One recent Saturday afternoon after our drive to Frankfort Ky and seeing the beautiful and scenic Buffalo Trace distillery grounds. We built a appetite for dinner. We happen to see Jim's seafood at the Kentucky river damn so we stopped in for a early meal. From the front entry and waiting area the decor had a pleasant with a welcoming feel. What a great view from its deck! We spoke to a welcoming host who we told we like take out to enjoy on the elevated outdoor deck. Since this was our first time visiting Jim's we were interested in a box for two or any recommendations. Our host pleasantly explained the specials and favorites. We decided on the white fish with slaw and fries a meal plenty for two. While waiting for our order in comfortable room we learned of the areas heritage of Jim's and it's tied to the Kentucky river. ( I've included a few pictures ). After a few minutes we received our order the host showed us our take out and asked if everything was in order. It looked wonderful so we made our way to the overlook. Our fish was cooked perfectly with large enough portions to satisfy our hunger. The slaw was house made fresh crisp and lite, our fries hot and tasty. Great spot or indoor dining or a casual outdoor patio Jim's fits the bill. Jim's must be a popular spot as we were leaving the large parking lot was filling quickly. I recommend arriving early. I hope you enjoy Jim's as much as we did. Easy access with plenty of lot parking. Very clean facilities. read more

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Delicious seafood here! The grilled seafood platter came with a huge salad! Everything on the plate was prepared perfectly and was deliciously spiced! It's a family run restaurant and I always choose local . It's situated on a bluff overlooking a dam and river below. Unfortunately, Buffalo Trace is buying the property and will commercialize it.... So better give it a try! read more

Jim's Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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I looked over reviews and thought this would be an okay place to try out while visiting Frankfort to take some photos around the city. Our experience was not great. We visited on a Sunday for lunch it wasn't really that busy when we got there. Upon entering and being seated, looking around you can tell the place is a bit dated. It was a bit stuffy feeling and had kind of an odd smell that you don't notice till you go to walk back out to your car (might be with the age of the building). You have a nice view of the river that's a plus and it seems like this place is in a good location. I just personally don't think it matches what it's full potential could be. Service took forever. Only one waitress for 5 tables. It took us about 15 minutes to even place our order. My mom and I both got crab cakes with fries and she got coleslaw while I got the side salad. It took a bit to get our food as well. The side salad was okay. Coleslaw was decent, only brought out one pack of crackers for a decent size side dish of coleslaw. NOW onto the main issue, they brought out our food. The crab cakes immediately looked questionable. Once I cut them open the SMELL was ungodly. They had to be spoiled. I'm an avid seafood connoisseur and this was not right. We didn't eat our food for fear of getting sick. The smell was so strong after cutting it up it lingered around our table till we finally got our check to leave. The hush puppies were dry and were not good at all. The fries were eh, lukewarm. I wouldn't eat here again. I wouldn't recommend to anyone either. Just an honest review. I feel sick to my stomach now just from the mini bite I had of the crab cake. read more

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The absolute best seafood in the area. Highly recommended. Great service, great prices, you can't go wrong. read more

Jim's Seafood - Boston Scrod, it's a big portion, most is hidden under the fries, DELICIOUS! - Seafood Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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I visited Jim's with some friends after we had gone kayaking nearby. The owner was very pleasant and suggested we place a to-go order since we had a dog with us and were planning to eat outside. In total, there were 5 people ordering food. Unfortunately, we waited an hour for our food and when it arrived, it was underwhelming. The brussel sprouts were boiled and none of us wanted to eat them. The hush puppies were small, dry inside, and didn't have any crunch when biting into them. The flavor was decent, but couldn't save the dish. The fries were a little soggy due to the takeout container, but not bad overall. Our group had mixed reviews on the mashed potatoes, so I can't confidently speak to that. The green beans and catfish were good and the side order of fried clams was okay. The fried shrimp and salmon were also good. Overall, I wouldn't visit again. read more

