If someone, Yelp for instance, indicates that Middendorf's is worth a detour, do not believe them. It is a crazy lie. At least based on the catfish which, whether you get it thick or thin, is totally bland. The french fries are no better. At least the catfish pool and chicken coop out behind the restaurant were mildly interesting. PS. the map next to this yelp review has absolutely no relationship to Middendorf's actual location. It's all part of the crazy lie. read more

Sometimes this thick girl likes it thin, especially when were talking about fried fish. This is the place to go for fried seafood. Service is good, food is consistent and the drive is relaxing. Last time we ate outside on the patio and enjoyed the breeze. I recommend the thin fried catfish ( a small order is plenty) and the hush puppies are scrumptious. Just save room foe dessert, as the home made ice creams are fantastic as well. read more

This used to be the go to for seafood in this area, but the last two trips anything other than the thin catfish have been sub-par. Ordered frog legs and all the crust came off of them before I could eat them. The next time I ordered fried oysters and they were cooked to a crisp. Fries were cold as well. Disappointing because Middendorf's used to be so good. Can only recommend for the catfish. read more

My wife & I have regularly eaten at Middendorf's since we started dating in 1979. Middendorf's has always given us a Five Star dining experience. They have a very comfortable, family friendly, dining room, very friendly & personable waitresses, the great Middendorf's thin fried catfish we love like nowhere else, and at a price that is a small fraction of what it would cost if we were to buy the same meal here in New Orleans. Thank-you Middendorf's! read more

After awhile pretty much everything starts to taste the same as its all fried. For some reason the thin catfish is all the rage here, but really I found the seasoning to be bland. Also tried the turtle soup, and BBQ'd shrimp all of which had the same levels of bland, flavorless food. I came in with the expectation that southern cooking would contain some sort of kick to it, but instead I could have gotten that at a Popeyes chain. If you're into people watching though, you'll get an interesting mix of families. read more

Saturday afternoon, we always driven by this place and always heard about it. We decided to take the 40 min drive out to Manchac to try it out and it was not worth the drive. The food was ok to decent nothing worth driving out to get the same food closer to the city. The sweet tea was great. We oreder the gator bites and they were tripple breaded crunchy small pieces of gator mabye... Then we split a fried shrimp and thin fried catfish, nothing special. The coleslaw was great, the fries were bland. Would reccomend stopping if your hungry and driving by, but definetly wouldn't make it a day trip to try something new. read more

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Three words: Thin fried catfish. Really, that's all you need to know. Well OK...The place is located right off I-55 in the middle of a swamp (it can get really creepy at night). However, the surroundings are actually quite beautiful in certain way. The restaurant itself is quite old (dates from the 1930's I believe). But it does have its own unique charm. The Restaurant serves basic fried seafood. It's all pretty good but nothing is really special other than the Thin Fried Catfish. I will go out a limb and say that it's some of the best catfish I have ever tasted. Is it worth an hour's drive from Baton Rouge or New Orleans? Probably not. But if you are in the area... read more

This is the only place my wife will eat catfish at. She cannot stand "thick" catfish, so when she saw how thin they cut their fish, she was hooked. It is quite a drive to get here, but if we are making a trip to New Orleans, it is a must stop for dinner! read more

Saturday night trip to Manchac for some fried fish, score! Arrived about 6pm to a packed parking lot as well as restaurant. Only had to wait about 15 minutes for a table. Make sure all your party is there or they won't seat you yet. I say 5 stars, because to me, this is the best fried catfish. I like it thin, and that is their specialty. If you're dining with someone who is also a fried catfish fan, order the Large Special and split it. This comes with Hushpuppies, Coleslaw, and a mountain of fish. Also ordered were some onion rings for the table, these were really good, and the fried frog legs, which seemed to be enjoyed. For dessert, the Banana Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce was heavenly. Really...if you like Bread Pudding try this one. The Key Lime Pie was just ok...I liked the Bread Pudding better. If you are in the mood for a small road trip, with the idea to eat some great fried seafood, head to Middendorf's! Only took about 30 minutes from Mid-City, New Orleans to Manchac (no traffic on a Saturday night). Note: While waiting for our table we sat at the small bar and had a couple beers, got to witness the bartender attempt to make a Sazerac. DO NOT ORDER A SAZERAC HERE! I mean really, this is a beer drinking kind of place. You've been warned. read more

