Every Saturday, from opening bell to closing time, one Ohio fish shop keeps the fried fish, chips, and hushpuppies coming. That’s all-you-can-eat, all day long, with coleslaw and fountain drinks tossed into the deal.
The building started life as an Arthur Treacher’s, and a later owner turned it into his own seafood counter in the 1980s. One family then ran the place for more than three decades before handing over the fryers in 2026.
I like that the new owners promised to keep the same name and the same food. The cooking style is Calabash, a crispy Southern tradition you don’t often find this far north.
So how good does fried fish have to be before a road trip starts making perfect sense? I believe the answer is waiting behind a very old-school counter.
Two Golden Pieces Of Fish Make A Very Convincing Argument
Crunch first, questions later. At Marino’s Seafood Fish & Chips, the star of the show is exactly what the sign promises.
The classic Fish & Chips order brings two pieces of fried fish, a pile of chips, and two hushpuppies. It’s simple, focused, and built around doing one thing really well.
I love a menu that doesn’t try to be everything at once. When a restaurant puts its main dish right in its name, you know where the pride lives.
Want a little more on the plate? The Fish Platter adds your choice of coleslaw or macaroni salad to that same lineup of fish, chips, and hushpuppies.
That choice matters more than it sounds. Cool, creamy slaw beside hot fried fish is one of those pairings that just makes sense.
The kitchen fries everything to that deep golden crunch fried fish fans chase across state lines. ALIVE magazine even named it the best fish and chips, which feels like a fair reason to start your engine.
My advice is to order the classic on your first visit. You can explore the rest of the menu once you’ve met the headliner properly.
A Southern Frying Style Shows Up In The Middle Of Ohio
Calabash is a small fishing town in North Carolina. It also lent its name to a style of light, crispy fried seafood that spread across the South.
Finding that style in Columbus, Ohio, is a fun little surprise. Marino’s leans into it, and the menu proudly calls its crispy fried fish Calabash style.
So what does that mean for your lunch? Think fried seafood that’s all about crunch, golden color, and a satisfying bite without a lot of fuss.
Then come the hushpuppies. They tag along with most fish and chicken combos and platters, so you rarely have to ask for them.
Hushpuppies are little balls of fried cornmeal batter with Southern roots. They’re crisp outside, soft inside, and perfect for filling the gaps between bites of fish.
I can’t imagine a better sidekick for a basket like this. They’re small enough to snack on, yet sturdy enough to swipe through tartar sauce.
Here’s a smart move for road-trippers. Save one hushpuppy for the end of your meal, because it makes a tidy, sweet-ish finish before you hit the highway again.
Saturdays Turn Into An All-Day Fish Fest
Good news for big appetites: the all-you-can-eat deal isn’t a short lunch window. It runs all day on Saturdays, from opening until close.
The spread covers fish, chips, hushpuppies, coleslaw, and fountain drinks. That’s basically the whole greatest-hits album, on repeat, for as long as you’re hungry.
Road trip planners, take note. If you’re picking one day to drive in, Saturday hands you the most fried fish for your effort.
Marino’s Seafood Fish & Chips opens at 11 AM and closes at 8 PM on Saturdays. That gives you plenty of room to plan a late lunch or an early dinner.
I believe the best strategy is pacing. Start with fish and chips, enjoy the slaw as a cool break, and let the hushpuppies play backup.
Wear comfortable pants, and maybe skip the giant breakfast that morning. Your stomach will thank you around round three.
One more tip for the crew in the back seat. All-you-can-eat works best with company, so bring friends who take fried fish as seriously as you do.
Shrimp, Scallops, And Smelts Are Waiting In The Wings
Fish may get top billing, but the supporting cast is surprisingly large. The menu runs through shrimp, popcorn shrimp, scallops, clam strips, oysters, crab cakes, and fried smelts.
Smelts are the conversation starter here. These small fish don’t appear on many menus anymore, so spotting them feels like finding a rare baseball card.
Popcorn shrimp is the easy win for younger eaters. Little bites, lots of crunch, and zero need for a fork.
Not in a seafood mood at all? Chicken & chips and chicken platters keep landlubbers happy, and nobody gets left out of the road trip.
Sandwich fans have options too. Fish on a bun and chicken on a bun make handy picks if you want to eat with one hand.
I like how this lineup turns one stop into a group-friendly meal. Everyone can order something different and still share the same big basket of fries.
Feeling bold? Split a few seafood items with your table and build a homemade sampler.
It’s a fun way to discover your new favorite before the drive home.