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A pretty basic, country style seafood. It was better than expected and very close to Buffalo Trace. This is certainly worth a visit on your travels. read more

Just not good. If you ask for menu items you get a lot of no's. But the people were nice

This was the 2nd time we have been to Jim's and both time we came out full and happy. The place looks like it has been there for ever, and with the good food it probably why. We have had everything from steak, chicken tinder and seafood all good. I love the fried sweat peppers for appatizer (must try). The place has a great view of the Elkcorn creek. You mesmerized watching the water flow. Very nice. read more

We have always experienced great food, good service and love the view - highly recommend Jim's Seafood!

Bourbon Glazed Salmon was pretty good. I got the bourbon glazed salmon with rice, deep fried okra and mashed potatoes. Enjoyed the view of the river Lock and dam. Took about 40 mins to get out food as a group of 6 but we also got there petty late on rainy day. I'm not sure if that's normal or not. Salmon was really good with a nice crisp crust from the glaze and went well with the rice. read more

Apparently Jim's Seafood has been around a very long time. In fact, I'm told my Great-Grandparents used to enjoy date night there. I hadn't been since middle-school, and now as a hungry 30-year-old, thought I'd give it a try during lunch. I was craving a good fish sandwich and I try to avoid fast-food, so I journeyed to the other side of town with hopes I could get there and back in an hour. Well, the view and the whitefish sandwich (with onion rings) were both fantastic. I can't give 5 stars as there were minor details missing in the service, but that fish sandwich was very good and the rye bread tasted like it might have been broiled with a bit of butter to toast it on one side. I may go back again this week. Edit: Went back with the hubby and he got the fried catfish (delicious) with brussel sprouts (so-so) and mashed potatoes (also so-so). I got the shrimp scampi which is served over wild rice. I have to say that the fried fish is still the star and I'll keep the review at 4 stars only for the fried fish and onion rings. Nothing else overly impressed me at this place. Advise to management: 1) Clean the windows, people come for the view. 2) remove the paper signs about lifting the blinds (it cheapens the place) 3) Refresh the recipe for the brussel sprouts, there are some great ones out there! 4) Recommended the fried fish! It's really the thing you do well. read more

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Have you ever thought, "I'm hungry for food that's a little less delicious than I could make for myself?" Then this is the place for you. Literally no seasonings used in the production of my meal. I had grilled gulf shrimp (smallest I've ever seen) with broccoli and Brussel sprouts. Veggies were the kind you get for $1 in the Kroger frozen food section then steam in the bag. But at home I would have added butter and seasoning. Server came a total of two times. Once to take or order and once to bring the food. He never ever checked on us. We had to ask a manager for the bill. And the windows look as though no one has ever cleaned them ever. Gross. read more

Jim's Seafood - Window that's never been washed - Seafood Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Long time favorite in the area with nice views of the Kentucky river. Friendly staff. Only issue I had was the food. It wasn't good in my opinion. Seemed to cater to older tastebuds and not much flavor. read more

As a Southerner who has lived in Michigan for 30 years, I still miss the catfish/seafood restaurants so common to that part of the country. Jim's gave me a trip back to my Southern roots with Sind great fried catfish. I had the seafood platter with four choices of seafood. I had the catfish, fried oysters, and fried shrimp. They were all good and cooked perfectly. It was the end to a perfect Sunday afternoon spent at the Buffalo Trace distillery. My wife and daughter both had the fried catfish plates and everyone enjoyed theirs. We had the calamari and fried green tomatoes appetizers and we enjoyed those as well. We realize that the fried food may not be the healthiest but we eat this like once every 2-3 years. read more

Reviews were all over the place but we loved the location plus easy seating for my mother in law's wheelchair. We had a larger party so we did make a reservation. Food was excellent and also great service. Will definitely come back. read more

Great fried fish. Great view of Kentucky River and a wonderful muster special sauce and tartar sauce for fish and fries. I will be back. Service was fantastic and attentive. Looking forward to eating here again in the near future. Thanks. read more

