Ive been a customer of middendorf's since 1965. We frequently visit for special occasions. The food was always excellent. We had dinner there on saturday to celebrate my son's graduation and found that the beautiful gulf shrimp had been replaced with farm raised shrimp that were not very good. It was very dissapointing. The service was excellent but the decline in quality of the food since ownership changed has put return visits in question. We live 15 minutes from the akers location and middendorfs has always been a reliable choice for great louisiana seafood. The choice to favor profit over quality is very discouraging. Shame on you! read more

Ate here after church Sunday. The thin fried catfish...., oh my, so delicious!! We live out of town and try to eat here every time we visit our son in New Orleans. Never disappointed! We were seated quickly inside under the tree. Be sure and ask someone the story behind the tree. Our server was excellent. read more

We rolled up to Middendorf's at 6:00 pm on Saturday night. The parking lot was not full and no wait. It has been a long time since we have had dinner here since the food was not good the last two times we had visited. We used to go all the time but the food just wasn't that good. We were greeted with a warm welcome and our waitress was wonderful. They were know for their thin catfish unfortunately they have lost their mojo. The fish tasted of just batter. Our waitress handled our party of 14 like a pro. Most of the food came out in a timely manner they were not busy. Our fish came out but the rest of the seafood platter was absent. When it did come out it was cool. Missing hush puppies which we had to ask for. The seafood platter came with two pieces of fish 6 shrimp 4 oysters , large stuff crab , fries and coleslaw. The fish was mushy, the shrimp and oysters were ok the stuff crab was very large but with lots of bread crumbs and green onions. Not our favorite. The place is beautiful. The owners have really worked hard and the decor is very nice. The focus is not on the food like the family that had opened the place. If you are on I55 stop in you will enjoy the beauty of the drive and their dock is great. read more

Tam was are server she was very nice and helpful we sat on the outside patio and it started to rain and she still gave us good service even when she was wet very nice lady read more

I didn't visit the actual location but I had it at a pop up in Baton Rouge at the Orgin Hotel's restaurant, Passe'. The food came out fairly quick. I ordered the special which was the thin cut catfish, fries, hush puppies, and I believe potato salad. I subbed the potato salad for extra fries. Now the amount of food was not much at all! Definitely not $19 worth. The fish was ok. Not bad but not anything I'd just have to have again. I didn't like the hush puppies at all. I wish it came with some type of bread. Overall, I'm glad I got to try it. Would I travel to get it? Nah. read more

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Without even getting to the food, I'll just say if you are passing through this area Middendorf's is worth trying. If you take a look at some of the photos that I've included you will see that it is located in a unique, picaresque location. The original location was established in 1934. The food? I enjoyed it. I like catfish and had no complaints. Their specialty is the thin sliced fried catfish. I had that with fried shrimp, and it was delicious. They also offer the regular sliced catfish as well as other fresh seafood and non seafood choices. The only downside was that the hushpuppies were not the best and I can live without coleslaw. I thought that maybe they could offer a substitute veggie for the non cabbage eater. I did not have drinks since I was driving, but they did offer what appeared to be a full service bar. The restaurant has a unique vibe. Tables are arranged in various areas so that you do not feel crowded. The decor reflects the uniqueness of the area. The service was okay, but could have been a little more attentive. Also it is a pet peeve of mine when a server asks if I need change, especially when you are paying with large bills. Overall, a good time was had by everyone in my party and no one left hungry. read more

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Really enjoyed it. Recommended by a friend who suggested we should stop for lunch on our way out of New Orleans. The hostess told us there would be a 15-20 minute wait for a table. This is perfectly reasonable for peak meal-time at a popular restaurant. However, the hostess also said we could seat ourselves at the bar and dine there if we wished. We did this and it was a great option. The food was good. The service was wonderful. The atmosphere was casual and bright and welcoming. There were many large family groups, lots of kids, and all of the staff I saw were very friendly. Overall we really enjoyed it and were glad we stopped. read more

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Their fried thin catfish is always worth a stop. We are from Texas and any time we take I-10 we try to stop at middendorfs .

