Roosters Catfish & BBQ — Restaurant in Ellington

Roosters Catfish & BBQ – A Mixed Bag with a Bitter Ending

I grew up eating catfish and hush puppies in Southeast Missouri, and I love them. So when our party of five visited Roosters BBQ and Catfish, I was genuinely excited to enjoy some comfort food.

The Good: The BBQ pork steak was a home run—tender, smoky, just impressively delicious. If they hadn’t added cheese to the sandwich, it would’ve been perfect. The onion rings were another highlight—perfectly cooked, golden, and crunchy. The sweet tea hit the spot.

The Bad: Unfortunately, the catfish was inedible. All five of us agreed it had a muddy, almost spoiled flavor. As someone who knows and loves GOOD catfish, I can say confidently—this was NOT it. I think it was a week old already, according to the manager. The hush puppies were dry, overcooked, and could have really benefited from some wheat flour in the batter but that's a very subjective thing.

The Ugly: When it came time to pay, I let the staff know we couldn’t eat the fish and didn’t feel we should be charged for it. That’s when things went sideways. The owner insisted the fish was good and threatened to call the police. Then the waitress told me to pay and “get the hell out.”

We came in with high hopes, but left shocked by the hostility and poor handling of a genuine concern. If you go, maybe stick to the BBQ and onion rings—but be warned: if something’s wrong with your food, don’t...

Roosters Cafe & Resturant Has ALWAYS Been An Excellent Place To Eat At!!! All Their Food Is Homemade & Served Fresh With Very Fair Prices! And The Owners Are Danielle & Kevin Sullivan, & Are Very Polite, Profesional, Friendly, Honest, And Real True People! They Make The Most Tasty & Tender Smoked Meats That You Will Ever Eat, And Many Different & Original Food Dishes & Deserts That Are ALL Very Delicious!!! If You Are Ever Within 30 Miles Or So From Ellington, Mo. Then You Need To Try This Place Out! It Is Worth The Extra Time & Drive If You Desire Quality Food With Quality Service, That Is Priced Below What This Quality Of Expierience Deserves, And That The Average Person Can Afford!!! I LOVE...

Today my mom and I went into Roosters for lunch. We had the fried pickles with the dill aoli. The breading was so good. You could actually taste all the seasoning. For the main course we both decided on the mushroom Swiss burger with a side of mayo for myself and miracle whip for my mother. It was delicious. It is so hard to find places with well seasoned food that you can taste. The burger was juicy and even had a cheese pull. The waitress was so nice, along with the owner. They were so kind and we had some great conversations. Can't wait...