Awesome food!! We visit this place everytime we go to New Orleans.I highly recommend the thin fried catfish plate or shrimp. Their gumbo and bread pudding are good too. The wait staff are friendly and very helpful. Note -- the restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Also, don't be intimidated by the full parking lot. The restaurant is very large and we have never had to wait. read more

Ate there (again) last Wednesday. I've been coming here since I was a kid and I'm 59 now. I always get a cup of gumbo and the thin catfish. I think they have a great product there and love that crispy fish and their gumbo is good too. Decor? We don't need no stinking decor! Just kidding. :-) There's a bit of contrast: On the one hand, it's an old school, gingham checked place cypress on the walls and local art and photos. On the other, there's the post-Katrina additions that included an open dining area on the pass to the lake, and it's nice). Sometimes there's an accordion player who strolls among the tables and plays Cajun music. Very nice touch. Anyway, people drive from as far as 50 miles just to eat here. I live in Houma, which is about 75 miles away and I try to stop in when passing by. Excellent seafood and nice people too. read more

My dad and I ate here for lunch. We have heard so much about it and if you like seafood then you should try it. Our waitress and staff were very nice and accommodating, and there was a wait of about 20 minutes. We ordered the crawfish cakes and large thin fried catfish. The crawfish cakes were amazing and the catfish were pretty good. Overall the experience was pleasant and would go again. read more

Haven't been to Middendorf's in years. Husband and I were driving home from New Orleans and decided to give it a try. We both got the thin fried catfish, which were done perfectly. Loved the hush puppies. Our waitress was great. They were observing protocols. We were a party of 2 and they asked if we would mind sharing a large table. Not a problem. We were at least 6 feet away from the other couple. Will definitely stop by again when we're in the area. read more

They love that thin catfish. It was ok, but i'll get the thick next time. Too much like eating bread with a little fish in it. The stuffed crab was very good and had lots of crabmeat in it. I got the seafood platter so i could try all the fried fare. It was all tasty but not the best i've ever had. cool place to go with kids or a large group b/c the food comes out quick and there's a lot to look at (boats, RV's, chickens and rabbits in the back). read more

we went to try Slidell location and it was a slow time maybe 7 tables seated all with food already but one. as we sat and had wait staff walk around looking at us we waited for at least 15 min before we gave up and left with a waitress standing talking to the hostess ... will not do that again read more

After driving an hour got to the restaurant and found out there was an hour wait for a table for four. Evidently they cater to tour buses because there were two large ones parked in the lot. Many people weren't waiting so we decided to follow the exodus. Nothing worth waiting an hour for in the heat. Since this was a Saturday night at 7:30 pm I would expect a wait but not that long. Might be better on a weekday. read more

So I can help with my friends and they're very nice but I ordered onion rings were very hard unseasoned and I got one of the gumbo very salty and then the french fries are very crunchy more than I like but the service was nice and ice cream is Bluebell which made up for it read more

The thin fried catfish is their specialty and my favorite. When the weather is nice it's nice to eat on the deck overlooking Lake Maurepas. read more

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Killer thin fried catfish! Seriously, the first time you go there this is what you need to get! Hugely popular on the weekends so don't freak out if the parking lot is jammed full. They move people through fairly quickly so the wait isn't so bad. The ambiance/decor is like a beach bar/restaurant. Nothing fancy here. You should have this place on your bucket list - for the catfish. read more

