Ronnie Hang

Really unassuming place...but then again, 85% of Waco is. However look beyond the less than ideal curb appeal and step inside...more of the same but the staff is friendly and the food is good. This chain offers moderately priced dishes with good portions. I don't claim to be the fish fry taste expert but these are good. The batter could use more flavor to bring out the texture of the catfish but that's the fun of dipping it in tarter sauce I reckon. No complaints. You want decor and whimsical birthday song and dance? Go to Red Lobster. You want good catfish basket? Check this place out

Joy Clifton

I drove through, the food was delicious as usual. But a group of employees were smoking pot in the parking lot, gathered around a car belonging to one of them, and the smoke was strong as I sat with my window down waiting for my order. They looked at me drove by, with a don't care attitude . Why do employees lately have not a care for the reputation of their businesses?

Vicki Parker

This was a disappointment. I've eaten at the Catfish King in Livingston several times and it's great. I was expecting the same here. Not much was the same. My husband said the fish was good. Chicken tenders weren't. Maybe I had my expectations set too high?

Rick B.

Walking into Catfish King on South Valley Mills in Waco, I was met with a scene straight out of a Texas roadside diner playbook—rustic wooden walls, dim lighting, and an atmosphere that leaned more toward functional than inviting. The counter greeted me first, along with an employee who, when asked how his day was going, responded with, “It’s tolerable.” Not great, not bad—just tolerable. That set the tone for what was to come. The Food: A Catch That’s Been Sitting Too Long I ordered the Special Catch Cajun, which came with four fillets of catfish, coleslaw (which I opted out of), Cajun beans, fries, hush puppies (or cusp puppies, as the menu amusingly listed them), and pickled relish. Instead of coleslaw, I went for double beans and rice, which turned out to be the best decision of the meal. Catfish: The Lamp’s Unforgiving Embrace The catfish arrived at my table quickly—too quickly. That’s always a telltale sign. Freshly fried fish takes a few extra minutes, but this was clearly pre-cooked and held under a heat lamp, its outer crust already succumbing to time. It lacked that crisp bite that a proper cornmeal batter should have. Inside, the fish wasn’t tender and flaky but rather… something else. You know that texture when fish has just been sitting too long? Yeah, that. Fries & Hush Puppies: Mere Afterthoughts The fries—uninspired, limp, and pale—relied entirely on salt, pepper, and ketchup to be anything beyond filler. They had that “we don’t season these because condiments exist” energy. As for the hush puppies? Dense. Heavy. They’re not there to be enjoyed; they’re there to take up space. The kind of hush puppies that make you wish you’d saved room for literally anything else. Pickled Relish: A Lonely, Neglected Sidekick The pickled relish? An afterthought. I couldn’t figure out why it was even included in the meal. It didn’t complement the fish, nor did it have a reason to be on the plate. It felt like it was placed there out of habit rather than culinary intention. Beans and Rice: The Unsuspecting Star of the Show If anything deserves praise, it’s the beans and rice. Spiced just enough to be interesting, they provided the only real comfort in the meal. The heat, the texture, the seasoning—it was the one thing that didn’t feel rushed or neglected. If I were to come back, it would be for these alone. The Atmosphere: A Job, Not a Passion Catfish King doesn’t hum with the energy of a place that loves what it does. The employees were present but not engaged—there to do their job, but not to make anyone’s day better. And I get it, not every place needs to be a vibrant, high-energy eatery. But this was the kind of place where you felt like you were interrupting rather than being welcomed. Final Verdict: 3.5 Stars (Mostly for the Beans and Rice) Would I come back? Maybe—for the beans and rice. But for catfish? Not unless it’s guaranteed fresh. If you’re going to call yourself Catfish King, the fish should be the highlight, not the disappointment. Here, it was just tolerable—and maybe that’s the best way to sum up the whole experience.

+14

Rick McGilvray

I'd leave a five-star rating instead of a two if they didn't constantly ANNOY the CRAP outta me by closing at a RIDICULOUS EIGHT O'CLOCK.... Frankly, I think that's STUPID. It started during COVID and they've just never gone back to operating like a NORMAL BUSINESS... I would eat there three or four times a month, easy; if I didn't always feel like "I hafta HURRY if I wanna eat Catfish King for supper!" Because I almost always eat later than that, they get my business maybe three or four times a YEAR instead of three or four times a MONTH.... And I know I can't be the only one.!🤨🤷

Sharon

Fish was not hot or freshly cooked. Beans, slaw, and fries were good. Tables had not been wiped off and restaurant, in general, was not clean. Fork holder was dirty, too. Kids were too busy talking about video games and using inappropriate language to take care of business. Manager needs to manage and clean up the place!!!

VaRonica Jackson

Definitely don't come an hour before close because they'll serve you food that's not hot. This place used to be really good. Not anymore for me.

Christie Archibald

Restaurant extremely dirty, food terrible. Health dept needs to visit this establishment. Employee taking orders removed his cap scratching his head. Running his hands through his hair. Unbelievably dirty and poorly managed.

Christina McCutchen

Everytime my Aunt gets catfish for my mom and me with fries and beans coleslaw The fish is always dry & the food is still dry & recently got fish and fries & beans & coldsaw we don’t like that food it is already dry ordered again on 11-29-25

Dshanique Taylor

The food was nasty. Fish NASTY. Rice NASTY. The only thing good was my drink, the damn fish tasted like chicken. I ended up going to Popeyes. I should’ve followed my first mind.