The cheesy crab & shrimp dip was good. Don't think my husband was too crazy about the catfish. Had a "different" taste. The dinner roll was hard. The hand cut French fries were not crisp, they were limp. Server was pretty good. All in all it was just ok. Especially since it was kinda pricey. read more

Food was good. Service by Eva was awkward. As my husband was walking to the men's bathroom she handed him the bill. He shook his head no and said to please bring it to the table. She is very soft spoken and hard to hear. Restaurant itself needs a good cleaning. The door from the patio to inside the restaurant doesn't look like it's ever been cleaned. Just afraid to touch the handle. Bathrooms were cleaner than the restaurant. What a shame read more

The chicken Alfredo was supposed to come with charbroiled chicken. It was not charbroiled, it was dry and tasteless. The sauce was soupy and presumably from a giant can. The pasta was overcooked and the price was what I pay in NYC. Many flies sitting outside on the muddy riverbank and the table and menus felt dirty. But the service was good and I hope the seafood is better. read more

I was In the area for business and I wanted some good Mississippi river food. Looked online based on reviews.... I thought it was a great idea to go get dinner here. That was a mistake. Now with that being said, I want to complement the staff based on service because it was good... Ordered a couple beers and for some reason the taps weren't working correctly so they had a pitcher of a flat beer in the cooler that they would use to pour the beer I wanted to drink. Then I proceeded to order food and decided on the whole catfish for $21.99...Perception is reality so when I went to go order the whole catfish, I got a 8 inch catfish minnow that was 75% bones.... To be honest, if you're gonna have catfish in the name and you serve the smallest whole catfish in the world you need to reevaluate your marketing technique... it was pathetic and then I got the bill which was way way more than than I expected after the "managers discount" because the waitress was even embarrassed how small it was.... If we're going to promote southern food in Iowa, the whole premise of Southern food is getting large portions and big flavors. You might as well served a minnow that was deep fried.... I could've gone to Culver's for 1/4 the price for the same amount of food.... It's unfortunate for the staff because they did good but man someone needs to talk to the owner ASAP! read more

Catfish Charlie's - Seafood Near Me - Dubuque, Iowa

Catfish Charlie's is a very nice location with excellent menu selections. In town for business and was recommended to go and eat the catfish. They have a great outdoor seating area, along with ample indoor seating areas. Our waitress, Melissa, (Mel) did an excellent job taking care of our table. Catfish Charlie's is a must have if you are in Dubuque. read more

Went there on a Monday night and it wasn't particularly busy. Had a 10 minute wait, so we went to the bar. We waited the entire 10 minutes to order a drink. The bar tender, who is also the manager, waited on those walking in while refusing to even acknowledge our party. Needless to say we left. read more

The food here was amazing! The portion sizes were very adequate, the menu options great and our waitress was awesome. They worked with us on making meal adjustments for our kids. We got to sit right by the wall of windows overlooking the Mississippi River with great views! This one is a winner! read more

Came here with my family (including a 5 year old and 13 year old). Some lady was walking around inside and outside with no shoes on. Seems she may work here since she knew everyone. No one corrected her to put shoes on and the manager walked past her and even talked to her friendly but never said anything. It would be one thing to stay outside but another to walk freely all over with no shoes on. read more

We had a party of 15 for a Granddaughter's college graduation. The service was very good. I had the salmon which was very good but when paying 26.00 for a meal I would expect real mashed potatoes. (they were instant and awful !!! I would probably try this restaurant again. read more

A great place to enjoy a leisurely lunch. It overlooks the marina and you can see out to the Mississippi. The menu is varied. Fish, burgers, sandwiches and great appetizers. If you choose to imbibe, there's a great selection if beers and drinks. We had the gator which was good for Iowa. We also had the calamari and some delicious clam chowder. The staff was friendly and prompt and the ambiance is great. Nautical themed but classy. A great destination for an enjoyable meal read more

Catfish Charlie's - Interesting menu with a lot of my favorites. - Seafood Near Me - Dubuque, Iowa

Very good cheese curds and tenderloin was delicious would recommend the food also came out quickly so that's a added bonus

Popped in for a quick lunch on a work trip. The restaurant itself is really cute. Fun decorations on the wall, lots of seating for tables and bar areas. Also really cool that it has a boating dock area so you can ride on up (when the river isn't frozen). I had the fish and chips with coleslaw for lunch and it was pretty good. Would definitely go back if I'm in the area again. read more

This restaurant sits on the Mississippi River and it has a friendly staff. However, the food is average at best. Avoid the ribs as they were dry and overcooked. 2 stars for food and 4 stars for location and staff. read more

First time here. The restaurant is decorated very nicely. Seating is in 3 different areas plus outdoor with ample amount of tables with grass like umbrellas. That is facing the Mississippi. Restroom very clean. I had the Catfish and got the coleslaw and Mac and cheese for sides. My honey got the shrimp with fries Both where very good. Would go back again. read more

