Ohio fried fish has a way of turning my weekend plans into a breadcrumb-covered scavenger hunt. I start out saying, “Just one stop,” and somehow end up collecting perch baskets and walleye platters like I am earning a very specific, very crunchy merit badge.
If you think the best fried fish only lives on lakefront postcards, Ohio is about to prove you wildly wrong. These are the spots that locals protect with selective amnesia, conveniently forgetting details until they decide you have earned them.
Some places sit near Lake Erie docks where the breeze does half the advertising. Others hide in neighborhood corners, strip centers, and low-key buildings that look like they are minding their own business…