Scalawags Whitefish & Chips

Really nice local fish and chips spot serving exclusively great lakes fish. Walk in, walk up and order from the menu board on the wall. Reminded me of Long John Silver style process minus the chicken options. I had the walleye basket and my wife had the single piece white fish. It is fried fish and French fries, so nothing fancy. Our dinners were prepared and served within 10 minutes of ordering, with the restaurant 3/4 full, so very friendly, prompt service. Our dinners consisted of fried fish, French fries and two hushpuppies each, Cole slaw, plus a drink. The fries were good, the fish very tasty, the slaw is very nice and the hushpuppies, small, but good. Overall, a good experience.

Absolutely phenomenal food. Ordered chicken tenders and whitefish baskets. The fish and chicken 10/10, coleslaw 10/10, hush puppies 1000/10 the Tartar SAUCE 100000/10 fries are yummy too. Will come back and recommend to everybody. Service was great and fast too! Fresh crispy and delicious. We ate outside with our toddler in her stroller and it worked perfectly. Cozy spot

This little gem is tucked away so you need to look for it a bit. The sign is big but it's set back away from the sign. We're so glad we found it. The service was great and the food was so fresh. We had the white fish chowder and white fish with fries/hush puppies and fish tacos. Everything was hot and fresh! I can't think of anything they need to improve upon. Great job!

Probably the best fish sandwich I've tried in Michigan or anywhere else. Well fried whitefish, really delicate and super tasty. I ordered the 3 fish to go and the portions are large. We are it on the beach at our resort. Perfect day!

Crispy fresh fish with a very cute outdoor seating area. The perfect place to stop on a hot sunny day and sit under a tree enjoying a fish fry. Thin fries, crispy hush puppies and fresh fish. They keep the skin on the fish. We tried the walleye, perch and white fish. Freshly fried when you order. We got the baskets which come with fries, hush puppies, coleslaw and tartar sauce.

I really didn't have very high hopes for a place named Scalawags. The name alone brought visions of a tourist trap with crappy over priced food. But asking for lunch recommendations while visiting the colonial fort, Scalawags kept coming up, so we decidedto give it a shot. Walking up, it was pretty much what I expected. At the front door, you are greeted by a crusty old fisherman, hewn from a log with a chainsaw. In the dinning room, vintage fishing and camping gear adorn the walls and ceiling, with old oars and paddles making up room deviders and tin bait buckets used as light fixtures. In all reality, this place is pretty simple. Orders are placed at the counter and then brought to your table when ready. Both fountain drinks and tea are self serve and unlimited. Whatever this place may or may not be, Scalawags doesn't pretend to be something it is not. THIS is a fish and chips place. You can order a fish basket or a fish sandwich and that's pretty much it (they DO offer a chicken sandwich, but I guess they have that for some Karen that wants to be difficult). What I'm not going to do is talk about the sides. We didn't come here because we heard someone say they had the best coleslaw in Michigan, or that they make their tartar sauce by hand fresh everyday (which they may do, i didn't ask). But, by God, their white fish is the best I've ever had. It's not greasy or overly fishy tasting. The filetts generously sized and done to perfection. They are served simply, in a boat, over fries, with a couple hush puppies, a small container of slaw and some tartar sauce. If you are in search of a fancy high brow dinner, with silver and china, go simmered else. THIS place is reserved for regular folks looking for a relaxed place with fantastic fish. Great job guys, keep up the good work.

Not bad but nothing special. The sweet tea wasn’t sweet, my fish was a little dry and my daughters had a large section of bloodline making it inedible. Also I wish they would take a pressure washer to the outdoor seating area.

What an experience! A real fish boil cooked right in front of you. Reasonably priced and served up in style. You will love it!

We stopped here for lunch before heading to Mackinac island. The food was super tasty and STEAMING hot when we got it! Would 100% come here again. You order at the counter and you are given an order number. You choose your table theres some seating inside and some outside as well) and your food is brought to you. You also clean up after yourself when you are done.

