This Classic Alabama Roadside Spot Still Serves Comfort Plates That Feel Like Home
I still remember the first time someone told me about a fish shack on the Tombigbee where the catfish comes out crackling and the slaw has a cult following. Ezell’s Fish Camp isn’t trying to be fancy or reinvent Southern cooking.
It just sits there on the riverbank, doing what it’s done for decades: serving up plates so satisfying you’ll want to high-five the cook.
Housed in a dogtrot cabin with a history older than your great-grandma’s skillet, this Alabama place has become a pilgrimage site for anyone who craves real, unpretentious comfort food.
Locals pack the tables on weekends, and out-of-towners plan road trips around a single meal here.
If you’ve been searching for a spot that feels like Sunday supper at your favorite aunt’s house, this is it.
The river road that always leads you back
Driving toward Ezell’s feels like stepping into a postcard you didn’t know you needed. A narrow two-lane ribbon unspools past towering pines and open pasture, the kind of scenery that makes you roll down the windows and breathe deep.
Then the Tombigbee River unfolds in front of you, wide and calm, and perched right on its bank is a weathered cabin that looks like it’s been waiting just for you.
Ezell’s sits just north of the Highway 10 bridge at Lavaca, a genuine roadside landmark where the water slides past at its own lazy pace. I’ve made this drive more times than I can count, and every single trip feels like coming home.
Locals bring their kids here to teach them the magic of crispy catfish and bottomless sweet tea, traditions passed down like treasured recipes.
A dogtrot cabin turned community table
Long before anyone served a single plate here, this building had a completely different life. Originally a simple dogtrot log cabin, it served as a trading post during the Civil War, a place where goods and gossip changed hands.
Later, it became a family fish-fry camp, the kind of spot where neighbors gathered under the stars to share stories and fresh catches.
What started as big outdoor fish fries back in the 1930s eventually evolved into one of the South’s most beloved riverfront restaurants.
The old cabin’s bones still stand strong, holding up walls now filled with laughter and the scent of hot oil.
Walking through the door feels like entering a living museum where history and hospitality shake hands over every meal served.
The double-gold: fried catfish and world-famous slaw
Ask anyone who’s been here what to order and you’ll get the same answer before they even finish chewing: catfish and slaw.
The catfish arrives with a crust so perfectly golden and crunchy it practically sings when you bite down. Paired with the cool, creamy slaw, it’s a combination that has earned legendary status across the state.
This dynamic duo isn’t just popular, it’s officially recognized. Alabama Tourism included it on their list of best dishes, and trust me, that’s not hyperbole.
The slaw has a tangy sweetness that cuts through the richness of the fried fish in a way that makes you understand why people drive hours for this exact plate.
Hushpuppies that taste like front-porch evenings
Baskets of hushpuppies land on your table before you’ve even settled into your seat, and suddenly, your hand is reaching before your brain catches up.
These aren’t just fried cornmeal balls; they’re little nuggets of Southern tradition, hot and fragrant, with a texture that’s crispy outside and tender within.
One bite and you’re transported to summer evenings on a screened porch, the kind of memory you can taste.
Ezell’s has been serving these beauties since the early river gatherings that started it all. The recipe hasn’t changed much over the decades because, honestly, why mess with perfection.
Every basket connects you to generations of fish fries and family celebrations that happened right here on this riverbank.
Comfort plates, plain and simple, done right
Catfish might be the star, but the menu at Ezell’s reads like a love letter to Southern home cooking.
Shrimp, oysters, combo platters, chicken, frog legs, and po’boys all make appearances, each one prepared with the kind of care that reminds you food doesn’t have to be complicated to be outstanding.
Classic sides round out every plate, giving you that true meat-and-three spirit without any pretension.
Everything here feels familiar, generous, and wonderfully unhurried. Nobody’s rushing you through your meal or trying to impress you with fancy plating.
Instead, you get honest portions of food that taste exactly like what you hoped for when you walked through the door, maybe even a little better.
Weekends on the Tombigbee
Ezell’s operates on a schedule that respects both tradition and reality: Thursday through Sunday only.
Families, hunters fresh from the woods, and road-trippers all converge here during those four days, timing their arrivals for a late lunch and a prime spot on the deck overlooking the river.
The concentrated hours mean every service feels like an event, a gathering rather than just another meal out.
Planning your visit around their open days is absolutely worth the effort. I’ve learned the hard way that showing up on a Monday leads only to disappointment and a grumbling stomach.
Check their schedule, mark your calendar, and make the drive when the doors are open.
A gathering place across generations
Stories cling to these walls as thick as the old timber holding them up.
Wedding parties have celebrated here in full camo during hunting season, families have gathered for reunions that stretch across multiple tables, and friends meet for catch-ups where passing the slaw is as important as any conversation.
Ezell’s isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a destination people happily drive hours to reach, sometimes crossing state lines just to sit at these tables again.
Every visit feels like joining a larger story, one that’s been unfolding for decades. Regulars greet each other by name, and newcomers get folded into the warmth without hesitation.
That sense of belonging is rarer than you’d think in today’s world.
Getting there: the classic roadside detour
Finding Ezell’s is half the adventure and entirely worth it. Punch the address into your GPS and follow the road as it bends and curves toward the water.
You’ll find the restaurant perched on the west bank of the Tombigbee at the Choctaw-Marengo county line, just a few minutes off Alabama Highway 10.
The moment the river comes into view, you know you’re close, and anticipation starts building in your chest.
This isn’t the kind of place you stumble upon by accident. It requires intention, a willingness to veer off the main route, and trust that the detour will pay off.
Spoiler alert: it always does, usually with a plate of catfish and a view that makes you forget whatever rush you were in.