Pittsburgh's Fish Fry-Days | 2025 Fish Fry Guide

If you're not sure why fish on Friday is a thing, let me backup a bit. Lent (Mar. 5 - April 17, 2025), is a religious observance by many Christian denominations that covers a period of approximately six weeks before Easter Sunday. During all of the Fridays of Lent, Catholics over the age of 14 abstain from meat and from foods made with meat.

The end result? Places from churches to fire halls, restaurants and bars get in on the Fish Fry fun, offering up colossal fish sandwiches, Only in Pittsburgh pierogies, traditional Polish favorites like haluski and lots of mac-n-cheese, fries and other fried goodies. You don't need to be a member of the church to go, either; just head on in (bring cash) and experience the Pittsburgh Fish Fry for yourself! Home to a thriving culinary scene across various neighborhoods, you'll find a scrumptious array of fried fish offerings throughout Pittsburgh.

The Original Oyster House, Market Square

20 Market Square

This old-school fish house & tavern (since 1870) located in historic Market Square, offers fresh seafood platters. The cod has a delicate flavor with just the right amount of spices and the onion rings are perfection!

And nothing says you HAVE to eat a fish sandwich, you can also nosh on their namesake oyster sandwich and Maryland-style crab cakes too!

Brother Andre's Cafe, Uptown

164 Washington Place

If you're near PPG Paints Area, head to the bottom entrance of Epiphany Church - Divine Mercy Parish for Brother Andre's Cafe, one of Pittsburgh's hidden gems for great coffee. For Lent, they're also serving up fish sandwiches and fries on Fridays!

The Warren, Downtown

245 7th Street

Restaurants love changing it up for Fish Fry season. The Warren opens up for lunch on Fridays specifically for Lent, and their massive sandwich is available from 11 a.m.-midnight with chips or on a bun!

North Park Lounge, North Hills

8701 Babcock Boulevard

The hook here is the NPL 12 oz Giant Fish Sandwich comes from the secret beer batter that the fish is dipped in and then fried to a golden brown. Also has a location east of the city with the same great food.

Allegheny Elks Lodge, Deutschtown

400 Cedar Avenue

Run completely by volunteers, the Elks Lodge #339 fish fry is a fantastic stop in a historic neighborhood. The menu includes hand-breaded Atlantic cod on a fresh Breadworks roll and homemade sides. Just get in line; it's worth the wait.

The Grant Bar & Lounge, Millvale

114 Grant Avenue

Grant’s has long been known for their fish sandwiches. The generous size leaves plenty to share (if you want to!) Pair it with their off-the-chart onion rings and you won’t be hungry again for a while. If you do save room, their desserts are one of the area's best-kept secrets.

Pittsburgh Fish & Chicken, Brighton Heights

1312 Benton Avenue

This casual eatery serves a variety of fried fish entrees, including tilapia, cod, and catfish. Don't miss pairing your meal with a side of fries, bread, and coleslaw.

Most Holy Name Church, Troy Hill

1515 Tinsbury Street

Operating every Friday during Lent (except for Good Friday), this fish fry features a several meals all for the same price. You can even get menu items a la carte. Click here to view the full menu and place a pick-up order.

Remo's Catering, Ross Township

2151 Babcock Boulevard

This catering company has been in the Pittsburgh area for over 35 years. Click here for their fish fry menu.

John Marshall Catering, Bakerstown

5950 William Flinn Highway

JMC beer-battered haddock is made-to-order by award-winning chefs, delivering a perfectly fresh and flavorful meal every time. Click here for the full menu.

The Pub Chip Shop, South Side

1830 E Carson Street

The fish and chips is excellent. Their hand battered haddock is moist, flaky and has the perfect texture. Get it with their crispy chips and tartar sauce.

Piper's Pub, South Side

1828 E Carson Street

Experience generous portions of fish and chips with the perfect crunch. In Piper's Pub, haddock is prepared with a beer batter and chips are accompanied by a side of mushy peas.