Wow! Fresh, delicious. Basic fish and chips, but done right. Good food, good price. Sit outside. Great.

Really cute area and was really hoping to enjoy this food a lot more than I did. Everything was a little too heavily breaded and fried to enjoy any sort of taste. The fish barely had any taste at all. Also a pretty limited menu as well. More fast food type of food in a dine-in type of setting in my opinion.

We did it all. The white fish, the perch, the walleye, the fries and hush puppies. The number one flavor wise was the whitefish with the greatest depth of flavor here. The second one would be the walleye with the biggest portion size here and 2nd most flavor. Third and still decent is the perch which made a decent fried fish for a heavier lunch to walk off. The fries were nothing to write home about but it was nice to find a different ketchup that was more vinegar based to spice up the meal a little bit. They also have vinegar at the tables, which is usually hard to find outside of English restaurants. The hush puppies were fried and crispy, a little dense for me but I still liked them. A decent tartar sauce coming with the dishes and a light coleslaw that could have used just a smidge more mayo for me. The seating is a little harder to get, and definitely encourage if you have an extra person to be on the look out for that before you get to the counter. As well the food took a little bit to get out of the kitchen around the lunch rush, Overall 4/5 would recommend for a freshwater fish and chips spot around the mackinaw area.

Fish and chips were baked well. The clam chowder was ok. I liked the fishermen theme of the restaurant. But the food took about 40-60 minutes to arrive.

We ordered a fish taco and substituted hush puppies for fries. We received 6 small hush puppies, small cup of Cole slaw, and small dill pickle slice. The coleslaw is pretty good and served cold. The hush puppies are dense with a mild flavor. The fish taco was Moist and had a great flavor with a sauce. However, the taco was small! Not a good value at all.

Eh. I got a 2 piece fish basket. It came with fries, 2 hush puppies and Cole slaw. $15. The fries were tough and tasteless. The slaw tasted like it was bought in bulk. The hush puppies were dense and soft and tasteless. The fish had potential, but even though it was deep fried, it was soggy, not crispy. The service was quick. The cashier was nice. Someone described this place as classy. It's a fast food place. It's got a style, but it's not classy.

This place is great, but they are closed for the winter season right now. I can't wait for them to reopen in the spring!!!

Was told this is a must by long-standing locals. Ordered the whitefish basket with shrimp added. Fun nautical theme to match the food. Lineup and order and find a seat. Basket includes coleslaw, fries and hush puppies. The fish and shrimp were delicious! And the coleslaw is great too. Need pickle relish in the tarts sauce, but loved the rest. The servers are very busy but friendly and doing a great job. Looking forward to coming again! FYI - Labor Day is a busy day, they were working hard to manage everyone. Don't be in a hurry sit and enjoy your time.

What I liked about this place is how hot the fish was when it came out. I felt it was good but nothing better or worse than I've had in other places. Having seating in the patio is a nice.

The whitefish and hush puppies were very tasty. The fish was light and flaky. You could tell that it was fresh. The staff was very friendly and accommodating.

Place your order and pay at the counter inside; someone brought our food to our table. Good food, I highly recommend! We sat on the outside courtyard with our dog.

I'm not a fish eater so I'm not sure this is a fair review. Hubby and friends wanted to eat here so I found chicken tenders on their menu. They definitely weren't great and the honey mustard sauce was lacking too. Fries and hush puppies were also just alright. Hubby had a fish taco and he wasn't thrilled. The restaurant is the type where you order then have a seat and the wait staff brings the food. There is indoor and outdoor seating in a small courtyard. If you are looking to sit down and be served, this is not the place for you. For Mackinaw City, it's a cheap meal but not worth it for me.

BEST restaurant in the city! The 4 of ate here 2X in a row because the food was so good! Everyone loved the perch and believe it or not -it's the best chicken tenders I've ever had! All food is made from scratch here , including the tarter and cocktail sauces plus the breading on tue gosh and chicken is so light and flavorful. The ambiance is super low key and casual and the customer service is outstanding! It's tucked away in a little alcove of shops- just darling! Highly recommend.

