Such a cute, on theme restaurant. The staff are so considerate and friendly. My family and I had the broiled scallops, ribs and beans, fried catfish, and coconut shrimp. We had the sampler platter for an appetizer as well. All the food was so yummy and service was quick. read more

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I gave my husband a couple of choices of places to go for his birthday on Wednesday and he chose Catfish Country Restaurant, a place we had not tried before. We will definitely go back to try more of their seafood. The biscuits alone were worth the trip for us. Light, fluffy, just a hint of salt (more savory than sweet) - absolutely divine. I could have eaten a dozen of those. The coleslaw was very fresh, cold and crisp, but slightly on the sweet side. I prefer more tart or vinegary, but my husband liked it. We did have an appetizer - the Sampler Platter (not pictured, I forgot - GASP!). It was an all fried selection of chicken wings, clam strips, onion rings, corn fritters, pickles and green tomatoes. No, we were not able to eat the whole thing, we took more than half home with us. It was all good. The fried green tomatoes were a little on the limp side, but the tomatoes they used were fantastic. Like sweet and tart. Just perfect. Included with the platter was a horseradish sauce that was just right for many of the appetizers. The waitress, on her own, brought us a cup of ranch as well, which was very thoughtful. For dinner, my husband chose the grilled grouper and the garlic mashed potatoes with gravy on the side. The grouper was a very generous size and the potatoes were just right. He really enjoyed every bite. I was planning on ordering the catfish until I saw they had beer battered haddock, so I had to order that, along with the loaded baked potato. (Both were very generous in size and I brought half of each home.) Good flavor from the batter and the haddock was cooked perfectly. The waitress brought me malt vinegar as soon as I asked. Both meals came with hush puppies which were excellent. The service there was outstanding. Our waitress was prompt & efficient and we were also taken care of by others, bussing, etc. The food was good quality for the price. The place was very clean and all but one worker was masked. read more

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Always good Service Love the coleslaw Early meal is pretty good deal Food is always hot Good fish n chips read more

Our cousins, who live locally, suggested Catfish Country as a great place to meet up with them while we are vacationing in the area. We were not disappointed. The ambiance is country casual and comfortable. The greeter was welcoming and arranged a table for 6 quickly. Our server was pleasant, efficient and responsive. She served without hovering over the table and there was no rush to move us out as we enjoyed our meal and conversation. Water, biscuits, and bowls of cole slaw were put out to share as we were seated. Our orders included the catfish, grouper, and scallops. The fish tasted fresh, well seaoned, and cooked to order. Grouper portions were much larger than those we had in another trendier restaurant on the previous night. Side items were good. We will eat here again and will recommend it to others looking for a good meal in a casual setting. read more

Catfish Country - Southern Near Me - Bartow, Florida

food is really great here! never disappointed when we come! I got coconut shrimp which is excellent and the Cole slaw out of this world! I love the hush puppies and the bake potato fresh and fabulous! waitress was awesome and the atmosphere is really nice! love this place! read more

Yum!! What a fantastic lunch! I finally got to eat here and it was well worth the wait. (I live about an hour from here). Was sorted quickly & the server immediately brought us a big bowl of delicious Cole slaw & biscuits. Perfect as I was starving! Nice creamy country style cole slaw, the way I love it! We ordered the Catfish with Collards...excellent! And the Shrimp with black beans & rice..... excellent! We also ordered fried green tomatoes which were perfect! I have to say this was the best fried food I've had in a long time. The oil had to be CLEAN! You can tell when someone needs to clean their oil and this was so light, bright & deli! Not too salty either which at some places is the case. I will definitely be going back here again!! Highly recommend! Oh! The hush puppies were so yummy read more

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Ordered the four piece catfish blackened. It was very greasy and did not taste very good. I didn't eat it all. Also had the green beans as a side and didn't care for them. Not sure how they have been voted best catfish for 30 years. I don't plan to ever go back. read more

