Sea Cow

Ate in with a big group of people, more than enough seating and they were all super friendly. The cute waiter was so patient with all our requests. They have fresh fish on display, which you can use for your fish and chips. I really liked mine, which is rare as I generally dislike fish. We also ordered some mushy peas, which were not that great here, but I was so full from the huge portion of fish and chips that I didn’t have room for more food anyway.
Will be back when in East Dulwich again!

After traveling and checking into our Airbnb in East Dulwich, we wandered around the neighborhood and stumbled upon the Sea Cow and I’m glad I did.
Although I came with my friend at a very late ish hour, the workers inside were so nice and patient with us. They have fresh fish on display and I think you can use them for your fish and chips, or bring it home yourself.
If you order to go, it’s actually cheaper than eating in. They give durable boxes to bring home too.
As for the portions, they’re HUGE. I just got whatever was the cheapest (because the pound is so much more than the dollar and I cried a little when I exchanged my $). Even though I ordered whatever was cheapest, they didn’t skimp on the fries/​chips and the fish was also big and the batter was delicious. They’ll ask if you want salt and vinegar before they package your food. I think ketchup is extra though, but since we were first timers in London and here, as well as the last customers of the day, they gave it to us for free. :)
I recommend this place if you’re in East Dulwich.

Over priced chippy making hay on lordship lane, go to a regular chippy on herne hill, half moon lane or camberwell, fish is just as good and you get more chips

Went here at 9 on a Friday night, which is just about the traditional peak time in the week for fish and chips in the UK.
But Sea Cow seemed to be closing up for the night to eat-​in-​diners. We were abandoned by our waitstaff half way through our meal and out favourite choices on the menu — mackerel and sardines — were out too. Disappointing.
The battered haddock was good, grade B, but the grilled tuna was poor and far too firm and devoid of flavour. Chips were a disgrace — rubbery, tough and a little cold. You also have to pay extra for peas or even mayo. So the whole meal comes to quite a lot of money and frowns.
The one dish we did like was the Whitebait starter. Addictive and almost perfect (it needed to be just a little crispier) we wish we could’ve had a whole lot more. Heartbreakingly we could actually see that the cook originally made us a big plateful but then threw half away into the bin when he realised it was ordered as a starter dish. What a dreadful waste!

The restaurant is quite nice for a local seafood place. Fish and chips are excellent and if the place is so packed at lunch hours I made my conclusions that the food is fresh and delicious.

Solid little seafood joint. It’s a no-​frills operation, which I love. The food is good and it ain’t too expensive. No pretention here. I would happily come back.

I went for the haddock and chops as a take away after a late night return from work. The fish was excellently cooked with a relatively light batter. Love the ability to select your fish from the ‘fresh’ counter. It’s great not to receive a reheated battered fish like other chip shops. That said, the chips were disappointingly undercooked and quite soft (could be down to me being the only punter at 10:30 at night). They also charge 50p for a tartare sauce which I thought was a bit too creamy and lacked the caper punch.
I’ll be going back soon to eat in. It’s really good value.

We were here on a Sunday afternoon. It was quiet to begin with but got busier when we left. Good range of fish and other seafood. The cod tasted fresher than haddock. Chips was OK.

Sea Cow is my favourite fish spot. They serve a good range, ethically source their fish and know about it if you need help. You can go for fish and chips (cod, haddock etc. the menu offers good alternatives to cod fans to protect cods) or other sea food options on the menu. I love their white bait as a snack or side dish. Oh, must not forget their mushy peas, excellent combination to your fish and chips. The service is good and like the atmosphere, which is a trendy facelift on other places where you can have fish and chips. But it is of course more expensive but worth every penny.

If there’s an acceptable face of gentrification then the Sea Cow must surely qualify. A little local fish and chip shop in East Dulwich with the wet fish laid on a shop slab at the front. Bright and cheery, with rough hewn oak communal tables, it’s got a design idea behind it, but it doesn’t get in the way of the plates and plates of solid reliable meals they churn out. The fish kept fresh by the turnaround, it’s a popular spot with the Dulwich mums and a tad noisy early evening and on weekends, crowd control not being a known strength of the middle class parents round here.
Aside from the slightly too clever mushy peas, a rough purée overburdened with mint and oddly sweet, everything here is as you’d expect. Coley and haddock feature on the menu instead of cod, and there are grilled prawns and sea bass for those who don’t need their fish encased in batter. Those of us who do will be pleased to know that the batter is excellent, as are the chips. Not in a travel for miles kind of way, but certainly in a best in the vicinity way. There’s a short but pleasingly priced wine list, though it’s also worth noting that Green & Blue, the excellent little wine bar and shop across the road runs a ‘chippage’ scheme. The combination of excellent fish and chips alongside some very, very good wines helps you make more of a night out of it, and all of a sudden, it’s a reason to travel.

fisch wird frisch zubereitet, leckere mushy peas mit minze; pommes sind auch gut. vegetarische option ist nur ein salat (ist ja auch ein fish and chips-​laden…). alles nicht günstig, aber lecker.
der service ist leider fragwürdig — während die jungs an den fritteusen nett und freundlich sind und auch gerne sonderwünschen nachkommen, ist die mitarbeiterin an der kasse schlecht gelaunt und unfreundlich.

