The Fish Friar

Walking into a counter-service fish shack and finding Chablis on the list is exactly the kind of pleasant surprise that makes this job worth doing. The Fish Friar is tiny, loud, and decidedly not precious — which makes the fact that someone clearly thought about the wine list feel like a small act of defiance. It's not deep, but it's deliberate.

Twenty to forty selections sounds modest, and it is, but the list punches above its weight class by leaning into wines that actually make sense next to fried seafood. White Burgundy and Chablis anchor the old-world side, while Finger Lakes dry Riesling gives the list a local identity that most casual spots wouldn't bother with. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (think Cloudy Bay territory) and Oregon Pinot Gris round things out on the new-world end. The red options are almost beside the point here — this is a white wine list wearing a fish shack's clothes, and that's exactly right.

Six to twelve pours by the glass at $9–$15 is a solid spread for a spot where your entree might run $14. The glass program skews white and coastal, which tracks with the menu entirely. We'd love to see more rotation — right now it reads like a set-it-and-forget-it situation — but what's there is genuinely drinkable and well-matched to the food.