chips, cooked to perfection. Lovely atmosphere, friendly staff, will always be a regular here. New owners have kept up the brilliant reputation

Just move to royal tunbridge wells and Had a large cod and chips last saturday cod was lovely and chips weldone staffss are friendly definately come back

So having been a weekly visitor to Downtown for the last decade and a half or so, I had misgivings about the new owners particularly when the sign went up advising a 50p surcharge on card transactions which has now been withdrawn before it becomes illegal. The fish now is even sniffed at by our cats and the chips have so much oil in them I now use them to lubricate the lawn mower. Went back last week to see if things have improved but sadly they seem to have got worse - on the plus side there are now no ques and you can get your much reduced portion size without having to wait. I feel sorry for the staff that will soon be laid off as the current decline in quality will soon make them redundant. Come on Memet, sort out your game!

Best fish and chips in town friendly and great services I get larger cod and chips and haddock is lovely thanks downtown fish bar 🐟🐟 🍟🍟

For years you could walk in and guarantee, fresh fish and chips, cooked while you wait, perfectly cooked and service with a smile. A weekly visit for a number of years. The past three weeks the food has been terrible. The fish tastes horrible, a chemical taste with sloppy batter. One afternoon, no friendly girls inside. A guy serving. There was so much salt on the chips I ended up throwing them away without eating them. What a shame. This used to be the closest you could get to home cooked fish and chips. People queuing out the door...

Just had large bag of chips on wed night at about 7pm. Would have driven back to complain if I could've been bothered but hey-ho.

Visited again for a takeaway, and as before very fresh cooked food served by the friendly staff in what is a very busy restaurant. Alas, the owner has sold and has complted the handover to the new owners, retaining the serving staff. Well they were all there on Friday. What happens now is up to tge new owners, but prices have already risen in that card payments are 50p a swipe. A famous village fav is now up in the air.

Had a large Cod and chips last Friday, chip average but large Cod was very poor, dried out, not fresh and skin on, yes skin on, very poor. After all the good reviews I expected so much better and on a Friday night as well.

Nos alojamos en un hotel cercano y fuimos para un rápido y barato de la cena. La comida era excelente y el personal era muy alegre y simpático! Sin duda, comer aquí de nuevo!

Crecen vine aquí religiosamente todos los sábados por la noche, hasta 2014. El bacalao y las patatas fritas es un elemento esencial, junto con las ofertas de comida familiar. El bacalao está perfectamente maltratada y las patatas fritas son exageradas ni grasienta. Lo recomiendo encarecidamente a cualquiera que esté en necesidad de una abundante comida.

Si era el precario pero firme cod, obviamente nunca congelados, el tempura increíblemente ligeros como pasta o las patatas fritas, es recuerdos de infancia cosas. Junto al mar en North Berwick, el mejor tono y comida más sabrosa. La salsa de curry también estaba obviamente casero y luz pero delicioso, no como el pegamento que te dan en otros establecimientos.

I love this place. Food is great, staff are always friendly. The batter is always crisp and non-greasy, chips fluffy and light. Prices are good too. There are few better ways to enjoy fish and chips than in the Grove with a beer from The Compasses.

What a great find. Brilliant, fresh, well-cooked fish, friendly staff and incredibly generous portions! Brilliant and very glad to have this locally! Will try not to develop a habit...

Friendly staff, fish and chips always warm and yummy. Portion sizes generous. Various payment methods taken. Highly recommend.

Many many takeaways from here - this is now the only takeaway for Fish and Chips/chicken and so on. Chips are cooked in premium cooking oil and always fresh. Staff are always engaged, engaging and friendly.

Quite possibly the best Fish and Chips in Tunbridge Wells - always superb! We live quite close to the Spread Eagle in Hawkenbury and whilst they are quite good would prefer to drive to the Downtown Fish Bar as they are better. Top tip - order your food then pop along to the Compasses for a quick pint - perfect!

