It’s almost Fish Fry season in Northeast Ohio.
Lent 2025 began on Mar. 5 and ends April 17. It’s a period of prayer and fasting among many Christian traditions. In Cleveland, it’s also a secular celebration enjoyed by lovers of fried fish at restaurants, bars, churches, lodges and ethnic clubs.
The tradition comes from the large number of southern and eastern European immigrants who arrived in the area largely between the Civil War and World War I, attracted by the area's expanding industrial base.
Many of those immigrants were Catholic and didn’t eat meat on Fridays as an act of penance — especially during Lent. Over the years, religious and secular establishments began hosting fish fries to cater to that clientele and the Lenten Fish Fry tradition in Northeast Ohio, was born.
The hardest part is often choosing which fish fry to hit. No list is exhaustive, but there are some lists out there that make finding and picking your spot easier than others.
After all, the stakes are high: There are only six Fridays during Lent — although many establishments keep frying through Easter Sunday on April 20.
Cleveland Magazine Fish Fry Guide
This guide includes reviews and a map of fish fries across the region. It also offers links to download the Cleveland Fish Fry Guide app, which lets iPhone and Android device users search and sort local fish fries.
This guide combines the power of a map with a scrollable list of fish fries along with descriptions. You can see what's on the menu to make sure you pick the fish fry at the price point you want with the proteins (chicken? shrimp?) and sides (potato? rolls? coleslaw?) you prefer.
Akron Beacon Journal
A list of churches, clubs, lodges and restaurants offering fish fries, with details on what's on offer and when.
2025 Akron Fish Fry map by Documenter Melanie Mohler
For the second year, Akron Documenter Melanie Mohler has created a map to make finding fish fries in Akron a snap. Hot tip: She told Akron Signal she favors the sides at the St. Vincent de Paul Parish on West Market Street in Akron.
