Ye Olde English Fish & Chips Restaurant

About 8 – 10 years ago I would have had no problem giving this place 5 stars. The portions use to be huge and the prices were very good. The service use to be fast and friendly. I’ve been going here my whole life (19 years) and the past couple of years they have gone downhill fast. The portions are tiny now and the prices went way up. The fries have been soggy and even though they are still pretty quick the service isn’t what it use to be. The staff seems tired of their job and aren’t as friendly anymore. The only reason I’m giving them 3 stars is because they still have the best tasting fish n chips in the world. I don’t know if they still have pickles but they are really good.

We hadn’t gotten take out from here in forever. It was totally fresh and really good. It’s a once and a while craving, but we will be back.

First time here, I’ve heard a lot about the Fish and chips, I must say delicious and the New England clam chowder was excellent .
The décor is retro felt like I was back in the 70’s great feeling.

I have been going to Ye Olde English Fish and Chips for years. The quality and portions
goes down every year. Just went there Friday Night although a long line I waited. 1 piece of fish
and a boatload of fries what a waste of fries. Very greasy and not worth the $ 23.00 I paid for 2 Fish and chips.
! small piece of fish with a lot of fries not worth the $$. One of my piece of fish was hollow
got totally ripped off and staff was rude will never visit this establishment again. And they
wanted extra $$ for coleslaw and you have to ask for lemon…

If you need to gain 10 pounds and feel like getting yelled by the staff, this is the place for you. This place is gross, and the staff is so rude. The fries was literally a potato sponge full of oil and dont even get me started on the fish, horrible taste. I dont understand how a physically capacitated human being can willingly walk in there. Groossss

Don’t do it. It’s a trap. Everything was way too greasy. The oil tasted super old and gross. The chowder was ok, but nothing super special. People raved about this place and its longevity. No idea how it made it this far — must just be riding out the nostalgia. Tried the fisherman’s platter. The shrimp were absolutely disgusting. Oh, and the service, or lack thereof, was cold and at times rude. I’ll never go back.

Not a bad place to eat, feels old and unclean. Not in a historic way. Food is decent but definitely very unhealthy.

The best place for chicken and chips and fish and chips in New England. We go every Friday year-​round, mostly for take out! If you have time to eat in, the atmosphere is excellent. Like a step back in time.

I almost always get fish and chips here. The batter is generally light, but quite greasy. This makes for delicious food, but if you eat all or most of your fish and fries, there’s a good chance you’ll feel a bit sick from all the grease. I tried the fish cakes and was not impressed. My wife likes the clam chowder, but says it’s pretty average.
The décor and restaurant itself is dark and dated. I’ve only eaten inside once and wouldn’t choose to again. Only take out for me now. Their prices are a little high for what you’re getting. We only eat from here maybe once every 6 months or so if that.
So the bottom line is that this place is a one hit wonder. Good fish and chips (although quite greasy) but that’s about it. Go for that and that alone.

Maybe not as good as what you get in Ireland or the UK, but an admirable effort. The atmosphere is quite entertaining as the place has been there since 1922, but they’ve chosen for some reason to freeze the décor in the 70’s. It’s also way cheaper than you’ll see at most places for the amount of fish you get.

Fish & chips as good as they get. But so is the rest of the seafood here. Whole belly clams are great!

I enjoy seeking out the local landmark diners, and infamous, old school greasy spoons of note in New England. It’s fun to be a low rent, gastronomical, Indiana Jones. So when I saw the Providence Phoenix’s positive mention of YOEFAC, I was all in.
My thoughts?
While some might bemoan the worn, antiquated 70s décor, I’m ok with it. I don’t mind an establishment looking like it is trapped in a bygone era (as long as it’s relatively clean). Sometimes being outdated can be part of the charm of a place.
The night I chose to dine, the place was packed with what Tom Brokaw called «the greatest generation». I mused to myself about what attachment this place might have to so many silver haired patrons. Was there a sense of nostalgia? An AARP discount? Close proximity to a senior center? I was truly hoping that it was a long history with great comfort food that lured these older folks here.
Alas, the cuisine left a lot to be desired. To begin with, the red clam chowder brought to mind watered down tomato soup. I am of the opinion, that one should be able to taste clams in clam chowder. It’s a kooky rule, I know. Instead, what arrived was fairly flavorless. The pencil eraser sized potatoes in chowder only added to the feeling I was eating a bland soup somehow diverted from a hospital.
The fish, and chips were also a disappointment. While I appreciated the old English style batter, and the fish inside was fairly hearty, it was well saturated in oil. To the point where any other flavor the fish, or batter may have had, was completely lost.
The chips? Thick cut fries, that were again, terribly oily. Oily to the point of oil being all that I could taste. A shame.
The bottom line:
I don’t mind occasionally abusing my fuzzy breadbasket with foods that have a high level of intestinal repercussions (yes, I’m talking to you ONLYVILLE NY SYSTEM WIENERS). But my taste buds must be rewarded at a higher percentage
of pleasure than the percentage of punishment my insides will inevitably endure. In this, YOEFAC failed me. And I am only left with the aftermath.
: (

