Cicerello’s

Cicerello’s is definitely a place geared towards tourists and this can be seen through their pricing. So, food is overpriced. However, I do like popping in here every now rather than just heading for Kailis. I’m not a huge fan of regular fish and chips. I tend to order grilled fish instead with a side of fries. If you’re opting for grilled fish such as barramundi, this place has never disappointed me.
I feel like the chilli mussels sauce lacks sharpness and brightness. The sauce is everything in this dish and you should definitely perfect your sauce if you’re also serving it with bread. They also fail to debeard their mussels — if they do, not well.
Seafood chowder was flavourful, filled with seafood. Thoroughly enjoyed that. Would’ve been ever better if the bread was slightly toasted perhaps? The local scallops was a flop. The scallops were bland and teensy. As a whole the salad overpowered the flavour of the scallops. Would not get that again.

Why do I do this? Just deep fried. That’s all there is to say. Oh yes and also overpriced. It’s just fish and chips dropped into a deep pan of boiling oil. But I chose to come here. Again. So it’s my own fault.

This dining experience and atmosphere is what jogs my memory back to a typical West Australian experience and stays with me when I return to London. Quite pricey, staff pleasant. Seniors get a discount. We visited here twice, the first time after Richard’s cousins took us on a boat ride of The Swan River. Loved the ‘buy a Pepsi product to win an Apple iWatch’ which I’ve done in Richard’s name so fingers crossed! Good West Australian atmosphere with a coffee barista counter in one corner. Food good but I have tasted better.

It has Perth prices with a nice venue but cafeteria service. The fish is good if you buy the premium «fresh» fish. I ask «Has it ever been frozen?» whenever ordering «fresh» food. The good thing about the service level is that you can discretely bring your own beer, or bring your own wine as long as you buy some wine to get their wine glasses.

Fantastic view of fisherman harbor but that’s about where it ends as far as what is good about it I am afraid. We used to go to this place as kids when it was not a tourist trap and it used to be great for good old fashioned fish and chips.
Now the fish and chips are oily, the fish is generally cheap imported stuff unless you pay top dollar for premium fish and chips at $ 22.50 a serve. The chips are the cheap frozen variety. And to top it off very expensive for very average fish and chips. As an example a feed off fish and chips for 2 adults and 2 kids with a 600ml Coke and 2 x bottles of water was $ 80!!! You may not mind paying that for good quality fresh local fish with hand cut chips but when it’s frozen, greasy rubbish its a bit rough. The service is pretty poor too a bit like a production line!
I will be trying one of the other nearby shops like Sweetlips next time we decide to go to Freo for fish and chips. I have given this place a few chances now in the hope they might improve but I doubt I will bother again.

Old time childhood fav, I can’t fault this place, maybe that there wasn’t a lot of staff working the tills and a line that was continuously long. Seafood dishes were amazing fresh and would of had shared one of my dishes as it was huge!!! Will definitely be trying the seafood platter next time it looked amazing. Recommends going in summer as most of the good vibe seating happens to be outside near the jetty. Definitely a child fav, that’s now an adult fav too!

A tourist hotspot.
Stopped in here a while back (for my first visit actually) doing the tourist thing with a friend from out of town. At their request we had lunch here on the weekend a while back and apart from only ceiling fans to fend off the head that day the food and atmosphere was respectable.
He chose a pasta mix and I went for a grilled fish offering. Neither dish was left wanting and seemed decent value for money as we didn’t have room left for desert.
With a view of the ocean from inside (and an escape from the heat) this establishment seems to be thriving with tourists and locals alike coming in for a meal.
In my honest opinion as it is fully enclosed indoors I would think A/​C would be a more sound business investment here but that is not my decision. Other than that I have no complaints and left pretty happy overall.

We fancied some fish and chips once Sunday afternoon and thought lets drive down to Freo for a walk around and some fish and chips on the harbor. Not the best fish and chips I have ever had, but its a very busy restaurant so they are focused on pumping out high volumes of food. We ordered the premium fish and chips option, which cost $ 21.90 for several bits of battered fish, lots of chips, some coleslaw and a dip. Anything else, tarte sauce was extra. This place sells beers which was another reason for going there. The fish was actually very tasty and we were both full even though we shared the meal. Its just a little chaotic with the wind blowing your stuff everywhere and the seagulls waiting to get your food. But thats part of the overall experience I suppose. So if you dont mind a little bit of chaos and want some reasonably priced fish and chips on the harbour this is a good a choice as any.

