Pittsburgh fish sandwiches

KOK-
Thanks for refreshing my memory. They did offer a large fish sandwich on the menu, but I didn't get it since I was going to Jim's Drive-in afterwards. So I will have to take back my criticism of it being small.

The bun was most definitely not Mancini's. But the fact of the bun not being particularly good really isn't a big deal to me. I am there for the fish.

By the way, I also forgot to try the wedding soup. I plan on going there again soon and will remember next time.

I should mention that I also ate at Nied's Hotel in Lawrenceville last week and had a fish sandwich. I was not impressed. The fish itself was small and had little flavor and the waitress was kind of cranky. The best thing I can say about the place is that they had a couple of really cool neons signs on the outside that probably look great at night. My buddy I was with gave the place a C+. Sounds about right to me.

quote:

Originally posted by buffetbuster
KOK-
Thanks for refreshing my memory. They did offer a large fish sandwich on the menu, but I didn't get it since I was going to Jim's Drive-in afterwards. So I will have to take back my criticism of it being small.

The bun was most definitely not Mancini's. But the fact of the bun not being particularly good really isn't a big deal to me. I am there for the fish.

By the way, I also forgot to try the wedding soup. I plan on going there again soon and will remember next time.

Wasn't sure about the small/large fish, glad it WAS a small and that Big Jim's isn't going downhill. The wedding soup is usually very good at Big Jim's as is the stuffed banana pepper app.

I tried to go to both Jim's Drive-In and Pickle Barrel last Saturday but the people I was with were colorless and wouldn't do both (we could at least have gotten a bottle of the sauce). I posted about Pickle Barrrel on the hot dog thread.

Thanks,

Kevin

I grew up in the North Hills area of Pittsburgh in the 1950s and 60s. There used to be a great place for fish sandwiches in Mars, PA. I believe the name of it was Willies. Father told me that he thought it was no longer in business.

Also, when I was in college at Pitt the O had a pretty good fish sandwich. I remember many late night runs to the O with my fraternity brothers. Often we had fish sandwiches instead of hot dogs.

TU Pablo-
You are right that the place was/is called Willies. I grew up in Mars and people came from all over the area to eat their fish sandwiches. They are still open, but for me, they haven't been the same ever since Willie (a close friend of my dads) got out of the business at least 20 years ago. I can tell you that they are still packed on Fridays, but I haven't had food from there in quite a few years.

I have never tried the fish from the "O". I am usually too stuffed from the dogs and especially the humungous orders of fries. I will try it the next time I am there.

Another good Pittsburgh area fish sandwich can be found at the North Park Lounge on Babcock Blvd. in the North Hills (McCandless). This place should not be confused with the North Park Clubhouse. I never heard about the North Park Clubhouse on Route 8 until last night on Chowhounds.com.

Whenever my wife and I visit my 91 year old father we all go to the North Park Lounge for several meals. We all liked the fish sandwiches. We really couldn't believe the size of the meal. North Park Lounge also has a Sunday Brunch that is pretty good. Of course, when I'm hungry I'm easy to please.

TU Pablo-
There are actually two North Park Lounge Clubhouses (Gibsonia & Robinson Twp.) along with a North Park Lounge Deckhouse in Cranberry. Don't worry, you aren't missing much. None of them are as good as the original.

I have eaten at NPL on Babcock on several occasions, but have never had the fish. It is reasonably close to work, so I will run over and get one for lunch next week. Thanks for the tip!

TU Pablo-
I did go to North Park Lounge for lunch today and got the Giant Fish Sandwich. And it is huge! My best guess is that it was 14" long and about 3" wide. It was a little overdone for my taste, but was still quite good. I also really liked their crispy, golden fries that came with it. I have also always gotten really good service at NPL. I should go there for lunch more often.

Thanks for the recommendation!

In Ambridge, Beaver County, the Orbit Inn serves a hefty( 14+ ouces), tasty fish sandwich on Fridays only.

Even with large hands, its impossible to keep the three or four fillets in the bun.

Here's the Orbit's location:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1327+Merchant+St,+Ambridge,+PA+15003,+USA&sa=X&oi=map&ct=title

The Orbit is located just three blocks North of Beaver County's best pizza take-out:

http://www.pizzamaniac.com/index.php/archives/2005/08/06/pittsburgh-square-pizza-tour-pizza-house-aka-police-station/

On Saturday, I finally made it to Armand's in Bloomfield. I have been wanting to try this place for a while, being attracted by their sign.


There are a couple of reasons I haven't eaten here before. First of all, there are so many good places in Bloomfield (Pittsburgh's Little Italy) to eat. I almost always eat at Tessaro's. This day, I tried to eat at a favorite place of wanderingjew's, Bloomfield Bridge Tavern, for their Polish food. But, they were closed since they had a fire last week. One of the men working on the place told me a beer light caught on fire. They should be back open by the weekend.

The other reason I haven't eaten at Armand's is that it does look rather foreboding. The front room looks like a serious bar and being a teetotaler, that isn't a comfortable environment for me. But, there is a sign on the front door that says they have a seperate entrance to the dining room around the corner. So, I found the back door and ordered a fish sandwich at the window looking into the kitchen. Here is what I ended up with:


I was very happy with this sandwich. My usual complaint with some fish sandwiches in Pittsburgh are they can be overdone, but the breading on this was just right. The bun was nice and fresh. The closest to a complaint I have was that the piece of fish is a little smaller than some others, but it still was too big for the bun. The lady who waited on me had a thick Italian accent and was very pleasant. I will be back!

