19 Sep 2011 The Fish House ‘deliciously consistent’

by Don Bingham

Since its beginning in 1980, one important thing may be said about The Fish House – located at 116 South Harkrider in Conway – it is deliciously consistent!

What began with Ed and Al McCorkle and Shane Dixson has been continued through the years with Donald and Dede Bryant as “chief cooks and bottle washers.”

Though the shortage of catfish growers and an 80 percent increase in operation cost over the past three years has presented its challenges, the Bryants have remained determined to offer Central Arkansas an amazing array of dining choices, mostly built around the catfish (fried, grilled or blackened).  

“We take pleasure in presenting good food, good products and meeting new people,” Don Bryant said.

This is a good thing since just last year the Bryants have maintained three Fish House locations and catered to more than 300 off-site parties all over the state. In their spare time, they have also managed a 2,500-acre rice and soybean farm.

The Fish House offers a family atmosphere, topping off their meal with their famous ice cream.  The baked potatoes are just that – baked, not micro-waved – and the result is evident.

The seating capacity at the Conway establishment is 184 with a small private party room, and operating hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They are currently closed on Sunday, but owner Donald Bryant is seriously considering the Sunday lunch as a new option.

Even though there have been “ups and downs” and increased difficulty of getting the catfish product, the Bryants remain most grateful for their continued clientele and look forward to adding new families to their guest list in the future.

We can also look for some new menu items (steaks), but their specialty has been and remains catfish.

Whether it is dining at The Fish House on Harkrider in Conway or at the Bee Branch and Harrison locations, the catfish is king! All food is cooked on site – for groups of 50 or corporate functions for 1,000 – and even the carry-out window stays busy.

We southerners are all about the catfish.

For more information on The Fish House, call 501.327.9901.