Swampdog Fish and Chips

Fresh local fish cooked to perfection… What more could you want? Do yourself a favour and get the grilled barramundi, very rarely do you get such quality fish that’s cooked so well at a chip shop with your choice of fresh salad (Greek or Asian style).
Not the cheapest fish and chips option but it’s worth it.
Lemon aioli is delicious and a must add for your chip dipping.

I was visiting from the US and told to sample the seafood while I was in Australia, and with Brisbane being my first stop, I found this little gem thanks to Unilocal.It’s very unassuming and appears situated in a residential neighborhood, which might explain why no one else was here on a Thursday evening. Aside from the good reviews, I chose this place in part because the prior Unilocalers had posted pics of salad alongside seafood which was really appealing to me after eating a Whopper that morning at my layover at Auckland International Airport (which unfortunately tasted just like the ones served in the US).
I ordered the «Best in Brisbane!!!» grilled octopus with grilled prawns, as well as a side order of their batter fried fish of the day; I also asked for recommendations on the sauces and was told to choose the chipotle aioli and the chili tomato jam. The octopus is excellent as advertised, very tender and flavorful (I presume braised before grilled)…but the prawns are among the best I’ve ever tasted, I’m not sure if they somehow seasoned it with magical powder or if they’re just that damn fresh! They give you a heaping helping of salad on the side which was also reasonably tasty. The fish of the day was copia, and the fried rendition was solid. The tomato jam is excellent, sweet and a little tangy, but unfortunately the aioli was mostly sweet mayo that lacked in actual chipotle pepper.
If you check in with a comment on Unilocal,they hook you up with a 10% discount. While likely a tad pricey by local standards, you’d be hard pressed to find as well prepared seafood in such an unassuming setting in the US, especially since it’s currently 70 cents to the Australian dollar.

We had the seafood basket. The serving size was huge but I think they put all the raw food in the fryers at the same time because the thin squid strips were dry and overcooked whereas the thicker battered prawns were raw and disgusting. Whilst you receive a large quantity of food, the quality is lacking.

Love their ethics PLUS their food is amazing and delicious!

I had a massive craving for seafood last weekend, so I decided to drop into this little fish and chips shop. I’d been here once before and I remember being taken aback by the prices, but payday just came to me that previous Friday so this time I wasn’t picky. I ordered calamari and chips with a side of aioli to take away. Whilst waiting, I had their beautifully sweet lemon water, free for patrons from the counter where you place your order. The order came very quick and I was quite surprised at the size — five huge pieces of calamari (I’m not talking about your uni cafeteria’s puny calamari rings) on top of a heap of yummy salted chips. I ended up only having half and saving the rest for tomorrow’s lunch! I would recommend any item off their menu (they’re that good) and don’t be shy to ask for sauces on the side. It’s worth it. The parking location is a bit dodgy and the seating outside is a bit annoying as it is next to traffic, but you could always park on streets nearby and get a takeaway like I did!
Pro tip: they’re currently running student discounts, 10% off if you show your student card.

The fish and chips were good, but after a long day of working I just wanted someplace that was well lit where I could pull up something to read and get my grub on. This place hit the spot in terms of ambiance. The communal table was well lit and had a stack of magazines. Glad I stopped by.

Now this place is nothing short of awesome. I am not surprised that Unilocaler’s love the place. If you want Fish and Chips done properly, and if you want some awesome chips (as well as a pretty cool beef burger) served by some excellent staff, you simply cannot go past this place. I discovered this place while walking past one morning and thought the outdoor area was so cool that I had to come here for a meal, and I must say that it is something that I definitely did not regret — at all. The customer service is nothing short of excellent, and as I simply cannot stop mentioning, you cannot go past their chips — they are brilliant. This is one of those places that I would highly recommend for those people who love their fish and chips.

If I were reviewing the Barramundi and chips, I’d give it 5 stars. Delicious — very light batter and just about the moistest fish I’ve had at a fish and chips shop.
The mixed fried plate though was a bit of a trainwreck. Way over fried — everything (and not just the calamari) was rubbery and dry. The sauces were fine but not worth the extra $. Chips were excellent.
Overall, I wish we’d stuck to just the fish and chips and we’d probably left happier customers.

A bit removed from the sparkle and buzz of south bank and not the easiest place to find parking.
S&P Calamari and octopus salad were both delicious but I was not a fan of the fish we were served. It was dense and did not taste too fresh. Maybe we were unlucky at the end of the night but I was not impressed.
I might give them another chance when I go to redeem my free chips voucher — thanks Unilocal

tl;dr Not bad, but better options elsewhere.
—
Friendly staff and a decent menu to choose from.
Unless choosing from the ‘specials’, you can’t get away from having chips — if fish and a few sides were your preference, you’d be out of luck.
The fish is either crumbed or battered and is deep-​fried (no grilling), which in this case, left the protein a little on the dry side.
I was however quite impressed with the popcorn prawns — deep-​fried small to medium-​sized prawns with heads and all. It was something different.
For a company philosophy advocating sustainable fishing, I found the lettuce garnish wasteful. Sure you could eat it, but if you ordered fish and chips, I’d take the bet that many wouldn’t.
It’s great to see a fish-​and-​chip shop having a strong moral compass on the issue of fish sustainability, but in terms of a meal I’d take my friends to, I’d likely go elsewhere.

