Alright, Pittsburgh, it’s your favorite time of year. With Ash Wednesday behind us, it’s time to round up some of the best fish fries throughout the region.
This year’s list was created with some help from the NEXTpittsburgh community. We asked our followers on Facebook and Instagram to recommend some of their favorite spots — they did not disappoint. There are more than 150 comments full of fish faves.
Still looking for more options? Try our 2025 fish fry list or check out our reader-selected “Best Fish Fry” competition from 2024. As always, see what’s near you on the Pittsburgh Lenten Fish Fry Map.
Enough preamble. Here’s the catch, listed alphabetically by neighborhood:
Last year, WTAE reported that St. Albert’s sold more than one ton of fish in the first two days of Lent. I think it’s safe to call that a whale of a time.
This year’s menu features all the staple entrees and sides plus a tuna salad sandwich on croissant, soup du jour and fresh doughnuts. According to a menu posted online, nothing is over $10, and drinks — from iced tea to beer — are either $1 or $2. Plus, 10% of sales goes to a local Meals on Wheels initiative.
St. Albert’s offers dine-in or takeout and is open Fridays, Feb. 20 through April 3, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
See the menu here. Call 412-440-0221 to order.
Volunteers at St. Teresa’s pinch pierogies in preparation of Lenten fish fries. Photo courtesy of St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish.
The fry at St. Teresa’s adds side offerings I haven’t seen before: cheese, tuna and spinach and feta empanadas. You can order online for pickup.
St. Teresa’s offers dine-in or takeout and is open Fridays, Feb. 20 through March 27, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Preorder is open until 6 p.m.
See the menu here. Call 412-531-2135, ext. 219, to order.
Zhuzh up your fish Fridays at an Italian restaurant with dedicated Lenten lunch and dinner specials.
On the menus are broiled scrod, eggplant (or zucchini) parmigiana, shrimp florentine over penne, cajun salmon, scrod parmigiana and more. Piacquadio’s also has a host of featured desserts, including tower cakes, tortes, mascarpone and tiramisu.
Piacquadio’s is open Mondays through Fridays from noon to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 4 to 9 p.m.
Since Lent brings so many churches and firehalls into the fish frying business, it’s easy to forget that Pittsburgh’s classic seafood spot is still open for service.
The Original Oyster House’s menu is tailor-made for fish fry season: Oysters (breaded and raw), crab cakes, clam chowder, fried fish sandwiches, baked scrod, butterfly shrimp — it continues seemingly indefinitely.
It’s an easy in. Plus, you can check on the progress of Market Square’s renovations ahead of the April NFL Draft.
The Original Oyster House is open Wednesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 8 p.m.
107 Flowers Ave., Hazelwood
Eat inside or order takeout from Community Kitchen, which is in its eighth year of frying up haddock to raise funds for its job training and hunger relief programming.
Alongside fish on a bun or straight on the plate, pick up hand-cut fries, slaw, haluski, macaroni and cheese or cheddar pierogies. Community Kitchen is also serving Tres Leches and Strawberry Pretzel Salad for dessert.
Hazel Grove Brewing will once again return to serve beers at each fry, but this year, it’s also launching “Good Neighbor” and “Lend A Hand” — an Italian pilsner and dark lager, respectively, that were created specifically for the fry.
Community Kitchen’s fry is open Fridays, Feb 20 through April 3, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. See the full menu here. Preorder takeout through the organization’s website.
If you’re looking for a pub experience, try Jabby Joe’s. The bar and restaurant keeps it simple with fish sandwiches, fries, mac and cheese and coleslaw. Add in a couple Iron City’s and it might just be the best Fish Friday you could ask for.
Jabby Joe’s is open Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
St. Elias Church volunteers serve up trays of fried fish. Photo courtesy of St. Elias Byzantine Catholic Church.
In its 21st year of fish fries. St. Elias serves baked or fried fish sandwiches and dinners plus shrimp dinners. Haluski, pierogies and extra sides are available for a surcharge.
Plan for a future meal and order frozen pierogies to go, either potato and cheese or lekvar — a fruit spread usually made from plum or prune. St. Elias offers dine-in or takeout and is open Fridays, Feb. 20 through March 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
See the menu here. Call 412-461-9271 to order.
Elks Lodge No. 339 is an iconic spot chock-full of local grub — from Breadworks rolls to Atlantic cod from Wholey’s.
Each breaded or grilled fish entree comes with two sides — fries, macaroni and cheese, stewed tomatoes or coleslaw. Eat-in or takeout is available, but the lodge is cash only. Plus you’ll catch tunes from the Pittsburgh Banjo Club.
The fry is open every Friday from Feb. 20 through April 3 from 6 to 8 p.m.
See the menu here. Call 412-321-1834 to order.
Aside from fish (baked or fried) and fried shrimp entrees, the hall serves french fries, Croatian potato salad, coleslaw and Croatian slaw as sides.
Each week also brings a different special dish; this week’s is Sausalido’s bowtie pasta with spinach, feta, toasted nuts and grilled shrimp. Stop by the Croatian baked goods sale if you still have room in your stomach for poppy seed cake, breskvice cookies, baklava and other goodies.
Keep an eye on Javor’s Facebook page — you might catch one of the tambura bands that frequent the club on your outing. Javor is open Fridays, Feb. 20 through April 3, from 4:30 to 8 p.m.
Dine-in and takeout available. Call 412-321-8104 to order.
Get dinner from Swissvale VFD’s fry for another classic side: hush puppies. The crispy cornmeal balls are part of the fire department’s beer-battered roster of fish, potatoes and cheese. Plus, near the top of their menu is a beer-battered grilled cheese sandwich.
Dine-in or eat out on every Friday during Lent from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
See the menu here. Call 412-271-8787 to order.
Where do fish go to fry? Find the magic radish guy!
This year, Bitter Ends is popping up at Nancy’s Revival for a fish fry. Order battered or fried wild-caught Alaskan cod sandwiches alongside classic sides and dessert.
If you need any more reason to check it out, here’s this year’s unhinged promo video.
Bitter Ends at Nancy’s is open every Friday, Feb. 20 through April 3, from 5 to 8 p.m.
If you’re way up north, head to St Gregory’s for a classic church fry.
Hosted by the school’s Parent Teacher Group, it serves breaded and battered cod, alongside sandwiches and fried shrimp. It also offers children’s meals, which means small fish portions or cheese pizza.
Adult dinners are $15. Older adults (65 and older) eat for $12, and children (ages 4 to 10) eat for $6. Kids 3 years old and younger eat free.
The fry is open every Friday, Feb. 20 through March 27, from 4 to 7 p.m.
See the menu here. Call 724-452-8010 to order.