A Wonderful Evening at Dead Fish Grill We went to Dead Fish Grill last night with friends, and everything was absolutely top-notch! The food was fantastic, and the appetizers were almost enough for a full meal. Everything looked so delicious that we decided to try several different options--and nothing disappointed! The beet salad was amazing, and the catfish bites were absolutely delicious. Our waitress was wonderful, and the atmosphere was lively, fun, and welcoming. I highly recommend Dead Fish Grill and am already looking forward to the many fun events on the horizon! What a great evening with great friends! read more

My wife and I make a point to come here about every three or four months. It's a decent drive for us, but we enjoy the scenery and really like sitting outside on the deck when the weather is nice. Finding good, fresh seafood in the middle of Texas isn't always easy, and this place has a really nice variety of seafood and Cajun dishes. They also have plenty of beer to choose from, which never hurts. One thing that has always stood out to us is the service. The wait staff tends to be a little more experienced, and you can tell they actually care about taking care of their tables. We've always had good service when we've visited. Prices are reasonable, especially for seafood, and overall it's just a nice place to spend an afternoon or evening. It works equally well for taking the family or sitting out on the deck for a date night. It's far enough away that we don't go all the time, but close enough that we keep finding our way back every few months. read more

Absolutely incredible! This is our second visit to Dead Fish, and I can confidently say they don't miss a beat! From the moment you walk in, the service is impeccable, no matter how busy they are. It's a symphony of flavors in every dish, orchestrated by chefs who truly care about their craft. Having dined from coast to coast and even across continents, I can attest that the culinary talent here is exceptional. One common letdown at seafood restaurants is the hesitance to season and enhance flavors, but not here! The chefs are not just cooking; they're passionately crafting dishes that explode with taste. Take the Cajun pasta, for example. At first glance, it seemed like it might be a bit lacking in flavor, but the moment my wife and I took our first bite, it was a flavor explosion that left us both speechless! I'm pretty sure I could enjoy that dish for the rest of my life! The Rainbow Trout was nothing short of perfection, the catfish was divine, and the fried calamari had us coming back for more. My wife and I have even started a fun challenge to see if we can find a single mediocre dish on the menu, but I don't think we'll ever succeed! Hats off to the team at Dead Fish! This restaurant is an absolute gem, and each visit leaves us wanting more. If you're looking for a place that serves exceptional seafood with a punch of flavor, look no further. Well done, Dead Fish! read more

This restaurant has SO MUCH POTENTIAL yet it falls short every time I go. This last time we went (6/20/26) it was for a new reason. It was in the mid 80s and over 50% humidity outside. We were wanting to sit outside for the amazing view. We are led to the table closest to the back door. The misters were on like an indoor sprinkler fire suppression system. I'm talking soaking wet everything. Our table was getting misted and the chairs on the mister side had puddles of water on the seats. This is because the humidity outside was too high for misters to be effective (they cool air via evaporation- it was too humid for this to occur). We asked our waitress (who was great) if we could get the misters turned down or off since they were not making it any cooler and just getting everything soaking wet and she said she didn't want to get in trouble. I said they could be mad at us and just tell the manager the misters are getting everything wet. She gave the impression that she'd asked this several times before and management denied customer requests to turn them off. It was so soaking wet the floor had a "caution wet floor" sign on it, which means management was aware of the state of the situation and did nothing. ? Management, if the misters are resulting in wet surfaces, that means the mist is not evaporating, and the misters are not working. This is a very simple concept. There are other things that could be improved. Once the sun started setting we were getting blinded so we all moved to the other side of the table facing away from the sun (and the lake). This is an easy fix- install some shades! This is a double solution as they can be used to retain warmth in cold weather. Overall the food was really good. The gumbo was weirdly gelatinous and did NOT TASTE LIKE traditional gumbo- I'm from southeast Texas, from a long line of Cajun cooks. It tasted more like gravy and had a gravy texture. Not really edible. The snapper was delicious. The basil cream sauce was a smart choice, but it also was way too thick and had a goopy, non-pourable texture. Seemed like too much cornstarch was added. I ordered a bahama mama and asked for the alcohol on the side because I've felt the drinks are skimped here in the past, and they only gave me 1 shot of rum when the menu says there is a light and a dark rum shot in the drink. Waitress said the drink already had the coconut rum in it- definitely didn't taste like it. Plus, I've asked for this before and they did bring out 2 shots, so I think I just got skimped which is per usual. There was also a 6-ish y/o little boy who spent about 20-30 mins running and stomping up and down the deck right alongside our table. He was enjoying himself stomping in the mister puddles. Not his fault that he wasn't being supervised or contained; his parents were somewhere way far away out of eye and earshot. I saw waitresses notice, but no one made the effort to get this child's parents to corral him back to their table. We love kids so this wasn't as big of a deal as it could have been. So much potential, so many oversights. I believe in this place and I know they can improve! read more