Save Room For Chowder And A Sweet Surprise
Clam chowder on a chilly Ohio afternoon is a very good idea. Marino’s keeps it on the menu, so you can warm up before the crunchy main event.
Then there’s the side game. Coleslaw and macaroni salad are the two choices that come with the platters.
Slaw brings a cool, crisp break from all that hot fried food. Macaroni salad offers something creamier and heartier, if you’re that kind of side-dish person.
Dessert takes an unexpected turn. Along with brownies, the menu lists baklava, the flaky, honey-soaked pastry with layers of thin dough and nuts.
Baklava at a fish and chips counter? I love that kind of twist, because it gives a familiar meal a memorable ending.
The kitchen also rolls out different seafood specials each day. That means two visits in the same week might not look exactly alike.
Here’s my suggestion for first-timers. Grab a cup of chowder to start, a platter in the middle, and a square of baklava to go, so the drive home tastes sweet.
You Can Still Spot The Arthur Treacher’s Roots
Long before it carried its current name, the building housed an Arthur Treacher’s. The chain was a major name in American fast-food fish and chips for years.
In the mid-1980s, Marino “Mike” Moraitis turned the location into his own seafood restaurant. He put his name on the sign, and it stuck.
Then, in 1992, Harry and Rosemarie Kougendakis bought the business and kept the fryers going for decades.
That kind of staying power is rare in the restaurant world. Marino’s Seafood Fish & Chips has served central Ohio for more than 30 years.
There’s something charming about a place that holds on to its old-school character. The look and feel connect today’s lunch to an earlier era of fast-food fish shops.
For anyone who grew up with Arthur Treacher’s, this building can feel like a time machine with tartar sauce. For newcomers, it’s a tasty piece of food history they can experience firsthand.
Snap a photo of the exterior before you head in. It’s the kind of retro storefront that adds a nostalgic touch to a road-trip album.
New Hands On The Fryer, Same Fish On The Plate
August 2026 brought a big moment for this little shop. Longtime owner Harry Kougendakis sold the restaurant and stepped into retirement.
Change can make fans nervous, especially when the fish is this beloved. Luckily, the new owners made a clear promise to keep the name and the food.
The staff was also expected to stay on. That’s reassuring, because the people working the fryers know the recipes and rhythm best.
I believe that kind of continuity is what keeps a classic alive. A new chapter doesn’t have to mean a brand-new book.
Marino’s has also earned outside praise along the way. ALIVE magazine awarded it the title of best Fish & Chips, which is no small honor in a city full of restaurants.
So the timing for a visit feels pretty great. You get a decades-old recipe with fresh energy behind the counter.
If you’ve been meaning to go for years, consider this your nudge. Being part of a classic’s next chapter is a pretty good story to tell your friends.
Set Your GPS For Fifth Avenue And Check The Calendar
Plug 1216 W 5th Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 into your map app. That puts you on Fifth Avenue in the Grandview area of Columbus.
Timing is the big trick here. The restaurant is open only Wednesday through Saturday, from 11 AM to 8 PM.
Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday are days off. Nobody wants to drive two hours and stare at a locked door, so plan around those dates.
Parking is a nice bonus. The shop has good on-site parking, which makes a quick stop easy even with a packed car.
I like how central the location feels for a Columbus day trip. You can grab lunch, then spend the afternoon exploring the rest of the city.
A Wednesday or Thursday visit works well if you want a calmer midweek outing. Saturday makes sense if all-you-can-eat fish is the whole reason for the trip.
Either way, aim to arrive with a little buffer before closing time. Fried fish is best enjoyed slowly, not gulped while the staff is wiping down the counter.
Plan The Pickup Like A Pro
Counter service keeps things quick and casual here. You order up front, and the fried goodness heads your way without any fancy fuss.
The dining room is on the smaller side. Plenty of folks grab their meals to go, so don’t panic if seats look limited.
Feeding a crowd? Carry-out orders of at least five dinners can be called in ahead, which is perfect for family gatherings or a hungry team.
Delivery is also an option through apps like Grubhub. That’s handy for Columbus locals, though road-trippers will want the fresh-from-the-fryer experience in person.
Bring the right card, too. Marino’s Seafood Fish & Chips accepts Visa and MasterCard, so check your wallet before you leave home.
I can’t imagine a better tailgate-style picnic than a box of fish and chips eaten nearby. Just pack plenty of napkins, because crispy batter has a way of traveling everywhere.
One last road trip tip. Grab an extra order of hushpuppies for the ride home, because Ohio highways feel shorter with a snack in the cupholder.
