Birdie' Perch - Leamington

Definitely a must for fresh delicious ash from Lake Erie, right at Lake Erie try. How often can you say you ate on a double decker bus? The experience and atmosphere is worthwhile and the fish is super delicious. The poutine is top notch as qell and its super close to point peeling so you have a rewarding treatment after a beautiful long walk

I sadly have to agree with others about the overly high praise for this place. It really comes down to expectations: when you visit a roadside fish and chips spot, you don’t anticipate waiting an hour for small portions of fried perch and fries. The staff didn’t inform us about the wait time, so it’s important to understand that this is a trendy place with good food but a long wait. If you go in expecting a simple, quick meal of fresh fish and chips, you might end up disappointed like we did. The food is tasty—there’s a nice flavor to the fish batter, the tartar sauce is good, and the po' boy has solid buns and toppings—but I wouldn’t say it was worth an hour wait at 3 PM. It doesn’t help that there are other fish and chips places nearby; knowing this, we definitely wouldn’t have waited.

I had been eagerly anticipating trying this restaurant, so my boyfriend and I finally went last night. Unfortunately, the wait was quite frustrating—50 minutes! I even had to go up and check if we had been overlooked.

One downside to the bus setup is that it seems to fall short of keeping up with demand. When I arrived, the wait time was posted on a whiteboard, showing about 45 minutes. While it was busy, I wouldn't describe it as overly crowded. This wait time appears to be pretty typical, so just be prepared to enjoy some conversation in the pleasant outdoor setting while you wait. Many reviews note that the perch doesn’t have a strong fish flavor, and I would agree. It has a mild taste and is a meaty fish. It was delicious, though, and they have fantastic breading. The fries were fresh-cut and excellent. We also ordered a side of gravy, which, while likely from a mix, was the best beef gravy I've ever had from a mix. They serve a unique dipping sauce that's tangy and peppery; I really enjoyed it, although I'm not sure if they have tartar sauce for those who prefer it. Interestingly, my kids opted for tacos—beef, to be specific. They were served open-faced, with three overlapping soft tacos topped with the same dipping sauce that accompanied the perch. The flavor was alright, and I appreciated the fresh greens, but the sauce was a bit overpowering, and the taco shells ended up being quite chewy. They also have an ice cream stand, and the soft serve was very good. I highly recommend coming for the perch and ice cream, but just be ready to relax and wait a bit for your meal.

The menu offers a good selection for a takeout establishment, with reasonable prices. I ordered the perch tacos, served on soft tortillas and topped with greens, red onions, tomatoes, and a garlic sauce. The garlic sauce was quite strong— it lingered on my breath for about an hour despite chewing gum and popping a few mints. Since I really enjoy garlic, it was well worth it. I didn't notice the sign offering to spice up the tacos, so next time I will definitely try a spicier option. Each taco contained one and a half pieces of perch, and they were possibly the best I've ever tasted. I would return just for those tacos alone! My dining companion opted for a Reuben hotdog topped with sauerkraut and onions. He loved it and remarked on how delicious my perch tacos looked, saying he would come back to try them. We also shared a small order of fries, which were thick-cut and cooked to perfection. The total for our meal, including a diet coke, came to $27.50, which I found to be very reasonable considering the quality of the food. The staff were excellent and efficient, making for a pleasant experience overall.