McCowan Fish & Chips

Always welcomed with a warm smile. Order the cod nd the halibut with chips always done to perfection. Thank you chef.

McCowan Fish and Chips is a Scarborough landmark I'm 32 years old and I have ate at this restaurant since I was a child I loved it then and I still enjoy it today they've won reader's choice awards consecutively as well as managed to deliver excellent quality fish and chips year after year anything on the menu I would highly recommend because you really can't go wrong

25 years of life and this place has never done me wrong. When you come here you're truly like family. You can tell how well the place has held up as they have customers of every background, including lots of old folks. Old folks don't go out of their way just to eat anywhere, this place is a certified Scarborough institution.

Prices have gone up in recent years but the same can be said for everywhere, the portions are still massive and I still love to support the family running the place. A Scarborough gem and a must-visit if you're craving some fish'n'chips! They don't do anything out of the ordinary with the fare, but whatever you choose to order here will be guaranteed to please.

Been a regular customer for over 30 years. Great fish and chips. Service is amazing. Super friendly staff.

Great neighbourhood fish n chips spot. Called in and ordered ahead had the halibut, totally recommend it. Pleasant service

Great people, same owners for decades. Good food, great portions, ask for the homemade gravy and tartar sauce!

The most amazing fish and chips you can possibly get in Scarborough! No doubt. Also friendliest family owned service. While we ate an old lady expressed how her and her late husband used to frequent their restaurant. After her late husband’s passing she still came to relive the good memories they had at this restaurant!

We only got to try the cod and haddock, I preferred the cod since it was a fish that was smoother and more moist. Yet the batter was still super crispy!

Service and food are fantastic. Best halibut and chips I have had in a long time. Tried others in the area, this place beats them all out for service and excellent food. Place is small, take out is perfect for family to enjoy fresh, tasty food.

I ordered 2 haddock, 1 chips and homemade tarter sauce through the skip the dishes app.
This place is a Scottish dream, just like the old country! Thin batter, thick fish and hand cut thick chips.delicious food!
They also have minced pie, mushy peas, haggis, black and mealie pudding. Beets, coleslaw and scottish bread. I should add the gravy is really nice and goes great on the minced pie with mushy peas and chips.
Only thing missing is the Irn Bru but you can't have everything.
I recommend highly! Large portions and you can share the chips as they give you a decent portion. Prices are reasonable for the amount you receive.
They also have family bundles to save you some money.
Cheers

Cute hidden spot owned by a couple (?) The woman was super nice to us and the food was very satisfying - fish was very light, tartar sauce was hitting, and fries were potato-y. Just wish there was more. Will be back for more of that fried saucy goodness

This place is incredible! Food is always delicious and the staff are very friendly. If you like fish & chips, you gotta try this spot.

Great fish and chips place! Crispy fish and chips and I love the homemade tartar sauce on the menu! They're all friendly and very very generous with portions. Must try!

Probably the best poutine in the area if only because the handcut fries and gravy are perfect and plentiful. The cheese curds are the standard non-squeeky, melty variety that almost every restaurant has. So can't complain, especially for only $6! My friend's fish order looked a good size and had no complaints. Note: Make sure to check your order for any requested utensils and small sides. They tend to forget.

Food was delicious and the serving size was huge. Definitely great meals for the price. I will definitely be back.

Really went on reviews and disappointed. If there was 0 stars i would do that. Greasy, too much breading, id rather buy a loaf and air fry it. Fish is tasteless. Price is increase to $12 for haddock and fish. I opened the box and it came apart from the grease. No fork or spoon. I asked for more tarter and the lady just gave me a look. No combo deal like some fish and chips have. Sad and disappointed.

Mom and pop owned local fish and chip resto. Food is pretty average and owners are friendly. Coleslaw more like a pickled veg.

Super tasty halibut, light and flaky and hot. Classic fish and chips, very helpful and polite staff

Like many local shops in Scarberia, this establishment probably served good fish n chips in its heyday.long story short: chips were more palatable than the fish, which had the most bland batter and was uber greasy (oil for days). Also did not appreciate how my order was taken first but was served second to a mouthy regular who stormed in saying 'you know what i want' no please and thanks #cow overall a sad visit not to be repeated

Had a craving for fish & chips today. We drop by for some halibut and chips with their gravy. The batter was light and fish moist but I think next time I will go in a bit after they open. When their fryers are heated up properly it will produce a better finished product. Chips tasted great as usual but could have been a bit more crispy. I certainly will be back. Prices have increased from 6 months ago but it is expected.

Food is decent. Gives 2 tartar sauce for fish and chips and charges 10-20cents per tartar sauce packets. Smh. Disgustingly petty

I ordered delivery yesterday from doordash and the fish was so thin and some were very overcooked and had the texture of chewing a shoe.very disappointing. I'm not sure how this place has good reviews. Their homemade tartar sauce and gravy were good though. It was extremely disappointing as we were expecting some amazing fish and chips since the reviews were good, but were very disappointed when we received it. Will not be ordering from here again.

Good fish and chips and quick service. The portion size of the fish could be bigger and more even, which would cut down on the overcooked chewy ends.
Their batter is not as thick as some other fish and chips places. Fries have a great taste and are cooked well. Shrimp is also very good.

I had the cod. It was good. I like they had the option of fish only or fish with chips. I usually dont like the chips, so the fish only option was good.

On the bad side.
- Way too oily. They didnt dab the fish in absorbent paper before packing it up
- I had two orders of cod fish. They wrapped it in a single box. It was very difficult for 2 of us to eat out of the same box. Cost savings is one thing, but not like this. They didnt even ask!
- Credit card not accepted. Only cash or debit card.