See all

In from out of town and I thought eating on the river would be a really cool idea. We headed over and walked in thinking maybe we should have dressed up. It seemed like it would have been fancier dining at first but I worried about that less as we figure this place out. The hostess told us about a 45 min wait at about 7 something. We normally dont eat this late, so the longer wait is a little off putting but being stubborn I said we could wait. We snagged a spot at the bar where someone had just gotten up. The bartender thought we were the same people cause it took a little bit to get his attention and get drinks. Once we started drinking things relaxed a little. My husband likes craft beers, however he wasnt really into the options he tried. I got a little stronger drink as the bar was a little louder and the younger staff kept coming in and yelling for people for their tables. That was slightly annoying. Probably about 25 min into our wait our table came up. Super, we got to sit outdoors on the patio that is a nice view of the marina on a unusually cool August evening. I watched the staff flutter around to try and get everyone taken care of. However I did notice that even with our long wait to get seated many tables were open and should have been filled. Our waitress was great. Super cheerful and helpful. She helped me picked out my meal. I had the which my fish didnt really taste like fish which is good for me. My husband had the fish and chips. He said the fish was good but fries came cold and limp but he didnt say anything when the waitress asked so you cant really compain too much. I think we had our expectations up higher considering the stars. You can tell the locals love it. read more

See all

While visiting Iowa, we were told we had to stop here for dinner. This suggestion turned out to be an excellent one! I arrived hoping for a nice steak dinner, and I was not disappointed. There were lots of options for sides and the ones I chose were wonderful. Overall my whole family said they enjoyed the experience. The only reason this spot didn't receive a 5 star rating was due to the long wait and lack of social distancing standards. It was rather crowded with few options to avoid the large amounts of people. Overall a wonderful place to eat...check my pic! read more

Catfish Charlie's - Excellent steak that didn't break the bank! - Seafood Near Me - Dubuque, Iowa

CC's is very nice. Pleasant ambiance with friendly staff. Food was delicious and plentiful. Many choices and reasonable prices. We sat outside overlooking the marina. read more

Friendly service. Great gator bites! We both agree the red beans and rice should just say rice. Full meal had only three beans in it! That said, the flavor is amazing. Very spicy! Good shrimp and ribs. Tasty slaw. The ribs are smoked all the way through with good rub. Choice of sauces to add at the table. read more

The restaurant is set on the banks of the Mississippi River, which provides beautiful scenery during your meal, however the temperature in the restaurant was warmer and more humid than the outdoor air. We were seated at our booth for nearly 15 minutes before anyone stopped to get our drink order. The lobster tails were ordered and were unusually small, especially for $40. The cole slaw was nothing spectacular and the macaroni and cheese was bland. The highlight of the visit was the scenery and the Rusty Rudder cocktail. It's a beautiful setting but you'll pay a premium price for food that is on par with your average restaurant. read more

Food was good. Catfish fingers and rib plater is huge, and not over priced for the portion you get. I went on a Monday night and the place was empty, so I grabbed a table with a beautiful view of the river. Great place just to kick back and drink a few beers. read more

Been here a few times. Food was ok. Called to place a pick up order and got told they don't do that anymore. Hope they don't have to rely on take outs to make their living again. read more

From out of town we stopped in for a 8pm meal. It was still busy and most of the people were dressed up. We took a seat at the bar for the wait to be seated tried a few of the craft beer selection. I had 3 of them and I personally didn't care for them and my taste buds. 1 Belgian wit, 1 brown ale and 1 Stout. Wait staff was friendly and fun. I ordered fish and chips. Fish was good but my fires came cold and limp. They possibly are fresh cooked friend but I was not a fan of them either. I would recommend other sides and other craft beers if I was to return with the same taste buds as I had that night. read more

Catfish Charlie's - Rum runner, good choice. - Seafood Near Me - Dubuque, Iowa

Great service! Great drinks! The baked shrimp and crab dip was mouth watering. The 3 cheese mashed potatoes were sinfully delicious. And the catfish and blue gills were perfect! Can't wait to go again and try more from the menu! read more

The food was great, but three stars because our waitress was really incompetent. There were four of us and three of us got our meals and the fourth person didn't get any food. The waitress didn't bother coming over to explain what the problem was. I had to seek out the manager to find out what the problem was and the manager resolved the issue and was very courteous. I won't be back read more

I stopped at Catfish Charlie's with my family on a short road trip. We were in town on a Sunday and found that a lot of places in the area closed early, so we chose this restaurant because it was open a bit later in the afternoon and it had a water view. Their outdoor patio is great. It has a nice view of the marina and is relaxing on a sunny day. They also have a lunch menu with slightly lower prices, and an affordable senior citizen menu. The service was also good. We had mixed feelings about the food. One person at my table ordered fried catfish and thought it was pretty good. However, the rest of us ordered fried shrimp and were underwhelmed. The lunch portion only came with 5 shrimp ( although our sever told us it came with about 10). They were also obviously previously frozen, not fresh. The dish came with fries and coleslaw which were both average. This seems to be a restaurant that you go to for the view. I imagine with the patio space it could also be fun for drinks (although we didn't order alcholic beverages). However, the food seems average, just a step up from a chain restaurant. read more

