The Fish Friar

We hadn't visited this restaurant since they moved to a new location in downtown Syracuse several years ago, where they now occupy some of the space that once comprised the French restaurant L'Adour. I ordered the Captain's Platter which included fried haddock, 3 fried shrimp, french fries, coleslaw, tartar sauce, and cocktail sauce. It was quite a filling and tasty meal. My favorite part was the fried shrimp and cocktail sauce. I also enjoy the fish but felt the in-house tartar sauce was a bit bland. I'm used to a version that has more texture from chopped dill pickle, whereas the sauce made here appears to have been blended in a processor. The French fries were were ok and the coleslaw was very good. I look forward to trying one of their crispy shrimp Po'Boys the next time we visit. My wife ordered steamed clams, three seared scallops and a sides of potato salad and macaroni salad. They were all enjoyable. The service was excellent and the ambience was casual and fun.

My husband and I were in the city, right near FF and decided to stop in after hearing good things. We got there right when they opened at 4. We immediately liked the vibe. We were greeted quickly and chose to sit at the bar. We ordered a dirty martini and margarita and they were both great. Since it was a weird time we didn’t get a ton of food but what we ordered we loved. We started with the steamed clams, New England Clam Chowder and the Friar Salad. We split the entree of the sampler. I forget what it was called but it came with a huge piece of fried fish, 3 large shrimp, fries and some sauces. Everything was fresh and service was fast. We will definitely be back.

FANTASTIC FISH This spot is super cute, service is friendly, and the food is DYNAMITE. We tried to get into a place around the corner, but we’re happy to walk-in here. Next time I visit my baby in Cuse, I will be hitting up this joint for sure. Batter on the fish is flavorful, light, & crispy.

We wondered in and everyone was so kind. Romantic, quiet, homey atmosphere. The food came out so quick and delicious. So filling and responsibly priced. Great date spot.

The food was absolutely lovely and our waiter was super nice. The vibe of the restaurant is very nice; kind of a chic industrial affair. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, so if the weather is nice, I’d recommend sitting outside. It’s right by Hannover square which is very cute and is one of my favorite places in Syracuse. So if you’re having a day on the town, I’d highly recommend coming here.

My favorite chill spot for $1 oysters in the area. Love their sangria special on Thursdays. Overall, i am a big fan of the ambiance, the service and the oysters are soooooooo divine.

The Fish Friar has awesome fried fish and other assorted dishes. I have not yet eaten at the restaurant but have gotten take-out a few times and each time the food is perfectly prepared. Even by the time I get home, my food is hot yet still crisp. The Fish and chips are wonderful. The fries are tasty and the fish is perfect. They even have their own specialty tartar sauce which pairs wonderfully with the fish. I would recommend giving the Fish Friar a try if you haven't.

What a nice surprise. We were looking for a seafood restaurant downtown and googled this gem. Short walk from our hotel at Armory Square area. Quaint little restaurant with real burning candles. Food was exceptionally fresh and well prepared. The staff was equally amazing, with a ton of knowledge about the food and the history of the restaurant. Must try when in Syracuse.

What a fun spot! Tucked away downtown the Fish Friar is unassuming when you drive by, but we were very impressed after our first visit. Immediately, the staff were very friendly and helpful. While the hostess worked to get our table ready, we grabbed a bottle of wine at the bar to spilt. On Wednesdays their wine bottles are half off! The bartender, Matthew, is phenomenal and makes cocktails with such attention to detail. After we got to our table, our waitress made some recommendations based on what flavors we like and got us excited for the meal. The smoked salmon dip was yummy and we both really enjoyed our entrees. My partner slurped up every drop of the tomato sauce in his dish! My Po Boy made into a bowl was a lovely gluten free option with a delicious spice and citrus taste. I'm sure the sandwich version is great too. This is a great spot if you're looking for sustainable, wild caught seafood options on a date night! A cozy atmosphere with great staff and food.

Cute spot inside and out. Small but mighty menu and everything done top notch. This will win over those that aren't much of a seafood fan with well prepared meals and homemade sauces. Great cocktails and good service. This is a great place to visit. Highly recommend!

