Charlie's Catfish House - Ellisville

When my friend and I planned our trip to Laurel, MS, she insisted that we had to visit Charlie's Catfish House. You might be wondering, what’s so special about Charlie's? Well, in the southern United States, there’s a unique appeal to their catfish dishes. I grew up in rural Arkansas where fish houses often serve catfish fillets. However, my friend, who lives in and around Laurel, assured me that Charlie's offered a distinctive experience.

Since I was a kid, we've always gathered here to celebrate birthdays. I'm a picky eater, but this place is truly the best! The hamburger steak, Texas toast, fries, and hush puppies are fantastic! I've never been let down; even if there's a wait, it’s definitely worth it!

Two of us ordered the catfish, and all four pieces were served on one plate, which made it inconvenient. One person requested two to-go boxes but ended up with four boxes, four cups, four lids, and a bag. After handing everything over, the server just walked away, instructing me to leave what we didn’t need on the table. I had to awkwardly sit at my chair, holding all the items she had just given me while one of us filled the to-go boxes and put the completed box on the table next to us. We ended up with a total of 13 items, including four glasses and two empty baskets, crammed onto a table meant for four people. I hesitated to say anything at first, but as we were getting up to leave, the waitress had the audacity to roll her eyes and shake her head at the plates we had to move. Overall, the dining experience did not feel worth it. We felt rushed, and it seemed like our presence was more of an inconvenience to the server than anything else. We spent over $80 for our meal and typically tip between 25% and 35% for good service, but after this experience, I’ll be specifically requesting not to sit in a server’s area if we decide to return in the future. I would hesitate to describe the waitress as the "short blonde-haired lady who speaks very fast," as I don’t want to offend, but it’s hard not to notice the lack of professionalism in her service.

Beautiful place, eating was amazing. great service!