Batterfish

Batterfish was a small American seafood restaurant brand centered on fish and chips. The business opened in Encino, Los Angeles, in 2014 and later operated as a food truck in Santa Monica, California, before moving to Oregon. Its menu focused on battered fish served with fries, but the concept offered more variety than a conventional fish-and-chip shop, including several batter flavors, multiple fish choices, fish tacos, fish burritos, burgers, sandwiches, onion rings, peas, vegan dishes, and other casual fare. The brand's best-known early phase was in the Los Angeles area. After operating from a fixed location in Encino, owner Jason Killalee announced in June 2016 that Batterfish would transition to a food-truck format in Santa Monica. The mobile model placed the business within Los Angeles's established food-truck culture and helped define Batterfish as a casual, specialty seafood concept rather than a conventional full-service restaurant. In 2017, the business received national exposure when it appeared on the Food Network program Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The appearance associated Batterfish with the program's profile of distinctive independent restaurants and brought attention to its fish-and-chip menu. Batterfish subsequently expanded its presence in Oregon. In 2020, it began operating from a food cart at the Happy Valley Station pod in Happy Valley, east of Portland. The business later moved into a permanent restaurant space in Portland's Sunnyside neighborhood in 2022. The Portland location occupied a site on Belmont Street that had previously housed Char Latin Grill. At this stage, Batterfish was described as a fish-and-chip shop, while its menu also reflected the broader casual-restaurant offer developed over time. It served catfish, cod, salmon, and tilapia, allowing customers to choose among different fish and preparations. Batter options included traditional, chili, curry, garlic ginger, and lemon basil varieties. Sides included fries, onion rings, and peas, and the restaurant also offered fish tacos and burritos, burgers, sandwiches, and vegan options. The Portland location was short-lived. Batterfish had closed by 2023, after which Annam VL moved into the former restaurant space. The brand is therefore defunct, and no continuing corporate structure, website, or publicly listed ownership vehicle is identified in the available reference material. Batterfish received favorable attention from food publications. Eater Los Angeles critic Lucas Peterson described it in 2015 as serving the best fish and chips in Los Angeles. Thrillist characterized the Encino restaurant as a British-pub-inspired destination with unusual fish-and-chip choices and highlighted curry cod with sweet-potato fries. Guy Fieri also praised the business during its association with Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. In Oregon, Jamie Hale included Batterfish in The Oregonian's 2021 list of Portland's notable fish-and-chip eateries. These references indicate that the brand's recognition came primarily from its distinctive menu, media exposure, and movement across several small-format food-service models rather than from large-scale expansion.

Batterfish began in 2014 as an Encino, Los Angeles, fish-and-chip restaurant. Its initial identity was built around a focused seafood menu, but the business distinguished itself through a choice of fish and flavored batters rather than limiting customers to a single traditional preparation. The menu included catfish, cod, salmon, and tilapia, with traditional, chili, curry, garlic ginger, and lemon basil batter options. Standard accompaniments included fries, onion rings, and peas. The business changed formats during its Los Angeles period. In June 2016, owner Jason Killalee announced plans to operate Batterfish as a food truck in Santa Monica from July 15 of that year. This shift connected the brand to the region's mobile-food culture and gave it a more flexible operating model. Batterfish later received national attention through a 2017 appearance on the Food Network program Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The exposure was reinforced by favorable commentary from food writers. Eater Los Angeles critic Lucas Peterson praised the restaurant in 2015, while Thrillist described it as a British-pub-inspired Encino destination and recommended its curry cod with sweet-potato fries. Guy Fieri also spoke positively about the business in connection with the television feature. Batterfish later moved its operations to Oregon. In 2020, it operated as a food cart at the Happy Valley Station pod in Happy Valley. The company then transitioned again, opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Portland's Sunnyside neighborhood in 2022. The Portland location occupied a Belmont Street space that had previously been home to Char Latin Grill. Although fish and chips remained the central offer, the menu had broadened to include fish tacos, fish burritos, burgers, sandwiches, and vegan options. The business also served fish tacos and burritos in connection with the history of the restaurant space it occupied. The Portland restaurant did not remain open for long. Batterfish had closed by 2023, and Annam VL subsequently moved into the former site. No later operating location, parent company, public listing, or continuing official website is identified in the available material. Batterfish is consequently best understood as a defunct independent restaurant brand whose principal significance lies in its multi-format operating history, distinctive fish-and-chip variations, and television and local food-media coverage.