Don’t miss the special Family Fish Fry Party on March 14, from 4:00 to 7:00pm at Piper’s Pub. Children and families attending will enjoy kids crafts, activities, and more whilst their parents are welcome to enjoy a pint or two or more! Proceeds benefit South Side Kids’ community work.

Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, Hazelwood

107 Flowers Avenue

Constantly voted as one of the top Fish Fry locales in the region, and for good reason. Hand-battered fish along with many sides, homemade by culinary trainees, including pierogies, mac & cheese, haluski and coleslaw.

Insider Tip: This was the first fish fry I went to in 2023 for good reason. The fried fish is hand-seasoned and hand-battered to order and even the french fries are fresh cut. This fish fry is a MUST.

St. Joan of Arc Church, South Park

6470 Library Road

Dine-in returns (takeout also available) for this Pittsburgh-favorite fry offering various fried and baked options including fried or baked fish, homemade crab cakes, shrimp dinner, mac & cheese, pierogies, desserts and more!

Big Jim’s Restaurant & Bar, Greenfield

201 Saline Street

An off-the-beaten-path bar that’s not fancy but their food is great. Big portions and good service. They were featured on Food Network’s "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." The atmosphere and location are part of the whole experience. A must-stop, simple as that.

Swissvale Fire Department, Swissvale

7400 Irvine Street

Beer-battered fish sandwich is tasty and hearty. The mac & cheese is good and the haluski usually sells out quickly so get there early.

Stinky’s, Lawrenceville

4901 Hatfield Street

The Codfather is the stunner here, a huge filet of cod dipped in beer batter and perfectly fried, all on large kaiser roll. It gets crowded on Fridays during Lent, so go early or later in the evening.

E-Town Bar and Grill, Etna

304 Butler Street

Tucked into a stretch of row houses along Butler Street, E-Town has a great beer selection and terrific food, including flavorful fish sandwiches. Etna's best-kept secret has definitely gotten out.

Elly's, Carnegie

1201 Washington Avenue

Jumbo fried fish sandwich AND jumbo fried fish - need we say more? If you get the jumbo it will feed two people. Enjoy it with french fries and coleslaw.

St. Margaret of Scotland, Green Tree

310 Mansfield Avenue

One parish, two amazing fish fries at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church or Ss. Simon and Jude Church in Green Tree. Secret recipe crab cakes and fish tacos are great orders here, along with Friday's famous bread pudding for dessert.

Robert Wholey & Co., Inc.

1711 Penn Avenue

Us natives just call it Wholey's (pronounced wool-ees)! Fish of every kind imaginable including incredible melt-in-your-mouth, buttery fish sandwiches. Try the Wholey Holy Moley (1 pound of Icelandic cod stacked on a sandwich) or Wholey Whaler (with 1 lb. of whiting).

Cellar on Penn

2031 Penn Avenue

If you want the authentic church fish fry experience, Cellar on Penn works with St. Stanislaus Kosta Parish each Friday of Lent for the classic fish sandwich, but you'll also want to try their capellini pasta with crabmeat vodka sauce and famous St. StanisSLAW.

Penn Avenue Fish Company

2208 Penn Avenue

Super casual, loft-like, vibrant restaurant for sampling sushi and daily catches. It’s a great place to get fresh and delicious fish.

Primanti Bros.

Primanti's famous coleslaw and fries piled atop their colossal fish and cheese is a match made in heaven. Get every flavor of the Pittsburgh fish fry in one bite, available here and at all Primanti locations.

Mullaney's Harp and Fiddle Irish Pub

2329 Penn Avenue

This charming Irish pub provides an array of whiskey to enhance your fried fish experience. The fish and chips are lightly seasoned in a Guinness batter, revealing a burst of hearty flavors in each bite.

There are plenty more options in the greater Pittsburgh area to grab some fish over the next few months, there's even an interactive map of Pittsburgh fish frys to check out! So many options, so much fish to try!