Our Story
With three generations in the restaurant business, the Fish House has always been a family endeavor. When David Hilsenrad came home to Louisville following his military service, he was ready to start the next chapter in his life. Having grown-up with his father’s successful restaurant business, it was only natural that he would follow the same path getting involved in several restaurant concepts including the Fish House over 30 years ago. Starting with only a cod-fish sandwich, French fries and coleslaw the foundation of the Fish House had been laid and would grow into a long-standing Louisville favorite.

10 years later David was joined by his son Adam who began Café Beignet operating on Saturday mornings and Sundays in the same space taking advantage of Fish House downtimes. David taught Adam the restaurant ropes just as his father had taught him leading to the third generation in the family business.
Café Beignet launched with a focus on breakfast favorites and what has been awarded as Louisville’s best beignets.
Adam attended culinary school deepening his restaurant knowledge and expanding the menu possibilities for both the Fish House and Café Beignet operations. He was hired into the Fish House while continuing his work with Café Beignet.
In 2015 Adam bought the Fish House business from his father, but David did not retire. You can still find him working in the Fish House every day with the same dedication to the business he always had. The Fish House prides itself on being a family run operation with Adam’s sister and cousins also helping along the way.
While other restaurants cater to certain segments of the Louisville dining community, some very high-end and others fast food, the Fish House has enjoyed its status as a restaurant for everyone. On any given day you’ll find people in suits, ties and dresses, uniformed first responders, tradesmen and hard-working laborers all together sharing in some of the highest quality food and the best service Louisville has to offer.

