Holy Grilled Catfish!!! As a Florida Girl I have eaten a ton of seafood growing up and can be picky about fish restaurants. This was my 1st time driving to Garner on my way to the new VA Clinic for a fasting lab. As I turned onto Benson Road I couldn't help but notice the Carolina Fish Fry sign written in friendly letters almost welcoming me to stop in and have a bite. I KNEW I would be stopping here on the way back home to Raleigh. And I did. Just after noon and not having eaten since 9pm the previous day I was READY for some chow! As I got out of my car I noticed a Greek themed food truck parked outside. They have a partnership with the restaurant to use their kitchen to make the meals that are very good according to staff. It was closed when I arrived. But I was there for seafood. It was CALLING to me! As I approached the door I noticed the beach vibes and decor on the outside and inside of the restaurant. The menu has a lot of different types of fish and offers both grilled and fried options. I was little overwhelmed by the choices as I love all seafood. I asked the woman behind the counter what she would recommend. We must be kindred spirits because she recommended the catfish. I remembered that a fellow veteran I met that day while waiting in the fasting lab mentioned they go here "for the catfish." At first I was looking at the flounder. See, my Mom makes The BEST stuffed flounder in the WORLD. So, whenever flounder is on the menu, I have to go there. But, I can't turn down a good catfish. Uncle Hershel is a friend of mine. If you know, you know. I was given the choice of a basket? Or a platter. The player I believe had FIVE?! Pieces of fish plus sides. Now, I had been fasting, but I was pretty sure I could not eat FIVE pieces of fish. So I went for the smaller serving of three plus it came with three sides. The bottom three sides on the sides menu attached to the order window are premium sides with a $1.50 up charge. One of those is the fried okra; something I can't resist having grown up in the south. I got the grilled catfish. It was a hard choice as I really wanted fried, but trying to be healthier as I recently lost 6lbs. Plus, I got those fried hush puppies, fried okra and some healthy and OMG delicious best I ever had in the WORLD collard greens. In fact, my fork dove into the collards first. I couldn't stop eating them. I could taste the subtle hint of vinegar pepper sauce. But it wasn't spicy and didn't burn my mouth. I could eat an entire bowl of those collard greens. I don't normally make audible yummy sounds when eating in public. But, if you were sat nearby yesterday afternoon you would have heard me go "mmmm" with every bite. I'm not a religious person, but this was a "come to Jesus moment." I mean, these collard greens alone are a religious experience. You have to try them. Most places you go collard greens are over cooked. Not these. They kept their deep green color and tender but not cooked to death consistency. Tartar sauce and cocktail sauce is offered with the fish dishes. The tartar sauce tastes like it's homemade. Really good. I was dipping all sorts of things in the tartar sauce that I never did before it was that good. Oh no! I had an extra tartar sauce I brought home in my backpack that I JUST now realized I never put in the fridge. OOPS! Anyway, time for me to post some of the pics I snapped after my incredible meal washed down with pink lemonade. Free refills on drinks by the way. Super casual laid back vibe with Jimmy Buffet music playing in the background. read more

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Review on May 11, 2026: 3 stars I visited this restaurant today with my parents because we felt like having some good seafood, and we have had good seafood at this restaurant before. The cashier was professional and took our order quickly. This was an order to go. After I received my receipt for using a credit card including the receipt with the itemized order, I realized there was a discrepancy on the total amount of my order versus what was charged to my credit card. There was a 3.5% difference. I questioned the cashier regarding this discrepancy, and she then pointed to a note that was stuck on the plastic shield in front of the cash register area. Apparently, if you use a credit card for your purchase, there's an extra 3.5% charge but if you use cash, you don't have that charge. I didn't make any extra fuss about it only because I needed to get my parents home; however, I was not at all happy with not being told this upfront. At the very least, this note on that plastic shield could have been pointed out for me to review before placing my order. I should not have had to find out about it after questioning a discrepancy to then be shown a note on a plastic shield. When you are at a fast food restaurant, you don't arbitrarily read stuff that's sticking on plastic shields or anywhere else for that matter. It should be up to the cashier to make mention about any changes to their policies or practices. As far as I am concerned, this is a very shady practice. I rated this restaurant with three stars and not lower because the food was good. The shrimps were cooked perfectly, and the buffalo sauce was fabulous! I always enjoy their hush puppies. The rice was okay. My parents enjoyed their grilled flounder and grilled bone-in pork chops. The portion sizes for all meals were a bit smaller than expected though. I don't like feeling like I was deceived or taken advantaged of. Not having that 3.5% highlighted to me at the time of my order feels very deceitful. I left feeling like I was taken advantage of. Not sure when/if I will return to this restaurant. read more

