By Elijah Mckenzie
Conveniently located a few blocks from campus, Hill Street Fish Fry is the perfect getaway spot for students craving seafood. Boasting an impressive array of oyster, clam and Cajun fish platters, this restaurant proves that southern-flavored dishes are its main attraction.
The Cajun perch dinner, which costs $8.49 and comes with three fish planks, french fries, a hush puppy and a bowl of coleslaw, is a personal favorite of mine. The fish strikes the perfect balance of crispy and tender, and is filling enough to satisfy any appetite. Visitors may also be surprised to find that hush puppies here are as big as plums and twice as delicious as those found at any chain restaurant.
At just $2.99, the New England clam chowder makes for the perfect lunch for those looking to grab a quick, tasty bite. Whitefish and perch sandwiches are also excellent lunch options, but tend to run out by 6 p.m., so grab them while they’re available. Dinner platters, however, are always a good choice no matter what time of day it is.
Most lunch and dinner items do not come with drinks, which can increase the overall cost of the dining experience. However, when considering the quality of the food, I must say it is still definitely worth the price. This restaurant is a nice break from the usual dining spots on campus, and can even make for a great study area when not crowded.
When sitting and relaxing at Hill Street Fish Fry, I can’t help but feel like I am visiting the house of a close friend. The dining room walls are decorated with wedding and baby pictures of the restaurant owner, as well as vintage fishing posters and Coke signs. With three tables on the inside and three patio tables outside, visitors have the option to stay and enjoy the down-to-earth atmosphere of the restaurant.
In order to avoid the lunch rush, patrons can call ahead to place an order to-go. Although the tight quarters may feel cozy when dining with a small group, it can easily become crowded, especially when customer traffic starts to pick up.
However, there are pros and cons to dining in and carrying out. For carry-out orders, sauce costs extra. In contrast, dine-in customers have full bottles of tartar sauce, ketchup and cocktail sauce sitting on each table. A minor downside to eating in is that there are no restrooms available to the public, so dining in with large groups may not be ideal.
Given the atmosphere, quality of food and distance from campus, I would have to rank Hill Street Fish Fry as one of the better places to eat in Louisville on a student budget.
