Why You Might Want To Think Twice About Ordering This Iconic British Dish At Irish Pubs

Irish-style pubs are very popular across the U.S. and around the world, offering a fun atmosphere and a little window into Irish culture in the shape of heady pints of Guinness and traditional music. Most of these establishments also serve hot food; however, there are some dishes that are best avoided at Irish-style pubs. Unfortunately, that includes an iconic British classic: fish and chips. 

While fish and chips has its origins in England, the dish is just as popular in Ireland as it is across the U.K. — after all, both are islands surrounded by miles of coastline, dotted with quaint fishing villages and popular seaside resorts. When locals across Ireland crave fish and chips, they tend to go to a dedicated takeaway eatery, known as a chipper (or chippy in the U.K.), rather than to a pub. The thing is not whether Irish pubs are different from English pubs, but that many of them do not serve hot food at all. 

In seaside towns, chippers usually serve fresh fish from local suppliers, while inland chippers use fish that's frozen on the boats just after catching. Regardless, you usually get a choice of fish — cod and haddock are the most common — and it's freshly battered and fried to order. When you get your hands on it, you can hear the crispy batter crackling as the fish cools down. There's nothing quite like it. 

In contrast, at an Irish-style pub in the U.S., they will likely serve frozen fish, perhaps — yikes — even pre-battered. And instead of freshly cut chunky chips, you'll probably get frozen French fries, which restaurants rely for convenience. Online reviews cite this lack of freshness when fish and chips are prepared in an Irish-style pub in the U.S. versus what you'd get in a proper Irish chipper or U.K. chippy.

"I am Irish, I would not go to an "Irish bar" for fish and chips," says a reviewer on a YouTube video in which two English men try the dish at an Irish pub in Las Vegas. Another one adds: "As an American that has also lived in Britain (Leeds and Belfast) I've never, ever had fish n chips in the States that even compares to British fish n chips. It just way better in the U.K., and also you can choose your fish (which is unheard of in the U.S.)"

In the U.K. and Ireland, chippies sell classic fish and chips often accompanied by a side of mushy peas, made with dried marrowfat peas. Friday dinners of a chippy tea, purchased at the chip shop are still commonplace. In the past they would have been wrapped in newspaper, although since the 1990s, you're more likely to get your meal in a food-safe carton. And sadly, as today's prices keep rising, even British chip shops are in trouble. 

"You dont get the fish and chip shop experience here," stated a commenter on a Quora thread discussing why fish and chips tastes different in the U.S., continuing, "Although the country is probably crying out for a proper fish & chips chain. I really miss being starving hungry after a beer on a Friday night and waiting in line at a chip shop. I may have to wait for the fish to be fried, but if I get freshly fried chips as well, then its like a special treat." That's not to say you won't ever find good fish and chips in the U.S., but it likely won't be at an Irish-style pub.