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Brown Butter’s fish fry Friday special this Lent
Brown Butter

Where to Find the Best Restaurant Fish Fry Specials in New Orleans This Year

Our top 2022 restaurant picks for the popular Lenten special

by Clair Lorell and Beth D'Addono Updated
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Brown Butter’s fish fry Friday special this Lent
| Brown Butter
by Clair Lorell and Beth D'Addono Updated

Whether for Lent or just because, eating fried fish on Friday is always a good idea. But between now and Easter, New Orleans especially celebrates the Southern staple, with everyone in town looking for the best plate on offer when the work week comes to an end. While churches are the classic option and often the best value for a plate, this guide focuses on the city’s restaurants serving up particularly enticing riffs on the special. Most of these spots are among the more than 30 New Orleans restaurants are participating in Fish Fry Fridays, a fundraising effort launched in 2020 to benefit local hospitality workers — those restaurants will donate $1 per fish fry entree sold through April 15.

If we missed a great restaurant fish fry special for Lent this year (whether it’s part of Fish Fry Fridays or not), let us know; this list will continue to be updated.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

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Brown Butter Southern Kitchen and Bar

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With a menu that stretches from the low country to Cajun country, Brown Butter marries tradition with the chefs’ modern takes on homestyle Southern cuisine. Fridays feature an expertly fried fish platter ($17) with hand cut fries and fixings.

231 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 609-3871
(504) 609-3871

Also featured in:

Katie's

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Family favorite Katie’s, and its sister restaurant Francesca’s are both doing Friday Fish Fry specials — at Katie’s, get a fried catfish platter with potato salad and vegetables for $17, and at Francesca’s, a similar platter goes for $15.95; Katie’s is dine-in only.

3701 Iberville St, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 488-6582
(504) 488-6582

Also featured in:

Gabrielle Restaurant

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Mid City stalwart Gabrielle can be counted on again this year, as for most holidays, to provide on-point meals with which to celebrate.

2441 Orleans Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 603-2344
(504) 603-2344

Also featured in:

Li'l Dizzy's Cafe

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Li’l Dizzy’s is an institution when it comes to frying chicken or seafood, so it’s a sure bet for Fish Fry Fridays. The corner Treme shop is serving catfish Jourdain, fried catfish topped with lemon butter crabmeat and shrimp sauce, along with two sides, for $18.99. Beyond that, the restaurant just introduced a brand new, Lent-friendly dish, Trout Dizzy, that is as good as it looks.

1500 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 766-8687
(504) 766-8687

Also featured in:

Bywater Brew Pub

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For its latest special, Bywater Brewery chef Anh Luu, has added a fairly mind-blowing sandwich: a giant fried catfish filet sandwich topped with bok choy and bamboo slaw and remoulade, served with fries (these are the really good kind of fries, with the extra-crispy batter).

3000 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 766-8118
(504) 766-8118

Also featured in:

Bao Mi

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Aside from Bao Mi’s many Lent-approved options, this great new downtown Vietnamese spot will be offering a number of specials every Friday during Lent, including a garlic butter shrimp banh mi and fried catfish banh mi (and could even include green curry shrimp and grits). Dine-in only.

2000 Tulane Ave Ste B, New Orleans, LA 70112

Also featured in:

Ma Momma's House at The Pythian Market

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For a convenient fish fry option in the Warehouse District, look no further than Ma Momma’s House at Pythian Market, as this brunch favorite is known for its top-notch treatment of Southern classics. This year’s must-try special is Southern fried fish and grits: creamy grits with Southern fried fish, whipped butter, and a freshly baked petite cornbread waffle.

234 Loyola Ave #14, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 920-2858
(504) 920-2858

Luke

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We love Luke for all things seafood, and its Friday fish fry special is no different — a cornmeal-fried catfish plate is served with fries, fried shrimp, a crawfish boudin ball, coleslaw, pickles, and remoulade sauce goes for a reasonable $15, available for takeout or dine-in.

