#fishfrygal

This is my third time reviewing Bobby J’s fish fry! We were part of a gathering of 20 people and I decided to see if it was as great as they were in 2017 and 2018. It was! They take reservations and have multiple side rooms to accommodate large groups. I have previously sat in the bar which is great if you want that pub feel. If you want a quiet dinner then ask for the dining room. Frank Sinatra and similar music overhead bring a classic rat pack vibe while you dine. They started off with a basket of crusty fresh Italian bread. Really good. The beer battered fish was done well. Not as big of a portion as the last time I visited, but others in our party seemed to have larger pieces. Skinless haddock with a standard crunchy shell (9). Italian broiled is another available option. Battered French fries were crisp perfection (10). The tartar appeared home made and would please even those that don’t love tartar. It had an interesting finish that I can only say had a flavor like nutmeg. Cole slaw was nice and crip with a poppyseed dressing (9). Mac salad was standard with a vinegar back end. I have noted that each time I have had it the noodle shapes have varied. Tonight it was classic elbows (8). They are missing potato salad which everyone knows breaks my heart. However, you do get a side salad or soup with your fish fry which is an added bonus. Our server Lindsey was very nice and handled our large group with ease. Plenty of parking in the rear. The beer selection at the bar is great with plenty on tap to choose from. There are very few places for fish fries that easily accommodate a large group or take reservations on Fridays in lent. Bobby J’s in an exception. It is a solid experience every time I go. Consistency is really hard to achieve over multiple years. Kudos to a job well done. Overall rating 9. If you’re making ‘em, I’m eatin’ em!

There’s a new fish fry boss in town and it’s in Kenmore. We arrived at 5pm and our party of 10 was seated at 6:25pm. We were warned when we arrived that our wait would be considerable since there were multiple large parties ahead of us. The bar area to wait was fun and they had a good selection of beers on tap. The time went fast as we mingled with others waiting to be seated. One highlight was the Pabst Blue Ribbon hard coffee in a can. Our pleasant server Nadine greeted us promptly and made quick work of our drink order. Unfortunately, the kitchen was slammed on this busy Friday in Lent and we waited over an hour for our food. So you would think that would kill the review right? Well, when you are bringing out the holy grail of fish frys, you SHOULD wait as long as it takes... They featured a beer battered skinless haddock that had the most amazing flavorful batter. This fish was cooked to perfection. An absolute perfect 10! Broiled options included lemon pepper and cajun. Tonight’s broiled special was italiano featuring parmesan and bruschetta. Each fish dinner came with Cole slaw and mac salad. Mac was a unique elbow tuna mac. Delicious but under dressed (9). Cole slaw was also near perfection. Sweet and tangy with a hint of purple cabbage and carrot. Crisp and refreshing. They give you a choice of potato or rice pilaf (9). French fries were skin on fresh cut that were a tasty salty and crisp. (8) These are the most difficult fries to master in my opinion. Very often they are tasty but soggy. Not here! They were nice and crisp. They gave you a huge portion of them too! German potato salad was delicious but the sauce could stand to be thickened. Nice smoky bacon flavor and potatoes that were not too hard and not too squishy (9). For me the starch winner was the baby red potato salad. My only issue was there wasn’t more of it on my plate! (10) Tartar, like all the sides, were obviously home made. I think I detected a miracle whip base? Very tasty! No bread served but it wasn’t missed. They do not take reservations and the dining room is teeny tiny. Really great casual atmosphere though. I liked it a lot! Parking is on the street or in a TINY lot out back. So yes, the parking blows, the wait is long yet I’m already trying to figure out when I can get back there. Everyone sees the lists of Buffalo’s best fish frys and the usual suspects are always on there. North End has some of those heavy hitters beat. My overall rating of 9.5 should make any other restaurants on my list this year sweat. Plate. Clearing. Perfection. This one is going to be hard to top! Well done North End, well done indeed.

