The Whale’s Tail

Well, based on reviews, we drove all the way to White Rock to go to the Whale’s Tail. But guess what? it was CLOSED AT 4PM on a SATURDAY! We ate a couple doors down instead (LOVED IT!) and left just after 5pm (they STILL weren’t open!). Either their hours are terrible, or they are closed for good (by the condition of the sign, you wouldn’t know there was a business there!). Either way, shame we missed them… no hours posted on here and NO HOURS POSTED ON THEIR STOREFRONT ANYWHERE!!! A phone call doesn’t get anything either. Might be good food (from what I’ve read), but so far, terrible business people!

I walked in at closing time, when he was only taking to-​go orders. I asked him for any left over fish so he didn’t have to use his kitchen. He didn’t understand my request, and so I ordered from the menu. I went to a bench across the railroads, ate my take-​out there in the remnants of the sunset till the tail lights of cars waiting at the US Border was the brightest lights around. What a wonderful meal. So delicious! And generous portions. Thank you, The Whale’s Tail!

Came back for my second time today. The fish is great, the fries are cooked perfectly, and the owner is super friendly. The place even comes with regular customers who love to chat and will make you feel right at home. A new favorite for sure.

The fish and chips is less battered here than other places so it’s really up to your preference. I think I prefer the unhealthier, greasier versions more. The good news is he put everything into a nice take-​out box for us to enjoy on the beach, the bad news is he forgot to give us coleslaw, so that was kind of a bummer. I would skip the seafood chowder as it was tomato-​based with frozen shrimp and didn’t have much depth in flavour.

We just had lunch today and I was very impressed with the large single piece of fish and fries! Not greasy and so tasty, I would definitely recommend The Whale Tail for healthy tasting fish and chips!

The owner is the only one here as I write this, and therefore I’ve been waiting for about 15 minutes (I’m guessing but it feels like much longer). He’s just brought me my food and the bag is heavy!
–Eating–
We took our two piece ling cod and chips to go and ate on the grass across the road. The portion really was amazing and the food was seasoned very well.
I agree with other reviewers that it’s better to have a thin, crispy batter and more fish — only trouble is, I think he let the oil get too cold.
So although seasoned very well and with great portions, we ate some very greasy and soggy fries in addition to our greasy and somewhat (though not terribly) undercooked fish.
I could hear beepers going off in the back, so I’m sure everthing was timed to perfection, but I think he could use a good thermometer with an alarm.
I hope he usually has help and that things are usually as good as others have written. Would definitely try it again and will give this a four star review for two reasons: 1) I understand exactly why this happened and think the meal would’ve been excellent otherwise, and 2) although his English was poor, he was very friendly and would likely have made the meal over had I noticed it earlier.

When the fries on your meal are every bit as good as the meal, you know you’ve found something good.
I’ve come to White Rock before and tried the so called «best» Fish and Chips places and for the most part have been unimpressed. They were mostly greasy and had doughy batter, the same thing you’d find in a bar. Having fresh fish isn’t the only thing that makes good fish and chips.
I came here on an off day and followed the recommendations I’ve heard. Sure enough, the restaurant is nothing spectacular, and it almost made me think I was in the wrong place. But after tasting the Ling Cod with fries I was sold. It’s light and crispy. All the flavour without the super heavy feel.
If you want a light and tasty fish and chips by the water, definitely give this a try. I’ll be sure to come back next time I’m in town.

In July of 2014, the boys and I stumbled upon this gem in White Rock. The Whale’s Tail is a little hole in the wall with outdoor tables facing the beach. We were greeted by the owner and also one of the regular customers, a retired resident of White Rock for 40 years. His friends came by a little later and they all told us that this was the best fish and chips place in town.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating, which came soon enough. My ling cod was very, very fresh (it’s caught fresh off the boat daily) and the batter was light and crispy (not greasy). Apparently, the fish is grilled instead of deep fried. The coleslaw was incredible — it was freshly made and seasoned perfectly. Although I ordered two pieces of cod, I was given three pieces! Bonus!
While we were chatting with the regulars, the owner came and brought out complimentary apple pie a la mode for everyone! We had a very lovely afternoon and will definitely return.

Greeted by a friendly Japanese cook. I am here for the ling cod and chips which was recommended to me by a customer of my workplace. So far I like what I see. This place has 18 seats including the sushi bar. The cook even pointed out the fish and chips section of the menu. I’m looking at this two piece but hold on there’s three pieces!!! And whoa this is not deep fried. It’s steamed and then cooked on the flat top. I love this take on fish and chips. The fries are delicious and the house made tartar sauce is so good. I don’t usually give 5 stars because no restaurant is perfect. But Dambit this place hits the spot. I want to come back here in the summer time but I know it’s gonna be packed!!! Well worth the wait though. I ran out of tartar sauce cuz I was going crazy dipping my fish and chips into it and about to ask him for more and he came out and just refilled my tartar sauce. Thank you I’ll be back with family.

Japanese excellence at its Finest. Whale’s Tale is the place to go for fish/​sushi

They just added SUSHIi to the menu here and its very good. Lets just say the east beach neighbourhood is very pleased! Sushi is better than most I’ve had in Vancouver.

