Visiting a friend that lives on a ranch north of Shawnee and he wanted to take us to Curtis Watkins restrauant for lunch. It's located on the Southwest corner of I-40 and McCloud road. I've driven by that location many times over the years and never noticed the restaurant. It does sit toward the back of the property behind and to the north of the Sinclair service station. The restaurant is typical small town; a throwback to another era before the explosion of chain restrauants. We were greeted by Curtis who opened the restrauant 47 years ago. The venue is causal and relaxed. The menu features all you can eat catfish for $14.95 and comes with a garden salad and two sides and a small bowl of pinto beans and hot roll. The menu has a variety of Southern comfort items such as fried chicken livers which one of my friends ordered. I ordered the all you can eat fried shrimp, with fries and fried okra. The hospitality and service are excellent. The food is good, the prices are low-moderate ($$) The noise was low. read more

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Curtis Watson's is a place I have driven by my whole life and never eaten at. I was so pleasantly surprised at how good the food was! We had the catfish, which is their specialty, and it was delicious! Cooked to a perfect golden brown. The okra and onion rings were also amazing. The restaurant itself feels like stepping back into time a few decades with the decor and the waitress uniforms being reminiscent of the 80s. But the service was great, and we enjoyed meeting Mr. Curtis Watson himself. We will be back. read more

Curtis Watson Restaurant - Interior - Diners Near Me - McLoud, Oklahoma

The catfish was really good and the pinto beans were a nice touch. The waitress was really nice. Not fancy but great food and hospitality.

Broke down on a convoy in the area and limped to the parking lot next to Curtis Watson Restaurant. I had the healthy catfish with mashed potatoes and beans with a side salad. I've had a lot of catfish in my life but I've never had it "healthy" (no batter) and that tasted so good! It was incredible. Wonderful and fast service. I'd like to go back and take on the all-you-can eat catfish deal. read more

Curtis Watson Restaurant - Healthy Catfish with mashed potatoes and beans. - Diners Near Me - McLoud, Oklahoma

I've eaten there 3 times so far, and have enjoyed every dish I have tried. The " all you can eat" catfish is the best I have ever had. I am originally from the San Francisco Bay area, having access to the finest fish dishes known around the world. Mr Watson's catfish is the best I have ever had. The accompanying sides remind me of my grandmother's home cooking. I would recommend trying Curtis Watson's restaurant to anyone wanting to experience the best food available. The prices are very affordable and the ambiance is down home enjoyable. The service staff are very nice and friendly to everyone. read more

The quality & amount of food was unexpected! On a one way road trip but wished could come back hungrier! Very much home cooking at a great price. Just off the 40fwy but worth going out of the way for. read more

This place has been around for years just off of interstate 40 east of OKC. They have been doing all you can eat catfish here for ever. You can pretty much get it anytime. They have several all you can eat options(see menu). It is Sunday just before noon and there were lots of cars but I walked in and sat right down. The place was busy with a steady flow coming in. You could tell tht a lot of them are regulars as they seemed to know all the staff and many other patrons. They have another large seating area behind the cashier and we're starting to seat folks in there. I ordered a drink and looked over the menu. I ordered a 1/4 lb burger and fries. It didn't take very long. The burger came with mayo or mustard, lettuce, onion and tomato. It was cooked and seasoned very well. The fries could have used a bit more time in the fryer but were ok. Not a very large order and it's separated from the burger. Ambiance today was the hustle of a small town diner on a Sunday after church. I got my bill and the total was 7.42 for everything. I did drink water which usually saves 2-3 bucks. Can't hardly beat the price. Was full but not over full when I was done. Curtis, the owner is there with his shirt and tie watching over things and helping if needed. read more

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This place is old school. Same furniture, same booths from decades ago but the fried catfish......is truly amazing. Crispy, soft and hot on the inside and it's not greasy. Mr. Watson is at the register everyday! You don't need to take my word but stop here and se for yourself. It's really the best!! read more

Just Good Food. Great Service and easy parking. Had no clue this was So close till our Mailman told us about it. The Catfish is Moist Nicely Seasoned and Plentiful. Lots of sides s Full menu of choices. I Know this will be a go to when we want Good Catfish. read more

Walked in on a Saturday around 1pm, THEY WERE BUSY!!! The servers are so cute in their little uniforms and we got seated immediately! I wished I got our server's name because she was great! She moves better than me for her age! 1/4 Cheeseburger was quite big. My mom only finished half and barely made a dent to the hand breaded onion rings! Chicken tender dinner was mediocre. Tenders were alright, the Mac needed some salt, the gravy was pretty daaaang good, and the onion rings were great! AYCE Shrimp was great! The shrimps were quite big! The beans... not quite a fan and the grilled taters were delicious. AYCE grilled catfish special was surprisingly delicious as well! Add a lil bit of hot sauce and that bad boy was gone!! AYCE catfish was where it's at!!! SO WORTH AND WAS THE BEST THING HANDS DOWN. Overall, the food was pretty good! The onion rings especially surprised me because it's lightly battered and you don't have that oily feeling after devouring them. Highly recommend to try this place if you happen to drive by. It felt cozy and offered delicious food. read more

