Catfish House

Great food in a small town, if you are in Ocilla. This is the place to go.

Ocilla isn't exactly on the waterfront -- it's closer to Birmingham than the Atlantic Ocean -- but this little establishment in central Georgia nevertheless serves up some mighty fine, fresh seafood. We stopped by accident: we were hungry and lost, and this restaurant had a a lot of cars parked out front. We were cheered when we walked inside and overheard one patron tell another, "I've never had a bad meal here."

So this Yelp review is based on only one lunch. We'll hope to re-visit and offer more detail. But for now, consider this: the grilled (you can also get it fried) tilapia was flaky and moist, not over-cooked, and perfectly and simply seasoned with mostly lemon juice and pepper. The fries and slaw were tasty complements. Add sweet tea and the cost was a mere $7.95. The fried oysters were delicious, lightly battered. They know how to serve hushpuppies, too. The oysters were $8.95. Prices go up a bit for dinner, but most items are under $15. There are lots of seafood choices and side dishes, too. The service was cheerful, the atmosphere "local" and very casual.

Seafood and Ocilla. Never thought we'd put those two words together. We came away very impressed. So now, get out your maps and find Ocilla.