We Ranked The 10 Best Fried Catfish Restaurants In Mississippi And Here Are The Results
We all love having more than one option to choose from, and every place carries its own kind of charm. These Mississippi spots rank among the very best when it comes to fried catfish.
Fish here gets fried fresh throughout the day, never sitting under heat lamps waiting for orders. Regulars order the same dish consistently, trusting the recipe to taste exactly like it did the last time.
Nothing about the process feels rushed despite serving a steady stream of customers daily. Portions stay generous, matching the comfort food reputation these restaurants built over the years.
Every order gets prepared with the same care regardless of how busy the kitchen gets. These restaurants earned their spot on this list through consistency rather than flashy branding.
1. Jerry’s Catfish House
There’s a giant igloo sitting beside Highway 49, and plenty of drivers have slowed down just to figure out what it is. The answer involves catfish fillets fried thin and crispy enough to crackle.
Inside, the mood is country simple. Bright yellow walls, advertisements from local businesses, and tables built for big family groups rather than quiet dates.
Fillets come out fresh from the fryer, paired with fries, coleslaw, and pitchers of sweet tea that get refilled without much asking. An all-you-can-eat option exists for anyone who arrives with serious intentions.
Shrimp and oysters round out the menu, and the popcorn shrimp basket has its own quiet following. Kids get their own menu, which matters when the whole clan piles in.
Service moves fast, which helps because there’s usually a wait during peak hours. Reservations are accepted, and the parking lot is roomy and free.
Friday and Saturday evenings pack the place solid. Sunday around lunchtime tends to be the calmest stretch, so plan accordingly if crowds aren’t your thing.
A private dining room handles bigger gatherings, and takeout works if you’d rather eat crispy fish on your own couch. Counter service and table service both exist, depending on how you order.
Honestly, the igloo is worth the photo alone. The catfish is why people keep coming back for decades.
Find it at 3326 US 49, Florence, MS 39073.
2. Taylor Grocery
Built around 1898 as a dry goods store, the building still looks the part. Faded signatures cover the shopworn walls, left by decades of visitors who wanted proof they made the drive.
The drive itself is short. A quiet country road leads out from the Oxford Square, and suddenly you’re somewhere that feels a century removed from campus life.
Catfish has been the headliner since 1977, fried or grilled, with Southern plates filling out the rest of the menu. Fried catfish and green beans show up often on tables.
Dessert deserves attention here. Pecan pie and cobbler close out meals the way a country store restaurant should, sweet and unfussy.
Live music sometimes fills the room, which turns dinner into an event instead of a stop. College students, families, and road-trippers all end up sharing the space.
Expect a wait, especially on weekend nights. Reservations help, and the parking situation is easy and free, so at least that part causes no stress.
Service moves quicker than the cozy, historic setting suggests. Sweet tea selection gets high marks, and the kitchen handles big groups without falling apart.
Kids are welcome, high chairs are available, and catering is an option for events. Takeout exists, though eating inside those signed walls is half the appeal.
The address is 4 First St, Taylor, MS 38673.
3. Aunt Jenny’s Catfish Restaurant
A 19th-century house shaded by enormous live oaks, with the bay glinting through the branches. Gulf Coast history and fried fish, served in the same rooms.
Wainscoting, ceiling fans, and original architectural details survive throughout the dining areas. Quiet is part of the package, which makes it feel worlds away from busier stretches of the coast.
The catfish arrives breaded just enough to crunch, with tender meat underneath and sauces that get as much praise as the fish. Fried shrimp holds its own too.
Menu names carry family flavor. Jan’s Fried Green Tomatoes, Paw-Paw’s Favorite Fried Okra, Catfish Anthony, and the Gunny’s Combination Platter for indecisive eaters.
All-you-can-eat options are available, so nobody leaves hungry. There’s also a private dining room for reunions and celebrations.
Bayou views change with the light, and the slower pace encourages lingering over a glass of tea. Service still moves fast despite the relaxed setting.
Local legend holds that Elvis Presley favored a back booth here, which is exactly the kind of story a 200-year-old house should carry.
Reservations are accepted, parking is free and plentiful, and takeout or delivery covers nights when the couch wins. Kids fit in fine.
Between the oaks, the water, and the fish, this one earns its spot on history alone. The catfish just seals it.
Visit at 1217 Washington Ave, Ocean Springs, MS 39564.
4. Cock Of The Walk
The name comes from 19th-century Mississippi riverboat fights, where the winner earned the title of best of the best. That swagger still runs through the place. Food lands on tin platters. Sweet tea comes in tin cups.