This my first time having an authentic Australian Fish and chips and I was not disappointed. I went with the classic Burundi and it totally filled me up. Nice flavor and plenty of chips to support the fillet. Good value and a nice tiny spot to enjoy your meal either inside or outside.

A group of us came here feeling inspired (short-​lived) after a lesson on ~sustainability~ where we watched a video on Swampdog’s efforts in sourcing sustainable seafood. The food and prices are really good as is the service. The free lemon drink on the counter is awesome too.

Yum! What makes a fish and chips shop stand out you ask?! Fresh fish that isn’t greasy or oily and has a great flavor depending on your preference. I love mine with loads of lemon! Then, super tasty chips that are fresh, crunchy, and have nice seasoning seal the deal.
Swampdog gives you that and more. I had the local whiting and my friend had the grilled barramundi with pesto! We were both very pleased with our meals as we ate them at the park on a beautiful sunny afternoon.
What makes Swampdog different from the rest is about their dedication to sustainable fishing! They have consulted with fishermen and have sorted how to get delicious fish that we can keep enjoying for many many years to come.
The prices are a bit higher depending on what you order but knowing that what we are supporting a business that wants sustainability within the fishing industry is worth it! They have weekday lunch specials that makes me want to go back again soon. I just wish the parking wasn’t such an issue or it’d be perfect.
You can always call in and do takeaway. They had our order ready in 10 minutes! Amazing!

Greeeeat! Excellent in fact! Gourmet fish & chips at it’s best! And very reasonably priced — although, we did spend about $ 45 just for the two of us… but, we OVER ordered! we had WAY too much food .coz I thought the servings were going to be small, Ha! boy was I wrong!
looks like a cool place to eat in as well.

After seeing pictures of people’s food on Instagram, I knew I had to go here. Not disappointed either.
They cooked my barramundi perfectly, the best I’ve ever had. It’s obviously run by people who have passion for food. I really love the fact that its not wanky, it’s just a damn good fish and chip place. It’s a little on the expensive side, but worth every $.
Now I’ve just gotta take the husband there!

Swampdog have changed the game for Fish and Chips in Brisbane. They’re a Fish and Chip shop that give you a varied menu which is all too rare. They’re sustainable which is beyond awesome. And the kicker? They’re also affordable. The lunch specials are possibly the best value meal in Brisbane.
Anyone who says there’s a better F&C shop in Brisbane is a goddamned liar.

Definitely not your average fish and chips shop! The menu is more varied and offers options you wouldn’t expect such as grilled barramundi with pesto or tempura fish with asian salad. The company ethos of using local produce and sustainable seafood is also admirable and worth supporting.
The place is set up to invite dining in as well as takeaway, but don’t expect much of a restaurant environment – it’s still very much geared towards the traditional takeaway fish and chips shop.
However, they do offer free, refreshing homemade lemonade and ipads on the tables are a cool touch but killed any hope I had of lunchtime conversation with my boyfriend.

