Comments on: Hodak’s – St. Louis

By: Terry

Terry — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:31:27 +0000

When I was a kid, I thought I can remember going to The Haven and ordering Jack Salmon to go and waiting for it with my Dad – he had a beer, I had a coke. It was a great memory!

By: Art Gastreich

Art Gastreich — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:29:53 +0000

Hi
The fish called JACK SALMON is really a fish from South America
called WHITTING. I worked fro KROGER in St.Louis we would bag them up
for sale.The was before stores had fish dept.
I think St.Louis is about the only place you’ll see that name for the fish.
The name HODAK is Czech,I lived across the ally from the first Rest.
It was called MATT & TONY’S Tavern. 18th / Russell ave st louis mo.

By: Steve Walker

Steve Walker — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 15:26:32 +0000

Hey Gail, I was raised in S. StL also in the 50′s and I think you are right about Jack Salmon and the three sided vertibrae. Were you living on Nebraska Ave. at one point? If so, drop me a line, I think we were friends..drsnooze@aol.com…

By: Dewayne

Dewayne — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 07:34:57 +0000

Mike… I’m not sure if you live in St Louis; but you can buy Jack Salmon at most of the major grocery stores. Be careful, for some reason over the years, the size has gotten really small. The best ones I’ve found have all been towards the city. I don’t think it’s very popular in West County. I still love them and try to fry some at least one Friday a month.

By: MIKE NICHOLSON

MIKE NICHOLSON — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:59:46 +0000

can anybody tell me where you can buy jack salmon and are they called jack salmon. Jack salmon was one of my favorite meals growing up in St. Louis. Googleing “jack salmon” gets you nowhere. Also, with the jack sandwiches served in many restaurants and many Catholic churches on Fridays, was a red sauce that was neither pasta sauce nor cocktail sauce. I would die for the sauce recipe and where and how to purchase jack salmon.

By: Cara Bauer

Cara Bauer — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:48:30 +0000

Jack Salmon is best served fried in a cornmeal coating. Its dinner tonight, and I wonder if its a St. Louis thing. My kids love jack salmon

By: Gale Landers

Gale Landers — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:33:10 +0000

Hey Dave,
Some FYI on Hodaks Jack salmon. Being born and raised on the southside of St. Louis in the fifties and sixties, many corner taverns/restaurants served jack salmon. I’m sure the jack salmon you had at Hodaks had a hard three sided vertebrae. These fish are also called Whiteing and can be bought in many grocery stores, some already pre-breaded. I’m almost sixty and “Jacks” are still the best fish I ever tasted.

By: David Smith

David Smith — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 06:08:29 +0000

Thanks for the info, Ken. Now, the only question is how can Hodak’s get them so cheaply?

By: Ken Barnhart

Ken Barnhart — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:14:23 +0000

I live in Astoria, Oregon. I was searching for a recipe for jack salmon and came across your site. I thought I would answer your question about jack salmon. Jack salmon are young male salmon that return to spawn in their river of origin after spending only one year in salt water (rather than 2 or 3 years). I caught 5 jack silver salmon today (about 15″ and 1-# in weight) and was looking for a good recipe. I fileted the salmon and am thinking of baking them in a curry sauce but thought I would check the net to see if others had posted a good recipe. By the way there are jack chinook salmon too (maybe chum, pink, … as well).