9 Missouri Carryout Fish Fry Windows Serving Hot, Crispy Lake Perch
In Missouri, they know how to do fried fish right.
When the cold months roll in and Friday nights call for something hot and crispy, locals skip the sit-down restaurants and head straight to the carryout windows that have been perfecting lake perch for decades.
These spots serve up golden, crunchy fillets that stay hot all the way home, packed into styrofoam containers alongside fries and bread that soak up every bit of that fryer magic.
I’ve chased down the best perch windows across the state, and these nine spots deliver the kind of fish fry that makes winter worth it.
1. Fish City – Kansas City
On the southeast side of Kansas City, Fish City looks like the kind of strip-mall spot you’d drive past a dozen times before realizing it’s where half the neighborhood gets their Friday fish.
Inside, it’s all about the hot line and the fryer with styrofoam boxes, lemon wedges, and a steady rhythm of orders being shouted back.
The menu reads like a fish lover’s cheat sheet, with ocean perch sitting right alongside basa, catfish, snapper, and tilapia, all dropped to order and handed over in crisp, golden fillets.
In winter, the parking lot is a parade of idling cars and families grabbing perch dinners to go before the next cold front rolls in.
2. Hawaiian Grill – Kingshighway
The name might throw you off, but this spot on Kingshighway has the soul of a Midwestern fish fry hiding behind its bright signage.
Step up to the counter and you’ll see Ocean Perch Dinner right there in the fish section, the kind of no-nonsense plate that lands in a clamshell with fries and bread before you’ve finished deciding on sauce.
Regulars know the drill: call in your order, swing by after work, and carry out a box of steaming-hot perch that stays crunchy even after the drive home.
When the air gets cold and the sidewalks are slick, that perch-and-fries combo feels like central heating in food form.
3. Hawaiian Grill – Chambers Road
Over in North County, the Chambers Road Hawaiian Grill leans even harder into the takeout vibe.
Delivery apps list a dedicated Ocean Perch Dinner, and you can practically hear the fryers humming through the phone when you place an order.
This is the kind of spot where families order a stack of fish dinners on a Friday night, then divvy up fillets, fries, and bread around a crowded kitchen table.
I grabbed a double order here last winter, and the perch stayed so hot it fogged up my car windows.
The fish comes out flaky and piping hot, with just enough seasoning to stand on its own if you accidentally forget the tartar sauce.
4. Hawaiian Grill – West Florissant
The West Florissant Hawaiian Grill might be the most fish-fry energy of the trio.
Folks swing by in hoodies and winter coats, ordering ocean perch by the dinner for themselves and a couple extra pieces for later.
Third-party menus show perch right in the fish dinner lineup, and reviewers call out the crispy fish and heavy-handed lemon pepper that clings to everything in the best way.
On a gray January afternoon, the glow of the menu boards and the smell of fried perch drifting out every time the door opens make the whole block feel warmer.
This location nails the Friday night ritual perfectly.
5. King Grill – Midland Boulevard
King Grill looks like a simple burger joint from the outside, but scroll the online menu and you’ll spot what locals really come for: Ocean Perch Dinner served with fries and bread.
This is pure carryout culture with phone orders, quick counter exchanges, and brown paper bags going out the door nonstop.
The perch fillets come out with a sturdy, shattering crunch, tucked next to a pile of fries that soak up just enough seasoning and fryer magic.
It’s the sort of place where winter nights mean a line of people balancing hot bags against their coats on the way back to the car, trying not to sneak a fry before they get home.
6. Grand Grill Fish & Chicken – South Grand
On South Grand, Grand Grill Fish & Chicken is that always-open-feeling corner spot where the lights seem to glow even brighter when the weather turns bad.
Online menus highlight an Ocean Perch Dinner tucked among catfish, jack salmon, and other fry-basket regulars.
Orders go out in clamshells stacked with perch, fries, and slices of bread that soak up every last drop of juice.
The rhythm is simple: order at the counter, watch the fry baskets drop, and leave with a box hot enough to fog the car windows before you hit the first stoplight.
Perfect for those nights when you need comfort food fast.
7. JJ Fish & Chicken – Natural Bridge
Chasing classic Midwest fish-fry flavor leads you straight to JJ Fish & Chicken on Natural Bridge.
The menu board reads like a greatest hits list: catfish, jack, wings, and crucially, four pieces of Ocean Perch served with fries and bread.
It’s pure carryout where you shout your order through the glass, watch everything get dropped into the fryer, then walk back out clutching a warm paper bag.
In winter, the parking spots in front turn over constantly as regulars swing by for perch dinners on their way home from work or church.
That first bite in the car never gets old, trust me on this one.
8. Who Dat Southern Food Bar & Grill – South Kingshighway
Who Dat feels like someone quietly picked up a bit of New Orleans and set it down in South City.
The dining room leans full-service, but the fried fish plates can absolutely ride home in a to-go box, and reviewers rave about huge, perfectly seasoned, crispy fillets of catfish and other fried fish.
In the colder months, guests linger over gumbo and etouffee, but plenty still grab platters of fried catfish and sides to go.
It’s the kind of place where your quick pickup dinner suddenly feels like a mini vacation from the cold, complete with Creole spices and that signature Southern crunch that makes every bite memorable.
9. Where Ya From – Natural Bridge
Where Ya From is soul-food central on Natural Bridge, and while the official menu leans heavily into catfish, shrimp, wings, and all the classic sides, reviews call out the fried fish plates right alongside the chicken wings.
Folks talk about grabbing fish and wings dinners, praising the batter and that can’t-stop-eating-it crunch.
The setup is perfect: counter ordering, strong takeout game, and big styrofoam plates that can barely close over the fish and sides.
When the nights get long and cold, this is where people duck in, grab a fish plate and some mac and cheese, and head home with a box that feels like a space heater in your lap.