I don't like to fish, but I do enjoy a good serving of fried catfish. I like it as a huge sandwich or as a serving of Fritters. Whichever I am craving, O-Jan's can serve it up right. The other day I was going on a Fall Foliage Tour of the Riverroad and hadn't had breakfast. O-Jan's was across the street from where we were departing, so I grabbed some Catfish Fritters to satisfy my hunger. They were prepared with a light golden coating. The batter covering the catfish was very thin, so the true flavor of the river fish came through. I was totally satisfied. I kinda wish I would have gotten fries, too, but the fritters did fill me up for a small lunch. Everything at O-Jan's is made to order, so it is super fresh. If you don't have patience to wait a few extra minutes for quality fried fish, you may want to elsewhere. O-Jan's is a cash only establishment, so be sure to have your Hamilton's or Jackson's ready. You'll order at a small window on the side porch, they'll call your name when it is ready and you can enjoy it on one of their picnic tables, or go on your merry way. The service kinda gruff and rough, but is still warming and welcoming. When in Grafton, I recommend you try the fish at O-Jan's at least once in your life. Once you do, I bet you'll be back again. read more

O-Jan's Fish Stand - Catfish Fritters - Seafood Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

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Great place to grab some fresh fish in town. The fish was hot fresh and cooked crispy. Could use a little more seasoning but it was still good. The fries were regular cut fries. The onion rings and jalapeño poppers were hot and crispy. They have canned drinks you can buy as well as a vending machine on the patio with bottled drinks to buy. The staff moved really quick, a little on the ride side when ordering. There are plenty of tables outside for you to sit at and eat. And a few tables inside to eat. The bathrooms were clean. There are plenty of condiments, and they give you pickles and onions on the side. read more

O-Jan's Fish Stand - Catfish fritter, fries and potato salad - Seafood Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

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Big fan of this spot! Service was not the most friendly. However the food more than made up for it. The catfish was excellent, sides were excellent, and slice of key lime pie was so delicious. They had great Mississippi River views. I would definitely recommend! read more

O-Jan's Fish Stand - Seafood Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

Hubby and I took a drive over to Grafton and needed a bite to prevent hanger quickly after we arrived. We saw the sign for O Jan's and stopped in! This is truly a "hole in the wall" stand with a walkup window. Cash only and menu posted on the wall. We ordered catfish fritters (which I learned is like catfish nuggets) and onion rings with a soda. Hubby ended up getting a beer from the market side later. Decent prices, large portions and the food is tasty . There is a couple of picnic tables for dining, but it was a cold windy day when we were there and most people were eating in their cars. I asked about inside seating and she told me go around the building and in the back. There were a few tables in there and we were able to enjoy one and see the river view. Service was curt - the employee did answer my questions (like, what is a fritter) and was not rude. But they were not "friendly" either. read more

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If you have never made the trek to Grafton, I highly recommend you come at least once. The drive down the River Road is worth the trip, especially this time of year with the foliage. Or hop the Grafton Ferry from Saint Charles and take a quick jaunt across the River. The Ferry at last check was $16 round trip! I have been coming to Grafton and O'Jans since I was a little girl. There's a good bit of nostalgia for me every time I come here. There are several caveats to this place, and it's best you know ahead of time. This place is a fish stand, which means a no frills walk up counter. There are picnic tables on the main level and some on the upper deck as well. They only take cash! So be sure to stop ahead of time if you're like me and only carry plastic as currency. The menu is posted on wall next to the window. There are several types of fish to choose from all battered in corn meal and fried to crispy perfection. They also offer burgers, hot dogs, and chicken tenders. The meals come with two sides and there are several to choose from. Place your order and they'll call you once it's ready! One other insider tip, if you have to use the bathroom, I recommend going inside to market to use that one. The bathroom on the deck is scary and I'm always afraid I'm going to get stuck in there! When you go, you'll see what I'm talk about. Again, a no frills place with the best fish I've had in Grafton and believe me, I've tried them all!! read more

O-Jan's Fish Stand - The side of the building boasts the water mark from the flood of '93! - Seafood Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

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The fish is delicious. Service is good It's outdoor picnicking....not fancy and the prices reasonable. Our favorite fish for years read more

Best fish in Grafton, a go to every time we head that way, only draw back fish portions are getting smaller!

