Beat a path to this north London institution for sparklingly fresh fish and faultless chips, provided you don’t mind queuing and aren’t looking to linger romantically.

The Venue
The windows are festooned with glowing reviews, but what really convinces you to enter this no-nonsense but upmarket chippie in a typical, non-descript run of north London shops, is that every table is taken. Furthermore, a line of would-be diners snakes patiently around the bar. Two Brothers doesn’t take bookings because it doesn’t need to. The medium-sized room is decorated in a simple modern style that won’t frighten the regulars, predominantly young families and elderly Jewish couples.

The Atmosphere
Buzzing! Waitresses weave their perilous way through the closely-packed, chattering tables delivering plate after plate of classic British fish and seafood. Tables are swiftly cleared and cleaned when vacated and those at the head of the queue instantly, though politely, installed. Service is slightly chaotic as it copes with the Saturday night rush but is always friendly and well intentioned. This is not a restaurant for romantic lingering! Those finding the queues too daunting can take home the same high quality fare from the Two Brothers’ takeaway outlet right next door.

The Food
Expect classic starters like avocado vinaigrette, avocado with prawns and Marie Rose sauce, marinated herring or jellied eels, followed by a wide range of traditional battered fish with chips and a bowl of glistening, wobbly, obviously homemade tartare sauce, plus maybe a side of mushy peas. Health conscious customers have their fish steamed or grilled, and substitute new potatoes for the chips, whereas fans of Jewish food can swap batter for a coating made from matzo meal. It costs £26 a head plus service for fish cooking that would grace any West End venue charging three times the price.

A half dozen oysters, served simply with half a lemon and a mini bottle of Tabasco, are sparklingly fresh. Fish soup is as deeply flavoured and richly satisfying as one could wish. Not enough restaurants or fish and chip shops serve skate these days: here, you can even choose between a wing and the more unusual cut of a skate middle. Either way, the portions are huge, the fish again sparklingly fresh, and the batter immaculately crisp. The chips would make your granny weep with nostalgia. A steamed plaice fillet is of similarly giant proportions, and just impeccable; mild, melting, creamy of texture, utterly delicious.

Puddings turn out to be the restaurant’s only low spot. Among the lighter options – a must after those whopping plates of fish – are two scoops of bog standard ice cream, one chocolate and one vanilla, with a plastic-y butterscotch sauce. Caramelised oranges, that 70s trattoria favourite, would have had an Italian restaurateur shaking his head in disbelief as there’s barely a trace of caramel flavour. Worse by far, however, is the special of lime, mango and ginger bruleed tart: clumsily thick pastry, lumps of tasteless dried mango, no ginger flavour and a layer of gooey syrup on top where the crunchy brulee should be.

The Drink
This is a restaurant for the fish connoisseur, not the wine buff. The list is brief but perfectly adequate, with a helpful description of each variety. Wash the fab fish down with an agreeable £11.30 bottle of crisp house white and sparkling water at £2.80.

The Last Word
Two Brothers is rightly revered by Finchley-ites and worthy of a lengthy detour by those who live elsewhere. Pig out on the generous portions of faultless fish and seafood but steer well clear of those dire deserts.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (2)