Another staple in Woonsocket. i preferred Kevin’s over ye olde but with that said ye olde is good. fresh cut fries as it should be. i wish they had just plain white clam chowder instead of the seafood
just not crazy about those big fake pieces of crab.
There seating is very tight in fact the booths are too tight for me. yes I’m a big dude but I can fit in other booths just fine.
Since Kevin’s closed there prices went up. with serios and Kevin’s closed they don’t have any local competition so I guess they can charge what they want now. they are expensive.

I’m giving Ye Olde the third star strictly because the fish (in the fish-​n-​chips) was absolutely delicious. The breading didn’t hold up, but it wasn’t too distracting. The fries were fine, although not outstanding.
I was disappointed in that it seems as though this place would be a pub, but it’s really a cross between a strip mall take out and a cafeteria. Very odd and heartily disappointing.
The base line for this place derives from the interior and the service. It’s a walk up order/​pay system, but does have table bussing. The fish wasn’t ready when I ordered, so it was expected that I would wait on the single bench until it was ready. Took a few questions before I ascertained how long I’d be waiting. For the price and service, I wouldn’t return.

Heaven on earth is fish and chips from a good chip shop.
I loved everything about my left ventricle slamming shut experience here.
I had the seafood chowder, which was thick, creamy, and loaded with clams — like it should be and then I had the fish and chips. The fish was fried perfectly, nothing was dried out. The chips were hand-​cut and a mixture of crispy and soft, which I love.
I can’t tell you how wonderful this was. It brought me back to my childhood with each bite — not because I came here, but because fish and chips was a staple in my house growing up.
I’ll try to make it out here as often as my health insurance premiums will allow.

This place smells like one of my favorite fish and chip sit-​down restaurants in England… it tastes pretty good too :)

So I finally made here. The place is a lot bigger than I was expecting so lots of seating is available. It is on the rustic side, which makes it warm and comfortable.
The service is counter service. Go up, order and then come back and pick up.
Okay, so the skinny on the food. I will do the bad first:
Fish and chips were not my favorite. It was more around them over cooking the fish, not the flavor. The meat had shrunk and the crust was hard. It shattered when I bit into it and the fish had pulled away. The flavor was a little on the burnt side. I think if they were to have not over done it, it would have been much nicer.
Now the good. The clam strips were by far the best I have had in RI, to include Point Judith, Middle Town and others of note. They were fresh, plump and cooked perfectly. All of the others mentioned are good, but these were just a cut above. Lastly, best seafood chowder I have ever had. Keep in mind where I am from, so I am not some local expert. I have really enjoyed all of the various forms of chowder you can find from the various restaurants, and this one was again, just a step above.

Just disgusting! I can’t remember the last time a meal made me physically ill, but this place managed to do it.
The fish was so greasy, and it tasted like old grease. There was hardly any fish at all in it. Mostly batter. The fries were super soggy.
I think the board of health should take a visit.

Ye olde English gets a lot of compliments but the fries are soggy and the battered fish is not the best I have had. The batter tends to have an «undercooked» texture when you bite into it. Not the best fish and chips I have ever had.
Some of the things I like on the menu are the white clam chowder and the clam cakes. The clam chowder is always hit and fresh tasting with a lot of great flavor and the clam cakes are crispy on the outside and soft when you bite into them. Opinions vary on this spot. but they have been in business for a long long time they must be doing something right. Worth a try.
Also, the girls that work there are always nice. The service was pretty good and they are friendly.

This restaurant has been around since when my grandfather was working! It’s still here for good reason! GO HERE!
Just order yourself a standard Fish ‘n Chip. Healthy? No. Tasty and awesome? Definitely! Easily the best I’ve ever had. You won’t be disappointed if you’re going in with these standards.
I generally get take-​out and end up having to carry 20 or so Fish ‘n Chip (no exaggeration) for family get togethers each year. Whenever I’m in Rhode Island, I make sure to come here.
I don’t really care to dine there, but there’s nothing wrong with the establishment. Normally, I’m all about atmosphere, but the food makes up for everything. You won’t care what’s around you.
What surprises me is that a lot of locals don’t even know about this place. If you’re from Rhode Island, this restaurant is practically a landmark. Take advantage of what I cannot!
Lastly, just be wary of the hours.