The food is amazing, it is a classic seafood experience. The service is good, but it takes a little to get your food. Last, the ambience. It is a normal Kentucky style, but nothing to special. read more

Upon arrival, there were about a dozen customers. We had to wait for a table to be cleaned. We ordered blackened whitefish, fried catfish and deviled crab. Our sides were fries and clam chowder. The only thing I enjoyed were the hushpuppies. The chowder was tasty but didn't have much clam flavor. The Whitefish was not blackened and was overcooked. The catfish was so-so. The first crab was cold. The replacement was mostly filler. Not much crab at all. The fries were average. I originally ordered a side salad but it was wilted, brown and watery. They were out of crackers for the chowder. We waited at least twenty minutes for food that was barely warm. Prices were good and our server was also. read more

The Boston scod was good. My wife's clam strips were awesome. The building is older and slightly dated, however sitting next to a dam and eating seafood is cool. They also hire FAN staff. Which is always a plus. read more

Visiting Lexington and stopped here for lunch on our way to a bourbon distillery. First, please beware if you are needing a ramp! I have a cast in my foot and require the use of a knee scooter, and their ramp is made of old and decrepit wood- very Uneven and potentially dangerous. Next, we waited inside for at least 20-40 minutes in a lobby with overwhelming scented candles- not for anyone sensitive or allergic! Finally got seated at a table and waited more than 15 min to be greeted by a server before walking out. Wouldn't waste another minute there and do not recommend to anyone. Never did try the food or speak to a server. read more

Stoped in after tour of the Buffalo Trace Distillery. The location is next to Kentucky River lock 4 and visible from the restaurant and a plus. In the summer there is also outdoor seating next to the river and a view of the lock. + The exterior sign drew us in...its a keeper. + Food: onion rings; baked potato; coconut shrimp with Coleslaw. We didn't really get a dinner but the food was nice sized and filling. read more

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Great food. Great service. Wonderful updates to the interior. Fried green tomatoes were top notch! Cole slaw was on point. Alaskan whitefish and fries were served steaming hot and were delicious. Well done! read more

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Anytime I've come to Frankfort, I've driven past this place. This year we stopped in to try it. It's much bigger than it looks, which was a nice surprise. We had the deep fried peppers as an appetizer, very yummy! I enjoyed the crab cakes, and we also had the bourbon glazed salmon and shrimp. Portions are big and plentiful! read more

A friend and I were heading back to Louisville from Lexington and wanted to eat something that wasn't fast food. We happened upon this roadside place and decided to give it a try. I checked Yelp reviews from the parking lot and saw most individual reviews were pretty good even though the overall rating wasn't great. We went inside and waited for the hostess to come to the front, we were seated with a view of the water, which was very relaxing. Our waitress came by and took drink orders while we took turns using the Ladies...which were clean. There were only 2 waitress for the whole place, which is the only reason I didn't give 5 stars, they both worked together to make sure drinks were topped etc, but they appeared to be understaffed. We both ordered fish sandwichs on buns, mine was scrod w fries, her's was white fish with fried okra. We both got the salad bar. The fish was tender and hot without a heavy breading. The salad bar had some very nice options as well. I don't get by this way often, but I would certainly stop here again or recommend it to others. read more

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Love Jim's Seafood! We've been several times and we're always pleased. This past weekend (last weekend of June 2019) it was hopping! But we still received excellent service. I always get the catfish, which is delicious. No dirt taste- which I actually like! - but it's very good. The fried fish is not greasy, just tasty. For sides they have a nice variety. They have fantastic onion rings that come with a homemade sauce - delicious! The last time we went I got the baked potato and brussel sprouts. Both were perfect! The brussel sprouts are streamed - I usually like mine roasted - but they were scrumptious. Every table has a nice view of the river. read more

