9 Illinois Fish Fry Joints That Pack The House Every Week
Every Friday night across Illinois, something magical happens. Lines form outside unassuming restaurants, the smell of hot oil and crispy batter fills the air, and folks gather for a beloved tradition, the fish fry.
These spots have perfected the art of golden, flaky fish that keeps customers coming back week after week, transforming ordinary evenings into delicious celebrations.
1. Calumet Fisheries, Chicago
This tiny shack on the South Side has been smoking fish since 1948, and honestly, time stopped improving perfection decades ago. Calumet Fisheries doesn’t fry their fish in the traditional sense.
They smoke it over oak wood until the skin crackles and the flesh turns butter-soft. The fried shrimp, though? Absolute monsters, each one the size of your thumb. You eat standing up outside because there are no tables, just pure commitment to seafood.
Bring cash and patience.
2. Kief’s Reef, McHenry
Did you know a tiki bar in northern Illinois could nail a fish fry this hard? Kief’s Reef proves landlocked doesn’t mean flavor-locked.
Their walleye comes from local waters, breaded in a cornmeal crust that adds serious crunch. The tartar sauce tastes homemade because it actually is, with chunks of pickle so generous you can see them.
Thursday through Saturday, the parking lot overflows with pickup trucks and families who know what’s up. Order the combo platter and thank me later.
3. Will’s Northwoods Inn, Chicago
Though tucked into a residential neighborhood, this place roars to life every Friday like clockwork. Will’s Northwoods Inn channels Up North Wisconsin vibes without leaving the city limits.
The perch here is legendary, caught fresh and fried in a light batter that lets the delicate fish shine through. They pile it high on oval platters with coleslaw that has just enough tang. The dining room feels like your uncle’s hunting cabin, all wood paneling and taxidermy.
Reservations aren’t a suggestion here.
4. Don’s Dock Seafood, Des Plaines
When a family-run joint survives for generations, you know they’re doing something right. Don’s Dock Seafood has been frying up happiness in Des Plaines since way back when.
Their cod is thick and meaty, fried golden in a beer batter that stays crispy even after the drive home. The portions border on absurd, easily feeding two hungry adults from one order.
Every basket comes with fries, coleslaw, and rye bread because they understand Midwest comfort food rules. Cash only, no exceptions.
5. The Wagon Wheel Bar And Grill, Mineral
Are you willing to drive to the middle of nowhere for transcendent fried fish? The Wagon Wheel Bar and Grill in tiny Mineral demands exactly that commitment.
This country tavern fries catfish so perfectly seasoned it needs zero sauce. Locals pack the place every weekend, claiming stools at the bar hours before dinner service starts. The atmosphere screams small-town America, complete with hunting trophies and a jukebox that still plays actual CDs.
Their hush puppies alone justify the drive.
6. Joe’s Seafood Shack, Springfield
However far you think Springfield is from the ocean, Joe’s Seafood Shack makes that distance irrelevant with every bite. Their shrimp basket arrives piled so high it defies physics and common sense.
The fish options rotate based on what’s freshest, but the cod never disappoints. They bread everything in-house using a recipe guarded like state secrets.
The dining room stays loud and energetic, filled with capitol workers and families who’ve been coming here for decades. Order extra cocktail sauce upfront.
7. The Anchorage, Oak Brook
Hence the fancy suburb location, you might expect The Anchorage to serve pretentious tiny portions. Instead, they deliver proper working-class fish fry with upscale execution.
Their walleye gets a panko crust that shatters audibly with each forkful. The presentation looks magazine-worthy, but the flavors stay rooted in Midwest tradition. They offer both fried and broiled options for the health-conscious crowd, though honestly, who comes to a fish fry for broiled anything?
Make reservations or prepare to wait an hour minimum.
8. Horse Thief Hollow, Chicago
Where the West Loop meets old-school comfort food, magic happens every single week. Horse Thief Hollow serves up beer-battered cod that could make a pescatarian weep with joy.
The crust shatters like thin ice under your fork. Inside, the fish stays impossibly moist and flaky. Their secret ingredient is the malt vinegar they keep tableside in vintage bottles.
Pair it with their hand-cut fries and a pint from their rotating tap list. The vibe screams neighborhood hangout, not tourist trap.
9. Dock’s Oyster Bar, Chicago
When a place famous for raw oysters also crushes the fried fish game, you pay attention. Dock’s Oyster Bar brings East Coast seafood sensibilities to the Midwest with stunning results.
Their fish and chips uses Atlantic cod flown in fresh, never frozen. The chips are actual hand-cut potatoes, not frozen substitutes. Everything arrives piping hot with lemon wedges and malt vinegar for proper British-style enjoyment.
The downtown location makes it perfect for after-work crowds seeking quality fried seafood.
