Cowbridge Fish Bar in The Vale of Glamorgan

I keep giving this place a second chance, but the disappointment continues. Nothing wrong with the food, in fact its usually very good, but service is poor. The 'kids' serving try their best, are polite and courteous enough, but the current crew do seem out of their depth. My main issue is the time it takes from placing your order to actually receiving your meal. On my last visit there were three serving front of house and two behind the fryer, who appeared to be having a jolly old time. It took 20 minutes to get my of double pie and chips and I just wonder exactly how difficult can that be? There were only 3 other cusomers in the shop, we weren't waiting for a fresh batch of chips. My order was taken reasonably quickly, as was payment, so I suppose once you've paid, you either have to patiently wait and set frustration aside, or ask for your money back. On another note I can't recall another chippy where you pay before your food is actually prepared. Perhaps people have ordered in the past, got fed up and left without their food. Maybe that's where up front payment comes from? I thought chip shops were classed as fast food outlets, well not in Cowbridge. So come on Cowbridge Fish Bar, just how long can it take 5 people (with only 3 customers in the shop), to serve up two portions of pie and chips? Whilst waiting, another customer ordered a tray of chips and gravy about 10 minutes before I left. Not sure exactly how long that transaction took to complete, but he was still there when I eventually left. The 'system' seems to be set up strictly to benefit the owner and to the detriment of customers. Or is it just that priority is given to online orders? If that's the case perhaps customers could refer to a numerical queuing system just like phoning your docter. By the way online orders were picked during my 20 minute stint. Its such a shame because the quality of food has a lot going for it. I'll try againg soon and report any changes or otherwise! Spud Basher.

Really silly opening hours, stupidly expensive, portion sizes vary dramatically, and the quality varies also. The staff are nice enough, but I wouldn’t want to work there, so I get their apathy. If you live in the area, you don’t have much choice, hence the crazy prices I should imagine. They have a captive audience. Been 3 times now, and I keep hoping for a better experience but remain disappointed. Will probably leave it quite a while before I return. Sort the opening hours out, too. A real shame.

Regular visitor, fish (Cod) is outstanding, good size, filleted and skinned, never had a chip problem usually order online, very efficient web site and service

Fish keeps on getting smaller and smaller, but more expensive. Chips were half scraps. What is there is nice, but not worth the money anymore sadly.

I've been here a fair few times to give this place a fair shot, and perhaps the outcome would be different. Each time I have had a poor experience with the food, the chips are awful, I don't know what kind of oil you use but it tastes like dish soap! The chips are too greasy and need to be fried longer, they have sometimes been undercooked. The fish isn't great either, the batter is waaay too oily and it's hard to finish, the fish tastes okay though, it's difficult to say for certain because of the bad chips and fish batter. I'm not entirely sure how everyone can enjoy these but some seem to be, It would be great if something changed here as there don't seem to be any good evening takeaway establishments in Cowbridge. The staff are very polite and provide a good service, I'm just not happy with the food!

Patronised this fish and chip shop since it opened more than ten years ago. Excellent service, outstanding plaice (which I order each time). Moved to USA (wife is American, children and grandchildren are close by) so unfortunately my regular plaice and chips has ended, except on visits back to UK. Very highly recommended.

Always get the chicken nuggets from here, they're always crispy and a great price for the amount you can get, Good staff to. (Even if I'm judge for my love of salt lol) Overall good shop don't understand the low reviews

Fantastic service, friendly staff, and the chips are amazing. Best chips I've had in a long time. 😋

Got food poison from this place last night sick every where

Overpriced, poorly cooked, probably the worst chips I’ve ever tasted. Thick cut and greasy. Seriously don’t bother! I won’t be. Staff were pleasant but it’s not their fault.

This is a great little fish and chip shop. The food was very enjoyable. Staff were friendly. Service was fast. Great fish shop if in area.

This is a great little fish and chip shop. The food was very enjoyable. Staff were friendly. Service was fast. Great fish shop if in area.