I'd love to be able to get a fish sandwich like that in Chicago!

This city loves fish on Fridays. When I was living there the two biggest places were Benkowitz and Wholey's.

Now that is a GREAT looking sandwich...perhaps a little Malt vinegar on that????!

leethebard-
I definitely like malt vinegar on my fish. At Armand's, they brought me ketchup, tartar and hot sauce. I was content with those.

Baah Ben-
Wholey's and Benkovitz are still packing them in. For me, Wholey's version is fish sandwich perfection!

quote:

Originally posted by buffetbuster

leethebard-
I definitely like malt vinegar on my fish. At Armand's, they brought me ketchup, tartar and hot sauce. I was content with those.

Baah Ben-
Wholey's and Benkovitz are still packing them in. For me, Wholey's version is fish sandwich perfection!

Sure looks and sounds great!!!

Are these the sammies with the coleslaw and french fries incorporated? I've never been to Pittsburgh, but love these from Chicago, even if they're not fish! http://www.centerstagechicago.com/restaurants/lucky-sandwich.html

Sadly, http://www.luckysandwich.com/ is under construction, as that's my source that this is a Pittsburgh thing in the first place!

BigUglyMich-
No, that would be Primanti Brothers.

http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=398&RefID=398

But, you can get a fish sandwich with the slaw and fries on it at Primanti's. I've never tried it myself.

BTW, Lucky's sounds pretty good!

Ah yes Willies, by the Austen Bleach water tower. My vote for the best fish sandwich in Western PA. Used to go all the time when I was little. I do try to have at least one meal there when I get back.

I worked one short, but miserable job at Wholey's so I would never shop there. Benkovitz used to much better than Wholey's anyways. Dorido's was pretty good too but I lived in the East End so it was kind of a hike.

I've had the sandwich at Wholleys, and it is quite good.

Do all Pittsburgh fish sandwiches use the same kind of fish, or do different places use different types of fish? I'm not sure what kind of fish they use at Wholley's, I know it is some kind of white fish.

At Wholey's you get a choice - cod or whiting.

Wholey's was where my dad (an Allegheny County cop) got fish - - and he knew all the good places for food - - I came by my obsession honestly..... But, before W.T. Grant closed on 5th Ave., that was a great place in town to grab a great Friday fish sandwich... Easily double the bun size and cost the same as a hot dog - - and at that time, that was a real bargain... I used to walk from the telephone company near the point to Grants on Fridays all the time....

North Park Lodge on Babcock housed my nearest neighbors when I was growing up in North Park.... Our mail box (RD1, Allison Park, PA) was at the corner of Babcock and West Ridge Drive and I could see the restaurant when I was picking up my mail.... West Ridge Drive led to one of the Nike sites near the park - - where the County Police Academy is located now... It was more of a bar when I lived there, and I remember going in for a soda or something a couple of times with my folks - - that was when all I ate in restaurants were grilled cheese sandwiches, so I don't remember much about any food there....
I used to catch my school bus at the Tastee Freeze just outside the park on Wildwood Road - - there was a little soda fountain there (and a Penzoil gas station) and they used to keep me supplied with frozen Heath bars and frozen Mallo cups.... It was a long walk home.... (Uphill both ways, if you listen to what my kids have heard....)

quote:

Originally posted by buffetbuster

BigUglyMich-
No, that would be Primanti Brothers.

http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=398&RefID=398

But, you can get a fish sandwich with the slaw and fries on it at Primanti's. I've never tried it myself.

BTW, Lucky's sounds pretty good!

My usual at Primanti's is the Colossal Fish with Cheese. It gives me the closest thing to a Buffalo Fish Fry fix without going all the way to Buffalo. I think you have to go to the suburban locations to get it (Robinson Twp is my usual locale)... the original might not do the Colossal Fish.

You can get the colossal fish at the original location.

My DD2 is in the hospital in Denver this week - - on Monday, I was decked out in my Steelers shirt, waiting for the game to start.... DD's nurse walks into the room and remarked that she was in the 'Burgh two weeks ago, and the high point of her trip was a fish sandwich at Willies!!!! Her family lives in Wexford!!!! She went to Richland HS, I went to Hampton HS.... A bit of rivalry, there, but we are both Steeler fans.... I find myself humming, "It's a Small World" a lot.....

mamaduck43-
Nice story! It really is a small world. Pardon my ignorance, but what is DD or DD2? Willies is literally just down the street from where I work, yet I haven't been there in years. I must give them another try.

Sorry, BB - - - DD is 'dear daughter' DD2 is my #2 girl child... I didn't realize that the abbreviations are not used here - - I have been using them for so long on other boards that they come automatically to me now.....

mamaduck43-
Chances are most people knew what you meant. I'm just not up on my forums abbreviations.

I hope DD2 is recovering nicely!

My cousin Mark and I were in downtown last night, so we grabbed a quick dinner at the Original Oyster House. The place was surprisingly empty, but then it was a Monday night. Of course, I got a fish sandwich.

I complained before about getting one that was overdone, but the fish I was served last night was excellent! It was also the first time I had tried their onion rings and I liked those, too.

That picture has me salivating and I just ate! I am hooked one those sandwiches. Gotta have one at least once a week. BB, are you gonna be the Roadfooder that steps up and samples the new Oyster House offering - the deep fried hot dog?

Kenny Joe-
I did notice the sign for the deep fried hot dog behind the bar. Sorry, I think I will stick with the fish and clam chowder!