The name evokes for me a picture of a grizzled blues slide guitarist from Alabama (a quick Googling revealed I wasn’t far off; Soul musician Jerry Williams, Jr. from Portsmouth, Virginia, went by the moniker ‘Swamp Dogg’), but this southern star is quick becoming known for its unique take on the humble fish ‘n’ chip dinner and sustainable focus.
I’d seen this place a few times in passing and was attracted to the pretty outdoor courtyard illuminated at night by fairy lights and filled with people hoeing down on fresh fish and enjoying a few drinks. I ended up going one drizzly Sunday night just before closing time (I called ahead to check the times and the guy — who I presume was the owner — said they stay open until at least 8.30pm, sometimes later if it’s busy).
I barely remember what the building used to be but they’ve done some cool stuff with the space, writing their long polemical philosophy in big black letters around the walls of their open kitchen. They state (both on the walls and on their website) that they have designed a menu that uses mainly seafood certified sustainable by Australian Marine Conservation Society or the Australian Conservation Foundation. Eating there you also notice other points of difference with other fish ‘n’ chip shops — much of their packaging is biodegradable bamboo and their menu boasts «line-​caught» fish (as opposed to trawled I suppose).
When you order the guy behind the counter (I think he was the owner… mainly because he had a beard and looked like a cultivated fisherman) first gets your name, then takes your order. Also there’s an iPad on the counter for some reason (as my dinner progressed I noticed a number of Swampdog’s little points of difference which I suspect could be clever marketing strategies to make the whole experience a memorable one — they worked).
I order the daily special — ‘Seared albacore with preserved lemon aioli + watermelon, mint + black olive salad’ — and then poured myself a glass of what I thought was water, only to find that to my delight, the jug was full of delicious homemade lemonade. Win! [+1 point of difference]
The place is BYO and encourages you to bring your own beer, wine and glasses if you want (no corkage!), but will also let you use their paper cups.
My friends ordered the ‘salt & pepper calamari’, the ‘fried dinner’ and the ‘tempura whiting w/​ginger prawn mouse + Asian salad’. Our meals all came out within about 5 – 10 minutes of ordering, which was impressive.
The dining experience here is far beyond anything I have ever encountered at a fish ‘n’ chip joint. Sure, I’ve had good and not so good versions of the cuisine before, but Swampdog was truly gourmet. My pan-​seared albacore was pink in the middle, indicating that it was an extremely fresh fillet. The accompanying watermelon, mint + black olive salad was deliciously fresh and palate-​cleansing, enhancing my enjoyment of the tender fish.
The tempura whiting had authentically Japanese-​style tempura batter and as it turns out, the ginger prawn mouse was stuffed into the sizable whiting fillets. The dish involved a unexpected level of complexity, again demonstrating that we weren’t at your average corner store. [+1 point of difference]
Granted, the ‘fried dinner’ brought us back closer to the realms of tradition, but again showed a freshness of thought with their signature ‘popcorn prawns’ (prawns fried shell and all) [+1 point of difference] and an assortment of high-​quality fish pieces scattered throughout (I think I saw a little nugget of salmon in there). [+1 point of difference]
The calamari was tender and fresh and cut in a different way than usual, with the tube being scored along its width, such that it resembled one of those really lame tank-​tops with the slits in it. [+1 point of difference]
A number of magazines dealing with marine issues, travel and food lay out on the indoor table, emphasising the focus on the environment, health and conscious living. Like I said, so many things about this place were fresh and memorable that I can’t help but rave about it. Oh and one more point of difference — the salt and pepper are in the same dish, with a thin surface layer of pepper and a large base layer of salt. I don’t know why this stuck with me but it did… [+1 point of difference]
Have I convinced you yet that it’s different to most fish ‘n’ chip shops? Yes? Alright, now go there and enjoy.

Only a month ago, this was a half-​empty corner store selling a small selection of fried food (chicko rolls etc.) and some soft drinks. Now, we have this amazing fish and chip shop that not only aims to operate ethically and sustainably, but also has a beautiful fit-​out and outdoor seating area.
One of the reason’s dining there last night was so lovely is because it hasn’t yet become overrun with people wanting a piece of their amazingness, but I’m sure it won’t be long as there isn’t anything quite like Swampdog around.
My partner ordered the barramundi with pesto and chips, I ordered the whiting and chips and to share we ordered a serve of the popcorn prawns. All was fantastic. My whiting tasted real and still had a structure to it that most white, deep-​fried fish doesn’t. The barramundi was nice, although I’m not a fan of the skin on fish. For a total of $ 33, I thought the price wasn’t bad either.
Dining here is casual. Either pull up a chair at the long wooden table inside, or if it’s evening and the weather’s good, I highly recommend their outdoor seating area. This little alcove of concreted space used to be a car park for the people who ran the corner store. Swampdog has strung a simple set of white lights up, put a few big wooden tables out (made from rustic old doors, still with their knobs and locks, supported by metal frames underneath) and some chairs. The traffic going past on Vulture Street could be unpleasant during the day, but in the evening, it’s barely noticeable.
The best bit? Free home-​made lemonade served in a jug on the counter!
One very small negative — the young guy serving us seemed a bit dopey. After sitting waiting for our food, watching everyone else get theirs and others walk away with take-​away, he finally came out and said he’d lost our order. Food arrived quickly after and we weren’t too bothered as we’d been enjoying the outdoor space so much.

Swamp dog is usually referred to as an Ali-​gator in the deep south,
so naturally I approached this establishment with caution.
Well I need not have worried.
(With thankfully no aligator meat in sight) I enjoyed a truly great meal
that managed to redefine how I view the Humble Fish’n’chips.
Guilt-​free eating is taken to a new level with fresh local produce used, bio-​degradable packaging
and a menu officiated by the Australian Marine Conservation Society.
You know you’re in for a sustainable and healthy treat.
The mullet and chips are delicious, crunchy and rich.
With the grilled Barramundi with pesto and chips being the favourite of the night.
The space is also fantastic.
No newspapers and grease here, the décor is modern and fresh.
The restaurant spills to the back and makes for some truly ambient outdoor dining.
With a convient south brisbane location,
Swamp dog is definitely worth a visit.