Middendorf's Slidell

Second time here and worth the drive out of New Orleans for this catfish. (I don't like catfish) This catfish is delicious and all I need it a little crystal hot sauce...mmm! Onion rings are good and don't sleep on the hush puppies. The coleslaw a bit sweet for my liking but put some hot sauce and pepper on it and change it up. Quick efficient service.

First time to the Slidell location. Normally, we go to Manchac was amazing. Laura, the nicest, brought out our food. She was so nice and polite. I loved the pickles. The food is amazing at both locations. Over 91 years of doing it right.

Had to drop a friend off in New Orleans at the airport. Stopped on the way back at the station across the street and decided we would try them out. Best decision we made! The food was fabulous! And the service was tremendous! Will definitely go back would recommend them 100% the place is very clean and very decorative.

Talk about quick service! We placed a ToGo order at the bar, and from the time we placed our order and received the food (all cooked fresh), it was less then 10 mins and we were out the door. The food catfish and gator bites were pretty good, and we would definitely visit when we travel back to town. This restaurant is also in a great location, right off the exit and it wasn't a lot of traffic in the area.

Mid is a good word to describe this place. Our server was fantastic, the atmosphere was nice with some good views. The food was ok? We got the stuffed mushrooms, and Italian oysters. The flavor was mostly the spinach, and somehow very soggy. The cheese was ok. The server offered to replace it, and/or get the manager based on us not eating it; we didn’t go there. It was just not to our taste. Entrees the house platter and the seafood pasta. With the addition of Tony’s, black pepper, and hot sauce the pasta was great 8/10. The platter was less flavorful. The catfish was good, but needed the sauces and table seasoning. Good crispy/texture/crunch on them. The hush puppies were dry, the fries unseasoned, and coleslaw was stellar. The drink machine was out the day we went so just got tea. It was good. We skipped desert based on the other food. The server was fantastic. The place was just not our taste. The bill was reasonable.

Very disappointing experience given that they had fond memories of going to the original. Stopped on the way back to NOLA on a Friday night during Lent, and it was basically empty. That should've been the 1st red flag. This place is huge and gives off strong Margaritaville vibes. We were seated immediately by the totally uninterested hostess, and greeted by our server. We split our meal between us and ordered the gator bites, a wedge salad and the seafood platter. Most of everything was mediocre at best. The gator bites were decent, but gator tail doesn't have much flavor by itself. The remoulade was good. The wedge salad was basic but good, hard to mess that up but you'd be surprised. What fell flat was the seafood platter. While the shrimp and oysters were good, there were only 2 of each. Same with the thin fried catfish which in our case was thick fried breading. We both only got one or two BITES that had any discernable catfish in it. The stuffed crab to me was ok, but it's not something I typically order and was on par with what I've had in the past. But she was having none of it and complained that it was just a mess of breading. And bless their hearts for those hush puppies. Completely inedible clumps of fried sand. No amount of cocktail sauce was saving those. They were so bad I had to say something to the server, which I don't often do. The only reason it's not getting 1 star is because our server Alicia? was on point and the prices weren't ridiculous. We've both had better seafood from gas stations and convenience stores. We were both fairly hungry and dug in immediately, hence no pretty pics. Hunger makes the best spice, but keep it moving cause this ain't the place.

Awsome kid sand play area, food lacks seasoning. Hush puppies are overcooked, and catfish was soft. Priced a couple of dollars high for each item.

