DINING OUT: Doug’s Fish Fry
Skaneateles restaurant serves up fresh, delicious seafood for its 43rd year
By Julie McMahon
For great, fresh seafood at an affordable price in a cozy environment, don’t skip out on Doug’s Fish Fry in Skaneateles, standing strong since 1982.
We experienced quick service at the checkout counter as soon as we walked in.
The servers were ready to take our order before we had time to take in the menu, plastered on boards above the counters.
Once we ordered, we didn’t sit for much more than 5 minutes before our food was ready. We waited in the dining area for our name to get called over the loudspeaker.
For drinks, we ordered sodas, which we drank as we waited. Doug’s did have a small assortment of beer and wine in a cooler behind the counter, but you’d have to check what the options are day-to-day.
For our meals, we ordered the lobster roll, seafood chowder, a half-pound of peel-and-eat boiled shrimp, and French fries. Our bill came to $56 with tax. There was no tipping allowed, as a sign next to the menu suggested since there’s no waitresses or table service, there’s no need to tip.
As we waited, we hit up the dipping sauce station — which featured a selection of tartar, cocktail, barbecue, ketchup, honey curry and chicken dipping sauce.
The dining room is charming. A train runs on a track through the two-room space. A mural of Skaneateles Lake shoreline adorns the entirety of one wall. Articles, signed photographs and other memorabilia cover the rest of the walls. The space has air conditioning in the summer. The whole environment, fittingly, gives off an old-fashioned fish fry type of vibe.
The soup came out hot with oyster crackers on the side. It was very buttery, so much so that you could see the butter pooling on top of the soup. Still, it was creamy and not too heavy. The soup was also meaty, with nice big chunks of what appeared to be crab meat and haddock. The broth had a strong seafood taste, and the crackers gave it a little extra crunchy texture, though the seafood and vegetables in the soup also added to the texture.
The lobster roll was delicious. Served on a buttered and grilled roll, the sandwich was hefty with a great taste. Doug’s gave us really big pieces of lobster meat, mostly claw meat, very fresh, and each bite had a good buttery flavor. The lobster — and its roll — stood out among the other dishes we tried.
On the side, the fresh-cut French fries were great, and somehow, not greasy at all. Our only, very slight, complaint is they could be slightly crispier, but they were solid and a good vehicle for all those dipping sauces. We stuck to ketchup, barbecue and we tried the honey curry, which was very similar to a honey mustard with a slight curry flavor.
The peel-and-eat shrimp was served hot with minced spices and carrots on top. After peeling, they were definitely worth a dunk in the horseradish sauce provided. They had a great flavor all around, with the spices and horseradish combining to flavor the shrimp nicely. The shrimp was perfectly boiled and tasted nice and fresh.
They gave us a wet napkin to go with the shrimp, which was much appreciated. The lemon-scented moist toilette was very helpful after the messy shrimp peeling process.
Doug’s serves up big portions, but if you’re smart, you’ll save room for ice cream (we didn’t, unfortunately) at the little window within Doug’s, where it seems like there’s always a line. On our visit, Doug’s was featuring a strawberry sundae.
Ultimately, we enjoyed a seafood feast for a very reasonable price in a cool environment that feels like you’re stepping back in time for a moment.
For us, everything was good from the fish to the fries.
Doug’s Fish Fry
315-685-3288
8 Jordan St., Skaneateles, NY, 13152
Open every day, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.