Williby's Catfish | Fresh Catfish Restaurant

Alright now… let’s talk about it for a second. So yesterday my coworkers and I came here (2 plates) and the fish was **sooooo good** we said, Let’s run it back tomorrow.3 plates this time cause we bragged on it 🥴 Big mistake. Today we got fish that looked fried on the outside but **mushy and pink on the inside**. Not “juicy.” Not “tender.” I mean **still thinking about the ocean**. 🐟 We politely brought it to their attention thinking it would be a quick fix or refund. Instead we were told **“that’s just how our fish looks.”** Refund? Absolutely not. Now listen… I really hate to do this to a **Black-owned business**, because we should support each other. But at the end of the day **right is right and wrong is wrong**. If food is undercooked and customers bring it back respectfully, the response shouldn’t be a shrug and a “that’s how it is.” So here we are. If you like your fish **crispy on the outside and auditioning for sushi on the inside**, then baby this might be the place for you. If you prefer fish that is actually **fully cooked**, you might want to roll on somewhere else.

I had an amazing experience at Williby’s Catfish! The food was outstanding — the catfish was perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. You can tell everything is cooked fresh and made with care. The customer service was just as impressive. The staff was friendly, welcoming, and made sure we had everything we needed without missing a beat. The atmosphere is laid-back and authentic New Orleans, which makes the whole experience even better. This spot is a must-visit. I’ll definitely be back!

This place is Black owned, the food was amazing, my husband is still talking. About that Potato salad 🤣🤣🤣🤣. They accept EBT, you can have your fish cleaned and take it home and cook it yourself or you can order from the menu. Small but mighty place, they were busy the day we went.

You don’t have to, but you have the option to catch your own fish. There were some monster size fish in there! Service was quick and of course the food was fresh. Portions size was big, with four filets and two sides. Maybe it was an off day, but the seasoning could be better.

What an experience! Thank you Mr. Alvin for the wonderful customer service and conversation! We love your fresh catfish!

If you like fresh catfish this is the place to go. Fresh out of the water and oil. Potato salad is awesome but it does have onions in it for the people who dont like onions in potato salad. Overall 10/10 Great food

I was under the impression that we had opportunity to catch our own fish, this didn't happen. The cashier was extremely sweet & welcoming but owner wasn't. He was actually rude to his cashier in front of us(unprofessional). The catfish was ok. The house punch(watered down kool aid was $5.45/each, the mac & cheese was cold & fries were burnt.

Food is good, atmosphere is horrible to dine in very small nasty counter/bar. The guy( owner's son)from the kitchen was rude as he'll to the older lady at the counter. Yelling and I do mean YELLING at her for a simple price mistake, that was her for day(1/7/26) back from the holidays. I felt bad for her, she seems sweet as can be. Fish is being murdered right be for you eyes while you're eating. Beating and skinnung floppy fish. Mess up my appetite!!

Man start making ya way to the 7th ward!! Make ya darn way there!! Now don't be alarmed by the smell..they have LIVE catfish in there..Took my bae there and I ordered the whole catfish with mac n cheese & fries, she had catfish with the same sides. LISTEN!! That food came out so hot & fresh!! It didn't take long either! The fish was so crispy..so the whole catfish comes with 2 whole fish! Yes 2! Plates come with 2 sides also! They don't have ranch but they do have hot sauce, ketchup, tartar & cocktail sauce..coke products as well! They normally allow you to catch your catfish but they didn't have the big catfish for us to do it..I'm not sure if the lady was the owner or the cook but she was real cool about it when she told us we couldn't do it..this is really a hidden gem! The lady at the counter working was friendly..there's nowhere to sit inside, so be prepared to take ya food to go..overall I'll be back and I'll definitely be sending people there..they close at like 5p or 6p so don't wait too late!! Noodle loved it!

This was the first place on our visit to New Orleans list. As soon as we walked in the guy was telling the patrons in front of us that there were no fish in the tank to fish for. That's literally WHY we came here. They could've have a sign on the door to indicate that as well. We left. Maybe we will try again some other time.

Ooo weee! This place is BOMB! So dang good. I'm from cali and people can't fry like this at alll over there!!! Wow the flavor, friedness; and freshness is over the top! If you in New Orleans you better stop by here! A true gem spot!

Had to try fresh live catfish at Willibys. Everything was wonderful. Definitely recommend. 10/10.

The experience was fun and the catfish was the freshest you could get because you catch it yourself. Love the food.

This place is in a non-descript building. Initially I thought I may have been in the wrong place. But there's a sign out front thankfully. So I walk in and realize it's takeout only. No frills type of place. I ordered the catfish plate with Mac n cheese and potato salad. My mouth was watering on the drive home. Smelled so good. Finally got to eating and the food was really good. Fish is crispy and seasoned while also being meaty. Mac n cheese had a brighter color than I'd expect but the taste was good. Potato salad was surprisingly good as well. They've gained themselves a customer!

