There is a conversation nationwide that needs to be had about CATFISH. Restaurants that have been selling traditional catfish caught in North American waters are quietly introducing an Asian catfish called BASA aka SWAI, which belongs to the genus Pangasius. Traditional American catfish belongs to the scientific family Ictaluridae, and if you were raised on THIS catfish, you know there is a noticable difference. I'm in Tampa visiting family and decided to stop by Hank's. I haven't been here in ages, but I was in the mood for BBQ and once upon a time Hank's was one of my favorite places. My last visit was over 6 years ago and on that visit I decided I would not return. Well, what can I say? I was hoping the food may have improved since then, but it has not. I ordered a two meat meal that totaled $24.36 after tax. The PORK RIBS were tender and smoky, but not as flavorful as years past. There was no sauce on the ribs, but I'm typically okay with that when well-seasoned. In this case they needed the sauce to help with flavor. (3 stars) However, I was most disappointed in the "CATFISH" (2 stars). I live near Atlanta, and there is a restaurant there who switched their catfish over to Swai and it was there where I learned the difference. I appreciated their honesty when they made the change and have since learned you technically can't sell Basa or Swai as catfish in the USA according to a Google article I found about FDA regulations. Hanks is now the third restaurant in a matter of months that I've visited for catfish and walked away fully convinced I was served Swai. I brought it up to the staff at Hank's and they didn't seem willing to confirm my suspicions. Of course don't have any real proof other than 50 years of eating experience, but I really don't care for the watery taste of this imitator and I truly wish restaurants would return to traditional catfish. I won't be returning. read more

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When I walked in I thought I was a hooters . But then realize I was at a bbq joint . The young man who waited on us was very polite. The guy in the back was feeding his face while he was preparing meals . We've recommend this place to a lot of people but I believe this is our last time . My husband wanted the gator nuggets were very rubbery. And the coleslaw was from Sam's . The potato salad had no flavor. The tables are very wobbly along with some of the chairs . For $49.00 I was expecting it to be a lot better than it was . The kichen had no hair nets or beard nets read more

Called in 15 minutes before closing, and they were delighted to serve me. Some of the best brisket and catfish I've had since I've moved from the pan handle area. Definitely coming back read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I stopped in while o was in town on business, and it is definitely a place I would return to. There was an older lady who greeted me as soon as o came in and she called me by name throughout the entirety of my visit, like we were old friends or relatives. The restaurant wasn't super busy so it was a really clean and chill vibe with TVs on the wall. The catfish and bread pudding were amazing! read more

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We had not eaten here in more than five years. So we thought that we would try it again. The restaurant hadn't changed much since our last visit. The service was very good and quick. The food had no taste. The three of us each had the pulled pork sandwiches. Even with smothering them in barbecue sauce they were tasteless. The bean were tasteless as well. I don't ever see us going back, there are too many very good restaurants around. read more

Hank's is on Dale Mabry, easy to find. It's a casual, clean country themed restaurant that locals come to-so you know that it's good-and it smelled great when we walked in! We ordered the catfish plate (2 sides), and a pulled pork sandwich (1 side). The hostess was very friendly, helpful with questions, told us all we needed to know, and we had an exceptionally good lunch. The catfish, 3 large slabs of perfectly fried fish, with cheese grits and green fried tomatoes (with a special sauce) that was delicious. The pork sandwich was enormous and the pork was more delicious little slabs of pork, than shredded, and the slaw was barely sweet, crunchy and not all gooped up with slaw goo....it was outstanding. The whole meal was top notch. Teas, sodas, free refills. Go there...you won't be disappointed. read more

Awesome food! Definitely recommend this location. Tried several different things on the menu and all of them were great, large portions, good service, at a good price. read more

I loved the setting as we walked into this restaurant, it felt like we could walk out the back with an old cane fishing pole. We ordered two catfish platters, fried green tomatoes for a starter, and a child's chicken leg meal. It was surprisingly expensive and underwhelming. The fish was just ok. The fried green tomatoes themselves were fine, but the sauce that came with them was really odd. It was like a pickle sauce?? I'm not sure. I've always had a remoulade sauce with them, but that was not what came with these. The macaroni and cheese was very different as well. It was very Cajun but not in a good way. It had almost an alfredo taste. The okra was way over cooked. The corn nuggets were pretty good, as well as the fries but they definitely don't seem to be made in house. The chicken leg was ok, reminded me of a carnival turkey leg. The servers that greeted and took care of us were wonderful. Very friendly and welcoming and accommodating. read more