Great fish and sides. We had the whitefish. It was served hot and crispy. Staff were courteous and efficient. Nice seating, indoor and outdoors.

Amazing food and customer service! The tartar sauce is some of the best I've ever had!

I didn't get to try the food because the guy taking my order was so rude to me, I couldn't order. He basically told me I could leave, so I did. He didn't like me asking too many questions and I was just trying to order fish without fries. They make it where it's more expensive for you to do that so you wont. Guess I'll never get to try it.

The white fish was amazing and delicious. The food came out hot, and fresh. The staff was extremely pleasant. Everything was clean and tidy. It was a wonderful experience EXCEPT for this awful customer that insisted on having her non service dog (a corgi) inside the restaurant. When she was told that she could not have it inside the restaurant she had a fit. There were a lot of nice tables outside, that's where we sat. She took a table with her child and dog outside, and before she left she took the ketchup bottle and squirted it all over the table!

This hidden gem is fantastic! It's been a family favorite forever and the only reason it's not getting 5 stars is because the dining area is so small so we almost always have to take it to go. There is seating outside as well, but given the weather that wouldn't have been fun. Their whitefish is my favorite, and their tartar sauce and hush puppies are unmatched!

Whitefish was perfectly prepared. Service was quick and it was a lovely outdoor setting.

The man taking the orders did not want to answer questions on the menu and was openly annoyed by them. The food was quick but we all found it pretty bland.

Best fish we had the whole week we visited. Fast service, friendly inviting seating area. Great outdoor and indoor seating. The chowder was amazing!!! I wish I took pics but we devoured our food before I thought about it. So good!!!!

Good food and friendly staff! This place is truly one of the staples rooted in Mackinaw City. The hush puppies do not have corn kernels in them for all of you that are wondering Our table covered the gamut of food...chicken tenders, perch, whitefish and hush puppies. We were all very happy with our choices.

The food was great! My husband had the Perch basket and I had the White Fish basket! A bit pricey but worth it! We enjoyed every bite. Scalawags is tricky to find, like a treasure hunt, the reward is at the end. Great service and fun Pirate ambiance.

Food was delicious! Fast service. You have a choice of sitting inside or outside. I'll be back soon!

I'm not certain whether we got a bad day or if all the four and five star reviews have low standards, but there was nothing redeeming about our meal. Unlike some reviews, service was good and no wait at all. The outdoor seating in a quiet nook is pleasant. Three of us had whitefish and fries and it was not good. Very fatty fish cuts which leads to an incredibly strong fishy taste. The vinegar couldn't even help. Kids whitefish was thin and overcooked-he couldn't even take a decent bite. Fries are bland and nothing special. One had the fish taco and it was equally bad. The iced tea was good.

Service was great and the friend fish was the best I ever had. Just wish they were closer to my home state!

Quick, friendly. We each had the walleye basket. Tasty. For the price, two pieces of fish would have been good. Should have gotten more hushpuppies. Small space but had outdoor tables too.

The food was very good! I also got it super fast! They definitely specialize in fish however. I got the Whitefish and a grilled chicken sandwich. The sandwich was a bit bland but everything else was amazing! The owner was very polite and the cashier was very patient and helpful! I only down side is the lack of AC but it's to be expected with most places on the strip!

During our 4 days visit this was our favorite. Highly recommend. Great whitefish, chicken, and shrimp!

Got the food to go. It was delicious. You can tell it's a quaint little place to eat. Was packed with customers. Guy at counter was nice but could tell girl getting orders to customer was tired. Would eat here again.

Food was delicious and hot. We used delivery. It quickly arrived after we placed the order. Great service. The restaurant itself looks very pleasant from the outside but we did not go inside. Definitely would eat here again.

