Macs Fish & Chips

Seriously I have lived in Minnesota my entire life and have never had such a hearty thick walleye fillet. The cooks were super friendly and recommended the walleye for our first visit. There is a small eat in area but this mostly is a take out place for sure. We were curious as we waited for the food to get done so we decided to look up the story on the business and building. Turns out Mac’ is short for a North Star hockey player who started the restaurant in the early 90’s. Either way stop by and support this local establishment it is a neighborhood gem.

Geez… Macs is just an absolute gem — I had no idea I’d find such a little wonder in MN!
A basic review, because everything I want in a small, affordable joint is there — and it’s a mighty fine fry. 5 stars all the way — with a smile.

Mac’s is the real deal. I had halibut and shrimp and I have to say this is the best fish and chips I’ve ever encountered. I love everything about this place, especially their homemade tartar sauce and salt water taffy. Charming lil lunch spot.

This place has been hit or miss since they opened. I think that if one catches them while their deep fryer’s oil is fresh things come out pretty darned good. But if you get there when the oil should have probably already been changed, then the fish & chips come out with an unnaturally dark tone to them and greasy, I mean very greasy. It will be some time before we make our way over to this joint again.

Beautiful weather yesterday so we headed out to Mac’s to try their fish. I had the halibut ½ basket and Hubby ordered the cod sandwich. Fish was fried to perfection, crispy and hot! I’m not a huge fried food person but enjoyed their fish and having it outside in their roped off patio was great. I thought the fries were okay, the free taffy was pretty good, didn’t like the coconut but loved the salty one.

This place is the best for fish fry. The walleye is crispy on the outside, but the batter is fluffy on the inside and the fish always tastes fresh and delicious. The french fries are excellent too! If you get a value basket, it also comes with a small side of coleslaw. The inside does look pretty dicey. It is a typical hole-​in-​the-​wall restaurant: Looks kinda crappy on the outside and décor is lacking. But good God the food is greasy, delicious, and tastes like heaven! A trip here is definitely worth it when you want some good fish fry or poutine.

Great fish & chips! I always get the halibut, definately willing to pay more for such a tasty treat. I was turned onto this place in 2003 when I was doing construction work at the Como Zoo.
There are no two ways about it, the place is a dive (I mean that in the most affectionate way possible) It’s nice they added the outdoor seating, because if it’s busy there’s no way you’ll find a seat inside. I usually take out and bring it back to work.
They even make homemade salt water taffy there! Unfortunately since they fry up fish and chips the taffy does have an after taste of grease. Otherwise if you’re in the mood for some good fish and chips with a multitude of options for the fish itself, GO!

The outside of this place is an eyesore. I try not to look at it when I drive by. The little diner style building is outdated, rundown, and dirty looking I’ve passed this place plenty of times with no desire to step foot inside.
My co-​worker one day said he was headed there for some fried fish. I was surprised by this. I asked if they had fish sandwiches, he said he didn’t know, and I decided to tag along anyhow. If I was going to get sick at least I wouldn’t be alone.
I was relieved to see that the inside was really clean. The bathroom was also really clean, I still didn’t touch anything, but it was clean. The place definitely hasn’t been revived ever, I don’t know when it was built, but it looked like the design was from the 80’s, or maybe before I was born. Okay, probably not that old.
They have a few selections of fried fish baskets with fries and coleslaw. I opted for just a walleye sandwich and coleslaw. The fish was chunky, golden brown, crispy, flaky, and not at all greasy. I feel sad this is my first time here!
I did find a couple of bones which made it a little hard to fully enjoy chewing and swallowing. I also didn’t care for the bun, sorta dry. The bun, not the fish, needed tarter sauce to wake up. Coleslaw was fine. I’ll be back for just the fried fish next time.