This restaurant is a bit off the beaten path. I checked out the menu before we stopped in and the inside menu didn't match what was online. The restaurant was busy and it was clean, following guidance during the pandemic. The food was mediocre, very basic. Lots of fried food options and the service was very slow. read more

Apprehensive after reading other reviews but decided to give it a try. Six of us and everyone liked their meals. Catfish dinners, Chicken dinner, Bluegill dinners, salad, mashed potatoes with cheese, mac and cheese, clam chowder soup, all good and great service too. read more

Tried to get a drink while waiting for a table. Ignored by at least 3 bartenders, never bothered to acknowledge us at all but waited on others that came up after us. Dirty bar and tables in bar area although plenty of servers standing around. We keep our boat there and frequently eat and drink there. Won't be back til they get better staff. No, they weren't that busy either. read more

Seated quickly outside with pretty view of the river. Linsey was a fantastic server!! Food was delicious and hot. The catfish was awesome! Would highly recommend! read more

We dined here on Friday night and the food was not at all, top notch. I had the catfish nuggets with BBQ ribs. The ribs were so dry and they were not done. You couldn't chew the meat off the bone. My husband had a whole catfish, which was suppose to be two fish, and it was nearly burnt. This was not ordered as blackened fish. This will probably be the last time we eat here. read more

Aimee was our waitress. She was very attentive and professional. Seated quickly, food arrived promptly. This was the best meal we have had eating out in a very long time. I had the bluegill which was light and flavorful. My husband had the catfish which was a generous portion and delicious. Great service, great food and great atmosphere. You cannot go wrong in choosing this restaurant. read more

I've always enjoyed the food there and I usually get fish. Their salads are awesome! Their servers are prompt and good especially Patti !

The locals highly recommended this restaurant to me. And I can see why. My group was seated immediately. We sat outside. Not the best view. We could see the Mississippi River from a short distance. Yet right in front of us were docks with small boats. That was the only negative. I spent over $20 for my walleye dinner. But it was worth every cent! The fish tasted great! A large portion and well prepared. You do get plenty of food. I give high marks for the mac n' cheese, coleslaw, and bread. The waitress was engaging. Always nearby if we needed something. A wonderful experience coming here. read more

After reading the mixed reviews I thought I would try it anyway big mistake. I will say the service was good the food wasn't. There were four of us and all four meals were mediocre at best all of our meals were not only tasteless but Luke warm including the soups. over priced and would not go back read more

After 40 years of visiting Farley, we stopped in on a Friday night busy, noisy and hopping. We waited about 30 minutes, inside/outside all full and good rate of turnover. Turned down outside table, good thing too. The rain gods let loose with a nice light show and rain. The food was served hot and in good portions. Can you judge a place based on the French fries? You betcha! Some of the best I have had in quite a while. The catfish had 2 big pieces and hot out of the fryer. No greasy taste, just good fish flavor. I liked the sweet chili tartar sauce, I am going to steal that idea. (Will give you some credit). Overall hot tasty food served just right. It will be less than 40 years till my next visit. Thanks for a good meal. read more

The food in this place was awful. We were a party of 10 and no one had a good thing to say about their food. Sad because the place is pretty nice and with a great view of The Mississippi. I guess it's just good for drinks and a view read more

We stopped in for a cocktail and appetizer while we waited to board our cruise. The atmosphere was fun and the food and cocktails were great. read more

We are in town for the weekend, found Catfish Charlie's on yelp with good reviews. We arrived at the beginning of lunch, seated right away and drink order was taken. Menu has plenty of appetizer and main course options, we ordered an app and a meal fir each if us( my son). Food arrived timely and was very gracious on the servings! I would recommend the breaded crawfish meal and the gator bites, son said the hamburger was good as well. Will definitely stop again when in town!!!!!!!!! Great service excellent food! read more

Catfish Charlie's - Seafood Near Me - Dubuque, Iowa

The appetizer was alligator, so much breading with no flavor, inedible. We had the salmon and Cajun catfish for the main dish. Both dishes very sub par, the red beans and rice seemed very old and catfish was very watery. Salmon was not good either. Nothing seemed fresh. Would not recommend. read more

we were visiting from ft dodge iowa we wanted to try something new ifound this on a hotel recommendation list.we were soo happy we tried this great place . The petitebartender suggested sweet peach cocktail and it was wonderful and the catfish shrimp dishes were tasty.the service was great as were the staff.the outdoor dining area was roomy and the river view added something special as we celebrated our 44th anniversary.i have told many friends about this gem and of course we will be back. read more