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    Top O'The River

    3.8 (216 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Top O'The River Photos

    Business Info

    TOP O'THE RIVER ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Top O'The River

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    Renee H.

    This is my second time at a Top O'The River but the first time at this one. This is a casual, family friendly restaurant. We were seated upstairs. Our server, Maria, seemed to be new (judging by her timidity) but did a great job. The food was fresh and delicious. I had enough to take some home and make another meal out of it.

    World's largest seafood platter with baked potato
    Allen M.

    Always good food. Taste of tea was a little off tonight. We shared the world's largest seafood platter. Great catfish. Great slaw and cornbread. I wished their hushpuppies were a little better but the cornbread makes up for them. Dixie provided great service. We had a great dinner after a sad visitation.

    Catfish, shrimp and baked potatoes with hush puppies
    Peggy W.

    The food was hot and fresh and tastes so great! We had a very nice server and he was very nice and we def had good service and was seated right away. Def will go back to this Location. The ambiance is casual and by the water so a very nice and upbeat place to eat and watch the water!

    Jessica P.

    This was my first time at this restaurant. I've been hearing about this place for years and I always wanted to go. I went on a Sunday around noon and there was no wait. We were seated upstairs, not by the window, but we could still see the river. We started off with an appetizer of onion rings and they were huge. We got a small order and it came with four. When you go there automatically get cornbread, coleslaw, and onions. I know cornbread is supposed to be dry so it was very dry and the coleslaw had a lot of mayonnaise on it. Definitely not my favorite. I end up getting the chicken and grilled chicken kebabs with a potato. The toppings for the potatoes they have is only butter and sour cream. They did not have any cheese which I found to be strange. Erica was our server and she was super nice and very attentive. The sweet tea was very good. There's lots of nice decor on the walls and a beautiful aquarium. I found the restaurant to be very clean. I will definitely be back. This is definitely a place for seafood lovers.

    Fries and popcorn shrimp with hushpuppies
    Katie J.

    We went in here for lunch and the ambiance was very nice. It was busy, but thankfully not crowded like the one in gasden. Our waiter was very nice and friendly. We brought a birthday cake for my cousin's birthday and we forgot to bring a lighter. Our waiter was nice enough to look for one. The food is solid but not great. The cheese sticks were good, the cornbread was fine. The popcorn shrimp and fries I ordered were fine. I do recommend checking this place out, you'll probably have a nice time.

    Whole catfish platter
    Charles C.

    Service was good, food was average, nice view of the lake. The sun hits that back dining area in the evenings and can make it warm. Fried catfish was good but two pieces a little mushy. Don't get a lot of shrimp in the scampi but it is good. The cornbread and hush puppies are delicious! The onion rings are whoppers! We're not rushing back but we would consider visiting again

    John M.

    Top o' the River is an extremely popular restaurant in Guntersville, Alabama and sits right on the lake. I came in on a Monday evening at probably about six or six thirty in the evening and there was about a fifteen or twenty minute wait. My server was extremely friendly and professional and I opted to go with the Riverboat Special, which was a half pound of fried catfish filets, hushpuppies and a choice of a baked potato or French fries. They also bring coleslaw, pickled onions and cornbread. The restaurant itself has a cool feel and reminds me of the ambiance of the restaurants along the New Jersey Shore (I grew up in New Jersey and have great memories of summertime at the Jersey Shore). I really enjoyed the ambiance here. My dinner was pretty good. I would have preferred that they did not use packages of sour cream, but it was an overall good meal. I can definitely see why this restaurant is so popular and would definitely recommend a visit here. I will give it five stars overall.

    Good eats.
    Larry M.

    Cute family style catfish restaurant on Lake Guntersville. We went on Sunday evening at 6:30. The restaurant is HUGE so despite the crowd we were seated quickly. My partner had the baked catfish and shrimp skewers. Both were good. The shrimp was a bit salty. I had the Riverboat Special. The catfish were good, could have been crispier, but that is what you get at the end of the weekend. Portions were very generous, Coleslaw was good, cornbread was "old style " (not sweet). Onion rings were giant and sweet (not the best, but good.