I like Hank for their value vs food. Their combo special has some items that normally not seen in most BBQ place. Fried catfish. Only the southern like this item. Is definitely local favorite. The dining room can fill a lot people including large tables for big parties and small tables for two. Table top may need some improvement for non sticky situations. We got the family package that have rib, brisket and catfish. The rib is ok. But the catfish and brisket is excellent. Other main item they sold that we did not get included fried shrimp, clam strips and gator tail. We will try them on next visit. Our two side is fried okra and collard green. This package also has corn bread. We also got the soup of the day that is tomato base with a lot stuff in it including the Pull pork. One thing for sure that I like is their peach ice tea. This is another southern thing to do. Definitely this BBQ place is recommended. read more

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Great job!!!! Some of the best BBQ and catfish i've had. peach tea was amazing...............................

This place gets a lot of hype and since we recently were given a small gift card to it, we decided to give it a go. The guy taking our order didn't wear a mask but everyone else did. The menu is what you'd expect from a BBQ joint. We got ribs, macaroni and cheese, pulled chicken and hush puppies. My favorite was the hush puppies. They had great flavor and the exterior had that perfect crunch. The pulled chicken was just fine, kinda dry. The Mac and cheese was total meh. I'm a pick Mac and cheese eater but this was not exciting and even served lukewarm. I was just not impressed. Meanwhile, Guys! This place is great! You can walk around on their porch and watch the cars. I loved the Mac and cheese. My dad also shared his ribs. I loved it all. I hardly ever eat much, but I ate and ate and ate! Mom and dad said they didn't like it much, but I would totally disagree. - #BryYelps (18 months) read more

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Great portions and flavorful! I am a fan of the Brisket Cheesesteak!! All the sides I tried were Mac-n-cheese, collard greens, green beans, and side salad. I was surprised by the collard greens and Mac-n-cheese, both sides I will continue to get when I visit. The ribs are great too make sure to try it with the spicy bbq sauce. read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - Giant Wings Togo order - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

The fried okra was awesome The lady at the counter was great fast service with a smile The indoor seating was cute and I bet on a cooler day outdoor seating would be special Not sure what kind of ambiance to speak of since it is a BBQ place! Would love to go back when I am visiting family again read more

Catfish was good! Service was better! It was crowded for lunch! I have not tried the BBQ! read more

The photo I took was after I ate about half of my food. I got the chicken tenders, people I was with ordered all different types of their bbq. Everything was absolutely delicious. The hush puppies and fried pickles were the best I have ever had. My boyfriend got a full rack of ribs and was only able to finish 5 of them. Decent sized portions and very tasty. The staff were all excellent and were very kind. You order at the register, and then there is a pickup area, but the sweet girl brought all the food to us. It was a very relaxed vibe inside, and I would definitely go again. read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - Half of a chicken tender basket with fried pickles and fries - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I passed by Hanks many times and decided to give it a try and I was very impressed with their food. They make deserts and soda pops, the inside is very country and feels like your home dining room. Seems to have a lot of history. The workers there are so sweet and they seem like a family. Give this place a try !! They have a drive thru read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - Cheesesteak Brisket - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Not much to look at from the outside on a busy road, it looks like an average BBQ restaurant. While it does offer all you basic Bbq staples, it also serves select fried seafood options. Due to it being all you can eat catfish Monday, I ordered a plate with potato salad and collards with a large sweet tea. The catfish is lightly breaded with cornmeal as it should be and was nice thick and flaky white meat inside. the potato salad was fresh but not memorable and the collards tasted like the seasoned canned greens which aren't bad but not what a country girl who grows her own garden likes especially with a lot of stems in it. I also had a basket of fried clam strips which were served over fresh fried potato chips as was the catfish and they were tasty. The BBQ looked absolutely delish as I was watching it being served to other patrons. Huge pieces of chicken and pulled pork and even BRISKET a Texas girl's favorite. There are lots of options and I will definitely be back to try most of them. I like going to restaurants with others who like to order, taste and share multiple items. The staff here are friendly and helpful and the restaurant is clean with lots of decor and pictures. read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - Hank'sBBQ and fish restaurant - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I got the fried catfish with black eyed peas & greens.. the whole meal was mid at best. The fish was plain tasting AF. No seasoning, just the breading which was bland. The greens tasted as if they where from a can. Again no flavor and same for the black eyed peas. In all it was a very bland flavorless meal! My husband got the gator cheese steak. While he "enjoyed it" he said it was mostly cheese and hardly any gator. The hush puppies where nothing special. Plain ol cornmeal hush puppies but somehow the best part of our meals Maybe we're used to more flavorful food but this was not it! read more