This is a ‘relative’ two star rating. That is to say, relative to a ‘good’ fish and chip shop. As this is obviously geared towards the weekend tourists, I would rate this ‘as expected’.
Good view, as you are IN the harbor. The service was good even by tourist standards.
The problems lie in the tasteless frozen fish and prawns. They did the unspeakable and serve frozen fresh water, farmed prawns. They literally had no taste!
The fish was good enough for what it was… but the oil had cooled after a day of tourists and we found it to be more than a bit greasy…
The worst transgression of all? They watered down the vinegar! I actually drank some straight from the bottle to be sure!
I can almost forgive all… it us a tourist spot after all… but not the vinegar! If they will scrimp on that, then what else will they do?
Go for the tourist experience… just don’t expect much!

I’m giving it a solid 3.5 at Cicerello’s. There’s good and bad to be had.
The bad:
* strange cluttered ordering system, esp in the busy times. Kids, tourists, the lost and the bewildered everywhere blocking up the one-​way chute
* pricey for, essentially, frozen fish fillets and frozen bulk buy chips (even the special order fish originates as a frozen fillet)
* nobody seems to be on toilet clean up duty and because they are busy, they get very grotty
* pick up station is chaotic — too close to the one-​way chute exit and an access door. Confusion abounds amongst the general patronage (read: tourists)
The good:
* well, it’s sort of an institution to eat fish and chips when you go to Freo and Cicerello’s is my pick of the options at Fishing Boat Harbour
* pretty aquariums, even in the bathrooms
* plenty of drink options, including mini bottles of alcohol, if you just feel like a glass
* the view: you’re on the harbour, you can’t beat it. If the upstairs terrace is open, give it a go (less flies!)
* decent amount of seating
* it seems they change their oil often, so I’ve never had anything that tasted like it was cooked in over-​used oil
* ATM outside and now they do pay pass as well
* always busy. That many people can’t be wrong, even if the majority are only one-​time visitors
I was a little disappointed with my ‘usual’ — the salt and pepper squid on the weekend. It was evident my squid was sitting in a bain marie long before the chips and the fish were ready, so it got cold. It was far too busy to consider taking it back, esp since I had managed to jag a rare seat upstairs (some distance away from the counter). Couldn’t be bothered. But that’s the one and only time I can gripe about the temperature of my food all the times I have visited, so that should be noted.
Cicerello’s is the spot I will often take my visitors, just for the experience. In the high season, they have live music and/​or a dude shucking fresh oysters on the moored boat to the right of the Jet Boat dock in the harbour, on weekends.

Popped in here for breakfast, not expecting a lot. What we had was delicious bacon, eggs and mushrooms and the best cup of coffee I’ve had in Freo this weekend — all for half the price. And of course a view to die for.

I have very fond memories of Cicerellos from my childhood, and as the weather has started to warm up, I thought it would be the perfect place for lunch, although I don’t think I’ll be back.
You enter, grab your drinks and line up to place your order. I think that is the first problem — you don’t really have time to read through a menu, rather you just read off the overhead menu board (not dissimilar to a fast food outlet).
We placed our order and received a buzzer that told us when we needed to collect our food. It was ready quite quickly and the food was actually quite good. The grilled fish I had was cooked perfectly and very tender. There was a butter sauce on the side that gave the fish a creamy texture and added a lot of flavour.
My problem with Cicerellos is very similar to the rest of the reviews I’ve read — the price and the service don’t match up. The way you place your order and collect it yourself suggests bar/​fast food outlet and the price suggests high end restaurant quality food. To be honest, the food was good, but I have definitely had better and you don’t actually receive any service. I think that the labour savings they make by not having service staff should be reflected in the prices — which they aren’t. I almost find the prices offensive for the product and service that they deliver.
I would recommend trying Sweetlips or Joe’s Fish Shack if you’re in the area instead.