I came here on a Thursday evening in my workout clothes after getting caught in the rain on a trail. I immediately thought I was way underdressed when I first walked in because the entrance area is like a little boutique with candles and cute décor, but then I looked at the dining area and I felt alright when I saw people in jeans and t-shirts. The view was so beautiful. There wasn't a lot of people dining yet, but it was only 5:00. I saw right away on a board that their special beer was Rhinegeist IPA for $2. I liked the place already! The menu had many items in there that sounded appealing, but I decided to go with the grilled seafood platter which comes with two sides. The house salad came out first and it was just an average iceberg salad with croutons. It was fresh, but nothing terrific. The entrée was great. It had scrod, scallops and scampi and two hush puppies. The okra was the other side I ordered. The seasoning was wonderful (especially the scampi) and the okra wasn't greasy and very crispy. The server was efficient and friendly. The food was good and a huge portion, the view wonderful, the beer good and a comfortable facility. read more

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Our guide at Buffalo Trace recommended Jim's to help us have lunch on a Friday during Lent. It was great. Whitney was our server and she was very helpful, plus she made the best fresh sweet tea, which I had been missing on this trip. The portions were generous and service was fast. Whitefish and grilled salmon were food. Another person had a shrimp platter. We are from the MS Gulf Coast so we have shrimp all the time, and we can say the shrimp at Jim's were awesome! Definitely recommend. read more

The setting on the River is picturesque. I am not from Lexington. I stopped here for lunch. Ordered a seafood salad that included "steamed shrimp" and "fruit". What I received we're chilled shrimp off a grocery store cocktail shrimp ring and no fruit. When I asked the server about it - she said they had a sealed plastic peach cup in the back they give children but no other fruit. When I showed her the menu description-she spoke with the manager- and returned saying the description didn't state "fresh fruit". This wasn't the servers fault. She was actually very nice. But the food and overall experience was not. read more

The food is good and the view is beautiful. Lunch and carry out have been very enjoyable.

Today was my first time eating at Jim's seafood...I had an appetizer, a salad, a soup, an entree and a desert....my waiter (Jacob Moore) very respectful, I highly recommend him!....the food was very flavorful, the atmosphere at the restaurant seemed very nice...like the people that go there have been customers there for a long time....its very clean, and the food presentation was up to par (for me)....I will definitely be returning....for first timers like me I highly recommend the seafood gumbo and the scod both very yummy!!! read more

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Nasty food. Crab legs barely warm. Cold within a min. Sick the next day. Waited a hr with almost no one there. $140.00 of food and no accommodations. Didn't care about complaints. Kids food was terrible as well. They didn't care to hear about anything we had to say and won't answer our phone calls. WORST FOOD AND SERVICE IVE EVER HAD. TERRIBLE BUSINESS read more

I was greeted by a friendly lady and she seated me and the waitress took my order in just a few moments later. The tea was very good and the lunch clam dinner with slaw and fried okra hit the spot. Restaurant is very clean inside and the view of the river is a plus to enjoy. I will definitely come back again. The wheel chair ramp is fine and plenty of room to maneuver in the restaurant. read more

Jim's Seafood - a table with a view of a river - Seafood Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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We came to Frankfort to look at a car and checked Facebook for restaurants open now with COVID-19 restrictions. I saw many people recommending Jim's, so we decided to give it a try. The spillway beside the restaurant is cool to see, the restaurant itself is showing it's age, but not dirty or buggy. It was hot, and I heard the waitress say they were trying to get a tech. The servers were in the weeds, but they got our drinks quickly and kept them refreshed, with the COVID-19 restrictions, you have to cut people some slack. The food was delicious. I had fried clams with green beans and cole slaw. My husband had pick 3-fried frog legs and clams, with grilled shrimp. He also had cole slaw and fried okra. The clams were nice and meaty with just right amount of breading. The frog legs were large and the shrimp was well seasoned and juicy. The cole slaw had a hint of sweetness, which isn't my preference, but it was cold and refreshing and I finished it. I would get it again and my hubby liked it too. The beans are canned, but they season them well with ham and onions. My husband said the okra was good, but not outstanding. The hush puppies are sweet cornbread, 2 nice sized pups with dinner, I found them to be a little dry, but tasty. They have a nice assortment of alcoholic beverages, but we both had unsweetened tea. Our servers were working their tales off and were courteous and friendly. We both really enjoyed our meal, large portions, good value. We will definitely go back. I want to try the blackberry cobbler, but we just didn't have room. I forgot pictures, but I will update next time. read more

