Top marks for this friendly, local seafood restaurant for kindly staying open to accommodate us after flight delays and a long drive. Our server, Chavez, was super welcoming and happy to answer questions about the menu even though the kitchen was about to close. We were definitely the last diners to leave so we were very grateful they'd been happy to serve us. The food was really good - the combos come with hush puppies which we didn't notice on the menu. A great local Southern seafood spot! read more

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Food was ok. Fish wasn't hot. Service was horrible! This is a favorite place. I hate to come here and have such a bad experience.

Top O the River is a Northeast Alabama tradition for Catfish and Chicken. The restaurants are large and can accommodate large parties and heavy crowds, which are often. I've never met a staff member who wasn't pleasant and suggestive of the menus. The sides are awesome, especially the Crock O Greens. If you have the chance to eat at any of the Top O the River restaurants, and you like fried fish or chicken (or both) you won't be disappointed. read more

Food was good with larger portions, service was pleasant and definitely an Anniston staple

This place is an old staple for us my husband bought me here when we were dating in the late 90s & we've gone back a time or two & have always enjoyed it we went back Saturday after a number of years to celebrate my dad's 70th birthday he chose this spot for whatever reasons but I was excited to take a stroll down memory lane the restaurant was exactly the same family oriented & busy we made reservations and unfortunately all of our families weren't on time & everyone has to be present to be seated however we all came from Birmingham & a few came from Atlanta and it was hard getting accommodations for our late guest but they did try & get everyone seated together but instead of putting us at two tables (one had been available) our 90 yr old grandma was put in a crowded booth we were able to make room at the table but the booths should've never been a option as far as the food it was subpar mozzarella sticks came out luke warm & the food was not as good as it was in the past the Cole slaw & corn bread appetizers were the best thing we ate everyone had mix reviews on their food I ordered the whole catfish which was ok & crawfish tails overall they seem to be more of a elevated captain dees than that hot fresh always delicious fish camp I remember them being ! It wasn't worth the drive but time spent with family was priceless read more

Top O the River - Fried Whole Catfish (bone-in) Fried Crawfish Tail Dinner - Seafood Near Me - Anniston, Alabama

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I always have the greens, coleslaw and cornbread. It is always amazing! The sweet tea is also a 10!! read more

Top O the River - Shrimp platter - Seafood Near Me - Anniston, Alabama

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Steak was 50% fat. Showed the manager and she blamed it on the steak. Did we kill an old cow?

Honestly i wouldve gave it 2 and a half stars if i could but i cant. The food used to be better. The service is still amazing tho. And the ambiance is unlike anyother in a sit in restaurant. With the fishtanks full of catfish its kend to redlobster and their tanks full of lobster only difference is you cant pick which one you eat. Because the catfish at top of the river or purly for looks. read more

Bring CASH if you can! This is new to us ... Charging 3% for using a debit or credit card is disappointing. Our total went from $65 to $71. I bet it affects tips a lot more than it's worth. read more

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The restaurant was very crowded so we thought it would be great. We were seated quickly and the service was good. The food was average. The food was definitely not worth the price. There was a few pieces of fish and lots of sides and prices were pretty high for the amount of food we got. read more

Service was excellent. Greens, slaw and cornbread were excellent. The seafood platter was below sub par. The worst were the soggy boiled shrimp. read more

We went on a very crowded Father's Day Saturday evening. The host and wait staff everyone was very nice and friendly so I will say that. I ordered stuffed deviled crab which was bland, probably pre processed, not hot enough, mushy. The fried shrimp was nothing special like maybe pre-breaded something you get in the freezer section of grocery store. The catfish was ok but nothing special. I don't know if they had to pull out backup food for the larger than normal crowd? I will leave it at that but certainly nothing great last night. I have had much better at Red Lobster which I consider sort of average seafood meal. read more

Great food, excellent service - what more could you ask for? I had the Riverboat special. This would be my first time trying catfish so needless to say - I was skeptical. But Top O delivered. The fried catfish and hush puppies were excellent. read more

Hardly no wait time, the food was great and consistent every time we go. I can't wait till we can go back. The best catfish in the south!!!!!! read more

Just left the one in Anniston and it was terrible! Food was cold and I ordered catfish fillets and only received 3 nuggets. Spoke with a manager and she said there was nothing she could do. I'll never return to such a lousy place and advise my friends to do the same! read more

The food is always good at an affordable price for the quality and quality! Enough sImaid!!