Save your money, eat somewhere better. Hank's sucks! (Food and service). Brisket was just ok....beans not very good......fried pickles not very good. Also, almost $70 for 3 people, I expected better meal. Garbage restaurant! read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - The brisket was ok, fried pickles not good, baked beans not good. Service sucked too. - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Scratching my head on how this place stays open! Maybe from the tourist on Dale Mabry as the food sucks! U can read the news thru the thin cat fish & I shudder to think what they use in the Stew! read more

The owner tommy is such a sweet soul and was so helpful when I couldn't decide what i wanted to eat.The collards are amazing! Will be back!

Horrible. Ribs was dry and lots of fat. Returned & the owner Hank was rude & talked nasty to me & slam the window shut. I left the slab there. I went to Jazzys much better choice. Never again. I don't like bad food.Rate a zero. 0 read more

First impressions aren't great, we pulled through the drive through to see one worker smoking a weed pen and the other person staring at their phone. It took a couple minutes to realize that we were waiting in the window watching them. The food was good, I got the pulled chicken which wasn't dry and the collards which weren't the best I've had but they weren't bad. I think there probably needs to be some sort of motion sensor in the drive though so they know people are coming through. read more

Hoping everyone else experiences are better than mine. Should have gone to mission lol Brisket was tough and flavorless Catfish was just not seasoned but cooked well Grits looked unappealing ... fried the hell out of my potatoes tho lol read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - Brisket/catfish/cheese grits/fries - all disappointing... the brisket was anything but tender and catfish was blah. - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Pass by this place daily on my way to work so I've been wanting to try. Finally went here today with my coworkers. It wasn't busy at all when we arrived at 11:30am. The inside is very country like -- wooden tables, country music playing and tv on the wall. Plenty of seating available. Drinks are self serve. Upon entering the staff greeted us and welcomed us to Hanks. You order at the counter and they bring the food to the table. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with collard greens-- the sandwiches come with 1 side for $8. It took a little bit of time for the order to arrive at the table. The pork was dry even after I added BBQ sauce to it. BBQ is on the table FYI. So I placed some on my plate for dipping as well. The bun was fresh and soft. Eventually I just ended up eating the pork off the bun and dipping in the sauce. The collards were good but lacked something. They were too juicy and you don't get very much on the plate. My coworker had the quarter chicken--the chicken was HUGE! And very juicy. It fell off the bone and sort of melted in your mouth. But the flavor was not great. The visit was nothing upon average so this won't be on my frequent dining list. read more

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Food is great, been coming here for years. Just found out that they have cash pricing and card pricing...customer paying for card usage charges now. Time to find another place in Tampa to get fried fish! It petty, but it is also petty on their behalf. read more

