Fishy Fishy

We decided to treat ourselves after a long day on our feet enjoying Brighton Pride, so we popped in and were seated «inside», which just meant inside the glass area of the patio. We changed venue almost immediately, as we felt isolated (it was a bit early for dinner) so we sat on the patio where there were some wonderful brazilian jazz musicians busking.
We ordered prosecco with elderflower, which is always a win, followed by the paella and the calamari to share. The paella lacked a bit for me – peel-​on shrimp is always awkward and the rice was a bit on the mushy side with no tell-​tale paella crust along the bottom. But the flavors were good overall, with the mussels being the highlight for me. The calamari was bright and fresh, really large rings that were cooked perfectly — not too chewy. I think it could’ve been seasoned a bit more, but pretty tasty! The staff was friendly, attentive and accommodating, too.
It was a bit on the pricey side, but we knew that going in. I’d recommend it if you happen to be strolling past.

Wow, i can honestly say that was the best seafood i have ever had. My wife and i came down to Brighton for the weekend and at the last minute called them at 7.30pm to see if they had a table. Luckily for us they had a cancellation for 8pm.
As we walked up to the restaurant, we could see that all of the tables were packed and there was a couple in front of us. The maitre’d told them there were no tables left for the evening. Luckily as soon as i said we had a table, he took us through to the mid floor where the main bar/​serving area is.
The atmosphere was good and we were made to feel welcome immediately, even if i did feel a little under dressed in a topgun tshirt. But this was no problem for them and we were treated exquisitly.
When ever i go into a restaurant i always look at the wine menu first as im a bit of a wine buff, i believe that if a restaurant takes care on explaining their wines and has a varied whole world selection, then they will always take care over the food, and we were not dissapointed…
I chose my wine first, which was the Journeys End, a Stellenbosch from South Africa, and for starters we had the Seafood Sharing Platter and for main course i had the Prawn and Lobster Linguine, whilst my wife had the Surf & Turf Paella. The Stellenbosch was the perfect pick for the meal and complimented it amazingly.
The Seafood Sharing Platter, had Calimari, Prawns, Smoked Mackarel Pâté, along with dips and small breads for the pâté and dips. The prawns were still in the shell, but no problem as we had hand towels available. The pâté was amazing, but the best part was the Calimari, which was cooked to perfection, the best i have ever eaten! The Prawn & Lobster Linguine was absolute heaven, it was piping hot, freshly cooked and made every tastbud in my mouth do summersaults, that is the only way i can explain it. I have never tasted a seafood dish as good as that and believe i never will, cooked to perfection and every mouthful was sublime.
We didnt stay for desert as we had had an elegant sufficiency and wanted to savour the flavours of the main course as long as possible. The bill came to £76, which was amazing as we also had a couple of cocktails, and was worth every penny. I would definitely recommend Fishy Fishy for anyone visiting Brighton.

I had a very disappointing experience here. To begin with, the maitre’d was extremely condescending and rude. The food was far over-​priced and we were made to feel un-​welcomed. I would not waste your time here.

An amazingly good restaurant which brings the traditional British food with the taste of the sea into a magnificent result

Went here a couple of time while living in Brighton, and I must say it was definitely one of my favourite places to eat. Really good sea food on offer, the chefs are amazing and they change up the menu just at the right times. The staff have always been excellent and I’ve never had a bad experience there.

Fresh local caught Sea Bass baked to perfection. Visiting Brighton family from US and our host recommended this fabulous brasserie. All of the fish they serve are locally caught. Definitely recommend this place. Good for young children too. Everything was well prepared and excellent service.

My friend and I went for a big seafood lunch and boy did I enjoy this place!
We ordered the mussels with white wine sauce to share as a starter, then I ordered the spicy and sticky whole crab for main. The mussels were fresh, and the sauce was solid on its own as well for dipping bread. My crab was also healthy in portion, and the seasoning was quite original. It reminded me of a fish dish in the Korean cuisine, which isn’t what you’d expect of a western seafood place!
The service was solid too, though a few staff were curt when they initially took our reservations the day before. It felt like a small, tight team of employees, some of whom were really sociable and nice.
Finally, I loved the ambience. This is no shabby place near the beach; it’s a legitimate restaurant with sophisticated and cozy décor. If you’re in Brighton with a date and are craving seafood, I’d highly recommend the place.

