Old Salty’s

Favourite chippy in town! I especially like this branch in Finnieston as it’s laid back with friendly staff and lots of character. I’ve been really happy with all the meals I’ve had here. I’m particularly partial to a haddock supper and their onion rings are awesome. They have some lovely prawns and scallops on the menu which I’d also recommend. I was recently drawn in by their £5/​6 lunch deal which is great value if you’re in the mood for a bit of a midday feast. I’d definitely like to go back and try their omelettes and pizzas (I’ve tried the margherita at the Byres Road branch and it was great). Keep doing what you’re doing Old Salty’s!

A 5 star of a plaice
Yeah I did go there with the fish puns early on
But honestly this is a great place to eat
Nice décor, comfortable seating and even though you are inside a chip shop you don’t get that oily greasy chippy smell
Lisa the girl on duty was friendly and attentive
As with all deep fried based food places it’s all about how clean the friers are kept… The food was perfect and tasted fresh, I was very happy indeed as was my belly
You should all go along and enjoy a posh version of a classic chippy
Just wish I had known about here sooner

I really really want to love Old Salty’s, because they’re cool and hip, and when they first opened they added a quirky new quality to the Finnieston strip. When Old Salty’s appeared, their retro look, added to that of the launderette, really set the style for the area. Plus, they do a vegan sausage supper! I mean COME ON! That’s awesome.
But. I don’t really like their chips. I’m sorry! They’re dry, and they have a weird texture, like they’re made from paper instead of potato or some sort of odd potato/​paper combo. It’s not what I expect from a chippy. I like my chippy chips to be big and greasy and juicy, and squidgy enough to sook up all the vinegar. Old Salty’s chips don’t taste like chippy chips. They don’t really have much of a taste at all. I’ve just eaten a portion and I wish I hadn’t. I’m sad. Not cos I feel ill or anything — I don’t — so I know they must be ok. It’s just that I don’t eat chippy chips very often, and I kinda feel like I’ve wasted a rare occasion.
Anyway, enough of my trivial first world problems. It’s not really fair to give a 3 star review for just chips but I don’t have anything else to go on as sausage suppers aren’t really my thing. Other people seem to love Old Salty’s. Plus they ARE cool, and the staff are nice.

I do love the décor of this place. The exposed wood really gives it a retro seaside feel… it does border a bit too much on the hipster style for my usual taste but it works.
The food was average. Sausage supper a little on the greasy side and my partner didn’t like his hake. But the chips were good.
It was a bit on the pricey side, fish supper, sausage supper and a couple of cokes came to £25.
I won’t likely be going back unless I’m hungry and right next to it.

We were visiting Glasgow for a few days and there were a lot of changes since we left the city for the relative cosy warmth of our London apartment.
Its been more than 2 years.
Any how — this is one of the ‘new’ places that have popped up on Argyle street. The service was really good and the food was quite good. The quantities were massive.
But the experience of the evening for us was a mini fire on the table next to us! A lady’s handbag caught fire but with minimal fuss (well there was some screaming — what do you expect!) The staff threw in some ice cold water and saved th bag.
I want to say the staff said in Glasgow style «pfft Nae Bather etc». But it was handled very well.

Oh my my my! There are limited vegan options (two) but the options there are are very, very, good. Chips were delicious; I stop at saying amazing because I love chips and there would be other competitors in Glasgow for a chip-​off. The sausages were amazing! Battered sausage. Ahh! Ok, they’re shop bought and not homemade — if I was in a veggie restaurant and was served sausages I can buy in low cost supermarkets this may be an issue, but in this setting it makes no matter to me at all, I am most happy they are there.
The chips are fried in a separate fryer from other foodstuffs and veggie items can be fried separately from meat + fish on request. They use palm oil (aka vegetable oil — some people do avoid palm oil but it’s difficult). Battered sausage supper to sit in was £6.80.
Service was great — I was there as part of a group of 8 for a vegan meetup, we were served bottles of water and glasses on arrival, and staff were very approachable if we had any questions. When my husband asked if the curry sauce was vegan I was extra-​reassured that the staff really knew the menu when she said it wasn’t because there was honey in it.
An internet search gave me vague info on the wine and beer; Barnivore said beer was ok, and other wines by the producer were suitable so my presumption is the wine they have would be vegan/​vegetarian — friendly too.
It’s a good sized seating area and they have a variety of meat & fish suppers, so it’s another place which would be good for friends/​family dinner where you’re looking for a good vegan /​veggie option.