Ate here for the first time today on a date, & I must say the food was really good. My date had all you can eat Catfish, I had the salmon. For appetizer we had coconut shrimp. With our food we had a piña cold very good I must say & their cole slaw very good also The atmosphere was cozy & all the employees were nice. Do have to say very nice to go eat & have very good food read more

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I LOVE places like this. Reminds me of home A bit of 'cool' country. Their coleslaw is the best I've had since my grandparents made it. I love catfish and these are light and crispy. We'll be coming back! read more

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For the price this was a big disappointment Would never go back better fried fish at long John silvers read more

Coconut shrimp Big sweet potato Biscuits with cinnamon butter All was yummy Def come pack read more

Another great find while working in Bartow for the month. Oh my! What an awesome place for seafood! Amazing service and amazing food! The Captains Platter was delicious! So much flavor! Would definitely come back! read more

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Amazing food, they greet you with hot biscuits and Cole slaw as soon as you sit down. We have broiled scallops and shrimp along with the sampler platter. Food was awesome and our server Amy was an absolute pleasure. Make sure to ask for Amy. read more

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I came here for the first time after a friend told me it was a great place to eat. I have to admit he was right. The coleslaw and biscuits that we got were so tasty. I'm very picky about my slaw and this was probably one of the very best I have tried. The biscuits are served warm with a cinnamon butter that melted a soon as you put it on. Our waiter was fast and took care of our needs efficiently. We started with the sampler appetizer and it did not disappoint. A little bit heavy on the salt but still cooked to perfection. The only thing that I didn't like was how quickly the entrees came out from the appetizers. My recommendation is to order your entrees after your appetizers are served. read more

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My wife and I just had crab legs and a baked potato. They were both delicious. The server was a pro and was very knowledgeable. The facility including the bathrooms were very clean. We will be back. Thank you, Dennis & Shelle read more

Wow! I'm so glad that I decided to come here for my Mother's Day dinner Saturday evening, it did not disappoint. They start out with bringing you complimentary Biscuits and Coleslaw. Biscuits were good and the coleslaw wasn't bad, just a little too sweet for my taste. Everything on the Sampler Platter was delicious. Some of the best Onion Rings I've had in a very long time. Really enjoyed the horseradish sauce that came with it too. Our some had the Chicken Alfredo. He doesn't care for chicken so they put it on the side for us. The hubby's Grouper was very tasty as well. My Fried Catfish was fabulous, which was part of my Pick 3 Combo. Shrimp and Stuffed Crab was pretty good too. I went out on a limb and got the Cheese Grits, they weren't bad but aren't for me. But my side of Greens did not disappoint. The hubby got a slice of Key Lime Pie, which I didn't get a picture of, but it tasted really good. That Chocolate Temptation Cake my son got was a large slice of goodness. I would recommend sharing it as it is a very good slice and is super duper rich. Our server was helpful and very attentive. She checked back with us often, but wasn't annoying. We were seated to the right when you first walk in, about half way down. Across from us were booths but were separated by a glass wall. So at time felt as though we were at the zoo looking in or looking out, depending upon your perspective. Overall a very enjoyable experience we are sure to repeat in the future. read more

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Food is delicious, service was terrific, always there it answer questions or top off drinks. The biscuits are the best I have ever had, better than grandma's!!! Will be back soon , have only visited 3 times so far this year!! read more

I really enjoy the service and atmosphere at Catfish Country. I stick to the crab legs which are my favorite. They're always hot and served with drawn butter. I'm not a fan of other dishes that I e tried but the crab legs are my go to item that never disappoints! read more

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Delicious food and hefty portions. Quick and friendly service. They were also very family friendly! read more

Catfish Country - Southern Near Me - Bartow, Florida

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Food is fantastic! I just want to take a tub of their honey butter home! Service is great too! Bring a sweater, it's very cold in the dinning room! read more