Always excellent food from here hot fresh and value for money

we are regular customers, always cod & chips, always quality never neaded to make a complaint. Phoning order through good option, no queuing.staff friendly and curteous. mushy peas bit pricy

Try and horrible curry and chips

The young lady with ginger hair served me beautifully. She is a delight. I enjoyed my fish and chips immensely and have revisited three times since, always welcomed and always satisfied. Thank-you young lady xxx

Sorry to say but probably worst fish chips ever had. Fish tasteless and hardish, chips soggy from batter and half cooked.hardly any customers , no wonder.

Had scampi and chips today and I must say the best I've ever had from a fish and chips shop,chips were awesome. I'll be back

Food is good and the online ordering is simple. Only problem is that they have no facility to pay for order online

The girl with ginger hair in her 20s serving me asked me what I wanted for me to then reply with half of my order, she then decides to randomly start talking to the women behind me about her personal life? Then decides she’s ready to come back to me with the price when I hadn’t finished ordering. Straight away I was instantly frustrated and angry. Absolutely terrible service and we will not be returning!

Very greasy chips. I couldn’t eat them. Maybe oil wasn’t hot enough but if you can’t get the chips right what hope is there.

£18.30 for two portions of fish goujons, chips and mushy peas. Won't go back, sorry guys. I'd have been happier with a bar meal and it would have cost the same.

Reliable, well cooked haddock. Good service and the online service is excellent. Recommended. Chips are good. We use regularly.

Fish and chips were absolutely tasteless, plus the fish was limp with fatty batter. £20 wasted I'd never go there again and advise others to steer clear....

Hubby & I were ravenous after setting up our stand on Saturday at the Cowbridge Food Festival. We ordered 2 award winning portions of cod & chips. Wow!! What an organic delight. No wonder they have achieved such prestigious awards. Served by a lovely young girl front end, I watched information shown on the screen over the counter about where the fish was caught and by whst boat. What type of potato was used for the chips, and by the way, they were the best ever. From 2 very stuffed cheesemakers from Blaenafon Cheddar Get stuck in !!

Hands down the best chips I've ever eaten. Guy serving knew his potatoes and it shows, crisp, dry and full of flavour. Very welcoming, clean and tidy.

Good local chippy. Not much more I can say. The batter was quite soggy. I'm not sure why. Chips were good though.

Top notch, haven't been for a while, but a happy return to substantial fair and quality chips.

Proper nice. The home made fishcake is boom, the chips are spot on. One of my favourate chippies. Staff are polite and hard working, hygiene standards really good too. If your local or passing it's worth a stop.

The best chips I've ever had from a chippy. The scampi wasn't 5 star but it didn't matter. Definitely try this place if you're stopping by.

Fresh well prepared. Good counter service. Very enjoyable

Best fish & chips on earth! Always the highlight of my visits to Cowbridge

Just had fish and chips tonight and was absolute delicious .My wife had the sausage and that was very good.Thank you for your great service.

Good quality food at a comparable/ competitive price and always with excellent customer service.

We decided to try the Cowbridge Fish Bar again and are really happy to share how it has improved since our last visit. 2 great freshly cooked takeaway meals. We so hope the quality is maintained Well done and thank you Cowbridge Fish Bar

Nice staff, good service , great food. You can also order online to avoid the long wait

Not bad, had better elsewhere tbh

Excellent but pricey but you pay for What you get

It’s a shame there’s no competition in the area. Used to be half decent but it’s bang average to poor these days. If you’re lucky you’ll get a decent bit of fish n chips with nice crispy batter once every 5 visits. I won’t be bothering trying to get lucky anymore.

What a delight to come across a great “chippy” that serves excellent food at a competitive price!! And to add to that, fast and friendly service. We were passing through Cowbridge on Saturday early evening, went online to find a place to get a takeaway. We ordered our food online (easy system to use), turned up 10 minutes earlier than planned, and we were served within 2 or 3 minutes!! The food was perfectly cooked and piping hot! Delicious!

9 pound for two portions of chips, two measly sized pots of cheese and an equally measly pot of baked beans. A good thing there is not another fish bar in town as this place would cease to exist.

very good, fish was small today but normally a good size.