As everybody says, fish great, chips not so much. It has a very clean, orderly feel and is nicely turned out. Fish is cooked to order and is spot-​on but the chips… oh they let themselves down.

I’ve been going here for years as a long time veteran of East Dulwich.
For my money it’s one of the standout eateries in the surrounding area. Anyone who knows the area well, is aware that the place is littered with Indian restaurants. Not that that’s an issue it just means that the Cow’s a welcome respite from a culinary perspective.
It’s not an old-​school ‘spit and sawdust’ olde English greasy chippie selling battered Mars Bars, thank gawd.
The modern and relaxed surroundings makes it popular with families at all times. Fridays are expectedly the busiest so prepare to wait for a seat and take-​out order then.
If dining alone you’re able you to fill your stomach for about a tenner, which is great value for my book.

Great fish n chips place. The Sea Cow is a nice alternative to your greasy chippy.
The fish is fresh and cooked to order. The batter is perfect. You wont see some sorry looking, fried up piece of god knows what doing time under a heat lamp here.
There is a great variety on the menu. They have a nice selection of beer and wine as well.
The décor is really nice. There is an open kitchen so you can watch your fish being cooked right in front of you.
The service is prompt and courteous.
The only slight draw back was the chips. I may be wrong but I think they are bought out frozen. A quality place like Sea Cow would easily slide from four to five stars with better chips. But if that sacrifices the quality of the fish, I’ll happily eat the frozen chips.
This place is good and worth it. Eat here once and you’ll come back

The Sea Cow is an ‘upmarket’ fish and chip shop/​restaurant.
The fish here is always fried to order so you know it’s fresh, and I must say very tasty!
The chips however leave a bit to be desired, not the best by a long stretch. I’d argue that the chips are just as, if not more important than the fish at any chippy!
Eaten here several times but decided that it’s not really worth the premium price compared to most ‘traditional’ local fish & chip shops.

Definitely more of a yuppy fish & chips place, but the food is good. These guys focus on quality and options for fish (focusing on socially responsible fish). They have large communal shared tables (like wagamamas). I remember their chips being very good, and they serve Peroni beer. They are a little more expensive than your typical fish and chip shop, but the prices are reasonable considering the quality.

A great, up-​market fish and chip shop, with a good variety of fresh fish, which makes a change from your standard cod or hake type of chippy. Seems a bit more healthy and less greasy than most places of this type. Tables are school bench style, and it is usually quite busy so you may have to share. A glass of sparkling wine is the perfect accompaniment to your fish and chips, or they do do take away as well if you don’t fancy eating in. Great for a quick meal if you’re on your way somewhere else and don’t fancy standard fast food.

This chain restaurant (upmarket fish and chips) is nicely laid out with wooden benches and a fresh fish counter that you can choose your fish from. The portions have become smaller recently and the chips could often do with being a little browner. Overall it is a good place to eat and perfect for families. Also does posh take away boxes.

I am no fan of greasy fish and chips, however, tastefully cooked fish served with fresh, chunky potato wedges is a totally different story.
The Sea Cow is a stylish and simple modern restaurant with clean and minimal décor, a counter of fresh fish and solid long wooden tables and benches. From the menu you can choose from a variety fish or fishcakes freshly cooked to order.
More expensive than your Cod Father or My Plaice type joints, but very reasonable priced and totally delicious. During the day the Sea Cow is rather quite but in the evening everyone seems to be wanting to sample the menu.
By far the best fish and chip restaurant I have seen.

Posh fish and chips, not much that can go wrong (except for the ridiculous name!). This place is always heaving too which shows that it’s popular. The fish is all on display so you can personally choose your own dinner, which is good fun, and there is a good range of choices. The seating is all benches in a row so it’s fairly cosy but that’s all part of the eating experience. Good honest food and worth a visit.

The freshest fish I have had in a while cooked to perfection complemented with light fluffy chips, this is one of the best fish and chip places I have ever been to. The classic British dinner is given a modern makeover so as well as the usual cod or haddock you are more likely to be chowing down on barramundi fillets or kingfish. The interior is definitely of the minimal chic school of thought and you will be sitting on a shared bench enjoying your meal so its not the place for a romantic tete a tete. Service is quick and efficient and it is licensed so you can enjoy a glass of wine or beer with your fish, you can even get champagne although I think we might have been the only people to have ever ordered it They also do take out so if you are having a quiet night in and don’t want to cook venture down here.