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7 Restaurant Chains With the Best Fried Catfish

These 7 chains serve fried catfish so good fans say it rivals authentic Cajun spots.

Fans of fried catfish usually have to go to a Cajun restaurant to get their fix, but luckily there are a few chains serving up this delicious regional speciality. Whether it’s fried or grilled, in a basket on a sandwich, spicy or more plain, fried catfish is a versatile and protein-packed menu item. So if you don’t live near an authentic Cajun restaurant, what are your options? Here are seven restaurant chains serving up fried catfish guests are raving about.

Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel Fried Catfish
Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel fans like the fried and grilled catfish options on the menu. The Fried Catfish plate is made with two cornmeal-fried U.S. farm-raised catfish fillets with tartar sauce and hushpuppies. Each order is served with two or three classic sides and buttermilk biscuits or corn muffins.

Texas Roadhouse

Texas Roadhouse Fried Catfish
Texas Roadhouse

Texas Roadhouse has a Fried Catfish plate on the menu. Each entree comes with U.S. farm-raised catfish breaded in southern cornmeal and fried to a golden brown, and served with the choice of two sides. Sides include baked potato, buttered corn, Caesar salad, and fresh vegetables.

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Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen Fried Catfish
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen/Facebook

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen has the choice of Fried Catfish Fillets or Shrimp & Catfish Fillets on the menu. The chain also has Blackened Catfish served with beans and rice, and the popular Mississippi Catfish Opelousas which contains blackened catfish, oysters, shrimp, lump crab, lemon garlic butter sauce, and dirty rice.

Copeland’s of New Orleans

Copeland's of New Orleans Catfish Acadiana
Copeland’s of New Orleans/Facebook

Copeland’s of New Orleans has a Shrimp or Catfish Po-Boy on the menu, made with hand-battered shrimp or catfish dressed with tartar sauce, shredded lettuce, tomatoes,

sweet and sour pickles and served overstuffed.

Louisiana Charlie’s

Louisiana Charlie's Fried Catfish
Louisiana Charlie’s

Louisiana Charlie’s has Catfish Poboy on the menu (grilled or fried), plus a Fried Catfish Basket. “Gumbo fries were loaded with toppings. Our entrees, Catfish dinner, and Creole Jambalaya portions were plentiful and savory,” one customer said.

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The Boiling Crab

The Boiling Crab Fried Catfish Basket
The Boiling Crab

The Boiling Crab has an excellent Fried Catfish Basket on the menu. “I don’t know why, but whenever I come here, I always want the fried catfish too. I think when it comes to fried fish, boiling crab does it right too,” one guest said.

Hook & Reel

Hook & Reel Catfish Basket
Hook & Reel

Hook & Reel restaurant has a Fried Catfish basket on the menu. “I went back one evening in the middle of the week. Ordered a catfish poboy. That was a sammich. It did not disappoint. I still have not tried any of their boils,” one guest said. “One of these days I shall try it out. In the meantime, the catfish poboy will be my go-to sammich.”

Ferozan Mast
Ferozan Mast is a writer for Eat This, Not That! Read more about Ferozan
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