Une adresse intéressante pour déguster du poisson frais et local. Serveur très marrant mais le service est très lent. Les prix assez cher il faut s’éloigner de la ville pour trouver des prix plus raisonnable

This is a place that is perfect for a poor student who has a visiting mum and is in need of a delicious fix of tasty fish.
Luckily got a table as it was rammed. Small enough menu but plenty of different fish to choose from. Really nice atmosphere and very very well cooked tasty fish. Might have helped that we had a very friendly Irish waiter too but had a lovely evening all round.

I’d heard this place was a little hit and miss so was prepared to be disappointed by Dermot O’Leary’s Brighton enterprise (I think he owns some of it). The menu is full of fish as expected. I ordered crab cakes to start, and monkfish for mains. The starter was just ok, it felt like I was eating a potato cake, I couldn’t taste the crab at all. My friends faired a little better, the fish goujons looked delicious. I lamented not ordering oysters instead. My main was a lot better. The monkfish was slightly overcooked but delicious nevertheless. The cauliflower cheese stole the show however. It was so good I was scraping the little dish it came in many times over before I grudgingly allowed the waiter to take my plates away. One of my friends ordered a dressed crab and wasn’t as happy as me. Overall though I would definitely go back and be a little more adventurous with my choices.

I came back to Fishy Fishy this week and had another fantastic meal. I tried to think of a reason for it not to get 5 stars and I just couldn’t do it. Maybe the service was a tad slow, but this is being a little harsh — 5 stars it is!
The reason it’s become one of my favourites is due to the fact that they always try to put locally caught, sustainable fish on the menu. On this occasion, I went for one of the specials — whole roast gurnard with prawn butter and new potatoes.
Now, gurnard isn’t going to win any prizes in a beauty contest (check out my pics for the world’s most ugly dinner!) but it tastes delicious — moist, flavoursome, white fish — super tasty. Give me this in preference to the over-​fished cod any day. The sauce complemented the gurnard nicely and the potatoes were cooked to perfection.
I had started with scallops cooked in coriander and lime, also very tasty. But, alas, no room for dessert. I also had a lovely glass of Spanish Sauvignon Blanc with my meal, unusual but enjoyable.
The restaurant have now released a cook book, and sell accompaniments that regularly appear on the menu, such as chilli jam, garlic mayo and flavoured olive oils. Overall, a great dining experience.

This place is great! Been twice now and been served both times by great waiters and eaten great food. I’ve felt ripped off many times by seafood restaurants but this place is different. I ordered a boiled crab and not only was the presentation worth taking a photo of (I did, much to my bfs embarrassment) but the meal was absolutely delicious. And for £14! They could easily get away with charging double (but please don’t)
Seafood dinners don’t always have to be over the top £££, and this place is a prime example. Great food, service, presentation and ambiance. Well done!

Really tasty and full of local seafood options. Big portions, polite service, and great flavors. The dessert menu is a bit lacking, but overall was great!

Was looking forward to trying this restaurant in town. Poor reception from the Maitre’d. We were a group of five and wanted to sit outside. To be fair to the staff, there were no empty tables but some parties were nearly finished and we were happy to wait. We were told rather curtly that the tables were not big enough for 5 people and we would have to sit inside. We were given a table in the conservatory and approached by a very pleasant and helpful waiter.
The Starters were average at best. I ordered crab and chilli linguine for my main dish. Bland and tasteless is probably the only way to describe it. A friend had ordered the same dish and we were quitely discussing the dish when the Maitre’d snapped «is there a problem»!
Another friend ordered the fish and chips and whilst the fish was delicious the chips were limp.
The prices are reasonable, however, the fresher fish choices are quite pricey. Overall the experience was a real dissapointment and one we probably won’t be repeating.

Absolutely delicious! After a smooth train trip from London and a tour of that over-​the-​top pile that is the Royal Pavilion, I stopped by Fishy Fishy for some fish & chips. Totally delicious meal! An big plus in my book is that this restaurant is committed to serving sustainable fish.
I must also mention the lemon posset dessert, which was the perfect ending to such a rich meal.
Now, I’m off to visit the Pier!

