Hot, crisp, salty and best eaten straight from the box: fish and chips is one of the great takeaway meals. The harder part is finding halal fish and chips in Melbourne when you want more than one option on the menu, and a place that can feed a mixed group without a fuss.
At Illest Kebabs, seafood sits right alongside the HSPs, kebabs and burgers. This guide covers every seafood item, what it costs, and how to build the right order, whether it's a solo dinner, a family feed or a tray for a group.
The Halal Seafood Takeaway Menu at a Glance
Here's the full seafood lineup from the Illest Kebabs menu:
ItemPriceFish & Chips$17Calamari & Chips$17Calamari & Salad$17Fisherman Basket$20Flathead Fish Kebab$15Chicken Schnitzel & Chips$17
The schnitzel is there for anyone at the table who doesn't want seafood, so a mixed group can still order in one go. If you're new to the menu, our guide to family kebab meals in Melbourne shows how seafood fits alongside wraps, HSPs and burgers.
The Fisherman Basket: Best Value on the Menu
If you can't decide, start with the Fisherman Basket at $20. It's a seafood sampler served with:
Chips
2 prawns
2 pieces of flathead fish
2 pieces of calamari
Salad
Lemon
Tartare sauce
It's the easiest way to try everything once. You get fish, prawns and calamari in a single serve, plus the salad and lemon to cut through the fried richness. For one hungry person it's a full meal, and for two it works as a shared plate with an extra side.
Fisherman Basket vs Fish & Chips: Which Should You Pick?
The two orders are only $3 apart, so the choice comes down to what you want from the meal.
Pick the Fisherman Basket ($20) if you like variety. You get three kinds of seafood, salad and lemon, so every bite is a little different. It's also the better choice for a first visit, because you'll quickly learn which item you like best.
Pick the Fish & Chips ($17) if you know what you want. It's a simpler, fish-focused serve, and it's easier to share around a table when you're ordering several dishes at once. If you're ordering for a group, mixing both is a smart move.
Fish & Chips: The Classic Order
The $17 Fish & Chips is the order most people come for. It's flathead fish with a generous serve of chips, and it works with almost any sauce. Add lemon, a little salt, and you're set.
Two easy upgrades are worth knowing about. Ask for tzatziki or garlic sauce on the side, since both pair well with fried fish. Or swap plain chips for gravy fries ($8 small or $12 regular) when you want something heavier.
Calamari and Chips (or Salad)
Calamari comes two ways at $17. Calamari and chips is the filling option, while calamari and salad is lighter and suits warmer evenings or anyone cutting back on fried sides. Tartare is the classic dip, and sweet chilli is a popular alternative.
The Flathead Fish Kebab
Prefer your fish in a wrap? The flathead fish kebab is $15. You choose your bread (pita, or Turkish bread for $2 extra), your three sauces, and lettuce, tomato and onion.
It's a good middle ground between a standard kebab and a seafood plate, and it's the cheapest seafood item on the menu. If you're weighing up wrap against HSP, our comparison of HSP vs regular kebab explains the difference.
Sauces and Extras That Suit Seafood
Kebabs come with any three sauces from garlic, BBQ, chilli, sweet chilli, mayo, tomato or the signature sauce. For fish, garlic, sweet chilli and mayo are the easy winners, while chilli adds heat if you want it. Our kebab sauce guide covers the combinations in more detail.
Most of the finishing touches are $2 each: tzatziki, hummus, capsicum dip, gravy, cheese, jalapeños, olives, tabouli, pita and Turkish bread. A small Greek salad is $5 (large $10) if you want something fresh on the side.
What to Order: Quick Picks
Dinner for one: Fisherman Basket ($20) for the most variety.
Quick lunch: Flathead fish kebab ($15) or a plain Fish & Chips ($17).
Dinner for two: One Fisherman Basket plus a Calamari & Chips ($37), with a dip or two.
A mixed group: Fish & Chips, Calamari & Chips and a Chicken Schnitzel & Chips, so everyone gets what they like.
Something lighter: Calamari & Salad ($17) with a dip.
Halal Seafood for Groups and Events
Planning a gathering? The catering menu includes flathead fish with chips (20 pieces) for $40 and calamari with chips (30 pieces) for $85. Pair them with a Pure Lamb Tray (2kg, $100), a Chicken Tray (2kg, $90), a Fries Tray ($30) and a salad or two, and you've covered most tastes at the table. See the full list on our catering page.
Tips for the Best Takeaway Fish & Chips
Fried food is at its best in the first 10 to 15 minutes, so a few habits help:
Leave the container vented. Sealing it traps steam and softens the coating.
Ask for tartare or lemon on the side if you have a long trip home.
Eat the crispy items first and save the salad for last.
Our guide to keeping your kebab hot and crisp has more on this, and it applies just as well to fried seafood.
