10 local restaurants to check out for delicious fried fish during Lent

The fish sandwich at Mike linings @derbytowngal

Lent has arrived, and the Friday fish frys will naturally follow soon. But there are plenty of restaurants around town with some tasty fried fish anytime of the week. Or, heck, year in most cases. Here are 10 to pay attention to, plus a list of other contenders.

Hooked on Frankfort: A relatively new player to the Louisville fried fish scene, this is one to visit ASAP if you haven’t already. The fish sandwich is an obvious attraction, but you can also get oysters, clams, crab cakes, salmon and plenty more. Oh, and we loved the froglegs. Loved.

Mike Linnig’s: For nearly 100 years, Louisville-area families have been heading out to Pleasure Ridge Park for its never-ending fish fry. The whitefish sandwich is the time-honored classic, but you can get catfish, tilapia and tons of other seafood options. Sit outside if the weather is nice, and wait to hear the enthusiastic loudspeaker shout-out when your order is ready. “Hello Louisville, come on down!”

PassTime Fish House: You want a big fish sandwich? Like really big? Head out to Jeffersontown and order the cod sandwich, which is like two meals in one. Lightly coated in a peppery batter, it will have you drooling as soon as it arrives. And if you can’t handle that bad boy, try the fish bites appetizer. Just as good, but with less commitment.

The Fish House: You like a Green River-style fish fry, you say? The Fish House is where it’s at, over at the corner of Barrett and Winter. The selection is vast, with scrod, catfish, tilapia and haddock all swimming around on the menu, with plenty of other seafood options as well. By morning, it also doubles as a New Orleans-style coffee house, including fresh beignets.

Suburban Fish Fry: Seasonal like the church picnics, Suburban Fish Fry has been around for a long time, opening every Saturday from March to November in its spot on South Third. The offering is pretty basic, with a dinner featuring Green River-style fried cod, fries, coleslaw and marinated onions or sandwiches on your choice of bread. You can also buy fish by the pound and take it go. It’s cash only, and when it runs out, it runs out.

The Fishery: This quaint fish house in St. Matthews is another example of the neighborhood eatery that exhibits remarkable endurance. Situated at a busy intersection in St. Matthews, it quietly excels, specializing in Icelandic cod and catfish with homestyle sides. And if you’re having a fish party for Lent, the Fishery caters.

Clarksville Seafood: This is an out-of-the-way fish house that somehow continues chugging along despite ownership changes and other issues over the years. It started as part of the local Cape Codder chain dating back to the 1950s and has barely changed since then. Grab a fish box or fill up on fried shrimp, clams and other options, all for a pretty nice price.

There’s more than pizza at Sal’s Pizza Pub.

Sal’s Pizza Pub: That’s right, a pizza pub. Don’t be fooled, because it’s no secret to the folks in Lyndon that Sal’s serves up some of the best fried fish in town. If you have a hearty appetite, ask for the platter – but prepared to have leftovers. And don’t sleep on the house-made tartar sauce.

Hill Street Fish Fry: This former ice cream store has turned into a tiny fish house specializing in carry-out, mostly because the “dining room” only seats maybe eight people. Either way, the service is always enthusiastic. Start your meal with the tasty clam chowder, then see if you can tackle the Super Whitefish Sandwich. It’s suitable for Superman.

Moby Dick: A friend recently asked me if Moby Dick was local or a national chain, and I actually had to look it up. This mini-chain has been around since 1967, when it began serving “a whale of a sandwich,” or so goes the slogan. Wild-caught Icelandic cod is the name of the game here, along with shrimp, clams, pan-fried oysters and more. With more than a dozen locations, there’s a chance there’s already one in your neighborhood.

Other places around town where you can find fried fish include Moby Dick, Irish Rover, Lucretia’s Kitchen, Check’s Cafe, Kingfish, The Dock Seafood, Ville Chicken and Seafood, Sharks Seafood, Seafood Lady, Fireside Bar and Grill, Mary & John O’Bryan’s Tavern, Daisy’s Country Cooking, Shirley Mae’s Café, Franco’s Restaurant and Catering, Three Brothers Restaurant, and Webb’s Market.