Tennessee has plenty of fancy restaurants, but some of the best meals in the state still come with hush puppies, white beans, and a pile of slaw. Fried catfish is a true Southern tradition here, served at riverside lodges, small-town dining rooms, and busy city kitchens.
This road trip starts near the Tennessee River in the west and rolls all the way to Chattanooga, with seven catfish stops that keep the old ways alive. Pack your appetite, check the hours, and get ready to eat your way across the state.
1. Hagy’s Catfish Hotel Restaurant, Shiloh, TN
Start the trip where the river does the decorating. Hagy’s Catfish Hotel sits on Hagy Lane in Shiloh, inside a historic building with a clear view of the Tennessee River.
The family-run restaurant is known for catfish, shrimp, and other Southern classics. The whole fried catfish is lightly battered, seasoned well, and served sliced so the mild, flaky meat pulls away from the bone.
Not into bones? The catfish fillets are a simple swap, and broiled Cajun catfish is on hand too.
Fried green tomatoes, deep fried frog legs, hush puppies, and the seafood platter round out a menu with real Southern range.
A fireplace adds charm on cooler days, and there is outdoor seating when the weather cooperates. Families get high chairs and a kids’ menu.
Hagy’s is open Tuesday through Sunday and closed Mondays. Friday evenings and Saturdays get busy, so a weekday lunch is the calmer play, and reservations are accepted.
2. Boyette’s Dining Room, Tiptonville, TN
Since 1921, Boyette’s has been feeding folks in Tiptonville, a small northwest Tennessee town near Reelfoot Lake. That is more than a century of catfish dinners.
The menu sticks to regional cooking. You will find Southern fried catfish, the restaurant’s own special country ham, fried chicken, and all the trimmings.
Dinners come complete with house recipe onion rings, fries, beans, and hush puppies or rolls. Portions are generous, and there is an all-you-can-eat option for serious appetites.
I like this stop for its setting as much as the food. The vintage building has a stone fireplace and a homey, down-home style that fits the lake country around it.
Prices typically land around $10 to $20 per person. Boyette’s is closed Mondays and open until 8:30 PM Tuesday through Saturday, so it pairs well with a day exploring Reelfoot Lake.
3. Catfish Cabin, Jackson, TN
The name tells you exactly what you are getting. Catfish Cabin is a big, rustic spot on South Highland Avenue in Jackson, an easy break for anyone crossing West Tennessee.
Catfish comes as a fillet or whole, and it fries up crispy without being greasy. Plates arrive with white beans, slaw, and fries or a baked potato, plus hush puppies.
Coleslaw is unlimited, and the sweet tea comes in enormous glasses. For a change of pace, blackened catfish, fried Gulf shrimp, snapper, and Cabin Catch crab legs are all on the menu.
The dining room is roomy, and the staff handle large parties well. That makes it a smart pick for a family reunion or a whole carload of hungry travelers.
Timing matters here. Monday through Thursday it opens at 4 PM, while weekends start at 11 AM, and Friday nights are the busiest stretch.
4. Catfish Kitchen, Burns, TN
Cornmeal and flour. That classic batter is the backbone of the catfish at Catfish Kitchen, a Highway 70 stop in Burns, out in quiet Dickson County.
The fish is fried crispy with a light spice. Sides stay traditional, with creamy coleslaw, white beans topped with red pepper relish, and hushpuppies.
Fries are made in-house, and all-you-can-eat catfish is available. Fried scallops and quail give regulars a reason to branch out.
The restaurant is clean and casual, with high chairs for little ones and plenty of free parking. Live music and a vegetarian menu add a few surprises for a country fish house.
Plan around the schedule. It opens at 4 PM Tuesday through Saturday, serves from 11:30 AM on Sundays, and closes Mondays.
5. Catfish House, Clarksville, TN
Free fried okra on the table is a strong opening move. Catfish House, a storied family-owned mainstay on Zinc Plant Road in Clarksville, knows how to start a meal.
Catfish shows up several ways here. You can go battered, grilled, or blackened, and the Cajun strips have a fan base of their own.
The Catfish Strips Dinner and Grilled Catfish Dinner are menu staples. Fried pickles, white beans, baked potatoes, hush puppies, and a seafood platter keep the table full, and steaks are there for anyone not in a fish mood.
The setting is relaxed and quiet, which suits a slow Sunday lunch. Service is attentive, and the sweet tea gets plenty of attention too.
Reservations are not accepted, so arrive early on Friday and Saturday evenings. The restaurant opens at 4 PM Tuesday through Saturday and 11:30 AM on Sundays.
6. Uncle Bud’s Catfish Chicken & Such, Nashville, TN
Nashville may be famous for hot chicken, but Donelson has a catfish tradition too. Uncle Bud’s sits on Old Lebanon Pike with playful decor and a long history in the area.
All-you-can-eat catfish is still the big draw. Fillets and whole catfish are cooked to order, and the bottomless fixings keep coming.
Can’t choose between fish and bird? The Catfish and Bone-In Chicken combo settles it, and frog legs, gator tails, and chicken livers are there for the curious.
Save room for dessert. Banana pudding and peach dump cake make a sweet finish.
Hours are unusual, so check before you go. It is closed Monday and Tuesday, opens at 3 PM Wednesday and Thursday, and does not take reservations.
7. Uncle Larry’s, Chattanooga, TN
Finding catfish with proper cornmeal breading is harder than it should be. Uncle Larry’s on East M.L.
King Boulevard in Chattanooga gets it right, making it a fitting last stop.
The fried catfish comes out hot and well seasoned, with a Cajun version for anyone who likes a kick. Whiting and perch share the menu, including a large whiting dinner.
Sides are fresh and cooked to order. Fried okra, fried green tomatoes, white beans, and coleslaw all belong on the table, and a catfish sandwich works for a quicker bite.
Banana pudding closes things out nicely. The staff is welcoming, and the casual setting keeps the focus on the food.
Hours are short, so plan ahead. Uncle Larry’s is open Tuesday through Saturday, closes by 7 or 8 PM, and is closed Sunday and Monday.
From Shiloh to Chattanooga, these seven kitchens prove old-school catfish is alive and well in Tennessee. Save this list, grab a friend, and bring an appetite.
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