13 Missouri Fried Catfish Spots That Locals Say Are Worth Every Bite
In Missouri, they know how to fry catfish.
You can taste it in the golden crust, smell it in the kitchens tucked along back roads, and see it in the packed parking lots every Friday night.
Locals have their favorites – the places they bring guests to prove that catfish done right is more than just dinner; it’s tradition.
These thirteen spots have earned their place on Missouri tables through years of hot oil, fresh fish, and the kind of recipes that get passed down instead of printed.
Let me walk you through the best catfish the Show-Me State has to offer.
1. LeMaire’s Cajun Catfish & Seafood House – Sedalia
Highway 50 starts to feel like the Gulf Coast the moment you pull up to LeMaire’s on the west side of Sedalia.
Platters of Cajun-spiced catfish come out alongside crab legs, gator, shrimp, and dirty rice, so the whole table smells like a Louisiana fish fry.
Locals treat it as the go-to spot when someone says they need catfish tonight, and the steady stream of lunch and dinner crowds confirms it’s still humming along.
Their active Facebook page and recent reviews show they’re keeping the spice levels high and the portions generous.
Every bite carries that Bayou boldness Missouri has learned to love.
2. Catfish Kettle – Farmington
Catfish Kettle has that energy that says they’ve been doing this for decades and know exactly what they’re about.
Set on Weber Road in Farmington, it’s a long-running landmark where fresh, made-to-order catfish anchors a menu of homestyle plates.
You get generous portions of golden fried fish in a casual, family-friendly room where the parking lot is almost as famous as the slogan: Always great food, great service, and bad parking.
Farmington folks swear by it.
3. Dowd’s Catfish & BBQ – Lebanon (Route 66 Classic)
Just off old Route 66 in Lebanon, Dowd’s feels like a roadside reward after a long stretch of highway.
Inside, the vibe is Bayou-meets-Ozarks: big plates of Southern fried catfish, smoky barbecue, and all the sides you’d hope for after a day on the road.
The restaurant is still listed at 1760 W Elm Street with current hours and online ordering, and it’s been singled out in Route 66 and Rural Missouri write-ups for its catfish.
It’s the kind of place where you plan to split a plate and end up needing a to-go box anyway.
4. Hyde-A-Way Catfish Inn – Broseley
Hyde-A-Way Catfish Inn sits out in the country near Broseley, the kind of spot you hear about from someone’s uncle long before you ever see a sign.
Inside, it’s all about catfish – especially the all-you-can-eat plates that locals rave over in reviews.
A deck lets you look out over the catfish pond, which makes the whole place feel like a working fish camp with a dining room attached.
Their Facebook page is still active with recent posts and a big banner celebrating over forty years in business.
TripAdvisor reviews from this year praise the catfish fillets specifically, calling them fresh and perfectly fried.
5. Wardell Fish House – Wardell
In tiny Wardell, this fish house is basically an evening event.
Pond-raised catfish is the star, served buffet-style in a cozy dining room that feels more like a community gathering than a restaurant.
New management has leaned into the catfish identity, with Facebook updates announcing nightly openings and urging folks to come out for hot, fresh fish.
Mapping and review sites list it at 2988 State Highway A with current hours into 2025, and diners call it a must-stop if you’re anywhere in the Bootheel and craving fried catfish done the old-fashioned way.
The warmth here is as real as the fish.
6. Catfish Wharf – Kennett
Catfish Wharf in Kennett is the definition of a catfish-first menu.
The restaurant’s own site and ordering pages describe it as a Southern comfort spot where catfish is the headliner, with fried fillets and other preparations backed by hushpuppies, beans, and classic sides.
I brought my cousin here last summer, and she still talks about how crispy the breading was.
Recent online menus emphasize signature catfish plates and order-for-pickup messaging, while 2025 delivery listings show it open daily around lunch and dinner.
Locals describe it as the place you bring out-of-towners when you want to prove that small-town Missouri still knows how to fry fish.
7. Jumpin’ Catfish Restaurant – Lee’s Summit
Jumpin’ Catfish in Lee’s Summit feels like a hunting lodge where someone decided the main trophy should be fried fish.
The walls are busy, the portions are big, and the menu leans heavily on fried catfish plates and all-you-can-eat options that keep servers hustling baskets to the table.
