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We are open for the 2023 Season!
Did you know you can now place an order online for pick-up?
Just click on
Order Online on the menu above during our open hours!
See you soon!

Please visit our Facebook page for updates!

231-436-7777

Tour Our Restaurant







Scalawags Whitefish & Chips
Hours & Location

We are open for the 2023 Season!
See you soon!

Please visit our Facebook page for updates!

226 E. Central Ave, Mackinaw City, MI ‎49701

231-436-7777

Find us on Google Maps!
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April

Thurs. - Sun.
11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

May

11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

June

11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

 

July - August

11 a.m. - 9 p.m.


September

11 a.m. - 9 p.m.


October

11 a.m. - 8 p.m.


November

Thurs. - Sun.
11 a.m. - 8 p.m.


November

Closed for the Season

November 22, 2023



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231-436-7777

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About Scalawags Whitefish & Chips

We are openfor the 2023 Season!
See you soon!

View Our Hours & Location

Review Us on Google+

231-436-7777

Scalawags Whitefish & Chips is a locally owned and operated Northern Michigan tradition.
We are a quick-service, casual seafood dining establishment featuring the freshest Whitefish, Perch, and Walleye harvested from the Great Lakes.

Scalawags is open from late April through October each year. For more than 30 years, families and groups have planned their vacations and trips
to Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island around a meal at Scalawag's Whitefish and Chips.

Whether dining in or taking your meal out for a lake-view picnic, we are dedicated to serving the freshest Great Lakes Whitefish around.

 


What Fresh Whitefish Means to You

Taking a bite out of the Great Lakes has never been more satisfying than it is today at Scalawags Whitefish and Chips in Mackinaw City, established in 1992. Now, almost 30 years later, we're still serving up delicious, fresh whitefish to longtime customers as well as newcomers every year.

We are all about fresh fish from the Great Lakes, eating healthy and using the right ingredients.

Besides our best-selling whitefish and unbeatable tartar sauce, compliments are coming in constantly for our whitefish chowder and hush puppies.

More popular than it has ever been, the demand for freshwater fish has steadily increased over the past decades not only because more and more are finding out how great it tastes, but also because of its health benefits. We use only the freshest ingredients, and a top-quality, zero tans fat oil for cooking our fish.

Demand for freshwater fish like whitefish, perch and walleye is at an all-time high right there alongside the traditional seafood favorites like shrimp, lobster, tuna and scallops. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, the supply of whitefish and other delectable freshwater fish has experienced a steady decline, causing an unavoidable increase in price seen more commonly with seafood.

More foreigners are buying available commercial fishing licenses in the Great Lakes, harvesting and taking their catch back to their native country to sell. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has reformatted fishing zones and changed the allotments given to commercial operations. Zones that appear to be getting fished out are restricted in an effort to rebuild stock.

More concerning than the issues impacting commercial fisherman in the Great Lakes, is the ever-growing threat of invasive species competing for food with native fish species. The presence of more and more predator fish is compounding the problem. Even the ice cover or lack of it on the Great Lakes can negatively impact the larvae and spawning factors that affect the fish population.

All of this is having an impact on the availability and price of Great Lakes fish. In today's market, consumers consider whitefish a specialty item similar to perch and walleye.

Scalawags customers can have it all. Building on our strong reputation as having the best whitefish, our visitors can choose from a number of menu items including whitefish, perch, walleye, shrimp and chicken tenders. There are turkey, ham and whitefish sandwiches along with our mouth-watering whitefish reuben.

Heartfelt gratitude goes out to our loyal customers. Because of them, Scalawags in Mackinaw City will continue to set the standard for Great Lakes fresh fish, overcoming obstacles, which necessarily impact pricing.

We will continue to keep up on the issues affecting the commercial fishing industry and the Great Lakes fisheries. And, we will keep our customers up to date with legislation and research as well as ways you can get involved to preserve the environment of our Great Lakes and the health of our fish.

REVIEWS

TripAdvisor - 4.5 stars based on 667 reviews | Google - 4.5 stars based on 1,355reviews | Yelp - 4 stars based on 253 reviews

Review Us on Google+
  • This restaurant has quick service and great food! Their atmosphere is very "great lake esque" with fishing gear all over the walls. Their food came out really fast and it was delicious. They use a batter to coat and then fry their fish and shrimp, which was much better than the usual shrimp coating you'd find at lower quality restaurants. There is also an option to eat outside in front of building on the cobblestone patio.

    5 stars

  • Awesome fried whitefish! The antique nautical theme of the inside dining area feels cozy and warm. The staff is fast and courteous. I ordered the white fish taco, and it was the best fried white fish I had in a long time.

    5 stars

  • The food was delicious. I cannot begin to describe how wonderful it was. I had the walleye and it melted in my mouth. My wife had the perch and it was equally as wonderful. The service was fast and friendly. My daughter had the shrimp which was big and juicy. Everything was fried with a fluffy crust that wasn't too overbearing. The only down side was how small the place was but it added to the setting. Love this place and recommend it as a must eat if in Mackinaw.

    5 stars

  • This place has great food. My wife had the white fish and my son and I had the chicken tenders which were amazing honestly some of the best I've ever had they were not the frozen kind you find at fast food places. Hush puppies were damn good too. A must when in town.

    5 stars

  • Love this place! We eat there every summer. Best fish, coleslaw,and most amazing tartar sauce, and I've never liked tartar sauce before. And friendly staff. What more could you ask for. Thanks for the great food and we'll see you next summer.

    5 stars