Some of the older reviews of this place are downright curmudgeonly. While it's not the best seafood restaurant in the universe, it's good. I read someone complaining that the river the restaurant overlooks was dirty. How is that the fault of the restaurant? Don't even bother reviewing restaurants if you're going to be that ridiculous. We had the crab cakes as an appetizer. Two hefty cakes that were loaded with meat disappeared pretty quickly. A on those (could have been slightly hotter but were adequately warm). I had the southern catfish, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Someone previously said the potatoes were out of a box. Not now! They're also not served in a pool of lard. Some of you folks don't apparently know that mashed potatoes are made with butter, yo (p.s. instant potatoes don't have lumps). I'm pretty darn picky about my mashed potatoes, and give them a B+. Catfish was on point, a sizeable piece with no fishy taste. The green beans were standard but cooked with onions and ham as a southerner is supposed to cook. BF had the seafood salad but didn't pay attention to the menu. He doesn't like cottage cheese, and although I tried to warn him cottage cheese was on deck, he didn't listen. He picked off the shrimp, lettuce, and peaches and left the rest. For dessert we had Key Lime Pie and blackberry cobbler with ice cream. The pie was good, but we both agreed that the cobbler was top notch (and large enough portion for both of us to share). Service was fairly quick and very friendly (and funny). The view was interesting (although late afternoon sun meant the shades had to stay down). There were no bugs or hair or lard bowls. The river is still a river. We'd go back. read more

I was so impressed with this podunk family restaurant on the outskirts of Frankfort. Our family needed to find a place to grab dinner for 17 after a tour at Buffalo Trace. Most local places were closed on Sunday, so we were more or less stuck with Jim's. We called ahead to make a reservation, and although we arrived 15 minutes early, the table was already set and the hosts seated us instantly. We had a nice view of the river and a party room to ourselves. We had 2 servers who couldn't have been more kind and attentive. Out of 17 people, there was only one error: they brought us one extra appetizer on accident and left it for us to enjoy for free. We were never left waiting for drink refills, ordering, etc. We ordered the combo appetizer to split between 4 of us; the serving size was good and I especially enjoyed the fried banana peppers and zucchini fries. I then got a chicken Caesar salad. It was large and plenty for an entree. Prices are reasonable; $10-15 for an entree and $5-$10 for appetizers. read more