    Catfish filets and popcorn shrimp with a baked potato.
    Josh D.

    A group of nine guys went here during our weekend retreat on the lake on a Saturday evening around 6pm. We checked in with the hostess and were seated within five minutes. Our waitress was quick to get our drinks and appetizer orders. She got the drinks out and took our food order. It was a quick turnaround on the food all around. The fried pickles and mozzarella sticks were good. One of the guys ordered the greens to come out with the coleslaw and cornbread. Definitely suggest you get the greens! I ordered the pick two and got the catfish filets and popcorn shrimp as my meal. Everything tasted wonderful and we left there stuffed as a tick!! The service was spot on and we didn't have to wait for anything.

    Fried chicken tender plate with French fries and hush puppies
    Bailey B.

    My BIL wanted to come here for his birthday, and we don't usually deny birthday requests, so we ate dinner here last Saturday. Hmm...it was about what I expected, which is to say below average for a high price point. BIL and SIL got here at around 4:45 to get in line to aim for table service by 6:30, which is crazy to me. But their strategy paid off, because when the rest of our party showed up, we only had to wait a few minutes before they called us in. They don't take reservations and they don't seat parties till everyone is present, FYI. The inside reminds me of like...a kinda country take on a really touristy restaurant like Rainforest Cafe or Hard Rock or something. Big, cheap looking animal sculptures and over the top decorations accompanied by standard, somehow always sticky and vaguely grimy chairs and tables. It's not really my speed, but it's obviously very popular, so maybe I'm a Grinch or something. The menu is almost exclusively fried food, most of it from some sort of aquatic animal. You can get broiled crawfish, catfish, and tenders, but if you don't want catfish, chicken tenders, shrimp, imitation crab, or crawfish, you're basically out of luck. I'm not a huge fish or shellfish person, so I went with the fried tenders. All meals come with hush puppies and your choice of fries or a baked potato. As if that wasn't enough, we also ordered fried pickles to start. You are also served one pan of skillet cornbread and a cup of coleslaw per 4 people. I LOVE fried food, but even I felt a little overgreased on my way out. Service was okay - our server was nice enough, and prompt with drink refills and getting any dipping sauces we asked for - but the food was painfully slow to come out. It was about 1 hour and 15 minutes after we ordered before our meals were delivered, which isn't really acceptable. I get that they're crazy busy, but if the seating can accommodate 100+ people, you'd hope the kitchen could, as well. As for the food...mine was honestly better than I thought it would be, but that isn't to say it was especially good. The chicken tenders were breaded in the same batter as the fish and shrimp, which I don't really like on chicken tenders, but it was okay. The meat at least was tender and juicy and the tenders were large. Fries were definitely frozen then fried and needed some more salt, too. Hush puppies weren't very flavorful but were nice and crispy. The ranch was a good addition to all items and I think was house made. Honestly maybe the best thing, lol. The fried pickles were pretty enjoyable, and the tea was fresh. The rest of my party wasn't super happy with their food, at least those that I asked. Husband and FIL both thought the catfish was really dry at the thinner edges of the cut and soggy and dense at the thicker parts, which isn't really what you want. Everything was pretty expensive ($17-18 an entree) for what it was. I dunno, it's a novel experience and may be more to your liking than mine, but I personally don't really need to return.

    Skillet cornbread with slaw and onions
    Amy P.

    Do you want a cool, hip, stylish place for dinner? A place where the food is prepared with a farm to table vibe? An intimate dining experience with that special person? Don't go here! This restaurant is pure old-time Alabama with fried everything! And you'll love it! Nothing like fried catfish served whole with fries--and one dinner serves up three whole fish! But your dinner service starts early with your sweet tea (and you better order sweet tea) accompanied by a tin mug of coleslaw and a skillet of cornbread along with onions soaked in vinegar! Enjoy this wonderful meal as you look out over the lake (and don't count calories or cholesterol--it's worth the splurge!).

