Uncle Larry’s — Restaurant in Chattanooga

Uncle Larry's has, without question, the best fried fish I have ever had.

You might see this small, unassuming restaurant on the corner of a turn, and not think much of it. But you would be missing out.

The atmosphere is a casual, relaxed type. It isn't very big, so it has a cozy feel as well.

I ordered the Cajun style Tilapia, onion rings, coleslaw, and salmon bites. The Onion Rings were standard; nice and crispy, and not hard or unpleasant. The coleslaw was very similar to Captain D's, except I got hits of dill in Larry's, which makes it better, so congrats on first place. You get hushpuppies with it. And while they are smaller than Captain Ds, you get 3 of them as default at Larry's, and I daresay they taste better anyway. The salmon bites were a delight to eat as well, and I would heartily recommend them as an addition.

I was given two sauces, one was tartar sauce, which rivaled or exceeded even Captain Ds, which is quite a feat. I am...not sure what the second sauce was. But it was very nice, and I thought I got a hint of peppers in it.

But now. Now we get to the fish itself. "Fish so good it'll smack ya!" Is the slogan of the restaurant. While it is an apt description, if anything it is drastically underselling itself.

It took one bite. One bite and my mind was blown. The Cajun is a bit spicy, so keep that in mind. However, it is painfully hot and fresh. Use care when handling it, and try to contain yourself long enough to let it cool so it's safe to eat. I had immense trouble doing that, myself. That is because the fish is the best fried fish I have ever tasted. It's not even close. I've not scoured all over Tennessee to find the indisputable best fried fish in the state, and while I would certainly like to, I'm not entirely sure I need to. The breading is crisp and crunchy, the most you can get before it begins to get unpleasant. The fish itself had the perfect amount of moisture; enough to where it isn't dry, but it is also not flooding my plate from being undercooked. The depth of flavor from the blend of Cajun spices was so deep I could get lost in it. It was also rather spicy, but I knew what I signed up for with Cajun.

'Recommend' is something I would do, but recommending isn't strong enough. I could not believe my eyes when I saw that there are only 4 locations for Uncle Larrys. Captain D's had better consider themselves lucky. If Uncle Larry's went national, they would bankrupt Captain D's in a month. The quality of the fish is undeniable, and until I am definitively proven otherwise, unassailable.

To clarify about the photo, I was so lost in the Flavor of the fish that I neglected to take one until after I had...

Sometimes places that don't look like much on the outside turn out to be fabulous, if you are lucky. On this occasion, luck was absolutely on my side. With a hankering for fish, but not feeling the whole gready-fast-food vibe, we opted for Uncle Larry's. We have seen this place, but never tried it except once as a delivery. (That experience was about the delivery service and less about the food.) The menu is simple, with fish the dominant option. But for those who just can't with the fish, there are chicken tenders and hotdogs. But for those who like their fried catfish... I'm gonna tell ya. So far my local Chattanooga,TN rankings for fried catfish are Blue Orleans and Uncle Larry's in a dead even tie. Close second is Boathouse. Let me tell you, Uncle Larry's fish is firm, with flaky meat. The flavor is clean, not mushy, muddy or fatty-as some catfish can be- and delicate. The cornmeal coating is crispy. But it's not greasy. The sandwich are served on white or wheat sandwich bread with a side of slaw and tartar sauce. The slaw was crunchy with a hint of vinegar. The tartar sauce was okay--I'm not a fan of tartar sauce as a general rule, so I admit to being unqualified to pass judgement on something I really don't eat. I did put a light splash of hot sauce on my sandwich and I was just rocking. Second to the catfish, by far, was the quality service. Fast, efficient. Funny. I felt like I was at a friend's kitchen table. I love that about casual restaurants. The highlight of the meal came in the form of a multilayer coconut cake. Sandwiched between each layer of firm, but moist, cake was a layer of custard. The coconut flavor was perfectly balanced with the sweetness. And there was so much coconut on the top and sides it almost looked like snow. Honestly the super rich dessert needed a class of milk or coffee and several people. Three of us shared this diet-busting cake...I still have some for the next day. The fried green tomatoes (I almost forgot about them.) were tangy, coated in the same type cornmeal coating as the catfish and mouth...

Let me start out by saying, AWESOME, TOTALLY AWESOME! I went to the Brainerd Road location while visiting Chattanooga last weekend (I'm a native, born and raised). I got there just before they closed. I was still met with a wonderful attitude and great service. I told the lady that was my first time there, and she confidently exclaimed, "... well this won't be your last time..." That was not arrogance, that was prophetic. That was one of the best Chattanooga-styled fish sandwiches I had ever had. I was served two huge perfectly fried well-seasoned whiting filets on white bread, with cole slaw and mustard - In not a hot sauce person, though it does come standard. From the first bite to the last, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Needless to say, I had to be back in town earlier this week, and guess where I went, absolutely. This time I went to the location on East Brainerd Road. I walked in with my older son. We were promptly met by Uncle Larry himself - super friendly. He engaged with several customers, making sure they enjoyed their food and experience. Great first impression; long lasting impression. Of course, the food was fantastic. Sunset once was my staple when visiting home; it's now closed. Thank goodness for Uncle Larry, I think I found my...