{"id":464678,"date":"2026-10-13T11:32:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T11:32:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/464678\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T11:32:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T11:32:18","slug":"old-vs-new-who-has-fort-worths-best-fish-and-chips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/464678\/","title":{"rendered":"Old vs. new: who has Fort Worth\u2019s best fish and chips?"},"content":{"rendered":"

FORT WORTH<\/p>\n

A newcomer is challenging Zeke\u2019s Fish & Chips<\/a>\u2019 reign as one of Fort Worth\u2019s iconic restaurants.<\/a><\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t know Zeke\u2019s, it opened in 1971.<\/p>\n

The Dallas Observer named it Texas\u2019 undisputed \u201cGod of Cod.\u201d<\/a> Forbes took it national as one of America\u2019s \u201cBest Eats for the Buck.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Understand, North Texas is not exactly cod country.<\/p>\n

Zeke\u2019s actually replaced one of the region\u2019s few 1960s fish and chips restaurants when it opened at 5920 Curzon Ave., a half-block east of Bryant Irvin Road at Camp Bowie Boulevard.<\/p>\n

So I see why diners looking for a pub experience would be writing online that the new Henry McCarty Irish Pub<\/a> now has the city\u2019s best cod basket.<\/p>\n

So we put them head-to-head, or fillet-to-fillet.<\/p>\n

The verdict: Henry McCarty Irish Pub at 2869 Crockett St. in the Artisan Circle<\/a> shops is the most complete day-in, day-out Irish restaurant and pub we\u2019ve had, down to the corned beef and cabbage, shepherd\u2019s pie and bangers and mash.<\/p>\n

\"Fish Fish and chips at 55-year favorite Zeke\u2019s in Fort Worth, Texas, left, on Oct. 12, 2026, and at Henry McCarty Irish Pub, right. on Oct. 10, 2026. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com <\/p>\n

Henry McCarty\u2019s fish and chips platter ($21) comes with only one fillet, but it\u2019s large.<\/p>\n

The fish is sweet, soft and delicious. It\u2019s listed as battered with beer from Howth<\/a>, near the fresh fish docks outside Dublin.<\/p>\n

This is not a big thing, but more of the crisp coating came off the fish with every bite.<\/p>\n

French onion soup and Scotch eggs didn\u2019t fit the lunch order this day, but both are lauded at McCarty\u2019s for the favor and stylish presentation.<\/p>\n

The steak fries were notably bland. A little Tabasco-Sriracha in the ketchup helped.<\/p>\n

\"Zeke\u2019s Zeke\u2019s Fish & Chips has fresh paint and a new interior, seen Oct. 12, 2025, after repairs for a kitchen fire. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com <\/p>\n

A small helping of coleslaw came with the dish. There are other sides.<\/p>\n

Zeke\u2019s served a smaller fillet with the same sides. But this lunch basket came at a much smaller price (the \u201cshort combo,\u201d $11.50).<\/p>\n

This fillet and coating remained assembled. The cod matched McCarty\u2019s in flavor.<\/p>\n

Zeke\u2019s is known for fried food, so the fries were better than McCarty\u2019s, even though neither seemed hand-cut.<\/p>\n

(Love Zeke\u2019s \u201cveggie plate\u201d: fried zucchini, fried okra, fried mushrooms and fried eggplant.)<\/p>\n

The Zeke\u2019s dinner also came with coleslaw and teardrop-shaped hush puppies. They\u2019re not the beloved stick shapes that vanished from the market temporarily last year, but they\u2019re a very good substitute.<\/p>\n

\"Henry Henry McCarty\u2019s is a new Irish pub located in Fort Worth\u2019s Artisan Circle, as seen on Monday, July 20, 2026. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com <\/p>\n

McCarty Irish Pub again has Zeke\u2019s beat for fancy desserts.<\/p>\n

McCarty\u2019s desserts include \u201cWest of Ireland\u201d bread pudding on Jameson whiskey-infused custard ($9), a coconut custard \u201cturtle\u201d or a dulce de leche-filled spice cake.<\/p>\n

Zeke\u2019s is known for bitesize pecan brownies, chocolate-chip-pecan \u201cTugboat Annie\u201d bars or 7-layer butterscotch-chocolate-coconut \u201cmagic bars,\u201d also known as hello dolly bars.<\/p>\n

Note that Zeke\u2019s has a drive-through window. I\u2019m not going to say that Camp Bowie Boulevard motorists ever turn into Zeke\u2019s driveway just for a Tugboat Annie bar or a magic bar. But the temptation is eternal.<\/p>\n

Zeke\u2019s is also known for its 1970s rock soundtrack. This quick dinner included three different songs by the Doors, plus the 1972 hit \u201cStuck in the Middle With You.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The The inside of Henry McCarty\u2019s mimics a traditional Irish pub with accents of dark wood, emerald green bar tiles and brass lanterns. Ella Gonzales egonzales@star-telegram.com <\/p>\n

Verdict: Henry McCarty Irish Pub is the fanciest, most elaborate fish and chips restaurant we\u2019ve seen. And it\u2019s well-stocked with Guinness.<\/p>\n

But Zeke\u2019s is a familiar local restaurant with comparable fish and chips, bargain prices, family packs and a simple menu that also includes catfish, chicken and a distinctive chicken salad sandwich.<\/p>\n

Henry McCarty has the flashy look and Irish pub spirit. But Zeke\u2019s has a familiar 1970s Texas feel and budget-friendly prices.<\/p>\n

Henry McCarty is open daily for lunch, dinner and late. Garage parking is free with validation, and street parking is free at lunch with the city FWPark smartphone app (or register at the parking meter); 817-529-6005<\/a>. thehenrymccarty.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Zeke;s is open for lunch and dinner daily; 817-731-3321<\/a>, zekesfishandchips.com<\/a>,<\/p>\n

\"A A special at West 7th\u2019s new bar are the Public House Pretzels with Guinness cheese sauce and mustard at Henry McCarty\u2019s Irish Pub on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 in Fort Worth. Ella Gonzales egonzales@star-telegram.com \"Lemon-pepper Lemon-pepper boneless wings at Henry McCarty\u2019s Irish Pub on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 in Fort Worth. Ella Gonzales egonzales@star-telegram.com \"Irish Irish breakfast and the Jameson burger are just a few of the dishes offered at Henry McCarty\u2019s Irish Pub in the West 7th Entertainment District. Mikalah O’Riley Courtesy photo by Henry McCarty\u2019s Irish Pub \"Zeke\u2019s Zeke\u2019s Fish & Chips in Fort Worth, Texas, still had a pay phone and newsracks out front when it celebrated its 30th anniversary Oct. 9, 2001. Perry Stewart Star-Telegram archives
\n Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Bud Kennedy\u2019s Eats Beat<\/a><\/p>\n

Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n

Bud Kennedy is celebrating his 40th year writing about restaurants in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has written the \u201cEats Beat\u201d dining column in print since 1985 and online since 1992 \u2014 that\u2019s more than 3,000 columns about Texas cafes, barbecue, burgers and where to eat.
\n Support my work with a digital subscription<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"FORT WORTH A newcomer is challenging Zeke\u2019s Fish & Chips\u2019 reign as one of Fort Worth\u2019s iconic restaurants.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":464679,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[116,118,117],"class_list":["post-464678","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fort-worth","tag-fort-worth","tag-fort-worth-headlines","tag-fort-worth-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/464678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=464678"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/464678\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/464679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=464678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=464678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=464678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}