This Humble Little Shack Sells One Of The Best Fish Sandwiches In Maine, According To Reviews

If you're wondering why the tiny town of Boothbay, Maine, located 57 miles northeast of Portland by car, is a fish sandwich destination, you clearly haven't heard about Bet's Fish Fry. This rustic takeout shack made our list of the 12 absolute best fish sandwiches in the U.S., perhaps because Bet, the owner, concentrates on what she does best. She makes just three dishes in whole and half sizes: the fish sandwich (which simply consists of fried fish on a roll), "fish in a dish" (aka fried fish filets), and hand-cut fries.

We're not the only ones who appreciate Bet's talents. As one customer wrote on Tripadvisor, "Several locals in town recommended Bet's for lunch, so we opted to try it during our day trip to Boothbay. It lived up to the hype and service was fast and very friendly!" Many reviews praise the just-caught quality of the fish. As one Yelp review raved, "Freshly caught that morning ... Bet's fish is not only delectable but the portion sizes are HUGE." Others mention the tremendous value. One Tripadvisor reviewer wrote, "My fish sandwich was enough for two meals. Prices are great for the quantity and quality of fish."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Bet's can barely keep up with demand. "We've been trying to come to Bet's for about three years, but every time we try, they've sold out of fish and had to close early," one Yelp user wrote. "This time, we made it! The fish was amazing." By now, you may be convinced that Bet's is worth a trip, but what if you can't make it to Maine — or even worse, what if you arrive too late and its delicious fish sandwiches have sold out?

The signature sandwich from Bet's Fish Fry is surprisingly simple to make in your own kitchen. To keep the meal authentic, start with haddock, just like Bet. Next, batter up! Many reviews on Yelp praise Bet's "light and flavorful" batter. While we don't know what ingredients the restaurant uses, we suggest trying our light and crispy fish batter recipe. It calls for just four simple ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and seltzer.

Once the fish is fried to perfection, place it reverently on your favorite roll. If you're going for a one-to-one Bet's dupe, you could stop right there. As one customer wrote on Yelp, "The sandwich was on a nice fresh water roll ... no lettuce, no tomato, just fish. I could eat this fish all day." According to another Yelp review, Bet gives customers the option of adding "homemade tartar and lemon dill sauces." If you're feeling ambitious, you can make your own condiment using this easy tartar sauce recipe. (If not, just swing by the grocery store. After all, if culinary queen Ina Garten says store-bought is fine, who are we to argue?)

If you really want to live it up, add a side of hand-cut spuds. Not sure where to start? Try our recipe for 20-minute air fryer french fries. Once they're done, it's time to close your eyes, take a bite, and pretend you're beachside in the picturesque town of Boothbay.