Sigh…They got us. They really did. Now, to be fair, it IS a chain, so we weren’t expecting authentic Cajun seafood, HOWEVER, I did FAFO that you can’t spell Middendorf’s without “Midd”(with two D’s for a double dose of disappointment) because that’s exactly what it was. I should have aborted mission when they brought out the crab “gumbo” and it was basically a vegetable soup (no detectable roux) with large chunks of celery, onion and…tomato🤢in it. They put a teaspoon of rice in it, along with 1/2 a blue crab. I guess that was the “gumbo” part.🥴It was ten dollars. The bread was literally a cold, stale six inch poboy bun. Against my better judgement, we ordered the seafood platter, and I use the term platter VERY loosely as it consisted of a grand total of 4 shrimp, 3 oysters, a handful of fries, what I assume were supposed to be catfish filets, and one bland stuffed crab. Portion size aside, the “catfish filets” were literally just crust. Everything, and I cannot stress this enough, EVERYTHING was ultra bland! Peppery but no salt or seasoning at all on the stuffed crab. I called the waitress over and asked if those were really what they served as “catfish filets”. She said it’s their “thin fried catfish” which they are known for. Well they certainly are known for it by me because there was absolutely NO fish in the “filets”! Paper thin curls of batter is what they were. After I crumbled one of their filets to dust in front of the waitress she looked shocked and told us that normally to get a real actual catfish filet (which they don’t tell you about) it would be three dollars more. So you can get a plate of catfish dust for $25 bucks, OR you can get a real catfish filet for…more money? The waitress was nice and the service was good as she did bring us two actual filets out, (which literally had no seasoning. No salt, no pepper, just a bland piece of catfish cooked in an unseasoned batter) but the food was egregious! I can’t believe that place serves “seafood” to people and is still open! The only thing I can think of is that they cater to people from other states that have no idea what southern fried seafood or Cajun food is supposed to taste like and they think they’re getting the real deal? Either way, never again. Nopen-dorf’s will NEEEEEVER get me another time. Like Bush said, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice and…well, you’re not gonna fool me again.” Edit: It’s terrible food regardless of whether it is “Cajun” or not, which gumbo is arguably a dish specific to that region. 😒In addition, I’ve eaten “fried seafood” all my life being from this region, and actually COOK it as well and there is absolutely no good reason for fried seafood to be that bland. Salt? You think salt is causing issues with your oil? If it’s affecting your oil that bad, you’re doing something wrong and need to change your oil more frequently.

Middendorf's - IYKYK. Thin fried catfish, fast services, reasonable prices (3 adults got full for $60). The thin fried catfish is their hallmark. So thin you can read the newspaper through it. Not really, but really. The hush puppies are great!

We were excited to visit this location for lunch on the way home from Mississippi because we are fond of the original location. This one is fairly new construction with a big, bright, open dining room. I ordered a French 75 which was well executed and a great deal! I received a standard champagne flute full of the cocktail, and the server also brought the rest of the gin/lemon mix and half a split of sparkling on the side. There was enough for a second drink, and I think it was under $10. We selected turtle soup and gumbo to start. The turtle soup was incredibly salty but lacking other flavor. The gumbo was not like any gumbo I've ever eaten, and not in a good way. It tasted odd and had huge chunks of vegetables. We each only took a couple of bites of our soups, which should have indicated a problem, but the server never even asked if they were okay. Entrees were better - I got thin fried catfish and oysters, my husband got sauteed frog legs, one child got boiled shrimp, another had thin fried catfish, and one selected chicken tenders. The oysters were okay, but a bit overcooked. The catfish was fried perfectly, but fishier than I've had at the original location. I was told the frog legs and boiled shrimp were very good. The chicken tenders were clearly premade, frozen tenders and overpriced for that, but the kids didn't mind. The service was okay. Our waitress was nice and helpful, but sometimes went missing for extended stretches and it took awhile to get the bill settled. I won't rush back.

1st time at the Slidell location and it was wonderful. Food and service were great!!

The food was great and the service was friendly and helpful. The ambiance is nice as well and it was a great experience.

We stopped here after a long day of jiu-jitsu competitions for my son. Middendorfs is alway on point. Being tired and hungry we needed something familiar although this was our first time at this location. The shrimp caesar salad was delicious. The boiled potatoes in it threw me off a little though. My husband and 6 year old enjoyed the thin fried catfish. The building was very clean and inviting. Our server was ok. She was friendly but eventually disappeared when we were ready to pay the bill so we could leave.

We came mainly for the whole fried fish but decided to dine in instead. Not pictured was a cup of seafood gumbo, a pass in my book, and some onion rings, we loved them. The service wasn't the fastest but it wasn't snail slow. Our server, I think her name was Jordan and if not I'm sorry, was really really nice and accommodating. The tenderloins surprisingly were the best thing we tried. The fish, both of them, had a nice fry to it but it wasn't really seasoned. The fries, were all passes again. The shrimp on the platter was really good also. The ambience was really nice as there are a bunch of windows and there's even a patio with some sand for the kids to play in. Check this place out if you're ever in the Slidell area.