• 2023

  Closure

  [1]Batterfishen.wikipedia.org

  The Portland location had closed by this year, with another restaurant later taking over the premises.

• 2022

  Portland restaurant opening

  [1]Batterfishen.wikipedia.org

  Batterfish relocated to a brick-and-mortar site in Portland's Sunnyside neighborhood.

• 2020

  Happy Valley food-cart operation

  [1]Batterfishen.wikipedia.org

  The brand began operating from the Happy Valley Station food-cart pod in Oregon.

• 2017

  Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives feature

  [1]Batterfishen.wikipedia.org

  Batterfish appeared on the Food Network series Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

• 2016

  Transition to a Santa Monica food truck

  [1]Batterfishen.wikipedia.org

  Owner Jason Killalee announced plans for a Santa Monica food-truck operation beginning in July.

• 2014

  Encino opening

  [1]Batterfishen.wikipedia.org

  Batterfish opened as a fish-and-chip restaurant in Encino, Los Angeles.

A casual, British-pub-inspired seafood concept specializing in customizable fish and chips, with a menu broad enough to operate across restaurant, food-truck, and food-cart formats.

• Seafood entree · 2014

  Fish and chips

  Batterfish's core offering paired fried fish with chips and allowed customers to choose among catfish, cod, salmon, and tilapia. The concept also offered several batter profiles, including traditional, chili, curry, garlic ginger, and lemon basil, giving the standard fish-and-chip format a broader flavor range.

• Casual seafood dishes

  Fish tacos and burritos

  The menu expanded beyond plated fish and chips to include fish tacos and fish burritos. These items reflected Batterfish's broader casual-food positioning and were also associated with the history of the Portland restaurant space previously occupied by another restaurant.

• Casual restaurant fare

  Burgers and sandwiches

  Batterfish added burgers and sandwiches as non-core alternatives to its seafood menu. Their inclusion broadened the customer offer beyond fish-focused dishes while retaining the accessible, casual character of the brand.

• Sides and alternative dishes

  Sides and vegan options

  Supporting menu items included fries, onion rings, and peas. The business also offered vegan options, indicating an effort to serve customers who did not want the restaurant's principal battered-fish dishes.

• 2017Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance

  United States

  Batterfish was featured on the Food Network program Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, presenting the independent restaurant to a national television audience.

  Outcome. The appearance became the brand's most prominent documented national media exposure.

  Source

• 2022

  Move into a Portland brick-and-mortar restaurantStrategy

  Background

  After operating as a food cart in Happy Valley, Batterfish pursued a permanent location in the Portland area.

  Action taken

  The business opened in a former Char Latin Grill space in Portland's Sunnyside neighborhood.

  Aftermath

  The restaurant had closed by 2023, and Annam VL later occupied the site.

  Source

• 2020

  Entry into the Oregon food-cart marketStrategy

  Background

  Batterfish expanded its geographic footprint from California to Oregon.

  Action taken

  The business began operating from a food cart at the Happy Valley Station pod in Happy Valley.

  Aftermath

  The food-cart operation preceded the brand's later move into a permanent Portland restaurant.

  Source

• 2016

  Shift from Encino restaurant to Santa Monica food truckStrategy

  Background

  After operating in Encino, Batterfish announced a move into a mobile food-truck format in Santa Monica.

  Action taken

  Owner Jason Killalee planned to begin the Santa Monica food-truck operation on July 15, 2016.

  Aftermath

  The move established a second operating format for the brand during its Los Angeles period.

  Source

1. 1Batterfishen.wikipedia.org