Another San Antonio birthday takes over Fred's Fish Fry with a party that was 'nuts'

Mike Rodriguez, who mySA readers may remember as the West Sider who got a General McMullen exit sign tattoo on his forearm in 2017, decided to turn Fred's into a fish fiesta for his 29th birthday. Mike Rodriguez, who mySA readers may remember as the West Sider who got a General McMullen exit sign tattoo on his forearm in 2017, decided to turn Fred's into a fish fiesta for his 29th birthday. Photo: Courtesy, Mike Rodriguez Photo: Courtesy, Mike Rodriguez Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close Another San Antonio birthday takes over Fred's Fish Fry with a party that was 'nuts' 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

Blowing out birthday candles at Fred's Fish Fry is continuing to be a San Antonio trend, as one man proved Wednesday night when 30 of his closest friends and family members crammed into the location on Nogalitos Street.

Mike Rodriguez, who mySA readers may remember as the West Sider who got a General McMullen exit sign tattoo on his forearm in 2017, decided to turn the small restaurant into a fish fiesta for his 29th birthday. He said he originally wanted to have the seafood shindig at the location on Castroville, because that's his "hood," but the staff there didn't think they could accommodate a party of that size.

"This location didn't hesitate," he said of the Nogalitos restaurant. "I had told them maybe 15 people would show and 30 popped up and they welcomed and fed everyone. Shoutout to the ladies, they had no problem serving and taking everyone's order."

He said the workers encouraged him to bring his own folding table and may have turned the other cheek when he walked in with a 40-ounce drink in a paper bag.

RELATED: This family packed a West Side Fred's Fish Fry for a very San Antonio birthday party

"It was epic, the parking lot was full," the birthday boy said. "There was no parking. It was pistachio nuts."

Rodriguez and his party ate square fish filets, hung out and ended the night with cake and photos.

"We probably went through enough fish to restock Calaveras Lake," he joked.

He said even the franchise owner showed up to witness all the commotion.

"People driving by probably thought they were giving free fish or something," Rodriguez said.

His Fred's Fish Fry birthday is the second to hit social media in recent weeks. Last month, Janie Carlos and her family celebrated her 46th birthday and the Fred's Fish Fry on Marbach. Rodriguez said he's had his "reservations" for a while and despite the jokes about the San Antonio staple, he truly does love Fred's.

"I don't touch any other kind of fish, but Fred's ... that's on Kobe," he said.

Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @MaddySkye