When you walk into this restaurant, you get an immediate sense of comfort. It's like a down-home country feeling and everyone seems happy to be here. The decor is tasteful, the setup with seating is accommodating and nicely done. I had a doctors appointment in this area (I live 1.5 hours away), and my mother accompanied me and she used to live in the area, and felt she needed to introduce me to this place. I wasn't disappointed with the food at all. I thought the food was delicious, but the service was a little lack. I didn't get a refill on my water until I had to ask (after I finished eating), and she only came to the table twice during the entire visit. Once to take the order, and second when I asked for a refill. Someone else brought the food out to us, and my mom asked that person for a refill on her drink at the time. The menu is decent, so many great options. I opted for the shrimp tacos with cheese grits, and coleslaw. My mother raves over their coleslaw and I thought it was just "ok" I tend to like mine more on the creamy side, she liked hers the way it was (not creamy or dry). The cheese grits were very cheesy say they least. I kinda made my own shrimp and grits in that way, lol. The taco was very tasteful, and very filling. I couldn't eat all 3 tacos. I had a decent size box to take home to my hungry 13 year old boy. I wouldn't say it was the absolute best experience I've had, but I would be back again. I'd like to try the lobster bisque next time. That was second on my mind. read more

Catfish Country - Shrimp Tacos (they taste better than this looks) - Southern Near Me - Bartow, Florida

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The food was excellent and the service was EXCELLENT and there were 13 in our party. Yes, we aWILL be back

Driving by for the first time, we knew we had to give it a try. It was everything we hoped it would be... friendly service, home style cooking, and delicious fried catfish! Both the chowder and the bisque were great too. read more

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Excellent! Fried cat fish is the best and they start you with biscuits and coleslaw. The coconut shrimp are fire too! We go every time we pass through. read more

If you like seafood Catfish Country is a must try. It was well worth the hour drive for us. I had the broiled grouper. My friend had scallops and pasta. Both were delicious. Every meal comes with biscuits/cinnamon butter and a dish of the best Cole slaw I've had in ages. Fried green tomatoes for an appetizer. Our server was awesome. Don't take my word for it, give it a try yourself. read more

Catfish Country - Broiled grouper. - Southern Near Me - Bartow, Florida

Great atmosphere and location. The food didn't agree with my stomach. Nothing against this establishment, just not for me.

Catfish Country is a staple in Lakeland and we've been several times. Never, are we disappointed. So let's begin. Parking is ample! They do share their lot with a cute little produce market, but there's plenty of space available. Once inside, we're always seated quickly, as there's a ton of space in the dining area. Servers are always super friendly and know the menu, front to back. They leave fresh green onions on the table for munching while you wait for your food. I've never tried them but I hear that Southerners really like them. The biscuits they bring are always delicious! Now, I don't even like biscuits! But I like these biscuits! Pair them with the cinnamon butter on the table and good Lord, do you have a treat! The menu is huge! It's not just seafood here. Although, I almost always get the same thing because it's amazing. Teriyaki salmon. It's just about the best taking chunk of salmon I've had! We've never been in anything we've had. The kid has tried everything from the kid's pizza to the chicken to the Mac and cheese. Although she says the crust on the pizza "tastes like a muffin", everything has gone over well! The only downside is that it can be a little pricey. We usually spend around $40, which isn't TOO bad but could be lower. Right now.... I could really go for another helping of that salmon. read more

Catfish Country - Kid's Mac and cheese meal. It also comes with a cookie. - Southern Near Me - Bartow, Florida

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Biscuits were hot and delicious along with cole slaw. I got the small portion of chicken tenders and had to get a takeout box! They were very large and delicious. You could tell they are fresh and not frozen. We are definitely Update during Covid 19 pandemic. Still 5 stars on food, now 5 stars on safety measures. All servers masks and gloves with disposable menus. Well done! read more