Dead Fish Grill - Floors, tables, chairs completely soaking wet due to obnoxious, useless misting system - American Near Me - Belton, Texas

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Came here on Sunday Memorial Day weekend for lunch with my parents (my dad recommended this spot!), and was pleasantly surprised! There was no wait, and we were seated immediately. You have the preference to pick lakeside, so we chose that and were seated outdoors with a view of Belton Lake. Upon getting seated, we orderered the Calamari, the Crab Cakes, the Fried Catfish, Shrimp and Grits, Salmon Salad, and the burger. I also got their Sunrise Tequila cocktail (as they were out of the sunset margarita that I had initially wanted to try). I loved my shrimp and grits! The dish was super tasty, and the grits were cheesy and delicious. The fried catfish was also great, and the calamari appetizer was shared amongst the four of us. I do not think I liked the crab cake as much, but it was still pretty good. My personal preference at least. My boyfriend ordered a soda, and it was nice that they let you get a collectible cup for your soda to go as well! Would come again! read more

Dead Fish Grill - fried catfish, calamari - American Near Me - Belton, Texas

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I come here most Tuesdays with my boyfriend, and we always look forward to it! The food is great, service is mostly great, and the ambience cannot be beat with the view of the lake. Not to mention, you might get lucky and see one of that cats sleeping on a shady rock outside . They keep food and little beds out for them, which I think really speaks to the kind of people working at this place. I want to go to one of their live music nights in the future. Parking is also a breeze. I recommend giving this place a shot if you haven't already! read more

I have to start with our server, Cody P. He was exceptional! Walked us through the menu, was kind, professional and exhibited wonderful service. The food was fantastic. The restaurant offers a great happy hour, beautiful views of the lake and outdoor seating. It's pretty loud in the restaurant so be prepared for that. Wide selections to choose from on the menu so there's something for everyone. Glad we had to opportunity to stop in for happy hour. read more

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Absolutely love this place on the water. Always go during the summer and enjoy the outside patio. The service is always on point and the waiters are always so nice. The food is always fresh especially the seafood. read more

Dead Fish Grill - Patio view - American Near Me - Belton, Texas

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We're visiting and our local friends recommended this spot--great call. We came here Saturday evening and they had a live concert in their dazzling side venue. Met about an hour before sunset and got seated by the big windows overlooking the lake. Drinks came out fast and the food followed quickly. We ordered two appetizers and I had the blackened cod special--everything was really good. Views and good food! read more

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Surprised and impressed will be my two words I'll use for the chicken fried snapper. I grew up in the seafood industry and seafood in landlocked locations never goes well in my opinion. This fish was seasoned and cooked to perfection. The creamy pesto was earthy, light, and complimented the snapper very well. The Brussels were shaved perfectly and roasted very well. The rice was rice. Nothing special about it but the snapper was the main attraction and I would get it again. It can easily be shared. Our waitress Angel was attention and great to our party of eight. The tables behind us were easily twenty but she worked very well managing all of her tables. I went on a Friday evening at 6:30 with a packed restaurant but the food came out rather fast. The restaurant is big yet cozy. We sat in the back alongside the windows overlooking the lake and it was a great view. The only reason I gave a four is because all of the desserts we ordered to share were underwhelming including the sweet potato cheesecake, the blueberry lemon pie, key lime pie, and banana pudding. They were either overly sweet or lacking ingredients. read more

Dead Fish Grill - Chicken Fried Snapper with Creamy Pesto - American Near Me - Belton, Texas

