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A fried whole fish served on a round white plate with red rice and salad from La Jalisciense Supermercado Y Taqueria in southwest Detroit, Michigan.
The mojarra frita from La Jalisciense Supermercado Y Taqueria in southwest Detroit
Andre’ Stefon/Featherstone

20 Fantastic Plates of Fish and Chips in Metro Detroit

Where to eat battered and fried fillets, whole red snappers, fish tacos, and more

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The mojarra frita from La Jalisciense Supermercado Y Taqueria in southwest Detroit
| Andre’ Stefon/Featherstone

The Friday night fish fry is one of those food traditions in metro Detroit that dates back generations. From church kitchens, veterans halls, and Moose’s lodges, the options for this Lenten time meal here are abundant. Nowadays, countless restaurants and bars have also taken on the role of fish fry purveyors, having learned the art of selecting just the right-sized fillet, style of batter, and the quality of oil to produce a timeless taste.

For folks wanting to branch out of the typical fish and chips world, but still need to adhere to Lenten tradition there are a number of spots that offer flavorful variations to the classic dish. So be prepared to grab that tartar sauce, malt vinegar, and an appetite. Below find 20 enticing destinations for fish and starchy fried potatoes, and spots dishing out other classic twists — all worthy of satisfying any seafood craving.

Where is your go-to fish and chips destination? Passionately make your case in the comments, on Facebook, Twitter, or at the tipline.

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Bellflower

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Bellflower’s New Orleans-influenced menu changes on a daily basis, but one thing is constant: this acclaimed, downtown Ypsilanti destination turns out a good fish sandwich. Take a look at the sandwich counter menu, featuring fried smelt and shrimp sammies, a fried smelt box accompanied by cocktail sauce and Duke’s mayonnaise, along with a hearty bowl of gumbo, whose recipe changes based on what’s available.

The Sardine Room

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One of the staples at this Plymouth seafood bistro is the fish and chips. The fried filets are delivered to the table as two big slabs served atop thin, hand-cut fries with coleslaw and tartare sauce. Drop by during happy hour to take advantage of the dollar oysters for a true seafood feast.

This Northville spot features several Lenten specials, including on scallops, mussels, oysters, and sea bream. For lunch, served noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, treat yourself to a classic basket of beer-battered haddock with roasted potatoes, mushy peas, and truffle tartare sauce. This promotion runs every Friday from February 24 to April 7.

A fish and chips platter set on a white rectangular plate and newspaper print paper at Toria in Northville, Michigan. Toria

Scotty Simpson's Fish & Chips

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Brightmoor classic Scotty Simpson’s has faithfully served Detroiters fish and chips needs since 1950. Though it offers options like fried smelt and frog legs, the house specialty is Nova Scotian cod and chips fried in a secret batter recipe with fries, a roll, and tartar sauce. Don’t miss the pies, made fresh every Friday.

Aliz Seafood House

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For a Middle Eastern-inspired take on Lenten time, Aliz offers a variety of seafood options. Seafood-centric skewers, hummus, grilled kibbeh, and kofta sandwiches are all on hand, as well as roasted red snapper, grilled salmon with herbs, casseroles, and shrimp biryani.

Mariscos El Salpicon

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For a seafood paradise with nightclub vibes, Mariscos El Salpicon is the jam. The menu is inspired by the Mexican coastal Nayarit region, with specialties like the molcajete de mariscos that’s literally overflowing with citrusy shellfish, tostadas available with a variety of seafood toppings, spicy shrimp a la diabla, and equally huge cocktails and micheladas. For a Lenten time treat, opt for the whole grilled red snapper. Oh, and no meal here is complete without a couple of slices of garlic bread, perfect for sopping up sauces.

El Asador Steakhouse

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Yes, this southwest Detroit gem is popular for its steaks flavored with poblano peppers and sizzling alambre platters, but El Asador also hits the spot for seafood. Dig into tacos stuffed with crispy shrimp and fried or grilled mahi mahi, or a generous cazuela de mariscos.