I’ve seen this place for many years, but always on the way somewhere else. Today I had a craving for poutine, and I’d seen Mac’s sign advertising it, so I stopped because I had the time. It was well worth it.
First, Mac’s is _​clean_​. You may be thinking that a fried fish place would be greasy, but no. The walls and booths are clean. There is no haze inside from frying. You’d probably feel comfortable eating inside at one of the booths. They have outdoor tables with umbrellas, if you prefer that. I got my food to go.
They also sell made-​there salt water taffy. I got a selection (they will give you a bag and charge you by the pound). This isn’t the hard-​as-​old-​caulk kind of taffy. It was soft with just enough chew, and a little salt crunch. The flavor assortment is good. If nothing else, stop in to get some taffy!
So: Poutine.
A disclaimer: I’m not from Canada. I last was in Canada when my age could be counted on the fingers of one hand, so I don’t recall much. I don’t think we had poutine. But I dined at the Canada pavilion in Epcot at Walt Disney World a few years back, and had poutine there. Do you like potatoes and gravy? Chances are you will like poutine: Imagine French fries and gravy with cheese added. It is very tasty.
Mac’s poutine is delicious. The French fries are cut with the skin on, and I didn’t encounter any that were over-​done. They weren’t crispy inside, but fluffy, which was good for soaking up the gravy. The gravy was nicely done, not salty, a touch of pepper, would be excellent with roast beef.
Mac’s uses cheese curds. I don’t know if this is a violation of some Poutine Code, but it was really tasty! They weren’t fried cheese curds, but they were softened by the heat.
Bottom line? I’d get it again. I know where to take someone who craves poutine.
Also, I got this as a to-​go order. They added napkins, a fork, and a wet-​wipe for cleaning-​up after eating, which was nice. They covered the poutine in foil, carefully loaded it in the bag on its side, and made sure I understood to carry the bag horizontally. It arrived at home just fine, still hot, no mess.
While waiting, I looked at the menu board and the signs. There is some snarky humor with their mascot fish, such as the sign on the restroom telling you to push, then push harder, then asks if you figured it out yet. (The door handle has PULL written on it.)
They sell fish (cod and walleye were on the menu, but I gather it can change with availability), shrimp, clams, and chicken. You can get it with cole slaw. Given my experience so far, I’ll go back and try it, probably taking one of my kids with me to rate the chicken and chips option.
I’ll definitely return, it is a nice place with nice people, and polite customers (that I saw). If anything, I expect I’ll revise my review upward after I’ve had more experience with the menu.

Fantastic shrimp. Affordable

All I can say is the fish and fry’s were soggy. Check the temperature of the oil before cooking or upgrade the deep fryer.

Under the previous owner, this was a great spot. Under the new owners, not so much. Soggy fish, soggy fries, really tiny shrimps, all fried at too low a temperature. Then they add on big salt crystals in the batter, because I don’t have a salt shaker myself. If I were paying fast food prices, then yeah. But, no. I’m amazed they opened a new place.

There are times when you stumble into the perfect place after wanting something cheap, easy and effective. In this case, Cheap, easy and amazing. If you want wonderful Walleye I always refer to Axel’s in Mendota, Mn. But then I expect to pay about $ 50 per person. This place was less than $ 10 dollars a person with fish that had actual taste. Wonderful little dive that does everything right, the only thing that I wish they had was someone to clean up the tables after people had sat down, other than that enjoy.

Pretty good food tucked away for the locals. The fried clams have a great batter and the portions for the fish and chips are just right for 1. The fried fish wasn’t that oily either. The salt water taffy desert was perfect to round out the meal.
The only con is you might walk out smelling like fried food… might not be a con for some!
Great place!

Mac’s Fish and Chips is one of those shantys that you look at and know deep within yourself that, while it may not be pretty or super inviting or necessarily clean, the food will be phenomenal. This is no exception to the rule. Why splurge on décor when you can dish up fish that will draw a line out the door. Really, it looks like a run down gas station without the pumps. It’s perfect.
Mac’s is to fish what BJ’s was to hotdogs That’s a serious proclamation but I’m 100% ready and willing to defend it. Here’s why;
The cheese curds — We ordered our meal to go but we ripped into these as soon as we got in the car. They were perfectly golden brown. Perfectly crisp on the outside and the perfect balance of stringy salty moist cheese on the inside. I think I legitimately had a mouth orgasm. It was one of those foods you pop into your mouth and all you can do is nod your head. No words, just a nod in appreciation for the craftsmanship that went into the food. When you try to talk, all you can manage is a squeal. It was that. *bleep*ing. good. *Serious face*
The fried Cod — When we arrived home, I wasn’t super hungry anymore because we devoured every last remnant of cheese curd in the car, but when my eyes slowly grazed over the two large golden brown fillets resting upon a bed of fries, the beast in me awakened and I knew that it was, for sure, going to be the end of any physical activity for the rest of the evening. I knew I was about to drown in fried fish bliss and that I may never come out of it. I took that chance, and I am damn glad I did. Yes, I am a hero.
The first bite of this fish sent me into fishy nirvana. I got the wiggles and I think I smiled throughout the whole meal. Whatever you thought was a good fried fish, you’re wrong, gosh-​darn-​it, so very very wrong. It was crispy. It was flaky. It was perfectly seasoned. Yes, that is right, that crispy crunchy outside is supposed to have flavor and this one had it in every single little bite.
The coleslaw that came with our meals was good but pretty standard. I’m by no means complaining, though. When everything you’ve eaten has been fried, a little veggie is welcome. If for nothing but digestion purposes.
I beached myself on the couch for the rest of the night. I did my sexiest leg toss over Sam’s lap and slipped into food coma. I didn’t finish my combo basket. I was so enchanted with the fish that I forgot about my fries. When I came to a couple days later I found them wrinkled and alone in my fridge like a tub of forgotten fishing worms. I chucked them in the trash but made a personal vow to return Mac’s to give them another chance.
If you’re in the fried fish business, these guys are serious, and from what I can tell ya’ll need to step up your game.
This is the BEST fried fish that we’ve had the pleasure of consuming around the TC. I dare you to prove me wrong.