My second visit to this very busy chip shop I ordered cod and chips and it was made to order. There was other customers also waiting all seemed happy and knew the owner and the staff. The staff are really polite and friendly. I enjoyed my fish and chips it tasted amazing really fresh and lovely. I would recommend this place to anyone.

Good value for money, always cooked fresh, available with gluten free batter on request. Reasonably priced.

This is by far the best chip shop i have been to in the UK!You can tell from the first bite that the fish is very fresh and sourced on the day! One of the other great things that i like is the batter, its very fluffy and doesn't drip with oil and grease! The Greek man serving us was also very friendly and welcoming! Would highly recommend and will definitely visit again if ever in that part of the UK again.

Probably one of the the best fish´n chips we´ve ever had. We visited Fish Bar twice and were pleased to notice, that on both occasions fish was fresh and chips chunky and tasty. Hamburgers were OK as well. Friendly and straightforward service. Notice: Some five minutes walk from the High Street up the hill along Little Mount Sion.

Better customer service than most places in Tunbridge wells. Fish is hot and tastes fresh, chips are nice.

A small fish & chip shop tucked away in the village area of the town. Thought we'd give it a try as the comments were so good and the reviewers are right. Excellent fish and totally top chips. Staff were friendly and this is about as good as it gets for take away.

Unless you have a truly gigantic appetite, 1 big fish n chips was more than enough for 2.The cod was cooked to order with a deliciously light and crispy batter and the chips were yum too.The service was excellent and dont be surprised if there is a long queue at times.Great thing is, it's consistently very good. Oh dont forget a can of Dandilion & Burdock to wash it all down OR better still you can always order a nice cold pint from the pub across the road, which backs onto a lovely park and "picnic" outdoors during the warmer days and evenings.The Grove park also had a nice, albiet small,childrens playground, so the kids can have a run about and fun too, while your relaxing on a park bench or on the grass.Nice.

Speaking as one weaned on fish and chips from the Yorkshire coast I can honestly say this is a great Fish and Chip shop.I'm happy to say it is my local one. Proper fish and chips with all the extras, including gravy, oh yes gravy, on offer.Service is also friendly.Go.

I've been a customer here for over thirty years and the quality has just got better with time. No matter where I have had fish and chips they never match up to the quality of Downtown.

Oh my god, the fish and chips here are the best I've ever tasted. The fish is high quality and it's fried in a very light batter, so not loaded with oil like most places. If you're in the area, you must try this place, it's amazing

Been here few times, quick and tasty, friendly staff, it's a very small shop so can get a little crowded inside, however it's the food that counts- thanks guys

I would go as far as to say that the fish & chips here are the best in England. This is the benchmark from which I judge all others and so far none have come close.

When I lived overseas I used dream of Fish & Chips from 'Lil's' as we used to call The Downtown locally. I came back to Tunbridge Wells to find the quality unchanged - brilliant!

The best Fish and Chips in town without a doubt - plus the owner, Reg is a lovely chap! Reasonable prices - huge portions.

Is there anything better than fish and chips? How about fish and chips from this place. Prices and food are well aligned, and portion size is fair. The chips are always good, although one expects that if you do wander across from the pub much later in the evening then they may be a little dry, here's a hint - just get in earlier! Staff are always a pleasure to deal with. A personal request is that they could serve people sooner if others in front are waiting on fish, but that will not detract from this great little place. A credit to Tunbridge Wells.

It used to be really good a couple of years ago. Now it's ok if you've had a few pints. The last few times we've been the fish has been dry and the chips gritty and over salted. We now prefer Marino's....

Really good fish suppers. Fresh, tasty, wide choice. Friendly, patronised by folk from all round the town. Fast service, value for money.

Wonderful little fish shop in the village area of town. Amazing choice- delicious food and always with a smile. No need to ever go elsewhere.