Hands down the best fish fry in Syracuse area. It's not your average fish fry joint either. A higher end experience but the food is really selling point. The fish is perfectly breaded and flakey. The homemade tartar sauce is clutch. We came around 1:30 on a Friday and it was surprisingly quiet, but we didn't mind. If your looking for haddock in Syracuse, there is really only one choice; Fish Friar

Can be a little tricky finding this place. It's easier in the summer when the outdoor tables are set up. You can add yourself to the waitlist on their web site. I like the new bar. Smallish space but have a lot of outdoor seating when the weather is nice. The fish was panko crusted making it very crunchy. Great cocktails. The kiwi was a revelation. Love the mushy peas

As wonderful as it was in the winter. Sat outside, calamari still awesome. The salmon dip was light and the banh mi poy boy rice substitute was light and hit the spot.

It's been a while since I've been to the Fish Friar. The ambiance is really moody and lovely at night, on a winter's night when it gets dark early especially. I came early evening and the bar (which is beautiful) was busy, but tables were abundant. Got some calamari, which was well seasoned with a peppery kick. Food came out fast and was predictably tasty. I've gotten takeout lunch in the past here and that's always tasty. Fish is high quality and they come up with some inventive dishes. Love the final touch of giving a swedish fish candy instead of a mint with the bill at the end of the meal.

A cozy unassuming place. Wish I discovered it sooner. We went on Valentines Day so it was busy but service and food were great-no complaints. Food was DELICIOUS. Oyster special with the hot pepper sauce was great, even for someone who doesn't love oysters. Cioppino was delightful, perfectly spicy, and generous portions of all seafood listed. Everything tasted fresh and high quality. I got 2 cocktails, the blizzard of '93 was particularly good, absolutely one of my new favorites in Syracuse. The special lemon olive oil cake was a perfect blend of tart, sweet, and light, wish they sold it as whole cakes. Only downside. It's a tiny place so if it's cold out, those closest the door will feel it when it opens-just wear a sweater. The staff do a good job of getting the door shut quickly though. Highly recommend, can't wait to head there for a po- boy soon!

Stopped by The Fish Friar in search of fish and chips and was not disappointed. First of all--the atmosphere in this spot is chic pub perfection. From the tiny gas lanterns on the tables to the twinkle lit bar area--it's everything you want in a fish pub and more. We started our experience with poutine. They offer a delicious twist on their poutine with their curried gravy and diced vegetables. It's honestly amazing. The best poutine I've ever enjoyed. My dining companion was on the hunt for amazing fish and chips so that's what they ordered. I had a bite and their fish and chips here are top notch. I went for the caesar salad with shrimp added, which was also wonderful. They offer a twist on the caesar with crisp fried onions in place of croutons--no complaints here! I also enjoyed one of their tiki cocktails. The Saturn cocktail is a fruity gin delight. The service was the right amount of attentive and the prices were reasonable. Get to it!

They seated us last minute on a busy weekend. Service was perfect and food was delicious. Drink menu is super fun, including mocktails.

What a cute little restaurant! Located in a neat old building we were seated right away and service was great. I tried a sangria which was drier than expected but good and fish and chips. Would definitely go back!

Wonderful food, service and staff. Perfect casual dining with great menu and drinks. Look forward to going again.

One of my favorite spots in town! Drinks are top-notch, as is the service. It's a small place, so not recommended for large groups. Favorite side: mushy peas Favorite entree: Fish and chips Favorite snack: ...I guess the spicy haddock bisque Everything I've had has been awesome. One time I got an extra shrimp in my shrimp snack and it made my month.

It's a clean and beautiful restaurant with an extensive menu. The service was amazing and the staff were very nice. I would definitely recommend their fried fish sandwich. It tasted very fresh to me.

Still the freshest seafood in the area. What's not to love? Ambiance is warm and relaxing, fresh air on a nice day as both front doors are open, ac if hot and heat if not. The calamari is tender with light crispy breading and perfectly sized thin slices of cherry pepper for just the right amount of spice in each bite. The broiled haddock over rice with mushy peas is perfectly seasoned and cooked. One of the waitstaff was describing the smoked salmon grilled cheese that will be my order next visit for sure! Service is always friendly, helpful, and fast. The staff always seem happy and are fun to chat with.

