Always a good option. They have the best catfish around. The restaurant is always clean and homey. The staff is always friendly and attentive. read more

Fast service. Good people. Can't beat it. Staff were really friendly and understanding with my kids. Very patient. Fried catfish is the best here. Also, those onion rings and fried pickles are Inside feels warm like you are in a home. read more

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Stopped in en route from FL to AZ for the holidays. And glad we did! Everything mentioned in all these raving reviews is spot on. The food, the service, and the ambiance are unmatched. Jennifer our server was fantastic, and the eggnog cocktail is a must! Can't wait to stop back in on our return trip to FL. read more

The Ark - Seafood Near Me - Riverside, Alabama

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This little country spot is delicious! They don't disappoint us when it's come to the seafood. Me and my friend always stop here when coming through Alabama. Staff is always friendly and service is good. Seafood is on point every time! read more

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Solid fried seafood restaurant just north of I-20 in Riverside, Alabama. They will grill your shrimp for you, which is a bonus. Nice, country/lakeside ambiance. Service is fast and friendly. I ordered a shrimp po-boy, which was positively overflowing with medium-sized shrimp. Their French fries are okay, I'd ask them to make them a bit crisper next time. Overall, a nice restaurant conveniently located just off the interstate, and much better option than all the chain fast food options at the Pell City exit. read more

One of the great old places in Alabama to visit.Food was great.My wife had the chicken finger basket.I had the catfish and shrimp basket and cold beer.Everything was great .It is in a great old building with a lot of atmosphere.Hope to return soon.On the river with a pretty drive.The Working Man Review hopes to return soon. read more

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Family Restaurant with catfish, steaks & shrimp. Great stopping and eating before Birmingham. Friendly great service. Ya feel like family while ya there. Food was good. Will stop in for dinner sometime. Love the vibe! Mz read more

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This is the Burger Man with Best Burgers in America Association, and I was invited to The Ark Restaurant in Riverside, AL to score their burger. The meat is fresh, high-quality beef, hand-patted patties, and has NO "Meat Glue" like most fast-chain burgers use. Topping fresh and blended well, but I suggested them using Iceberg Lettuce instead of the wilted green lettuce. The meat was grilled and seasoned to perfection. I definitely recommend this burger and restaurant. The owner, manager, and staff treat you like family. read more

Great atmosphere! The food is always good, they have many options to choose from! Service has been great the times I have been!

If you are traveling on I-20 between Birmingham and Atlanta, near Logan Martin Lake, you need to stop and eat at The Ark. The people are great, and our waitress, Jennifer, is the best. Great service and delicious food. I enjoyed the catfish and shrimp platter. The catfish was a nice sized filet, flakey, and delicious. The shrimp were big, breaded and fried to perfect. So good. The seasoned greens were excellent. My wife thoroughly enjoyed her shrimp platter with Lima beans and coleslaw. The hushpuppies were good, and they make their own dipping sauce. We enjoyed our dinner and our time at the restaurant. They were established in 1930, so you know they have to be good to still be on business 95 years later. Give them a try. You will not be disappointed. read more

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Really nice wait staff but way too much fried food but if that's what you like then I definitely recommend it. The filet was cooked to order correctly read more

We went to the Ark because of the catfish and shrimp. The fried catfish and fried shrimp was awesome. Hand battered. Onion rings were homemade. It was a bust Saturday afternoon and the food came out in a quick manner. Our server kept our drinks full and even told us about the origins of The Ark. if you are near Birmingham traveling towards Atlanta take an extra 5 minutes off the interstate to this hole in the wall restaurant read more

The Ark - Hush puppies - Seafood Near Me - Riverside, Alabama

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Catfish and oysters were delicious! The slaw was good and homemade onion rings(had a little too much batter) were also good. Service was polite and responsive to requests. I would certainly eat here again and recommend it to anyone who likes fish. read more

The Ark - Catfish, fried oysters hush puppies and slaw! Delicious - Seafood Near Me - Riverside, Alabama

Interesting story and unique atmosphere make this a must visit restaurant. We stopped in for lunch on a whim and decided on the catfish & shrimp lunch which was good. The fries were not great, they lacked flavor and tasted like they'd been sitting for a while, so choose a different side. The onion rings were crispy and delicious along with the fried pickles. The crab fingers were once again, ok along with the hush puppies, they needed some of the special sauce to make them tasty. The gumbo was ok, didn't taste homemade but it also didn't taste bad. We expected more from the food. The service was good, we were there during the lunch rush and we were checked in often. Our server did forget the ranch dressing but our daughter went up to grab it. We probably won't return but we're happy with our experience. read more

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Great Food Great Service plenty to eat for a reasonable price! My friends and in town for military rifle match at Talladega Marksmanship Park. The Ark was recommended by our armorer. We came back a few times and more competitors came with us. Excellent food best so far in Anniston/Oxford for catfish read more

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Good service and good food. The wife enjoyed the catfish nuggets, okra and greens. Getting our Southern food fix when passing through.