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This place was mediocre. I was excited because of all the sides and choices! However I was disappointed. Went in on an uneventful Saturday. Casual seating. You go through the line and order and pick a table. The staff brings the food out to your table after it is freshly prepared. I got the fish, potato salad and coleslaw and a side of hushpuppies. Everything was hot, so I know it had just been cooked, but it lacked flavor. The potato salad was bland, the coleslaw was nothing special, the fish was forgettable. The hushpuppies were the saving grace. Not for me but plenty like it, as they had a nice little crowd when we went. I can't say I'll be back. read more

The portion for $15 was disappointing. The okra did not have a taste at all. So dissatisfied! read more

Carolina Fish Fry - $15 for a shrimp basket - Seafood Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

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Carolina Fish Fry Company was just okay. It didn't really wow me. I ordered the seafood platter and swapped the popcorn shrimp for jumbo shrimp, which cost a little extra, and I also got a sweet tea. The drinks only come in one standard size cup, no choice of small, medium, or large, which I thought was a little strange. The food itself was just okay, but for the price I don't really feel like it was worth it. read more

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8/4/25 The food is okay- 3 stars. But you can't order online. You can't order by phone. I had to drive there to pick up the food- a five minute drive and a twenty minute wait. The alternative they gave me was Door Dash or Uber Eats. Pass on this one. read more

I was here a week ago I do Not recommend the stuffed carbs- the mix would probably have been fine but all 5 of mine were in brittle shells! The shell pieces were through out them. This week I went again and tried the scallops- the were so over cooked it was like rubber- the okra and hush puppies were delicious. The fried shrimp was good. Service is quick and efficient. read more

Carolina Fish Fry - Drive thru window - Seafood Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

Great prices and very fresh food. The burger was next level and everything. Was hot and fresh

I went to through drive thru the food was okay. green beans were bland the green, the collard greens, was bland but all in all it was, it was okay read more

The fish was tasty but the sides were underwhelming. I would go again and just order fish/shrimp.

Sam, the owner and his great staff, provided excellent and attentive service, AND had great food! Worth the trip if you are ANYWHERE close!

Fast and really good. Not a ton of ambiance but we go for good tasting foods and that's what you get.

This was my first time trying Carolina Fish fry and it was very good. I ordered the fried shrimp, catfish, okra, greens and hush puppies. Everything was very well seasoned, the only draw back was the greens. You can tell they were canned because they taste just like they were dumped and warmed. However that does not take away from the rest of the food the my family and I enjoyed. We will be back read more

My order is always hot and great! The Staff is always friendly. Their cooks know what they are doing! I enjoy eating there! Free refills on drinks. You get lots of food! I recommend this restaraunt, you will enjoy it! read more

Great little place to go and grab some seafood! My mom suggested this place to me and I'm happy she did. The seafood is always cooked perfectly, the batter light and crispy. Absolutely love it. The French fries are always cooked beautifully. Hush puppies are great! Cole slaw not too sweet. The staff are always friendly and helpful. The only reason I'm giving them 4 stars is their drive thru. Depending on the day, it moves extremely slow. You will be sitting there for quite some time. read more

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It was just okay. I was desperate for seafood. I should have headed to A'net's Catch in Knightdale.

The trout platter was delicious there was plenty of fish and staff were most kind. My friend accompanied me and enjoyed their food as well- 1st timer. Wasn't crowded early Sinday afternoon. read more

Have been several times, and probably the last. Got grilled shrimp tonight, and they were too salty, greasy, and some skin type sludge in with them. Can't stomach it anymore.​ read more

Run away if you're looking for edible food that is reminiscent of its title. I was hopeful that they'd have at least one or two decent items, but the service (mid at best) was the only decent thing. Hard pass. read more

This is the McDonalds version of seafood. It's inexpensive but you get what you pay for.