Detroit 75 Kitchen

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The sandwiches, wraps, and rolls at Detroit 75 Kitchen are enough all year ‘round. During Lent, the popular food truck unveils its Fisher Fwy. fish sandwich, available with wild-caught catfish or Lake Erie Walleye, and topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, sweet pickled onions, and house-made Old Bay tartar sauce. For more of a Latin flair, there’s the ceviche with lobster and shrimp, featuring cucumber, red onion, jalapeno, cherry tomatoes, radish, and green onion, and served with tortilla chips. Both entrees are available Monday through Friday only during Lent. Or select a year-round favorite in the shrimp po’boy made with plump, battered fried shrimp.

La Jalisciense Supermercado Y Taqueria

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It’s already a beloved supermarket and dining destination, raved about for its carnitas, chicharrones, and breakfast menu. This Lenten season, La Jalisciense is highlighting its Friday fish fries. Each week, expect a seasoned, deep-fried whole mojarra, which comes with rice and salad.

Nancy Whiskey Pub

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Pack into one of Detroit’s oldest bars for Nancy Whiskey’s longstanding Friday night fish fry. From noon to 8 p.m. weekly diners can order up big portions of classic, battered and fried fillets and fries.

Nemo's Bar

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Nemo’s keeps things simple with big, classic beer-battered filets and french fries paired with tartare sauce that’s livened up by celery seed.

Andrews on the Corner

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This century-old Rivertown Warehouse District institution serves several types of fried fish including lake perch and catfish. Patrons looking for a little punch of flavor can order the Cajun spice meal. The large portion of seafood is served with spuds and slaw.

Common Pub Detroit

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Wayne State-area hangout Common Pub serves up big pieces of haddock fried until golden in a brown ale batter. The fillets are paired with a large helping of crispy, duck fat fries, house slaw, remoulade for dipping.

A plate of dark brown beer battered fish filets on a pile of fries with slaw and tartar sauce on the side. Brenna Houck

Saffron De Twah

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Moroccan-influenced Saffron De Twah does a fish and chips dinner every Friday during Lent, featuring cornmeal-breaded catfish filets with brightly flavored charmoula sauce for dipping and crispy harissa potatoes on the side and a pile of tangy slaw. Chef Omar Anani is also mixing things up a bit by revamping its popular fried fish sandwich as a bocadillo (a traditional street food typical of Morocco and Spain), using freshly-baked baguettes from Rising Star Academy, and available year-round.

Balkan House

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The German-style döner is the go-to item for customers at Balkan House, with locations in Hamtramck and Ferndale. Already beloved for its take on the iconic döner kabab, this year Balkan House adds breaded, fried cod as a filling, served in the spot’s signature springy Bosnian lepinja bread, along with sauce and veggies.

Voyager

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This longtime Ferndale destination in a renovated garage is great for sophisticated yet casual seafood options year-round. coastal cuisine-inspired spot utilizes wild-caught, responsibly-farmed, and sustainable fish and seafood, including east and west coast oysters, peel-and-eat shrimp. In addition, Voyager also offers a fish and chips plate, featuring halibut.

Republica

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Berkley’s laid-back neighborhood gastropub serves a particularly good version of classic beer-battered cod and chips with plenty of creamy dill tartar sauce on the side.

Griffin Claw Brewing Company

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The fish frys at Griffin Claw Brewing put a local twist as its Michigan lake perch is encrusted with Better Made chips for an extra crunch. Served with an Israeli couscous spinach salad, this specialty is available every day during Lent.

Hazel's

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Formerly known as Hazel, Ravines, and Downtown, this eatery now goes simply by Hazel’s and features a seafood-forward menu that changes seasonally. That means its Fish Fry Fridays are on point. Featuring a choice of a fried fish sandwich or classic fish and chips dinner, along with coleslaw and malt vinegar aioli.