Nipped in for a chip buttie yesterday before my shift at MediCinema. Traditional chip counter inside with some pretty amazing looking macaroni pies on show. Wasn’t quite hungry enough for those but will definitely give them a whirl one day.
They put fresh chips on for me, which is always nice to see. Comes in just under £2 for a buttie, so pretty cheap. The dude serving was friendly enough.
The buttie came in a big box with way more chips than roll, always a bonus. They looked pretty tasty, asked him to add lots of salt and vinegar too. Unfortunately, the chips were really bland and quite dry. They had a weird taste to them, can’t quite put my finger on what it was. Quite surprised at how dry and plain they were, I always saturate my chips in salt and vinegar and I watched the guy put on quite a hefty amount.
I’m giving 3 stars because I feel like I can’t just judge this place on one portion of chips. Will go back and give some other menu items a try. Hopefully they were just having a off day.
Bad chips make me sad.

Essentially this is a nicer chippy you can sit in! I’ve tried the macaroni pie and chips and it was quite nice but I wasn’t wowed by it. Maybe the problem is I’m a veggie with no interest in fish or deep fried meat.

I like the atmosphere of this place although they do not serve the best fish and chips in the world.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s actually pretty decent — I mean, you are essentially sitting in a traditional chippy’s, but it’s just a tad too greasy. The waiting staff deserve gold stars all around! I am also rather partial to their salad dressing, and their tartar sauce is really, really tasty! Therefore, I am definitely going to be going back!

Mwahah! Man needs breakfast. Especially after a hard hour’s work at the University.
A pleasant quarter of an hour ambling through Kelvingrove Park brings you to Argyll Street and OS, on a surprisingly sunny February morning.
And a surprisingly sunny welcome as well from the ladies behind the counter. I felt like an old friend returned.
«Tea? Coffee? Menu’s on the table. Anything to eat?»
«Tea, thanks. The veggie breakfast, please.» (it being that time of year again).
Smiles all around.
All delivered super quick fast. There’s loads of it, all well cooked and appetising. As a connoisseur of the fried breakfast, it’s the hash browns & potatoe scone that are the key discriminators. Both passed the test: the former crunchy yet soft, without that oil saturation that so often passes for cooked, the latter nicely browned without being dry. Nice.
Veggie sausages.mmeh.but then they’re always meh. If you’re going to have sausages, have the real thing. If not, don’t complain. I’m not.
Nice atmosphere. Quite like the Pavilion Garden tea blend as well. Not to mention the cutlery in the used Tate & Lyle tins.
All done for just over £6.
A return visit is called for.

Apparently this place has changed ownership several times, and I hope it stays this time around! My friend and I were headed towards some pub for Sunday roast when I saw on the window, £7.95 for Sunday roast. And I thought why not try another place and pay less? We took a look at the menu and Sunday roast included: chicken/​beef roast with chips, carrots and mushy peas, gravy, and Yorkshire pudding! The waitresses were so friendly and the Sunday roast was definitely worth it. So delicious and very filling. It’s pretty crowded too so I had a feeling it was going to be good :)

Wandering along the «Finnieston Strip» with my folks in tow one late summer evening, after enjoying a beer-​garden drink and relaxing stroll, we settled on Old Salty’s for some no-​nonsense fish and chips action! Having had Old Salty’s recommended by a colleague, and reading Jay Rayner’s not-​too-​shabby Observer review of the place, we queued-​up at the counter for a table.
What first struck me about the place was it was more of a chippy that I expected. Now that might sound like an odd thing to say about a fish and chip shop and restaurant, but I hadn’t expected to be able to walk-​up for regular no-​nonsense take-​away so easily!
We ordered a bottle of beer each and enjoyed some people-​watching and admiring the interior of the restaurant as we waited. As there were quite a few people waiting for tables it took a little while to be seated, but the wait was well worth it.
Feeling quite hungry we opted for a starter and main each… Mega-​sized onion rings, skewered king prawns with chilli and ginger and prawn cocktail were soon delivered to our table and we shared them all. I’ll order Scallops next time, the diners at the next table had some and they looked amazing.
The presentation of the starters was great, particularly being served in enamel-​coated metal plates, I imagine many salty sea-dog’s have eaten from such plates sailing the high seas!
Our mains were a trio of fried fish and chips, or fish suppers as we say round these parts. Again, first-​class presentation, wonderful crisp batter encasing perfectly cooked delicate fish, on a sea of chips with big lemon wedge, homemade tartare sauce and some salad leaves. Truly epic! Needless to say we couldn’t finish them, the portions were just so big.
I liked the simple menu, quality ingredients, perfectly cooked seafood, the chips, oh the chips! The friendly, efficient and warm service, and the hip interior, and very reasonable prices too. Will definitely be back.
A good long stroll was needed afterwards… as the sun set over the University tower, we ended the evening well-​fed and content!

