Flying Fish

I give the Flying Fish 5 stars for the fried catfish. I wasn’t impressed with the crawfish, but it’s not typically my go-to unless I’m in Louisiana. And as nice as Bentonville is to visit, it’s no NOLA. Set your expectations accordingly to an inland seafood spot. My son and I shared the tilapia caddo, crawfish, gator queso, and fried catfish. Be prepared to order before you sit but the line moves quickly. Overall great location (not far from free parking), great service, and great food!

FYI, if you are new in town; walk in and go straight to the counter to order then sit where you like. They will give you a buzzer for you to come and collect your food. I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere, would definitely eat here again.

Gumbo was delicious as well as the atmosphere. My catfish was lacking in flesh though. Maybe it’s just a fluke. Would definitely go back for the other numerous specialties they have.

We've been loyal patrons of this spot for years, and it continues to exceed expectations every time. The dishes are consistently served at the ideal temperature, bursting with fresh, vibrant flavor. We're especially fond of the fish tacos, shrimp tacos, fried shrimp, and fried catfish — each one a standout. The staff runs things like clockwork, all while maintaining a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who appreciates great food and excellent service!

Everytime i am in the area i will stop and grab lunch! I really enjoy the fish tacos and hula poppers! You don't have to wait long for your food and there are always places to sit for how busy they are.

Great food and friendly staff. The restaurant is decorated with lots of fun things to look at and creates a perfect atmosphere to pair with the good food.

We came to town to look at art and decided to stop to get something to eat. This place was a breath of fresh air in the midst of the downtown shopping area. Food and atmosphere were wonderfully comforting. People who waited on us were oh so friendly. Thank you for your hospitality. And in case you are wondering, most of that burger made it home for dinner later and it was a delicious.

Since moving away from Dallas, it’s been a minute since we’ve been to a Flying Fish, glad to say this location is just as tasty! The seafood gumbo rue was dark and delicious. Ordered the fried catfish and fried okra, yummy!!!

Reasonably priced seafood that taste pretty good! Unique and fun vibe and atmosphere.

I adore the decor in here. It's covered wall to wall in singing Billy Bass, most of them decorated/themed. I had the 1 catfish filet basket, which came with hush puppies and fries. I thought the price was really good for seafood. The filet was crispy and I loved the texture. It was well seasoned and flaky. Fries weren't very crisp, but it'll do. I definitely recommend the catfish here. The atmosphere is super casual and there are paper towels and condiments at each table. You order up front and get a buzzer and pick up your own food. I had a great experience here, and would give it a 4.5/5, the only thing is that I thought the bathroom was dirty and there was some type of bug on the floor.

Arkansas lucked out when fellow Dallasite Shannon Wynne decided to open one of his flying Fish restaurants in Bentonville! Trust me,it's a gift from above. I've been eating at the Texas locations for years without a slip up. This location mirrors the others with kitchy fish camp vibe and excellent seafood priced right. A Huge,Definite... Go!

Small city seafood joint. Just like you see in the movies. Service was really friendly and the decor is nice. During lunch time almost every table was filled. They sell alcohol here but the place is fairly expensive so I didn't want to pad the bill with drinks. I think it's about $20 per person average, give or take. I had frog legs and liked them.

Great fish shack right off the downtown square in Bentonville. Fresh fish and seafood (mud bugs when in season) and great sides. Grilled snapper or Mahi is always on point as well as all your fried favorites. Looks like a beach town fish shack with pictures of Trophey fish all over the walls. Counter service with friendly people ready to help.

so good! The catfish was moist/ buttery and it tasted really fresh. But my favorite was the grilled catfish with extra Cajun seasoning. It was perfectly cooked and seasoned + plus the plate had veggies, rice, beans which made it a well balanced meal! Shrimp had a somewhat weird taste.... maybe because it wasn't the freshest... I ate it all but I don't think I will get the fried shrimps again. Fried Catfish (4.3/5) Fried Shrimp (3/5) Grilled Catfish (4.7/5) Would come here again for the grilled catfish lol

Spacious interior & fast service. Funky fishy decor. Food was very tasty, certainly not exactly healthy- but hey how often do I get a plate of fried up goodness? We had Cajun plate- frog legs, alligator bites & a side of grilled squash for balance.