    Shark decor

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    6 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    23 days ago

    Great food, great catfish, slaw n cornbread and pickled onions...all they need is some slow cooked pinto beans n fried taters

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 month ago

    Great catfish and sides. We loved our meal and are returning customers. Always ample servings and staff are great.

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    3 months ago

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    5 months ago

    we are from Valdosta ga. When we come to our relatives in Huntsville we always come here. Great food and service

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    7 months ago

    Great food! Beautiful view! Great service! Would definitely recommend! Loved the corn bread and cold slaw!!! Shared the platter. Great!!!!

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Last time I went they had high pitched noise machines at the front door. It felt like someone was stabbing my ears.

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    11 months ago

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Great food, good service, I highly recommend Top O The River! Get there early to beat the clouds!

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Have always enjoyed our meals. Good selections and great service. Get there before they open, always a line.

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    3 years ago

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Top O'The River

    Will y'all be doing thanksgiving?

    I haven't a clue. I do not work there. I am just a customer doing reviews for them.

    Do they serve wine on Sundays?

    No alcohol on Sundays.

    Is alcohol served here?

    Yes. They have a small service bar.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    4.3(7 reviews)
    5.5 mi

    So Guntersville has become the place I go when I want to unwind and enjoy nature. This time around,…read moreI decided to get out and explore the surroundings and find something to eat that was different. I found Slim Chickens which is down the road in Albertville. Since I love chicken fingers, this place was right down my alley. The fingers were nice and juicy and flavored very well. The fries were hot and cooked well and the sauce I tried was a perfect compliment to the chicken. The Mac and cheese was actually really good, which I wasn't expecting. There was a little wait time (actually a long wait now that I think about it) since everything was cooked to order and brought to the table. Minus a star for that because we were the only people inside beside another couple. Obviously they try to get the drive through out quicker than the people inside. Despite that...I returned two additional times to get take-out and each time was pretty consistent. Y'all have a good thing going Slim Chickens!

    I'll start by saying the cost of their chicken meals are VERY expensive! The family meals are the…read moreonly way to go if you want to get the most bang for your buck! The mason jar desert is also very pricey, and it's good! Haven't sat inside the business, so I can't say anything about it. The good employees are hit and miss, a lot of good ones as of September of 2025. If you're a penny pincher, this isn't the place for you as they don't do bogo's or coupons of the sort. They have a rewards app that allows you to earn future money off based on purchases. I recommend everyone at least try's the place!

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    4.5(156 reviews)
    4.5 mi
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    In town for work, and was recommended to stop at Papa Dubi's. A great choice! The food was…read moredelicious. The inside is very nice and has a modern southern style. My server, Yesenia, did a great job breaking down the food items I was interested in. I also asked for my catfish blackened and fried. Yesenia and the chef made it happen! So yummy! Will recommend to my other coworkers!

    Had to do a work thing at the nearby cancer center and decided to stop in. Being from Louisiana, I…read morenever miss a chance to check out a Cajun place. I love the whole vibe of the place. Everyone was super friendly, shout out to our server Brandon. Friendly and willing to engage in my favorite activity (small talk!) lol. To the food. I have an extensive list of food allergies and intolerances. So I will always review a place where I can find a good meal and not get sick or worse. I had the burger po'boy and it was great! Perfect ratio of burger to bread. The fries were pretty standard Sysco fair but I like their seasoned fries so all good. Hubs had the catfish lunch meal and he enjoyed it. Ordered the boy the crab cake meal and he loved it. Also got the 4 sides option as part of our to-go order - gumbo, red beans & rice, jambalaya, and etouffee. I hate soupy rice & beans, so I was happy to see that these were done right. They also tasted great. I wasn't able to try the other items (pesky seafood allergy) but they also looked good and smelled delicious. Definitely see us making a day trip in the future to eat here again.

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    Top O'The River - seafood - Updated May 2026

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