We need more places like Alabama Fish Bar.
I love places that are what they are and make no bones about their simplicity.
The fish is plentiful, tasty and comes with crazy grilled toppings.
The service was fast, the fish was cheap and you get out the door and onto the taxi to Flavorburgh.
I would like a little kick to their fries though. Needs a bit more Cajun flavor to the experience.
Still, I salute Alabama Fish Bar for its simplicity and dedication to good value.
This place has been my favorite since I was a child. I remember when you used to get free fish on your birthday. Awwwww, those were the days. But I stil come back to Alabama's because it is good simple fried food. I get the 5 piece Whitting, with fries and I am set for the rest of the day. I introduced my boyfriend to it and he can not get enough.
Review Source:5 STARS!!!
Located in probably the least ideal part of town. Â You are more than likely to get hit up by a panhandler, might struggle to find parking, be squeezed into the a storefront the size of a phone booth, and boy howdy will your clothes and car smell. Â But gosh darn it all to heckfire, IT IS SO WORTH IT!!!!!
The AFB combines two of my most favorite things in the world: Lenten Fish Fries and OTR. Â At the AFB it is Lent all of the time. Â You are presented with 3 different options, large platters of fish- cod, whiting, and haddock I believe. Â All three will set you back about 6-8 bucks. Â Each platter includes 5-7 pieces of fish, fries, and two pieces of bread. Â You can tack on some sides and a soda for a couple of bucks more, but what you are given is at least two meals.
The way it works is that you walk inside the small space, order, and you are given your ticket and one penny- for both luck and the fact that everything is 6.99 or 7.99. Â When your number is called out, you proceed to the counter and gaze in amazement at the large, delicious platter in front of your eyes. Â You then proceed to smother your deep fried bounty with vinegar, ketchup, mustard, and hot sauce. Â They ask you if you want peppers. Â You always say yes. Â Do you actually want peppers? Â Who knows, but just in case. Â They wrap up your catch of the day and throw it in a bag. Â Since there is no seating, everything is to go.
Warning! Â Outside there are no seats and usually a person or two asking for money. Â You will have to transport your meal a distance before consuming. Â Be prepared for your breath, body, and motor vehicle to smell like delicious, delicious, yet smelly fried fish.
I have been told that you get a free meal on your birthday. Â Mine is next week. Â I will relay back with more info. Â But you shouldn't wait for your birthday to feast on this fish.
I'm the last person to ever request seafood when trying to decide what to eat. That said, I LOVED the fish from Alabama's. Their fries and bread that's given is more like decoration than part of the meal. I wasn't actually there to order (co-worker got some for everyone and brought it in), so I can't comment on the experience inside the joint, but I'm told there's "room for 6 people standing" and "have your cash ready, cause they want people to move".
4 out 5 only because the fries were below average, and I really enjoy fries. Their tartar sauce was pretty good too (but not Frisch's-good).
Alabama Fish Bar is as simple as they come, and that's a very good thing.
They make three types of fish ... Cod, whiting, and perch. Each dish is served in a take-out basket with french fries. You are then given the option to 'dress up' your fish with hot sauce, ketchup, mustard, etc. Do it. Don't be shy. Just dump a bunch of that stuff all over it. It's delicious. Make sure to ask for the grilled onions/peppers combo to go with it, and don't forget your tartar sauce.
Next, go home, go to a park, go to your car, go wherever... and chow down. This is some dang good fried fish. I've always lived near a fresh water source and I'm used to having dozens of delicious fish options. That's not the case in Cincinnati or any other land-locked city aside from Vegas. The prices range from 7.95 for the perch and whiting to 8.95 for the cod. The portions are large enough to share if you're not overly hungry. I got the cod my first few times because I'm a snob and didn't think you could get good fish for under 8 bucks. Once I tried the whiting, I haven't gone back. It's their tastiest fish, IMO.
If you haven't been there... and you like fried fish... go there! It's at the corner of Race and Liberty, not the best neighborhood but far from the worst. Just park on the street on Race and you're good to go. Enjoy!
Welcome to OTR.
DO:
-Any fried fish is good in my book.
-Pickup the food and walk to Findlay Market (north up Race St). Eat there.
-Pickup the food and walk to Washington Park (south down Race St). Eat there.
-Extra napkins.
-Walk in, you order and pay at the counter in front of you. You pickup and dress up your fish on the counter to the right of you.