Dead Fish Grill at Lake Belton did not disappoint! We started with the catfish bites--fried to perfection, light, fluffy, and crisp--with tartar sauce that was spot-on. From there, we shared the Beni Flight, which came with three Benedicts topped with Hollandaise: crabcake, fried chicken, and one more classic. The crabcake was good (just not as exciting), but the fried chicken Benedict stole the show--tender, crispy chicken with waffles that were crunchy but not too crunchy, and just sweet enough. Definitely a repeat dish. The shrimp & grits? Oh. My. God. Pure comfort food heaven. Creamy, rich, and so good I found myself stealing bites back and forth with my friends. The catfish plate was also a standout, paired with surprisingly tasty corn. We finished with cinnamon donut holes served with a raspberry jam--and let me tell you, they were the perfect sweet ending. Light, fluffy, and rolled in just the right amount of cinnamon sugar, with that jam tying it all together. Of course, brunch isn't complete without drinks--we had mimosas and Aperol spritzes, which were the perfect pairing. Our server was amazing, attentive without hovering, and the whole place was clean with a relaxed atmosphere. And the view--Lake Belton spread out in front of us--made it the perfect spot to reconnect with friends I hadn't seen in over three years. Brunch here is a must. Between the food, the service, and the lakeside view, Dead Fish Grill is absolutely worth the trip. read more

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I'm updating my review for other menu items we had here. I still DO NOT recommend getting brunch here. However, we gave it another chance for the regular menu and were surprised and impressed. The Chicken Fried Snapper was amazing, I couldn't quit eating it even after I was full. The husband enjoyed his chicken fried steak as well. The Lake Sipper cocktail was nice and refreshing and my husband really liked his Bloody Mary. We got to enjoy a set by the window overlooking the lake, which was nice. We will return, especially for the snapper! read more

Dead Fish Grill - Chicken Fried Snapper - American Near Me - Belton, Texas

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DI NOT WASTE YOUR TIME FOR MOTHERS DAY!!! Very limited menu, packed crown, understaffed and slow af!!! Terrible,Terrible experience!!!!!!!!! 1.5 hours so far, waiting on food!! Seen our waitress 2 times!! This place went to sh!t !!!!!!! Long john silvers next time!!!!!!!! read more

Came here a few times to meet some of my husband's family members for brunch and a date night as well! Great spot overlooking the Belton Lake area! Food has been pretty good as well whenever we come by! I've had a few different things and they had been pretty tasty and served hot! Their calimari is probably one of my favorites and their shrimp and catfish plate is also amazing, was definitely full after that meal! Drinks: Lake Sipper was good and so was their Bahama Mamma! Our servers had been pretty spot on everytime we've eaten there as well!! Parking: LOVE how they have so much parking!! If you have a water vehicle aka jet ski, boat, they have space for those as well! read more

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We have a lot of friends that like the food here. 24 have not eaten inside, we have gotten takeout. We've tried a few fried fish or shrimp dishes and they were greasy and flavorless. Not good. The fries wither came with the food were also just greasy and stale like they were cheap frozen fries that were cooked. read more

The view is amazing and I love that the patio is so big and dog friendly. I don't think the food is anything special. Not bad but lacks some flavor and my shrimp was a little fishy. Loved the mimosa bottle option. read more

Dead Fish Grill - Mimosa bottle option. - American Near Me - Belton, Texas

My second time was just as great! Great view, food and service! I highly recommend brunch here. read more

Dead Fish Grill - Mimosa on the lake! - American Near Me - Belton, Texas

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We visited Dead Fish Grill in Belton on Mother's Day with a group of nine to celebrate my daughter's graduation. We expected it to be busy, and it definitely was, so we tried to be understanding. Our waitress was very friendly but clearly overwhelmed with too many tables. At one point, my husband had to get up to get lemons after asking several times. We arrived around 10 AM and ordered breakfast. Unfortunately, about half of our group couldn't eat their meals. The bacon and sausage were poor quality, and the eggs were overcooked. The hashbrowns were only cooked on one side. The cinnamon rolls were the highlight--fresh, oversized, and enjoyed by everyone. The view is absolutely beautiful and was the best part of our visit. We may try again for lunch or dinner and hope for a better experience. read more

The restaurant has a nice, quaint atmosphere, including and indoor and outdoor dining area overlooking the lake. The service was prompt, friendly and accommodating. The was one minor mistake with my food that was corrected immediately, sincere apologies give. As for the food, I had Blackened Catfish over Garlic Mashed Potatoes, smothered in Crawfish Étouffée, with a side of Corn and Garlic Mushrooms, while just slightly on the pricey side, the food was delicious. The fish was well seasoned, with just a hint of heat and the Étouffée was superb. read more