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Im going to miss this place. It ain't what it used to be. This time it was Chef Salads with half the lettuce portion, soured cheddar sprinkled all over and Ranch dressing thick as mayo and no ranch flavor. The restaurant has been declining for a while now. The prices used to reflect the quality now everything is overpriced. The elderly gentleman that was usually there to keep things running up to par hasn't been there the last few times we've eaten there. I hope he's ok. I don't think the restaurant would ever be the same without him. What a bummer. It was one of my favorite places to eat but we won't go back. read more

Curtis Watson Restaurant - This is supposed to be a half chef salad. - Diners Near Me - McLoud, Oklahoma

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As a fan of hole in the wall restaurants, I had to try Curtis Watkins as I was passing though. It did not disappoint! It seemed half the people there knew each other, and they were equally as friendly to everyone who came in. Great service with great food came at a great price! read more

Curtis Watson Restaurant - All you can eat Catfish dinner - Diners Near Me - McLoud, Oklahoma

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Great everything Great blackberry cobbler and the catfish was cooked perfect. Fun time

Delicious entrees, wide selection of side veggies, attentive staff! Always amazing fried catfish!!

Good old home cooking. You get service with a smile. One of the few places where I can get beef liver and onions which is delicious.

Stopping through from AZ and wanted some fish, what a deal! We both got the catfish meal-no tarter sauce needed, it was lightly covered in corn meal breaded with just enough seasoning light n crispy. The meal comes with 2 sides, plus a side of pinto beans n a roll. We got collard greens, okra n French fries. $12 meal for each, fabulous deal plus it hit the stop. Thanks and enjoying the friendly service. read more

Love the catfish. Love the Cole slaw. Like the onion rings. Like. Almost everything.

When you walk in you can tell this place has lots of regulars and has been around awhile, for good reason. Our waitress was friendly, and a little flustered. We were told to try the all you can eat catfish by a friend, so we did. 14.99 for AYCE catfish was a great deal. The catfish was pretty good! I wound up not needing a refill, as the meals came with three sides. My sides were okra, fried potatoes, and green beans. Okra was tasty! Fried potatoes needed ketchup and salt but weren't bad. The green beans made me sad. Canned, unseasoned, and dry. Yes, dry green beans. Not a lick of flavor . I used the butter for the dinner roll but it just wasn't worth the effort. Partners sides were okra, fries, and mashed potatoes. He also enjoyed the fried okra. The fries and mashed potatoes were along the more disappointing aspects, though. Not seasoned, nothing special. Our waitress was clearly busy, but kind. She forgot our refills, but otherwise we had good service. We will come back- but will choose some different sides. read more

This place is great! Fantastic fish with all the trimmings! Well worth stopping, desserts are out of this world! And all the staff wear 50's style clothing! Can't wait to return. read more

Curtis Watson Restaurant - All you can eat catfish, all day long! I-40 exit 175 Oklahoma! Great little place to stop and eat! - Diners Near Me - McLoud, Oklahoma

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A nice little surprise. I would guess that this is a popular restaurant with the locals and I can certainly understand why. Food and service were both fantastic. Some of the best catfish Ive ever eaten. Fries, onion rings, coleslaw and a wonderful garnish of pickled green tomato's. read more

Best catfish! Outstanding service! I highly recommend this great family-owned restaurant.

Bathrooms are dirty. Food was ordinary--nothing outstanding. Building is rubn down, parking lot is terrible

Always good service, family atmosphere. Not fast food! Real mashed potatoes and there's always a couple of specials to choose from. My daughter is 43, and I've been going there since she was 7. Now I'm taking my 4 year old great granddaughter! read more

Wife and I tried Curtis Watson because of the all you can eat fried catfish. We were not disappointed. Fish came out hot and flavorful. I could have eaten just the hot pinto beans (side for the catfish). If you want authentic small town diner vibe with good food; I will come here. The comfort food is good and the staff cares. read more

Traveling in our 45' RV pulling a trailer, we always look for ease of access and a big parking lot. This restaurant has that and is located right at the interstate. My husband and I both had the catfish. Our food was served quickly and it was delicious. Prices were very reasonable, especially considering how good the food was. The servers were very sweet and attentive to everyone. read more

We love this rustic/retro style/looking restaurant. Our favorite thing to order is AYCE catfish nuggets and/or fried shrimp. The sides are delicious as well (too many to list). It's worth the short drive east of OKC metro. read more

If more people knew about this restaurant, I am sure there would be a line out the door and around the building every day they are open based on their fried catfish alone! My partner and I went there for lunch yesterday and enjoyed their fried catfish plate; we each had an ample portion of light, flaky catfish pieces that were light and tender without any hint of that "muddy catfish" taste we have been served in other establishments, a good sized portion of both fried okra and fries, and then he also had beans on the side. We were both very pleased that, even though both of our plates were mostly fried dishes, nothing was greasy! The catfish had a nice, crisp cornbread coating, the okra tasted close to that just picked from the garden flavor and texture, and the fries were lightly cooked to the crisp but not overcooked state...apologies to my uncle, but this lunch was better than any family fish-fry I have been to in years. As for the atmosphere, it has the feel of a nice, down to earth, family diner; we sat at a table right away and the staff could not have been nicer. We will definitely be coming back and confidently bring our family and friends here for a delicious and satisfying meal! read more