Yummy yummy! So happy we went here! Though it was cold out, I imagine in the summer the outdoor patio is one of the best places to enjoy Brighton. There is also a closed-​in (temperature controlled) glass annex to the main restaurant building with full window ceilings and wall, as if you’re sitting outside with all the benefits of the winter sun without the cold sea breeze.
First off, the Bloody Mary’s were seriously awesome and they only charged us for vodka and tomato juice, aka, it was 3 pounds, we didn’t find out until the end but I wish we had a few more!
The service was a bit slow, but the food was good and the lunch deal was cheap. I had the mussels mariniere followed by the crab. All the food they serve is sustainable and locally sourced — a huge plus in my book. It’s hard to rank the food because it is simple, high quality seafood, but I loved what I had and a whole meal for 2 with wine, cocktails, oysters and 2 courses each cost us 50 pounds — yeah, no lie. Definitely check it out, and be sure to sit outside!

As a weekend treat and because the wife is a fan of Mr Dermott (not that we expect him to have any decisions on the food) we booked and went along to Fishy Fishy.
A great location and lovely building that adds to the magic of The Lanes district of Brighton.
The décor is simple, rustic but stylish.
The menu, was not bad. It was simple presentation of the main food subjects with a simple flavour twist.
Downsides we felt:
1. It was just a tad on the pricey side
2. Our particular waiter was really enthusiastic about telling us about the choices, and did not really sell it to us (when asked about the whole crab)
3. At one point the noise of other dinners was deafening, but that was a minor thing.
Plus points, we were on the top floor. Each floor has a toilet, which is good as the stairs are windy.
Overall. the experience was ok. I would probably not go back, but try one of the other local fish restaurants that were in the immediate area.

Fishy Fishy is Dermot O’Leary’s recent contribution to the celeb restaurant scene. Located in Brighton’s South Lanes the restaurant has a contemporary bistro feel and boasts lots of outside seating in a heated patio area. In line with the current trend for food ethics, Fishy Fishy serve fresh, local, seasonal seafood. They use sustainably sourced fish and fish that is native to our shores… for example, you won’t find tuna on the menu and lobster is only available in the summer. Considering the global overfishing crisis, this approach to serving seafood is a step in the right direction for sure!
My experience of Fishy Fishy was, overall, good. My clam chowder was thick, creamy and delicious and my smoked mackerel fish cakes were coked to perfection. My biggest problem was selecting a dish– as a huge seafood fan, I found the choice a little overwhelming! My one criticism would be a lack of atmosphere– the décor is kind of insipid and there just wasn’t much of a buzz. Oh, also the food is a bit pricey– in some cases more expensive than Riddle and Finn, and not quite as delicious…

Fishy Fishy is clearly aiming to be one of Brighton’s more popular seafood restaurants, with class and finesse as well as exceptional food. Sadly, it falls a little short of all of the above, but this is something that could be ironed out over time: as it stands, it’s a little overpriced and empty, but this need not be a permanent state of affairs.
Famously belonging to Dermot O’Leary, Fishy Fish has the air of nobel cuisine about it: dishes cost quite a substantial amount, and portions are a little on the small side. However, what is presented is tasty, very well cooked, and ethically sourced. This isn’t one of my hot topics, but I do appreciate the sentiment: I do love seafood, and want to be able to keep eating it as I get older! Also, for a place that screams ‘a little too posh for its own good’, the menu is very densely populated: the choice is much appreciated.
As well as the food, Fishy Fishy does have a brilliant location, in the small square at the top of East Street. I’ve waxed lyrical about this square before; it is one of my favourite places to hang out in the summer, and Fishy Fishy does the right thing by having some tables in the area. However, beyond the outdoor seating, the rest of the restaurant is a little spartan. It could do with some colour or design, currently it borders on dull. As well as that, the prices are quite a bit for what’s on offer, and I reckon that combination has not led many to return. It’s never busy, and that’s actually more of a problem than you’d think. Without many people sitting and enjoying the food, the blandness of the design stands out like a sore thumb.
What Fishy Fishy really needs to do is rearrange the cash flow a little. I reckon some money should be pumped into the restaurant itself: it needs a bit more style. Also, if the prices were a little lower, more people would come back. For an initial outlay, Fishy Fishy could become one of Brighton’s biggest restaurants: currently, it needs to do something to stay open for much longer. Go while it’s still around!