Leo Burdock
Categories: Restaurants Fast Food & Takeaways Restaurants Fish & Chips Fast Food & Takeaways, Fish & Chips [Edit]
2 Werburgh StChristchurch
Dublin 8
(01) 4540306
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 12:00 - 0:00
Sun 16:00 - 0:00
- Good for Children:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking Garages:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
€
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
38 reviews for Leo Burdock
Review Highlights
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"I also make sure to add extra vinegar - makes them taste so..." In 4 reviews -
"I'm talking about the cod of course xoxo." In 9 reviews -
"They wrapped in paper with a load of deliciously warm chips..." In 3 reviews
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38 reviews in English
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Review from Joe E.
28/3/2012
Perhaps the best fish and chips world wide, but the most interesting part of my last visit was standing in line behind a pregnant girl who was smoking. I think it was the real Vickie Pollard.
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Review from Annie L.
29/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
The potato is an oft abused vegetable. Some careless hands boil it to a pulp. Some ruthless hands fry it to a carcass with a filling of grease.
The chip is a hard delicacy to do right. With the chips from here, you can taste the potato, there is a soft hardness - which is a paradox of sorts I know but it's the truth.
It's got to be robust enough around your fingers and al dente. It soaks the salt and vinegar much better that way.
There is something very romantic about getting your bag of chips wrapped in paper and then bagged in a brown bag. It's like a present to yourself.
Some avid smokers say that when they roll their cigarette or unwrap it from their packet there is that moment of silent reflection were all worries are forgotten and time stops. That's what getting a bag of good chips is to me. That once and a while gift to myself. That silent moment when you hold the warm bag and find a place were you can unwrap it and enjoy. Some peace time.
Also it's great pre-run prep food or so I am trying to convince myself on the eve of a city run. -
Review from Noel L.
13/1/2012
This was the first place we stolled to after dropping our luggage off at the hotel upon arriving in Ireland. We decided, we want some REAL fish n chips when we get to Ireland and boy, we found it.
Leo Burdock's is known as the best chipper in Ireland among the locals and everyone knew each other in this tight hallway of a joint. You literally walk inside the place and you are at the counter where you see what you get. We ordered 1 filet of cod with chips (which are french fries if you're American) and it was enough to feed me and my hungry 6'4" hubby! The fish was battered and fried up golden and it was just perfect. Oh and the chips were fantastic too; just the right amount of salt. We added a little bit of malt vinegar because that's what the locals were doing...yum in your tum!
It was all wrapped up together in parchment paper and we ate it as we strolled around Dublin for the first time. Irish bliss! -
Review from Onur U.
17/11/2011
A great fish and chips shop needs to have good throughput, and Leo Burdock has it. The fish is constantly being battered and fried. Nice crunchy breading, fresh fish, rich, fried-in-animal-fat flavor, it's got it all. Too bad the chips were pretty lousy, mealy and undercooked. Still, if you need a quick snack or are hankering for fried fish, Leo Burdock is an excellent choice.
I have to comment on the shirts the guys where there calling Leo Burdock "Probably the best Fish Chips in the world." It's ok guys, you can say it's the best. No one can prove you wrong. -
Review from Wesley W.
9/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
You know, I have seen yer man in the outfit outside of this place many a night, but have never bothered to wander in until recently. I must say, they do a good fish and chips here. The cod is lovely and the chips are good as well. Don't let the man in the skirt scare you off sure!
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Review from Pcp P.
27/1/2012 11 photos
A MUST TRY when you're in Dublin. We wanted traditional fish 'n chips, and we were recommended to try this place. We weren't disappointed at all. After we got our bags, we walked over to St. Patrick's Cathedral and ate in the beautiful garden. No fine dining can beat the experience of eating fish 'n chips while looking the beautiful Cathedral.
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Review from Scott V.
5/7/2011
Was this the best fish and chips ever? Yes!
If I were in Dublin, would I come back? Yes!
I ordered the cod and chips with salt and vinegar. It was just above freezing outside, but I ate them squatting against a brick wall, trying to devour all of the crispy goodness before it turned to cold mush in the bag. The portions are ginormous, so be prepared! -
Review from Jane M.
13/6/2011
Want to know why Leo Burdock's fish and chips taste so good? They use animal fat!
It's true! Having taken a couple of tourists here (the first, a man from New Orleans, said, "There's something different about Irish grease... It's, like, thicker than the grease back home"), each of them has loved Burdock's and couldn't figure out what made it taste so good. Finally, my boyfriend and his cousin (both Canadians) managed to figure it out between them: Burdock's apparently uses animal fat to deep fry their food.