Ordered cod and chips online . Easy to order via website , collection and payment was easy and food was great .

I was with my assistance dog and was asked to leave because the owner didn’t believe I was autistic and had ptsd and thought my assistance dog was a fake and said he has a no dog policy and his exact words were “I’d rather disabled people didn’t come in if they have assistance dogs or guide dogs” absolutely disgusting. Will never be going there again.

Consistently good fish and chips from here. Also you can preorder on their website so no queuing when you arrive either.

Really good fish and chips. In work in the area and often visit for fish and chips, the Irish Curry Sauce and Mushy Peas are great accompaniments too.Plenty of well cooked food, you won’t be hungry afterwards. Currently you are able to order online to collect.

My wife had chips there last week which made her ill This week the chips were chewy even my dog wouldn't eat them. The fish tonight was watery not a patch on other chippy's go to Bridgend the Chip Yard in town and cavallies on City Road are far superior to cowbridge fish bar. There is no COVID 19 Customer / Staff screen either in cowbridge Health and Safety levels a lot to the imagination.

Lovely fish and chips our first for 14 weeks since lockdown. Freshly cooked food, friendly staff, excellent Covid prevention arrangements. Will call again soon.

Wanted to treat French visitors to fish and chips and checked website which gave closing time as 9.30pm. Arrived at 9.17pm to be told that fryers are switched off at 9pm so that the fat has cooled before they close the doors. All they could offer was sausage or pies. Went to Chinese instead- not exactly typical British fare!

Enjoyed it! Nice food and would go back. Bit slow on the service though but only a minor annoyance. Lack of staff meant they struggled a bit but they tried their best. I think

Cleanest/ neatest fish and chip shop for miles.Freshly made fish and chips, while you wait.Good quality, flaky cod, lightly battered and ‘real’ chips( not the manufactured variety seen in low grade establishments)and not greasy. Well packaged and excellent service with a smile.Certainly worth recommending to all visiting Cowbridge, rain or shine!

Fish freshly cooked and good but 2 portions of fish and chips and one mushy peas £17.00 which we thought was expensive

Popped into Cowbridge on a bit of business, and fancied a bite to eat. Decided to try here. In no way disappointed. Cod bites and chips. Chips weren't too chunky, had a nice crisp outer, and light and fluffy in the middle - pretty much perfect. Same could be said for the fish bites. A nice, light and crisp batter, and lovely, moist white cuts of cod. Portion size was spot on. Filling, but not leaving you feeling stuffed and uncomfortable.

We’ve used the Cowbridge Fish Bar for years and have never had a bad meal - fresh, crispy fish and tasty, oil-free chips. But the reason for posting is a little different. This week I visited to pick up a treat dinner (fantastic as always), paying with my debit card. When I got home, however, I realised that the decimal point had slipped when paying, and I’d actually paid almost £200 for three meals! Now, the fish is great but even Cowbridge Fish Bar’s food isn’t worth that! In the manner of all great businesses, however, their response to a problem was simply brilliant! I got an immediate response, full of apologies (even though it was ME who should have checked the machine!) and an immediate refund. The mark of a good business is the quality of their food. The mark of a great business is how they react when things go wrong - Cowbridge Fish Bar were superb!!

Top quality Fish’n Chips. The shop proudly identifies the sou,race of the fish and potatoes for the chips. Fish is freshly cooked to order and is top quality’s.

Visited on a Friday night when it was very busy. New staff were under pressure but worked really hard. The food was fresh and hot, couldn't ask for anything more.

As the only chippy in Cowbridge and a family to feed we decided to try our luck. Oh dear. What we got was very poor quality chips which were running in oil and fish which could not have been more thin if you had tried.

You may have to wait and while to get your food, but oh my goodness me. The fish is always so fresh and beautifully cooked. The chips are so good! If only they took telephone orders it would be fantastic.

