Brazos River Catfish Cafe

This is a great little catfish right by I-​20. If you’re traveling westbound, get off on the FM 113 exit and stay on the feeder for a mile or two. You won’t just stumble upon this place if you’re flying down the interstate looking for a place to pull in and eat. I’m glad 9 people took the time to Unilocal before me or else we wouldn’t have known about this place.
The restaurant is an old gas station that was converted and expanded. There are a couple of old gas pumps out front, along with an outdoor eating area (a few tables and benches). As the name implies, it is right on the Brazos River. The inside of the restaurant is decorated with neon and everything Elvis to give it a 50s diner feel. The place was busy with the after-​church crowd, but we were seated immediately and the food came out in a very respectable amount of time.
I had the popcorn shrimp and my husband had the catfish/​butterfly shrimp combo. All dinners come with fries or baked potato, coleslaw or salad, green pickled tomatoes, and pinto beans. The beans, salad, and tomatoes come out first. All of the food was good and the service was very friendly.
I snapped a couple of pictures. Neither are good, but it’ll give you an idea of what you’re looking for. The fish dinners range from around $ 9.99-$ 12.99 that I noticed. They also serve burgers and chicken fried chicken, among other things. My *only* complaints (and I hesitate to call them that) are that they were out of oysters (husband was disappointed but that probably means they are worth eating) and they serve soft drinks in cans, which is always a disappointment for me.
We also ordered a couple of desserts to go. We haven’t eaten them yet, but they look pretty amazing.
Great place. It’s worth getting off the beaten path a little to try something unique.

Came to eat after watching a local basketball game. Two of us got regular fish. And one got Cajun fish. Our 13 year old surprised us and got the crawfish platter. The waitress was so surprised she took pictures. We received excellent service and the food was fantastic. We all agreed it’s some of the best fish around. Would highly recommend to everyone. It’s definitely worth the drive.

Love this place. Catfish can be prepared in many ways. Fried green tomatoes and fresh homemade Pie. Friendly and efficient staff.

This is a precious shot in the dark! A fantastic restaurant to stop by along I-​20 or nearby after a long roadtrip. Was expecting fast-​food quality, but the grilled catfish fillets were AMAZING — blackened on the outside and tender inside. Service was great — two ladies were super friendly and the restaurant felt cozy with Elvis Presley theme.

Brazos River Catfish Café is a great find. They have catfish prepared 5 ways to suit just about every taste. There are plenty of other choices too. And, the homemade pies and cobbler are the best. Definitely worth the drive. Give it a try.

Excellent Lunch

Don’t come here in a hurry and you will be fine. Don’t come for fancy plates, bowls and glasses. They serve in high school cafeteria style dinnerware. We had fried green tomato appetizer and by the time we finished that and our salad, couldn’t finish our food. I had three piece catfish cajun spicy and fries, she had two piece catfish regular and a baked potato. Hush puppies were a little doughy in the middle but spicy and tasty. The green tomato relish on the table is a tasty accompaniment. Exceptional service. Food took a little while but they were super busy and the only cook got a nasty burn. A waitress went in the kitchen and took over while he (Albert) dressed his wound. He was back at work shortly. Had to get my bread pudding to go and eat later. It was to die for as advertised.

Amazing food & service!!!

I had the three piece catfish plate while my companion had the shrimp salad. The catfish was good, got four pieces instead of three, and the tartar sauce was also good and plentiful. The shrimp salad was large. Décor was very Elvis. About what you would expect from a catfish restaurant by the Brazos river.

All you could want. and more!
The most amazing part of this place is, well, everthing!
From the moment you pull up to the old horse hitching post out front, you feel like you have taken a step back in time.
The restaurant interior is themed with Elvis and there is memorabilia, and album covers and even a statue of Elvis paying his guitar. Over the music intercom, comes hits of Elvis’ career and you catch yourself singing to «Blue Suede Shoes» even though it does not over power your thoughts.
This is definately a dive-​y style restaurant and there is nothing fancy about the yellow laminate top tables or the traditional old style restaurant chairs, but you will find yourself wondering just how good the «To Die For Bread Puddin» is or, if it is your first time, what are fried green tomatoes?
The menu is definitely pretty fishy and there is a wide variety of catfish to choose from. I am not much of a catfish eater, but find myself able to pack more than a 3 piece on any given visit! Of course, there is the normal steak and such, but lets not forget we are in Texas and out in the country and Frogs legs are a specialty!
The catfish is served as regular, cajun, lemon pepper, blackened and Memphis. Story has it that the Memphis receipe came direct from one of Elvis’ personal private chefs. The receipe has something to do with pecans and what nots, but has definitely become my favorite of all the catfish! The cajun is a bit too much for my sensitive pallet and is a combination of sauces including «Slap yo mama!»…yeah, I’ll stay away from that!
Once you have had your fill of some catfish, there are the homemade pies and dessert assortments. Needless to say, everything is good and I havent been disappointed! The bread pudding lives up to the little chalkboard on the wall and is definately some of the best I have tasted!
Lets talk about the staff! From the moment you walk in the door, you meet the owner’s, Glenn and Vivian, and are receiving what you would expect from Traditional Texas folk… a great attitude, a hello, and where did you come from? It’s all about knowing the story.
Once seated, you will have service from one of the many girls that have called The Brazos River Catfish Café home and they give you the Southern Charm and smile while tending to your needs. (Personally, Rosie is a gem!)
Albert is the man behind the scenes and is putting the meal together to satisfy those taste buds. Here is a guy who cares about your experience and will make sure you food is hot and tasty.
Stop in often enough and you might find Kristi tending to the restaurant on behalf of her parents. kristi visits every once in awhile from Arizona and definately carries the Southern hospitality and charm that you would expect from a Southern Belle. (Not to mention, she is pretty darn cute too).
And before I forget to mention it, you never know who you will be dining with and there have been celebrities that have made the trip and chanced the food to enjoy some Southern Cooking. Every once in awhile, you might be sitting next to one of the top 10 richest women in the WORLD and you would never know it, because out here, she is just one of the local folks!
All in all, this is worth the trip. Located about 40 miles west of Fort Worth on I-​20, this little place is tucked away in the town of Millsap. But don’t think you will be showing up just any old time, they are only open Thursday through Sunday (5 – 9 pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and 11 – 3 on Sunday).
Every Sunday, Albert will add a special of the day to the menu and I truly LOOOOOOVVVVEEEE the meat loaf!
Come on down to the Brazos River Catfish Café and take a trip back in time. Bring your smiles and your appetite.