The ambiance is sweet & cozy. Our server "Taylor" is super polite. This place was recommended for fish (broiled or fried) and it was great. The "Cool Boy" and the broiled "Haddock" was incredibly delicious! You ever had Haddock hard to season to taste? --Ya'll-- It was SO GOOD!!!

I used to get here more often when I worked downtown. I was really missing their fresh seafood and while a little dark inside, I love the ambiance. There is also plenty of outdoor seating. They have local beers on tap and a nice liquor selection but it was just a water kind of day. I sat at the bar and I'm so sorry I forgot the bartender's name. She was friendly, efficient and helpful. I had the scallop roll but no roll...they offer it over rice. I also adore their roasted carrots. Perfectly roasted, not a ton of seasoning just a finish of salt. All the carrot flavor is there! Scallops were perfectly seared with a light lemon dressing. Parking eas

Beer recommendation: Boddington's A nice little gem in the middle of the city, cramped but lively. Staff has been quick every time we've been there and have had nice friendly bartenders. Limited menu is done well, would have said a few small changes each season would be warranted, but they just did that and what they do they do well. Cocktails sometimes tend to the sweet side, but it ends up a nice place to hang on its off nights to have a couple of drinks. Beer is limited but usually covers a range of styles, occasionally they won't have a sour or saison but it's still a range. Great little spot. Worth the hassle.

such a cute place! we loved the outdoor seating and had a great view and great service :)

Excellent seafood and service. I can't spell Calamari but I can tell you that the Fish Friar was some of the best I done ever had. A wonderful Fish and Chips, a pint and beautiful outdoor seating downtown, what more could a lad ask for- Bravo. 10/10

My family & I absolutely love The Fish Friar! Their fish, lobster & all their salads & sides are great. (mushy peas are loved by all as well) I love their haddock chowder too. Staff are always pleasant & a beautiful atmosphere inside while eating with candles lit. Very convenient for take outs as well. We appreciate all they do.

Fun environment with indoor and outdoor seating. Service was good and on the laid back side. Food was tasty. We split the two plate and it was plenty of food. Fried fish and shrimp basket and calamari.

love the vibe inside, its small but i've been lucky to get seated fairly quickly. scallop rolls are fantastic, and i love getting a side of fries with a few sauces to try out. friar dressing is my favorite

Came here for celebration dinner for Syracuse graduate! Had the fish and chips plus calamari. Food was delicious. Cute restaurant, just wished the music was not as loud. Servers were very kind.

If you're looking for a place with good food and drinks, I'd recommend stopping by FF. I love their fish; it's always hot and fresh. I've tried out a lot of fish options in the area, and FF has one of the best fish dinners. The ambiance at FF is great too. I love this space. I've been coming to different restaurants in this space over the years. It's convenient to get to and has plenty of parking nearby. I can't wait to stop back soon.

My favorite seafood restaurant in Syracuse. The fish is so crispy, the apps delicious, the margaritas are DELICIOUS!! The restaurant is tiny, so come early or order take out. The fish stays crispy! The sides are so good: the potato salad is classic, the rice is tasty, the mushy peas are a must have! The sauces are delicious as well, with the tartar sauce (and others) being homemade!!

Their scallop roll is a must try. I got the spicy one which has a kick but is very tolerable in my opinion. It was amazing. Added on a side of Mac salad too. I've gotta catch their happy hour deals one of these days!

Came here on a random Tuesday night as I was in town and staying less than a 10 minute walk away. I came for an early dinner so it wasn't too busy yet which I was thankful for because it's pretty small inside. Service was attentive and kind. Tex Max Tuesday so they had $8 margaritas which was perfectly done. I got the house chowder and crispy shrimp. Both were delicious. Chowder was super flavorful with a bit a spice which I loved. The shrimp were some of the best fried shrimp I've ever had. Nice and plump, extra crispy breading and seasoned to perfection. I got mine with the tartar sauce which was balanced and fresh. Will definitely have to come back to try some other items in the future.

