Middendorf's Manchac — Restaurant in Ponchatoula

Alright y’all, Middendorf’s in Manchac has been sittin’ out there between Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain since 1934, fryin’ up catfish so thin you could read the Bible through it. Louis and Josie Middendorf started the joint, but let’s be real — Josie was the brains behind the batter. She figured out that if you slice catfish paper-thin and drop it in hot oil, it’ll come out crisp as a dollar bill and twice as satisfying.

Picture it: a little wooden shack by the bayou, breeze blowin’, fryers hissin’, and that fried-fish perfume floatin’ through the cypress trees like a love song. Back in the day, fishermen would pull their boats up right out back, track in a little mud, and still get served with a smile — long as they didn’t bad-mouth Josie’s fry oil. It wasn’t fancy, but it was honest, and that’s about the best compliment a Louisiana restaurant can get.

Now, hurricanes have thrown everything at this place — Katrina, Isaac, probably a few uninvited gators — and it still keeps right on fryin’. You can’t kill a good idea, especially one that smells like catfish and hushpuppies. These days, Middendorf’s still does it the old-fashioned way: first come, first served, no reservations, no nonsense. You stand in line, breathe deep, and let the grease do the talkin’.

They start you off with warm French bread, crusty on the outside and soft enough inside to make a grown man rethink his life choices. Then comes the shrimp and crab gumbo — dark, rich, and smoky, like it’s got secrets. And just when you think you can’t take another bite, here comes that German chocolate cake with coconut-pecan frosting that’ll make you forget your name and possibly your spouse.

But the real showstopper? That thin-fried catfish po-boy. Lord, have mercy. It’s the holy grail of fried food between bread — fish sliced thinner than a politician’s promise, fried to golden perfection, and served on a Leidenheimer loaf with just enough mayo to qualify as a condiment, not a crime. You take one bite and the whole world just… stops. The catfish melts, the bread holds strong, and for one beautiful moment, you forget your bills, your ex, and that cousin who still owes you gas money.

By the time you’re lickin’ your fingers and starin’ at that empty wrapper, you’ll swear you just had a religious experience. Folks at the next table will nod ‘cause they know — they’ve been baptized in the same fryer. And let me tell ya, that’s not gluttony, friend. That’s just good...

Middendorf's is a must-see, must-do experience! It's been about 30 years since I last visited. The place has grown & just a pleasure to visit, as it has always been. They are clouted for their thin crisp fried catfish, hush puppies & turtle soup. All of our food was plated pleasantly & tasty. Our beer was cold. Our service was prompt & friendly. The atmosphere has a lot to see... Gift shop, cool local art & a lot of history. The turtle soup today was delicious. We tried the barbecue oysters, which are a broiled oyster braised in their homemade BBQ sauce & butter & garnished with scallion. Their fries are perfectly crisp & salted. Father -in-law chose the grilled chicken sandwich (for some reason I'll never understand... You visit a place like this & request a chicken breast on a bun??!! But, okay, it was pretty on a nice hearty bun, dressed with all the usual & he said it was perfectly seasoned & perfectly prepared), so "Yay!"... Middendorf's has a fab chicken sandwich also. I'm going to give my overall review a 4star on food, as my turtle soup was luke-warm. Otherwise, all was nice. Will recommend for the whole experience, especially for the traveler who is not familiarized with the area ... This is a good place to set a nice tone for a first experience in South Louisiana. We really needed a place to rest from our travels, stretch our legs, & relax for a minute & Middendorf's was perfect for that. The staff was friendly & they get it... They welcome travellers with smiles & kindness. Thank you, Middendorf's, for keeping it going for 90 years! Hope to see you survive &...

MIDDENDORF’S ALERT!!!! After thinking about posting for a long time this evening, I had to say this. I don’t know much at all in this world but I do know food. I had possibly the worse meal I have had in years at Middendorf’s this afternoon. Keep in mind I have always been a big fan. My last meal there was at the new Slidell location and it was horrible, I was willing to let it go because all new places need time. Today was inexcusable while attempting to dine in Manchac. First they brought the thin when I ordered thick, the fish arrived oil drenched and the coating fell off in one piece when I grabbed the filet. The stuffed crabs had ZERO crab meat in them and all the vegetables in the mix were hard and raw. I won’t even get into how nasty the bbq oyster appetizer was. Our waitress was wonderful, noticed the issue and fully agreed with me on the assessment of the food. She said she would get it taken care of(my thought was bill would be handled) she came back and said the manager apologized (my feeling was the manager should have done this in person) ASKED ME IF I WANTED A GO BOX!!!!! and then proceeded to hand me a bill!!!!!!! It is amazing how good this place used to be and what it is now. I was warned by many not to go there today but I did anyway. I was so pissed but more disappointed because I loved this place....