-Say yes to the sauteed onions/peppers.
-Do not forget the malt vinegar when dressing your fishies.
DON'T:
-You're on Liberty and Race, pretty much the heart of OTR. Don't be rude and be all scared. Say hello, everyone is very nice.
PARKING:
-Street parking.
-If Liberty is filled up, try going south of Liberty on Race St. towards Washington Park.
I love fish and chips (Oregon coast, Seattle, Maine, etc). This is probably the best fried fish in Cinci, but because it's in a "shady" neighborhood, people are very hesitant to give it a go. Well, you're missing out, that's all I gotta say. Oh, and for those of you who decided to give it a try -- welcome to OTR.
So let's get this out of the way. The area is horrible and most likely you won't want to stay there. Great thing about this place. No seating so take your food and get out of there. Nobody wants you to stay there anyways. Now that we took care of that it's time to get to the more important part which is the food.
And the food is wonderful. Â The highlights are fried cod, fried perch, and fried whiting. What is the difference between each type of fish? No clue. I just know that some taste more fishy than others but all of them taste great. Besides, did you notice that each of the items started with the word "fried"? Winning. I'll say this though, you need to eat this food hot cuz once it gets soggy it's not as good. And also, your arteries might clog if you eat this daily since we ate this once and I'll say this, my movements were definitely slower after eating the meal. The fish comes with onions and peppers which add a nice bite to the meal, but again I'd suggest not putting with the fish as it'll just turn the breading into mush. One bite of fish, one fork of the veggies and you'll be happy.
Eat the piece of bread at the bottom of the fish at your own risk. I'm pretty sure that piece of bread is there to soak up the oil as I've seen it at fried chicken places as well. Lastly, the price is phenomenal for what you get. So go down to OTR, get the food, and peace out afterwards.
Ok Yelp seriously. I have lived in Cincinnati all my life and you really know how to make a girl feel like a poor excuse of a Cincinnatian. I have driven by Alabama many times over my existence and never even knew what it was, let alone that it even existed in the first place.
A friend of mine took us down there a couple of weekends ago, and I didn't know what to expect when we opened that door. The lobby area is tiny and people were crowded in there waiting for their food. This is not a place for you to sit inside and enjoy your food.. Oh no, it's order, move out of the way, your food is called, move over to get it, and once it's bagged you get the heck out of there. There are too many others waiting on their tasty meal.
I have to admit.. I was skeptical. It was a little expensive in my opinion, but when i put that first taste of fried fish in my mouth. HOLY CRAP... I think my brain went on overload and my taste buds started weeping..the drool was thankfully stopped by my teeth before it dumped out of my mouth. My taste buds waited for each and every next bite and when I was done my tummy was full but my brain was sad.
This place is a hidden gem in my eyes. I will definitely go back soon. Even if it adds a few more pounds to my waist line....
They serve 8 items here: fried cod, fried perch, fried whiting, french fries, white bread, onions, peppers, and cole slaw (4 of 8 items fried - awesome). Â The only thing worth getting is the fish but man it is worth it. Â I'd bet they drop it right when you order it, and it is promptly delivered to you steaming hot. Â The fries, bread, and cole slaw all suck, and the onions are ok. Â The fish makes it all worth it. Â This is one of those experiences you've just got to have.
Bottom Line: Â I'll be back for the best fried fish you can get this side of the Ohio.
Four and a half stars.
Fish: 5 stars... deep fried fish as good as I've had. Â Just deicious. Â We tried all three (perch, cod and whiting) and everyone had a different favorite. Â Mine was the perch. Â The breading was outstanding.... crunchy, spiced perfectly and perfect texture. Â And as a bonus, it withstood the 15 minute car ride back home beautifully.
Fries: 2 stars. Â Limp and undercooked. Â Some of the worst I've had.
Onions and pepper side: 5 stars... you get this automatically for each order.
Cole slaw: 3 stars. Â Acceptable, but expensive. Â A bland creamy style.
Price: low (by my Calif standards). Â You get 5 big pieces of whiting for $7.99 which is more than I could eat.
Ambience: it's a take out only place in a rough area of the city.
The COD is my favorite, the PERCH is alright, and I've never tried the WHITING.
I never eat the bread or fries, but the fish, with a dash of Malt vinegar, tartar sauce and hot sauce (and of course with the peppers and onions) makes the fish here perfect. Whenever visitors come from CA, they always ask to go to Alabama fish...
