This 40-year-old seafood joint known for 'best fish sandwich' is a favorite during Lent
You’d be wrong to say nothing has changed since this beloved St. Matthews restaurant opened 40 years ago.
Sometime in the past two decades, the place got new sets of curtains. A few months ago, tacos were put on the menu for the first time. And you can’t forget the recent addition of a fancy point-of-sale system, updating the longtime method of handwriting orders.
You’d be right to say it feels like mostly nothing has changed, though, which is the feeling that keeps bringing people back to The Fishery, 3624 Lexington Road.
That’s what owners Matt Clark and Carol Clark-Kassai are going for. Thirty years ago, the siblings walked into the little seafood stop with their father to ask if The Fishery’s owner would be open to franchising.
“He said, ‘No, but you can have this one,’” Matt Clark told the Courier Journal about that conversation in 1992. “Within about two weeks, we made a deal.”
The Clark trio then took over The Fishery. It was the latest move for the late John Clark, a local restaurateur known for operating a Burger Queen franchise and Jim Porter’s Tavern.
Seafood would be something new. And it was a chance for the family to run a family-style spot together.
“A lot of people think John Clark, our dad, bought it and gave it to his children,” Matt Clark said. “That’s not what happened. We bought it together.”
Carol Clark-Kassai was 30 and her younger brother by 10 months was 29 at the time.
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Consistency is key at The Fishery
Over the following years, the family committed to keeping much of the 900-square-foot Fishery the same. That goes for its iconic black-and-white outdoor sign depicting two fishermen out at sea and the indoor cozy layout of about a dozen tables. That also goes for the quality of the Icelandic white cod, the prized item on the menu. That goes for the simplicity of frying the cod and placing it on bread, which has become known as "the best fish sandwich" in Louisville, according to The Fishery's slogan. And that goes for the freshness of the food, including the super popular onion rings, with items made to order.
That’s important for a business big with carry-out orders.
“That’s something our father taught us,” Matt Clark said. “If you skimp on the quality of food, customers are going to realize it when they get it home.”
“And then it’s a whole different ball game,” his sister added.
Clark-Kassai says The Fishery’s success also comes from the longevity of employees, some of whom have worked there for 10 years or 20 years.
“That’s why it’s so consistent,” she said. “Hopefully every single time you are here, you get the same experience.”
You’ll often find one employee, Debbie Radcliffe, behind the counter at The Fishery. After 30 years there, she knows what most customers will order when they walk in the door.
Those faces stay consistent, too. Several groups of men come every Friday and have their go-to tables, although The Fishery doesn’t take reservations. A pair of friends come every Friday for lunch, before playing pool across the street. Those who have moved away from Louisville call to ask if they could get fish sandwiches sent in the mail. They also stop in while on their way out of town and ask for a wrapped sandwich to take on the plane ride.
“We’ve seen customers that are true friends of each other because they meet here at the same time and they just get to know each other,” Matt Clark said.
When asked how long Frank Farris and his wife, Anne, have been coming to The Fishery, he replied with a question: “Well, how long have they been open?”
The couple say it’s been at least 25 years.
“Every so often, we’ll say, ‘Let’s go get a fish sandwich,’” Frank Farris said. “And we never say where. Because we know we’re going.”
Many customers know Matt and Carol and ask about their kids, grandkids, and a recent trip out of town.
“We have people that are so regular that if they’re not here, we have their phone numbers to check up on them to see if they’re OK,” Matt Clark said.
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Why Lent is the busiest season for The Fishery
There’s something else The Fishery team can count on: The uptick in crowds on Fridays during Lent, which kicks off Feb. 14 this year and goes through March 28.
It’s not a slight increase, either.
The Fishery has roughly 600 customers on a typical Friday. During Lent, that number goes up to 1,200 people.
And that’s for a restaurant with a capacity of under 40 people inside.
“Usually on a Friday, you’d almost not have a place to sit,” Carol Clark-Kassai said. “It’s the busiest time we have.”
The owners say they have their location to thank for the busyness. The restaurant at 3624 Lexington Road sits in what is called the “Catholic triangle” for its proximity to Sacred Heart Schools, Trinity High School, and St. Leonard Catholic Church.
Carol Bennett, who has worked at The Fishery through the Lent season, calls it “organized chaos.” As the godmother of Matt Clark’s son, she’s another member of the family who’s also an employee.
“A lot of people live in St. Matthews or close by and have been coming here since they were teenagers,” Bennett said. “It’s just kind of a neighborhood gathering place.”
The Fishery has also been called a “joint” and a “hole in the wall.”
Clark calls it kind of like a “Cheers” but with fish, instead of beer.
It’s not a sports bar, defined by the lack of TVs, or a place to knock back several beers.
“It is what it is,” Matt Clark said. “It’s a place to come be with friends and have a good meal.”
It’s also a place that aims to stick around. After the COVID pandemic, The Fishery transitioned from being open seven days per week to five. The outdoor patio also got an expansion.
Much of the decor remains the same, including those curtains sewn by the owners’ mother two decades ago. One recent addition includes a small golden plaque reading, “In Memory of John P. Clark," who passed away in 2020.
“Our dad was here until he was 80,” Clark-Kassai said. “We’ve been here for 40 years and hopefully we’re here another 40 years.”
Reach food reporter Amanda Hancock at [email protected].
The Fishery
WHAT: Since 1983, The Fishery has been a family-owned Louisville staple, serving top-quality food, fast, fresh, and hot.
WHERE: 3624 Lexington Road, Louisville
HOURS: Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: After 40 years, The Fishery in Louisville is still a Lent favorite