The BBQ was just fine, nothing special. The baked beans were incredible, my favorite part of the meal. The house root beer was also exemplary. The fries were just okay. Overall, a fine experience with decent prices but not worth going back for us that live farther away. Some outdoor seating and good service but the staff did not wear masks despite city orders for Covid-19 mitigation. read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - Ribs with beans and fries - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Best catfish I have had in years ( first place in Florida) I had catfish, french fries coleslaw and hush puppies. All you can eat for $16.99. Every bite was delicious! Will definitely be going again! read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I always have to eat BBQ without my daughter because she does not care for it. I have been to Hanks a few times with some co-workers, but came here again with my girlfriend after finding out that it shares ownership with Hanks Pizza not to far away. We came on a Sunday for lunch as the church crowd descended upon us. It is definitely a different vibe during the week. The restaurant is well decorated in old school roadside kitsch along with a sea of red and white table cloths. The decorations are in need of a deep cleaning and looks like they have been long neglected. I ordered the pulled pork and my girlfriend ordered the pulled chicken. Both were adequately portioned sandwiches without being too messy, but the meat didn't have the smoky flavor that I had hoped for. Thankfully, there was an assortment of BBQ sauces to choose from. The "Regular Sauce" proudly proclaims that there is "nothing fancy about it". Talk about truth in advertising. The Spicy Sauce states that "it's gonna bite back". It was very peppery, but did manage to add a little flavor. The Golden Sauce indicated that it was a "lil sweet, lol tangy" and was what I kept gravitating to. The macaroni was served cool and was pretty cheesy, but completely absent of flavor. I'd recommend going with a macaroni salad instead. I'll more than likely be back again, but it will be when my boss is back in town and he is picking up the tab. read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Every time I come here the food is good I've never had a problem coming here and having a problem with the food or the service The catfish is fresh and plentiful you get the bang for your buck at this place The customer service is great and no matter when I come I always have a good time I will recommend this to any people's who love soul food or seafood on the soul food side read more

OMG The Catfish is SOOOOO GOOD AND OMG to the BEAUTIFUL GREEN EYED PRINCESS that brought my to go order!!!! Absolutely amazing, and with her little nose piercings, no wonder why they are so famous and popular!! The Front Cashier Staff is also Superb read more

I just pulled up to get a pulled pork sandwich and was pleasantly surprised to see there is a drive thru. The lady working the drive thru was very nice and accommodating, she let me know the sandwich comes with a side so I chose the baked beans. These were the best baked beans I've ever had! They had bits of meat inside and were not watery like some places, really good flavor. The sandwich came with sauce on the side, I just asked her to give me the most popular sauce they had, and it was very good! It was about $11 and I will definitely be back. The drive thru was very quick, I got my food in like 3 minutes or less read more

New to town and found this gem of a place. Staff that makes you feel like family and food so good it was like a hug from the Lord. Super friendly owner and catfish to die for. Brisket was juicy and the collards amazing !! Seriously the best food I've had in a very long time ! read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Just received order through ubereats and I wonder if Hanks knows that uber is up charging by quite a bit. For instance on Hanks website the menu price for a smoked sausage platter is $12. I only know this now because after seeing the order and knowing my husband just paid $17 for it, I was somewhat shocked. The size of the sausage is laughable. Oh, and the driver did not have my tea, granted he should have known what he was supposed to pick up and asked where it was. I was really looking forward to that sweet tea with lemon and my husband is sad about the size of his sausage! read more

Hank's Catfish & BBQ - Southern Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Assume catfish, tastful collards green and delicious black eyed beans. Made my day, thank you

Went in 2 days ago, ordered the brisket cheesesteak and the collared greens. Absolutely amazing, 10/10 highly recommend. They have a good selection of food as well. read more

I ordered catfish, pulled chicken (a bit dry but tasty), green beans (awesome) and potato salad (very good and the way I love it). I thought about getting the all you can eat catfish but this meal for less than $20 was well worth it. Definitely my go to BBQ joint in the area. I never had gator and wanted to try a small piece but the person at the counter said I could only get an order of it. I was willing to pay for a bite to try but no dice. Oh well. Somehow a hush puppy and a few potato chips found their way into my container so bonus! Recommend to all in the area! read more

Great BBQ place! The brisket, beans and coleslaw were all delicious! I think the plate (comes w 2 sides) was like $14 and the sandwich (1 side) was $12. We'll be back to try other items. read more

Very Good BBQ got a pork sandwich topped with coleslaw it hit the spot And the side baked beans are delicious read more

Wife and I use to come here back in the day and it was awesome. Came April 22, 23 around 12:00. Hank's has some garbage people working behind the kitchen window, but the lady on the register was pleasant. My wife is Chinese and the two dudes behind the counter in the kitchen were staring, laughing and could be heard mentioning "Chinese this, Chinese that" under their breath. My wife didn't notice so I didn't acknowledge it to make her feel uncomfortable. I've decided my money isn't good here anymore and judging by being the only customers in the place at lunch on a Saturday I hope it hurts. My suggestion? Teach your employees some basic manners before a customer "teaches" them for you. I know I surely wanted to. It's only a matter of time before they cause an issue with a customer that is less level headed. If it were my place? I would fire them immediately. read more