Catfish Country - Southern Near Me - Bartow, Florida

First time here and was very happy with the service and food. Our waitress was Jada W, she was very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. The food was delicious, very big portion, and very satisfying. I had the scalloped and shrimp kabob on a bed of yellow rice, side of the green beans (delicious), sweet baked potatoes (huge and tasty), and of course their delicious biscuits. My husband had the all you can eat catfish which has delicious as well, side of coleslaw (delicious), and grits (wasn't to happy about that, he's the master chef on making grits ‍). We will definitely drive the hour and half to come here and eat again. Very pleased with everything. Love the ambiance, nicely decorated and very clean. read more

Second time trying C.C.; enjoyed both times. So far we've been happy with the Ribeye steak, fried shrimp; seafood trio, the fresh made coleslaw they give you with warm biscuits and butter is terrific. My wife loves their sangria and we don't miss a full liquor bar: beer was fresh and the salads are bigger with all fresh Veg. Hush puppies were sweet and fried just right. Our server tonight, Sarah was fast and friendly. Made the good food even better by smiling through service. When we wanted something Sarah was close by. She helps make the place 5 stars. Honestly, so far consistent and no complaints. That's rare these days it seems lately. read more

Great, fast service! Stuffed shrimp was awesome! The grilled chicken salad was good as well. Their lunch menu looks great so we plan a return visit for lunch. read more

Catfish Country - Stuffed shrimp, sweet potato fries & grilled chicken salad - Southern Near Me - Bartow, Florida

We've driven by this place many times, the large catfish sign always catches my attention, but until yesterday I hadn't had the chance to stop in. Kind of kicking myself for not stopping sooner!! It's got a very casual vibe with fun fish wall decor. The menu is huge! Don't let the name fool you, they have WAY more than just catfish. I went with the pick two. I got fried shrimp and broiled scallops with fries. It also came with coleslaw and a biscuit for only $16.99! The batter in the shrimp was great and not too heavy, and fried perfectly. The scallops were my favorite!! Perfectly broiled with a nice butter sauce! The location is easy to find! It's right on the main road and has a large parking lot! If you're ever in the Bartow area and looking for a place that has a little something for everyone, stop here! read more

Catfish Country - Pick two. Fried shrimp and broiled scallops. - Southern Near Me - Bartow, Florida

My mom loves coming here every year. She gets some kind of variety seafood platter. She and my sister love it. I ordered the grouper fried, but didn't really like it. However, because my husband and I were the only ones who didn't enjoy our main course meal (party of 10), I gave them a 4 for that and the service. Next time, I'll order grouper in cajun or blackened. I tasted my brother-in-law's cajun fish and it was really good. I also really loved the fried green tomatoes. Their service and staff are fantastic!! We didn't have a reservation the day before mother's day and we had a party of 10. The staff were kind and courteous. They made sure they could find us seating and that we would be comfortable. Their diligence and kindness didn't go unnoticed. read more

Will definitely very again, huge portion of delicious food, my waitress gave great service and the restaurant was smell & look clean. read more

Catfish Country - Catfish, sweet potato fries, coleslaw, Fried Green Tomatoes App, and Corn Fritters App - Southern Near Me - Bartow, Florida

This is a popular place in Lakeland, Florida, offering a great selection of seafood dishes. Get there early as the place definitely fills up quickly. Once seated, you'll get a large serving of cole slaw and crackers. Drinks are extremely large, so you won't go thirsty. There's a lot to choose from on the menu from appetizers, salads, soup, seafood of all sorts (scallops, fish fillets, crabs, shrimp), and even chopped steak and other non-seafood choices like chops, pasta, ribs, and steaks. They also offer clam strips, frog legs, Krab cakes (which means it's not real crab, rather it's imitation crab meat, which I'm not crazy about), and, of course, catfish. There are special nights for all-u-can eat catfish or ribs or crab. Definitely worth the money. The kids menu is standard, but does offer seafood options. I have pretty much had the snow crab legs every time I've been here. You get a good 3-4 knuckles of crab -- enough to keep you busy and well-fed. The cole slaw is creamy and delicious and the fries are always crisp and yummy. Our servers have always been attentive and very helpful. It's a fast-paced environment and they do turn the tables quickly. Be prepared to take leftovers home to enjoy later. As for being handicapped accessible (which is very important to me), there's a large parking lot with several handicapped spaces. The entrance is wide enough for a walker, cane, or wheelchair and the staff is helpful in getting you into your table or booth. There are tables in the front area that are VERY tightly placed together, so if you have any motion issues, you might want to sit somewhere else in the restaurant. Great place for a big family meal and a seafood "buzz." read more