I'll give 2 stars with a caveat that I think this was just an off day for the staff. I've eaten at Fish Friar before and had good meals with good services. Tonight, not so much. We stopped in on a Friday night around 6:15 and it was fully occupied both indoors and out with diners in various stages of their meal. We had about a 20 minute wait before we were sat (Tip- do not sit on the bench outside of the gate. It's under a tree and you'll constantly have these little green bugs falling on you. Within 10 minutes we were constantly swiping them off our shoulders and laps or picking them out of our hair) By the time we were seated, things had died down a bit though I'm sure there were to go orders as I saw plenty of cars pull up. We ordered a glass of wine, a beer, a salad and an order of fried fish and chips and soup. After 20+ minutes with our table clearly void of any food or drink... our waiter stopped at our table and said " you haven't gotten your drinks yet?" And proceeded to wait for us to respond. Once we said no, he walked away and returned shortly with our drinks. He set them on the table and promptly walked away. He didn't acknowledge or apologize for the wait. After another 15 minutes we finally received our meals which were delivered by a different server. Our waiter did not check on us during our meal. When we finished eating our plates were cleared by yet a different waiter. Shortly after our original waiter bought our check and quickly returned once we put down our credit card. He ran the credit card and when he came back was suddenly chatty. Hmm.... Now it's time for the tip and you suddenly have a personality? Spare me. Although I'm sharing a bad experience i would still recommend this restaurant because normally it's a great dinner spot.

Let me just put it out there- I've been to the Fish Friar quite a few times. In my opinion, it's the best seafood spot in the city and it's not particularly close. I stopped in at about 3:30 on a Thursday. I was the only patron in the restaurant and as such was served quite promptly. I was allowed to seat myself. My server was friendly, prompt, and attentive even though I was the only one in the restaurant. Good stuff. I had a 12 oz beer and the special of the day, the Bahn mi boy. This is a riff on the classic Bahn mi sandwich wherein they swap the typical protein for their crispy shrimp. This sandwich was excellent. The mayo was nice and spicy. The vegetables were great, the cucumbers were long sliced which helped their coverage. The shrimp were nice and crispy, the breading they use is exceptional. I had fries and Mac salad as my sides. Both were excellent. Would recommend both in a heartbeat. Total came to just over 27 dollars. Well worth the money. If you haven't been, you really should go. It's fantastic. Bring a date, the atmosphere is pretty intimate in the evening. Only downsides is the place is quite small and could potentially be full if you go for dinner. Also you gotta park on the street in the city- always a bummer but what can you do. I'll certainly be back.

This is such a great find in Syracuse! The Ambiance and food is 10/10. Super crispy fish and chips, good fries and a super yummy dipping sauce to boot! Fish was just a hair overcooked, but it was delicious and flaky. Cool cocktail menu, drinks leaned a little on the sweet side and not very strong, but still super delicious! Service was slow, but they were working so hard. What can you expect when you have one server working as hostess, running food, and taking orders with the bartender hopping in to help. Overall, really enjoyed dinner here and would definitely return!

The Fish Friar's move from Solvay to downtown a couple years ago was more than just a geographic relocation. It was a total reset for the three-year seafood-only restaurant. Co-owners Giovanni Giardina and Phil Kelly now have a more appropriate home for carrying out their mission of "an elevated and elegant spin on fish fry that brings culinary experience to a simple concept." That simple concept is the fish fry, a Lenten tradition that has always been popular in CNY. Now, I'll admit...I'm not a seafood fan. Honestly, I'll have a fried fish sandwich every couple months and that's the extent of my seafood eating. The wife, on the other hand, loves seafood and has been wanting to try Fish Friar for years, so for her birthday recently, I decided to bring her home a fried fish dinner, one of her favorite meals, as a surprise birthday meal. I ordered on their website. Easy enough website to use. I got a fried fish sandwich platter with fries and rice pilaf. I ordered my wife the Captains Platter, a piece of fried haddock, fried shrimp and a side of fries. I also got a side of their spicy chili mayo. Parking was actually easy enough on Jefferson St downtown, plenty of room to park. I got an alert on my phone just as I walked into the restaurant that my food was ready for pick up. I was only inside for a solid 30 seconds, but the inside of the restaurant was nicely decorated and the employees inside greeted me and told me to have a good day on my way out. Employees were very nice when I called in after placing my order online and had to change something as well. I had about a 30 minute drive home, but everything was still hot and crispy when I got home. Everything was good, cooked well, fresh. Rice pilaf was a little bland, fries were decent. I liked that they put lettuce and tomato on their sandwiches, which most other places don't. The spicy chili mayo was good, had a nice smokey flavor. I only had two issues...one, while their coating was crispy and cooked perfectly, I felt it lacked in flavor. The second was their portions. They're a tad bit higher priced than most other fish fry places, yet their haddock pieces were smaller than I've had. They don't say how many pieces of shrimp come with the Captains Platrer, but I only recall seeing 2 pieces. Both the flavor and the portions are a little less than similar places in the area. Overall, everything was very good, and we'd go again if we had the craving while in the area.

