Fred’s Fish House

Fred’s was recommended by a local realtor. Tired looking interior. Wanted to sit outside and was told we couldn’t because of insurance liability-​outside was available on weekends only. Food was ok, seemed like everything on the menu is fried.

A few of the locals and the Unilocal reviews said that this place was really good and that I should try it. Being a guy who loves his catfish, I couldn’t leave without trying this place. The place is right on the water, so I figured the catfish had to be fresh. The server was very pleasant and explained some things on the menu for me.
I ordered a sampler that came with catfish, scallops, shrimp, potatoes and hush puppies. The menu said that their hush puppies were «award winning», so I had to try those. It also came with a side of coleslaw and some pickles. Not everyone makes good coleslaw, but theirs was actually pretty good.
As far as the fish goes, I was disappointed. I don’t think they seasoned the batter at all. I meant to get the spicy fish, but forgot. I’d hope that the spicy catfish had more flavor. Another issue I had with the fish was that it wasn’t full of meat. Half of the filet had meat and the other half was just crunchy batter.
The hush puppies were supposed to be the big thing here, but I didn’t really get what all of the buzz is about. They are a little on the sweet side and are more crunchy than what I prefer. There wasn’t much flavor in those either. They reminded me of a fried ball of Jiffy cornbread.
The scallops were really small and the shrimp just tasted like something out of a frozen box that was deep fried. The potatoes (jojos) weren’t that good to me either. I’m used to potato wedges being fried, but I think these were baked with some type of flour batter on them. There was nothing that I tried from there that would make me want to come back, however, I am interested in finding out how the spicy catfish tastes. I’m not in much of a hurry to try it though since the regular catfish I had was such a let down.

I ordered the Filet and Shrimp which was cooked perfectly! My husband had the Catfish which was also excellent. Have the Jojos and pickled tomatoes! To die for.

Sorry, but this is another review that seems to go against most Unilocalers.
«You gotta go to Fred’s!» The reviews on Unilocal and people I spoke with all agreed «go to Fred’s.»
I went. It had the fried catfish and hush puppies. It was good but not great. The fish was extra crunchy, not greasy, but very, very crunchy really almost too crunchy.
You pretty much have to work to f up fried catfish and hush puppies but by the same token it can only be so good too. Find a VFW or church fish fry, you’ll see.
If you want fish and you’re near Fred’s at the time okay but don’t make a special trip thinking you’re going to find the holy grail of catfish.

Always a favorite when in Mtn Home, AR. Hands down the best catfish around. Steaks and burgers are just as delicious. Make sure to stop by

Stopped in for lunch while traveling through Arkansas. We had the 3 PC catfish special for 7.99. The catfish was fried perfectly! The 3 pieces were very large and filling. Wait staff were friendly and there is a pretty view of the lake.

We were excited about a trip back after we had been here last year during vacation. Service was painfully slow this time which was a disappointment. After a long wait for drinks, a waiter brought us our 8 drinks but had no idea what drinks they were so we kind of had to taste and pass them out! The waiter was short with me when I ordered and was asking questions about the menu. I ordered the Cajun catfish. When I received the catfish without Cajun seasoning, I mentioned the error and his response was «yeah that doesn’t have any Cajun seasoning». He didn’t offer a replacement and after such a long wait I didn’t want to risk sending it back. The hush puppies are great!

The only thing good at place is the view. Had the fish and shrimp with frys and it all taste the same… bland. For comparison think of Long John Silvers. The fry’s were load with grease and the hush puppies were very dry and also bland. If you plan on paying with an American Express save your self the trip, they don’t accept it. Do your self a favor find a different place to eat.

We had Fred’s on our list of place to eat at while in the area. The reviews are pretty much spot-​on and we found the place to be an excellent place to eat fried catfish. the coating was excellent and the fish itself was flakey, tender and didn’t have the muddy taste that you find in some restaurants. The hush puppies were excellent and in hindsight, I should have ordered more! The JoJos were OK, but I would probably order a different side next time. The service was excellent considering how many people were in the restaurant and the waitress was working numerous tables. Will definitely go back.

