Fish Shack And Grill

I was really excited to try this restaurant, especially since I was craving for some fried fish, the reviews were overall pretty good, and I love supporting small businesses in the local area. The inside of the restaurant is very nicely decorated and the owners were very nice. I ordered the perch meal, which came with coleslaw, fries, and 4 pieces of fish. The wait was about ten minutes long, which wasn’t bad at all and once I was handed the bag of food, I could feel the hot steam coming off the bag.
Once I got home I opened the bag and tasted the fries and I just knew I was in for a treat. The fries were nicely seasoned although they weren’t freshly cut. I could tell by looking at the fish that it was nice and crispy, but what they say is true though, looks are deceiving. The fish was bland!!! It tasted like they used the cornmeal and just fried the fish and didn’t bother to season it. I was beyond disappointed. It was below average and what I expected. The coleslaw was even yucky to the point that I couldn’t even eat it. I tried pouring hot sauce all over the fish, which you shouldn’t have to do if you truly have some good fish, but it still didn’t help.

Yesss… fish fry! Fry that fish!!! Oh, how I heart deep fried fish, especially, all that encompasses fish fry.
The Fish Shack is randomly located on W25th, away from the fancier places you might see by the WSM. But don’t let that fool you– the food is great!
They have a small little restaurant– about 2 tables, with church pews as the seats (nice!). The walls are decorated with many locations– Alaska, etcera, perhaps describing their story or where they’ve been. A tv is going on in the corner, and locals just trickle in to chat. I kind of like that feeling– it’s not a fancy place, but it’s definitely one that wants to be in the neighborhood, help out the neighborhood, and have a presence among the residents in the neighborhood. That’s a true establishment. *Thumbs up*
So, being fans of fish fry, and not really caring about calories or the deep fried effects (who has time for that), we went on a Saturday for some great food. He got the the fried perch, I got the fried walleye, plus a side of fried plantains (and white bread of course) all for less than 20 bucks. What a steal! And the portions they give you are HUGE– we finished our fish at least, and we were stuffed. STUFFED. But the fish was GREAT, it was deep fried so well (not too much… just right with a little bit of saltiness to it!), and the plantains were so delicious.
The chef came out of the kitchen to chat with us as well. A friendly jolly guy, talking to the random locals walking through the door as well.
Overall, I find that Fish Shack is a GREAT place to grab some fish fry, and I really like how they embrace their location in the neighborhood as well. If you want some great fish fry that is so rare to find in CLE, you gotta check out Fish Shack– it doesn’t disappoint!

I try to not make a habit of eating large platters of fried food and calling it a meal, but… ever since eating a walleye and shrimp combo at The Fish Shack, that’s pretty much all I wanna do.
The service at lunch was super friendly and fast, and trashy daytime court tv shows were playing. I wish I could have stayed all day!

I went to the FIsh Shack and Grill several weeks ago.
I really wanted to like this place.
I really, really wanted to like this place.
We ordered many items off of the menu to get an idea what the hype is about. The fish is average. I can get better clam strips at Long John Silvers (and that is a sad truth). The French fries are actually horrible (how does one screw that up?). The redeeming grace is their soups — they are good. However, they are not $ 6.50 good.
The staff are very nice.
The place is clean.
No designated parking lot. Street side on this part of W.25^th is a bit fast — so be very careful getting out of your car.