333 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 378-2840
(504) 378-2840

Also featured in:

Vyoone’s

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No surprise, Vyoone’s Fish Fry Friday special is arguably the most enticing of all. The gorgeous Warehouse District gem is doing one of their special soft shell plates: Whaler soft shell crab (French-crusted) over corn macque choux served with fingerling potatoes topped with creamy crawfish sauce, for $38. Available for takeout and dine-in, which is always a special experience.

412 Girod St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 518-6007
(504) 518-6007

Also featured in:

Pêche Seafood Grill

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Peche does seafood right and Friday fish fry is no exception. A whole fried fish, served with sides that change weekly is available for dine-in (market price). The fish is catch of the day, and might be redfish, flounder or snapper.

800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 522-1744
(504) 522-1744
Whole fried fish from Peche
Peche/Official

Also featured in:

Annunciation

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The elegant Warehouse District dinnertime restaurant led by talented chef Milton Prudence is offering crispy fried catfish with garlic steak fries and onion rings with house tartar sauce for $29, dine-in or takeout.

1016 Annunciation St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 568-0245
(504) 568-0245

Also featured in:

Café Reconcile

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For a dinner-worthy meal at lunch prices, stop by the delightful Cafe Reconcile Tuesday through Friday for a $14 plate of catfish amandine, served with lemon-brown butter, green beans, and rice.

1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70113
(504) 568-1157
(504) 568-1157

Also featured in:

The Avenue Pub

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Polly Watts runs a welcoming pub and eatery that’s been in her family for decades. Order Avenue’s beer battered haddock and chips on Fridays for $14.50, served with house made fries and cucumber salad. Another special is her Cajun shrimp Louis, smoked shrimp tossed in a Cajun spiced cream cheese dressing and served with tomatoes and hard boiled egg.

1732 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 586-9243
(504) 586-9243
Avenue Pub/Facebook

Also featured in:

Mahony's Po-boys & Seafood

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This po’ boy favorite with two locations is doing it up for its Lenten special, available for dine-in or takeout on Magazine Street or from the French Quarter. Catfish Pontchartrain, for $23.95, is a fried catfish filet served over seafood butter rice, smothered with a shrimp, crawfish and blue crab Alicia sauce, with a side of collard greens and French bread. 

3454 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 899-3374
(504) 899-3374

Mister Mao

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It’s dine-in only at Uptown’s most exciting new restaurant, but you want to dine in at this fun, self-described tropical roadhouse. Her first year open for Lent, chef Sophina Uong’s special is salt and pepper shrimp with bok choy fried rice (or a comparable accompaniment as the seasons change) for $24.

 

4501 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 345-2056
(504) 345-2056
Katherine Kimball/Eater NOLA

Also featured in:

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Brown Butter Southern Kitchen and Bar

231 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

With a menu that stretches from the low country to Cajun country, Brown Butter marries tradition with the chefs’ modern takes on homestyle Southern cuisine. Fridays feature an expertly fried fish platter ($17) with hand cut fries and fixings.

231 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 609-3871
(504) 609-3871

Katie's

3701 Iberville St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Family favorite Katie’s, and its sister restaurant Francesca’s are both doing Friday Fish Fry specials — at Katie’s, get a fried catfish platter with potato salad and vegetables for $17, and at Francesca’s, a similar platter goes for $15.95; Katie’s is dine-in only.

3701 Iberville St, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 488-6582
(504) 488-6582

Gabrielle Restaurant

2441 Orleans Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Mid City stalwart Gabrielle can be counted on again this year, as for most holidays, to provide on-point meals with which to celebrate.

2441 Orleans Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 603-2344
(504) 603-2344

Li'l Dizzy's Cafe

1500 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

Li’l Dizzy’s is an institution when it comes to frying chicken or seafood, so it’s a sure bet for Fish Fry Fridays. The corner Treme shop is serving catfish Jourdain, fried catfish topped with lemon butter crabmeat and shrimp sauce, along with two sides, for $18.99. Beyond that, the restaurant just introduced a brand new, Lent-friendly dish, Trout Dizzy, that is as good as it looks.

1500 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 766-8687
(504) 766-8687

Bywater Brew Pub

3000 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70117

For its latest special, Bywater Brewery chef Anh Luu, has added a fairly mind-blowing sandwich: a giant fried catfish filet sandwich topped with bok choy and bamboo slaw and remoulade, served with fries (these are the really good kind of fries, with the extra-crispy batter).

