Johnson's Fish & Shrimp (Lake Station, IN)

The Johnson family fish and shrimp house became a "must stop" on my trips to Michigan last summer for its amazing fresh fried lake perch. Unless you are from the area or randomly drive by it looking for a gem (how I stumbled upon it) you wouldnt know it existed. One search on google of this place produces one or two results of store information, and thats about it. Johnson's is one of those spots that you drive by and immediately know you need to try it, the fried lake perch is perfect and the lightly breaded shrimp are equally delicious.

Anyone making a trip out to Michigan from Chicago should give this place a try, they have picnic tables in the front, perfect for summer. Its been almost a year since I have been, but ill be back soon for sure.



Front entrance



fried perch (L) Regular breaded shrimp (R)


Johnson's Fish & Shrimp
2619 Central Ave
Lake Station, IN 46405
(219) 962-1956

Da Beef,

Thank you for giving us another worthy destination in Northwest Indiana (NWI).

Regards,

I've eaten there many times, it's a solid place that seldom disappoints you. Their lake perch is good, but I usually opt for the walleye since it is harder to find in Chicago than the perch.

Johnson's is a great summertime stop when cruising back from Michigan. Its right off the highway at the Detroit/Lake Station exit and since they have no seats, inside summertime is a great time to visit and eat at the picnic tables outside. My last couple stops they were out of perch both times but both occasions I stopped were early in the evening on Sunday nights and they're closed Mondays so they only have so much since its all fresh. I did get the walleye both times and it was great and forgot to ask for the lightly breaded shrimp on one visit and got the regular style much like the shrimp from Goose Island on Division. The lightly breaded is my preference from Johnson's and all other places. I hope I can get some perch on my next stop, still some of the best I've had was from here.




Walleye


lightly breaded shrimp


Regular shrimp

I still haven't tried the fried chicken but hope to soon.

Johnson's Fish & Shrimp
2619 Central Ave
Lake Station, IN 46405
(219) 962-1956

Is it related to the Johnson's Door County Fish & Shrimp on Roosevelt Road in Lombard? You mentioned regular and lightly breaded shrimp and the Lombard location has both types also.

The Johnson's Fish & Shrimp on Roosevelt in Lombard doesn't disappoint....great perch and walleye....and you can wash it down with a pretty good selection of beers as well.

ChiTownDiner wrote:Is it related to the Johnson's Door County Fish & Shrimp on Roosevelt Road in Lombard? You mentioned regular and lightly breaded shrimp and the Lombard location has both types also.

Yes, it's my understanding that the same family is involved in both places.

I've had a few lake perch dinners from different spots in NW Indiana over the last month or so. I keep forgetting to ask if it's yellow lake perch or not. Is there any way to tell? My half pound lake perch from Johnson's yesterday was excellent. Is it the smaller fillets that are yellow perch? These from Johnson's were much smaller fillets than a recent lake perch dinner I had from Cavalier Inn.


The Johnson's fry it up right...

I can tell by the taste, the yellow ones taste a lot better than the whites, and others. Other than that, I don't think there is anyway to tell once its breaded and cooked, besides asking the vendor.

I'm planning a day trip this week or next. Do they have inside seating? I'll be in Somebody Elses Brand New Vehicle . And the weather is won't be picnic friendly. Calumet Fisheries style seating is fun if nobody fusses over the interior.

Heading east towards the indiana Amish area on Thursday, we jumped off in lake station for Johnson's. been on a huge fried perch and shrimp crave the past 6 months or so and missed a couple other chances to hit this spot, wasnt going to miss again.







Just a start to a big day of eating so we went light with a perch sandwich and some of the lightly breaded shrimps. Really liked the large breading station just visible from the wait area. Chowed out in the vehicle, perch sandwich did not disappoint at all. Lightly breaded shrimp were a treat. The light breading worked great, shrimpy and perfectly cooked. The breading, texture wise almost like they left the shells on, but not... Gonna be heading east a few times in the next few weeks, can't see missing Johnson's.

ChiTownDiner wrote:Is it related to the Johnson's Door County Fish & Shrimp on Roosevelt Road in Lombard? You mentioned regular and lightly breaded shrimp and the Lombard location has both types also.

Same folks own both, and both are for sale. Thought I spied the for sale flyer at the Lake Station location by the counter,definitely saw the flyer on their Facebook page (@ PDF tab) and on the door of the Lombard location. Hopefully someone steps up and keeps this thing going, not many places like these left.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Johnsons ... 7008106629

Hit the Lombard location for lunch today, I don't spend $11 on a workday lunch often so this was kind of a splurge - Johnson's beat out Trohas as my choice on this day.Went with a lake perch sandwich and a 1/4 lb. of their regularly breaded shrimps.

Sandwich was a similar version of the sandwich I enjoyed about a week ago at the Lake Station location - different roll, but same fish. - good stuff..

The shrimps: I got the lightly breaded in Lake Station(some of the best i have had), this time the regularly breaded. More along the lines of a Trohas or RH Ranch. Good stuff, but I prefer the lightly breaded here.

This location has been around since 1967, has kind of a roadhouse feel. Small bar and quite a few tables and booths. I saw this place many times back in the day when I worked in the area and never stopped.

Johnson's Door County Fish
908 E. Roosevelt Rd.
Lombard, IL.

Johnson's in Lombard has been on my regular rotation lately, had to make a stop in yesterday in even after a pretty fried fish heavy Saturday around Lake Erie.

Right on Roosevelt, about a 1/4 mile west of Meyers, also down the street from a Pete's I provided the brick for:



order here:



Yesterdays special was the gulf shrimp plate or dinner, wanted some shrimp, but also needed a perch sandwich.

went with a 1/4lb. lightly breaded - added a side of "Thor sauce" just a horseradished up version of their regular cocktail sauce. Shrimps were great:



perch sandwich, nice, I do prefer the roll they use at Lake Station better. :

Hopefully not a big deal to also list the Lombard location on this thread:

not sure if its been listed but here is a link to the daily specials/menu for Lombard:

http://www.smpinfo.info/examsites/johns ... mp_006.htm

Wednesday is Gulf shrimp plate or dinner day: $7.95 for the dinner & $5.95 for the plate. I went with the dinner, healthy portion of great shrimp(could taste the gulf), potato pancakes, and pasta salad.:

good stuff:



might head back today for some lake perch.