This small business is a must see. Their portions are a good value and every order is made fresh. They sell a very simple menu and I love that because we can grab something on the way to a hike or off the boat. It's family owned and they are so cute to watch. They're cash only and they offer cans of pop. read more

Best stand in Grafton. Best turtle soup and cat. Smoked sturgeon is amazing....always stop in here every time I ride my bike up and down both sides of the river... read more

Really can't top this place for fish and fries! We got our order in about 10 minutes - super hot and fresh. Absolutely delicious whitefish and the best fries in town. Can't beat the prices either! So glad they are open for carry-out orders. read more

O-Jan's Fish Stand - Whitefish and fries - Seafood Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

The good thing about being a restaurant in a small town is there is little sense of competition. So if you're considering opening a fish fry, might I recommend Grafton, Illinois. Because the competition is not fierce, at all! I don't have anyone to blame but myself for trying this place, but I was dubious before setting foot on the property. O-Jan's met my expectations, in that my expectations were very low. You begin by greeting the lady to take your order, who is nice enough until she has decided she's fed up with you. While you're dining on the patio, you have to deal with her yelling names out to collect orders. If no one claims their slop, she will call the name out over an intercom. Recommend just using the intercom, in the first place. The actual fish is very tasteless, salty, and overbreaded. Just very unsatisfying, overall. read more

O-Jan's Fish Stand - O'Jan's Hot Fish has fish, according to this sign. - Seafood Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

Look, haters: Don't come here looking for a gourmet experience or a bougie food truck. This is a fish stand. It's in the name. It's been there forever, and there are plenty of Yelp reviews about what it is and isn't, so stop acting surprised. It's a bare bones operation and they do cash only because they don't want to raise prices to pay for credit card fees or have it eat into what marginal profits they probably have. I know that's a novel concept in today's society, but their business is probably 80% people who know them and know their policies. Food: I've been there around 10 times in a twenty year period. Every time was great. Fish crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Whatever sides were fine and fresh/hot. No fountain drinks and endless refills or lots of stuff for them to maintain and get dinged by the health department. If you like cola, cans of RC is what they have. Yep, you get some bread with your fish so you can make a sandwich. It's basically a Lenten place year-round. The service can sometimes be curt, but don't people love that at the cheesesteak places in Philly or at Ed Debevic's? They probably get tired of people coming up and asking tons of questions when they could've listened to those ahead of them or just asked someone around them. I'm giving it 5 stars because it's exactly what it is with tasty food at a great price. read more

The fish was great! So fresh and good and reasonably priced! I got the suggestion to try this out from the reviews on yelp and I wasn't disappointed! I had the catfish sandwich twice in a week's time it was that good! I enjoyed every bite! read more

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I hadn't been here in years. It's definitely not what it use to be. The fish was tasteless and greasy....ate a few bites and threw it away. Very disappointing because this place use to be pretty good. read more

I got the whole family hooked and ready to drive a half hour every weekend for fresh fish and especially the cooked goodie's

This is a fish stand and not a 5 star restaurant. They cook a great fish sandwich. Have a hot fish sandwich and watch boats go up and down the river. Cant beat it for the price. I dont care how friendly the workers are ass long as the food is good. And it is!! read more

I liked that I was able to just order a fish sandwich without spending an arm and a leg. I am not much into eating fried food; but the catfish was cooked perfectly. I could see that they hand breaded the fish as people were ordering it. I enjoyed the meal and would recommend O-Jan's. read more

We have had the fried catfish here several times and it is always excellent!! Made when you order and breading is light, never greasy. Highly recommend it! read more

We just wanted something fast before heading out for a hike. We regretted this decision almost immediately. The place was beyond dirty. The bathroom looked like outdoor gas station facilities. The tartar sauce sat out on counter without refrigeration. There wasn't anything with the fish. You could use onions, ketchup or warm tartar sauce.... The fish had a funky flavor and WAY too much breading. Combine bland, funky fish thrown on inexpensive sandwich bread...you have this place. I am astounded people recommend it. read more

My husband and I really love to make the scenic drive to O-Jan's. The food is inexpensive, fresh, and hot.