Yes, this makes it infinitely more unhealthy, but also insanely tasty. The boys say this is something that is just not done anymore in Canada and that everywhere uses vegetable oil because it's healthier.
Having eaten fish and chips in Canada, I can tell why they were so mad about Burdock's. The fish tastes like it was made in your at-home deep fat that hasn't been cleaned... Obviously, it's just a difference in taste (I'm assuming these places clean their stuff quite regularly!), but it's impossible to get past that oily oil taste.
Leo's is where I go when I come home! -
Review from Brandon L.
3/1/2012
Great fish and chips joint and amazing sauces! One portion goes a long way, don't be scared to split an order. I will return.
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Review from Ian R.
4/1/2011 ROTD 26/10/2011
Leo Burdocks is a Dublin insitution;-). When I was younger I always looked foward to going there with the folks. There was an incident with pigeons outside that led to tears. My little sister was made share. My Dad worked with the Irish press and the queues outside were legendary. Worth the wait..
Went in there with my mate recently. Great as always. Fish bits n chips are lovely. Portions are big and side orders are massive. I didnt finish mine - oh the shame. Only drawback is not being able to eat in there. Always end up going to the square down dame street and people stare at you like an art exhibit.
Never thought about going into christchurch grounds. Good idea -
Review from Rach K.
13/1/2011 1 photo
Yum!
Came here while on holiday in Dublin. It's a pretty famous place and they have a huge list of the celebrities that have visited on the wall. It's a tiny place where they only offer takeaway items and be warned that they only take cash! I imagine there are huge lines that form during regular meal times - luckily we came at an awkward time (around 16:30).
We took two orders of fish & chips to go. I asked for mine generously doused with malt vinegar and salt. We had a 15 minute walk to get back to our hotel, but we hustled. I could feel the warmth of the food while clutching the bag.
Once we unwrapped our goodies, we could see that everything was still warm and dug in. It was really yummy! The fish was tender and moist and the batter was crisp but chewy. The portions were huge and we each had a lot of chips left after we'd had our fill.Listed in: Top o' the Mornin'! (Dublin)
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Review from Stephen C.
29/4/2010 ROTD 2/5/2010
As long as I can remember my parents always brought me to burdocks, even at an age when all you wanted was a happy meal (had the appeal of a toy) Burdocks could still top it.
Today I still love it, well worth a bit of a walk wherever you are in the city. Go for the lemon soul goujons and remember to ask for crispy bits. Then head into the grounds of Christchurch and enjoy. And don't complaint, because your can of coke will feel greasy, just embrace it and remember to grab a few napkins. -
Review from Jennie D.
26/4/2011
Hands down, the best fish and chips EVAR. I'm usually not one for fried, batter-y foods, but at this place, I couldn't help but eat every bit of the delicious batter that covered the large, fresh piece of fish. Yom.
It's a small place, take away only and usually a pretty long queue. We beat the queue when we went for lunch the other day on our 2nd day in Dublin for vacation. We each ordered the fresh cod and chips, then brought it over to the nearby church and ate it with other people on the lawn outside.
The fish is flakey and fresh, but the absolute best part is the batter. With the malt vinegar and salt they put on it, it is so tasty! Next time I would probably get extra malt vinegar. The chips are very soft (vs. crispy), but if you like soft fries, that's a great thing.
Overall, you must go to this place and try it out if you're in Dublin. Other places serve fish and chips, but I'm sure you'll get the best taste from Leo Burdock. -
Review from Ray M.
Dublin
24/4/2010
A Dublin institution. But so too is Mountjoy Prison, and you don't see anyone queuing around the corner on the North Circular Road for a one and one with just a little salt, lots of vinger, and those crispy batter bits that can't be in any way good for you. Pedants may point out that this is because the distance between Burdock's in Phibsboro and the North Circular Road is just slightly beyond the scope of even the most dedicated and/or/starved queue.
Received wisdom holds that the original chipper on Werbergh St offers the best fish and chips in Dublin. And here's the thing, it's really not bad; it's just that it's nowhere near as good as the reputation that precedes it. There's a certain timeless charm to the queue that frequently builds up outside, and surely the fact that the queue always has a north-south and never a south-north orientation invites an anthropological study. The chips are good, and the aforementioned crispy bits are the epitome of guilty pleasure. But the fish... that's what you come here for, isn't it?