My fiancée has been raving about this place for about a year and half. Unfortunately, we had to move to DC and never had the time to go to Maddendorf's. A year later we moved back home and FINALLY today we tried this place out, and it is simply amazing. My mother and I ordered the fried seafood and my lovely fiancée ordered the broiled flounder, we love it! If you want the seafood platter and don't like to eat THAT much, I suggest you share it or have a doggy bag ready, the platters are LARGE. It comes with French fries, thin fried catfish, hushpuppies, and fried crab. So good. The waitress was very attentive, our drinks and food came out very fast. We were very satisfied. Even though the drive to get here from where we are is a bit ridiculous, it is super worth it. If you want good service and great seafood, this is the place for you, read more

The best thin fried catfish ever !!!! My husband and I go there often as possible. The atmosphere and staff ate fabulous Was kinds of hoping to see the swamp man Mr Stanga but never have yet...lol read more

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

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Ok, I don't get down to Louisiana very often anymore, so when I do get close to Middendorfs I can't pass up the thin sliced catfish! It is deelish!! Portions are generous for this old lady, heck they were even big when I was young!! Next time,no bread, no crackers, no onion rings--save lots of room for the thin sliced catfish. read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - This is the small plate of thin sliced catfish. - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

Service was good, food was mediocre. Ordered a side salad, got a styrofoam bowl of burger dressing... read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - "Side salad" ...... - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

Can't be beat! Thin fried catfish is a miracle and well worth a drive up 55. Fast service and great t-shirts in the gift shop. A don't miss! Don't let the number of cars in the lot scare you away - there's plenty of room inside. read more

Very good. Prices are consistent with seafood places. Plates are huge. The seafood platter is humongous. Hade turtle soup and crab/shrimp gumbo. Excellent. Bread pudding is good too, it's mor or a pudding. Warning the stuffed crab is a meal in itself. read more

Good food! We had the seafood platter broiled and added a soft shelled crab. Hubby also got the turtle soup. The food was really really good. I strongly recommend trying things broiled rather than fried because you can really taste the good quality shrimp and catfish. Thin sliced is good. The only disappointment was the service. We walked in and were greeted with "how many" then taken to a table by a server who never really looked at us. Once seated we were ignored a while. Some servers were busy but I made eye contact with a few who were chatting in the kitchen. Our server finally came and was attentive for the rest of the meal, but never warm. We are friendly people who make jokes and our server gave us polite smiles but never defrosted. I'll go again , but I'll bring a sweater to guard against the frosty staff. read more

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Glad I finally got to try this place. The thin-fried catfish is a unique treat. Nothing special flavor-wise. All I detected was salt, pepper, and cornmeal. But the texture is great. Crispy, the way deep fried food should be, but taken to the top level. Almost like a potato chip. The fries were also good, which I was surprised by. Nice and browned. Again, they know how to fry food here. Hush puppies and cole slaw were both a let down. About as plan and generic as these things get. About on the level of the sides at Long John Silver's. But that's not what you come here for. Bonus: Oktoberfest specials happening right now, including some German beers that we don't see around town too often. read more

My family and I ate here on Easter Sunday. We were seated promptly and had the sweetest waitress, Beverly. She was very attentive and helpful. The food was great! It was my first time having the thin fried catfish and it was delicious! The portions were huge. Overall it was a very pleasant experience. read more

Very surprised at the food today. We drove all the way from New Orleans to go to strawberry fest and to eat at Middendorf's today. The food came out within 10 minutes from when we ordered and was my husbands catfish was cold and my shrimp and oysters were Luke warm. And French fries were ice cold. All the food we had was precooked. We did not enjoy it at all. Especially my husband. We did not complain or return the food because my husband gets embarrassed but if it were up to me it would have all gone back. We have eaten here before and had a wonderful experience but not today. The only reason I gave it two stars was because out server was so sweet and efficient. I hope precooking is not the norm here now. If so we will not be back. read more

Seafood Gumbo tasted like it was from a can; Boiled Shrimp appetizer overpriced and bland: overpriced Catfish dinner with 3 pieces of fish and a whole lot of fries; $2 Diet Coke in a 6oz bottle and no refills like most restaurants. read more