Flying Fish, always a good choice for a basket of seafood. Friendly customer service at the counter, helpful to make a suggestion if you can't make up your mind. Free refills on your drinks.

Four of us got lunch the catfish fillets were a hit. No reason for anything else. Fries ok and hush puppies overcooked. Good variety of hot sauces. Nice courteous staff and efficient service, order as you arrive.

In town for a conference checking out local restaurants, found this gem fantastic setting and cool decor, ordered Cajun platter alligator and frog legs with rice and jambalaya fantastic food and a lot of it. Long line but the service was fast and friendly. Good place to grab a bit to eat.

Similar to not judging a book by its cover, you should not judge this restaurant by the exterior. I did at first but am so glad I turned back and gave it a chance! The service was great, I don't think we waited longer than 10 minutes before our food was brought out to us. I'm not the biggest fan of fish, however, I LOVED the fried catfish here. Large portions and everything tasted wonderful!

Since moving away from Dallas, it's been a minute since we've been to a Flying Fish, glad to say this location is just as tasty! The seafood gumbo rue was dark and delicious. Ordered the fried catfish and fried okra, yummy!!!

Pie looks like a mess. Catfish filet over cooked and over seasoned. Not recommended.

OK, I admit this is one of those places I haven't been recently, but I still think about it number one. The ambience I spent all of my childhood vacations on the Gulf Coast walking in the front door is totally walking into some mom and Pop place down along the Gulf Coast. I don't remember what all I ordered. I really like the snapper Veracruz although I do not get it with the sauce on it I get sauce on the side when my mother and I went a previous time we had so much food on our table it was stupid and my mother weighed less than 100 pounds so she sure wasn't gonna eat it all but we made a valid effort. The ambience is great. the food is great. The service will basically mostly serve yourself so yeah that was pretty great too.

Casual dining. The boiled shrimp was fresh tasting and just right on the spice. It appears to be a local favorite. The photos of everyday folks and their big fish catch is interesting to see.

What a fun place. There's tons of decor around the entire place. Very "fish shake" type of vibes here. You go and order at the back and go and have a seat. I ordered the grilled tilapia salad, which really hit the spot. My partner had the fried catfish po boy, red beans and rice and seafood gumbo. He is from Louisiana, so he really appreciated the taste of home and felt that they made everything perfectly.

Fun decor, fast service, and great food. Simple items but very fresh and delicious. Price point was a little high but still enjoyed it.

Always a must-visit when in Bentonville! Big portions of tasty food. Love the classic seafood house charm as well.

Entering this humble restaurant clarified that the service or food would not be top notch but whenever I got my food out, the plate was so dirty and the amount of grease was astronomical. I got the gumbo slop and the fried frozen fish and I must say I am not impressed. Now the prices really reflected this as the food was somewhat cheap but I don't think I would pay this much for pig feed. On the other hand the hush puppies were a 5/5 and the only thing I would ever order form here again, other than that nothing special.

The lobster rolls are just ok nothing special. 2 for $18.95! We got a cup of gumbo and it was super dark. Wasn't good. The shrimp and catfish is always good.

Every thing , except the catfish, had an off putting taste . The vegetables taste like it was placed on a grill that is used to cook other meat so the flavors were all over the place. The Gumbo was HORRIBLE, like they burnt the roux while cooking it. She replaced it with the crawfish chowder which wasn't much better. Fried shrimp tasted like the oil was old. Ugh I won't be back

So it's not haute cuisine by any means, but tasty food in a quirky atmosphere in a quick service setting. My husband and I enjoyed the ceviche (only $10!) and catfish baskets. Everything was very good. Literally my only complaint is the size of the hush puppies. They are half the size of a normal one. What a tease!

