5 best restaurants for fried fish in Minnesota

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Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, along with many more fish!

There are plenty of opportunities to reel in the big catch, whether it’s done in an ice shack in the winter, or along the dock in the summer.

If you’d rather have someone else cast a line, there are amazing restaurants serving up fish throughout Minnesota. Keep this guide close by if you are looking for new places to check out for fish Fridays during Lent.

To find the the 5 best restaurants for fried fish in Minnesota, I collected votes on my Facebook page, my Twitter feed, and from Twin Cities Live viewers. I presented the top vote getters on TV.

Update, February 2021: as you will see below, one of the restaurants from my original list has closed, and I would like to replace it. Give me your suggestions by filling out the comment form at the bottom of the page.

Nominations for the 5th spots are coming in for:

Gabe’s by the Park, Saint Paul

The Minnewaska House, Glenwood

Urban Growler, Saint Paul

Yankee Tavern, Eagan

The Anchor Fish & Chips

302 13th Avenue NE, Minneapolis 55413

90% of what The Anchor sells is fish and chips.

They go through 2500 pounds of potatoes every week.

They do not take reservations and wait times on Friday and Saturday nights can exceed 2 hours. Go on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Sunday to avoid waiting.

Fridays during Lent, Anchor’s food truck is in their parking lot serving up fish and chips for walk-up orders.

Check out their brunch, served Saturdays and Sundays.

Trophy House

23910 Hogan Avenue, New Trier 55031

New Trier is just a short drive down Highway 52, not far from Rosemount.

Trophy House serves an all-you-can-eat fish fry every Friday night, year-round. It is served with salad or coleslaw, choice of potato and garlic toast and will only set you back $14.99.

Like Anchor, they also use cod filets.

They will go through 300 pounds of fish on a Friday night.

Tavern on Grand

656 Grand Avenue, Saint Paul 55105

Tavern on Grand, located on Grand Avenue, is the place for walleye.

The woman-owned and operated restaurant goes through nearly 17 tons of fish a year. It is wild caught Canadian walleye (commercial walleye catching is illegal in Minnesota).

Walleye is a good fish for people who don’t like fish. It tastes more like chicken!

Try their Surly beer battered walleye and pair it with a pint of Surly beer. The Walleye Sampler is also highly recommended.

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Obb’s Sports Bar & Grill

1347 Burns Avenue, Saint Paul 55106

Obb’s, located right off of I-94 and Highway 61, originally opened in 1919 as a grocery and feed store. The family who started it had the opportunity to repurchase it in 2001.

Their pollock all-you-can-eat fish fry is every Friday night and costs only $14.45.

During Lent, they will go through 600 pounds of fish every Friday night.

Expect to wait 60-90 minutes if you want a table on a Friday night during Lent. And if you have a group larger than eight, make sure you call ahead.

They have a fantastic fish hoagie on their menu 7 days a week. The fish dinner is also available all week.

Minneapolis/Richfield American Legion Post 435

NOTE: Due to budget, the Minneapolis/Richfield American Legion is closed. Check their Facebook page for updates.

All are welcome inside the Richfield American Legion, located right off of Portland Avenue.

For $10.99, you can enjoy all-you-can-eat fried pollock, along with sides. Kids eat for just $6.99. Dinner service begins at 4:00 pm and the fish fry is held year-round.

The Richfield American Legion offers music 7 nights a week.

What restaurant should replace the Legion on this fried fish tour? Let me know!

Did you enjoy this roundup of the best restaurants for fried fish in Minnesota? Check out my other Best of Minnesota Guides

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