If you're looking for some true fine southern home style cooking look no further than exit 176 on I40 in Oklahoma. Curtis Watson will have your mouth watering and you'll be so happy you stopped in. The service was fast and friendly. The waitress was very patient and answered all my Colorado friends questions. It was their first time to a southern style restaurant. The all you can eat catfish/chicken is a bargain at $14.99! I had the catfish and it was perfect! My wife had the chicken fried steak and it was more than she could eat. And save room for the blackberry cobbler with home made ice cream! Highly recommended. read more

The catfish is over the top. Liz the waitress is awesome in the morning. Family owned down home hospitality. Catfish is the bomb, cole slaw is over the top but I recommend a little more black pepper. It's a must stop for any trucker. One of the few mom and pops left. Insane amount of truck parking. Prices are more than fair! read more

Curtis Watson Restaurant - Happy after eating. - Diners Near Me - McLoud, Oklahoma

We stopped here on the drive between Eureka Springs, AR and Lawton, ok. It's a very friendly and local place. Handbreaded everything. Catfish was great. Cole slaw made fresh! The hush puppies were to die for. To me the were reminiscent of the ones at the Old Stage Coach Inn in Salado, TX before was changed from a historic restaurant to hairy tauty. It was nice to remember the old times even though it was in a completely different place. We enjoyed our meal immensely and the service was excellent and the restaurant 43 years old was very clean. Mr. Curtis was there at the till and delightful! read more

I found Curtis Watson's Restaurant via Roadtrippers and planned an early dinner stop there while returning to the east coast from New Mexico via I40 through Oklahoma. The restaurant was easily accessible from the highway. My dad and I were given a friendly welcome when we entered and were promptly seated. The waitress was super friendly and provided great service. Best of all, the food was excellent. We both ordered the all-you-can-eat catfish dinner. I ordered fried okra and onion rings for the sides. My dad ordered fried okra and mashed potatoes with gravy as is sides. They served very fresh dinner rolls with butter as well. All of the food was excellent. Everything was cooked in the same way and as good as my mom (from Missouri) used to cook the same items. I would highly recommend stopping here if you are in the area. It was the best restaurant meal of our 13-day road trip. read more

Food and service were great! Awesome to see a few non-chain restaurants still in business! Mr. Watson is super friendly and the waitresses are nice read more

Been here before for the catfish, and it was pretty good but decided to return back for lunch with some coworkers. I ordered the ham and cheese sandwich. It was wonderbread with ham and a Kraft single slice of cheese with Mayo. I could have just gone back to county jail and got a better sandwich for free. Extremely disappointed. The blackberry cobbler was premade pie crust with canned blackberries that got tossed into the microwave. I know they are trying their hardest, but come on... The service was alright. Very sweet lady. Probably won't go back unless it's for the catfish read more

The Catfish Dinner is hands down the best in the state. Homemade coleslaw and homemade pies. We order food for dine in and To Go. Their service is always top notch! The servings are generous portions as well. Curtis Watsons is a family favorite dining location!! read more

We heard mixed reviews about this place. After moving to Mcloud we decided to try it out for ourselves. We didn't look to see what time they closed, showed up at like 815pm they close at 9. We ordered the all you can catfish with 3 sides. All homemade coleslaw, onion rings, okra, fried pickles. Yummy. Wait staff didn't rush us. They were very sweet, funny and attentive to our needs. We went back the next day for breakfast. Same great food and service. This will become our weekly diner. Try it. read more

Curtis Watson Restaurant - Diners Near Me - McLoud, Oklahoma

I'm tempted to move to this town just so I can eat here every day. Attentive friendly staff, great authentic home style veggies and the best catfish in the world. read more

Our experience today was awful. One plate the chicken was ordered and was to come with gravy and onions. The onions and gravy were left off and the waitress had to return to the kitchen. Then she came back with gravy and still no onions. Another plate was ordered with open face roast beef sandwich came out with no bread. The food was cold. We asked to speak to the manager and he left without coming to the table. We complained upon check out and was only reimbursed nine dollars off the tap. I will never go back. read more

Local. Fast. Good food. Love all the waitresses! Breakfast is the best, but then the onion rings can't be beat!! Old fashioned and will definitely go back. read more

They now accept credit cards so they are nearly perfect. AYCE catfish, chicken, or shrimp! The waitresses wear cool Old fashioned uniforms kind of like on two broke girls. Sides are free refills too! read more

I am sorry to say what a disapointment. I had the Mexican meal, if you do Mexican, go to the restaurant that specializes in that The taco was greasy, filled with mystery meat, pinto beans were slopped on plate, the other portion of meal was bland, luke warm. Chips were stale. Sweet tea was colored water, undrinkable. Then to top it off, our waitress forgot silverware, needed a reminder. My overall rating one star and that is too much. read more