Fish was nasty, over breaded. The old fat lady at the window kept yelling at people. she ruined the entire experience. The kitchen back in the back was so disgusting. I looked back there in the kitchen and saw flies all over the raw fish. I saw fish batter slopped all over the walls and counter. I do not believe this restaurant is A grade a restaurant. After eating at this place, I became violently sick, and started vomiting. I didn't feel better until that nasty O-Jan's Fish Stand food was out of my stomach. DO NOT EAT HERE. Unsanitary conditions. The area where the food was prepared was absolutely appalling. If you decide to eat here, you will have to constantly fan away flies and deal the fat lady yelling and screaming at customers. read more

O'Jan's was my parents' idea, after they heard about it on some blog. I have no idea what the hell they were reading because this place was awful. I mean, I should have expected it, since most small town restaurants I've been to don't exactly have high quality food or standards. Regardless, I was going in with an open mind and clear taste buds. If you think it's quaint to be yelled at by staff, O'Jan's is your place. The woman taking our order spoke loudly (yelled), even though you could probably hear at a normal volume. And then she yells, as loud as possible, your name to come get your food. The food was bland, and the fries (obviously frozen) were a deep brown and extremely greasy, which is a sign that they were using old oil. Honestly, they probably haven't changed it in a week. It's a way to cut costs, but it completely ruins the texture and taste of what you're frying. I won't give you too much of a culinary lesson here, but I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't keep their fish fryer separate from their fries - which they should, because the flour and any additional breading will stick to the fries and cause the unsavory taste and texture. Not that anyone here is probably looking for a gourmet meal. But really, all I wanted was some good fried fish. They do have various kinds of fish, though they all tasted the same to me. Underseasoned and bland fish. If you don't care too much about quality, then you should care about quantity. For what you're getting, you're paying some steep prices. I would recommend going somewhere else, as I hear there's somewhere better in the area. Overall: 1/5 Food: 1/5 Service: 1/5 Atmosphere: 1/5 read more

Decor here is exquisite. Food is decently cheap but some things are cold. No ice, no fountain soda. Restroom door handle lost its knob and has a sign on the door saying "push". Workers are rude but they do make a killer bbq sandwich. read more

fish filets were like tasy thin potato chips

We decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and make our way into Grafton. Upon reaching there, it was readily apparent that others were on the same brainwave! Rather than head to the Loading Dock, we thought it best to try a new place, and found ourselves here at O'Jan's. This place is half store and half restaurant. They mostly have fish, frog legs, burgers and the like - the kind of stuff you'd find at a riverfront establishment. They've got mostly outdoor seating on picnic tables on their two-story deck. The property sits right on the water and has a sign facing Main Street where the water level was during the flood of '93. We ordered catfish fillets, fries, coleslaw, and hush puppies, then proceeded to the store to pick up beers. The fish was made fresh to order. In fact, no sooner had we made our order than one of the women behind the counter started dredging fish in flour. The fish was crispy, hot, and not too heavy. Overall, it was damn good with cold beer! The fries were just "mehh." They kinda tasted like the fish - maybe because they used the same cooking oil? The slaw was vinegar-based and was alright. The hush puppies on the other hand, sealed the deal. These babies were...awesome! We probably should have asked for 2 more orders because they were that good. They were well-seasoned, had a great texture, and went well with the catfish. We'll definitely come back again for cold beer, fish and hush puppies, and for a shot at the frog legs! FYI, there's parking right in front of the place, otherwise you'll have to find it on Main Street. read more

O'Jan's is a classic in Grafton, IL. Fish is Damn good, so is the pork tenderloin sandwich. For about 8 bucks, you can get several different fish choices, plus 2 sides. Great view of the river while dining. read more

Been coming here since I was a little boy. The building has grown a little through the years. Simple, tasty, fried fish. Price is fair. They do have some indoor seats but mostly outdoor benches. Plenty of parking in the back. They do have restrooms. We always stop here on our way to Eckert's for apple picking. When the weather is nice, try sitting on the upper deck and watch the river run by! read more