The batter is perfunctionary; it could and should be better. The taste and texture of the fish itself are fine, but these guys are really treading water by neither removing all the bones, nor getting rid of all of the skin before battering (places like Beshoff Brothers on Mespil Road and in Howth have no problem doing this). If I pay someone for battered fish, the last thing I want to have to do is un-batter it, de-bone it and skin it. And then rebatter it. Or simply dispense with thoughts of eating it, and attempt instead to revive and reanimate the fish, and throw it back in the Liffey, which would be a more rewarding and less labour-intensive process.
As Public Enemy advised us, Don't Believe The Hype. They sadly don't appear on the impressively long list of celebrities (it's actually worth visiting just to read this, in amongst the international luminaries sit such incongruous names as Derek Davis and Thelma Mansfield, probably), but Frankie Goes To Hollywood do, and to take their words so far out of context that you have to put your watch forward by three-hours, relax, don't do it. When you want to come... to Burdock's. HWUH! -
Review from Neil F.
25/4/2010
After consuming this food, you will begin to feel bloating, cervical dilation, and the need to deliver a fish-n-chips baby.
I recommend it as stomach lining before a night of drinking or a questionable choice after a night of drinking. Just make sure there's booze involved and for god's sake ask for extra vinegar.
Three stars for the wall of supposed diners (I think they claim the Rza and the Gza ate there once), one star for the food. -
Review from Heidi M.
10/9/2009
The best darn fish and chips on the planet. And again (just like the bagels people) YES, I have had Fish and Chips all over the planet....
It's been years since I've been, but I remember it clearly. My sister and I made the trek here based on a recommendation from one of my fellow irishman in New York. They were not wrong.
We took our paper wrapped fish packages to our hotel around the corner and ate it in the courtyard.
Yummy fresh tasting fish inside crunchy batter engulfed in hearty steak fries. Mmmmmm..... -
Review from Maitiú J.
25/10/2011
Been a fan for quite some time. Can't go wrong with fresh cod and chips. Always full after eating!
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Review from Hiro S.
12/6/2009
Ever since the hotel concierge guy recommended this place to me, I am hooked. In fact, this is another place that I must come every time I am in Dublin. It's just like The Oyster Bar at Harrods in London, or Joe's Shanghai in NY to me. :)
They've been in business for awhile - focused on fish and chips. It's such a tiny place which you could almost miss, but if you come here during lunch hours, you'll see lots of people waiting in a queue.
Anyhow, I always get cod which I am supposed to do according to my local friends although they may have some specials (aka deals) on other fish. ;) You can get fish only or with chips. I used to get cod and chips, but they got me tons of chips, so now I just order cod - but they still put some chips which are good enough for me. I also make sure to add extra vinegar - makes them taste so good.
Sometimes I find a place to sit nearby and unwrap the package right outside of the store to eat, or walk 5 min to go back to Westin hotel to eat. When I get in a hotel elevator (very tiny) and if there are other guests, it's obvious that I have a fish and chips package and I get their "oh, it smells so good..." smile. :) -
Review from Grace T.
15/8/2011 2 photos
THE BEST FISH AND CHIPS I'VE EVER HAD!!! (and since bf is irish-american, we've had our fair share of fish and chips all over, everywhere!)
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Review from Yanny S.
24/5/2011
Just ok. Fish was good, but both the fish and chips were over-salted. Maybe it was overhyped for me. Long lines. Eat your take away at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Or go the wrong way like I did and eat them on the steps of Dublin Castle. Don't blame me if you get weird looks ;)
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Review from Cathal C.
Dublin
4/7/2009 1 photo
It's a cliché, but Leo Burdocks do serve the best fish and chips in Dublin (with Beschoff's not a million miles behind).
I don't think that Burdock's is the be all and end all in terms of chippers per se (there's a lot of chippers in Dublin that do a decent bag of chips), but in the quality of the fish they serve, Burdock's is head and shoulders above the competition. And Burdock's also do crispy bits as a menu item, so you can buy a bag of chips that consists exclusively of the frazzled and extremely greasy crispy bits.
Mmmmmm.
I am going to commit a minor heresy against the sacred Leo Burdock's when I say that I am not that keen on their batter sausages. The batter sausage is my accompaniment of choice whenever I buy chips, and I have eaten them the length and breadth of Dublin (not the length and breadth of Ireland though; they can be quite tricky to find outside of the Pale, being noticeably absent in the deep south of Kerry). And the batter sausages of Burdock's DON'T SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE. To my mind, this is the single most important factor in deciding whether to make a purchase of said item, and batter sausages that aren't split down the middle just do not cut the mustard. This is not just a personal grievance, as I have discussed this issue with a number of other connoisseurs.
