Brasa steers clear of the traditional all-you-can-eat spread, but chef/owner Alex Roberts knows how to prepare cornmeal-seasoned fried catfish, serving it family-style ($6.50 to $24.95) with a range of deeply satisfying side dishes, including family-style portions of cabbage-apple coleslaw, candied yams, creamed spinach and collard greens fortified with smoked chicken ($2.95 to $11.25). Served daily.

At Groveland Tap, Friday means all-you-can-eat beer-battered swai (a white-flesh fish comparable to cod) with tartar sauce, crinkle fries and coleslaw, for $10.50. On Saturday, the kitchen puts out a single-serving smelt fry, with ranch chips and coleslaw, for the same price.

Every day (well, Tuesday through Saturday) is fish fry day at Mac's Fish-Chips-Strips, where a basket filled with two pieces of fried halibut, walleye or cod, plus chips and coleslaw, ranges from $9.15 to $13.99 (smaller portions run $4.99 to $8.99). Dessert? The house-pulled salt water taffy, naturally.