Fried fish wrapped in white paper, French fries, lemon wedges, cup of sauce all set on a metal pan, on top of a red and white checkered table cloth.
Hazel’s Classic Fish and Chips are a crispy favorite this time of year.
Anthony Morrow/Bureau

Bath City Bistro

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This Mount Clemens gem partnered with Bell’s Brewery to serve up its bountiful plate of three pieces of cod fish, which is flash-fried in Two Hearted Ale, and served with fries, slaw, and tartar sauce. After the fish and chips, be sure to play a round of feather bowling. Bath City Bistro is one of just a few places in metro Detroit that has feather bowling lanes.

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Bellflower

Bellflower’s New Orleans-influenced menu changes on a daily basis, but one thing is constant: this acclaimed, downtown Ypsilanti destination turns out a good fish sandwich. Take a look at the sandwich counter menu, featuring fried smelt and shrimp sammies, a fried smelt box accompanied by cocktail sauce and Duke’s mayonnaise, along with a hearty bowl of gumbo, whose recipe changes based on what’s available.

The Sardine Room

One of the staples at this Plymouth seafood bistro is the fish and chips. The fried filets are delivered to the table as two big slabs served atop thin, hand-cut fries with coleslaw and tartare sauce. Drop by during happy hour to take advantage of the dollar oysters for a true seafood feast.

Toria

This Northville spot features several Lenten specials, including on scallops, mussels, oysters, and sea bream. For lunch, served noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, treat yourself to a classic basket of beer-battered haddock with roasted potatoes, mushy peas, and truffle tartare sauce. This promotion runs every Friday from February 24 to April 7.

A fish and chips platter set on a white rectangular plate and newspaper print paper at Toria in Northville, Michigan. Toria

Scotty Simpson's Fish & Chips

Brightmoor classic Scotty Simpson’s has faithfully served Detroiters fish and chips needs since 1950. Though it offers options like fried smelt and frog legs, the house specialty is Nova Scotian cod and chips fried in a secret batter recipe with fries, a roll, and tartar sauce. Don’t miss the pies, made fresh every Friday.

Aliz Seafood House

For a Middle Eastern-inspired take on Lenten time, Aliz offers a variety of seafood options. Seafood-centric skewers, hummus, grilled kibbeh, and kofta sandwiches are all on hand, as well as roasted red snapper, grilled salmon with herbs, casseroles, and shrimp biryani.

Mariscos El Salpicon

For a seafood paradise with nightclub vibes, Mariscos El Salpicon is the jam. The menu is inspired by the Mexican coastal Nayarit region, with specialties like the molcajete de mariscos that’s literally overflowing with citrusy shellfish, tostadas available with a variety of seafood toppings, spicy shrimp a la diabla, and equally huge cocktails and micheladas. For a Lenten time treat, opt for the whole grilled red snapper. Oh, and no meal here is complete without a couple of slices of garlic bread, perfect for sopping up sauces.

El Asador Steakhouse

Yes, this southwest Detroit gem is popular for its steaks flavored with poblano peppers and sizzling alambre platters, but El Asador also hits the spot for seafood. Dig into tacos stuffed with crispy shrimp and fried or grilled mahi mahi, or a generous cazuela de mariscos.

Detroit 75 Kitchen

The sandwiches, wraps, and rolls at Detroit 75 Kitchen are enough all year ‘round. During Lent, the popular food truck unveils its Fisher Fwy. fish sandwich, available with wild-caught catfish or Lake Erie Walleye, and topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, sweet pickled onions, and house-made Old Bay tartar sauce. For more of a Latin flair, there’s the ceviche with lobster and shrimp, featuring cucumber, red onion, jalapeno, cherry tomatoes, radish, and green onion, and served with tortilla chips. Both entrees are available Monday through Friday only during Lent. Or select a year-round favorite in the shrimp po’boy made with plump, battered fried shrimp.