I stopped here this afternoon after evaluating the competition. Being a sucker for a bargain, I ordered the advertised afternoon/​evening special which has two pieces of fish for $ 9.98. That is several dollars less than nearby restaurants.
I sat outside and my meal arrived reasonably fast. It is apparently LING cod which is – of course — not really COD. The pieces were flat not the chunky pieces that others serve. The batter is thin and slides off the fish. The results were okay and edible. The handful of fries was somehow burnt on the ends. The coffee was actually quite good.
The owners were busy inside most of my meal having a huge argument with the only other diners. They were apparently outraged at quality of their meal and the argument still raged as I walked away…

I am a local and live about a block from The Whale’s Tale. I have tried a half dozen or so fish and chips joints down here, and now The Whale’s Tale is the only one I will eat at.
I say this because of the way they prepare their food. Nothing is deep fried and dripping with oil like all the other places, so as a guy who watches his blood pressure, this is by far the healthiest option around for fish and chips.
They use a special baking method for the fish and the fries. Still a light, tasty batter, but minus all the artery clogging grease.
I usually have the 1 piece halibut with fries and it is absolutely delicious! I would recommend this restaurant for the health benefits alone, but the fact that the food is so tasty makes it a total winner.
Like most places along the East Beach Marine Drive, it’s a small hole in the wall. It may be hit and miss on the busiest days whether you can get a seat or not, but there’s always take out :-)

The Whales Tale is rated one of the best fish and chip shops in White Rock. Do I agree?
I had the 1 piece halibut fish and chips ($ 8.95) and it was just terrific. It’s not quite your typical English pub style with thick batter, but rather a thinner while still very crispy and delicious coating. The fries were the same — not swimming in oil, but crunchy good.
And it’s all considerably less greasy than your typical fish and chip meal. So yes, this is the best fish and chips I’ve had in White Rock.
The biggest negative here is the wait: my order took about 25 minutes to get (there was another customer at a table). So if you’re in a hurry, take note.
The interior is quite small and has seating for about 16 people in 5 tables. There’s a couple tables outside if you want to enjoy your fish on the sidewalk.
The location is good if you are hanging out on the East end of the beach here. BTW, Shaw Open Wi-​Fi is very good here, in case you want to go online while waiting for your order…

I don’t usually neglect to check into a place, but I was so taken by the excellent fish and chips (I had two pieces of ling cod) I forgot about checking in after I bookmarked this gem on the East end of Marine Drive. What sealed the deal for me was a truly glowing endorsement from one of the regulars, a retired schoolteacher who has lived in White Rock for 40 years. Hands down the best cod and chips I’ve had so far, if you like your fish melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender inside a crisp, light batter. Even the coleslaw was crisp and flavourful. What’s more, the proprietor so went out of his way to make us feel at home I could’ve spent the rest of the day hanging out at our outdoor table facing the beach!

New owners as of this season. Was skeptical, but no need! They are SO nice. Their english is not great, but good enough to get your order right and have a friendly encounter. They are courteous and attentive but not overbearing (keeping water full, making sure you have all you need…). The fish is just as fresh as when Eddie owned the place and dare I say it??? The food was BETTER. Yes. Better. The cod is flaky and moist, not mushy, the fries crisp and delicious. The chowder is out of this world. Big chunks of fresh fish and nice, meaty clams in a beautiful red broth. Where else can you get Manhattan style chowder??? Everyone else seems to do cream based. I am a huge fan of the red. I’ve eaten here 3 times in the last month and have enjoyed every single time. The owner/​chef was by himself this past Sunday, had 3 tables to serve and was very gracious. We couldn’t help but help him out! Pouring our own water and getting our own utensils… he was so thankful. Like it was a hardship to us?! It wasn’t, the food was worth the small wait and it’s a comfy place to hang out with a book while you’re waiting. He brought us fresh coleslaw, on the house and I have to say, it was the BEST I’ve ever eaten! I’m almost afraid to recommend this place… I don’t want to have to wait in line!

The Whale’s Tale is the most amazing fish and chips place! From the outside, this place does not look very noticeable, especially on a street lined by fish and chips shops. The space inside is quit small as well. But the food, oh the food! Honestly, this review will not do this place justice. You have to try it to understand why it is head and shoulder above the all the other fish and chips places. The cooking method and the batter are the key for success here. The batter is light and very well seasoned. I have no idea how they did it but the fish comes out crispy but not greasy. On top of that, they got some incredible coleslaw. I would definitely not skip out on the coleslaw!
Because this is a small scale operation, the food takes a little longer to come out … but that means they are guarantee fresh and make-​to-​order. I am willing to come all the way down to White Rock JUST for that fish and chips! Totally awesome!

AWESOME! I asked for ‘best restaurant in White Rock’ in Google search & this small café popped up. Their claim to fame is ‘greaseless fish & chips & fries’. I had the salmon fillet (so big I took ½ home) & fries. The salmon was moist & tender with a crispy crust that indeed was ‘greaseless’. The fries were incredible… light & delicate with just the right amount of seasoning. Since these are not deep-​fried the food takes a bit to be prepared but well worth the wait. They also specialize in fresh fruit yogurt ice cream but I was too full to be be tempted.