We checked out the Fish Shack on a random weeknight a week or so ago and were not disappointed.
Sean and I both went with the comfort of some good ol’ fried walleye. So good. Not battered — breaded with crumbs. Perfection. You can choose about 4 different preparation methods for whatever fish you choose but really, I’m probably going to have trouble not getting fried every time. Not greasy at all — extremely well-​prepared. Sean also got fried shrimp which was fantastic as well.
The menu overall was awesome-​looking. I could have eaten anything on there and been just fine. Good daily specials from what I could tell also. We will definitely be back to try the perch and perhaps the BLT which looked awesome from the Unilocal photos!
We got combo meals but next time I’ll go the a la carte route. For example, I could have done without the two slices of bread that came with the meal. It’s sort of traditional but I didn’t eat it and it just felt wasteful. Perhaps they should ask people if they want it and just throw it in if they do. I bet they could save a few dollars and a lot of wasted bread that way. The price wouldn’t have to change since it’s already quite fair for how much fish you get and the quality. Also, the fries that come with the meal were too much for me with all of the fish and sides but I’m sure it would be fine for many people.
Atmosphere — homey is the word I’d use. I really felt like I was eating in somebody’s house. Christmas decorating in various stages on one side of the room and a walk-​up counter at the back. One sort of communal eating area which was fine by us — we ain’t shy. Clean and welcoming with great service and a hello from the owner make for a nice little place to grab a meal.
Slight downers: The fries were average frozen type fries which are just meh. Also, plastic-​ware and styrofoam for eat-​in always makes me sad. It’s a small place and I’m sure they don’t have great capacity for dishwashing but it’s still a bummer. I know. I’m a hippie.
Overall, the Fish Shack is a wonderful addition to the area and a nice diversion from all the places in Ohio City that you have to do your hair and shit to walk into. Nice to grab a quick, delicious comfort-​food meal on a cold Cleveland night. We will definitely be back to try more of the menu.

One of my favorite mid-90’s G-​Funk songs is called «This is The Shack» by the group Dove Shack. Well, this is the Fish Shack. It is owned by Kate from Kate’s Fish at the West Side Market. If you have ever bought fish from her stand you already know about the quality and service provided. I came here with my father last weekend on a cold and blustery night. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was very welcoming and warming. I enjoyed the fact that this is a family owned and operated small business. They were setting up holiday decorations which really put me in a great mood and allowed me to remember some holiday memories of my dad trying to set up the tree and cursing because of the difficulties of tree set up. I had the ocean perch while he opted for walleye. Both were fresh and delicious. It is good to see more new businesses opening up on the south side of W 25^th. The further I venture away from Town Hall, the greater sense of relief and serenity I feel. This is the shack. This is how we act.

I had THE MOST magical experience at Fish Shack the other night.
After consuming a couple of tiki hour cocktails at Porco, my friend and I were s-​t-​a-​r-​v-​i-​n-​g. We’d heard great things about Fish Shack, so we headed on over. We didn’t realize they closed at 8, it was about 8:10 when we showed up. Rather than turning us away, the owner (Kate) welcomed us in. While we waited for our order (the walleye and perch combos), Kate sat down and chatted with us over a glass of wine. Both she and her employees were very kind and accomodating. We got excellent service despite the fact that we were keeping them past closing time. (*I know it was a one time only thing, so please don’t try to go in past closing time and expect the same treatment!*) Wonderful service aside, the fish was AMAZING. So fresh and so, so delicious. (It certainly doesn’t hurt that Kate also owns Kate’s Fish stand at the WSM!) I loved the cornmeal breading and the coleslaw was so yummy.
I highly recommend checking out the Fish Shack (during regular business hours, of course!), even if it is a bit off the beaten path. Pro tip: BYOB!

smoky barbeque
a fiesta of fried clams
nourishes the soul
So with continuous openings of new glitzy glammy restaurants in Cleveland, and in particular Ohio City, here’s one that is way, way under the radar. Drive south down W. 25^th a ways from the redone part north of Lorain, and on the west side of the street, just past the janky Clark intersection, you will find an awesome little seafood/​barbeque/​latin food storefront.
The Fish Shack does not disappoint. Today I had some fried clams that were absolutely perfect. Crunchy batter, tender clams, solid tartar sauce. The do BBQ meats as well, so I bought a half slab of 10 hour smoked babyback ribs. These simple pleasures are usually all whored up in the fancypants spots, but here, they are simple and delicious.
Only one communal table, but more are on the way. Order at the counter. There was a meatloaf special today. They have frog legs. The place is affiliated with Kate’s Fish at the Westside Market. Lots of good things here. Go here.
Carry on…