Britain’s favorite cranky culinarian finally entered the Reno dining scene with his first restaurant in the Biggest Little City.
Gordon Ramsay Fish and Chips opened just a little over a week ago in the Silver Legacy Resort Casino, attracting lines of people eager to try the celebrity chef’s take on a U.K. classic.
Technically, fish and chips can be traced back to the Portuguese. Given all the grief Brits get about their food, though, it would be sporting to let them have fish and chips.
Ramsay’s version also received approval from the most important critic of all.
“I’ve had three stars in Chelsea for over two decades, two stars in France, restaurants around the globe,” Ramsay said on his official fish and chips website. “But my mum is most proud of the chippy.”
A “chippy,” by the way, is Brit-speak for a fish and chips shop.
With the exception of the chicken, I tried everything on the menu over two visits, including the fish, shrimp, lobster, Dirty Chips, toffee and Biscoff shakes, and deep-fried sticky toffee pudding pop.
Be still, my beating heart. Seriously, I hope I don’t get a heart attack.
On that note, here’s a rundown of the full Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips experience.
What is it like to order and dine at Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips in Reno?
Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips tries to emulate the look of a British chippy with pub-style doors and even a mock fire hydrant painted in the colors of the Union Jack.
It’s at the smaller end of Ramsay’s restaurants, dwarfed by the large Ramsay’s Kitchen being constructed right next to it, with a less intimidating ambiance than Ramsay’s fancier restaurants.
The restaurant was busy on a recent Saturday, but the line moved fast. The bottleneck was waiting for the kitchen to catch up with the orders. The second time I visited on a Thursday, it wasn’t as busy, but the line got long as a new employee was being trained on the register. The food was ready almost immediately after placing it, though. The wait from entering to getting the food took about half an hour both days.
There are several seating options inside and just outside the restaurant, including small and large tables plus sofa bench seating. It was easy to find a seat even when the restaurant was busy because a lot of people were taking their food to go.
Now let’s go over the food.
How does the battered fish taste in Gordon Ramsay’s fish and chips?
The star of the show, fish and chips, cost $17.99 and include three pieces of sustainable cod deep fried in a custard powder batter alongside thick-cut fries seasoned with sea salt.
I’ve tried my fair share of chippy restaurants in London, including beer-battered fish with a heavier, crunchy coating and other options that were crisp but also lighter. Ramsay’s is more like the latter, with a crispy yet airy texture. Inside, the fish was cooked perfectly — nice and firm but still juicy.
Each box of fish and chips comes with two sauces of your choice:
- Southwest Ranch: Smoky and savory without that strong ranch taste that can overpower everything else. This was the hands down favorite of everyone I ate with as it imparted a nice flavor while still allowing you to taste the fish.
- co*cktail Sauce: The menu described this take on shrimp co*cktail sauce as “bold” and it wasn’t kidding. It has a sweet and sour punch that can drown out other flavors and might be overpowering for some. I loved it, though, and it was my second-favorite sauce.
- Sriracha Aioli: It’s not that spicy, offering just a mild kick. But it’s the only option with any heat to it and the Sriracha flavor is nice.
- Curry and Mango: The first time, I could taste the curry but the mango flavor was barely there. The second time, the mango was more evident but the curry was understated. Not sure which is the real version of this sauce, but both weren’t bad.
- Gordon’s Tartar: Ramsay’s version has a hint of dill and a mild flavor profile. It might be a bit underwhelming for people who are used to stronger sauces. A squeeze of lemon wedge freshens it up and gives it a stronger citrus tang.
- Dijon Mayonnaise: I love Dijon mustard but could barely taste it at all in this sauce. It was like dipping in plain mayonnaise.
What are the fries in Gordon Ramsay’s fish and chips like?
The fries from Gordon Ramsay’s Fish & Chips are simple: thick-cut potato strips seasoned in sea salt.
The “chips” have a crispy exterior and retain their light outer crunch for a long time. Although they were seasoned just right during my first visit, they were a bit over-salted during my second visit so I ended up dipping them in sauce.
For an extra $4.99, you have three options to make your chips “Dirty”:
- Dirty No. 1: Adds jalapeno, pork chorizo, cotija cheese, red onion, chives and parsley to your fries.
- Dirty No. 2: Tops your fries with truffle, Parmesan cheese, chives and parsley.
- Dirty No. 3: Adds bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions and sour cream.
I tried the Dirty No. 2 and while it was alright, it also made my chips soggy after just a few minutes.
What’s in the shrimp box at Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips?
Like the fish box, the shrimp box at Ramsay’s costs $17.99 and comes with sea salt fries.
It comes with five pieces of battered shrimp, with a crispy coating and tender shrimp inside.
My nephew, who’s a picky eater, ate it all up. My niece loved the shrimp as well. I think the shrimp is actually better than the fish.
What’s in the lobster box at Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips?
The $20.99 lobster box comes with two pieces of crispy fried battered lobster and two pieces of battered shrimp on a bed of fries. This was my favorite of all the entrees I tried.
Lobster can easily turn into a soulless, rubbery mess when done wrong. When done right, though, you end up with tender and juicy morsels of goodness, which is what I got at Ramsay’s during both visits. Unlike the fish, the lobster can stand on its own even without any sauces.