This place has been renowned for their thin fried catfish for almost 100 years. The fish is sliced incredibly thin, dipped in buttermilk, then battered. It practically melts in your mouth. The other seafood items are all good but I haven't tried the non-seafood. I've been eating there more than 70 years and it never disappoints. read more

The food is great, the service is great, and the building is part of history. I have been eating here since I was a kid and now I bring my children and grandchildren to experience. read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

First stop after being picked up at the airport for a visit home. I'd been craving Middendorf's thin fried catfish for weeks, and it didn't disappoint! There was a bit of a wait for a table, then we settled in for the best catfish anywhere. The cole slaw is so-so, just a simple slaw but it's the fish that's a standout. Every bit as good as I'd remembered it! read more

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We been stopping here for many years when traveling I-55 Never disappointed always plenty of great seafood and good service at affordable prices. Had the catfish oyster poboy with gumbo and salad. Great views of lake Pontchartrain. read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

I ordered the gumbo, and as someone from Louisiana, I can confidently say--this is not gumbo. It was by far the most disappointing version I've ever had. If you're expecting authentic Cajun or Louisiana-style food, this simply isn't it. I genuinely appreciate the service and cleanliness of the place, but I can't recommend anything on the menu based on my experience. If you're looking for true Louisiana Cajun cuisine, you'll want to look elsewhere. read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - Outside - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

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Wow! This was recommended by some friends and they were correct. Delicious thin cut catfish. The service was fabulous. Friendly welcoming and defiantly a highlight on our trip read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - Thin fried catfish, breaded shrimp and delicious Cole slaw - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

Great location and roomy deck on Lake Maurepas! Staff is friendly, but they're understaffed so you have to go to the counter, order, get your order, and your refills which is fine just fyi. Our food was pretty good, typical fried seafood and sides. I don't get the hype for thin-cut catfish. The pasta was meh. The mushroom appetizer was weird-broiled mushrooms with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs sprinkled on top, cheese doesn't melt. The best values for your money are the fried shrimp basket (lots of fried shrimp!) and the broiled stuffed shrimp with hush puppies, fries and coleslaw for $19! It had lots of crab on the broiled shrimp. The hush puppies were disappointing-bland (you get 2 with the dinners). We had a great time with our family, but don't want to drive 50 minutes out of our way to get charged that much for so-so seafood. read more

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Arrived around 2pm for a late lunch. We were seated right away. We waited for quite some time and nobody came to take drink orders. Very few customers in there and several wait staff actively waiting on those customers. After a considerable amount of time I asked someone if we had a waitress assigned to our table. She said yes, I'll have to go find her. After several more minutes, our waitress comes and takes our order. Food came out quickly and looked good. . Serving sizes are large. Everyone's food was very salty. None of us finished our food. I would not recommend this place. read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - Thin catfish platter - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

The shrimp were over cooked and hard to peel. The alligator bites were tough. Waitress took a long time bring napkins and refills. I've lived in Louisiana most of my life so I know they can do better. read more

I can remember coming to Middendorf's as a kid when my Dad brought our family to eat here. It is kind of in the middle of nowhere and I remember good seafood in an old building next to the water. The last time I dined here was about 20 years ago before my dinner last Thursday night. I was on the fence to come here because I think during my last visit I decided I wasn't a fan of their thin fried catfish. I have changed my mind. I ordered the large version of their thin fried catfish meal for $19 and it came with fries, hush puppies and fries. On the night of my visit the restaurant had a nice dinner crowd there with about a 5-10 minute wait for a table in this large multi room restaurant. They even had an accordion player in one dining room entertaining the guests. My meal arrived about 10 minutes after ordering and it looked quite large. I received 5 or 6 pieces of fish, two large hush puppies, fries and cole slaw in a separate container. The fish was delicious. Lightly breaded and with plenty of meat the fillets were so light tasting and almost like eating tender potato chips. They were very good. The hush puppies were thick in their cornmeal texture and flavorful and filling. They were quality hush puppies not often found nowadays. I liked the well cooked fries and the cole slaw was perfect as a palate cleanser. This meal was very good and I couldn't finish it all wishing that I had ordered the smaller version of the meal. Middendorf's is kind of a Louisiana institution with a unique and decorative interior and a seafood centric menu with their famous thin fried catfish. Strongly consider eating here especially if you are driving by on I-55. read more

