If you grew up in Western New York, you do not need the fish fry explained. If you did not, the short version is this: on Fridays, a large share of this city eats a slab of beer-battered haddock the size of a shoe, with fries, coleslaw, and a dinner roll, and has done so for generations. Our sister restaurant across the lot wrote a good piece on why Buffalo eats fish fry all year, and we will not repeat it here.
What we will do is explain how a diner does it, why we offer three versions, and how to choose.
Why haddock
Buffalo fish fry means haddock. Not cod, not pollock, not "whitefish." Haddock is a North Atlantic fish with a mild, slightly sweet flavor and large, soft flakes that hold together in a fryer without turning rubbery. Cod is a fine fish, but it is a little firmer and a little blander, and if you put it in front of a Buffalo native and call it fish fry, they will notice.
Ours comes in fresh, which matters more than any technique. A fresh haddock fillet smells like the ocean and nothing else. The frozen kind smells like the freezer.
The three ways
1. Beer battered
The classic. A house-made beer batter, thick enough to shatter, dropped into the fryer and pulled the moment it turns deep gold. This is the version that overhangs the plate and the one to order if it is your first Buffalo fish fry. It is also the one that becomes our haddock sandwich, with coleslaw and tartar on a toasted roll, which is a very good lunch.
2. Lemon butter
Seared, not fried. White wine, lemon, parsley, and garlic butter in a hot pan, and the fish goes in and comes out with a light crust and a sauce that you will want the roll for. This is the one people order when they want the fish and not the batter, and it is the one we would point a Lent-observing regular to on their fourth Friday in a row.
3. Cajun
Lightly dusted in creole spice and seared. Not blackened into oblivion, just seasoned enough that the mildness of the haddock has something to push against. Squeeze the lemon over it. Trust us.
How to choose
| If you want… | Order |
|---|---|
| The Buffalo experience, no compromises | Beer battered |
| Something lighter that still tastes like a treat | Lemon butter |
| Some heat, but not a lot of heat | Cajun |
| A sandwich you can hold | Haddock sandwich |
The sides argument
Every fish fry comes with coleslaw and your choice of side. The traditional pairing is fries, and our fries are hand-cut, so that is the safe choice. The heretical choice is the griddled mac and cheese, which is crisped on the flat-top and has no business being as good next to fish as it is. We will not tell anyone.
Haddock, fresh, on the day. Everything else is technique.
Fish fry at 8 in the morning
Because we are a diner and the whole menu runs all day, you can order the fish fry with your coffee at eight in the morning. Some people do. We do not judge, and honestly the lemon butter version with a side of home fries and a fried egg is a breakfast we would defend in court.
If you are planning a proper Friday, the shape of it is simple: fish fry here for lunch, then walk across the parking lot for dinner when we close at three and The Steer opens at four. Two fish fries in one day is not a crime. It is a Buffalo tradition.