The dish is a visual treat, too, thanks to the inclusion of the bright red lobster shell.
My only complaint is that the lobster pieces are small. Like, baby lobster small. So they aren’t as filling as the fish box, even with the inclusion of shrimp (though I guess the fries should do the job of topping you up).
What is the 'Fishwich' like at Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips?
Ramsay’s “Fishwich” isn’t a traditional fish sandwich, per se. Instead, Ramsay’s take on British street food is like a cross between a fish sandwich and a fish taco.
The Fishwich sandwiches a piece of fried battered fish in folded naan bread dressed with a salsa-like tomato relish, avocado cream and slaw. Its flavor profile leans toward the mild side.
Folks who want a bolder flavor can pour in one of the six sauces to kick up things a notch.
This Fishwich sounds like a good idea but I actually prefer a well made fish taco over this one. It was my least favorite out of the boxes I tried. The Fishwich is also quite filling, so your tummy will be set for a while after eating this.
It costs $17.99 and comes with two sauces and sea salt fries.
How’s the Crafted Lemonade and Specialty Tea at Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips?
In addition to $3.99 sodas, you also have the option of paying $4.99 for lemonade or tea. Here are my thoughts on both.
- Crafted Lemonade: Ramsay’s lemonade tastes like it’s actually made of real lemons, with a natural tartness instead of that artificial sourness from lesser alternatives. The caveat is that it’s super sweet. Like candy levels of sweet — at least for the serving I got.
- Specialty Tea: Ramsay’s sweet tea tasted quite good during my first visit, featuring an almost caramel-like undertone to it. The Specialty Tea actually reminded me of a cane sugar drink I grew up enjoying in the Philippines, so it made me nostalgic. It was on the sweeter side once again but not as over-the-top sweet as the lemonade. On my next visit, the tea tasted watered down, though, so the place still has issues with consistency.
Other drinks on the menu regular and sugar-free Red Bull plus a selection of domestic, import and craft beers, including Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Stella Artois, Modelo Especial and Pigeon Head IPL.
Sticky Toffee Shake vs. Biscoff Shake at Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips
Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips serves two types of shakes.
The Sticky Toffee Shake is inspired by the sticky toffee pudding dessert, except in shake form. It’s topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of toffee sauce that will run down the sides of your cup.
The Biscoff shake is based on the cookie from Belgium. It is also topped with whipped cream but replaces the toffee sauce with Biscoff sprinkles plus one whole Biscoff cookie.
I love sticky toffee pudding. Unfortunately, with the exception of the toffee sauce, the Sticky Toffee Shake tastes more like a regular vanilla shake.
The Biscoff shake, on the other hand, definitely has a Biscoff kick to its flavor, which I loved.
My only gripe is that it doesn’t look as good as the Biscoff shake on the website, which has an extra cookie and other fancy toppings plus a crunchy caramel coating on its rim.
The Sticky Toffee Shake and Biscoff Shake each cost $8.99.
How does the Sticky Toffee Pudding Pop taste at Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips?
The Sticky Toffee Pudding Pop is easily the most unique and memorable item at Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips.
When first saw it, I thought they made a mistake and served me a deep fried giant meatball. The lady behind the counter looked amused when she confirmed that what I was staring at was indeed the Sticky Toffee Pudding Pop.
If you love the deep-fried food at county fairs, then Ramsay’s sticky toffee pudding pop is for you. It’s basically a sticky toffee pudding cake coated in batter and deep fried. Hey, if you can deep fry ice cream, then you can certainly deep fry sticky toffee pudding.
The result is a lollipop dessert with a crunchy outer shell and soft cake interior. Oh yeah, it also comes with sticky toffee sauce and whipped cream on the side.
Perfect.
During my last visit, however, the sticky toffee pudding pops looked smaller. Not sure if the first one I tried just had more batter so it looked bigger but the size difference was noticeable. They still tasted great but it was a bit of a bummer to get a smaller serving. Also, while the pops are good, they still don’t beat a traditional sticky toffee pudding that’s done right.
The Sticky Toffee Pudding Pop costs $8.99 and comes with three pops.
A bit pricey, a little uneven, but overall good
And there you go, a rundown of the entire menu (almost) at Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips. There were some niggles here and there but the food was good overall, especially for aficionados of deep-fried food.
The menu is admittedly a bit pricey for fish and chips. But given how everything has gone up, the cost is not too bad for a Ramsay restaurant, especially when you consider dining at McDonald's can easily add up to $20 these days. The price is also within the ball park of some restaurant offerings locally for fish and chips, which makes me miss the quality and value of U.K. chippies.
If you are looking for healthy food options, Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips is not the place for you. The place also has some issues with consistency, with some offerings being better on some days than others such as the salting of the fries, the flavor of the tea and the size of the sticky toffee pudding pops. It might be just the learning curve from recently opening but, hopefully, those issues get worked out.
Three things that were consistently good though: the fish, the shrimp and especially the lobster, which is good news. If you want nicely cooked battered and fried fish, shrimp and lobster with that ideal mix of crispiness on the outside and tender, juiciness on the inside, Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips delivers.
Now if you don’t mind, I’m gonna step out and run around the block 10 times.