OMG! This is a must stop. Their food is just so fresh and tasty that I almost forgot to take pictures of my food. You just can't get seafood like this unless you're at the beach. The place was crowded, but it took less than 10 mins to get our food once we ordered. They have grilled options along with a burger, so I'm going to have to try these items next time. We did take an order to go because it was just that good! The service was friendly and I appreciated how they bought our food to the table. read more

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Third time eating here. Very fresh and tasty. Love the sides...fried okra and white cheddar mac are my favorites along with the popcorn shrimp. read more

This was for a dine-in for an early lunch. I did the Carolina Seafood Platter and most parts were very good: Flounder, popcorn shrimp, oysters, puppies &coleslaw. What didn't impress were the fried scallops(?) and the french fries. The crab cakes are served in-shell and were so-so. They are a shredded-crab affair, and not lump meat crab cakes. Overall, the food was fried with care and served hot. I would have given this place a four or five-star rating if it weren't for the fact they don't brew iced tea (and other staff problems listed below). The tea is premade like uncarbonated Hi-C although it's made to look like it's brewed in house. One taste and you'll know. For a restaurant that hand-breads most (if not all) their food, to not spend the few minutes to brew iced tea seems out of place. The other reasons I couldn't rate it higher were due to the staff. The guy who ran the food out to the guests could not keep his pants pulled up. Seeing his well-worn plaid underpants was not good. If I had seen that as I came in, it would have been a "Nope!" and I would have walked back out. I don't care how proud you were in prison, or how hard it is to meet like-minded people in the Covid-19 era, you need to not expose yourself like that at work. The other staff enigma was how one young man in full Carolina Fish Fry uniform was standing outside under a tree dancing by himself. You've got cars in line for the (slow moving) drive-through and this guy could care less because, by doG, he is going to dance, dance, dance with his earphones in. Baffling. It was not far past 11am when I got there so things were still quite clean (excepting the shorts of the aforementioned food runner). Tables and floors looked great and the restroom was good, too. The part of the kitchen you could see from the register looked well cared for. I liked all the fishing/dock/wharf decorations, as it added a nice touch. I would have liked to see a cajun seasoning, but that's my own preference. Parking looked just fine, and parking lot was cleaner than most. With the scarcity of affordable seafood joints in the area, this place serves a mean combination platter. Things seem fried to order, so the little bit of a wait is tolerable. Hopefully there'll be some staff turnover and the restaurant and its food can shine without people shaking their "agendas" at work. read more

Carolina Fish Fry - Carolina Seafood Platter - Seafood Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

Wow we are definitely going to continue coming to Carolina Fish Fry. They serve flavorful, satisfying fried and grilled seafood (as well as non-seafood options). They have a variety of options available, a dine-in area, and a drive thru. They are open during this COVID-19 pandemic and are all wearing masks. I have not dined in, only ordered via phone and at the drive thru. If you are ordering carry-out, wait until you get to the restaurant since they will not start making your order until you get there. Wait time is longer, compared to fast food restaurants, but is definitely worth it. Our orders have only taken about 5-10 minutes. I particularly like how they take their time to read back your order to make sure they have it correct. They read it back in order and clearly so that you can make sure it is accurate before they place the order. This is especially important considering all of the options they have. We have ordered the fried jumbo shrimp specialty platter, grilled scallop platter, grilled shrimp platter, fried shrimp po boy, house salad with chicken tenders, and one of their pick 3 platters. Their platters are great since they include French fries, hushpuppies, and coleslaw and allow substitutions. They do offer delivery via Grubhub (according to a sticker on their drive thru window), I have not used this option. read more

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Service and ambience are really good. The fish is always fresh, crispy and delicious. Now why did they change their French fries from crispy fluffy crinkle cut to dried tasteless spears is beyond me! Their sides overall are mediocre at best... read more

SEASONING?? The fish is unseasoned, fries unseasoned and the coleslaw is just not the business. It's like going to my white neighbors who invited me to a fish fry. What a waste of time. I think I seen another review about seasoning- please use seasoning. Tis' the seasoning to have jolly reviews! read more

Love this place! I make an effort tho visit this spot whenever I'm in town. Great food, friendly service and the hot food is always hot! I would highly recommend looking them up if you ever in the NC area read more

I have fallen in love with this place. Everything is spectacular. My fave is the red snapper, but you can't go wrong with whatever you order. Great food. Great prices. Great people. You will be pleased whether you eat in or get it to go. read more

I saw Carolina Fish Fry while looking for something to eat and decided to give them a try. I ordered the platter with flounder, fries, slaw and hushpuppies. The portion was generous and the service was friendly. I will be back again soon to try the shrimp platter. read more