J’ai eu l’occasion d’aller visiter ce port de pêche un dimanche parfait: ensoleillé, ciel ultra bleu, hyper dégagé !
Le moment idéal, mais évidemment c’était ultra blindé de monde. Très familial avec son parc et touristique, c’est un coin à voir quand on est en voyage à Perth !
Circerello’s est une véritable institution à Fremantle. Leur spécialité: les fish N chips ! Et là, je dois dire qu’il y avait du niveau ! C’est immense, et on peut regretter le côté «à la chaîné» du lieu et du service. On fait la queue, on passé commande, on paye et le tout est emballé dans de grandes feuilles de papier. Ensuite, c’est la guerre pour trouver une place ! Ce qui leur coûte la 5ème étoile !
On a pris, deux Fish N Chips, et on a eu de la chance de se poser en terrasse avec une super vue sur le port.
Comptez quand même 30 dollars australien (environ 25 euros) pour deux fish N Chips, mais la vie est chère à Perth, donc ça reste relativement raisonnable pour là bas.
Honnêtement, ce sont les meilleurs Fish N Chips que j’ai eu l’occasion de goûter jusqu’à présent. Le poisson était frais, et ça fait toute la différence, la panure pas trop huileuse, et les «Chips» croustillants !
Une bonne adresse !

This used to be a family styled affordable fish and chip shop that was styled for families and a family friendly price. These days it’s based for attracting tourists and charges a heftier price tag for what you really get. Still good fish and chips. But a bit too much huff n puff for what you really want. A nice cheap fish n chips by the water.

Still the same ol’ Cicerello’s, that’s not a bad thing either! Quiet mid week afternoon coffee overlooking the harbour. Needed a relaxed afternoon!

Look, I haven’t been for about 13 months, but it was so bad I would never return. The food borders on inedible and the prices are outrageous.
I’m embarrassed every time I see an ad proclaiming it a destination for Perths best fish and chips.
Try Sweet Lips for the best fish and chips in the area, they have also just redone the landscaping out the front and it’s pretty awesome.

I took the train into Fremantle on a recent holiday when much of central Perth was closed and quiet, and found a lively town on/​near the water that reminded me somewhat of the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego.
Cicerello’s is at a touristy location (ahem, as visited by yours truly) right on the harbour, but compared to other waterfront restaurants that I walked past, the prices weren’t too outrageous. There’s a quick, efficient, cafeteria-​style ordering system where you grab your drinks out of a refrigerator, place your order at a cash register, and then wait for your meal to be prepared.
I had the seafood tray which had generous portions of fish and chips, prawns, squid rings, and a crab stick, and I washed this down with a refreshing glass of sparkling wine.
Touristy nature aside, not a bad way to spend an evening along the water on a holiday when most everything else is closed.

According to my cousins (who are locals) Cicerello’s is better than Kailis… ;) They brought us here for dinner to top off a day full of touristy activities. It’s quite pricey, but you get a LOT of food. We had to eat the Aussie way with lots of vinegar and a ginger beer. I love ginger beer. Luckily we discovered it at our local BevMo once we arrived home to the Bay Area! :D
The aquarium is a nice touch :)

I don’t mean to come on all like Scrooge McDuck here, but Cicerello’s isn’t just a bit overpriced, it’s WAY overpriced. It’s hard to enjoy a meal here without the lingering feeling that I have just been robbed. Not to mention that personally, this place gives off an uncomfortably touristy vibe.
Sure, it’s a nice idea to grab fish and chips on the fisherman’s’ wharf, but there are more cost-​effective and enjoyable alternatives. I recommend finding one of the great fish and chip shops in East Fremantle (Taaj To Go is my favourite) and taking your chips up to Monument Hill or even the nearby Leighton Beach; you’ll have more food and a quieter place to enjoy a nicer view. This joint is overpriced and overrated.

A bit overpriced for just your fish and chips so I always opt for the chilli mussels instead (which in hindsight are also overpriced). Nonetheless, I enjoy making a huge mess with chilli sauce going everywhere while I search for rogue mussel pieces in the sea of red deliciousness. And there’s a bib. Anyone with a bib over the age of two is cool with me.
Nice view, nice food, and a supplier of bibs for children and adults alike. What more could you ask for?

Fremantle = Fish & Chips.
This is a well-​known fact that is embedded in the minds of Sunday strolling locals and visitors alike.
Fremantle + Fish and Chips = Cicerellos.
This is another well-​known but more debated fact.
The selection of fish here is tremendous. The speedy fish fairies that produce the monstrous orders out of sight must be mythical creatures that not only manage to cover a beautiful piece of barramundi in pixie dust (more commonly known as batter) but also majestically reduce the levels of greasy oil on your fingers and lips. Even the sea-​birds are well voiced in all Cicerello matters as they come in droves to pinch what they can. Feed them however and you will be reimbursed with not-​so-​majestic droppings.