Fried Food of Mirth: you can find it at Mac’s.
I opted for the Cod and Clams. The cod was amazing. Batter fried to a crisp on the outside, perfectly tender flaky white fish within. Clams were fine, but I have to say I wish someone around here would start selling fried clams WITH bellies, like they do out east. Fries are standard fish house fries, which means they are fine but not anything special. Portion sizes are extremely fair for the money. It’s nice that Mac’s offers a smaller sized option for those with a smaller sized appetite. Counter service is friendly and fast. And: salt water taffy! I will be back.

The fish here is tasty, crispy on the outside, fork tender and moist on the inside. The chips? Not so much. There’s large boxes of potatoes in the dining area suggesting the chips are cut fresh but when fried they are flaccid, chewy, and oddly bitter. As far as bed mates go, it does not complement the deliciously crispy fish. It’s like Peter Griffin to Lois and Lois is definitely the more appealing partner. I think more R&D on perfecting the chip will go a long way. The chips with skins, on fried for this length of time, results in a darker, brackish and soggy chip. The service was kind and welcoming! I especially like the table condiments with the ginormous sea salt crystals and malt vinegar.
However, it’s no substitute for Anchor Fish and Chips. I came here on a Monday, when Anchor is closed, and it wasn’t a good stand-​in. Price wise, it is identical to Anchor, but not in quality.

Want to eat some excellent fried fish? Don’t care about the «ambiance»?
Splurge — Order the Classic basket with Halibut for $ 13.99 and eat it there.
It comes with 2 large fillets (lightly hand-​battered) fries, coleslaw, a small wedge of lemon, and a small cup of tarter sauce.
At the tables are canisters of coarse sea salt and Heinz Malt Vinegar. Up by their soda machine, they have large bins of Heinz ketchup with a pump on top so you can fill a small cup with this near perfect condiment.
Fries are decent, and the coleslaw was good with a little celery seed in the dressing.
I loved their Halibut! So did my companion. It was crisp on the outside, and moist on the inside. I haven’t had fried fish this good since Brit food served in the restaurant at the Walker Art Center during the Brit T.V. Advert awards in Dec. 2012 (and the Brit food was only for a limited engagement).
This fish at Mac’s would rival the fried Ling Cod I ate while in Alaska.
I’ll look forward to returning soon.

I have tried this fish hut three times only because I had purchased a few twin city deals. The first time, not knowing what to order and because the prices were terribly overpriced, I ordered a few baskets which included cole slaw and fries. The coleslaw was sour and we had to throw it away. The fries were limp and soggy, but the fish and tartar sauce was good.
The second time, we ordered four pieces of walleye only and it was good, fried perfectly, crispy, not greasy, and served with plenty of their good tartar sauce. In fact, we sat in the car, unwrapped our newspaper wrapped fish bundles, and ate it while it was nice and hot!
The third time was tonight as the coupons were expiring. We ordered fish and cheese curds. The cheese curds were pretty good if you like greasy MN State Fair cheese curds which I do not but from eating a few of these grease balls, I knew right away the oil was not hot enough when they cooked them. Fearfully, I opened my newspaper wrapped fish bundle and knew right away it was not going to be good. Exactly as I had suspected, the fish was soggy and greasy.
I am so grateful that our coupons are gone so we never have to open another newspaper wrapped, greasy fish bundle again.

I’ve been to macs a couple of times and like others the place is tiny and smells like fried foods or more so fried fish. The parking lot isn’t that big its been full the handful of times I’ve gone to the place but have been always able to find a spot to park.
Of course perfect to go to for a fish fry during lent or anytime during the year. The food is inexpensive, comes with a good portion and never fails.
If your craving a delicious, greasy and when I say GREASY it sure is the type that leaves a film on your mouth after your all done wiping the crumbs off your face. Make sure to have a coke on hand to wash it down.
I’ve gotten the chicken before and its a bit on the dry side I would pass on that, the clam strips are smaller portioned but wasn’t terrific the highlight of the place is the fried fish. They also put sea salt on their foods and have a container on each table if more is needed.
During summer time they have about 3 tables set up to eat outside otherwise expect to either do to-​go during busier times or your left stranded without a table considering they have about 5tables in the whole place. Each table also has condiments or all your extra flavor needs to make the dish just right.
Overall
I would come back if your craving fish on a warm day its a great feeling or just some greasy hang over food to cure that feeling.