Their official website, Facebook page, and recent Yelp entries all show the Lee’s Summit location still operating with regular hours in 2025, and reviews specifically call out the all-you-can-eat catfish as a draw.
It’s the kind of place where you settle in, loosen your belt a notch, and let the refills keep coming.
8. Corner Cafe – Riverside, Liberty & Independence (Kansas City Area)
Corner Cafe is technically a comfort-food and bakery chainlet, but in the Kansas City metro, regulars talk about it like their neighborhood fish fry.
Their own blog and social posts gush about American farm-raised catfish served as fillets or in hearty baskets with fries, coleslaw, and little cornbread muffins.
All three Missouri locations – Riverside, Liberty, and Independence – are still active, with a fried-catfish feature article published just a couple of months ago and fresh catfish strip basket promos on Facebook and Instagram.
It’s exactly the kind of plate that makes you linger over a second refill of iced tea.
9. Veit’s Pub & Grill – Jefferson City
On the edge of Jefferson City, Veit’s looks like a friendly sports bar at first glance, but the menu reads like a love letter to Midwest comfort food – with fried catfish tucked right into the favorites.
Their online menu lists a fried catfish entree that’s hand-breaded and fried to a deep golden brown.
Customers in the reviews call it some of the best catfish in mid-Missouri.
The restaurant’s website, chamber-of-commerce listing, and Facebook page all show the Lorenzo Greene Drive location open with regular hours and daily specials in 2025, making it a reliable stop when catfish cravings hit in the capital city.
10. Flat Creek Restaurant – Cape Fair (plus Ozarks locations)
At Flat Creek’s lakeside Cape Fair location, catfish and the Ozarks go hand-in-hand.
The restaurant is perched near Table Rock Lake, and the menu leans hard into all-you-can-eat Southern plates – especially fried chicken and fried catfish on certain nights, plus a Sunday spread that keeps locals lingering after church.
Their official site lists multiple Missouri locations, including Republic and Bolivar, and spells out weekly specials with all-you-can-eat fried catfish on the calendar.
Recent reviews praise the catfish specifically.
It’s the sort of place where your server warns you to save room, and you ignore them anyway.
11. Fall Creek Steak & Catfish House – Branson
Branson has no shortage of tourist restaurants, but Fall Creek stands out by balancing steakhouse indulgence with genuinely good catfish.
The name says it plainly: steak and catfish share top billing.
The dining room is known for its playful tossed rolls and lively atmosphere, while the menu highlights fried catfish platters alongside ribs, steaks, and other road-trip comfort classics.
TripAdvisor, Yelp, and the restaurant’s own presence on Branson dining sites show it operating at 997 Hwy 165, with menus and group-event info updated through 2025.
Some listings note seasonal off-season closures, so check dates before you go, but when it’s open, it’s very much a catfish destination.
12. Mr Golden Fish Chicken Shrimp & More – O’Fallon
On Veterans Memorial Parkway in O’Fallon, Mr Golden feels like a little slice of Louisiana parked in suburban Missouri.
The menu is built around crispy fried fish and seafood with a Cajun accent, and their own site and social feeds brag about catfish fillets and catfish nuggets alongside shrimp, gumbo, and po’boys.
Uber Eats shows a 4.9-star rating with a very current menu, while the restaurant’s Facebook page lists the O’Fallon address and phone number with active posts about catfish specials in 2025.
It’s the kind of place where you leave smelling faintly of fry oil and spice, and you’re completely okay with that.
13. Missouri Hick Bar-B-Que – Cuba (Route 66 Catfish Fridays)
Missouri Hick in Cuba is famous for barbecue, but if you talk to locals about Friday nights, the conversation quickly turns to catfish.
Alongside smoked brisket and ribs, the restaurant regularly runs all-you-can-eat catfish or unlimited catfish basket specials with fries, coleslaw, and hushpuppies, as advertised in recent Facebook posts that still tag the Cuba, MO location.
Yelp and TripAdvisor list it as open and busy on Route 66, and 2025 social posts hype both the BBQ and those Fish Friday deals.
It’s a great pick if your group is split between ribs and fried catfish and nobody’s willing to compromise.