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Finally took the opportunity to give this place a try after always seeing it and wondering what it even was...wonderful is what it is! Our waitress here was so nice and friendly and funny, patient. To start, outside they have their own mini zoo. Turkeys, ducks, geese, chickens, fish, and more I'm probably forgetting. Definitely a great sight for the kids if you bring them! Also inside is just decorated so fascinating, I love a nicely decorated restaurant. Had to try the onion rings and as you can see, they taste just as good as they look. Great! Went ahead and got the poboy while my girl just got an order of fish which comes with coleslaw, hush puppies and fries. It was good, does not come with mayo on it but they can bring packets for you to apply your own. It was good, absolutely ginormous pieces of fish, very thin and crispy and good. I must say when I finished it for leftovers hours later, it wasn't as tasty as I remembered it when fresh. The French fries were just basic restaurant fries but still good. 2 gnarly barley beer on tap as well as michelob ultra. Ticket was $51 for the poboy, order of fish, onion ring appetizer and 2 regular drinks. Overall 5 star in my opinion with the ambiance and service being spectacular. Oh, also, it was lunch time on a sunday and they were packed like sardines but the kitchen is still very speedy and we didn't wait to be seated but only had a party of 2 read more

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On our way for a family getaway to New Orleans for New Year's, my mom mentioned she had never eaten at Middendorf's so we decided to swing by. I've eaten there once and being a Mississippi woman, I like my catfish a certain way. It's two days after Christmas and they appeared to be short staffed, which impacted seating. To say there were a lot of people there, we didn't wait more than 15 minutes. Inside reminds me of a typical local Louisiana seafood spot. They do have a mini animal farm on the property which is good if you have kids. It all gives you a touristy feel but it's cool. Momma ordered the small thin catfish platter, my sister got the one stuffed crab platter, my niece got a kid's chicken tender plate and I got the fried shrimp and thin catfish combo platter minus fries sub extra coleslaw. My shrimp were lukewarm when my plate arrived. The flavor was good but they were not fresh out the grease hot. The coleslaw, as I remembered it, was very very good, which is why I got two servings. The hushpuppies were horrible. I do not like thin catfish! It's like eating pork skins with very little fish. I don't know why I got this instead of just getting the fried shrimp plate instead. My mom didn't like the thin catfish either. My sister said the stuffed crab, while it had plenty of crabmeat stuffing, lacked basic seasoning. Only person who enjoyed their food was my niece. She said the chicken tenders were very good. Again, I live in Mississippi and we eat plump pieces of catfish. They do have that on the menu and next time I will skip the thin catfish here. read more

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Today we went to middendorf to celebrate my parents 67th wedding anniversary my mother had the whole fried catfish and my father wanted to fried shrimp and me I had the seafood platter with a softshell crab and it was delicious read more

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The shrimp and fish were delicious. Our server was very friendly and helpful. I love the decorations here. read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - Fried Shrimp and Thin Catfish - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

If you like locally sourced seafood and have a hankering for some fried or grilled fish or shrimp, then this is a place. Right near the bridge (I-55) in Manchac and Lake Maurepas the restaurant is very large and can seat 100-150 or more. If the weather is pleasant, sit outdoors in the patio. A little bit quieter and you can see the lake. Got here before the lunch rush on a Sunday which is perfect for us. We ordered the large THIN fried catfish w fries, coleslaw and hush puppies. We prefer the thin sliced, doesn't taste as fishy. Also, bowl crab and shrimp gumbo. 4.5 Stars Overall Service: 5 stars. Our service was very pleasant and attentive. Received our drinks within 2 minutes, Soup in 5 minutes and our fish within 10 minutes of ordering. Kudos to the kitchen staff too. Again we ate before the Sunday lunch rush. Food: 4 Stars 4 stars - The Thin CatFish is coated with cornmeal and corn flour with no seasoning. So it needed a little kick from the Tony Chacheres Seasoning. Coleslaw was bland, needed acid to help (lemon juice) not the 70's acid to bring the flavor out. Hush puppies were dry - bummer. Normally they are moist inside. The Crab and Shrimp is delicious. The roux is dark and crab and shrimp were tasty. NOTE: the gumbo will have portions of SHELLED crab in it. So sip or slurp the soup, don't inhale. The crab meat in shell is delicious catching all the flavor of the roux, veggies and seafood and seasoning. After a satisfying meal, time to head back home. Too bad they aren't in MS. read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - Crab and Shrimp Gumbo - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