The crab blend was a blend of imitation crab and too much salt/spice. The corn bread was dryer than my winter skin. The shrimp were drowning in salty spice. I had to rinse them to eat them. Everything else i left on the table and overpaid for. The white beans are probably straight out of a can. I wasted my money and left hungry. The one star is for the sweet tea. Half sweet half unsweetened. I was thirsty while eating all that salt. read more

My cousin and I wanted to get together and go eat and it was a year ago last week we first ate here. Again, the food was great. Our waitress Sam, was very much on top of getting our orders, bringing the appetizers and kept our tea filled. A plus here in Alabama, since we love our sweet tea. We got the complimentary slaw and cast iron skillets of cornbread to enjoy before our dinners came out. My shrimp scampi was amazing and the fried catfish was hot and very tasty. Hubs catfish plate was great as well. We will def go back again and recommend them!! read more

Top O the River - Fried catfish fillets, fries and hush puppies - Seafood Near Me - Anniston, Alabama

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Plenty of food for the money!!! Ordered the seafood platter, collard greens and onion rings. Lots and lots of food. For the amount of food that was ordered came out very quickly. But my only guess is that the food is already cooked because of the temperature of the food. In other words, the food was room temperature nothing was hot like it was freshly cooked. But, the food was great, this was my first time actually eating at the restaurant but not my first time receiving food from the restaurant. And additional to the temperature of the food, there was a round piece of plastic found in the collard greens as my granddaughter was eating she noticed it. I started to take a picture but I thought maybe the situation would have been handled correctly. No instead, after notifying our server, we received a simple apology, and another serving of greens most likely from the same pot. Upon telling a cashier as we checked out, she notified the manager on duty and we received another apology and a 3 dollar discount from a bill of 119.00. read more

This is an excellent restaurant if you are looking for country style catfish as that is their specialty and what they have built their reputation on. They serve a variety of other dishes, of course, including shrimp and crab, and other types of fish as well as several beef dishes. The service is always great here, and with any orders, you receive coleslaw, pickled onions and cornbread for the table. The serve are quite nice appetizer and of course our excellent alongside the meals. I gave them four stars instead of five only because it can get quite loud in both the Anniston and Gadsden locations that we have visited. If you're looking for a good seafood dinner, Top O' the River is an excellent choice and I highly recommend it. read more

Fried pickles had a hair in them. Waitress was in the bathroom and left without washing her hands. The creole shrimp was not deveined. The shrimp scampi had a good taste but Shrimp was not cooked enough. The fried shrimp was good. read more

Top O' the River or Bottom of the River. Prior to visiting Anniston I did some research on the local restaurants and this one popped on Yelp and on another "trip" website. Once in town it was recommended for the coleslaw and corn bread. When we arrived at 530pm on a Friday this place was packed like church on Sunday morning. We were seated quickly and offered bud light and bud "heavy." That was a first but hey, when in Rome. I opted for "Largest seafood platter in the world" which is a flat out lie! Apparently nobody has been to Vegas or had Mastro's seafood tower. So on to this miserable platter. Honestly, Captain D's would have been a better option. It should also be noted that "crab meat blend" is not a mix of different crab meats but Krab*. It's the miscellaneous krab meat that they put in California rolls. I also couldn't figure out why creole boiled shrimp were served cold. Disgusting. The cornbread was bland and the slaw tasted like it came from dollar general. The only thing bearable was the fried catfish. I honestly can't figure out why this place had such decent reviews. If you want a life changing moment then visit the world worst bathrooms. I believe they had two destroyed toilets for restaurant that can operate with 75+ people. I'd avoid this restaurant at all cost. read more