Delicious shrimp po'boy! (Cool boy) There is something about the sauce that gives it a little extra kick. Amazing taste! Will definitely be back.

I'm not in Syracuse that often these days, but The Fish Friar is one of the restaurants I've had bookmarked to try for takeout when visiting the area - and I definitely wanted to get an array of items in my order to really sample the menu. Before leaving Syracuse on my recent visit, I placed an order from my phone... including a family size soup (crab bisque), two salads (including the shrimp caesar), the "Honey Boy" sandwich, a captain's platter, and various other items (I was ordering on behalf of both myself and my mother, as she was with me for this little trip). I was about 10 minutes away, so I turned on my GPS (because I have no idea where I'm going when driving Downtown Syracuse) and made my way to the restaurant to pick up the order. I was able to find parking nearby, and so masked up and wandered over to the restaurant... which, for what it's worth, reminds me of NYC with the fact that they can fully open the front area of the restaurant when the weather is nice. While they have some metal shelves near the entrance for takeout orders, my order wasn't waiting... but a member of the staff quickly saw me, asked my name, and explained that my order was being prepared. I had included a request for a single slice of the peanut butter pie in my order, and apparently there was quite a battle going on in the kitchen to get that single slice from the pie only recently taken out of the freezer. (Fortunately, no fingers were lost in The Great Frozen Pie Battle of 2021.) The staff were all wonderful, welcoming, and seemed to be passionate about the experience they were providing. When my order was finally complete, the server working that afternoon offered to help me bring everything out to the car, which was much appreciated. When I passed one of the takeout bags to my mother in the car, she quickly commented "Oh my god... this smells SO GOOD." It really did. I'm honestly surprised I wasn't drooling on the drive out of Syracuse. As for the food itself, everything was DELICIOUS. My mother, who tends to be picky about restaurant fries and can be somewhat "meh" about fish fry dishes, commented about just how good her fish was... and how she was pleasantly surprised that the fries stayed crispy too. The crab bisque soup had nice bits of crab throughout, and my Honey Boy sandwich (described as "Crispy fried shrimp on a bed of lettuce and tomato, dressed in our house honey mustard, and topped with fried pickled red onions on a sub roll") was filling and a generally delightful take on the po boy sandwich. Basically, The Fish Friar is a gem of a restaurant in Downtown Syracuse and it's not to be missed if you're a seafood fan. It's certainly a new favorite of mine and has been added to my "must revisit" list. Many thanks to the folks at The Fish Friar for everything they do to provide a delightful experience!

The Fish Friar serves consistently great meals every time I visit; whether it be in person or to go. The Maine Cobb salad is my absolute favorite and I would recommend it to anyone!

3.5 stars. I really wanted to rate this place higher since I've heard good things about it. Service here was excellent and we tried both the scallop platter (with rice pilaf, peas and mac salad) and the haddock sandwich (which came with fries and cole slaw). Portions were great on everything. Haddock sandwich - 4.5/5. Tasty lightly fried fish, delicious tartar, overall great. Fries and cole slaw were also tasty Scallop platter - 2-3/5. Portions were good but the dish was so heavily salted that I unfortunately couldn't get past (including the rice, scallops, peas). Otherwise, scallops had a nice sear and were buttery. Overall a good place to go to, but too salty for my taste unfortunately.

This spot is so cool and centrally located downtown! I don't usually trust fish from places not on the water, but the Fish Friar is a MUST GO!! I got their special, Banh Mi Boy, and it was mouthwatering.... the shrimp perfectly cooked and SO much food for a great price! The ambiance inside makes you feel like you're on the water and the service is fast and friendly! If you are in the Syracuse area and like seafood, make sure to stop and check out the Fish Friar! Can't wait to go back :)

(Visit Date: December 2021) This is a record from a little while ago. It was our first visit. I ordered restaurant's signature fish & chips. The haddock meat was soft not dry at all, the batter was crispy, and the oil was not tasting oxidized. There are more different types of seafood dishes on the menu, and I would like to try something else next time! Btw the restaurant's interior was also cute!

