Catfish Deweys

by South Florida Eats · Published July 3, 2022 · Updated July 3, 2022

Catfish Deweys: 4003 N Andrews Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

Catfish Deweys has been a staple in the Fort Lauderdale restaurant community since 1984. I have gone to eat here for years, but lately, it has been a while since I stopped in. One issue has always been parking. But they now have an agreement in the evenings with a service station next door to park on their property after they close. You can usually find someone in a bright-colored shirt directing you where to park.

On this trip, I was joined by two great friends Bob and Tom. They are regulars at Catfish Deweys and wanted to show me why they like it so much.

The Restaurant:

When you walk into Catfish Deweys, you are kind of in a time warp. The knotty pine wood walls and picnic-style tables are very dated. I am not sure when they last renovated, but it wasn’t in the last few years from the looks of it.

To your right, you will find the hostess stand and a nice-sized bar. Most of the tables are for four people, but they can easily be combined for larger groups, or there is a large private room for larger groups. On our visit, a constant crowd was sitting at the bar or picking up to-go orders.

The Food:

For starters, Catfish Deweys serve hush puppies with every meal. I have to say these are some of the best I’ve ever had. The breading had a nice crispness to it. The waiter then brought a small cup of coleslaw for each of us. I asked if that was an appetizer, but he said “no,”; it was one of our sides that came with the meal.

Tom decided to go with his usual, the fried shrimp. The shrimp had a nice coating to them and were cooked just how he likes them. They don’t overseason them, so you truly get the flavor of the shrimp coming through with each bite. For the additional side item, he chose the corn on the cob.

Bob was craving the ribs, and it was an all-you-can-eat night for ribs at Catfish Deweys the day we went. He was even more excited when the waiter told him he could have a piece of catfish with it for no additional cost. Bob finished about half his ribs, opting to take the rest home. They were tender and fell off the bone as he was eating them. They told me this was one of his favorite dishes, and I could see why. That catfish also did not go to waste. He loves the flavor of it and how well they cook the fish.

Not being a seafood lover myself, I decided to go with the BBQ chicken breasts. This is a big plate as they serve three grilled chicken breasts coated in BBQ sauce. The chicken was cooked perfectly, and I liked the flavor of the sauce covering them. For my side, I chose to go with the fries. Unfortunately, they are coated, which just ruins french fries. I hate when restaurants don’t serve them naturally the way nature intended.