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Ok your server came smelling in cigars to take our order! Food was horrible no I do not recommend this place, you can't unsee their mess in the kitchen. People who were dinning didn't care to control their toddlers running around screaming so loudly. This is not a place to come and relax. I regret not listening to bad reviews. Too bad this could have been a fine dining shame on management and owner. read more

Dead Fish Grill - American Near Me - Belton, Texas

You need to get the seafood platter. While priced at $28 (without tax), it hold true to the main pillars of seafood. It comes with catfish, blackened shrimp, fried oysters, fries, and all the sauces you can dream of. This with wonderful service and amazing view ties everything together beautifully. read more

Dead Fish Grill - Seafood Platter - American Near Me - Belton, Texas

Went here while visiting some family in Texas. We had a large party and made a reservation. Lots of seating options with a large bar. The view is why you come! It was a beautiful view of the lake! Our service was friendly and we got our food really quickly. I got a pasta dish and it was done well. Everyone liked their food. If I lived in the area I would frequent this place. read more

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We have been here a few times and the food n services has always been not so great. We decided to give it another try and we have to say the food was actually good and our server Hannah was amazing read more

The food, the waitress and atmosphere! The view and the waitress made this a most pleasant experience. read more

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Khloe is amazing waiter and a vibe. She grab my wallet for me when I left it at the table, wished we coulda tipped her more. She need to be promoted or get a smiley sticker from management read more

I love this restaurant! For a long time living in the south in the country I had easy access to fried fish, fries, and shrimp. So after living in the country to the city that aspect was missing! But not here at the Dead Fish Grill where everything is made to order and delicious! We were nicely greeted by Jessica, our waitress; her attitude was bubbly, funny, and down right down to earth. She's attentive too and won't forget about you! She made our experience at DFG surely pleasurable. I highly recommend you ask for her when you go! For our meal, we started off with appetizers: the turf & surf bacon wrapped jalapenos & lemon peppered calamari. (After having a bad experience in the past with calamari, I was hesitant to try it), however here the squid didn't give me a sour stomach and I couldn't stop eating it. The taste was flavorful & good. I'd definitely order it again! As for the bacon wrapped poppers, it was okay, I wouldn't order again, seeing only 4 tiny poppers come out. I didn't taste the hint of crab neither. As for the star of the show: our main entrees. My dad ordered the shrimp plate with fries, hush puppy and he enjoyed it. I had the fish plate with shrimp, hush puppy, and corn. The fish wasn't fried hard though it was so tasty and amazing! My brother ordered the seafood tacos and noted his food was good. We got here just in time for happy hour and Jessica hooked us up, the mango margarita is straight on point with the flavor and with the right amount of alcohol! The tajun on the glass made it perfect to drink. If I was Belton again I'd definitely order it again! My brother & Dad had beer although my brother enjoyed his beer, my dad said his beer was flat. He couldn't finish it and that's hard to believe. My dad tried to put in a special request as far as how he wanted his shrimp to be prepared and the female chef said, no. Because she didn't want to do it, noting if it was a crowd to rush in she wouldn't been able to handle it. He just wanted his shrimp bufferflied (takes less than 5 seconds to do). Overall, this is a perfect restaurant to come to eat and unwind. It's right on the water of Lake Belton & the service and ambience is relaxing! read more

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Came here with Family for a enjoyable Lunch. Very disappointed Long wait! Waitresses Fighting and arguing causing disruption to surrounding tables. Very Sloppy staff! Worst thing is a lady waitress Brought me a refill Dr pepper that was not a New cup! I hadn't realized it wasn't my cup until i saw the straw! chewed up! so disgusting to say the least! drinking out of a strangers cup refill? that wasn't a new Cup!! Don't come here unless you want to be drinking out of some else is refills. that's Unacceptable and Unfortunate. Definitely a health Violation!!! Never coming back here! Can only imagine the kitchen and how the food is properly made! Disgusting is one word for the Restaurant. The ladies restroom ! Is much worse. Whole places needs a talk with! read more

Ok five stars now. How do you beat the happy hour specials here ????!!!! And the view is still amazing. My fav drink has gotta be the Bahama mama. Boudin balls are SOOOO GOOD. And a pound of boiled shrimp for 12 bucks ? How can you pass it up. And all that catfish the the appetizer ?!?!? Amazing read more

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Met friends for brunch. Friendly hosts! Great atmosphere. No fork. Requested one and got attitude and a dirty sticky fork. Asked for another and got another dirty fork while my eggs got cold. Manager comped me a meal...... THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO TAKE A BITE OF! Through the years I've brought dozens of clients here. Never again! read more

