Page 33 - SLO Visitors Guide Winter 2026

slovisitorsguide.com WINTER 2026 33
Pismo Beach, Shell Beach & Oceano
(805) 556-3077 • 558 PRICE STREET, PISMO BEACH
ADASFISHHOUSE.COM
(805) 773-0551 • 491 PRICE STREET, PISMO BEACH
ROSASRESTAURANT.COM
Pismo Fish and Chips—where original
customers now bring their grandkids
Any trip to the beach is incom-
plete without a bowl of clam
chowder or a plate of fresh fish
and chips. It seems like restau-
rants are opening and closing at
an alarming pace, but Pismo Fish
and Chips has been an institution
in Pismo Beach since the early
1960s. It started when the Zech-
ner family immigrated to America
from Holland in 1959. They did
odd jobs around town and even
received help from a local church.
With $500, Ann Zechner opened
a fresh fish market across from the
A Pismo Beach
favorite since the
1960s
restaurant’s current location. She
had no experience running a fish
market, but that didn’t matter. It
was a success!
Her husband, Jack Zechner, who
was helping in the market, found a
wallet nearby with $900 inside (for
context, the minimum wage was
$1.00 per hour in 1962). He imme-
diately called the man who had lost
his wallet. Of course, the man was
grateful and offered a large reward,
but Jack refused. The man turned
out to be the local bank president,
and he told Jack to call if he ever
needed help.
Well, the Zechners wanted to
open a restaurant, but couldn’t raise
the money they needed. They tried
everything with no success. Then,
Jack contacted the bank president,
who gave them the loan even
Fish and chips made fresh for every order.