Fayetteville is a town where you can get an inconceivable amount of seafood during a single meal. There are so many platters and towers out there that claim to feed two, but could more realistically feed the entire population of seagulls at Beaver Lake as they prepare for migration. If you want a nice fillet, go to one of those bistros. But if you want a single platter that contains 75% of those ocean food chain diagrams from biology class, go to one of these restaurants.
Mermaids Seafood Restaurant, Catering, & Venue
$$$ | (479) 443-3737 | WEBSITE
This seafood spot’s lobster fritters, herb-crusted pork tenderloin, and buttery plates of halibut bring a wave of delight to Fayetteville’s landscape of cozy dining options. Just know that they’re being modest when they tell you the pan-fried haddock with fettuccine serves one—it actually serves two plus a child after a soccer game. This seafood feast comes with perfectly seasoned haddock, tender shrimp, angel hair pasta, and weighs about the same as a well-fed Maine coon cat.
Underneath this seafood symphony is a generous bed of creamy fettuccine. Prepare to savor this for the next few days.
Café Roux Orleans
$$ | (479) 443-2777 | WEBSITE
You’ll catch the scent of Café Roux Orleans before you even step inside. A small team of friendly staff moves through the cozy space, delivering plates that send the aroma of New Orleans-inspired cuisine through the air. And the wait for a table in this Fayetteville spot is absolutely worth it. Your seafood options include crawfish etouffee and the seafood platter. And if you want the most flavor for your dollar, get the platter, which comes loaded with both favorites.
When they brought us our order, it was so generously portioned that a single crawfish tumbled off the plate and onto the table in a tempting tease. So come hungry. Also, be sure to grab one of their affordable drinks on your way to your seat, give everything a taste, and let the craving for their brunch settle in before you leave.
Red Lobster
$$ | (479) 442-2317 | WEBSITE
While not the most upscale seafood spot in Fayetteville, we can’t deny that Red Lobster delivers solid value for a family seafood feast. The seafood boil here is good, but order your margaritas a touch stronger than usual because they tend to be on the sweeter side. The atmosphere feels like it was designed by a corporate team after one too many focus groups, but it’s where you’ll find some undeniably reliable service.
Those entrees range in price from $25 for basic dishes to $45 for premium seafood platters. You’ll easily be able to find some combination of shrimp, crab, fish, and lobster for under $35 here. And you’ll leave thoroughly satisfied, with many already planning their next visit after experiencing the attentive, friendly service from staff like Shonna, Casey, and Breanna in the exceptionally clean dining room.
Hunan Manor
$ | (479) 521-3883 | WEBSITE
Here’s another Chinese restaurant that should be at the top of your list when you’re craving a preposterously big spread of food. They have two buffet options—one for $25 and a smaller lunch version for $15. The regular buffet is big enough to feed three people and includes just about every dish you’d want from a Chinese menu: lemon chicken, house chicken, fried dumplings, veggie egg fu young, and sushi. In case that wasn’t enough, there are also veggie rice, noodles, and egg drop soup.
It’s a food deal that makes no sense in this economy, but we are not going to ask questions.
Cafe Rue Orleans – Cajun & Seafood
$$ | (479) 443-2777 | WEBSITE
You can gaze at those beautiful views from the window tables in this cozy New Orleans spot. But you should probably do that before you order one of the colossal seafood platters, which come with shrimp Pontchartrain, fire cracker shrimp, catfish, and gator bites. The smallest platter is around $35 and large enough to share with a family of four even though they say it feeds two.
If you simply don’t like sharing but still want to get lost in a blur of Cajun flavors, go for the stuffed catfish with sauce. If, after all that, you can still get up and order beignets, you have our deep respect.
Frida’s California Grill
$ | (479) 445-6644 | WEBSITE
This Fayetteville spot is the prime example of California-Mexican fusion. It stuffs carne asada in fresh burritos, habanero in enchiladas, and serves mole enchiladas with authentic flair. They have a couple of platter options that include the standout dishes like the carne asada and enchiladas, including one that feeds a family for just $48. But some of our favorite items here are under the vegetarian section, like those pork-free refried beans and those flavorful enchiladas. So start with those.
Catfish Hole Fayetteville
$ | (479) 521-7008 | WEBSITE
If you love eating catfish in a spacious dining room while hush puppies keep appearing like magic, Catfish Hole is for you. This spot in Fayetteville makes the best Southern-style seafood we’ve had in Arkansas. You can bring your entire extended family here and you’ll still leave with leftovers. There are multiple generous platters full of fried shrimp, grilled catfish, baked potatoes, and more piled high on plates.
The catfish is fried to golden perfection, so it’s crispy, flaky, and seasoned just right. Catfish Hole also has kid-friendly options and free meals for children under four, so it’s great for families. But things stay welcoming all evening when the service stays attentive (and so does the hush puppy refill pace).
Juicy Tails Fayetteville
$$ | (479) 935-4100 | WEBSITE
A seafood boil joint is always a safe bet for consuming an ocean’s worth of shellfish. And we still love Fayetteville’s most classic one: Juicy Tails. The Fayetteville location is our favorite Juicy Tails, and you’ll know you’re at the right one if you see the steaming pots filled with shrimp, crab, and crawfish. They’ve got the “Woo Pig sooie” flavor with sausage, potatoes, and corn.
But if you’re here to go toe-to-toe with a positively silly amount of seafood, order the seafood boil for six, which comes with shrimp, crab legs, mussels, clams, and crawfish. Gator tacos and corn add-ons are an option too. It comes in portion sizes described “generous” (which feels redundant) or “reasonable” (which feels like an oxymoron).