MIddendorfs in Slidell is situated near I-10 in Slidell bringing thin-fried catfish to those traveling around Lake Pontchartrain to the east, just as the hallowed original on I-55 has provided for folks passing the lake on its western edge. Travelers who split the difference and take the Causeway are out of luck. Stop to eat midway along that route and the only thing you'll be served is a summons. The MIddendorf name has been synonymous with thin-fried catfish for decades. They're interesting and crispy but not particularly satisfying as fish. Those wanting something with more meat and less breading should opt for the thick-fish, which doesn't have the cachet but does have a satisfying core of steaming white catfish filet. There's a fried platter that's not particularly remarkable, and of course the burgers and chicken fingers for the non-seafood eaters. French fries are a common accompaniment and came out fresh and hot. The gumbo by New Orleans standards is pretty good, and for those grading on the curve extending from Pittsburgh to Boise, the best soup you will ever taste. Our big family party of nine was seated promptly on a lazy mid-afternoon where we were the only patrons for most of our meal. Service was friendly and attentive.

IYKYK. The thin fried catfish is a favorite, and the tartar and cocktail sauces are great accompaniments. The cole slaw was good, not too creamy, but also not too vinegary. The hush puppies were a bit dry today. The vanilla bean ice cream served with the German chocolate cake was excellent. We also tried the key lime pie, which was good but not great. Overall, a great Sunday dinner!

Middendorfs was just okay. The ambiance was nice, but nothing special. The service was average; again, nothing special. The food was mediocre. If you don't like fried food, this is not the place for you. Everything is fried! There are plenty of restaurants with much better food in the area. I wouldn't go back unless there was some kind of special going on with new menu items.

I'm delighted to have one closer to us! We stopped by on our way to Biloxi and it was fantastic. The seafood was phenomenal - very fresh and perfectly cooked. We had the fried shrimp and the gumbo. The service was excellent as well. We'll definitely be back!

Went during Oktoberfest. The German food is authentic. You get quite a bit of food for the price. We had to drive a little ways to get here and I don't think I'll do it again. The service was fast.

Came here with really high expectations. Service was great and friendly. Food was ok .. Honestly expected more from looking at reviews and hearing from locals. The fried frog legs were a little bland for taste. I've had better flavor. Was worth trying but wouldn't go back.

Anyone who knows me knows that Middendorf's is my favorite restaurant because of the thin fried catfish. The Slidell location is an easier trip than driving out to Manchac, but it does not have the feel of the original Middendorf's. The catfish and soft shelled crab did not disappoint. The service was lackluster. We were moved from one table to another in a near empty dining room because a server wanted out table for a large party. A little rude because there were plenty of other tables to accommodate a large party. The Slidell location is good for a quick fix, but nothing beats the original Manchac ambiance.

Food is very bland, wouldn't recommend. Service was pretty decent and the crowd was pretty minimal.

Catfish has no seasoning and undercooked even though very thin.........was order of magnitude better 30-40 years ago......now? Meh......

Service was A1! Don't remember our waitresses name, but this review does not reflect her at all. On the other hand, the food was NASTY! The only thing that was good was the coleslaw (according to my husband because I don't eat it) and my baby's sweet potato fries. I got the spinach oysters for appetizers 1/10 and only because it was hot (fresh). Also, I got the seafood platter and that was a 1/10 again, fresh made to order. The other things we order were all hot but just nasty. It had no seasoning/flavor. I do not recommend this place at all unless you have high blood pressure and just want fried food

Stopped here and ordered takeout on our way to Gulfport. The softshell crab was the biggest we had ever seen. Very nice bathrooms. Great road trip stop on the way out of New Orleans!