I was a fan of their foods. But they are getting worse day by day. Today I had a take away fish and chips with onion ring fries. The oil they used I don’t know what it was! I got chest burn and throat irritation after eating. Oil was every where on the plates and table. I hope they will pay more attention to the food quality.

Food: The fish was good as well as the gravy. The fries were under-salted but I suppose less salt is healthier. There were a couple of undercooked fries which was pretty gross (I'm assuming this was because of how busy it was. They were probably just trying to fulfill the orders and get everyone out the door.) The tartar sauce was disappointing as it has an overpowering taste of mayo. Tasted artifical.

Experience: I'm assuming we just went on a really busy day and they're probably understaffed due to the pandemic, however there was no structure to how they were handling takeout orders for phone, ubereats, skip the dishes, in-store, etc. I placed my ubereats pickup order at 4: 40pm with an estimated time for pickup at 5: 10pm. This changed several time before I decided to drive there and see what the hold up was. I got there around 5: 25pm to see a large lineup leading into the store. People waiting to place their orders, pickup their orders, and drivers waiting for their delivery orders. Kind of a mess especially since their sign stated 5 people should be in the store at a time. This rule was obviously not enforced by the restaurant. Anyways, we jumped the line to see what the holdup was, stated our order number to the guy packaging and distributing the orders and mentioned it should've been ready and we noticed that it was under a pile of takeout bags with labeled order numbers. He scouted it out from the stack of takeout bags and quickly put our order together. We were out of there by 5: 37pm. Had we not mentioned our order number to the guy handling the packaging and distribution of the food, we probably would have been waiting for over an hour.

Overall: I'm giving it a 3-star because the food was alright and the experience could've been better. I think I'll try this place on a less busier day.

Super yummy and great value! The restaurant is really clean and its COVID protocols are sound - makes you feel safe. Also the owners are so kind and lovely!

This place is delicious! Would highly recommend anything on the menu but especially the cod fish. Very friendly as well. We order on skip the dishes and when we call them to ask for extra condiments it’s never an issue. We had one really bad order once (it happens) but we tried again and were happy to see it wasn’t repeated.

One of the best Classic Fish & Chips in Scarborough. McCowan was one of those hidden gems that was quietly appreciated until BlogTO put it on one of their Best Lists

Don't bother going here on good Friday, went there last year and it was an FN joke, so disorganized, was supposed to pick up the order at 3pm and had to wait till 345, how the hell do they run a business?

Have been going here for the last 15 years. I will never go anywhere else. Delicious portions and very friendly staff all for a great price.

My family's favourite local fish and chips place. The halibut is nice and flaky while the chips (thick-cut fries) are crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. The portions a decent size and neatly packaged; leftover fries will keep well for toasting later.

And very polite, friendly staff!

Ordered seafood plate. They should rename it the fries plate.full of fries 1 fish 3 scallops and 3 shrimps not worth 23.00 plus tax.

Wanted to have good fish and chips. This place exceeded my expectations! This is my first visit and it WON’T be my last. We had halibut and chips. The fish is lightly battered and crispy NOT GREASY. The box was overloaded with hand cut fries. The price is worth for the quantity and quality. I must say, their calamari is the best I’ve ever had. I told the lady we will be eating in car, she gave me all items required to eat in car. Their cole slaw is good. Service was heartwarming.
I found my go to place for calamari; fish and chips

Friendly and efficient staff. Also, best FnC in the area; usually get haddock and chips (or halibut sometimes). Always cooked right and portions are generous.

I was definitely impressed, I have been looking for a good fish and chip spot for a while, this is the place. The fish was very good, and the fries were even better.way better than any fish and chip place I've been to! To top it off, the portion was big and the price was reasonable.

Update: This place is a hidden gem, so delcious, huge portions, lovely owners, and a good deal!
Really good homemade tartar sauce and yummy gravy too!

Definitely my favourite fish and chips spot!

(I had ate most of the fries by the time I took this photo haha)

Friendly and professional service. Great taste with sustainable packaging. Travels well (delivery) - does NOT go soggy! My go-to Fish n Chips restaurant: ^)

A great place for very crispy Fish N Chips in Scarborough. Definitely a hidden gem. Besides my personal favorite of Halibut and Chips I highly recommend the freshly battered Calamari Rings.

We have been visiting this gem the past few years, and found the fish and chips one of the best. We especially enjoy the haddock, halibut, shrimps, scallops and poutine. The restaurant is family owned, very friendly, and always hospitable. One of our favourite places to visit when we are in the area.

I eat here a lot since I work close by. I must say the customer service is always good and they keep the spot well organized consistently. Rates are reasonable and they serve large portions.

Good halibut and haddock. Clean oil, fries we're not dark and greasy. Nice people AND open on Sundays and Mondays, which is awsone! I recommend.

I've only tried their halibut. But the portions are big & very tasty. It's a small mom & pop shop & I like to support those. Also friendly owners.

Overall the taste was very good mind you by the time we got our order home everything was a little bit soggy as they do wrap the boxes in paper. This location is also a bit more expensive than the regular place I would normally get fish and chips from

Well done fish and chips. Fish is battered and fried per order. They shake the fish to extract any extra grease which delivers a crispy and flavourful fried fish. The chips are good, homemade and rustic style. The price is awesome. Really affordable. The portion is huge. We always order one fish and chips, and one fish for two people. It is more than enough. We ordered a family pack plus calamari when some friends came over and the final price per person was less than 10 dollars and the food was amazing. Our friends want to visit us again to have the fish and chips not because of us. LOL.