Top O the River - Slaw - Seafood Near Me - Anniston, Alabama

****Crunchy, Crispy, Tasty and Juicy!**** These are the best words to describe my experience here for their Fried Chicken, Onion Rings, Coleslaw and some Cornbread! On a trip to Anniston, I ended up here twice in a week! This was not by choice but where each of two different groups took me to eat. I am glad I was able to come twice! What do they serve? Fried, fried and more fried! Absolutely hands down my favorites were the Fried Chicken, Onion Rings, Coleslaw and the Cornbread. Onion Rings- Quite possibly the best I have ever had. The crispy fried flavor of the outside on the initial bites were followed by a surprising juicy and sweet onion on the inside. Basically, crispy fried crunch followed by a juicy squirt or two of sweet onion juice. Fried Chicken- Crispy and flavorful skins and juicy insides..including the white meat. Coleslaw- Hollar! WOW..is this what real coleslaw tastes like? We ain't got nothin' like this is Southern California. That is for sure! Cornbread. mmm, I love home made southern cornbread. This place has their own Alabamian version and I am a fan. The downside, no real butter! I had an imitation butter served and requested real butter. The nice hostess explained to me that they do not carry real butter. The reality is..do you even need butter for this pan of delicious corn bread? Crunchy, Crispy, Tasty and Juicy..I am a fan! read more

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Small portions, I guess food is ok it's been a long time since I've been there but I have friends and family that have tried it recently, all say it's pricey, about 35.00 per person. Have a great day. read more

This used to be a great place to dine, but not so much anymore. The last time that I ate there, the whole catfish we were served was limp with grease. It tasted like it was fried in old grease. The service was good, any we had a very attentive server. The entire venue needs a revamping and cleaning. read more

Wonderful whole catfish and we loved the cornbread. Good service as well. We are from the area and were Hurricane Milton Refugees.

We came here for a graduation celebration. The restaurant is huge. We had a large party of 16, however we had 1 server, which made things EXTREMELY SLOW. Our sever was very nice though. They bring our cornbread (1/5), coleslaw (5/5), and pickled onions (3/5) for every 4 persons in old school tin cans and cups. For what it's worth I've never had pickled onions, but they weren't bad. They have a LOT of fried food on the menu, so if you're trying to eat healthy it's hard, but not impossible. I ordered the shrimp and chicken skewers (3/5). The shrimp was good, the chicken was kinda dry, and I had fries. Overall, the food was reasonably priced and very good. I sampled some of my aunts catfish and it was nice!! read more

Top O the River - K - bob Combo Dinner - Seafood Near Me - Anniston, Alabama

This spot was about the only open place around on a Sunday. Busy place but social distancing masks and sanitizer was very present. It started out with pickled onions, cornbread and coleslaw. I've never seen this brought to the table all together (neither did my husband) so I asked the waitress and she explained it was the way it was done there. I ordered the small dill fried pickles and I was shocked at how big the platter was for small! Very good! I ordered the safe option of all white chicken fried tenders with French fries. Husband ordered the fried shrimp platter. Tons of food to bring home and it was very fried and greasy lol. Hush puppies came also so it was a lot of leftovers to take home! Hubs got the spicy northern white beans and they weren't spicy. Everything was pretty good. read more

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Just ok. Not worth the money. The fried pickles didn't even taste like pickles. The seafood platter was just ok. Expensive and not worth the wait. Wouldn't go back. read more

Food was great as always and our sever Cole was very helpful with our larger party. Was great to come back to my college town for homecoming and grab a bite like old times ! read more

If I could post a picture of my bubble guts to explain the horrible food I consumed today I would. Let me start with the positive. My server was wonderful. I wish I could remember his name but I can not. He constantly checked on me to ensure all was well and it was greatly appreciated. I stopped by this establishment because I had a taste for catfish. After reviewing the menu online I assumed it was a knock off version of Cock of the Walk which would have been a plus but it WAS NOT. The pickled onions were sour, the coleslaw was bland, the turnip greens were sweet and the skillet cornbread left a lot to be desired. The catfish was ok and the hush puppies were the best item I consumed today. If you are a native of Mississippi and absolutely love Cock of the Walk, don't go here. Save your money and your stomach. read more