I'm a truck driver and have to eat out a lot and have had my share of some really crap places to eat but this chippy was great! Food was lovely and owner was a true old fashioned gentleman. Would recommend this place to anyone looking for a well priced and friendly quick meal that is as good as sitting on a pier at the seaside

Sadly this is the only chip shop in Cowbridge. Happily I have discovered you can drive to Llantwit, get excellent fish and chips etc and real value for money and get home again in half the time it takes to wait for the surly service in Cowbridge. Happy Days.

Never had a bad meal from here in years. The cod and chips are great - crispy batter and chips not too greasy and yet soft in the middle. They also have other fish that can be fried aswell. Much better now they are served in a box and I gather they do cater for occasions also. Always a good stand-by when you can't be bothered to cook.

Took advantage of the seating in the back of the fish and chip shop to sit and eat our freshly cooked delicious fish and chips .

I deliberated between 'Poor' and 'Terrible'.

We called into this chip shop on our way home two days ago and bought one large chips to share. These have to be the worst chips we’ve ever tasted, they had a distinct horrible flavour never experienced before, they were so bad that we had to throw them away! It wasn’t caused by any salt or vinegar as we didn’t have any.

Had a small bag of chips here and I would calculate I had a cone of chips worth for about the £1.80 demanded . Complete rip off and annoying that they have monopoly of Cowbridge . Always been a disappointing place .

I used to enjoy the chippy in Cowbridge until a recent visit, I was given a box with just about enough chips to make a couple of chip butty's and to be honest they were like rubber. The fish was also small. Not good value for money, lets face it, chips cost very little to produce and so a decent size bag of chips goes a long way, no need to be so tight.

We tried the Cowbridge Fish Bar last week.

I used to go here a lot but my most recent visit with a colleague was awful. The fish was pretty good but very small. You could forgive the small chips portion size if they were good but they weren't. Almost as though they had been refried or not hot enough oil. Soaked up all the oil. We both felt rotten after eating it. Next time I'll probably drive to boverton or fontygary.

Fish and chips as they should be Fresh and full of flavour A good selection available including a children's menu It can get busy so remember to order the fish of chicken on arrival Polite service Eat in the park behind Waitrose and play on...

Lovely cooked food to order mostly really friendly staff sit inside or take away good range of food on offer good selection of drinks and very clean

Nos ganó un premio de la rifa, que era pescado y patatas fritas en peces. Cowbridge Guau, nos impresionó mucho sin duda vamos a volver allí de nuevo, ya que era fantástico. Los altos estándares en el bar de pescado y la calidad de los productos. El personal era amable, acogedor y eficiente.

Freshly cooked Fish is lush really helpfull staff always accomadating staff . I love going in and having my fish cooked to order Jamie is a really good cook i love just sitting eating enjoying xThanks

Its an okay place, food okay to good - a little expensive but thats Cowbridge. Service has been good and staff generally friendly and efficient. Limited choice, a wait if you want anything specific.

Always a good feed, the fish is done fresh, chip portions are always generous and tasty. Service good and attentive. All in all, a very good local chippy.

Feel quite ripped off when I bought fish and chips here. The portion was tiny for the money. The man serving wasn't the friendliest of people and seemed a little smug that he was able to rip the townspeople off. It was decidedly average fish and chips - I've had much better, EVERYWHERE ELSE I've been. I won't go again and wouldn't recommend to anyone at all, unless you want to throw your money away. Not good.

Last time I was in this fish bar I walked out due to the rude service. Attitude was one of lack of interest and very indifferent. HOWEVER, tonight's experience was completely different. Never seen this lad there before. Totally focused. Very efficient. Totally knew what he was doing. His slick service is wasted there. His style looked like a budding pro Chef! If I was a Gordon Ramsay I'd snap him up for his natural style in the way he approached his job. Yes, it was only fish and chips et al but there was something about his approach. So this review is about efficiency and how the 'server' approached the task. Food was nice enough. I will always look through the window before entering to see who is on duty because the indifferent staff won't see me again. Surprising how particular staff can make a difference to the experience! It was a Thursday evening.

