CATFISH JOHNNY'S

Updated October 10, 2020

Catfish Johnny's is a modern restaurant in the settlement of Lake Panasoffkee. As implied by the name, catfish is served in this restaurant along with a lot of other delicious items.

The restaurant is on the main highway through town, and serves mainly locals and occasional travelers from nearby I-75.

Catfish Johnnys in Lake Panasoffkee

The day I visited, the customers were about evenly divided between real cowboys and fishermen along with their female counterparts.

Sumter County is known not only for it's great fishing, but for its substantial cattle ranches.

There is plenty of seating inside the rustic dining rooms. A few mounted fish and a gator skull decorate the walls. You do not have to get dressed up to enjoy dining at Catfish Johnny's.

I had a platter of fried catfish fingers, with french fries and cole slaw. With a cup of coffee, my entire lunch bill was under $10 including a 20% tip.

The service was prompt and friendly, and the food was delicious. Although fried, it was not greasy and the fish was very tender. A very good experience.

Other items on the menu include oysters, frog legs, shrimp, soups and salads, wings, grouper sandwiches and Alaskan sea perch.

For the non-seafood lover, they also have grilled chicken breasts, chicken tenders, chopped steak and a 12 ounce grilled Delmonico steak.

It would be virtually impossible to leave this restaurant and still be hungry.