Food Taste: Great! I had the catfish, sweet potato, and green beans. Everything was delicious and cooked perfectly! The dessert options are endless and all delicious! Food Freshness: Everything was hot and fresh! Service: Excellent! Everyone is friendly and professional. Atmosphere: Very clean with plenty of seating. Will I Return: Absolutely! One of my favorite places to eat. read more

Nice barbecue place. I had the Pony beef brisket sliced - was really really good and so was the chicken. They have a pickle bar where you get one plate for free and the new traditional plate is two dollars. You can buy bottled beers here. There are other barbecue places in town, but they usually closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.. this place is open all week. read more

Punkin's Bar-B-Que & Catfish - Barbeque Near Me - Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

See all

Wonderful food. Most trips to punkins the staff are friendly and often the food is delicious.

Great BBQ spot! I loved the hospitality and cleanliness of the place. Ask a few locals whet they thought before trying it and got nothing but positive feedback that says a lot. This was some of if not the best catfish I've ever head I cant wait to visit again read more

Punkin's Bar-B-Que & Catfish - Catfish plate - Barbeque Near Me - Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

Best in town - the bar is low. Feels like a casual cafe the local's visit. Servers are somewhat dismissive, inattentive and seem somewhat bothered by customers who aren't locals. Food is mediocre at best. But then I'm not a big fan of cornmeal. The barbecue is equally unimpressive. We come to town periodically for high school rodeos and typically come to Punkin's only because other area restaurants are worse. read more

Read about this place on Facebook and they said the catfish and ribs were really good. So I drove from OKC to Pauls Valley for lunch one day. The inside is pretty much like an aged diner. Clean and older tables. They have a very small pickle and pepper bar with a tiny red plate you can fill once for free. Any return trips are $2. There was a line at the pickle bar, so I lined up and got a dozen or so dill pickle slices and a dozen or so sweet pickles. Most people mounded their tiny plates with pickles. I was not fond of either pickle. Left half of them on the plate. Checked out the menu and ordered the from the senior menu, fried catfish with crispy fries and green beans. The catfish was just OK. I've had better and I've had worse. The green beans were straight from a can. You can taste the metallic whang. No seasoning. The fries are exactly like McDonald's fries. All in all, the food was fair. Definitely not worth the drive from OKC. read more

Punkin's Bar-B-Que & Catfish - Senior serving of fried catfish, green beans, and fries. - Barbeque Near Me - Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

Iv been a few times & the food is always amazing, great service & great atmosphere. Today I got the fried chicken sandwich with fries & we tried their new breaded brussels. Everything was so tasty. The breading on the Brussels is amazing, their homemade ranch is to die for. The chicken was fried to perfection & so juicy. Can't say enough good things about this local favorite. read more

See all

Best catfish around, cooked to perfection. Kudos to the owners, family owned and operated.

There were a couple of big groups celebrating birthdays but service was still pretty good. We love the fact that Owner Krista delivers food out to the customers & chat with almost everybody. It has the best catfish, pork chop & sweet potato fries! read more

See all

Punkins is one of my favorite places to get catfish! It is perfectly seasoned, and they have a pickle bar! They have a variety of sides, but the brown sugar carrots and sweet potato fries are amazing! The staff is super friendly, and make sure to order dessert if you have room. It is perfectly designed to sit big parties with plenty of seating, or for a dinner with friend! read more

The food and service was amazing! The restaurant is nice and clean! We can't wait to go back soon! Go check out this local place! read more

Punkin's Bar-B-Que & Catfish - 4 piece catfish with fried okra and a loaded baked potato - Barbeque Near Me - Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

See all

Wound up at Punkin's while waiting to have a bed liner installed at a nearby dealership. Wow! Punkin's Catfish and BBQ is amazing. The food is excellent and the service is top notch. It's a quaint little roadside restaurant that feels very down home. If we are ever back in Paul's Valley, we will most definitely stop in. read more

See all

Very good, quick service! The food was excellent It is an old fashioned place that you don't find much anymore read more

This was the first time we have eaten here and wow, were we impressed!! The servings are large and very delicious,. The service is fast. The staff are very helpful and attentive. The inside is very warm and relaxing with comfortable seating. Their desserts are extensive in variety. We will definitely come back when driving through Paul's Valley!! read more

Everything is good. Food, service, & price. The only thing I didn't like is some plates are sheets of paper. I know that's the fashionable thing right now. But I'd rather have a plate. BUT. That won't stop me going back to a good restaurant. read more

Not real catfish but swain fish. Bbq is the worst i have ever had didn't know the difference between lean or moist just dry. Just a locals place because an outsider like myself knows what God food is read more

Pretty good but food quality could be better in my opinion. Place was pretty cute and nice servers.