Servers sometimes wear period riverboat attire, and the whole thing leans into its history without feeling like a costume party.
Catfish, chicken, and shrimp fry in peanut oil, which gives everything a clean crispness. The Half Keel Catfish Fillet and Down River Chicken anchor a purposefully short menu.
Skillet cornbread gets flipped tableside, a small bit of theater that kids never forget. Collard greens, coleslaw, hushpuppies, and pickled onions fill out the plate.
Windows look straight onto the Barnett Reservoir. Geese patrol the waterfront, and watching them becomes its own entertainment between courses.
Fried pickles and onion rings make a solid opener if you’re waiting on a table. Outdoor seating exists for days when the breeze off the water cooperates.
Sunday afternoons and Saturdays get busy, while weekday mornings stay peaceful. Reservations are accepted, and parking is free.
Catering, a private dining room, high chairs, and a kids’ menu mean this works for reunions, birthdays, and regular Tuesday dinners equally well.
Few catfish houses come with a reservoir view and a cornbread flip. Both are worth the drive.
Head to 141 Madison Landing Cir, Ridgeland, MS 39157.
5. Shivers Creek Catfish House
Hot greens, coleslaw, and hushpuppies show up before anyone orders anything. That’s the welcome, and it sets the tone for everything that follows.
Opened in 2017 on a rural stretch of Highway 27, the place is built around Mississippi farm-raised catfish that’s fresh and never frozen.
Fillets come out golden brown, crispy, and seasoned with real confidence. Whole catfish, fried shrimp, and fried oysters all get the same careful treatment in the fryer.
The all-you-can-eat fillet option is the move for big appetites, with unlimited refills keeping things rolling. Blackened catfish offers a break from breading.
Wood-heavy interiors and a homey layout make it feel less like a restaurant and more like someone’s very well-equipped kitchen. Families fill the tables fast.
Kids get their own menu, including a smash burger, plus high chairs and changing tables. Dogs are allowed outside, which road-trippers appreciate.
Friday and Saturday evenings bring the crowds. Saturday mornings are the quiet window if you like elbow room with your hushpuppies.
Catering and a private dining room handle groups, and takeout works for hauling fish back home. Parking is free and never a hassle.
Shrimp salad and a dozen hushpuppies with slaw cover lighter appetites. Everyone else should come hungry and stay a while.
You’ll find it at 24188 MS-27, Crystal Springs, MS 39059.
6. Bubba’s Catfish House
Some restaurant names promise fuss. This one promises the opposite, and delivers exactly that along a two-lane stretch of MS-18.
Portions arrive oversized. Fried catfish comes flaky inside with a crisp shell, and the plates land heavy enough that leftovers are almost guaranteed.
Hand-cut fries and fresh coleslaw ride along with most orders. Hushpuppies come out large and golden, three to a plate and disappearing fast.
Appetizers lean Southern in the best way. Fried green tomatoes and more hushpuppies start things off, while catfish bites work for smaller appetites.
Beyond catfish, there’s fried shrimp, peel-and-eat shrimp, smoked meats, burgers, and a few steaks. Grilled fish options exist for anyone dodging the fryer.
Warm color palettes and a cozy, quiet dining room make it feel settled rather than showy. Visitors drive in from surrounding counties, which says plenty.
Thursday through Saturday evenings draw the biggest crowds. Weekday mornings and early afternoons stay calm and easy.
Table service, dessert, free parking, high chairs, and a kids’ menu keep families comfortable. Takeout is available, though dine-in is where the fries stay crisp.
Tea gets attention here too, poured cold and refilled often. Nothing about the experience feels rushed or complicated. Good fish, big plates, small town. Sometimes that’s the whole formula.
The address is 2558 MS-18, Quitman, MS 39355.
7. Newt’s Catfish Seafood & Steaks
Fried food goes downhill the second it sits. The kitchen here seems to know it, sending catfish, shrimp, and oysters straight from the oil to the table.
Seasoned fries arrive just right, and the hushpuppies are made in house, which is the difference between an afterthought and a highlight.
The seafood platter for two stacks catfish fillets alongside fried oysters, shrimp, and stuffed crab, with sides like fried okra and turnip greens.
All-you-can-eat catfish is on the board for anyone settling in for the long haul. Hushpuppies and coleslaw keep the rotation going.