3000 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 766-8118
(504) 766-8118

Bao Mi

2000 Tulane Ave Ste B, New Orleans, LA 70112

Aside from Bao Mi’s many Lent-approved options, this great new downtown Vietnamese spot will be offering a number of specials every Friday during Lent, including a garlic butter shrimp banh mi and fried catfish banh mi (and could even include green curry shrimp and grits). Dine-in only.

2000 Tulane Ave Ste B, New Orleans, LA 70112

Ma Momma's House at The Pythian Market

234 Loyola Ave #14, New Orleans, LA 70112

For a convenient fish fry option in the Warehouse District, look no further than Ma Momma’s House at Pythian Market, as this brunch favorite is known for its top-notch treatment of Southern classics. This year’s must-try special is Southern fried fish and grits: creamy grits with Southern fried fish, whipped butter, and a freshly baked petite cornbread waffle.

234 Loyola Ave #14, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 920-2858
(504) 920-2858

Luke

333 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

We love Luke for all things seafood, and its Friday fish fry special is no different — a cornmeal-fried catfish plate is served with fries, fried shrimp, a crawfish boudin ball, coleslaw, pickles, and remoulade sauce goes for a reasonable $15, available for takeout or dine-in.

333 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 378-2840
(504) 378-2840

Vyoone’s

412 Girod St, New Orleans, LA 70130

No surprise, Vyoone’s Fish Fry Friday special is arguably the most enticing of all. The gorgeous Warehouse District gem is doing one of their special soft shell plates: Whaler soft shell crab (French-crusted) over corn macque choux served with fingerling potatoes topped with creamy crawfish sauce, for $38. Available for takeout and dine-in, which is always a special experience.

412 Girod St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 518-6007
(504) 518-6007

Pêche Seafood Grill

800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Peche does seafood right and Friday fish fry is no exception. A whole fried fish, served with sides that change weekly is available for dine-in (market price). The fish is catch of the day, and might be redfish, flounder or snapper.

800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 522-1744
(504) 522-1744
Whole fried fish from Peche
Peche/Official

Annunciation

1016 Annunciation St, New Orleans, LA 70130

The elegant Warehouse District dinnertime restaurant led by talented chef Milton Prudence is offering crispy fried catfish with garlic steak fries and onion rings with house tartar sauce for $29, dine-in or takeout.

1016 Annunciation St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 568-0245
(504) 568-0245

Café Reconcile

1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70113

For a dinner-worthy meal at lunch prices, stop by the delightful Cafe Reconcile Tuesday through Friday for a $14 plate of catfish amandine, served with lemon-brown butter, green beans, and rice.

1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70113
(504) 568-1157
(504) 568-1157

The Avenue Pub

1732 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

Polly Watts runs a welcoming pub and eatery that’s been in her family for decades. Order Avenue’s beer battered haddock and chips on Fridays for $14.50, served with house made fries and cucumber salad. Another special is her Cajun shrimp Louis, smoked shrimp tossed in a Cajun spiced cream cheese dressing and served with tomatoes and hard boiled egg.

1732 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 586-9243
(504) 586-9243
Avenue Pub/Facebook

Mahony's Po-boys & Seafood

3454 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

This po’ boy favorite with two locations is doing it up for its Lenten special, available for dine-in or takeout on Magazine Street or from the French Quarter. Catfish Pontchartrain, for $23.95, is a fried catfish filet served over seafood butter rice, smothered with a shrimp, crawfish and blue crab Alicia sauce, with a side of collard greens and French bread. 

3454 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 899-3374
(504) 899-3374

Mister Mao

4501 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115

It’s dine-in only at Uptown’s most exciting new restaurant, but you want to dine in at this fun, self-described tropical roadhouse. Her first year open for Lent, chef Sophina Uong’s special is salt and pepper shrimp with bok choy fried rice (or a comparable accompaniment as the seasons change) for $24.

 

4501 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 345-2056
(504) 345-2056
Katherine Kimball/Eater NOLA

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