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Just went to eat there for lunch yesterday afternoon. My boyfriend and I both ordered their Mix and Match; Choice of 3 Seafood goodies: shrimp, Whitefish or Catfish, Clams, Oysters, Stuffed Crab in Shell, with two choices of sides; you can't go wrong with any of them which includes Brussel Sprouts, Green Beans (which taste like fresh, w/country ham or bacon), rice, house salad w/delish homemade dressings, corn I had double wonderful Gulf Shrimp and Clams along with their homemade Cole Slaw and great Crinkle Fries. John had Juicy Fried Catfish, Oysters, and Baby Shrimp along with Cole Slaw and Fries. Their fish and fries, BTW, are not greasy when fried!!! If you liked the nostalgic, wonderful, former restaurant Pink Pig, this Cole Slaw recipe is the closest to theirs! YUMMY They have Sandwiches including Steak, Fish, Tuna!!! At night, their menu is slightly different. Offerings on the Mix and Match add Frog legs, if you enjoy those. They also offer Baked Potatoes in the Evening You can order Steaks from their Menu. There are Daily Lunch Specials! Worth taking a look! A Call-in or take out Special for a pond of Fried Whitefish and their delicious Cole Slaw is $13 and some change. They have great desserts too! Jim's has a large room for crowds, if you need to have family gatherings, business luncheons, etc. They also sell Candleberry's Candles for sale THE SERVER'S ARE WONDERFUL!!! JUSTIN IS GREAT!!! NOT ONE OF THEM ARE NOT HARD WORKING; SERVICE WITH A SMILE; WILL BEND OVER BACKWARDS TO PLEASE YOU, ALTHOUGH, I WAS NOT THE ONE WHO REQUIRED IT... IT WAS THE TABLE IN FRONT OF US!!! TSK, TSK!!! BUT HE DID IT WITH A BIG SMILE SERVERS HERE DESERVE BIG TIPS WHICH I DO!!! I did take a away because Management/Owner does not give desserts for. Birthdays or Special Occasions. I think it is a little pricey, especially at night. It would not hurt to make people feel special on their birthday or Anniversary! They would be sure to come and celebrate and possibly bring their party to the restaurant and spend lots of money vs. one slice of pie or scoop of cobbler! It would just seem like a win win situation! read more

If your looking for a great old seafood restaurant in Kentucky, this is it. It sits along the river with a nice view of the dam. Clam chowder and crab salad sandwich was really good. read more

First time I have eaten here and definitely will be back. I had the pick five dinner that also came with two sides. I'm a big eater and I could not finish this entire meal. The catfish, whitefish, clams, shrimp and coleslaw were outstanding. A lot of food and value for the money. read more

My mother-in-law and I went for dinner tonight at Jim's Seafood in Frankfort. Normally, I hit Jim's about twice a year if I have an all-day meeting in the area on business, and I've been going to Jim's since I was a kid. I guess I never really noticed just how big a flaming pile of fail the place could be. The service tonight was slow. We sat for a good 20 minutes before the poor weeded server could take our drink order - the three manager/owner types didn't help spread the load for the two servers dealing with a packed house, including an impromptu party of 18. Then it was another fifteen before she could take the appetizer and dinner order. The food was okay, and it did come out still hot, so that was a mercy. Ten minutes after we'd finished eating, we were able to get the check and be on our way. But the evening got worse from then on out. As we went to leave, my car just would. not. start. Not for love nor money. So, my mother-in-law calls my sister-in-law and I go back inside the restaurant to ask for help, or if need be, let them know that I may need to leave my car there overnight. No can do, I'm told. I can't leave the car there overnight, and if I do it anyway, well, it might just be impounded. Oh, and they're not responsible for anything that happens to my car, since there's housing projects nearby and it's all scary and stuff. So two women sat alone in the dark in my car, across from the horribly scary housing projects calling for help and trying to get a battery jump or a tow truck as the restaurant turned off their lights and the frickin' parking lot lights without a care in the world that two of their customers could be stranded. In fact, they acted like it was a horrible inconvenience to them that we weren't gone already. EPIC. FREAKIN'. FAIL. Luckily, my attempts to start the car must've done something, because we did get it to start. I drove my mother-in-law home with the promise that I would never suggest Jim's to her again. Since Jim's thinks so little of my business or my safety, I don't think I'll be visiting them again either. read more

Had dinner here last month. If we didn't have the evening Buffalo Trace Ghost tour planned, we would have left. We started off with cocktails. My date's bourbon had a bug in it, so we of course asked for a fresh one. Our waitress returned empty-handed, and said the bottle had lots of bugs in it and would we like something else. Well, of course we chose bottled beer. We then ordered fried calamari as an appetizer. Part way through, we found hair in the dish. I pretty much lost my appetite at that point, but did have a few bites of the fried catfish I had ordered for my main course. It was okay, but I just couldn't eat much of it. It amazes me how a place like this stays open. I would have given zero stars, but Yelp requires at least one to post a review. read more