What use to be a great place for whitefish isn't what it once was. Prices have went way up and portions down. And on top of that - you can't order it to go. The cashier said it messes up the kitchen staff when ordering to go !? Huh? What ? Has a new manager taken this over ?

excellent fried fish bit of a wait around lunch time but worth the wait probably the best food value in the downtown Mackinaw City area

Very popular! The fish was cooked fresh, which took a while. I loved the whitefish, but I was not a fan of the tartar sauce or the hush puppies. The tartar sauce was missing pickle relish.

Food is always hot and fried perfectly! Very friendly service and everyone greeted with a smile! Tried the new onion rings today and were excellent!

we hadn't been there in 10 years, or so. had the 2piece white fish, my wife had the chicken strips(tenders). both were under cooked -- just like 10 years ago. won't be back.

We enjoyed this quaint restaurant. This is the best fish and chips I've eaten in quite some time. Not greasy, freshly cooked, and allows for the flavor of the fish to shine. The staff were helpful and pleasant as well. By far the best place we ate at while in Mackinaw City.

We come every year. Great whitefish at a reasonable price. Good big shrimp despite being brought from ocean.

Really good fish and chips. Outdoor seating available and quick service. We tried the chowder and that was great as well.

DELICIOUS!! Loved the different fish choices and we both chose the whitefish fish and chips. What a cool difference as it was my first time having that combo- to be honest, even all the restaurants that have whitefish, non actually do fish and chips with whitefish. Why not - it's amazing! Batter is light and airy to let the fresh fish shine! The fries are really good and there's lots of lemon and malt vinegar at the table. No alcohol is served here You can sit outside in the courtyard and enjoy a great light meal at a really fair price!

Came here after an exciting day at Mackinac island! It was the perfect meal of fish and chips before heading back for the night. The fish was fried just right and the tartar sauce was balanced! The service was also very quick! It's a great little patio area to sit, relax, and enjoy a great meal

I had heard good things about Scalawags before coming to Mackinaw City. While other members of my group got pasties elsewhere (I'm not a fan), I gave the fried whitefish a try at Scalawags and it didn't disappoint. This was some of the best fish and chips I have ever had. Scalawags serves up locally sourced whitefish, which is pretty cool. At one point, they had other locations across Michigan, but this is the last remaining.

Theres a reason this place is busy year round, it's that good! Reasonably priced, fast and convenient service. Consistent quality served fresh. If your fries aren't hot send them back. Everyone needs to go here at least once, it won't be your last either. The perch was good, always is but the portion got smaller since I last went. The fish is always fresh and local.

This was amazing. The fish is cooked to order with outside seating options. Wasn't a fan of the tartar sauce but that's just me. Everything was good. My husband had the walleye and was impressed. Excellent customer service and would definitely eat there again.

Usually get the hush puppies, perch basket and shrimp basket. Taste was great as usual. This year fish portion seemed a bit smaller than I remembered (we eat here every summer). Never had the chowder but my sister-in-law loves it but it can sell out before dinner. Can be quite busy and has limited seating but it's a must for us.

There's something about being lakeside that makes me crave a good fish dinner. Go figure. While I'd prefer it to be freshly caught, I'm happy to settle with what is likely flown-in, down-home, greasy goodness, covered in homemade tartar sauce, with a side of slaw. That's what I got at Scalawags while vacationing in Mackinaw City. Scalawags is a family business, and it's quite a popular spot in Mackinaw City. Service is fast, prices are reasonable, and there just something charming about the place. You can eat indoors; you can eat outdoors, and a tasty fish sandwich and a helping of fries will please kids from one-to-92. One my next visit to Mackinaw City, Scalawags it is!

I have to say after visiting Mackinaw City often Scalawags always had amazing service, and good food. Best in the city I'd say. We often order walleye and perch from here and it is always perfectly cooked and well seasoned. It is tucked in between a couple surrounding businesses which makes for the perfect evening ambiance!

You never know what you're going to get. Any this time we found a little gem set back in a little cover of the main strip. Good food, good service, and the employees came out to meet our fur baby! Nicely surprised and I would absolutely eat there again.