So definitely give Leo Burdock's a visit, they make a damn fine bag of chips and fantastic fish, but give the oul' batter sausages a miss. -
Review from Jessie M.
8/6/2009
Everyone will probably give me a hard time because I'm American, but this was the only place in Ireland I ate at and was disappointed with. It might have been the hype, but it was a bit too heavy for me. Galway had a better fish and chips joint, I think.
PS I am SO happy there's a Yelp Ireland now!!! -
Review from J T.
18/7/2009
Count me as another happy fan of this FAB fish and chip take-away counter.
Leo Burdock's is the best at what it does. The quality and tradition cannot be beat.
I seem to recall another Burdock's-- along a bus line, somewhere between City Centre and the Airport-- which might have actual seating. But this one on Werburgh is the original.
Sooooo... the batter on the fish is a bit thick, and a few of the chips/fries might be from the bottom of the vat and a little chewy.
But, I dare you to find a tastier fish and chips order in the entire city of Dublin. Beshoff's? Pfshaw. :P
A Burdock's order is hella value! Very much worth the 10 euro. That's what it cost last summer, anyway. Beverages are a great price too.
Take-away is the only way at this Leo's. It's like a deli counter. Buy and leave. There's no spot inside to sit and enjoy your meal. Besides, do you really want the fishmongers staring at you snarfing down all that greasy goodness? Yeah, I didn't think so.
So just grab your order and wander down into the park adjacent the church. Beware rats with wings, aka pigeons.
Or, if you want to be obnoxious, just stroll all the way down slope and chomp in front of the workers entering and exiting the mod-looking municipal building. Guaranteed strange looks and cig smoke. ;[
Back to the food. I have NEVER seen a larger portion of cod fish anywhere. Und aye am frahm zee Amerikaaa-- you know, land of the outlandish portions.
I've also never been able to finish eating an order; there are just too many steak-fry-size chips.
Your order is salted and vinegared to request, wrapped up in a couple of food sheets and tucked into a heavy-duty thick brown bag.
Seems to me, it's about as authentic as you can get nowadays--- and that's saying something.
I adore you Leo Burdock's, don't ever change!
:D -
Review from otilia p.
14/11/2009
My boyfriend and I were looking for a good place to eat fish and chips as soon as we arrived in Dublin. The night we arrived we decided to take a stroll when we stopped to dine at Beshoff's ( a recommended spot on our guide book). Well...it was awful...there was no flavor and the chips were a tasteless as well. We were sooooo very disappointed and thought we would find a decent place for fish and chips in Dublin.
A couple days later we took another stroll and I had this pocket map and it mentioned Leo Burdock. After an afternoon in Temple Bar we took a 10 minute walk and found this hole in the wall and it was the best thing we did all day because the fish and chips there were phenomenal!!! My bf had the regular cod chips and I went with the smoked cod. They wrapped in paper with a load of deliciously warm chips and we were set to roll.
The only downside is that there's nowhere to sit so we walked down Lord Edward and sat in front of what I believe was a municipal building. The second time we visited we sat behind Christ Church, but were hounded by pigeons.
But all in all...this place was one of the highlights of our trip, especially because there weren't too many places we found with good food. Even if this place was in Chicago or anywhere in the states we'd recommend it.
Great portions, great taste...can't go wrong with that!Listed in: Best out of State Restaurants
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Review from Reid Y.
23/9/2009 1 photo
If 11 people review this site on Yelp.ie, you know its famous. That's like getting 1000 reviews for Cheeseboard Pizza in Berkeley, CA. The ratio is roughly proportional.
But, I digress.
Leo Burdock's is exactly what I wanted for fish and chips and it did not disappoint what-so-ever. After a 30+ minute walk, I was finally standing outside in line for this deliciousness. The line moved fast and soon enough, I was treking through the city, clutching onto my precious package of golden battered fried fish and fries on the way to St. Steven's Green. Eating this was one of my best meals in Dublin. If there's a restaurant you need to go to while in Dublin, I would say it's here. Yeah, it's well known, but, sometimes when you travel, you need to go to the well-known places. -
Review from Minnie F.
6/6/2009 1 photo
Delicious and the real deal.
If you are looking for quality fish & chips, then look no further.
Leo Burdock's in Dublin is a favorite place of mine to visit and I can't wait to return for more.