Catfish my friend unlike any you've ever eaten,really..thin shaved filets,breaded in a secret breading and gently fried. You get a gentle platter of this unbelievable delight..crisp,curled paper thin filets...it's worth the drive from New Orleans. We ate there in May and I'm still talking about it.. read more

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

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The fried oyster platter was good and good for the price ($9.50). The oysters were crispy and hot. The platter came with fries, cole slaw, and hush puppies. Fries were average. Cole slaw good but served icy cold - too cold. It is the kind of slaw that I like that is not full of mayonaise. The hush puppies were good and flavorful. Onion rings were ordered for the table to be served with the lunch but were not served until 10 minutes into the meal. Also the small serving of oyster stew advertised to have 1/2 doz oysters only had 5. We attributed the less than stellar service times and service of food that seemed to have sat a while to the fact that the restaurant was so busy and there was a wait during this holiday week - but those are excuses. Middendorf's is less than a hour's drive from NOLA. It is an excursion to go there. Even with the flaws in today's experience I would go again. the oysters were the best I have had in a long time ... read more

This is a classic. You should drop by so that you know what it is like. Just don't get too excited about it. They are probably best known for their thin fried catfish. That is definitely worth having. Mostly they have some Louisiana basics like gumbo and jambalaya, but also a lot of fried seafood. When you are frying a bunch of seafood, it is not the best quality, usually. And their fish is pretty limited selection - mostly catfish. Louisiana is not the state known for catfish. They do generous portions and are priced fairly. You can get a platter overflowing with fried goodness if you are up to eat it all. It is actually fairly unremarkable. read more

This place is a staple of New Orleans area culture. I can remember coming as a small child (albeit to a much smaller building at that time). One thing that hasn't changed is the flavorful food, environment, and company kept. You don't go here for "the best meal I've ever had"...you come for a good ole fashioned slab of fried southern-style goodness. The recipes are tried-and-true, tested over decades. Anyone should be able to find something on the menu. My personal favorite is the thin-fried catfish! Service is generally fair and attentive, but expect to wait for a table. Especially if you decide to go during Lent. No reservations here; It's first-come first-served. read more

Food is good, service is so so ( not bad but not Great) If you have a birthday party, don't bring cake or anything like that because they won't lit you bring it inside and use it. It is worth the drive to go hear and eat. read more

Located on the shores of Lake Manchac, Middendorf's has been serving world famous thin cut fried catfish for over 75 years. Great old place for Louisiana seafood, about a 35min drive out of New Orleans. Shrimp, Oysters, Frog Legs, Softshell Crab and of course Catfish. Louis Middendorf moved to Manchac to live with family after losing his job in the 1929 stock market crash. In 1934 all WWI veterans were given a 500 bonus and with another 500 loan co-signed by the New Orleans Mayor opened the depression era restaurant in 1934. A lot of good stuff on the menu but for my first time eating when asked thick or thin, reply thin. read more

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Very good food and friendly staff. The catfish was cooked perfectly. The waitress was very pleasant, efficient, and patient in answering all my questions. Enjoyed every minute. read more

Middendorf's - Manchac - Middendorf's special (fried thin catfish and oyster po-boy - Seafood Near Me - Akers, Louisiana

I've been going for over 15 years I have a service dog, I'm a wounded warrior and they treat me and my dog with so much respect ...BTW the food is amazing thin catfish and fried shrimp can't beat it read more

I don't get why people love this place. The fish is terrible. It has absolutely no flavor. You could eat slivers of deep fried cardboard and it would be less bland than this fish. During crawfish season they advertised a deal of 3 lbs for $20, that is not a good deal!!! That's over $6/lb!!! That's ridiculous for south Louisiana!!! The only thing we had that was good was the hamburger steak my daughter ordered, but that's not what this place is known for. Supposedly the best fish around, it's not. Not even close. read more

I usually hate catfish, but I really love the thin, fried catfish here. Light and fluffy. So awesome. Service was great too!