Steaks share the menu, along with whole stuffed flounder, oyster po’boys, boudin balls, and hushpuppies served with queso. Variety without losing focus.
There’s a salad bar too, which feels almost rebellious in a fried seafood house. Fried mushrooms handle the other extreme.
The dining room stays cozy and casual, built for families and groups rather than quiet corners. Kids get high chairs and their own menu.
Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons run busiest. Midweek is noticeably calmer if you’d rather not wait.
Dine-in only, so plan to eat on site. Reservations are accepted and parking is free and easy.
Sweet tea gets poured with Southern seriousness. Pair it with catfish and you’ve got a Hattiesburg evening figured out.
Stop by 503 Elks Lake Rd #30, Hattiesburg, MS 39401.
8. Cravin’ Catfish
Buffet lovers, this is your stop. Northeast Mississippi’s answer to indecision comes with fried whole catfish and about a dozen things to pile beside it.
The line runs long. Several catfish options, fried chicken, meatloaf, hamburger steak, potatoes, soup, and a stack of vegetables that changes with the day.
Catfish comes fried or grilled, seasoned carefully and cooked through without drying out. Fillets are available for anyone who prefers boneless.
A salad bar handles the greens, and a dessert bar closes things out. Ice cream is part of the deal, which explains a lot of happy kids.
Fried green tomatoes and shrimp make appearances too, so the buffet isn’t purely a catfish operation. It just leads with its strength.
The dining area is big and open, built to move crowds without feeling cramped. Staff keeps the trays full and the tea coming.
Saturday afternoons and evenings bring the heaviest traffic. Thursday and Friday afternoons offer a quieter run at the buffet.
Takeout is available, and there’s a private dining room for groups. Free parking surrounds the building.
All-you-can-eat catfish and chicken strips make the value obvious. High chairs and a kid-friendly setup seal it for families.
Come hungry. Leave with a plan to return on a different night for whatever you missed.
Located at 101 Cemetery Lane, 7100 Co Rd 700, Sherman, MS 38869.
9. Easons Catfish House
Turnip greens and catfish, done right, in a clean and unpretentious dining room off Merit Road. Mendenhall’s contribution to the state’s fish house tradition.
Whole fried catfish is the classic order, though blackened fish gives the fryer a night off for anyone curious.
Shrimp, oysters, and crab expand the menu beyond catfish, which makes group dinners easier to negotiate.
Service moves quickly, a real advantage on Friday and Saturday evenings when the tables fill. Tuesday evenings run noticeably quieter.
All-you-can-eat options are available, alongside smaller plates for lighter appetites. Dessert wraps things up for those with room left.
The atmosphere sits somewhere between cozy and casual, family-run in feel and built for repeat visits rather than special occasions.
People plan trips around this one. It has the sort of pull that turns a long drive into a tradition rather than an errand.
Sweet tea selection earns its reputation, poured cold and refilled without a fuss. Coffee is available for anyone finishing slowly.
Kids’ menu, high chairs, and free parking keep the logistics simple for families. Takeout works for nights when staying in wins out.
Comfort food is the whole mission here, and greens alongside crispy fish hit that mark every time.
No gimmicks, no theme, just fish fried the way Mississippi expects it. Plan an early arrival on weekends.
Find it at 200 Merit Rd, Mendenhall, MS 39114.
10. Kent’s Catfish
Industrial Park Road doesn’t sound like a dining destination. Then the hushpuppies arrive, and the address stops mattering entirely.
Catfish comes fried or grilled, fresh and cooked through with a crisp exterior. Homemade hushpuppies, slaw, and tartar sauce complete the standard setup.
Fried okra is the sleeper side here, crunchy and hard to stop eating. A baked potato pairs nicely if you want something less fried on the plate.
Whole catfish is available for traditionalists. Grilled chicken, baked beans, and shrimp give the table other directions to go.
The room stays quiet and cozy, which is rare for a fish house. Conversations actually work at normal volume.
Only open Thursday through Saturday evenings, so the window is narrow. That limited schedule keeps standards tight and the fryer busy.
A private dining room handles gatherings, and small plates suit anyone dropping in for a quick bite instead of a full spread.
Tea gets poured generously, and dessert is on offer. Table service means you can settle in without tracking down a counter.
Kids’ menu, high chairs, and a family-friendly layout make it workable for all ages. Takeout is available, and parking is free.
Saltillo sits just north of Tupelo, making this an easy detour for anyone touring that corner of the state.
The spot is at 123 Industrial Park Rd, Saltillo, MS 38866.