We have gone here three times and every time the food was delicious. My husband had the Gumbo and I had the Crawfish chowder we spilt the lobster rolls. We both would recommend this place.

This is a fast food restaurant, that doesn't serve food that tastes like fast food! You can get all kinds of seafood or freshwater fish here, plus a ton of other stuff. Even a kids meal that comes in a boat! How cute is that! Love love love it!

I walked into flying fish, not sure about seafood since I live in Fla, this place on par with Louisiana cuisine, I got gumbo and skewing shrimp, they grill the lemon on skewer, so aromatic and tasty to seafood, love the Tito lemonade to calm your palate , if u miss this joint , you're nuts real good and open during a snow storm

I haven't been lucky enough to try this place yet but if that trash-hole Marc Dellanor can give them 1 star for having a rainbow on their property, I wanted to give them and the other places this Loser gave fake reviews for a 5 star to counter it so people can get real reviews in the end :) He uses the same sourpuss story in all his posts too. Flying Fish has a very nice looking selection and is beautifully decorated. I hope everyone can make it there to enjoy their goodies!

by far 我去过两家flying fish，这家店服务和食物都非常好。食物新鲜刚做好的，冒热气，服务员帮忙端上来。服务员还给我们手套。会回头再试试其他美食。很满意，很好吃。

Was shocked to find that everything was bland and over-fried, as it had come recommended in Bentonville. We also got the coleslaw and banana pudding and did little more than taste it before we had enough. We ordered takeout, so can't speak to the service or ambiance.

The boiled shrimp is my fav with corn on cob and potatoes. This is what I usually get with a big slice of lemon. Try it...you'll like it!

SO disappointing. I love the atmosphere and the blues music playing. But the food was pretty awful. I got the combo of fried catfish and shrimp. The catfish was about 1/4 inch thick and over breaded for that thickness. Shrimp was mostly inedible as it tasted "off". Not sure if it was the shrimp or the grease. Such a shame. Perhaps we ordered wrong, but I won't take the chance to go back.

I had high hopes but didn't like as much as I thought I would. Grilled seafood that my parents ordered was far better than the fried that my kids and I got. Rainbow trout was delicious. Grilled shrimp with bbq were good and they loved the beans. The kids meal in a boat with a toy fish was cute but food was super fried and tough. The gumbo and grits were ok. Fried grit cake, not creamy grits like I expected, and a classic dark gumbo with shrimp and okra. The bbq shrimp poboy was a disaster. 5 shrimp on the whole poboy. Thought it would be loaded and big enough to share. Fun local place right downtown. I would visit again and hope for better/nicer counter service and bigger portions.

The food was hot and delicious. I had the shrimp and catfish and hubby had frog legs. We were both very happy. Service with a smile and walking the downtown Bentonville square is always cool.

We love this place. Food is always wonderful. However, the tables are never clean. My daughter is obsessed with sitting at the round table in front. I'm not sure the seats have been wiped ever. We always have to wipe it down. There's an enormous amount of crumbs in the crevasse. I just wish it was clean.

Very Delicious!! In town from College Station Tx for U of A graduation. Recommendation from our Air B&B host. Best fried shrimp and catfish my family and I have eaten with the speediest and friendliest service.

We had not been down to the FF in a couple of years! I have to say we loved the one in Little Rock and we also really liked the Bentonville location. That being said, we went to FF in Bentonville tonight and it was beyond terrible! We both got gumbo which was not awful. But everything else was horrible!i Got the hula poppers and they were full of grease and it tasted like old grease, disgusting and inedible. The margaritas were awful and I could not drink, the water tasted like soap and I assume that the glasses were not rinsed well. It was a zterrible experience and I would say don't waste your time and trouble going downtown Bentonville for FF. We will never go back. Ps, I was a FF punch card holder!!

Terrible entrees. Fish was dry & did not have any flavor. The same is applicable for the sides as well. We were craving seafood during our visit to Bentonville, Arkansas. This place was very disappointing.