The quality has gone down since it first opened. Originally you could tell the fish was fresh fried when ordered. This time it tasted as if the fish was a breaded frozen and them dried frozen. Also, I placed my order online and my receipt said grilled shrimp but I got fried popcorn shrimp. I completely understand that things are hard because of the pandemic, but I'd rather pay extra for good quality food. read more

Arrived saturday night with my husband and 2 of the boys to try out the new place. When we arrived there was a few people in line and many customers already eating but still plenty of tables and even a few booths open still. We got the fried flounder and shrimp platters this also comes with fries,coleslaw and hushpuppies. The kids got the fried shrimp kids meals. You can see the man in the kitchen breading and frying the food to order which I think is great since this ensures your food hasn't been sitting under heat lamps for along time. You do have to purchase drinks separately from the cost of your food but to be honest didnt think that was a problem since lots of places do this. We got our number and grabbed a booth. Our wait was maybe 15mins for our food. The young lady that took our order also brought out our food and asked if we would like sauce and then got that for us too. The food arrived super hot. I've seen on other reviews where people complained that they thought it was to expensive for the amount. I however do not agree with that. My platter consisted of 3 fillets of flounder ,a good amount of shrimp, a scoop of yummy coleslaw 3 hushpuppies and fries. I personally couldn't finish it all. I found the food to be delicious. My 5 year old gave it 2 thumbs up and even my husband said he wanted to go back again. Only negative is the parking lot is tight. So next time we will just take my small car and not the huge truck read more

Big portions. Fresh and delicious seafood. They have burgers and chicken also but we only had seafood and loved it. read more

Carolina Fish Fry - Shrimp Platter and Flounder Platter. - Seafood Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

Food kinda like what I could produce in my kitchen, and I'm not much of a cook. Needs more fresh ingredients.

Yummy freshly fried fish! Definitely low key but I enjoyed it. The sides are okay. Hush puppies amazing! Fish and shrimp, dee-licious.

Service is EXTREMELY slow. I get that you cook the food fresh but... everything moved extremely slow. Food was overly greasy and lacked flavor. I've tried twice and both times I had the same experience. read more

Excellent seafood quality, as good as any sit down seafood restaurant at a much lower price point. We got huge plates of food and honey butter for the hush puppies. I had oysters and popcorn shrimp, both perfect. Highly recommend this place. Service was fast even with a big rush of people. read more

Carolina Fish Fry - Interior of the restaurant. - Seafood Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

Stopped by this afternoon for a late lunch to go with my husband. I ordered the kids menu popcorn shrimp with sweet potato fries. I thought the fries would be instead of the regular fries. I received both. And was charged extra for the fries. A small up charge would have been ok but the full price of a side item seems like the order could have been handled more economically. The popcorn shrimp was delicious and the sweet potato fries were also good. The regular fries were not that great. We saved them to give to the birds. My husband enjoyed his fish sandwich. The other point I take points off for are they did not include napkins or utensils in our bag. The tea was so terrible that we could not drink it. It is a shame they have nice friendly staff and the food is good They need to pay more attention to what they are doing. read more

Horrible place. Popcorn shrimp taste like freezer and they weren't crispy. Imagine soggy nasty freezer tasting shrimp. That's what you'll get here . Don't even get me started on the fries.... SOGGY just like the shrimp 0/10 shrimp read more

Let me tell you, this place is the ONE! As a seafood lover and a chef I approve this place, I got me a catfish and boy was it great, fresh fried juicy, flaky, soft and that batter is just great, I love it already, I can't wait to come back!!! read more

I don't usually write reviews but I redownloaded this app because of my experience at this establishment. The staff was not only very kind to me but they showed that they cared for my well being as well! For my main job I currently do Uber Eats since I'm a full time student , I usually work over 40 hours a week just to get by. Since this morning I haven't eaten anything and I felt extremely light headed heading into the store, not only did they offer me water but they asked if there was anything they could do to help. Usually some people say this and it comes off as disingenuous but from the staff it came to me as completely genuine. They spoke to me as if I was a good friend whom they cared about and it made me feel extremely comforted as I tend to not do too well with social interactions. The environment of the establishment was extremely friendly and genuine the whole time I was there! I originally wasn't going to get food but with the way in which they made me feel comfortable and at ease I absolutely had to order and I have to say the food was delicious! I highly recommend this place not only for the extremely friendly and kind staff, and the cozy atmosphere, but also the delicious food! I will definitely be back soon and I hope whoever is reading this will head over here as well because it really is a hidden gem!! read more