My boyfriend and I stopped here after making it to our hotel. We walked in and we're greeted and told we could choose our seating. The place opened at 10 am and we walked in 15 min after opening and the place was filling up quickly. Our waitress got our drink and appetizer order shortly after sitting down. We both got iced tea and we decided on valley fries, which came out fairly quickly. We were both craving catfish. I ordered the 2 piece catfish dinner that comes with hush puppies and your choice of potato and a side, I chose a baked potato and Mac & cheese. My boyfriend ordered the 4 piece catfish dinner with tator tots and onion rings. While we were enjoying our valley fries the waitress brought out our meals. My favorite part was the catfish, it was clearly freshly made, hot and crisp with he perfect amount of breading, tarter sauce paired well, the Mac & cheese was good but nothing super special, and the baked potato was good (comes with sour cream and butter on the side), only thing I wasn't to fond of was the hush puppies. My boyfriend loved the catfish as well, his onion rings were hot and crispy, tator tots had a tasty seasoning on them, he also wasn't a fan of the hush puppies. All in all it was good food just nothing exciting and the food was a little overpriced in my opinion. But I would eat here if I ever stopped in the town. read more

See all

Service is ALWAYS fast and friendly. We have NEVER been disappointed with the food. Catfish, ribs, pulled pork, sandwiches. Diner type ambience. We love going to PUNKIN'S!! read more

We had driven by this place so many times and it always has a parking lot full of cars. Finally had to opportunity to stop by for dinner. We ordered the pork chops and a ribeye. Very generous portions! We both took home leftovers in a box. The atmosphere has neighborly small town vibe in that everyone is super friendly. The staff were super attentive and overall we enjoyed our dining experience very much. We want to go back soon to try the amazing looming desserts at the checkout pie fridge. They are packaged to go but we weren't going straight home. If you're looking for a relaxed dining experience this place with check all the boxes. read more

I have been traveling between Dallas and OKC recently and have seen their billboards on the freeway. Took the opportunity to visit and it is worth the stop. This is definitely a restaurant enjoyed by the locals. I was quickly seated and opted for the catfish plate. I like catfish and it was super crispy with hush puppies and a couple vegetables. The sweet potato was cooked just right. I will stop by again in the future and try the BBQ. Make sure you give them a try. Awesome spot! read more

Punkin's Bar-B-Que & Catfish - Catfish Plate! - Barbeque Near Me - Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

Have eaten here several times (including today) since my first review. This place is incredibly consistent with good food and great service. The catfish filets are some of the best I've ever eaten. The BBQ is spot on. And during my last visit I happened to hit them when the NY Strip was the daily special and it was great, too. They've also got a pickle bar with different types of pickles, onions, etc. This is definitely a destination restaurant if you're just passing through and if your in Pauls Valley already you have to try it. Absolutely terrific. read more

Punkin's Bar-B-Que & Catfish - Pulled pork, pork ribs, chopped brisket and baked potato. - Barbeque Near Me - Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

On our way from Texas to the River wind casino to see Jim Gaffigan show. We want some good eats on the road, not friggin MacDonalds, Chilis or Applebees. We saw a billboard for Punkins Barbecue. I almost dismissed it right off because that's not a name for a smokehouse, I would associate with good barbecue. The sign said catfish too. What the hell? No way! So we consulted our Yelpapedia. We read some rave reviews and decided to try it. Barbecue, burgers, and catfish? I didn't think it could be done, but by God they did it! This place is legit! The sliced brisket sandwich was awesome and So was the catfish and shrimp dinner. I hear the burgers are great too. Now for the 5 star bonus prize. They have this 6 layer chacco lotta, chocolate cake that is superb! You will regret it if you don't order a slice to go home with you! Don't pass the exit to Punkins! This place is a winner! read more

Ordered catfish for take out. best catfish ever and was ready in 15 minutes. Loved the smaller portion on the Senior Menu. Will definirely return. read more

The service is very poor due to the lack of training. Food is of poor quality and grease. This is typical small town Oklahoma dump for decor and ambiance. read more

Delicious home cooking, friendly staff, quick service and reasonable prices. We love to eat here.