I'll admit my initial review was because I didn't "get" this place. It's now one of my favorites in Bentonville. Big fan of the fish tacos or the catfish.

If you like catfish tacos, these are some of the best! Rice and beans are tasty! Enjoy the collection of the big mouth Billy Bass Adoption Center!

Little hidden gem in the square. Food is fresh and delicious. Atmosphere is quaint and comfortable and clean. Service is excellent! They have wine and beer and fun kid meals.

Very cold old timey restaurant. Great memorabilia and stuff all around the place! Also close to downtown Bentonville.

Awesome menu and excellent service. Been there before and look forward to doing it again when I'm in the area.

Little hidden gem in Downtown Bentonville that's casual in all the right ways and on point with easy, simple seafood. Lots of fried items, but the grilled and sides are faves. Hushpuppies a must! Hulas a must. Lots of bigger tables and smaller ones and perfect for a date, family meal or single dining.

Got the fried catfish. 2 filets with fries and 2 hush puppies. Added onion and coleslaw and a drink for just over $18. The fish was good. Crispy outside seasoned well and moist inside. The food came out very hot and I like that. Was not a sweet onion but added to the meal. Coleslaw was different and ok. Got sweet tea and it was good. You ordered at the counter and got an electronic buzzer that lit up and vibrates when your food was ready. No waiting. Lot of unusual fishing decor. It is a fish restaurant. Verry nice for lunch.

First time at the Flying Fish. The decision to go there was influenced by the Support Ukraine campaign. The spicy grilled Mahi poor boy sandwich was awesome. So was the trout - generous delicious portion. Both came with a pile of fries and some hushpuppies. Shrimp tastes better than at the Blu Fish House. Chocolate cake and Key Lime Pie hit the mark. Now on to the drinks - the house frozen margaritas are perfect in summer. They also pack a punch! Staff were nice and helpful. Ordering was efficient. Clean. Really nothing to complain about. Definitely coming back! And thank you for supporting Ukraine

Dang this place rocks! Love the southern fish fry vibe. Very good margaritas and the food is even better. Had the catfish jambalaya it was 10/10. Super fun place. Try it you'll love it!

This is a chain restaurant that has a local feel. I have eaten at a Flying Fish several times and they are always very consistent with food and service. On this trip I started with gator bites and they were pretty good, a little tough. Then I had the Grilled Trout Almandine. The fish was cooked perfectly with great seasoning. It came with a large side of beans and rice that was pretty good as well. the service was quick and efficient. this is a very casual, sitting my the bay kind of feel, a lot of fun.

To greasy.. everything fried nothing baked . High price for fast food .. I would not go back

On a recent visit to northwest Arkansas, my wife and I decided to try two famous catfish restaurants. Flying Fish in Bentonville was our second stop. Downtown Bentonville is very charming. Flying Fish has an old style diner vibe that we found to be cool and fun. The staff was friendly and obviously hard working, cheerfully handling a very busy night with efficiency. I ordered seafood gumbo. Having lived in Louisiana, I am quite particular about gumbo. This was some of the best I've ever had outside of southern Louisiana. Deep dark roux and lots of shrimp... excellent! The catfish was pretty good, but a little on the greasy side and much more greasy breading than fish. I honestly had a sense that this was an off night for the catfish. The hush-puppies were perfect. I wish I had ordered more. Fries were okay for me, but my wife loved them. The only real disappointment was the fried okra that was cold and not of good flavor. I appreciated the fact -admittedly a personal preference- that they had Coke products. I was making my trip a catfish weekend, but I love Louisiana crawfish. I didn't eat them on this visit but I couldn't help but notice that they looked really great. Next time I'll try them. Because of the greasiness of the fish and the okra I give Flying Fish four stars instead of five. Eat My Catfish in Rogers won my contest this weekend, but I am excited to visit Flying Fish again on my next Arkansas visit. I bet it will be better next time.

Are here last weekend, and it was very good. Gumbo was cooked nicely, and the boiled crab and shrimp were good as well. Would dine here again.