La Jalisciense Supermercado Y Taqueria

It’s already a beloved supermarket and dining destination, raved about for its carnitas, chicharrones, and breakfast menu. This Lenten season, La Jalisciense is highlighting its Friday fish fries. Each week, expect a seasoned, deep-fried whole mojarra, which comes with rice and salad.

Nancy Whiskey Pub

Pack into one of Detroit’s oldest bars for Nancy Whiskey’s longstanding Friday night fish fry. From noon to 8 p.m. weekly diners can order up big portions of classic, battered and fried fillets and fries.

Nemo's Bar

Nemo’s keeps things simple with big, classic beer-battered filets and french fries paired with tartare sauce that’s livened up by celery seed.

Andrews on the Corner

This century-old Rivertown Warehouse District institution serves several types of fried fish including lake perch and catfish. Patrons looking for a little punch of flavor can order the Cajun spice meal. The large portion of seafood is served with spuds and slaw.

Common Pub Detroit

Wayne State-area hangout Common Pub serves up big pieces of haddock fried until golden in a brown ale batter. The fillets are paired with a large helping of crispy, duck fat fries, house slaw, remoulade for dipping.

A plate of dark brown beer battered fish filets on a pile of fries with slaw and tartar sauce on the side. Brenna Houck

Saffron De Twah

Moroccan-influenced Saffron De Twah does a fish and chips dinner every Friday during Lent, featuring cornmeal-breaded catfish filets with brightly flavored charmoula sauce for dipping and crispy harissa potatoes on the side and a pile of tangy slaw. Chef Omar Anani is also mixing things up a bit by revamping its popular fried fish sandwich as a bocadillo (a traditional street food typical of Morocco and Spain), using freshly-baked baguettes from Rising Star Academy, and available year-round.

Balkan House

The German-style döner is the go-to item for customers at Balkan House, with locations in Hamtramck and Ferndale. Already beloved for its take on the iconic döner kabab, this year Balkan House adds breaded, fried cod as a filling, served in the spot’s signature springy Bosnian lepinja bread, along with sauce and veggies.

Related Maps

Voyager

This longtime Ferndale destination in a renovated garage is great for sophisticated yet casual seafood options year-round. coastal cuisine-inspired spot utilizes wild-caught, responsibly-farmed, and sustainable fish and seafood, including east and west coast oysters, peel-and-eat shrimp. In addition, Voyager also offers a fish and chips plate, featuring halibut.

Republica

Berkley’s laid-back neighborhood gastropub serves a particularly good version of classic beer-battered cod and chips with plenty of creamy dill tartar sauce on the side.

Griffin Claw Brewing Company

The fish frys at Griffin Claw Brewing put a local twist as its Michigan lake perch is encrusted with Better Made chips for an extra crunch. Served with an Israeli couscous spinach salad, this specialty is available every day during Lent.

Hazel's

Formerly known as Hazel, Ravines, and Downtown, this eatery now goes simply by Hazel’s and features a seafood-forward menu that changes seasonally. That means its Fish Fry Fridays are on point. Featuring a choice of a fried fish sandwich or classic fish and chips dinner, along with coleslaw and malt vinegar aioli.

Fried fish wrapped in white paper, French fries, lemon wedges, cup of sauce all set on a metal pan, on top of a red and white checkered table cloth.
Hazel’s Classic Fish and Chips are a crispy favorite this time of year.
Anthony Morrow/Bureau

Bath City Bistro

This Mount Clemens gem partnered with Bell’s Brewery to serve up its bountiful plate of three pieces of cod fish, which is flash-fried in Two Hearted Ale, and served with fries, slaw, and tartar sauce. After the fish and chips, be sure to play a round of feather bowling. Bath City Bistro is one of just a few places in metro Detroit that has feather bowling lanes.

Related Maps