The staff super friendly. They made you feel welcome like you came in all the time. The sweet tea was excellent!! And the brisket melted in your mouth!! Yummy!! The chicken fried steak was big and tasty!! Not all bread like a lot of them. You could actually taste the meat. Please y'all try them it's worth it. read more

This is the most amazing place. The food was more than excellent, the service was impressive and just a sweet sweet spirit. read more

See all

Very quick and tasty brisket. The chips were very tasty as well. Nice hometown feel

Saw the billboard heading south on I 35. When I got there, the parking lot was full so I knew the place had to be good. I had catfish, loaded baked potato, coleslaw, and their complementary pickle bar. The quality of the food was excellent. The atmosphere was friendly and homey. And the place has positive sayings posted at the tables and on the wall to create an uplifting atmosphere. I definitely recommend the place and plan on stopping again when I travel through this area. read more

Had a good burger but their fresh warm pork skins are really good. Will be back , to try something else.

If you have driven on I-35 south of Norman in the past couple of decades you have likely seen billboards for Punkin's. They work, as that's what got us to try it for the first time when we were hungry but didn't want fast food, but we keep going back because it's just good. Punkin's isn't large but it's comfortable and clean. They have a standard menu you see at a lot of joints in Oklahoma like this: BBQ, fried catfish, chicken fried steak, etc. They aren't re-inventing the wheel here but what they do they do well. My recommendation is you stick with BBQ. It's not that the catfish or chicken fried steak are not good, both are, but for my money the BBQ is superior. The ribs are very strong, they are tender and flavorful but not so tender they disintegrate off the bone. There is a still a bite to them, which is what you want. The potatoes are enormous and are only around $8 - $9. I know it's a baked potato with toppings, but for that price and the amount of BBQ you get it is more than reasonable. All sides are homemade except maybe the okra. I'm not sure. The only real miss I've had at Punkin's is the mac n cheese. The cheese sauce is liquidy, not like velveeta cheese, even thinner than that. This is probably a 4.5 star joint, maybe 5, but that mac n cheese dings them. Fries are fresh cut and the fried pickles are above average too. Portions are great, you will likely have enough leftovers for another meal. Worth a trip even if you're not close to Pauls Valley. it is about a mile or so off of I-35 and it's a straight shot, so easy to get to and get back on the road if need be. We'll be back sooner rather than later. read more

Punkin's Bar-B-Que & Catfish - Catfish and ribs meal - Barbeque Near Me - Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

See all

Fine food with an attentive staff. The catfish was surprisingly seasoned and cooked well.

Twice in one week to and from Dallas! Pig sandwich (brisket) was okay but better with the added sauce. Catfish was fried in cornmeal - rather dry and ordinary. Nothing special. Service however was fast! read more

The food was very good and came out hot. They are also extremely large portions so my husband and I shared. The BBQ sauce is tasty that came on the brisket and just slightly spicy. We also got hush puppies but I couldn't eat them because they had too much spice in them but for the bite I had they were good. I did really like the potato salad and the ribs were smoked to perfection. The waitresses were nice and attentive. They had a pretty full dining room when we got there but it wasn't overly loud which is nice. This was worth the stop. read more

What a nice dinner we had at Punkin's. Service was beyond- all servers kind and focused on our needs. The pickle bar is too cute. What a good idea. The bread and butter pickles - wow! The ribs were perfect. The catfish was done just right. Loved my baked sweet potato and the okra. Wish we had tried the onion rings- next time. Probably good we don't live closer- I would be here often. Guess it will have to wait for our next trip to Oklahoma! Loved it! Even the ladies room smelled wonderful. read more

I had the smoked ham & cheddar sandwich w/onion rings. The sandwich had lettuce and tomato with mayonnaise. The flavor was great but the bread didn't hold up. It got messy pretty quick. Onion rings were hot and crispy. Flavor was OK. Overall good experience. read more

Punkin's Bar-B-Que & Catfish - Barbeque Near Me - Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

See all

I stopped here for catfish dinner! All I can say is this was the BEST catfish I've had in a long time! The service was excellent. I ordered it to go. It wasn't to long of a wait. They also have very good baked beans & bread & butter pickles! Definitely my place to eat next time we drive thru. read more

We stopped by to try this place after seeing signs off of I-35 for the last six years. We enjoyed our, the staff was very hospitable. It is definitely a small town restaurant because the wait staff was waiting each other's tables with whatever wait staff was nearby. The food was ok, average so to speak. I can say that it is made to order because it took a LONG time to cool off enough for us to eat, it was piping hot. read more

See all

Drove from Texas to Kansas for some business and stopped by here for lunch. Had the ranch hand hamburger and it was stupendous! My son actually got something besides a cheeseburger (chopped brisket sandwich) and he loved it. Also got to try their chocolate cake and it was so moist and rich. Everything we had was delicious. Highly recommend stopping by this place if you are in the area. read more