Best Fried Catfish In New Orleans

Photo credit: Playhouse Media

Fried fish, fried golden brown with a crunch, is one of the signature dishes of New Orleans cuisine. No matter if it’s a great seafood restaurant or a food truck, fried fish is one of the delicacies you’ll find at many a restaurant.

Does New Orleans Have Good Fried Catfish?

Fried catfish is the go-to fish in New Orleans. Other seafood havens like New England or San Francisco may go with cod, perch and the like, but not in the big easy.

Catfish fried medium-brown or even broiled, or sautéed is the way to order it here in Nola.

We’ll show you some of the best places to order fried catfish in New Orleans.

Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar

739 Iberville St, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 522-4440

Here’s what one customer says about Felix’s. “We tried raw oysters, charbroiled oysters, shrimp, jambalaya and etoufee…The food was absolutely the best! The lines are actually not too bad and they go pretty fast.”

Jack Dempsey’s Restaurant

738 Poland Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117 | (504) 943-9914

Here’s what one customer says about Jack Dempsey’s. “Best fried seafood anywhere! There’s an art to getting it right and these cooks have mastered the art.”

A Taste Of Soul Eatery

2302 St Bernard Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119 | (504) 214-5985

Here’s what one customer says about A Taste of Soul Eatery: “Food was great. A little harder to find. Customer service was friendly.”

Mulate’s

201 Julia St, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 522-1492

Here’s what one customer says about Mulate’s. “y brother and I were both craving Etouffée, so he got the crawfish while I got the shrimp–both were delicious! My hubby got their Seafood Platter and my sis-in-law got their Muffulleta. Both were generous servings and super tasty. The star of the meal was their bread pudding.”

Liuzza’s by the Track

1518 N Lopez St, New Orleans, LA 70119 | (504) 218-7888

Here’s what one patron says about Liuzza’s by the Track: “We came here August 4th, 2021. It was by random, and the reviews were super good too. First, the team here was very kind. Second, we ordered the turtle soup, and it was delicious — tasted like a beef stew. We also ordered the seafood platter , catfish platter, duck tenders, and the gumbo. The duck tenders were breaded, and the meat inside was so flavourful. The breaded oysters, shrimp, and catfish are the bomb. So good! This was my favorite fish fry place I’ve ever been to.”

Two Sistas ‘N Da East

9901 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70127 | (504) 242-0469

Here’s what one customer says about Two Sistas ‘N Da East: “This place is under rated. They can have my money any day. I ate here this is my third time and every meal was amazing. The staff are so nice and friendly. Makes u feel like you are their sister too.”

Mr. Ed’s Seafood & Oyster House

Greater New Orleans Locations:

Bienville: 512 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70130
1327 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
301 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
1001 Live Oak St, Metairie, LA 70005

Here’s what one reviewer says about Mr. Ed’s. “I go here to get the best crab cakes in the French Quarter. Etouffee was a little thin and not much Crawfish. Jambalaya was ok. Fried catfish was stellar.”

Hooks Catching & Frying

2100 St Bernard Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119 | (504) 515-5555

Here’s what one diner says about Hooks Catching & Frying. “About the only surprise here was that the fried food was not that greasy! You can get some interesting choices of fish here including fried redfish, and things are medium-priced for a No-Frills neighborhood fried seafood joint. I had the fried fish sandwich -it was catfish- and the batter was surprisingly light and had a nice aftertaste.”

Final Word

If you love fried catfish, there are some great places in New Orleans to get your fill. Sprinkled with some fresh lemon juice, a nice, thick filet of fried fish is hard to beat.

In New Orleans, catfish is “that” fish when it comes to popularity. A fried filet is hard to beat on any day of the week!

When New Orleans’ food is mentioned on a national level, it somehow always reverts back to gumbo, which is the best around, although the city’s eateries certainly represent those dishes well, there’s so much more.

More From NolaFi.com:

Keisha Smith

Keisha Smith is a Contributing Writer who attended college at Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge. She is currently writing a book on south Louisiana culture.