Takeout review- in my various takeout adventures, The Fish Friar comes out on top. Their fried food held up for the trip home- it was crispy and fresh in a way where I felt it was just as good as it would be in the restaurant (which hasn't been the case with other places). The food itself was so good! Flavorful, flakey, crunchy fish with just the right amount of salt. It's flipping awesome fish fry. The ordering experience is easy. Pickup is pretty quick. Parking is standard downtown city parking, so it can get busy depending on when you're there.

Went to lunch last Friday with my friend. I love seafood so it was hard to choose what to eat but decided on the spicy scallop roll with a side of coleslaw and fries. My friend got the fried shrimp with a side of coleslaw and fries also. I thought the sandwich was delicious with scallops cooked to perfection with a spicy chili mayo sauce topped with pickled onions. The fries were seasoned and crispy. I was not crazy about the coleslaw because it had a vinegar base and had a sour taste. Next time I would get a different side. My friend loved her shrimp and fries but felt the same way about the coleslaw. I thought the drinks were pretty pricey (12.00 for a can of IPA). Overall it was a very good lunch but I'm not giving it 5 stars because of the coleslaw.

Nice people, limited but good menu. The fish is delicious. They don't perfume the pig. It's comfortable, very fresh.

So happy that I finally got to visit the The Fish Friar after passing through this cute little restaurant frequently. The interior is really cozy and perfect for a date night. Although the menu is small, it has a good variety of seafood. I ordered the Captain's Platter. It had halibut and shrimp along with fries and coleslaw. The fish was fresh and lightly battered (just the way I like it) but still crispy. The shrimp and fries were well seasoned and crispy. I specifically loved the cocktail sauce- perfect amount of zing to go with the fish. Our server was polite and attentive. The service was fast. I would definitely recommend fish friar to anyone who enjoys fresh seafood!

Ordered "The Captain's Platter" and "Calamari". My review: The Captain's Platter- shrimp overcooked, haddock tasted blant, no taste at all. French fries were decent. Calamari - a little bit too much salt. Overall opinion - not worth the money paid.

Delicious fish sandwich! I enjoy this place.. good for a quick lunch and for take out.the service is quick and the place looks good.. a little small in the winter, but in the summer the outdoor tables really make this a treat for nice weather.

A great find in Syracuse. Restaurant had a hip bar feel that servers great food. Seafood was fresh and the fish was crispy. Had to sit in a tight spot though as the whole restaurant is packed

The seafood is perfectly cooked and the sides are given incredible attention. Their calamari is the best in town, the haddock is thick and flaky, the shrimp are large and fried to a golden crisp, the fries are incredible, the cole slaw is bright and served very cold... Could go on like this for every item on the menu. Must try.

Try it out this restaurant my first night in Syracuse. My mom and I enjoyed a drink, the crab chowder, and I had the haddock for dinner. Very small intimate restaurant with great service. Highly recommend. The food is great.

Had a great meal last night at the Fish Friar. It was pretty quiet on a Tuesday night and we got a seat right away. The server was really nice and attentive and got us going with drinks right away. Limited wine selection, but that proves in their favor as everything on the list is good. Food came out super quick. I ordered the broiled haddock which was buttery, peppery and had great fish flavor. Other orders in our party were a fish sandwich and a platter with fried fish and shrimp. The fryer is clearly hot and clean as everything was super crispy. Their house made tarter sauce is elevated from the norm, with fresh dill and other herbs. Our only complaint was across the board, we found the food to be a bit salty. Other than that, absolutely fantastic! Excited to go back since the ambiance is great too.

