20 of the Best Fish Fry Locations in Rockford, Illinois

If you're looking for a fish fry on a Friday in northern Illinois, you won't have to search for very long to find some of the best breaded and battered fish at area churches and restaurants.

Is this the first Fish Fry in Illinois history?

According to an article from Illinois Farm Bureau Partners, the Friday night ritual of attending a fish fry may have first started in Illinois with the Woodworth Fish Fry.

This fish fry goes all the way back to the 1930s when people would travel from miles around to the village of Woodworth in western Illinois for Elmer Brutlag's fried cod fish sandwiches.

The "Original Woodworth" Fish Fry continues in 2024 and is coming up March 8 at St. Paul's Lutheran School of Woodworth, about 100 miles south of Chicago.

What is your favorite Friday fish fry in the Rockford region?

According to your responses on our Facebook page, here are 20 of the Best Friday fish fry spots to visit during Lent:

Best Fish Fry on Friday in Northern Illinois

Here are the fish fry locations that social media suggest we try.

Gallery Credit: Johnny Vincent

LOOK: Baby names that are illegal around the world

Stacker scoured hundreds of baby name databases and news releases to curate a list of baby names that are illegal somewhere in the world, along with explanations for why they’re banned.

Gallery Credit: Annalise Mantz

LOOK: The top holiday toys from the year you were born

With the holiday spirit in the air, it’s the perfect time to dive into the history of iconic holiday gifts. Using national toy archives and data curated by The Strong from 1920 to today, Stacker searched for products that caught hold of the public zeitgeist through novelty, innovation, kitsch, quirk, or simply great timing, and then rocketed to success.

Gallery Credit: Jacob Osborn & Peter Richman

Filed Under: Rockford Food

Categories: Articles, featured, Food, Local News