Everything we had was very bland. The stuffed shrimp and stuffed crab were both dry stuffing with no flavor. They stuffed shrimp presentation and size of the shrimp was unappealing. The thin fried catfish was thin fried cornmeal. Even the hushpuppies lacked flavor. Server was friendly, but when you serve iced tea, put enough ice to cool the tea. Biggest pet peeve when ordering tea

After reading several reviews I was skeptical about coming while on vacation but they were the only restaurant open on Father's Day. That being said, the thin fried catfish was amazing! The shrimp, Cole slaw, hush puppies, stuffed mushrooms and alligator bites were just as good I just with the portions of mushrooms, bites and shrimp were a bit more that's the only reason I'm not giving 5 stars. Excellent service, excellent atmosphere and excellent food! Will definitely come back next time I visit!

Foods pretty basic. It's not what you expect when you think Louisiana food. The staff is friendly but this place is over priced.

Gumbo came out cold, the fried shrimp had no seasoning. My wedge salad was very good but wouldn't go back just for that.

It was ok. Nothing great. Big restaurant and has lots of potential. Nice bar and good drinks but their "famous catfish" Was lacking and their gumbo was salty. The restaurant has a great outdoor place. Definitely seems like a good place for families to eat. Just wish the food was better.

Sadly we can't give this place anything more than 1 star. The food was horrible. Not worth the stop. The hush puppies were super dry. The stuffed mushroom was super salty and just had a weird flavor added to it. The salmon was seared to the serving dish and I had to fight the plate to get it onto my fork. The fries were even ruined- dry and stale. Sadly as sweet as the waitress was, she was more into her phone than her 1 table. Not worth the stop, keep driving. The sweet tea was good and so was the Cobb salad.

Overpriced!! very disappointed, I had the gumbo bad choice, I also ordered the pennie pasta with shrimp lord the shrimp was not fresh and not Devine my husband had the catfish that was supposed to not be thin and it was Thin and salty. The shrimp in the gumbo was not Devine either. Do not recommend.

I started with fried green tomatoes.....expensive & only 2 tiny slices of tomato... drenched in some vinegar drizzle and waaaaaaaaasy too much sauce!!...got half oyster/half thin fried catfish.... plenty of food... I just wish Something would have tasted good .... Nothing had Any taste... I drenched oysters in lemon juice and still no flavor...good amount of catfish but again Absolutely tasteless....... I've been wanting to go for a while and now I'm disappointed... but at least I know.

If you don't like fried food this really is not your place. Restaurant is right down the street from me so try to go local. But, restaurant looks tired inside, needs attention. Prefer a booth, but no booths. No seltzer or hard cider. Beer, wine or cocktail. Thin catfish looks good, large serving but is really just a lot of fried breading. Thick, regular catfish is better. Other menu items are good but nothing spectacular. The place and menu needs updating.

Thin fried catfish is only thing I would recommend. Everything else was not up to par, especially gumbo, grilled stuffed shrimp, and boiled shrimp salad.

Excellent food and service. First of all the thin, crispy catfish fillets are cooked to perfection. The coleslaw is fresh and delicious. The hush puppies are very flavorful and have a little heat. The service is impeccable and second to none. Austin was our server on a Sunday night and he was awesome. As for the desserts.... The banana bread pudding with rum sauce is over the top delicious and so is the German chocolate cake. Both are served warm and are definitely a must when eating at this establishment.

Wife's "thick" fried catfish good as was son's fried seafood platter and daughter n law's thin catfish. Onion rings bad, IMHO overcooked unless that's their style and, if so, a discredit to So. Louisiana onion rings. If 4 people don't finish that rather small order and it's the only appetizer, something's wrong. Prices OK. So, good, not great, entrees and 1 fail appetizer = soft 4*.

We stopped here to eat on our way to the swamp tour . The food was good . Nothing was too spicy , flavored good . I had stuffed crabs . So much food ! Fresh bread good appetizers .. clean bathrooms

Ok, so, I went to Middendorf's based on a recommendation from a friend as this was their favorite place to get thin fried catfish. I knew what I wanted going in. I ordered the small thin fried catfish plate with extra hush puppies in lieu of the coleslaw. Hey, I like hush puppies, so what?! The service was quick. The fish was so-so. I'm glad the had some tartar sauce to help improve the taste. Which I hate to say since that's their thing, but maybe I caught them on a bad night. The most disappointing part of the dish was the hush puppies. I don't know if the grease was old, or what, but every hush puppy got worse with every bite. Again, maybe I caught them on a bad night. This place is pretty famous for their catfish, so I hope I just caught them on a bad night. I'll have to give it a second try to make a solid verdict. Till next time...