Been to this chip shop several times and i recommend them and always a good service and helpful staff

I live in st marys church, I drove there today specifically to check out the chip shop, my main diet is chips I eat at-least one takeaway of chips and curry every day.I had been to this chip shop a few times in the past and thought it was O-K a little over priced but the chips where generally.. crispy.Today I wanted to order a Chips and Curry and I was down just 10 pence, I asked if I could be let off and I would return the 10 pence next time, which was going to be the following day.The woman went to the back room and what appeared to be the manager came out, I told him "I am down ten pence, would it be ok to let me off and I'll pay it next time im in here".Very rudely he said to me "Do you come in here often, I don't recognize your face.".I said to him "No, not really, but I will pay you back the ten pence, I am a man of my word."To which he rudely in a jobs worth way declined. I put the "incorrect" money in the charity box and left.I couldn't help but to feel I was being judged for my hair cut which is short back and sides, and the way I was dressed. I have dark eyes because I have olive skin, not because I am some 'low life'.I would certainly not come back here again and I reccomend you don't either, there are plenty of better price and better tasting chip shops in Barry which is only a short trip down st athens road. There is also the beautiful coast, and many more interesting attractions.The man that runs this chip shop is not worth your custom, I am an experienced chip shop critic I really do eat at-least one portion of chips a day and in my peak I can eat at-least three take away portions of chips a day.I can honestly say this chip shop has nothing special to offer other than poor, judgmental, rude and abusive service to it's customers.

We called in on a Saturday afternoon for fish and chips and eat them in cartons, at the back of the shop on metal seats. The welcome was non existent, the service was poor, the fish and chips were nothing to write home about and the bill was high. Not impressed.

Always reliably good fish and chips. Very generous portions with freshly cooked fish and a selection of other traditional chip shop goodies to have. Scrupulously clean and neat and tidy with a smile behind the bar. Heartily recommend it to anyone wanting a good hearty meal.

The food in here was good but not great. And a little bit slow to be served. This chippy closed ridiculously early so do not try it after 10pm !!

I drive in from Pontyclun to get fish here. great staff and friendly owner. locally sourced fish. Best in area .

Google Fish and CHips and out YouTube video comes up showcasing this restaurant. We were not paid for the story, it was a journalistic query/review of how they do fish and chips so well!!Lynton is a real personality. He loves his work and will share all with one and all. A great fish and chips experience. As he says in the video, the first taste of food is through the eyes and he deos not disappoint.

Lovely food. Friendly guys working there. Freshly cooked whilst i waited. Even gave advice on good local places to vsit.

cooked to order, fresh fish a little wait but worth it. Sometimes chips recooked. Great deals for OAP's and smaller portions available at cheaper price.

We travel a number of miles to visit this fish bar. The fish is always beautifully fresh and the batter melts in your mouth. The chips are also great. I would highly recommend.

a great fish & Chip Shop, fish coated in crispy batter all wrapped up with some chips, if you don't fancy chips then there's lots on the menu to take away or eat in, although only a couple of cafe tables, so not really somewhere to eat in more takeaway

Good service, good value, freshly cooked fish and a variety of menu items. At last a good chip shop in Cowbridge!

Am a lover of fish and chips, but these were packed to go away and on unwrapping were swimming in oil. We could have wrung them out. Don't understand how they managed it - I have never had fish and chips that were so greasy and oily - is it because you have to wait for them and they are not drained? Won't be going there again.

The worst customer service ever UGH !! Come On Open Your Eyes ! Costumer Is Here ! Stop The chit chat !!

Every time we go we have to wait for fish to be cooked - very annoying. I understand the benefit of freshly cooked fish, but at busy times there are enough customers to achieve this anyway. I am tired of waiting 20 mins for fish at peak times. Please, please sort this out ,

I've been here a couple of dozen times over the past year and have yet to be disappointed. It's worth travelling to get here. An advantage is that Waitrose is just round the corner. Plaice and haddock are available.There are a couple of tables for eating in but we take the f&c to the car and eat there.

fish cooked to order, therefore not greasy and dry .well worth a try! the wife had a mince beef pie which was also tasty and lastly the chips were really good.