Awesome fresh catfish! Cooked to perfection and the mac and cheese is unbeatable! And they got some merch now too. My favorite place to get catfish in the city.

Customer service was on point, black owned family restaurant. Owner was very friendly, the experience was nice to be able to dish for out own catfish and have them freshly prepared. Would return when back in Nola and recommended to everyone else. It was like a mom n pop or whole on the wall but give the right vibe. If laid back casual family friendly experience is what you're looking for check it out. The guy Deveining the shrimp was meticulously through.

This place is really good. The fish is fresh. So fresh that they have a pond inside the restaurant where they get the fish from before cutting it up for you. That's as fresh as it gets. I ordered 2 fish plates. One with Mac n cheese and peas and the other with Mac n cheese and fries. The Mac and cheese and fries fish plate was for my picky nieces. The loved everything. They finished the whole plate. That is very rare. I had the catfish with Mac n cheese and peas and it was really good. The catfish was fresh and flaky and seasoned to perfect. The filets were big and meaty. The Mac n cheese was creamy and good. The peas were peas. Lol. The food gets a 10/10. This isn't a place you'd dine in at. The interior isn't fancy at all but that's not what should bring you to this spot . It's the food! Grab a plate and go down to the bayou with a blanket to eat!

Ordered through door dash, even though the food was hot, when I grabbed my plate out of the bag, the bottom of my plate fell out. You can tell it was due to the fish being placed in the styrofoam plate straight out of the grease. I also had another plate for my coworker and she had holes in the top of her plate from mines being on top of hers and the bottom of her plate also fell out due to the grease. When I called to explain to him my issue, not looking to get a free meal or a refund but just to state what happened, the owner was very rude and didn't want to hear anything. I really wish he would have just listened and took into consideration the issue for future reference to at least let the grease drain first.

Honestly the best fried fish plate I've ever had - and I've had a lot of fish plates. They catch the fish fresh before cooking it for you. The potato salad is great! It actually tastes like someone's grandmother made it, not like the pre-packaged kind that comes on most plates (if you know, you know) the baked macaroni as well! So good. They do not skip on quality here at all, you need to check them out.

This place is one of a kind. When they say they have fresh fish they really do have fresh fish coming straight out of a man made pond in the middle of the restaurant. They take the live fish out of the pond, the head is removed and they are prepared right on the spot. You can't get any fresher then this. I also had the crawfish bisque which was also very good.

The food was great, the presentation was great. I enjoyed the catfish plate it was hot, fresh out, the grease. The sides were okay. I felt like the potato salad was missing something, maybe relish. I would suggest the French fries as a side because they were seasoned nicely. The Mac and cheese reminded me of box mac and cheese. It would be better if it had cheese on top like a crust. It would be even better with a little smoked paprika, just my opinion. Other than that the food was good!

One of the best kept secrets in New Orleans. Williby's comes in from his catfish pond in Mississippi with the best small farm raised catfish in New Orleans. Its the taste of the Mississippi Delta. You can get the catfish anyway you like, even take it home and cook them yourself. The fish are alive in holding tanks ready for your order. Your fish was alive minutes before being cooked so you know you cant beat that kinda fresh anywhere. The sides are great too. During lent they have a crawfish bisque special that is to die for.

Drove 2 hours to come try this place and was told they weren't taking any more orders. Per their hours they close at 6pm. We arrived at 5PM. Very DISAPPOINTING!!!! And they tell us we should support our black owned businesses!!! Just sad and disgusting!

The catfish is so good and can't get any fresher. No idea about ambiance, delivery was fast.

Great home cooked meals. Greta ambience, family environment, warm, friendly and very welcoming. Willing to fried fish to customers liking. Potato salad is tasty and the Mac & Cheese is mouth watering. I will revisit the restaurant. I will tell family and friends about this restaurant. You'll see familiar faces that you've not seen in a while. Parking available, wheelchair assessable, cash or credit accepted, and the prices is just right for the amount of food that you receiving.

Very nice service. There's a actual catfish pool inside the restaurant which is pretty cool. The presentation of food was marvelous. The taste of the catfish and Mac & cheese was so delicious.

the fish and sides are delicious. but when making a delivery order, please provide more than one tiny packet of tartar sauce. that's kind of ridiculous crazy cheap bad.

Went here Friday for the first time as I had been passing it on the way home for a while. Fresh catfish is an understatement!! The fish that I got in my three dinners were literally swimming twenty minutes before the plates came out. I'll definitely be back to support these guys. Customer service was good and it seems like it's family owned.

This is some fresh nicely fried catfish fillets. The French fries were good. Portion is great for the pice. Will definitely go back and will recommend cole slaw for the menu.

Thanks for the best home cooking and the freshest catfish in town. I really enjoy Williby's Catfish!

Live fresh cat fish, and tasty too. The staff was friendly. I'll definitely be going back.