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Catfish Johnnys

4.1 (126 reviews)
ModerateSeafood, American
Closed • Closed

Catfish Johnnys Photos

CATFISH JOHNNYS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Catfish Tenders
Jo B.

Tried Catfish Johnnys for a birthday lunch. Parts of our visit were awesome and parts were so-so. Greeted and seated immediately on a Thursday lunch. Told our waitress it was first time visit and she enthusiastically welcomed us and shared what CJ is known for. We decided on catfish tenders and perch. Food came out in which time and portions seemed proper. Catfish tenders were indeed very tender. Perch was tough in some bites. We did fries, coleslaw and grits for sides. Standard run of the mill flavor. Our hush puppies had a sweetness and we asked waitress about them. She didn't know why we found them sweet but told us about their corn fritters. She even went and got us some to try - as it was the end of our meal, the corn fritters became our dessert (they were yummy!) For some reason we expected to see water from the restaurant (fish restaurant + Lake Panasoffkee).

Kay H.

I found a fav new Florida restaurant! I had the gator bites basket and my hubs had the shrimp. The bites were wonderfully tender and perfectly cooked. The coleslaw was fantastic, tasted like my grandma's. I also loved the atmosphere in general. No frills, just good food. Lisa W was amazing! A perfect waitress -caring, attentive, and warm. My only complaint would be my husband's hush puppies. I think they put them in the oil too soon. He gave them to me to eat bc he didn't care for them and after I took a bite, I could see why. Pure grease and the inside was yellow instead of a bright white like the rest of ours. It was a very gross bite, thankfully at the end of my meal. My parents also had baskets, perch and catfish fingers. The catfish fingers were very tender. My hub's shrimp was good, light flash of coating instead of being buried in breading. The breaded onion ring app was also delish. I love that they were battered rings. The price was a little steep around a buck a ring, but good. We had key lime pie for dessert and it was amazing! Tart, homemade, beautiful. Great portions, quality food, good people.

Bar, register.
Peter B.

We had a great lunch-dinner. Our server was as helpful and attentive. My 2 guests enjoyed their meals and so did I. I'm not used to grouper being served like this but I'm spoiled after having Frenchy's for so many years. There is an attached tap room but to get a beer, you must walk over there. It is a separate business. Odd. My only minor nit, a card on the table advertising 12 oz pours of Michelob Ultra for $3.50 ended up being a mason jar that didn't look like 12 ounces. I didn't measure it. I will return.

Broiled seafood platter with cheese grits and corn fritters.
Sandra W.

Located just a few miles off Interstate 75 in Central FL, Catfish Johnny's offers a true home cooked fresh seafood experience. I ordered the broiled seafood platter and was not able to finish it there was so much delicious food. Wonderfully seasoned and cooked to perfection, the cheese grits are some of the best I have ever eaten. Hubby had the shrimp dinner and also enjoyed everything about his meal from the fresh side salad ingredients to the lightly breaded shrimp. They were quite busy when we arrived, and the servers worked very well together to ensure all patrons were well taken care of. We enjoyed looking at all the local memorabilia along the walls depicting fishing adventures and alligator encounters. We overheard the group at the table beside us say they had driven 30 miles to eat at Catfish Johnny's tonight! We can see why. We highly recommend Catfish Johnny's restaurant as a true locally-owned delight in beautiful Lake Panasoffkee, FL.

This is Chris the bartender at Pat's Taps , who let us sample some brews before we ordered . Very friendly too
Tricia L.

Loved everything, the service was as great as the food. It's not a very large menu but, everything we order was delicious and cooked just the way everyone asked for it. I had a Cheeseburger which I couldn't even finish large and cooked perfectly. We arrived early so we could have an adult beverage adjacent to Johnnys called Pat's Tap. The bartender was terrific, even letting us sample a few of the brews . It's a very casual place so no need to dress up . We had a group of six and sat in the back room . Would definitely go back again. Very reasonable priced and the little hush puppies they gave us were a great treat. To full to have dessert , next time I will save some room.

Fried green tomatoes
Kerri E.

