Updated: July 22, 2026
In this guide
Columbus takes its fried fish more seriously than people give it credit for. These are the spots worth the grease.
Blame it on watching way too many BBC cop dramas, but every once in a while I start to get hardcore cravings of a good, greasy batch of fish and chips. A nice, crisp Atlantic cod or some soft and juicy white perch sits in my belly just right, especially with a pint of brown ale or a deep and tasty porter.
Columbus can scratch the craving a few different ways: proper British pub versions, an old-school Calabash joint that hasn’t changed in decades, and even a fine-dining take. And come Lent, when half the city wants fried fish on a Friday, these places earn their keep.
Marino’s Seafood in Grandview is the Columbus classic, frying Calabash-style fish and chips for more than 30 years. Dublin Village Tavern and the Old Bag of Nails cover the pub version, and The Pearl serves the fine-dining take. Expect under $20 at Dublin Village Tavern or the Old Bag of Nails, and about $33 at The Pearl.
| Spot | Where | Style |
| Matt & Tony’s | Downtown | Beer-battered cod |
| Matt the Miller’s Tavern | Dublin | Tavern classic, now a steakhouse |
| Marino’s Fish & Chips | Grandview | Calabash-style takeout classic |
| The Pearl | Short North + Dublin | Fine-dining take |
| Dublin Village Tavern | Dublin | House beer-battered Atlantic cod |
| The Old Bag of Nails Pub | Multiple central Ohio locations | British-style, since 1996 |
| McClellan’s Irish Pub | Sawmill Rd | Irish pub, beer-battered cod |
Matt & Tony’s
Beer-battered cod served with fries and slaw? What could be better? Matt & Tony’s is one of my favorite additions to the restaurant scene here in Columbus in the last few years. The fish is perfectly cooked, the fries are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, and the service at Matt & Tony’s is always phenomenal.
Where: 340 E Gay St, Columbus, OH 43215
Website: Matt & Tony’s
Matt The Miller’s Tavern
Matt the Miller’s rebranded as MTM Tavern & Steakhouse in 2024, and the Dublin spot is the last one left in central Ohio. The steaks get the headlines now, but the fish and chips never left the menu. Their own site still calls it a fan favorite, and it earns that: battered just right, crispy outside, soft and juicy inside. Seriously, try not to bite your fingers off.
Where: 6725 Avery-Muirfield Dr, Dublin (the last central Ohio location)
Website: Matt The Miller
Marino’s Fish & Chips
Specializing in “Calabash” style seafood (a type of southern fried fish cuisine), Marino’s has been known for its fish and chips in the Central Ohio area for decades. Their food comes slightly battered and deep fried for a wonderful, nostalgic taste. If that weren’t enough, every order of fish and chips comes complete with an order of hush puppies. It’s pure deep-fried heaven that will transport you back in time to the glory days of Columbus’s favorite Arthur Treacher’s. Columbus nearly lost it in 2025: the owners announced a retirement closure in June, the handoff deal fell through, and by August 20 the fryers were back on. One thing to know before you drive over: they’re only open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday is the day to go anyway, since that’s when the fish and chips are all-you-can-eat.
Where: 1216 W 5th Ave, Columbus, OH 43212
Website: Marino’s Fish & Chips
READ OUR REVIEW: Marino’s Seafood Is The Dose Of Columbus Nostalgia You’ve Been Craving
The Pearl
I don’t know how The Pearl can do so many dishes right but they do. Their fish and chips are just one of a few awesome comfort foods that they can’t seem to fail at making. Trust me, you’re not going to go wrong with picking this off the menu, and once you dip them in a bit of tartar and try them yourself, you’ll taste why. Fair warning: this is the fine-dining version, running about $33 at dinner. If the Short North isn’t convenient, there’s a second Pearl in Historic Dublin.
Where: 641 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215 (also 88 N High St, Dublin)
Website: The Pearl
Dublin Village Tavern
When you combine delicious food and the perfect ambiance, it’s hard to beat the fish and chips at Dublin Village Tavern. Atlantic cod dipped in their house beer batter, served with fries and coleslaw, and an epic patio means that you’re in for a great afternoon or evening.
Where: 27 S. High St., Dublin, Ohio 43017
Website: Dublin Village Tavern
The Old Bag of Nails Pub
The Old Bag of Nails has been slinging fish since 1996, when the first pub opened in a converted hardware store, and it’s grown into the closest thing Columbus has to a hometown fish and chips chain. The British-style cod comes with steak fries, tartar, and slaw, and it tastes the same in Bexley as it does in Westerville. For a neighborhood standby, that’s exactly what you want.
Where: Multiple central Ohio locations, including Upper Arlington, Bexley, Hilliard, Westerville, and Whitehall
Website: The Old Bag of Nails Pub
McClellan’s Irish Pub
McClellan’s pours one of the deepest whiskey lists in the city, but the kitchen is why it keeps winning readers’ polls: beer-battered cod that comes out crackly on the outside and flaky all the way through. It’s a proper Irish pub in the old sense, dark wood and all, and the fish and chips is the order regulars don’t deviate from.
Where: 6694 Sawmill Rd, Columbus, OH 43235
Website: McClellan’s Irish Pub
Columbus Fish And Chips FAQ
Is Arthur Treacher’s still in Columbus?
No. Three standalone locations survive, all in Northeast Ohio, with a fourth reported for Lakewood. The 2025 plan to convert Marino’s into an Arthur Treacher’s fell through, and Marino’s stayed Marino’s.
Where can I get all-you-can-eat fish and chips in Columbus?
Marino’s Seafood in Grandview runs all-you-can-eat fish, chips, hushpuppies, and slaw all day Saturday.
What is Calabash-style fish?
A North Carolina style: lightly battered, quickly deep-fried, closer to a crisp shell than a thick pub batter. Marino’s is the Columbus standard-bearer.
What days is Marino’s open?
Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. It’s closed Sunday through Tuesday.