Hubby and I decided we wanted a change of scenery for a late lunch. We decided to try Dead Fish Grill in Belton. We hadn't been there since it changed from Frank's Lakeview Inn so we didn't know what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised mainly because of our server. Her name is Megan Hilton and she has such a welcoming,pleasant personality. The food was tasty and since it was after 3 PM appetizers were half off and it was also Happy Hour. My husband had the blackened rainbow trout and since I wasn't very hungry I made a meal of the appetizers and a cup of chicken,sausage gumbo. Everything was quite tasty. I recommend especially for the view and the chill atmosphere with no blaring music! read more

Everything was great and the service was awesome. The food and the view was excellent!!!

What a great view and location to enjoy a meal!!!! Was greeted with zeal by the host and waitstaff. This was a great first impression! Service with Cody (and Lola) was fine. He's friendly and competent however as the meal was over, service slowed down considerably, with plates left on the table, and a slight delay with Togo box, and check. I had the fried shrimp and the fries were under done and cold and the shrimp was overcooked, the slaw too vinegary for my liking and maybe a solid tablespoon amount provided. hushpuppies were small, slightly sweet and tasty. I'm not too Much of a fries person unless they are really fresh and hot; they have to be calorie worthy for me to eat them and these were not! As a Florida resident , I'm used to Gulf Shrimp (off the boat--Cortez Fl ) and knowing I was in central Texas, I knew they'd wouldn't be anything like Gulf Shrimp. However, a seafood restaurant should know how to prepare seafood and they missed the mark by overcooking mine. Daughter-in-law enjoyed the fish and chips, her fries appeared cooked and her fish looked delicious, son seemed to enjoy the shrimp tacos and he devoured them; likely he was very hungry. Unfortunately the food scene seems to be lacking here in the Belton area especially compared to the food scene where I have spent the majority of my life. As a newby to Belton, I will continue to search for some hidden gems that take pride in their food and service and use quality ingredients as I believe they're out there. Now, the people here is where Belton has shined! Friendly, kind and considerate. Let's hope the culinary culture takes a cue and also shines. Dead fish has the view, the staff, but the food is where they could use some resuscitation. read more

great views, food, & drinks! i got the salmon with rice & brussel sprouts. the salmon was a 5/5! would have loved a may ploy sauce or something for the brussel sprouts, but i'm not sure they always serve them with the salmon (they said it was served with vegetable medley of broccoli). my boyfriend got the catfish and shrimp and said he loved it! i had a bite of the fries and they were perfect. once again, that view! 5/5 read more

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We have eaten here several times in the past three months and the food, service and atmosphere has been very good. Recommend this restaurant to others. read more

The view - literally this place is all about the view! One of the most beautiful sunsets I've seen! Service was great, our waitress was still training and she nailed it! Had she not told us she was new, we would have never known! We split the baked oysters and the Cajun pasta. Both of which were amazing and we would definitely order again! Highly recommend this restaurant the entire experience was phenomenal from the time we arrived until we left. Thank you for a beautiful evening! read more

GREAT food and service. The fish & chips are really good. They gave outdoor dining but so far we've elected to eat only indoors.

This is one of several new restaurants around the Nolanville area that we love!! My wife loves their Brussel Sprouts as a side to her main dish and I LOVE their hush puppies!! Great food and great wait staff. If you're looking for good seafood, we feel this is a great option for people to explore read more

Ah man, where to even begin. The atmosphere and views make this place great for watching the sunset. Unfortunately, that's the only redeeming quality. The owners and management must really hate this place, because the employees look and act miserable, and the employee standards while serving must be nonexistent. My old-fashioned was almost undrinkable. Service was lackluster and disorganized. Our food was pretty rough. My shrimp jalapeño poppers wrapped in bacon, which should, in theory, be exploding with flavor just on the basis of those three ingredients, somehow looked like it was thrown in the blender and served through a piping bag. Fries were good, though. These 5-star reviews must be either bots, employees, or paid actors, because while I can maybe get behind coming here for a dessert only, there's zero chance on God's green earth this place is serving up quality dishes. read more

Have never had good service and the food is average. The only thing going for them is the panoramic views of Lake Belton. read more

Great oysters last week. Fish and chips also excellent. Food keeps getting better. Always a great view and pleasant staff.