The Chippy

I always feel guilty writing bad reviews of places but I really need to warn everyone of The Chippy — it’s just straight up bad and probably the most disappointing fish and chips I’ve had in the UK yet.
Forget the customer service and all of that nonsense (although the wait times were pretty long given how chippies are normally meant to be quick)… let’s jump straight into the food because that’s where the 1 star comes from.
~ Cod & Chips
Not fresh at all and you can really tell. I feel like my piece of fish has been sitting in the freezer for quite a while because it stunk of that «fishy» smell you get from old fish and was hard and stringy. The texture more resembled chicken than fish.
Ate a few bites of it because I was too hungry, but after finding several bones in what should’ve been a fillet I tossed in the towel.
~ Rissoles
Just as un-​fresh as the fish was. One bite and I was done.
~ Potato Fritter
Overly greasy and just flavourless.
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With all the amazing fish & chips you can get in South Wales, I highly suggest trying somewhere else. Even if the location is great and you’re hungry (like I was) don’t risk it. It really isn’t worth your while or your money.

In a larger sense than I usually think about these things, the appearance of The Chippy on St. Mary’s Street concerns me a little bit. Normally, the takeaways are confined to a single point in the city centre, keeping the mess and the hassle to one area. And, along with this, it keeps the main thoroughfares of the city clear of the image of eateries like this. Now, anyone who’s read any of my reviews knows I’m no food snob; I love places like this. But it is undeniable that takeaways popping up on the main city centre high streets can give people a lowered perception of the city, making it seem less «classy» perhaps.
Ignoring this though, The Chippy is excellent for what it does. The placement makes excellent business sense; instead of mixing it up with Tony’s and Dorothy’s (and, inevitably losing), they catch all the St. Mary’s Street traffic after they exit the clubs but before they hit chippy lane. And that’s a good thing; up against Dorothy’s and Tony’s unstoppable combined force, The Chippy wouldn’t stand a chance. It’s good, but it’s not THAT good. But on its own, it has a chance to show it actually can do chip shop fare quite well without being constantly compared to the other chippy lane alumni.