This was, by far, the worst food I've ever had in my life. The waitress literally warned us about the gumbo which is actually vegetable soup with seafood. The fish was fishy. The wedge salad was smothered in sweet vinegar sauce AND blue cheese. Both! It was not edible at all. The catfish was cold and tasteless. The only decent thing were the hush puppies which were still so cold and salty. This reminded me of kitchen nightmares where the host brings in an expert and tells the chef why he's failing. It was125 dollars for the worst food you can think up. Huge empty restaurant. Barbecued oysters swimming in red, sweet barbecue sauce. It was so bad, guys. Don't go here. My son had the flounder topped with crabmeat and it was cold flounder with a scoop of canned crab on top. So awful. So bad. I will never get this meal out of my mind. Everyone agreed too. We laughed about it in the car--at least it was good for a laugh. lol.

Great frog legs, crawfish cake, turtle soup. Seafood platter with broil shrimp was all good. No complaints here. Crazy at the reviews rating this business so low. Sometimes yelpers are just pissy complaining spoiled Americans.

Great food you have to eat the thin fried catfish as it's there specialty. The shrimp was also good and food seemed hot and fresh. Staff was attentive and pleasant.

I've been wanting to try Middendorfs for a very long time. I ordered some hush puppies and a catfish poboy. Servings are huge for the price. Food was good, service by Laura was excellent.

This is Feb 2023. Our server Laura was very attentive. The bread is baked fresh, my son and his dad got the fried platters, they were satisfied. I had the broiled stuffed flounder which was fantastic. Come give them a try. Love, Peace & Many Rich Blessings

First time at the Slidell location. Ordered the mushroom appetizer, strange flavor and visually unappetizing. Seafood platter was our dinner. The fried foods have no flavor, no salt. Stuffed crab had no flavor. Very disappointed.

Family members have told me how good the Middendorf's was, so on a recent trip to the area, we decided to go & boy, are we glad we did. Everything was wonderful, the service was great & the BBQ shrimp was amazing......! We will definitely come back on future visits......

Nautically themed Middendorf's is a great addition to the dining scene in Slidell. I have never been to the one in Akers, since I never find myself in Akers, but had heard nothing but good things. Recently I got the chance to try it and I'm glad I did. Here are my thoughts. I mentioned it has a nautical theme and I just love that. If you're drawn to water like I am, you'll appreciate this. It's also a huge space. I'm talking so vast it could easily hold hundreds of people. I doubt there's ever a wait list, even on the busiest of nights. I tried the famous thin and crispy catfish and while it was good I don't think it's any better than regular catfish. Everyone around my table was ordering it so I'm guessing the novelty of it gets people in the door. I also ordered the shrimp Cesar salad which had tons of shrimp and the aforementioned catfish. It definitely was one of the more unique salads I've had in a while and was large enough for two meals. Very good and I'd order it again for sure. I'm looking forward to my next visit!

The food is always delicious. The service is great. The prices are beyond reasonable add the ambience is comfortable...easy place to hang out add enjoy good food.

I went there on Saturday. I got seafood platter to go and a thin fish to go. The people were rude. The fried food was really greasy at the top off the rounded my change in their benefit. This day when they charge you to use a credit card, you think they'd be fair with a change when you use cash. Location in Manchac is much better. I have been going there since the early 1970s and I've never had a bad meal and always good service.

Restaurant is huge and well laid out. Service was great. Food was below average. I got the seafood platter and there was nothing on it that made me say "yum." They have a good looking menu and I might give them another visit to try something else; but, for a restaurant that claims to be a great seafood place, they look like they have a decent hamburger. The thin fried catfish, their specialty, was thin- too thin. And didn't have a lot of flavor.