Catfish Country - Southern Near Me - Bartow, Florida

Wow!! Dining at catfish country took me back to a time when eating establishments took pride in their food, ambiance and service. Everything was outstanding. The service was great! Sarah (our server) was amazing, she was attentive, provided food recommendations and was very friendly. The food was delicious and came out fast and hot! You must try the coleslaw! read more

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We heard alot about this place and decided to give it a try. Extensive menu with lots of choices but when in Catfish Country eat catfish! My grilled basket was not a basket at all and what was billed as two fillets was actually two very small pieces of fish. Don't get me wrong, it was tasty but tiny. The collards were straight out of a can with no flavor. The baked potato was good as was the hush puppy and the biscuit we were given while we waited for our meal was fresh baked and good. Hubby fared better with his fried sandwich and french fries. Much bigger portion on the fish. He too left his collards. The only reason for three stars was the service and atmosphere. Not a fan of the food at all. read more

It's been a hot minute since we've been to Catfish Country but holy cow, it was amazing! We arrived around 6:30 last night (Friday). As expected the line was out the door. I can't speak for the ones waiting inside but everyone outside was pleasant. I heard not one person complain about the wait. So happy to be waiting with locals!!! My hubs ordered a beer and came outside to wait. Our wait was maybe 30 minutes. We were pleasantly surprised!!! Every other time we've gone out to eat the wait is forever, right? And once we get seated the wait is seemingly longer too. But not here. We sat down. Our server was at the table quickly and friendly. Sorry I don't remember her name. Drinks and Cole slaw, yes please! We ordered mushrooms; they were as excellent as usual. Hubs had the catfish and I went with blackened grouper sandwich. They've changed the batter on the catfish but he said it was fantastic. The batter looked like the same batter as what they dip those fab mushrooms in. Grouper is my favorite fish, ever. And it was spectacular! I love a good blackened grouper sandwich. There was so much grouper on my sandwich I shared some with the hubs. I knew I wouldn't eat it all. I went ahead and went with the fries even though I have never liked their fries. I was just never fond of them from this restaurant. Well, they have changed the fries too! Oh my gosh the fries were so good. They're just fresh cut potatoes, fried perfectly and some had the skins on. The manager made the rounds and I noticed he stopped at every table to greet all his guests. This family has family members who own other Polk County restaurants (and one up in Pasco that I know of) they really know their business. I wish I could remember our servers name because she was so great. We will be back. And we won't wait so long either! read more

Made reservations at this place. Had family in town for a visit. Arrived to restaurant no seats for my family and I. Asked the would be manager about our would be reservation. His answer was we didn't technically give away your seats. The girl at the front just said she gave our table away. Do not bother with reservations at this would be restaurant. Not recommending this place.!!! They don't understand reservations!!! read more

Great local joint where you'll find good country food and friendly staff. You'll find a local atmosphere here, family friendly and casual wear. Reminds me of a real Florida dining experience. The food is good, well, I've only had the catfish (they offer an all you can eat if I remember correctly). Their coleslaw is really good and I believe it's homemade too. All in all, it's a great place to check out and even go frequently. There's also plenty of parking but the restaurant does tend to get busy so you may want to try not to arrive around "dinner rush" Def a place to try, if you haven't. read more