This place has been around for several years the new owners has not change the food one just added good food to menu for over 40 I've been a monthly customer and I live 2 hours away I can assure you that I will not steer you wrong food is very good and seasoned well read more

The crab fingers and the jumbo are to die for. The Cajun fries are delish too. I would go back one day if I am in the area. The wait staff is nice and friendly. The iced tea was also good. read more

We had recommendations to try this place out! We hit some picker stores and got hungry so we ended up here. It's an older facility but has a great history you can read on the menu and they staff was super friendly and this place was busy! We had the shrimp and catfish nugget plates and it was tasty! Big yummy shrimp and good portion sizes of the catfish nuggets. These were both cooked properly and seasoned great. Not my fave coleslaw but it was ok. Love these hush puppies too! So we will def be coming back! read more

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Best hush puppies I've ever eaten! Wow! Atmosphere: A quaint place reminiscent of a small diner. Nothing too special - but very inviting for a lakeside seafood place! Food: Fried deliciousness! And the burger was fantastic. Shrimp and fish perfectly cooked and the fried okra was on point! Homemade pies are very tasty, too! Service: Friendly and knowledgeable. Everything you would expect from a locally-owned restaurant with owners that care. Great place for fried seafood! Newcomer tip: you have to pay at the register when you're ready to go. read more

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Food was excellent service was excellent engaged also cannot wait to go back. Great!!!!

Took my stepfather here for lunch from the VA assisted-living center. He liked it very much. I wasn't in the mood for fish, but the chicken tenders were excellent, hot and plenty. read more

The Ark - Chicken tenders, sweet potato, fries, and hush puppies - Seafood Near Me - Riverside, Alabama

If you are looking for good seafood this is a great place. The fish is awesome but you can't go wrong with anything you order.

So we last came here 8 years ago after our first race at Talladega... we hadn't come back because our cousin said it had undergone new management and wasn't the same... saddened we went to other places, but this year we decided to try it again with friends after the race... so glad we did..!! Food was delicious. Service was down home Southern friendly. What more could we ask for..? Well, more of their "special sauce" for one... kinda sweet, kinda spicy, kinda all kinds of goodness... from the fried shrimp dinner, to the chicken livers, fried pickles and a plate of fixings, it was all good... definitely will add this back to our restaurant list when we come back to Talladega for the next race... read more

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this is sort of a different kind of a review. First the food was delicious and the service great. but what showed what a wonderful caring place The Ark is, we went for a birthday celebration and my husband had a seizure. The waitress didn't panic. she helped me get him on the floor, grabbed something to put under his head and cold compresses for him. when they realized it was an ambulance emergency, they boxed up our food plus helped make sure we got our stuff together while the paramedics took care of him. i never even got ourAngel waitress's name. Everyone went way over and above to make sure even I was okay even though the restaurant was packed. The food was five star but the waitresses and the whole staff were way over any star rating. read more

You walk in and expect to have an okay meal in this roadside restaurant in Riverside, just 5 minutes off the interstate. You are actually in for a treat of fresh seafood, great southern cooking, and some of the best sweet tea ever. The onion rings are battered and fried in house, not from a frozen bag. The shrimp and catfish are great. Everything is great! read more

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New to the area and had to try the famous Ark. It's ok. The portions are generous and the staff was very friendly. I wasn't really blown away by my food, but I did not leave hungry and it wasn't "bad". The price was outrageously high. read more

Small spot that if you blink you'll miss it. The food is great and the service is great. They are known for the catfish and its easy to see why. read more

Great food, great pricing, great service! Have been many times. ALWAYS delicious! The Ark is very efficient getting their food out. Plentiful servings and always cooked to perfection. read more

Amazing food. Haven't had anything yet that I didn't like. Nice ambiance - friendly staff and quick service.

