Walking in the door at Catfish Charlie’s feels comfortable and familiar, like coming home to family, which is how Doug wants you to feel. “We look at our crew and our guests as family,” Doug said. He shared the story of a favorite guest, the father of an old classmate, who would tease the restaurant owner each time he came in by calling out nicknames from the end of the line. Even when our team was there for this interview, a guest joked with Doug as we took his photo saying, “Come on Doug, you can smile bigger than that,” which he did after a quick chuckle.

Just ask Doug about his team, and his eyes light up. Talking about the challenges of owning a restaurant, Doug is sure to tell you that this is not a one man show. His crew is the backbone of Catfish Charlie’s. It’s even in their mission. “Our mission statement has always been that we at Catfish Charlie's are continuing to serve excellent food to a wonderful community with a wonderful team” he said.

Aside from the incredible hospitality, Catfish Charlie’s is known for their thin & crispy catfish. It was original to Charlie’s version of the restaurant, but when Doug took over the reins, it wasn’t a big seller.

“That came straight from Manchac, Louisiana. That was a place, as a child anytime we went anywhere near New Orleans, my dad would route through Manchac and stop at Middendorfs,” he said. So, when he took over, Doug decided they were going to push it, and now it’s one of their best sellers.

The menu at Catfish Charlie’s includes items you would expect…fried catfish, shrimp, and chicken, as well as oysters. They’ve got po’boys, burgers, and saucy options like Shrimp Alfredo, Catfish D’Arbonne, and Red Beans & Rice. A favorite of Doug’s, the Tackle Box, comes with 2 catfish fillets, 4 jumbo shrimp, 4 oysters, and sides. It’s the perfect option when you can’t choose just one.

They have fun with their menu, trying out a few new items each year. One of those additions is their fish tacos. They take a fresh tortilla, drop in the fryer, and form it into a fresh flaky, buttery taco. They add a sweet and spicy slaw and blackened catfish. Doug says, “it's just a great bite, and it's one of our most successful add-ons that we've done.”

Looking ahead, Doug teased a new menu item with redfish. He didn’t give us too many details, only that it promises to be a killer dish. But until then, there are plenty of dishes on the menu that are sure to please. So, stop by and grab a bite, because at Catfish Charlie’s, we’re all a part of the family!