EXCELLENT!! From the time we walked in and were seated throughout the meal and until we left the staff were all friendly. Maggie our waitress was very good and cared about her job. She was attentive to our needs and her other tables in our area. Our came out quick it was hot and tasty and the portions were massive. The restaurant provides a grandmas kitchen type vibe where you're always welcome to sit a while eat and chat a bit. read more

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Rude bait and switch thieves Purchased food to go and was told it was 18.95 when ordering and on the website. When I picked it up, they bumped the price up to 22.95. Their attitude was as disgusting as their food. read more

Best place to get fried catfish. Top has several locations and I am surprised that haven't opened up more in larger populated areas. It is almost always packed whenever we go. The cornbread and coke slaw that they bring you before you get your entrees in great. I love the cornbread flavor as it has a slight spice to it. The turnip greens and friend pickles are great additional things to get as appetizers. The whole bone in catfish is 3 nice pieces and comes with your choice of potato, fries, or white beans. You'll be stuffed when you leave. I'm not a tea drinker, but I really enjoy their sweet tea. The service is always great and they take good care of you. Anytime you go, it seems that half of the cars are from out of state or other counties as this is the place for fried catfish. read more

Top O the River - Seafood Near Me - Anniston, Alabama

Completely underwhelming. Place is chaotic, from the parking lot to check out. NOT a relaxing dinner experience. Tables are crowded and I felt like I was on an airplane for a table of 9 - no elbow room and nowhere to put my wallet. Service is annoyingly fast; menus delivered and was immediately asked what we wanted to drink, followed by what we wanted to eat. Ordered some apps and salads but came with food, making the the table a crowded mess. "Cocktails" cannot have but a drop of alcohol and good luck getting one anyway. Beer was warm. Have to ask for water and it came mid meal. Was asking us if we wanted to go boxes before we were even finished and never asked about dessert. So service is rushed, to say the least. Food was disappointing. Cornbread was good but why do we have to ask for butter (and it's not butter, it's plastic tubs of yellow salty oil)? Many condiments in serving size packets which was unappealing. Food was greasy and either overly salty or bland. From the time we were seated to leaving was under an hour for 9 people, no fun talking, drinking, or laughing, just sit down, shut up, eat, and get out. There's no way for me to give it more than one star and that's just for the cornbread and glass of water I finally got. read more

I ordered shrimp scampi with fried chicken fingers and fries. The shrimp was pretty spicy but the chicken and fries were okay! Our waitress was very attentive and refilled our drinks and brought extra sauces as needed. The restaurant is not as updated as I had expected and it has an older feel, but everything was clean! We were packed into our table, seat to seat. I can see how it might appeal to people but don't think we'll be back read more

We always love coming to Top O The River when we're visiting family! The place is absolutely huge with tables that can accomodate the whole family gathering during the holidays (seriously, I'm not kidding) What's even better about this place is their portions and selection. A bit pricey, but definitely worth it. I got the peel n eat shrimp, which come out cold, mind you, but were delicious and very filling (had to get a box). The thing to try here is definitely the catfish; you can get it as a whole filet or as filet "fingers" almost, and either one will definitely satisfy that fried fish craving you've been trying to satiate. I also took a pic of the onion rings we got because WOW, they're huge and delicious. I have never been disappointed in the food here and it is a staple when we visit the area during the holidays. I'm sure they're delightful year round! read more

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I read the reviews on here and went into the restaurant with high hopes. The cornbread and coleslaw that come out before the meal were the best part. But the seafood came out so quickly, it was obvious it wasn't made to order. The food was warm, not hot, and it just wasn't good. Bland, too much batter, seemed frozen, fake crab, chewy catfish filets- ugh. I wouldn't eat here again. read more

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Food is terrible we had a birthday party everyone fish was hard as a rock. The waitress tried to get the cook to fix it but didn't make it any better they sent back less fish then they took from us. The waitress dropped a plate of food on a relative. The place isn't the same higher prices would be fine if the quality of the food was better. If I could leave no stars I would they don't even deserve 1 read more

My family and I have been eating here for years and have never had a bad meal. The fish, cornbread, sweet tea, and slaw don't get better. It can be pretty pricey to take the whole family, just be aware. I especially recommend the fried pickles! read more