But being a bit of a fried food snob... I only like it when it's super fresh. Luckily Alabama's is walking distance from my apartment, so by the time I get home it's still piping hot and crispy.
I don't mind the price (about $6 for a basket of fish, fries, and bread), since it's a local establishment... please support small businesses in Over the Rhine!
There's a reason a famous rapper (whose name currently escapes me) gave 'bama's a shout out in one of his songs. Â That's how me and my former roommates found Alabama's Fish Bar. Â It's a wonderful hidden treasure in OTR. Â Simple operation with only a couple delicious options- make sure you get it with all the peppers and onions, etc! Â You walk up to the window and order. Â Feel free to bask in the greasy goodness in the storefront but be warned, your clothes will soak it the smell too, which is fine if you don't care about smelling like.. fried. Â I love 'Bama's and you should, too.
Review Source:If you like fried fish, this place is incredible. Easily the best fried fish in town (That I have had anyways.) Their peppers and onions are amazing, their tartar sauce is really good, check under your fish for the bread so you can make a sandwich. On the down side, i'm pretty sure their prices just went up. I could eat here once a week if it wouldn't kill me in 5 years.
I have taken at least 5 people here that have never had it, and every single person has loved it. Two thumbs up!
My roommate took me to this fine establishment because it's right around the corner from where we live.
I love the atmosphere of it. The staff is friendly and it really feels like they give a crap about what they are doing. It's a hole-in-the-wall set up, complete with old-school sports memorabilia and standing-room-only waiting area.
They only have 3 items on the menu: cod, ocean perch, and whiting. Orders come with fries and bread, and you can get toppings with it. I got jalapenos and onions with some hot sauce.
The food itself is nothing to scream home about. The cod was good, but it's hard to do fried cod bad. The fries were sadly lacking. You definitely need to add something to it yourself.
2 people get a order of fries, 6 pieces of cod, and 2 pieces of bread for 16.00.
Check it out once if you're a fan of fish, but once is really all you need.
It is absolutely INSANE to me that there isn't anything more written about Alabama Fish Bar here. Â I've got in-laws who live about an hour north of Cincinnati, and when I go see them, I make a point to haul their butts into town so that we can hit up the AFB. In the interest of getting more people to try this place, I'm going to give you a play-by-play of how it works. Feel free to print this out and carry it along as a handy reference to your first (of many) visits to Alabama Fish House.
Go to the neighborhood. Park on the street or in one of the many lots located around the market. Walk down the block, keeping your eyes straight ahead. Walk in the door, and squeeze into the room. Look up at the board to see what kind of fish they're frying today. Work your way around to the counter on the left and order some fish. You'll get a number. Squeeze to the back of the room, and wait for your number to be called. (While you wait, help any confused-looking people who walk in. Pay it forward, dude.) If it's really crowded just tell one of the nice ladies what your numbers is and let her know that you're going to stand outside. Someone will yell out the door whenever your number comes up. Now's when it starts to get good . . .
When they call your number step up to the counter and let the nice lady know which number is yours (there may be multiple orders up at a time). She's going to ask you if you want peppers and onions. There are two possible answers: "Yes" and "Double." You're really doing yourself a huge disservice if you don't get the peppers and onions (they're slowly sizzling away, like at the ballpark, on the grill off to the right). While they assemble your peppers, you have work to do. You'll notice that the nice lady will have, ever so subtly, slid your basket of fish toward you. Now's your chance: douse the hell out of the fish and the fries with the hot sauce, the vinegar, and maybe a little extra salt. When you're done, push it back toward the nice lady who now will have a little wax paper packet (or two!) of peppers and onions for you. They'll throw everything in a sack, wrap it up, give you one (ONE!!!) napkin, and send you on your way.
You'll now be excited, and somewhat at a loss of what to do. Should you go sit in your car and eat? Should you drive it home? Should you sit right there on the curb and tear into it? No. What you want to do is walk right back up the street to the Findlay Market. Walk inside (the back door will make this much easier), and go find yourself a table. Now it's time to unwrap your prize. (Optional: stop off on the way to the table at one of the stalls to grab a drink, and while you're at it, try to sweet talk your way into more napkins.) Dump the peppers and onions on top, and start tearing that thing to pieces. You've earned it.
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