I have been going to the original Middendorfs for decades so I was excited to try out their new location. Unfortunately I have to agree with other reviews saying the food is pretty bland but ONLY for the fried food. My fried shrimp actually tasted like bland catfish so I guess they were frying catfish and shrimp together while the oysters were better and tasted like fried bland oysters that needed more seasoning but fried perfectly. In contrast to my experience with the fried food the crawfish cakes and turtle soup were appropriately seasoned so no issues with those items which I enjoyed. I also unfortunately have to agree that service could be improved as my drink refills took longer than they should and I wasn't offered a go cup for my tea and never saw the server again after she dropped off the bill and another staff person had to run my card. I am also displeased they only offer mustard in tiny little packets and don't have real containers of that most superior of condiments for those of us blessed with superior taste and armed with the knowledge of the marvelous health benefits mustard has over that horrible ketchup junk the masses prefer. Even sadder is they don't even have Louisiana Creole mustard which is simply unacceptable for any restaurant within the boundaries of the state. Overall balancing the negative and positive while taking into consideration of the very new state of the joint I will rank them as a three star with potential for more if they improve in the areas listed with some of those areas being listed in many other reviews which hopefully they listen to because we care and want this joint to be successful. For what I spent here I could have had a much nicer lunch in my neighborhood at Commander's Palace with 25 cent martinis included so I definitely expect a whole lot more!

Since my last time at Middendorf's was at the original in Manchac - several years ago - I was thrilled to learn that they were opening up in Slidell. So I had to make sure to get there on their opening - which was supposed to be 4th of July - and then they moved it up! All good! When I pulled up - as expected - the parking lot was PACKED - so I made my way straight to the bar and met some nice people who let me squeeze in. Ordered the "Sneaky Tequila" - so named because it "sneaks up on you". Sounds like an adventure! Ordered their classic, what-made-them-famous, "Thin Sliced Catfish" and - despite the fact that they are still working the kinks out - it was just as I remembered - yes, thin, crunchy, not dry, not over cooked, and a nice portions size. The fries were - well - okay. But I don't come here for that. The Sneaky Tequila was delicious and lived up to its description! There will be future field reports but this first visit was definitely a success! And last, but not least, my server/bartender was Kelsey - who was swamped and did an amazing job.!

Aaaahhhhmazing! I recommend the crab meat stuffed flounder. The crab meat on salmon was also excellent!

For a place that looks like it was built for a lot of people, it was a huge disappointment. Prices: Entirely too high for the quality Staff: Our waitress was nice. Service: It wasn't busy but we were early so it felt like they were prepping for the incoming rush. Food: Here's where the 2 stars come in. Gumbo (crab): at first I thought it was homemade and it might of been, but the crab was either old or overcooked. It was one small claw but the meat disintegrated. I got messy without the prize at the end. I also had the platter (seafood) and didn't eat 75% of it. Not a fan of oysters but did try 1 and it had no taste. The paper thing fish? Never heard of this and not a fan. If I order a dish platter I want to at least taste the fish. It was crunchy batter and the same batter as everything else. We also ordered stuffed mushrooms which is my favorite. The stuffing and mushrooms were cold while the almost torched Parmesan cheese on top was warm. We attacked the mushrooms as soon as it arrived. Made me sad. Spouse had the stuffed crab and did not like it. On both our meals the stuffed crab was all filler and No thriller. Despite the bad food experience, I was baffled at the cost for the quality. Way too pricey for what you get. Maybe I'm missing something with the flattened fish or maybe I just don't want to eat a plate of crispy batter, but I didn't get it. Won't be revisiting this place.

Worst seafood restaurant I've been to on my trip to New Orleans! We were a party of five and everyone's meal was terrible! The fried oyster were so hard almost impossible to eat. The fried frog legs had so much batter it was hard to find the meat. The barbecue shrimp dinner had 10 shrimp and a watered-down barbecue sauce, terrible!! The crabmeat stuffed whole flounder was not cooked enough. The meat was transparent, and the stuffing should have been called cornbread stuffing!! The turtle soup was the worst I've ever tasted!! The only thing good was the banana split!! And the cheesecake.

Food is bland. Just no. I wish that's all I could say about it, but Yelp makes you write more. Could be a great place. Sort of difficult location to get to, though. Doesn't live up to its original location's reputation.

Great thin sliced catfish as always. Service was as good as ever Food came out quick and hot. Should have gotten the small order of catfish. More than one person should eat