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    MCGOWAN & SONS

    4.7 (25 reviews)
    Open 10:30 am - 6:00 pm

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    Lance R.

    Ok one of the first responders at their lunch. Mcgowen's the shrimp are better then perfectly cooked. Really, unless you have one to compare to another you wont understand. These are some of the best cooked shrimp I have EVER had. Meaty texture not rubbery, not under or over cooked. NOW, warning.... they are PEEL and eat. Which if you are not familiar with it, you peel the shell yourself, BUT you also have to go along the top to "devein it" before you eat it. So that being said, I would like a little side dish to put the peelings in and wash out the stuff from de veining it. ORRRRRR, it would be cool if for lazy folks like me you also offer ones that are peeled and deveined. (Maybe too much work for them at the moment, since at 1:15 they are slammed on the first day.) Oyster shooter..... holy crap batman..... I may be able to have these as a shot with a beer. Really good. Blackened Grouper Sandwich, yes I know its pricey for a sandwich, but I really wanted to go full monty on my first trip. Next time it will be their more reasonably priced Salmon. Not saying their prices are out of line, merely that ocean farmed raised Salmon is much less expensive than line caught fishes. (I am told by the owner that ocean farmed raised is an open water type farm, as opposed to an enclosure, type of farm, so that overcrowding and other concerns with "Farm raised" fish are reduced or eliminated. I would like to learn more about this but am making the point here in an edit.) I can not comment on the other items on the menu other than by listening in (eavesdropping on my neighbors sitting at this family style table setting) and without a photo, let me say NOT an unhappy face in the crowd. ---Update, the Salmon is outrageously good.---

    Finished products. Not bad for a first try!

    What a great time my granddaughter and I had in the kids sushi class. Thanks for letting Gma be a kid too!

    the front of the restaurant

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    11 days ago

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Picked up some fried Cod tonight for dinner and it was perfect. Loved the breading and cooked just right.

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    1 year ago

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    What a wonderful gem for Valpo. I grabbed a calamari salad for lunch and it was exquisite. The freshness and quality were there!

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    2 years ago

    This place is a treasure in the community and the most unique fish monger I've ever experienced.

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Awesome place. So lucky to have such a great selection FRESH seafood. Super knowledgeable staff!

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    Ask the Community - MCGOWAN & SONS

    Review Highlights - MCGOWAN & SONS

    It's so wonderful to have an opportunity to buy a really fresh seafood market in Valpo and not have to bring it back from Chicsgo!

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    People searched for American 624 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

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    Figs and Fables - Sea bass with cauliflower mousse and collared greens; a bit on the saltier side but flavors still very good.

    Figs and Fables

    4.7(31 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    Oh wow! I never would have imagined an experience like this in Valpo. We had a last-minute reunion…read moreduring the holidays and managed to snag spots on the bar side. It looked like reservations are highly recommended if you're planning to dine in. The ambience was elegant, calm, and intimate, and the service was hard-working, cheerful, and accommodating. Our large group ordered a variety of drinks, and not a single person was disappointed. I can personally vouch for the espresso martini and the Fashioned in Apple; both perfectly suited my tastes. For dessert, a friend ordered the chocolate mousse while I chose the Yule Log. The presentation was gorgeous and delicate, and of course, they were delicious. Now I just need to come back to try the food. The prices might sting a bit, but I have a feeling my taste buds will convince me it's worth it.

    We drove 1.5 hours to try this spot--and it was absolutely worth it. We started with cocktails at…read morethe bar lounge while waiting for the rest of our party. A quick tip: definitely call ahead for a reservation. The dining area is small but cozy, offering a really intimate vibe. The cocktails were fantastic, and the staff couldn't have been friendlier. The food? Outstanding. You can tell the owner knows a thing or two about authentic flavors--probably from time spent traveling and living abroad. I really appreciated how true the dishes stayed to their roots. The semi-open kitchen was also a great touch--it shows they're confident in their craft and proud of what they're serving. I'm not usually big on desserts, but wow. Honestly, they might be more known for their desserts than the entrees, but both were amazing. What really pulls it all together is the service--attentive, thoughtful, and full of personality. That's what makes this place special.

    Photos
    Figs and Fables - Bar side

    Bar side

    Figs and Fables - Porcini Duck Liver Pate

    Porcini Duck Liver Pate

    Figs and Fables - Chocolate Mousse

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    Chocolate Mousse

    Main + Lincoln - That appetizer we were talking about wow!

    Main + Lincoln

    3.7(134 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    Super pretentious restaurant where no substitutions, deletions, additions, subtractions, or…read moreamendments of any kind are allowed. Any chance I could get that without... Nope! But I don't really like... Order something else! But let's keep going... Reservation at 745 at a full restaurant and I notice that no one, NO ONE, has any food on their table...hmmm... Quickly get some drinks and order. Appetizers arrive at 915...915... That's 1.5 hours later... to get appetizers... of oysters and salmon tartare. Keep in mind this wasn't to go diving in the sea and catch the oysters and salmon, but rather to shuck oysters, and also serve salmon tartare = doesn't require any cooking! But let's keep going... A full 2 hours after ordering, dinner finally arrives. During this time I've read War and Peace, crocheted a sweater, and grown a full beard. Meanwhile, during this two hour wait, not even a mention from the waitress or anyone else about, hey sorry for the delay... Sorry we're backed up... We're really backed up... We're short staffed...The chef lost an arm while preparing dinner... Anything? Nothing. Communication would have been helpful because maybe could have decided to pull the plug and call it a night. No, instead it's like carry on as of nothing's wrong. A few more things to add: -This is the second time I've been here. The first time wasn't great but, you know, second chances right? There's no third chance -During dinner I walked by the kitchen a few times and there was NOTHING happening. There were plenty of people, just doing nothing. It's not like there were 78 steaks on the grill and a beehive of activity. -Since deletions, substitutions, additions or amendments of any kind aren't allowed and since I don't eat the sides that came with my meal, I ordered a separate side of spinach. About 1.45 hours into the ordeal, the waitress tells me they're out of spinach. I don't care, I tell her, I don't want anything else just please bring our dinners. -The restaurant is LOUD. If you've ever eaten on the deck of an aircraft carrier, well that's quieter than this restaurant. -Finally, their Internet was down so no credit cards, so I paid cash and ran out of there like my hair was on fire -Food was meh, but definitely not worth the price So in conclusion, unless you want to spend most of your adult life waiting for an OK dinner, while losing your hearing, I would skip Main and Lincoln.

    2+ hours to get your food after ordering. Steak was surprisingly thin and small. Server was good,…read moreatmosphere was okay.

    Photos
    Main + Lincoln - Sauvignon Blanc.  Mmmm

    Sauvignon Blanc. Mmmm

    Main + Lincoln - Caesar salad

    Caesar salad

    Main + Lincoln - Amazing Oysters

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    Amazing Oysters

    MCGOWAN & SONS - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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