This is an unassuming place that would be easy to pass by. The inside is small but quaint and the also serves outdoor on the deck for lunch. The server was top notch. Just a rarely found nice, happy person, I believe her name was Ashley. Had fried green tomatoes as an appetizer. It was good and 6 big slices. Unfortunately it came out about 2 minutes before the food and was really hot, so brought most of it home. I had the peel and east shrimp special, with fried okra and cole slaw, it also came with hush puppies. Very tasty and more food than I could eat. Pepsi products but I had a sweet tea that was good. They are closed on Sunday. I will back!

Outdoor dining

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13 days ago

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Sandra H.

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9 months ago

Great atmosphere and delicious food. Our waitress was so sweet and attentive. We plan on going back again.

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1 year ago

Excellent food, large portions! The staff has always been friendly and atmosphere is like your family! Highly recommend!

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2 years ago

Food was good, service great and a long wait to eat was worth it. Tastefully decorated and very well run front check in and out.

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3 years ago

Great place with great food and atmosphere. A Lake Panasoffkee treasure for many years.

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2 years ago

Super delicious food always! Family run & homemade desserts!! Great service too!! Watch their Facebook page too for hours & specials.

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Ask the Community - Catfish Johnnys

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Service was excellent. It's exactly what you think it is. A good home cooked fish fry type meal…read more Had the grouper dinner which I split with my mom. The picture makes it look smaller than it actually is. The plate was huge. Also have the lobster bisque. Excellent. Also get the hush puppies on the side item. Very good.

This little gem of a place off the main road on a canal. We were welcomed and to watch out for the…read morestep. Stepping down into dinning&Bar area but looking through the back Windows is an outdoor patio&yard area on beautiful Florida day for lunch who is sitting inside. not me! They told us to pick our seat outside since we were the first to arrive that day for lunch. Adorable space they created outside and even a deck and dock on the canal to choose to sit for lunch. Soft music playing and we had it all to ourselves for about 20 mins and then it filled up. The gentleman was happy, cheerful and kind. Great selection of seafood on the menu. We chose the redfish sandwich, slaw&fries. He did tell us everything is homemade even the sauces. The redfish was moist, flavorful with a good amount of fish, the redfish was not fishy at all. Very good. slaw was delicious little sweet had no carrots but that was ok did not miss them. Tartar&cocktail was fresh and you could taste that it was homemade. French fries looked like they just peeled the potatoes cut and lightly fried them perfectly. A little crunch on the outside and soft in the inside. The story of this little gem of place. old owners had it for 36yrs. Retired that in it self is a special thing. Then sold it to another guy who kept everything the same and restored the buildings and spruced up the place a bit along with getting a full liquor license. Don't fix a menu that is not broken just add to it. He will have it for another 36yrs. Glad the beat goes on and I got to experience a little of hometown Inverness. A Happy Place!

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My husband and I love hanging out here. It's great not to have to find a parking place in one of…read morethe squares then walk to a restaurant. The food and drinks are good and also not as expensive as in the squares. But the best part? The view of the lake for sure.

Beautiful setting, completely unacceptable service…read more We sat at the bar while the bartender finished with the guests next to us. I asked for menus and was told, "I'll be right with you." Instead, those guests handed us theirs. When she came back, I asked about the specials. Her answer: "I don't know, I didn't write them down... some kind of fish with risotto." I said I was interested in the soup. She left to find out, came back with "chicken noodle and Thai soup,." When I asked what was in the Thai soup, she said, "I don't know, but there's fish in it." That's not just bad service, it's careless. People have allergies and dietary restrictions. Not knowing what's in the food is inexcusable. I went inside and spoke with the manager, who apologized and agreed that the staff should know the menu and the specials. My husband ordered the pulled pork sandwich with fries for $16.95. It came out with barely any pork and limp, lifeless fries. It's unfortunate, because the setting is beautiful. But between the service and the food, it's simply not worth it. I didn't eat. The service was so poor I lost my appetite. We definitely won't be back.

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Catfish Johnnys - seafood - Updated May 2026

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