Food was wonderful! Fried filet of catfish was flaky & tender, hush puppies had a nice oniony taste to them, onion rings were absolutely delicious, and sweet potato fries were plentiful and sweet. The star of the show, however, were the fried shrimp. Both my husband and I wished we had just gotten the shrimp....it was that good! Salad and baked beans were amazing, too. Our waitress was wonderful; anticipated our every need. The only downside was the restaurant, itself. Quaint location, however, needs a lot of TLC and a deep-clean. Use the bathroom prior to getting to the restaurant. All-in-all, however, this would be a regular to us if we lived in Alabama. The food was delicious, and the service was great! read more

Wow! Can't believe I've lived here 20 years and never eaten here. The place doesn't look like much but the food is over the top good! We went on a Sunday around 2:30, a little bit of a crowd but got seated right away, no waiting. I ordered 2 catfish fillets with fries and green beans, it also came with hush puppies. The fillets were really big, glad I only got 2. The fish was fried perfectly, not greasy at all. I really liked the the hush puppies, they made them just the way I like them. We also ordered the platter, it came with catfish, oysters, frog legs, stuffed crab, hush puppies a baked potato, shrimp and slaw. Everything was fried perfectly. The frog legs were very big and very tasty! The staff was really on top of things and very friendly. We will definitely come here more often and I can't wait. read more

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Quaint old timey place that's been here forever. Don't get the chicken fingers and you'll be good. read more

If you like meat and fried things in a dirty 50s style restaurant while Fox News plays in the background, this is your place. It's not for me, but the people who invited me loved it so they get an extra star for their sake. They've removed the baked potato from the menu, which our whole table wanted to order. I don't eat meat, so I was stuck with choices of various fried or cheesy sides. I settled on the worst fried okra I have ever eaten, hush puppies, French fries, and corn nuggets. It wasn't good. The service was adequate, but a bit snippy. read more

Well. It's a cute little dive and clearly beloved by the people who frequent it. They do have a small bar but i didn't partake. I got the seafood platter. My favorite part of it undoubtably was the stuffed crab, and I'm also positive that's frozen. The seafood was a little underwhelming. It was ok, but not great. It needed some sauce or something. But after she brought the plate the waitress never came back to the table. When she did make contact with us she was very accommodating and friendly. She might have just got a host of new tables (an influx of people came in about this time) or assumed we didn't need anything. I will be back more than likely as it is a favorite of the people i was with, but i don't see myself recommending or suggesting it. read more

Sunday , September 12, 2021 The Ark - Riverside, AL We've been hearing great things about this place and finally had a chance to stop in for a bite. Greeted by Friendly Staff Establishment Clean / Employees Wearing Face Masks Due to CoViD-19 - Customers NOT Required to Wear Face Masks No Line/No Waiting at This Time Arrived/Checked In: 2:10pm Greeted & Seated: 2:10pm Placed Drink Order: 2:12pm Received Drinks: 2:13pm Placed Entrée Order: 2:16pm Received Entrée Order: 2:29pm Server was friendly, helpful & knowledgeable about food being offered. Husband ordered 2 Piece Catfish Filet ($13.99) with Cajun fries, green beans, and hush puppies. Amazing. Crispy, hot seafood goodness. I ordered Seafood Platter ($18.99). It came with 1 fried catfish filet, 2 fried shrimp, 2 fried frog legs, 2 fried oysters, 1 deviled crab, baked potato, coleslaw, and hush puppies. I see a doggie bag in my future. Sure enough, I had leftovers. Even after sharing 1 shrimp and 1 frog leg with my husband I had no room to eat more than half of the delicious catfish and the remaining items on my plate. It was enormous. Drinks kept filled. Food arrived hot & delicious and more than we could consume in one sitting. If you've not had a chance to eat here yet make plans in the near future to do so. I plan on returning to try out many different things on their menu. read more

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I have frequented this place for years and honestly, the consistency varies. Sometimes the food is fresh and delicious and the service is great, but sometimes, it's not. I believe the ownership has changed over the years, but I'm not 100% sure. The menu ranges from fish and shrimp to burgers and salads. They also have some tasty sides and appetizers like coleslaw, fried pickles, side salads. read more

They weren't that busy, so getting water shouldn't have taken that long. I've been a waitress in the past so have experience in that department. I ordered lunch catfish nuggets, got chicken tenders. Oh well, I ate them, but the fries were cold and tasteless, and the slaw had a strong pickle taste. Not something I've had before. Waitress seemed flustered and it was after 1pm and there were plenty of tables open. Not sure the issue, but while my hubby's catfish was really good, can't say I'd make a special trip based on my experience. read more

Was in the area and decided to try The Ark and it did not disappoint. Best deviled crab I have had in several years. Wife had the platter and enjoyed the fried oysters and frog legs. Service was pleasant and fast. Would rate 4.4 if that were an option. Nice lake side atmosphere. read more

This little restaurant is AMAZING! My dad is in the VA Home close by and it has become our favorite spot to eat and as a bonus my Dad has an emotional support animal and they were so sweet to let her come with us. The staff is always very nice and makes sure you have a great experience with fantastic hot food! Try it for yourself you won't be disappointed. read more