The Pond Restaurant — Restaurant in Benton

Honestly the food is great, but the restaurant is not being ran with good ethics or integrity. The price on the menu is not what they are charging and when you ask about it they refer to a hand written sign in the front lobby saying that they have needed to raise prices due to the cost increase.

My issue is not that they have to raise the price, my issue is that they are able to charge anything they want and say their sign justifies the price. In my opinion they should charge a flat percentage “surcharge” across the entire menu so patrons know what they should expect to pay when ordering from a menu with prices listed.

I ordered a meal that was listed at $11.99 and when I got the bill they charged $14.99. My wife got a side for her meal that was listed as $5.99 they charged $8.99.

They need to update the menu with accurate pricing or simply keep the pricing the same and add a known surcharge amount that is told with a sticker on the menu and explained by the waitress/staff when being seated.

For example, a known 15% surcharge could be added at the end of the bill. That would let everyone know the true price...

Absolutely great fried catfish! My favorite in Western Kentucky! And, Western Kentucky is known for its fried catfish! Their hush puppies are great, and their white beans are great too! Plus, they have pretty good deserts such as chocolate pie and blackberrie cobbler. They always have great service too! Now, the building is a total dive. I mean, come on, I understand what the owners thought process might be, "Why put tens of thousands of dollars into the building when we fill the house every night?" However, we customers would appreciate a nice atmosphere where we eat. Please replace the door going into the kitchen. It has a hole in it the size of a beach ball. The wall paint and decor is probably from 1991. That is a simple and cheap fix. Just paint the place a contemporary color. We regulars know the food and service is great. However, if first-timers walk in, they may be turned off by the atmosphere and leave. They may not have heard about the amazing catfish, and see how the building is taken care of and assume that same "meah' good enough" approach is taken with the food preparation. 👍 First impressions...

I was hoping this was going to be one of those really cool mom and pop restaurants that you find in the middle of nowhere that serves the best food. This was definitely a disappointment. I don't normally rate things but I'm rating this because I was so disappointed in it. This review will make me sound like a picky eater, but I'm not. The bean soup was so bland. It was basically beans in water. My daughter's salmon was way overcooked which made it so dry that she could barely eat it. It was so chewy. The lemonade had a horrible taste to it. I don't know if it was the water or what, but it was so bad that we had to ask for replacement drinks. The restaurant could use some updating since it looks like a grandmother's house in the 1980's. I understand trying to create a charming atmosphere, but this place seems like something you'd find on the show Kitchen Nightmares. It needed a good deep cleaning and a nudge or two into the 21st century. This restaurant could do better in both food and atmosphere. Add a ham hock and some spices to flavor the bean soup and only cook the salmon for about 20 minutes on...