We live locally and when we want Fish and Chips this is the only place to go. Great food, generous portions and great value for money. Be warned, it gets busy on a Friday night and isn't open on Sundays.

This is a great fish and chip shop with friendly staff. Lovely, tasty and fresh cooked fish and chips. We live locally and go here regularly and have never been disappointed. We went to whitstable recently and had fish and chips on the beach and we were really disappointed as they were not a patch on what you can get at the Downtown fish bar! Keep up the good work!

Friendly staff. Good fish in chips cooked in fresh oil. We'll worth a drive even! Do it. You won't be disappointed.

Not that great I had cod & chips when I visited family locally we found the chips very greasy the cod was tasteless. Won't be using again.

Great fish and chips, fresh fish, well cooked to order and amazing chips. Staff are polite, and service is as quick as you like. You can usually fit in a half in the pub opposite if you fancy one, or can dial in an order and pick it up when you're ready.

Used to work a few doors down so the awesome smells would often tempt me in. Always superb tasting fish and chips, always friendly service. Takeaway in the Grove in summer - perfect. Have had to queue for 40 mins before so well worth phoning your order in at busy times.

Always excellent quality, well wrapped fish in cardboard containers and friendly service! Will take telephone orders.

Fresh, friendly, tasty, crispy, good sized portions, why go anywhere else? Of course, as other reviewers have commented, this does make the Downtown Fish Bar a popular venue and sometimes a queue forms. But the atmosphere is always light so the wait passes quickly and the fish and chips taste even better.

Best Chipie in town with a pub over the road, sometimes gets very busy due the the quality of the food, can always nip in pub while queue goes down

Regular customers for 5 years now and the food has always been freshly cooked, tasty and hot. The service is excellent, it's got a tiny shop front and the queue is often long but the ladies serving get to you quickly and cheerfully.

This has been my local chippy for years and it's never been as good since Reg took over a few years ago. The chips are fresh and cooked in vegetable oil (not the cheap palm oil other chippies favour). The fish portions are huge and beautifully cooked. It's always a pleasure to visit if not for the food but the cheery staff.

Consistently great fish and chips, well fried and not greasy, good size portions. Friendly service too. Wouldn't go anywhere else in Tunbridge Wells.

Been coming in regularly for about ten years. Always had the best service and the food is great, simple British food done will, I know Reg really cares about the quality of his fish and the potatoes are Kentish too. Will be a customer for years to come.

I've eaten here for a number of years since a child however never thought anything of it. Since then I've visited many others, yet I have not found a fish and chip shop near the quality or friendliness of Down Town. It is by far the best food and service in the area, while the paper wrappings are an added quality often now missed elsewhere.

Always a friendly welcome. A wide range of the usuals, cod, haddock, plaice, etc., and specials like whitebait, pollock, barramundi, plus wide range of extras, and free bottle of wine/large soft drink for big orders. All freshly cooked.and whilst there are always queues, especially at busy times like Fridays, staff and other customers will keep you amused whilst you wait! You can order by phone, or order, then have a pint in The Compasses (opposite) while your supper is being cooked. Well recommended!

The queue (which does move quickly!) outside tells its own tale, and I was surprised to read a recent neg review, which seems at odds with the ongoing popularity of this TW institution.People do come from all over town to buy here, despite there being other creditable establishments elsewhere in town.The extra plus is the bottle of wine - red or white - thrown in free for all orders of 4 fish & chips and over. It's actually not bad plonk for a freebie!PS. Perhaps actually the person who did leave a neg review did us a favour - for some unknown reason what seemed to be an extra half of fish was included in each portion last time we went.

sadly we have decided to abandon our chip shop of many years and have found another as the quality at downtown has gone downhill big time

Up there best fish and chips I've eaten anywhere. Excellent service too, good banter in the queue. Been coming here for many years and never been disappointed. Owner can get stressed at busy times but understandable as he's just trying to maintain the high standards. Highly reccomend