Catfish Palace
Seafood · Athens
Savor fresh seafood in Athens
About Catfish Palace
At Catfish Palace in Athens, TX 75751, we're proud to offer an exceptional seafood dining experience that has earned us a well-deserved 4.1/5 rating from over 433 delighted guests. Nestled along US-175 BUSINESS, our restaurant is not just a place to eat but a destination where you can enjoy the fres...
At Catfish Palace in Athens, TX 75751, we're proud to offer an exceptional seafood dining experience that has earned us a well-deserved 4.1/5 rating from over 433 delighted guests. Nestled along US-175 BUSINESS, our restaurant is not just a place to eat but a destination where you can enjoy the freshest Gulf Coast and local catches prepared with care and creativity. From delicate poached catfish to sumptuous seafood stews, our menu celebrates the flavors of the sea with a variety of dining options suitable for every occasion. Whether you're seeking a cozy spot for a casual meal or a more refined setting for a special event, we strive to make your experience memorable and delicious. Come taste the difference that comes from serving only the finest seafood in Athens!
What Customers Say About Catfish Palace
Catfish Palace is known for its generous portions of fried fish and friendly service, especially from waitress Stacy. Customers rave about the hush puppies and affordable prices. Some reviewers mention the fish may be swai instead of catfish.
Popular Dishes
Best For
Tip: Order the fried fish and hush puppies. Be aware that the catfish may be swai.
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Frequently asked questions about Catfish Palace
Catfish Palace Athens Reviews
The only thing I can complain about is the stuff on the table, always sticky (but they are busy, I understand). However it is one of our fav food spots. They know what we want when we walk in, and are always friendly. New management is great and God loving ! ✝️🥰❤️
First place we went to after moving to Athens. Everything is great! From the down home atmosphere, to our hard working waitress, Stacy, to the perfectly seasoned catfish. We always leave full, happy and satisfied. One of those places you always take family and friends when they visit.
Great food. The staff was very friendly. They had K-Love playing on the radio, and I KNEW that I was in the right place.
Man this place was really good. I knew the owners were fairly new from the last time I had eaten here. Stacy was a great waitress. They had hush puppies the size of baseballs! Everything was perfectly cooked. Best fried catfish you will find.
Great food and lots of it! Plates are loaded full and taste great. Service was awesome!
Great place with delicious food and the hush puppies are the best in county!!!!!!!!!I definitely recommend!!!!!!! So good!!!! If i could rate it 100 stars i would!!!!!!!
When we first walked in, we were the only ones there. That quickly changed. People started coming in and the dining room was filling up. Our waitress/hostess Stacy was so friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. This place really delivers on their fried fish and shrimp! Everything tasted good! I was really impressed by the hush puppies! They had a hint of heat and they were soft.... not rock hard like most places. Stacy was working the room effortlessly, waiting on everyone while keeping my tea glass filled. To anyone who has read my reviews before, they know I do not like waiting on refills. Stacy did not disappoint! The tea tastes good and not weak. That too is a plus! The restaurant itself has a laid-back atmosphere, which I love! It was my first time visiting. It will not be my last time! Give this place a try. You will not be disappointed!
Wow! Can’t beat their prices and service. You get A LOT of food you have to take it home. I don’t pass through here often but this is my #2 favorite catfish restaurant in all my travels through the south. #1 place is in Arkansas. So this would be the Best In Texas! Their first original menu is hanging on the wall (photo attached) along with their current menu as of April 2024.
Excellent food great fish large hush puppies very good Good salad bar Good place to eat.
Overall the meal was great. I had the seafood platter. Fish and shrimp were great. The crab was good but a little small. Hush puppies definitely a HIT! I also tried the gumbo but it doesn't stand up to New Orleans style. Would love to see whole catfish added to the menu!
Newly renovated inside. Service was great, and the grilled fish and shrimp were delicious . It's still a little dark inside, so sit near a window.
With the $12.99 all you can eat deal, you get bottomless cole slaw, hush puppies, shrimp/fish/chicken (all or any combination of the above), baked potato/french fries, green tomato relish. They have other very affordable a la carte/platters as well, e.g. fish and chips platter with sides for $6.99. It's not fine dining by any means, but you can expect a good meal and great service.
Catfish palace, the name is catching, however the fish is not catfish, it is SWAI ! , imported fish from Indonesia and Vietnam, if you like SWAI, its fried up good, hush puppies are good also, but there is no American farm raised catfish!
I was super excited about this visit. Not what I was hoping for. The service was good. If you're going to eat here, stay with the fish. I tried the all-you-can-eat. The catfish was ok. It should have been outstanding. The chicken was tender; but, dry and lacking in flavor. The shrimp was chewy. The sides were good. My 1st basket was the last, and I couldn't eat the shrimp. The facilities are aged and in need of a good cleaning. I'll try a different restaurant on my next trip to Athens.
I wish there was some redeeming qualities for this dumpster fire of a restaurant. Everything was simply swamped in Greece. The fish was a soggy greasy mess. You can have better fish from a bait shop. Their pathetic attempt at homemade french fries was nothing but an undercooked soggy mess of potatoes and they’re so-called hush puppies might as well have been called a grease soaked roll. Our visit was February 20, 2026. Save yourself the disappointment and go somewhere else. if you want fish go to Captain D’s.
We visited for the first time ever on a night that they had people singing gospel music. The music was the only thing good that I can say about the place. The food was absolutely horrible to the point of inedible. We didn't even finish our meal. The wait staff was just as bad as the food. We couldn't get their attention to take our order. When we finally did get to order, the food was not good at all and when the lady brought it to us she asked if we needed anything else and also gave us our ticket right then and NEVER RETURNED to our table to check on us. Both waitresses walked right by our table several times and we literally could not get their attention. At one point they completely disappeared from the dining room for about 20 minutes. We had to go to the kitchen door to ask for a refill on our drinks. When the lady FINALLY came to refill them she asked if we were doing ok and we told her no we were not ok and she had the nerve to tell us that "sometimes it is valued to not be ok". I have to wonder why you would EVER say that to a customer that you are supposed to be taking care of and probably expecting a tip from. Needless to say I don't think we will be back. The photos I am sharing are of the food that we didn't finish. You can see where a piece of chicken was burnt and some of the fish was almost burnt and too dry to eat. This meal was just not worth the $28 and change that we had to pay for it.
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About Catfish Palace
How to get there
200 US-175 BUS, Athens, TX 75751
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200 US-175 BUS, Athens, TX 75751
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