Beloved Fort Worth Fish and Chips Spot Celebrates 50 Years — How Zeke’s Went Where Few Restaurants Can

The year was 1971. Intel introduced the world’s first microprocessor. All in the Family topped the television ratings. And a turtleneck paired with corduroy bell-bottom jeans was the uniform. Oh … and Zeke’s Fish & Chips began battering and frying everything in sight.

That’s right, just like the time capsule that it is, Zeke’s Fish & Chips (Zeke’s with its trademark backwards K in the logo), at 5920 Curzon Avenue, just off Camp Bowie, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month.

Over the years, fresh salads and even tacos and spaghetti have been added to the menu, but the hand-battered catfish, Icelandic cod, shrimp, and oysters have always been the star of the show, served with your choice of hush puppies or French fries. The smorgasbord of fried veggies isn’t far behind ― crunchy okra, eggplant, zucchini, sweet corn nuggets, and even fried mushrooms make up Zeke’s version of the veggie plate.

All the sauces are house-made, including tartar, classic red cocktail and the oh-so-dippable dill sauce.

Especially in Texas’ cooler months, devotees flock to Zeke’s in search of a hot bowl of gumbo or clam chowder with a traditional side of saltine crackers. Another longtime favorite is Zeke’s dessert called the Magic Bar, filled with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and coconut, topping a graham-cracker crust.

With its snug entry where you order at the counter (with the fryers in full view) and its little dining room with layers of green paint, one of Fort Worth’s most enduring restaurants has welcomed generation of families to its shores.

As longtime owner Mark Lidell recalls, Zeke’s was opened by the Zurcher family — he thinks possibly as early as 1969. When the Zurcher family had to sell the little fish-and-chips shop, Lidell and his brother, Craig (who is now retired and who also owned The Hop music club on West Berry), answered the call in 1971.

When asked what he attributes Zeke’s Fish & Chips’ longevity to, Lidell says, without hesitation, “Being here every day, seven days a week, to oversee it. We hand-batter our fish, hand-bread all our veggies, and make our sauces from scratch.”

In the restaurant business, few make it to the 50-year mark, and no doubt the constant presence and consistent quality control of Mark Lidell remains the secret ingredient at Zeke’s.