They also have burgers and chicken tenders but I can only speak for their fish & chips.
No chairs at this eatery, but who cares, the food is so good you won't even notice. -
Review from Jelly L.
24/7/2011
My aunt and cousins took me here when I visited them. They said it was the best fish and chips place around. Of course we chose cod.
It was delicious. Ate it in the car because we couldn't wait haha. The coating was perfectly golden and crispy. and the fish inside was flaky, moist and piping hot. Which is of course what you want on a cold, drizzly Irish day. Man that was yummy.
What I didn't like: the chips. My cousins agree that the chips are lacking because they're really soft and kinda soggy. If you like it that, then these chips are for you. We personally prefer crispy chips.
So this is what we did, ate the fish, nibbled on the chips, stopped by Lidl, and made fresh chips at home.
So if I flew back to Ireland, would i stop by? Probably...for the fish...unless I decide to be daring and try some other establishment. -
Review from Gloria C.
20/10/2009
Hmm... Fish and Chips!
It was quite wonderful, though I have nothing to compare to since I've never had Fish and Chips before.
But due to overwhelming recommendations, my friend and I went here for our late night dinner.
Fish was HUGE - we were able to share it and it was quite delicious! no line at all, though I've been told that there was a huge line...
Fish with vinegar, with chips surrounding it, wrapped in paper.
Hmmmmm.... yummmmyyyy.... -
Review from Jo M.
4/7/2009
Sorry Cathal, but I've gotta say I've tasted better... Leo's is a-ok, but WAY too fatty for me! I think Jessie M was justified in her comment 'they do it better in Galway' - they do, at McDonaghs on the main drag.
As for best in Dublin though... you could be right there... although I'm quite the Beshoffs fan...
For those crazies like me who like their fish'n'chips with a lotta lemon: bring your own, crime that it is, they don't have lemon here (unbelievable I know, I cannot eat fish and chips without lemon!) -
Review from Josh G.
12/7/2009
You know a place is great when you force feed yourself far more than you should eat because it's so tasty. Cheap, huge portions, and if you avoid the busy times (lines can stretch around the block), incredibly fast.
Sitting on a stone wall in the small park by Christ Church, eating out of the bag. Doesn't get much better than that. -
Review from Sylvia H.
14/1/2010
Oh how I miss this place!!!! I eat here every time I visit! I can no longer eat fish n' chips in the states because NOTHING compares!! I'm sorry lads if I pissed you off when I asked for ketchup but I'm a ketchup loving American (what can I say?)
Be sure to ask for extra vinegar... I miss you Leo Burdock I hope to bite into you again. I'm talking about the cod of course xoxo -
Review from joan l.
Dublin
14/7/2010
ok if you like greasy unhealthy food. The queue and smell of vinegar on the chips always make me feel like I'm missing something great, but I come to my senses quickly and keep going. I realised this, having one day purchased the big paper full of chips and some lemon sole in batter, and was delayed from eating this- when I returned to it, I found a lardy, very lardy lump of food. Enough to put me off it for life.
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Review from James M.
Kildare
19/11/2010
Went in here after college one day ,food was excellent ,great if your looking for a quick meal and don't have that much cash ,i would definitely go back
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Review from Tim T.
30/11/2009
Oh man, I moved from Ireland 3+ years ago and every time I go back I visit Burdocks at least twice. Now that I am going back to Dublin, I realize that fish and chips and nowhere near as good anywhere else in the world. I love the smell of a battered cod, copious amounts of chips doused in vinegar wrapped in paper. Nothing better in the world-well in the world of fish and chips anyway!!!
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Review from Heather K.
3/8/2009
Oh my friggin' god! That was my exact thought when I tasted my first bite of the smoked cod, and not because it was so hot I nearly choked to death. Normally I'd steer clear of anything remotely "must-have for tourists," but the fish here made it well worth eating outside in the rain. The only thing missing was a pint of something alcoholic to wash it all down.
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Review from joey d.
9/6/2011
fish and chips..wooohoooo!! One order is enough for two...this is a must do..and oh yes..I did
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Review from Cristin M.
2/7/2009
Excellent fish and chips. Everything is fresh, and it seems fairly popular given there's usually at least a few people waiting to be served. Plus, they'll add extra vinegar if you ask, which makes everything even better! Strictly take-away.
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Review from Mick T.
2/11/2009
Good fish and chips. It's take out only, on a nice day you can over the grounds of Dublin Castle and enjoy your fried fishy feast. Make sure to get some vinegar on yer chips too.