I’m not sure what all the hype is all about. The décor was spectacular and had that feel of being in an old chippy or maybe even a boat house, but the food was just meh. I went in with a few friends and they both ordered the fish lunch special which they both loved to bits. I, on the other hand, ordered the calamari meal, and I wasn’t as impressed. I am a huge fan of calamari and I’m usually hard pressed to complain about any I’ve eaten, but I was disappointed at how overly salty my meal was. It was so salty, I found myself picking off the breading that was on the calamari, just so I could dip it in to some sauce to get a more subdued flavour on to it.
The chips were hands down amazing, but the rest of my meal was just meh. The service was great and the company I shared made everything better, but I wouldn’t rush back for the calamari. Maybe next time, i’ll try the fish.

Possibly the best fish and chip shop i’ve been to so far. The fact it is a chip shop restaurant makes it just thaaat tiny bit cooler…
The restaurant isn’t particularly big, and can also get quite crowded on a busy night as the tables are quite close together which I didn’t mind so much as it just added to the atmosphere.
The menu was simple and what you would expect at a fish and chip shop. The prices was average, not much more than what I would pay on a regular evening meal. But the portions… oh my goodness I couldn’t believe how big it was! I ordered a haddock and chips and it was so so delicious — even the side salad I loved! I was so gutted that I couldn’t finish it.
So glad I found this little gem, will definitely be back for more very soon!

Mmmmm is the first word that shall grave this review as its a belter!!! Nipped in here for a spot of lunch and got the cod and chips and an irn bru. Thought it was a little pricey at 9.80 but then i saw it. It was not a cod… it was part whale!!! Very big fish and 4 scoops of fries together with a little red lettuce and some green which looked very attractive on the plate!
And now onto the taste! Gorgeous fish, not strong as in some fish shops, the batter was lovely, bubbly and crispy, the chips crispy and not covered in grease and the salad was fresh and tasty. Also managed to serve me and leave me enough time to eat in a 40 minute lunch break.
Very nice indeed!

It’s time for an update … Old Salty’s, you just weren’t as good as you used to be when I visited recently. And because I love sharing the good, the bad and the ugly, it’s my duty as a responsible Unilocaler to do a wee update.
Firstly, I need to add that I’ve now visited three times — the first two visits were definitely ⁴⁄₅ star experiences, but my most recent takeaway was really disappointing. We ordered some takeaway — a fish supper for me, a sausage supper for him. Service was great — they have a lot of flair, so that’s still a good point. But when we got home and unwrapped the food, I was immediately disappointed. Flaccid, soft chips with no hint of crunch and also not much taste, which was weird for chips doused in vinegar and salt. So I moved onto the fish. The batter had a good crunch but inside the fish was really overcooked and unpleasant to eat.
I’m hoping this was just a bad day as I’ve really enjoyed Old Salty’s previous. But on this occasion, the majority of my meal ended up in the bin.

I often used to pass this new chip shop but never got the chance to venture in until now.
The inside looks to have been thought out well, but gives it a slight Nando’s feel with the shutters on the wall.
minus the chicken.
I was shown to a table and handed an envelope, usually when l get this it’s normally stuffed with £20 notes, not this one just cardboard.
They where teasing me!
Treated myself to a refreshing ginger beer and ordered the usual fish, chips and beans. I seriously didn’t know that there was scallops otherwise l would have ordered them, teaches you a good lesson to read the whole envelope and the contents, l still haven’t learned that yet.
The staff where nice, but not chatty, nearly all had dirty aprons & creased shirts, but maybe that’s the look they want. Floor could have done with a wee hover around the corners too.
The batter from the fish was well crispy and the fish way too overdone, with the chips, well they where more like skinny fries, both where tasteless and really bland for a chippy, the only taste l got was from the baked beans and the ginger beer.

