Bites Nearby: Fisherman's Catch

Fisherman’s Catch is a comfortable, traditional seafood restaurant that’s been run by the same family for 28 years. The fish tastes fresh, the onion rings and salad are crisp and the portions are plentiful. It’s a downhome and affordable alternative to the chain seafood places, done up in a brick interior with dark wooden booths and an antique shop’s worth of nautical decorations on the walls. 

It's a family friendly place, so I went with my husband and 8-year-old daughter on a Friday night. The waitress, who said she’d been there since the restaurant started, kept our teas refilled and the service was quick and friendly. The three of us ate for just over $30, plus tip, and we walked out full, with some fish in a box and a few leftovers still on the table. It was an easy, satisfying experience, comfort seafood served up in a setting that felt just a little nostalgic because it harkened back to simpler times.  

The menu is clearly seafood-centric. There are some chicken and steak options, but most of the choices are fish, shrimp, shellfish and various combinations thereof. Entrees come with hushpuppies and a choice of two sides, mainly classics including fries, coleslaw, corn and onion rings.

Fish comes fried or grilled. One of us had the fried grouper, which was perfectly done, not overcooked, and lightly breaded. We also had the Friday special, five-way shrimp, which featured 15 shrimp done fried, grilled, coconut, stuffed and scampi style ($11.99). The shrimp, too, was succulent and not cooked to dryness. Our daughter had a children’s portion of fried flounder ($3.99 with a drink), which she polished off. (Children under 3, by the way, eat free).

The most expensive item on the menu is th captain's treasure chest, an aptly named dish with shrimp, scallops, popcorn shrimp, deviled crab, bay clams, flounder filet and two sides. Plus hushpuppies, of course. The Alaskan snow crab legs are $14.99, and wild Alaskan salmon is just $10.99. I had to blink twice at that one.

We were too full for dessert, but there's pie, brownies, a sundae and more. And of course appetizers -- a whole list of seafood items, but some cheese sticks and onion rings thrown in for balance. What you won't find on the menu is any alcoholic drink.

Can't decide between the flounder and the shrimp? The deviled crab and the grouper? You can get both by adding any another seafood item to your entree for a couple of bucks more.

Fisherman's Catch is located at 4132 Stone Mountain Highway, telephone 770-979-2296. It's open Tuesday-Saturday from 5-9 p.m.