The Flying Fish Pub & Restaurant

Let’s talk about a pub that’s literally off the hook. The Flying Fish Pub & Restaurant isn’t just a place to grab a pint. It’s a tropical fever dream that happens to serve cold beer.

Where did this thing come from?

It started as a total accident. Some guy dreamed of a boat that could fly. He built a huge, weird fish-shaped building instead. Now it sits there, grinning at the ocean.

Why a flying fish? Apparently, the owner saw one leap out of the water during a storm. He thought it was hilarious. So he built a 30-foot version of it to serve fish and chips inside.

The building is a character.

You can’t miss it. The fish has glowing blue eyes that stare at you from the highway. Its mouth is the front door. Literally—you walk between its giant, wooden lips to get inside.

Kids love it. Adults get weirdly emotional. One tourist cried because it reminded him of a Muppet he watched as a child. No joke. He proposed to his wife in the fish’s belly.

What’s on the menu?

Obviously, fish. But not boring fish. Try the “Leaping Ale Battered Cod.” It’s named after the fish’s signature move. It comes with angry chips—fried extra hard because “flying fish don’t do soft.”

They also serve a burger called “The Scale.” It’s stacked so high you need a skewer to hold it. Eat it wrong, and the whole thing explodes into a pile of bacon and cheese. Staff call it “the mess.”

Home - The Flying Fish Pub and Restaurant | Ilminster, Somerset

Drink like a sailor.

The house cocktail is “The Tailspin.” It’s blue, fizzy, and served in a fishbowl. Yes, an actual glass fishbowl. They float a gummy fish on top. If you finish it, you get a tiny plastic crown. Regulars wear them with pride.

Beer comes from a tap shaped like a seahorse. Pulling the lever makes the seahorse’s eyes light up. It’s completely unnecessary. It’s also the best part of the night.

Quirky rules.

No singing “Yellow Submarine.” It’s banned. Someone sang it once, and a bartender threw a pickled egg at them. It’s now a local legend.

Also, if you drop a chip on the floor, you must shout “FISH!” Why? Nobody knows. But do it wrong, and you buy a round for the table.

Restaurant - The Flying Fish Pub and Restaurant | Ilminster, Somerset

The real magic.

The Flying Fish hosts “Mermaid Karaoke” every Wednesday. Staff dress up as fish and sing terrible ’80s pop. Last week, the manager sang “I Will Survive” while wearing a blowfish costume. He got a standing ovation from a pack of drunk fishermen.

There’s also a secret menu. Ask for “The Nest.” It’s a fried oyster wrapped in bacon, served on a potato stick. Only two people know the recipe. One of them is the owner’s cat. The cat never talks.

Why go?

Because it’s fun. It’s not fancy. It’s a flying fish that serves you beer and lets you wear a crown. Where else can you eat fish inside a fish while watching a mermaid screech Bon Jovi?

Go there. Walk through the lips. Order the mess. Get a crown. And if you see the cat, don’t ask about the recipe. Just tell it you’re a fan. It might wink. I’m not kidding.