Several times each Halloween season I go to a restaurant in Waxahachie called Catfish Plantation. It has Cajun food, but it also offers lots of home cooking items on the menu. It’s in an old Victorian style home (listed on the registry of historic places) and Catfish Plantation decorates for Halloween. In fact, Halloween and the paranormal are big at Catfish, with ghost hunting groups continuing to investigate the house. Prior to Covid, Catfish hosted paranormal after hours investigations that customers could take part in. The paranormal history of Catfish is here.
Aside from being located in a pretty, historic house, with lots of Halloween decorations in October, Catfish has very good food, and large portions. They also have a full bar. The menu is here. I like to start with the meat pies, one of each type, then I get either the regular catfish platter, plantation platter, or the popcorn shrimp. I also like the fried pickles and plantation puppies for appetizers, followed by the country fried steak. I’ve heard that they make a great burger and southern fried chicken. For dessert, I get the pecan cobbler with ice cream. In October, you can order pumpkin and sweet potato fries as well. They usually have a seasonal dessert in October called the Great Pumpkin, but I’m not sure about this year.
Catfish is open Friday- Sunday. Friday is 5-9, Saturday is 11-9, and Sunday is 11-8. The phone number is 972 937-9468. They do not take reservations, so it’s first come, first serve. On Fridays I arrive at 5, although you can probably arrive as late as 5:30 on Fridays without a wait. On Saturdays, I try to get there between 4:30 and 5. If you do have a wait, it’s a picturesque place, so you can wait outside and take pictures. They have several rooms to choose from, if you arrive when there aren’t many people there, plus outside seating. I like to sit in the room with the bar. Aside from having the bar, it also has my favorite decorations. Catfish does offer carry out, check their site for specifics.
Catfish Plantation is at 814 Water St, Waxahachie TX 75165. It’s on Water St, between Gibson and Textile, just north of Business 287 (Main St). To get there from Dallas or Ft Worth, go south on I-35 into Waxahachie and take the Business 287 exit. It is one exit south of the Hwy 287 exit. Follow the access road to Business 287, and take a left. Keep going past the railroad tracks, then begin looking to your left for either Textile or Gibson. I take a left onto Gibson, and then a left onto Water St. If you take Textile, take a right onto Water St. From Waco or Austin, exit for Business 287, and take a right onto Business 287, then follow the same directions. The Facebook for Catfish is here. It has regular updates.
Some photos for your enjoyment:
