The Pittsburgh Restaurant That Has Been Making Massive Fried Fish Sandwiches For Over A Century

When you think about Pittsburgh, seafood isn't usually the first thing that comes to mind (sandwiches bursting at the seams with meat, coleslaw, and fries? Yes; seafood? Not really). But while some seafood chains are just now making a comeback, there is a restaurant and bar in the City of Bridges that has been serving up the likes of raw oysters for more than 150 years. The Original Oyster House is considered by many the oldest restaurant in Pittsburgh, and its menu contains everything you might expect from a good seafood restaurant — clam strips, crab cakes, clam chowder — plus one item you might not: the Monster Fish Sandwich.

As of January 2026, a Monster Fish sandwich sells a la carte for $11.25. The sandwich was introduced to the menu by one of the early owners, Louis Americus, and it's still made using the original recipe for the coating, a special concoction created by Americus's wife, Mary. This breading coats an enormous piece of cod, which juts comically out of either end of the special bun that's long and wide like a submarine sandwich bun. Can Pittsburgh make any sandwiches a normal size? (Even its beloved 3-ingredient barbecue sandwiches are a mouthful.)

The Original Oyster House in downtown Pittsburgh's Market Square first opened its doors in 1870. While it moved locations just a year later, it has gone on to occupy the same spot ever since — on the site of a previous establishment that had opened in the 1820s. In 1916, the restaurant ownership changed hands, purchased by the aforementioned Louis Americus, who made a lot of choices for the Original Oyster House that are still in place today, like the addition of not only the Monster Fish sandwiches, but also fried oysters. In fact, some claim that the crispy, breaded mollusks originated in Pittsburgh, thanks to the brilliant mind of Mary Americus. 

Louis Americus owned the Original Oyster House until 1970, when Louis Grippo purchased it. He also made his mark on the restaurant, adding a variety of fried seafood items to the menu, as well as french fries. When he died in 2017, the historic seafood joint was passed onto his wife Renee and daughter Jennifer, who are the current owners. They've made some updates to the historic establishment, but the restaurant's fish sandwich recipe is unlikely to change.