I don’t spend much time on Dumbarton Road, despite knowing there are many good pubs and eateries there so on Friday night we decided to try the Kelvingrove Café, then the Crab Shak, then the Finnieston, then… yeah, we hadn’t booked anywhere on a Friday night, lesson learned!
We had wandered past Old Salty’s but as we headed back that way we lucked out and got a seat minutes upon entering. It’s been a long time since I was in a fish and chip restaurant and Old Salty’s is a quirky little place. They are a takeaway chippy as well and as we stood and waited on the table we were soon salivating watching some massive portions of delicious looking fried fish being served up.
We started with a small portion of scallops in curry butter, four massive juicy scallops appeared, and soon disappeared, delicious. The curry butter looked odd but kept the scallops wonderfully moist and the curry added just enough heat to be noticeable.
Not long after, two large portions of Haddock and chips appeared. Fresh, crispy and beautifully golden batter cracked open to reveal succulent white flesh and then silence descended upon our table and we reverted to mmmmms and aahhhhhss as we tucked in.
The fish was excellent, the batter super (explosively!) crispy, and the chips were good too, not greasy and could possibly have been a fried a little longer but that would be very picky of me.
I had ordered a side of mushy peas but soon discarded them as they had mint in them. I’m not a fan of this variant (which I believe is English in origin), for me the humble mushy pea only needs some salt, pepper and a little vinegar added.
Regardless, the homemade tartare sauce more than made up for my disa-​pea-​oinment!
I’d happily eat here again, it’s perfect for an informal ‘quick bite to eat’, with friendly service, good tasty food and I can’t complain about the prices either!

Its a chippie, but not a chippie…
I can’t quite decide, but you can definitely treat this place as a chippie and take away your fish supper or you can sit in and have a Finnieston restaurant/​café/​publunch (still can’t decide) experience.
Its all very relaxed inside and the food comes quickly. To start we shared salt and pepper squid. This is one of my favourite things to have when out for food and the quality here was fine, but not amazing. It wasn’t very spicy and the batter crumbled away from the squid before you could actually get it from the plate to your mouth. Portion size was big though and even though I did not love it, I did enjoy it.
For mains I had a haddock fish supper. The portion size was huge, I could not finish my chips and the fish itself was excellent. To me this is the most important bit, it is a place that should excel at its fish suppers and it did.
For drinks, they only do one beer and that is peroni. The should do more in my opinion, but Peroni is nice, so no huge complaints.
Couple of negatives about our dining experience — We were asked to move table to accommodate a bigger party, after being told we could sit wherever we liked. We had to source our own cutlery as none was given to us with our starter and at one point another guests jacket was hung over my seat by a member of staff. Bit strange, but the other customer soon moved it.
Back to the positives now — the price for one beer, one coke, a large starter and two mains was only £23. If we had skipped the starter, we would still of been full and had a meal out in a nice place for under a tenner each. This for me is great value.
I am swithering between 3 or 4 stars, but it is a new year and lets start it with positivity. So 4 stars it is and I will be back to try some more options on the menu.

Another eatery in Finnieston you say? This area seems to be growing quicker than the metric expansion of space, seriously, I’m not exaggerating at all here, it has to be true, even Stevie Hawkins can’t explain this phenomena!
Anyway, up popped up Old Salty’s, out of the blue, as you do in this neck of the woods. It is a very ‘Finnieston’ kinda looking place. Exposed brick walls (a must), retro finishes and furnishings and antique looking paintings. It’s really got a nice warm, traditional café feel, but its actually a chippy, and a top notch quality chippy at that.
As you would expect, prices are a little higher than your average chippy, but, this aint your average chippy. You gotta remember that you are sitting down in a lovely environment and getting table service, so there should be no complaints about the slightly higher prices. The menu’s are über quirky, being printed on brown envelopes. The selection, definetly not your typical chippy, with a variety of fish on offer including more sustainable fish like Hake (well done chaps). Bottles of Peroni were a mere £2.95, great bargain!
Portions are mahoosive!!! I really struggled to demolish my beautiful haddock and chips. The chips are cut slightly smaller than your typical chippy, but, it must be said, were really well cooked and not greasy at all.
Top marks to our waitress on the night, really welcoming with fast and friendly service. Defo the coolest chippy in Glasgow and a must try!