Finally ready to amend my rating I still stand by the fact that there are limited GF options, though, the menu is small to begin with. Small menus are usually a good signal to me, but can sometimes be limiting for people with diet restrictions. The only GF options are typically sautéed or broiled seafood with rice and veggies or salad without croutons. I'm sure the GF platters a nice option but it's just not what I am in the mood for when going out for quality seafood. I like fried platters, soups, and apparently Cioppino. The Ciopinno is what I ordered tonight and now I am hip to the hype over it. Excellent meal. 10 out of 10. I know this isn't a place that touts their GF options but I like to highlight this aspect for those who are GF and looking for options. *note the Ciopinno was a limited time special

I ordered lunch/dinner here during a crappy day at work. My intention was to treat myself, since everyone's crazy about this place and fried fish has always been my favorite. Maybe it was the expectation that did me in, but this ranks lowest of any fried fish I've ever tried. Not inedible but, what's happening? On my first run, I ordered the fried haddock sandwich combo with potato salad and mac salad, and threw in a large order of the soup of the day. The potato salad and mac salad were bland and forgettable. I looked around online to see figure out which soup I ordered and can't figure it out. I would guess it was seafood chowder, and it was by far my favorite item from the place. It packs a very salty punch, but I'm god damn crazy about it. If I got a significant pay raise, I'd increase my chowder budget and put Mr. and Mrs. Friar's kids through college. The soup that got away was definitely the part that made this place still worth trying. I think they use a lot of garlic salt in the breading for the fish. That would have sounded like an awesome idea, but it somehow manages to overwhelm you with that subtle taste while underwhelming you in every other regard. I mean fried fish is fried fish, we're splitting hairs to go in depth with this. Still though, I feel it's worth saying that on my split haired list of fried fish, Fish Friar is at the level above what they give you on flights. Also weird about the tartar sauce. It's runny because it has no relish, and nothing to substitute the missing relish other than a touch of ground dill. I ended up using ketchup all the way through. I felt weird leaving it at this. Everyone's crazy about Fish Friar. The reviews and feedback were so strong, I actually felt I was wrong to feel unfazed by my experience. So it's settled. A week later, it's double or nothing. This time my girlfriend ordered with me. We got the Captain's Platter and the Haddock Plate, and although they had a different soup of the day, it looked and sounded delicious. In memory of the last one, I went all out and got a 32 oz order of it. If we had just left well enough alone, I'd have probably left a rating of 3.5 after day one. Refer to the pictures for what this order looked like. Honestly, I think if they had just used an appropriate sized container, the display wouldn't have been so disappointing when we opened it. For this meal, we thought ahead and made our own tartar sauce. I ended up using it with the shrimp as well, as they made a lot of style choices with the cocktail sauce as well. It was thick, dark, smokey, kind of bitter. No horseradish. Thankfully I only had to make emergency dipping arrangements for four pieces of shrimp. My original opinion about the fish was sustained and supported by my girlfriend. She didn't know I wasn't a fan, and was nervous to tell me she wasn't crazy about it for mostly the same reasons. The soup we ordered this time was the haddock bisque. The picture they used resembled the dozens of other photos you'll see posted across Facebook, Yelp, Google, etc. I don't know if this was a different product all together, or just bottom of the barrel. We did order pretty late. What we got was thick and heavy. My first bite was tangy enough to give me heart burn on the spot. It tasted unbalanced, like the first taste of something you're cooking when you know you're not done tampering with it yet. We both couldn't take more than a few bites of this stuff before calling it. The full 32 oz drum of bisque sat there on the table, taunting us as we finished our meal. I've literally never done this before, but I've also never hated something I ordered so much I couldn't even eat it. As I traversed the stages of grief and loss, I decided to call them. Maybe they gave us the wrong thing. Maybe they messed it up and have been getting complaints all night. It was an hour before closing, and we never did manage to reach them. The phones rang and rang as we tried until we'd reached their closing time. This was on a Saturday, so they'd be closed the following day. I contemplated for a long time, and finally decided to send an e-mail. I've worked customer service my entire life, it's a humbling experience to ask for a refund because I know what I must sound like. But I managed to quickly hit the send button at some point quicker than I could stop myself, and that was that. We never got a response back, but about a week later I did get a refund to my checking account for the $18.00. I'm totally grateful for the credit, as it offset what felt like such a huge loss. So that's my two star experience. It's a small drop in the bucket filled with outright craze. Who knows, maybe I'm just an outlier. Either way, I took an oath when I became a wannabe food person to write long-winded and furthermore, impartial Yelp reviews of every food place I try. You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.