We ventured in because they are featured on the Buffalo Wing Trail, but I HAD to try the fish. Look out when you enter! If it’s sunny outside it will take some time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. There are wood benches that line the entrance that will put a nice dent in your shin if you aren’t paying attention. Fish was beer battered skinless cod. Batter was super crispy. Portion was a good size and the fish was done perfectly with good flavor. (9) It came with standard 3/8 fries that were frozen longer than they were alive. No seasoning but crisp. Good not great. (7) Finely minced coleslaw was obviously from a bucket but was as good as you can get for a mass produced side. (7) Potato salad appeared to be home made. Potatoes were el dente and there was a heavy presence of vinegar. (8) Tartar was served in packets... no effort there. Major bummer that there was no Mac salad on the plate... 😔 Loved the fish, but their sides need some work. It is located in a strip mall with limited parking. Our server Elizabeth was incredibly sweet and handled out party of 11 with skill and a smile. Overall rating is an 8.5. Go for the wings... they are special.

Lent may be over but I’m still out trying fish frys!! What a great quirky place! We made reservations which is a plus. They are known for their wings, but this gal had to give their fish a go! Beer battered skinless haddock was perfection. Crispy coating, flavorful fish! It’s a 10! Fries were standard no skin that were crisp and good 8. Baked potato was good too 8.5. Coleslaw was good but obviously came from a bucket... 7. Here’s where I was disappointed. No Mac salad, no potato salad... I’m so depressed. The fish is so freaking good but they drop the ball on the side selection! If they get someone in there that can make homemade Mac, potato and slaw they would be in contention for pinnacle status. Our server was fantastic (I think her name was Lauren but I had a few beers...) and kept our party of 9 very happy! I tried the wings too which lived up to the hype. Beer selection was good, with options for everyone. Parking is on the street and can be tricky. Great place with a lot of character. I would go back without hesitation. Overall rating an 8.

Arrived at 6:35 but our party of 7 wasn’t seated until 7:50. Good thing the bar area to wait in was very spacious! Beer selection was blah. Our server Debbie was friendly and did a nice job taking care of us. She started us with a loaf of crispy warm white bread. Nothing special. Fish was a beer battered skinless cod. Nice crisp light coating and the fish was done very nicely. (9) The breaded fish option and Italian baked were just ok. Tarter was run of the mill. Sides were home made. Cole slaw was standard, again nothing special. Then you had to choose your choice of potato. Wait. What?! No macaroni salad?! Cardinal sin in my opinion. American potato salad was nice with a slight pepper taste.(7) Fries were battered and nice and crispy (8) Baked potato was meh(5) and they were out of German potato salad. Grrrrrrr. Parking lot in the rear with a good amount of spaces or on the street. I’ll go to the catch phrase we are hearing on TV these days... “just ok is not ok.” It was good, not great, but definitely not bad. Overall rating is a 7. On the plus side we learned they take reservations on Fridays. We obviously should have!

What a pleasant surprise! First of all our server Jaimie was a master. Making suggestions that were all spot on! Get the rum punch! Holy heck it’s amazing! Beer battered haddock 9. All the sides are homemade and unique! Potato salad was spectacular 10, Mac salad could use a bit more dressing but still tasty 8, battered French fries 10, and the Cole slaw rocked my world. Fresh, not with a cream sauce, vinaigrette instead! Wow a 10! Wish I could take some home! Overall I would give it a 9.5 overall. $13.99 and the portion size is perfect. Check their website for their band schedule. They take reservations. Parking can be tricky on event nights but you can usually find a spot if you are ok with walking a bit!

#transitmusiclounge #lancaster #fishfry #germanpotato #haddock #highfives

Overall a very solid fish fry. (8.5) Just the choices alone bump it up a notch. Great atmosphere and from what I hear, new owners. South Buffalo peeps. Staff was friendly and very efficient. I will be back for sure!