Local Fish Fry

Churches throughout Macomb County hosting Lenten Friday Fish Fries have become the popular place to go on a Friday night leading up to Easter.

By Tracey Moro

If you’ve ever gone to a local Friday Fish Fry during Lenten season, then you know how fun they are. Seeing the community all together, eating a meal in the same big room,

brings fellowship and good times – all with good food. Most people go to their parish events spending time with their church family. Others find the one nearest them – and then there are those who want to visit a different one every Friday.

Well this story is for those of you looking to venture to a new Friday Fish Fry.

That’s what Mitch Koleczko was looking for some 11 years ago when he came up with the idea to do a Facebook page dedicated to local Friday Fish Fries. Mitch is an elementary teacher for Fitzgerald Public Schools in Warren, and he lives with his family in St. Clair Shores. They had been attending the St. Issac’s fish fry for years. His love of seeing the community together, no one on their phones, kids running around and generations sitting together enjoying a meal, made him happy.

Wondering what goes on at other ones, he started venturing to new places. Then he made it his mission to share with everyone about each place he went. “I wondered if other people would be interested in what would be going on at different fish fries,” said Koleczko. And so he started his Facebook Page – Mitch’s Friday Fish Fry Review.

Today, after 63 different Friday dinners, he has become the unofficial Friday Fish Fry Tour Guide for metro Detroit. He’s gone to all three counties – Macomb, Oakland and Wayne and beyond, and is always looking for others. Sometimes he takes his family, other times he ventures alone. Going to seven a year, he plans it out, sets his course and shares it all with his 2000 plus followers on his growing social media.

He claims to focus on what to expect, rather than how good or bad the food or service is. “I call it – I’m more like a tour guide, I’m gonna tell you where the place is, whether they accept credit cards, what door you enter in, what you’re gonna get, where you pay,” added Koleczko. “I let people know how the whole experience is. I’m not a food critic. And most are nonprofit and run by volunteers and they’re doing it out of the goodness of their heart.”

On his page Mitch announces on Thursdays where he will be going the next day, starting right after Ash Wednesday (March 5 this year). Meanwhile, during the week you’ll see him post various flyers helping to spread the word. He’s been going beyond Macomb County as years have passed hitting Oakland County, the Flint area, Fenton, Ann Arbor, and Imlay City. “I pay for all my dinners and all my personal time (gas). It’s fun entertainment and to give a little love back.”

Mitch claims he’s just a regular guy who enjoys doing his reviews and doesn’t mind taking out time to run all over town to include new places every Friday during Lent. We asked Mitch to provide us with his top favorites for Macomb County. Although he loves them all, what Mitch likes the best – is the experience, and some variety to the menu, or special themes. Here are his top five favorites with quotes from his actual online reviews.

1 – St. Issac Jogues in St. Clair Shores

Of course Mitch had to recommend his all- time favorite – St. Issac’s – but not only because he attended them but because they do an awesome job. “St. Issac’s is one of the best around….” The church Men’s Club hosts with the Lenten Fish Fry with what they claim to be ‘the area’s best Lenten Fish Fry.’ Serving favorites including fish & shrimp tacos, baked fish, pierogi, mac and cheese and hand-dipped and beer-battered fried cod. But they put it over the top with added special menus on specific Fridays including an incredibly delicious Grilled Lobster Tail, that you can order ahead. They do carry out, take credit cards and they can’t wait to welcome you to St. Isaac Jogues. Visit the St. Issac Jogues Events Facebook page to stay informed.

2 – St. Isidore Church in Macomb Township

St. Isidore /Knights of Columbus Council # 7200 hosts the St. Isidore Fish Fry the first six Fridays in Lent. All proceeds support the local K of C charities. It’s open from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. Enter from Romeo Plank. Dine in, take out and drive thru available. They accept cash, check or credit card. Your price includes sales tax.The menu includes: Fried or baked cod -or- fried shrimp; one entrée with redskin potatoes, coleslaw, mac and cheese, and a roll. Choice for a lite meal also: two slices of cheese pizza, or mac and cheese; includes entrée with coleslaw and a roll. Enjoy the food, music and fellowship!

Visit their Facebook page to learn more.

3 – St. Jane Frances De Chantal in Sterling Heights

We couldn’t find any info on this year before print but according to Mitch’s review from the fish fry takes place in the Fr. Leon Page Activity Hall at the church. It gets busy but there are wonderful people greeting and directing you where to go. You order and pay as you enter the hall (cash only!). You will be given your order form and a copy is sent to the kitchen. There’s plenty of circular tables and you can enjoy meeting new friends. “Food was delicious… Cod had a Hamm’s beer batter. Menu was simple with some good choices. French fries, mac and cheese, and coleslaw.”

Proceeds benefit St. Vincent de Paul Society.

4 – St. John Vianney in Shelby Township

Starting Fridays at 4:30 p.m. this fish fry is dine in and carry out and takes place in the Activity Hall, connected to the church. They accept cash, check or charge. The menu is simple and served cafeteria style. They serve fish (baked or beer battered) with choice of fries, baked potato or mac and cheese. Dinner roll, salad bar, cole slaw, and dessert are included. “Last year they served 600-700 meals every Friday. It’s a great chance to make some new friends. The food was delicious and a great value. Salad bar was terrific, an absolute nice touch to this experience.”

5 – St. Augustine in Richmond

St. Augustine alternates their fish fry with Holy Family Parish in Memphis. Double check with each church for the schedule before traveling out, but we did confirm that the first one, on March 7, will be held at St. Augustine with Holy Family hosting the following week. They hosts the dinner in the church basement with student volunteers helping. The menu offers cheese pizza and mac and cheese, plus take out and all-you-can-eat, cash or check only. In 2020 this fish fry served between 400-600 meals. “They were steady all night and the food was delicious.”

Mitch also recommends the American Century Polish Club in Sterling Heights Mitch also covers and recommends you try out a local VFW or Knights of Columbus Fish Fries claiming not only is the food good, but there’s usually a bar offering at the very least beer. That’s a bonus!

Plan Your Friday Fish Fry Visit

Mitch also helped us create a list of local Macomb County places that have been hosting Friday Fish Fries for some time. Although, he cautioned us, that every year a few of them close up so we do recommend double checking before venturing out. We tried best we could before going to print but many did not have their information out yet. We suggest checking social media pages or following Mitch. Mitch also said the Detroit Archdiocese website has a tab for Fish Fries – fishfryfinder.org – but nothing was listed when Macomb Now went to print.