Fish and Chips in Lexington

America isn't exactly a fish and chips country, and Lexington sways that way too. We're not Canada, so it can be hard finding a place that serves good fish and chips. You have to know where to look.

I'm a fish and chips guy. When the craving hits, it hits. Most of the time you end up at a chain restaurant where the dish is buried and you need a magnifying glass to find it. It's never a featured item, which means the quality varies a lot. I figured I'd start writing down what I find.

This is the first installment. I'll keep updating this post as I work through Lexington's options.

Ford's Garage, Nicholasville Road

Ford's Garage is the relatively new spot just off Nicholasville Road next to Fayette Mall, in the old Logan's Roadhouse location. The inside is impressive, with a full automotive theme, and the atmosphere actually delivers on the concept. It's known for burgers, and from the two I've had, that reputation is deserved.

The fish and chips is a different story.

The dish looked great when it arrived. A big piece of fish resting on a bed of seasoned fries, tartar sauce on the side, a couple of lemon slices. The shape of the fish was almost a convenience: you could hold it from the back and dip it directly in the sauce. (I'm not a utensil guy with fish and chips. It's all hands on deck. On the fish, rather.)

The fish was crispy and crunchy on the outside, which I appreciated. But once you bit in, there wasn't a lot of fish in there. Way more breading than fish. Not even a moderate amount. The tartar sauce was bland.

The fries were the saving grace. Crispy, well-seasoned, genuinely good. I'd order them again.

But the fish and chips overall? I won't be getting this dish again. Next time I'm here, I'm getting a burger. To be clear: Ford's Garage is worth visiting. The space is great, the burgers are great. The fish and chips isn't what you should order here, go with a burger instead.

Verdict: Skip the fish and chips. Get the burgers and good fries.

Cheddar's, 3604 Walden Dr (near Tates Creek Road)

Cheddar's near Tates Creek Road is a neat place to eat for one reason that has nothing to do with the food: the fish tank. They have a massive tank with all kinds of colorful fish swimming around. It's worth going just to look at it. Genuinely huge.

Worth knowing before you order: Cheddar's has three different fried fish options, depending on when you go. They have a dedicated Fish and Chips dish, but it's only available as a weekday lunch special, Monday through Friday until 3pm. After 3pm or on weekends, your options are the Cornmeal White Fish Platter (hand-breaded, lightly fried) or the Beer-Battered Fish and Shrimp Platter.

I went with the Beer-Battered Fish and Shrimp Platter. It sounded different from a standard fish and chips, and getting shrimp alongside felt like an upgrade rather than a compromise.

Three pieces of fish, four shrimp, with sides. The fish was excellent. Crispy on the outside, very meaty and thick. Flaky inside in the way good cod should be. There was actual fish in there, not just breading wrapped around air. The tartar sauce had real flavor, not just mayonnaise with a hint of pickle, like at Ford's.

The shrimp pushed the whole thing over the top. Four large, meaty pieces, beer battered, served with cocktail sauce. They could have been their own dish.

The fries were the weak point. Average at best. Not crispy enough, a few of them edged into soggy. They didn't ruin the dish, but they didn't help either.

I got corn as my other side. Good. I'd try the coleslaw next time. I'll update this post when I do.

Verdict: A great fish dish, fries notwithstanding. I'll order it again. The fish was so good I was staring down the fish tank with impunity while I ate. Come at me bro!

Next time I'm at Cheddar's for a weekday lunch, I'll order the actual Fish and Chips for a more direct comparison to Ford's. Worth knowing the dedicated dish is available if you can swing a lunch visit.

Comparison

Both places are casual American restaurants, not specialty seafood spots. Neither is going to give you something a Brit would recognize as proper fish and chips. But of the two, Cheddar's wins by a mile on the actual fish quality. Ford's wins on fries. If you could combine them, Cheddar's fish on Ford's fries, you'd have something close to great.

If I had one craving and one trip to make, I'd go to Cheddar's. The fish is what you're really there for, and Cheddar's delivers on the fish part.

What's next

I'm hoping to try more places. If you have recommendations for fish and chips in Lexington, send them my way. Ideally I'd like to find a place where the fish AND the fries both work, which neither of these two managed.

Places on my list to try next: Smithtown Seafood, The Goose & Gander, Winchell's. If you know of others worth visiting, let me know.

I'll update this post as I add visits.

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Last updated: May 17, 2026