O-Jan's and most of the places around here are pretty simple and I always forget that. If you are used to the culinary scene in around St Louis, you will be underwhelmed by this place and the others ones in Grafton. My experience here has basically convinced me to mind my own business and never trek north of Wood River ever again. I'm going to avoid Alton and Grafton all together cause it's trashy as all get out. I know my place and I'll never head back there again. You may be expecting an artisan fish sandwich but it's really simple food and presentation. It's all frozen pretty much. You get little fish and more of the batter than anything. You basically are eating the batter and that is disappointing and disgusting. You get a piece of wonder bread and the fried fish and that is called a sandwich? They only take cash and their menu is poorly displayed. The lady working the counter will complain that you don't understand the specials on the menu cause their written on poster boards all around the service window; so primitive but what can ya do. The venue is nice, but the food is geared more for really simple folks, the Harely ridin' kind. Best thing to do, is skip this whole area all together. read more

These folks definitely seem like they're unhappy with their lives. Food was bland. Fish overcooked. Tartar sauce more like lame sauce. Took a really long time just to get deep fry. There are better choices in Graffton. A nice little town. read more

Nice day trip up the river road! Hot fish out on the patio! Nothing fancy, but plenty fun & flavorful cheap eats! read more

O-Jan's Fish Stand - Seafood Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

All the fish is from frozen. I ate the Whitefish sandwich which was terrible. It was over cook, dry and the breading had no flavor or spices. SKIP THIS PLACE. read more

O-Jan's Fish Stand - Order window. Don't look in the kitchen... you won't want to eat your food. - Seafood Near Me - Grafton, Illinois

I love this place!!!! Best fish on the strip and super inexpensive! My grandma and I went a lot for catfish but now Grammy is with the big catfish in the sky and it's just me so I moved on to cod, which is fantastic. It's the breeding that makes it so good but the sides are all mouth watering too! Whenever I'm in Grafton I spot by ojans for a bite and relax people watching, which is even better!!!! And just eat simple well cooked fried food and enjoy memories of Grammy and I! read more

We went here for dinner on the way back to St. Louis. The lady who took our order was I think ready to go home. The food is ok, we went upstairs to eat because there was no light downstairs on the main floor. In fact, I had to get a flashlight in our van to just see what we were eating. Can they provide lighting while they are still open and people are still eating? read more

Spent the day in Grafton today went in for a fish sandwich had a number of options but went with the halibut sandwich only. Sandwich was great, squeeze condiments okay and box full cut onions that looked a couple of days old. Asked window person for some pickles and she said the only pickles they had were pickle spears and that they were a dollar apiece. Are you kidding me??Kinda ruined it all for me. read more

My wife and I were in Grafton to meet someone. They picked O-Jan's Fish stand as the meeting place. I was fine with that since I love fried fish, I love new places and was looking forward to trying their fare. Well, it seemed the staff had other opinions and we ended up leaving disappointed with the way we were treated. We walked up to the building, we had never been there before, and ended up walking into the wrong door. We had walked into the market side. When I asked how we ordered food a large woman snapped at me and said, "You don't order inside you go to the window." Now I know that doesn't sound bad, but it was in the way she said it. She spoke with an obvious attitude and we got the impression we had just greatly inconvenienced her by making her walk ten feet. We apologized and left the building. We walked around to the order window and started looking at the menu. As I stood there I pondered the way we were just treated. I decided I didn't need to patronize a business that can't treat me like a decent person. I looked at my wife and said, "I don't feel like giving them our money today." We walked to the Grafton Harbor and decided the Big Kahuna could make better use of our money, which turned out to be a good choice. Grafton already has very little to offer, and this didn't help their argument at all. read more

When i'm out birding solo, i like to stop here for the fried turtle, then go to the upper deck to scan the small river islands out back for birds. Nice, laid-back kind of place. read more

Had the pleasure to eat here while taking a drive up the river road, my brother-in-law suggested we eat lunch here. He got his usual the Buffalo and I got the fresh catfish both very very good. It's hard to beat good fried fish, this place has that, fries was good and hot , way to much to finish with the fish sandwich , beer cold and refreshing, will stop back here again , paper plates and beer box flats for serving trays , hell, what more could you ask for, sat on the deck and watched the river traffic go by and kids having a ball on there jet skis this place is just a damn goon afternoon dive, just remember order food on the left and beer on the right, read more

Really good fish been a long time since I been there

Delicious Catfish filet, generous portions and a great view of the river. Everything we had was great, including the pulled pork.