Had been to eat here when in the area about a year ago, and when we saw we were going to be about 40 mins away, were excited to go again. Great food, great service, great views. Get the catfish!

Visiting mountain home from saint louis and asked Unilocal for advice on where to get some food. Could not have picked a better place on our first night here. The place was packed and it took us a little bit to get our drinks and to get ordered but we were not disappointed at all :) we sat on their outdoor patio around 7 pm and got an excellent view of lake Norfolk and the sun set making for a beautiful dinner backdrop. We went for the fresh Cajun seasoned catfish and decided to have the prime rib as well, and share. Our steak was cooked and seasoned perfectly and the cat fish was absolutely delicious. Just had a bite of my leftover catfish which by the way, is excellent cold, and what prompted me to write this review. Be sure and check this place out.

Great catfish and clams. The Jo-​Jos (breaded and fried potatoes) were so-​so. Good service and the AC is super cold. Will stop here again.

In AR from St Louis had to find some catfish and Unilocal sent us to the right place. The Cajun fried catfish was FANTASTIC the fried green tomatoes and fried green beans were a hit as well.

I love Fred’s Fish House! This is the best place to eat in Mountain Home. I’ve been frequenting Fred’s a few times a year for the past 10 years. Get the catfish! You’ll walk away from this place full and satisfied. They also have a fantastic view.
Thanks Fred’s fish house for being awesome.

I love this place! The spicy version (cajun) catfish is great! This is near Mountain Home and honestly I found it on Unilocal and then called them to see where they were open. There sweet tea is good. IF I ever go back to Mountain Home I will defintely come here! Loved It! Thank You once again Unilocal!You do not fail me! :)

If you are within 10 miles, make the drive to Fred’s fish house! Get the cajun fried catfish! It is just like having it back home when my mom would fix it after a successful day at the creek! Loved this place!!! Thank God for Unilocal which is where we found it on our weekend trip here from Denver.

Whenever I’m in town I make a point to get to Fred’s. The catfish is always good and I appreciate the pickled tomatoes that go along with it.
Service is consistently good and portions are what you’d expect in the South (read: lots of food and big gulp size plastic cups of sweat tea).
Just a word to the wise… during tourist season get there before the crowd!

Visited in October 2012
Got the Cat fish & hush puppies both times. It was very good. The waitress was especially sweet & caring toward my 100 year grandma & gave her dinner FREE.
My wheel chair bound mom was given a great spot for her chair. We all enjoyed our meals. DO GO here! btw if you read the reviews of others. check out their other reviews (example Jeff L. of Gassville) if the reviews are often negative, perhaps the customer is expecting more than a place like this offers, or just happened to have a bd experience numerous times??? Be fair & use your own discretion.

Our last night on vacation, we couldn’t miss Fred’s right? It was OK. The grilled walleye was done nicely, but overspiced… you want to taste a light fish like walleye, not the salt. The slaw and baked potato were fine of course, but the hush puppies were awful. We all took one bite and not another. They were like fried white bread, not a trace of cornbread and there was a lot of grease pooled in the middle. My husband had carrot cake for dessert, he liked that a lot. I had blackberry cobbler and it was good. The service was very good… they put a lot of people through there but the service was still friendly. We wouldn’t race back there but it was fine.

We love Fred’s! If you are in Arkansas, don’t miss coming to Fred’s. You won’t regret it.
First off, the service is spectacular. The owners are always present. They walk around, ask if customers need anything. They make you feel like part of the family. The servers, bus boys, and hosts go above and beyond to give their customers a great dining experience.
The food is amazing! I have tried a lot of items on their menu and loved everything. I highly recommend the halibut, tilapia, and catfish. If you are a meat lover, the steaks are certified Angus and delicious! There is something for everyone at Fred’s.
If the weather is nice, sit outside for a beautiful view of the lake!
Don’t miss out on Fred’s! The best!