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Ya gotta love Middendorfs. The setting alone is worth a star. Nestled in Manchac, Louisiana, a true, south Louisiana fishing village, the decor matches the location perfectly. The service has been flawless and "down home friendly". The food is reliably good. The Turtle Soup and Softshell crab are not to be missed. We've never had anything that wasn't on point at Middendorfs. read more

Cute roadside restaurant Incredibly friendly waitress. Tasty margarita . Party of 2. I had the broiled stuffed shrimp plate with included sides. Tommy ordered a cheese burger with fries. Both enjoyed our meal. The side of Coleslaw wasn't flavorful. However, the stuffed shrimp are delicious. I would stop here again. Especially to try the seasonal stuff. Beautiful view off the water. read more

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My first time visiting today and it lived up to the hype. A coworker and I went for lunch on his personal recommendation. 90 years in business so something is working. Very good service from Terry L. She was so nice. The shrimp remoulade was amazing. It made me want to order a second batch. I went with the shrimp/catfish combo. The food was excellent. Not sure how the catfish is that thin but it is really good. Very good coleslaw. Definitely worth checking out if in the area. read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - Combo plate of Fried Shrimp and Thin Catfish - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

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My family and I have been going to this place since they've opened and we love going here every time we have to go to Manchac from Metairie. They sell a lot of fried food and have really good German desserts. My favorite place for thin fried catfish. Service is always nice and the inside is very cool looking. They also have a kids playground read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - Seafood plate with onion rings - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

Great Seafood, perfectly cooked and delicious. Servers are swift, knowledgeable and polite. Definitely recommend for the whole family. Above average seafood restaurant. Family style dining. read more

Best thin fried catfish eva! Always a pleasure to stop by! Opens at 1030 am sat was seated at 1030. Got food to go. Mr Don super nice. Very friendly I Environment read more

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Great food. Amazing prep and presentation. The environment is atmospheric. The service is moderate. The boiled and extravagant dishes are better than the fried food. A must try! read more

Excellent food definitely try the thin fried catfish! Service was on point. They were friendly. It's a great place to go.

I used to go to this place way back in the day! It's awesome to see it's still open for business! The service was always top notch, super fast and super friendly! The dining experience is top tier as well, especially if you are in the mood for the best seafood this side of the Mississippi! A must if you ever find yourself in Louisiana! This place was a staple of my childhood and as an adult I'd recommend this place every time! read more

The gumbo was delicious and filled with seafood. I also enjoyed the shrimp and thin fried catfish. It was a delicious meal, for sure! The service was great. And of course the ambiance was good. There is a reason this restaurant has been a staple so many years!! read more

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Still the best catfish I've ever had. Thin, hot and crispy. We ordered 2 seafood platters and took home enough leftovers for another meal. The service was excellent. Our waitress kept our beverages full. Middendorf's has fish camp feel and has kept the character of the original building in the new building. Stop in and experience thin fried catfish. read more

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Consistently the best choice if like thin fried catfish and an array of other seafood. We always take our first time visitors to the Manchac location and no one has been disappointed yet. Sehr Gut!! read more

The food was excellent! Service was fast and very friendly! Off the beaten path, but totally worth it! read more

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We go to Middendorfs almost every time we are driving through LA. It's one of our favorite seafood restaurants in the world.

Food was perfect. Excellent service, as usual. The whole atmosphere and dining choices are well thought out. It is always a great dining experience read more

I've heard so much about this restaurant from multiple people. So my mom and I decided to go try it out. It was about an hour drive for us. We got there pretty early, so it wasn't too busy. It's such a cute place! I love the tree and the mural inside. Our waitress was so nice. We ordered the thin catfish and it came within like 5 mins it seemed. I loved the fish. It was so good. And our waitress checked on us a good bit. I think it was worth the drive to come eat here! read more

Middle of the road seafood joint. They have your seafood standard fare. Nothing fancy. There is one menu for lunch and dinner I ordered the stuffed crab which was hearty and filling. Came with hush puppies , Cole slaw and fries. I love hush puppies and was disappointed with these as they were over fried . Coleslaw was nice and creamy but doubt it was homemade. Fries were standard but delicious nonetheless. Hubs got the seafood platter which he said was "fine". There is an option to o get I broiler d which h recommends There is also a bar but it was so hot that iced tea hit the spot for us. read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana