My parents always rode their motorcyles to Mike Linning's weekly for their fish sandwiches. Nick constantly goes with his work family for lunch and raves about the food portions and fish sandwiches. So, I had been dying to try the place for a long time. We finally had the chance to try Mike Linnig's several weeks ago during a car show. Nick was right about the portions. The two of us should have spilt a fish sandwich and onion rings, but we decided to go all out and each have their own. We tried the fish sandwich on rye bread with onion rings, coleslaw and alligator. I personally have never had alligator before and probably should have my first experience with the food in a state that is not land locked. However, the alligator was tasty and crisp. I loved it, and no, it does not taste like chicken. Having nothing to compare it to though, but I would still order it again at Mike Linnig's. The fish sandwich was good, but I have had better. BUT, it is the best fish sandwich I have had thus far in Louisville. Everyone raves about the onion rings here. Everyone is right. Most onion rings are overly greasy and fall apart on you quickly. Either the breading comes off or you end up eating the entire onion in your first bite. These were as close to perfection as you can get. I didn't have to use a napkin to take the grease off my hands every time I picked on up. The rings stayed together and were actually not bad the next day when we ate them. (Nick and I took home one fish sandwich and onion rings - enough food leftover for us to eat again.) The coleslaw was on par; I would try a different side next time...maybe the frog legs! The atmosphere outside was good. There was more than enough seating for everyone outside on picnic tables, several outside bar areas for your drinks and lots of things to explore including swings for an after dinner playground. The patio was massive, and I can see why my parents enjoy going there so often after a long motorcycle ride. While the food was good and portions large, I feel like it was a little too pricey. It was a little over 50$ for 2 sodas, 2 fish sandwiches with a side and alligator. While we were able to get 4 meals out of it, it stills puts that at over $10/per meal. I enjoyed the food and car show and will go back there again just for the onion rings.
(3)
Josh F.
So we pulled up red lobster on google maps. And ended up at this place. Looked cool from the outside but it was 94 outside and humid as heck Went in. We found a line that said wait to be seated. And the line ran in front of a door to the outside dining area. While in line we asked a person who worked there for a menu. She seemed annoyed we asked. Them shouted that they were at the bar we passed. Then she pushed past us to sit down at what appeared to be the only open table in the bar dining area. At that point i was done and we left. Smelled good. Just awful personnel and bad layout. We will not be back.
(1)
Amy L.
For what it is, this place is great. Awesome fried food (fish is key), friendly service, enthusiasm of customer base. I thought it was a fun experience and if I were craving fried food in the future, I'd definitely go here again. You also get great bang for your buck sharing a plate or platter with a group of friends!
(4)
Peg G.
After reading some of the comments on here I was skeptical, but we ended up loving it! Everyone in our party agreed it was the best fish sandwich we'd ever had. I can see how the whole set-up might be confusing to newbies, so here are some useful tips. 1. This place is not fancy, and neither is the food. It is not seafood like you might get at an upscale downtown place or even (gasp) Red Lobster. It is more like your favorite tavern, the old style one with good food. 2. Order the fried fish. It is true there's grilled fish and crab cakes and baked chicken and crab legs and all sorts of stuff on the menu, but fried fish is what they're famous for, and you'll just be swimming against the current. Don't be high maintenance! If what you want is something else, go someplace else. Oh alright. Fried shrimp is allowed, too. 3. When you get there, grab a menu from the stand near the entrance and stake out a table. Sit in the shade and read the menu. Grab drinks from the outside bar. RELAX. 4. When you're ready to order, mosey up to the stand and place your order. Give them your own name! Yes, they do have waitresses but why? Why? Why? Unless you need help carrying your tray, self-service is the way to go. 5. Your food--unbelievable amounts--will be ready after they're done cooking it to order. They'll call your name over the speakers and you can pick it up inside. That's when you pay. Don't forget to grab your condiments at the same time! Meanwhile, avail yourself of the swing set and slides (kidding!). Have another drink. I can vouch for the iced tea. 6. When they call your name, go get your food. This system may seem strange, but once you've done it, you'll see the beauty of it. There's great freedom in being able to pick your own table and even move around. Need a drink? Don't wait for a waiter....go get one! No more bickering about who had the up charge bleu cheese in a large party....or who gets the check. Sit and visit as long as you want: you won't be putting anyone out. And when you want to leave, just stand up and walk out: you've already paid! No flagging down your server or dividing up the check, no scrambling for a tip. Seriously, it works a charm if you realize that what this really is, is a self-service place with beer. Huge portions, relaxing atmosphere, amazing prices. Since we served ourselves, the tip was negligible too.... Just threw a couple bucks in the jar when we picked up the food. Other yelpers have complained that they're charged for extra slices of bread, tartar sauce etc. if they'd stop to think about it, they'd see why. First, prices are cheap for the quantity. Lots of people share as it is. If they gave away bread, everyone would be making two fish sandwiches and paying for one. When prices are cheap for the quantity given, it doesn't pay to gripe about 20 cents. Also, it's self serve: if bread and tartar were free, people would just steal it. If you want all that stuff to be free, they're going to have to raise prices or decrease portion sizes. Did I mention that it's lovely under these mature oaks on a hot day? And it's very clean: employees were bleaching off the tables. Their displayed board of health grade is "A."
(5)
Joseph L.
First off I am the type of guy who takes the bad reviews of others with a grain of salt because most people today are giving bad reviews if there isn't someone right there following them around with a roll of toilet paper wiping their butts at every turn. However after my experience I can tell you the bad reviews on here besides my own are 100% accurate. I am about as easy to please at it gets. After 8 years in the Army, as long as what I am eating is somewhat presentable, the heads cut off and it half way tastes good you have my vote. So believe me when I say you can take this review to the bank and cash it. Went here the Wednesday after Memorial Day at 5 pm and IMO it was unusually busy for this time of day esp. being in the middle of the week. Not off the chain stupid busy but way busier than I thought they should have been. We waited about 30 minutes to be seated, again way too long for a Wednesday at 5 pm. The indoor full-service dining area is extremely cramped and the way their tables are set up the seats around the table are literally only a quarter inch apart if that. So if all the chairs were occupied at the table you would literally be touching elbows to those sitting on either side of you. Before we sat down we had to make room for a wheelchair, and speaking of that this place barely, if at all meets the bare-bones minimum requirements for being handicapped accessible. Once we were seated we ordered soft drinks and a couple of apps that came out fast enough. After the apps is when it all went downhill from there. It took us LITERALLY a whole TWO HOURS...you heard me right....TWO HOURS to get the rest of our food. There were 5 in our group and when the food did finally arrive allot of it was lukewarm or cold. My order was messed up and went back to the kitchen and didn't get it back until 10 minutes later. At this point I'm fairly fired up. The portions are large and the fish is good, but was in no way worth all the trouble and the waiting we had to endure to get it. Did I mention this place is extremely overpriced? For me, my wife and my daughter my bill was $76.10. Add the $15.00 tip that came to a little over $91.00. That's right...91 bucks for fried food that in all actuality is no better than Moby Dicks or the Fish House down off Baxter Ave. The Fish house is 10 times better and much more affordable. To sum it all up, and if you haven't listened to a word I have said so far hear me now. I don't care what any mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging local yokel tells you about how great this place is, Mike Lennigs always has been and always will be nothing more...I repeat NOTHING more than a glorified Moby Dicks...period, end of story. But hey, don't take my word for it, go experience it for yourself. But when you walk out of that joint with the $91.00 kick in the bawlz like I got...don't say ol' Joe didn't tell you so...because I told you so!
(1)
Sabrina S.
I am not a fan of this place they are way over priced and everything is fried. To me the batter has no flavor which is not good if you use it for everything. Onion rings were about the best thing on the menu and the atmosphere is pretty dang cool.
(1)
Troy W.
Such a cool place. When visiting, I feel like I've stepped back in time to an amusement park from yesteryear... back when those parks were all about picnic grounds under shady trees and the wildest rides were big swings fueled only by children laughing. Oh yeah, it's all about the atmosphere. 6 (ouf of 5!) stars for atmosphere... especially at night when strings of white lights illuminate from the trees above. This is a seasonal place. There is indoor seating, but if eating inside, the experience is... ordinary. Outside is the place to be. It can get crowded when the weather is nice, but with a large amount of concrete, picnic tables, the crowd is handled well. Oh yeah... the food. The menu is available online. It is sort of a "deluxe" fish fry assortment of food. I give the food 3 of 5 stars. It's good. Not great, but good. In summary, visit for the atmosphere, not the food. But by all means, have some food while you're here!
(4)
Lee B.
I was in town with one of our salesmen who suggested he knew the owner and would like to make a "sales call" here. He said the place gets packed in the summer time though I was there in the winter- surprisingly there was still a nice crowd as they opened the restaurant. This is really great fried food. The fried fish (I believe I had cod) is was flaky and crisp. I also had your standard cole slaw and fries and a soda. It was one of those meals that just made me smile and say I wish I lived around a place like this- yet I only have been to one other- Rudy's in Oswego Ny. Mik Linnig's offered cheap, large portions and great service as well....
(5)
Sarah H.
After not having been to Mike Linnigs in probably 10 years I got a craving for some good fried fish on a nice Sunday evening. The most important thing to note is that the portions are enormous. My husband and I were able to share one fish plate, and we are not small eaters. The fish plate comes with two huge pieces of fried cod, French fries,and cole slaw. The fish was perfectly cooked and the breading was flavorful. The fries were just average but the slaw was fantastic, maybe the best I've ever eaten. We did add an order of hush puppies because for me it just isn't a fish dinner without them and I was very surprised that for only to dollars and change there were 5 baseball sized hush puppies in the one order. For only about 21 dollars the two of us had a huge meal and even had a little left over. The outdoor dining area was also ust as nice as I remembered. The big concrete picnic tables under the very tall shade trees made for a very nice evening. The playground is also nice to keep the kiddos entertained while waiting for the food. Another thing to mention is that it was pretty busy with the weather being as pleasant as it was but we only waited about 15 minutes for our food which was nice. I definitely won't wait another ten years to come back!
(4)
Tom G.
Love this Resturant!...Best Fish in town!...I recommend the fish plate you will be full!!!!...great prices!...
(5)
Sara T.
Some of the best fried fish in the Louisville area and a very unique eating experience. We ordered fish plates but I wish we'd just ordered one -- it was more than enough food to split. I will remember that next time. I loved that they let me swap hush puppies for the slaw. It was a little confusing figuring out their system because you order your food, pick up and pay for your food, and get drinks all in different places. The staff members we ran into were not very friendly or helpful but we watched other customers to figure out what to do. The atmosphere is really casual so it seemed like a good place to bring kids, even if they're rambunctious.
(4)
Mike A.
A Louisville tradition. Every Time I'm in the area my car auto pilots to Mike's. Inside has is a cross between dive bar and cafeteria. My favorite is in nice weather to eat at the outside picnic tables. Vibe is a little on the beachy side and family reunion fused into one. Don't let the size of the place or randomness of the place overwhelm you. It's all part of the charm. Now let's discuss the fish. Not the best or worst I've had but somewhere in the middle. Fish is a little on the bland and over fried side but it's consistent. Best deal is lunch fish sandwich, fries and a drink.
(3)
Norman G.
In town for a visit and went to Mike's for a family gathering. It has been a very long time since my last visit. Mike's Is mostly outdoor seating so make sure the weather is right for you. Today was hot but for us it was a part of the experience. Sitting outside and having lunch with family. I ordered the frog legs, something I haven't had in a while. The large portion of legs were very good. Not overly breaded and deep fried just right. The legs were juicy and flavorful. It was a great day at a Louisville landmark.
(3)
Meela L.
Okay, I have been wanting to go there and finally we did. The restaurant has nice and relaxing areas with lots of trees. But I was not impressed by the food at all. Everything was fried, which is fine if seasoned enough. The food was bland, no taste. I had to put lots of tartar sauce. The frog legs were big yet once again tasteless as if they just battered frozen frog legs without seasoning them. The breading was thick and had no flavor. Not happy....
(2)
Megan R.
I hate to do it... I really do. Maybe it's me, but I simply don't understand this place. When you walk up, it's like you're walking onto a compound, not a restaurant. There are buildings and tables and umbrellas and bars and playgrounds and... it's just a lot to approach if you have never been before and don't know exactly what it is that you are doing or where it is that you are going. Personally, I walked up asking myself (and several others around me), "What is this place?" I went on a busy night, and it was lovely outside. We were with a group, so we sat outside at some of the picnic tables. Our servers were super friendly and personable. They called everyone "honey" and "babe", and though that could make some people uncomfortable, it just made my group feel welcomed, almost like we were eating with family. It seems as though there are many ways to order at Mike Linnig's. You can go up to a booth and put your order in with your name. (I've been told to give the employee a funny name because "it's tradition".) We ordered with our server. It was a bit of a cluster, though, because different servers brought out food to people from whom they did not take the order. We wound up getting the wrong food a few times and had to play a modified game of musical chairs so that everyone was eating at least something resembling what they ordered. When it comes to the actual food, others are right. HUGE portions. VERY oily. LOTS of fried seafood. If that's what you're going for - believe me, sometimes that kind of stuff hits the spot - then it's awesome. If you're looking for anything outside of that very specific type of cuisine, this place just isn't for you. It just wasn't for me. After we finished eating, we were able to walk down to the river. Again, it was lovely out, so that was a great way to finish the evening. Had it not been a pretty night, or had I not known about the proximity to the river, this saving grace would have never been an option to find. I don't know how much you can allow the river to improve your judgement of the restaurant/compound. It was a bonus, sure, but how much of that was attributed to Mike Linnig's? I really can't say. Try it if it's in your palate's wheelhouse of preference. If you're ready to travel out there and work your way through the evening, go for it. I'm sure regulars have the place and its processes down pat, but as a first-timer, I had no idea what was going on. To be honest, I still don't. The entire evening left me wondering, "What just happened?"
(2)
Caitlin K.
Asked my SO (who is from Louisville) to take me to a real and local place and he succeeded! Loved the relaxed and open atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating. I got the catfish and the fish was great, perfectly cooked, although the fried breaking actually took a bit away from it. Good fries and good fish, just didn't love the super fried component.
(4)
Amanda W.
So you cannot find a decent sea food in Midwest. This place is a great place if you love greasy food that would give you a heartburn afterwords. A big portion, a strange atmosphere. I get it to go whenever I order my food from here. I would not go after certain hours simply I hate to drive through Cane Run Road. I don't feel safe driving through...
(3)
Erin C.
I don't understand any of the hype about this place. Granted I live in the highlands and so I'm spoiled by the great restaurants around here it's hard to compare. I will enjoy some fried goodness every once in a while but this was fried with no goodness. It was so bland. Everything was bland. Server was very nice and attentive even though they were very busy. I can already feel the heartburn coming on and it was not worth it. I won't be back. There are many waaay better food options on Louisville. Why waste your time here?
(2)
Bob H.
We waited an hour before we received our food. The fish was hot and very good. Our fries were cold and the onion rings that we paid $6.25 was also cold. If it would not have been heading for the airport i would have sent our lunch back
(3)
Rob S.
Decent but not great. LONG waits on Saturdays 90 minutes for cold food and staff with attitudes. Portions are large but so are some of the prices. Too many other seafood places to put up with this. I think the busy weekends have tainted some of the staff, you still have to be polite.
(2)
Missy H.
Dined here last night for the first time in a few years. It was just as good as I remember! If you're a fish lover, the famous fish sandwich cannot be beat! HUGE portion that is truly large enough for two people to share. Do not pass on the hushpuppies!! 5 large ones in an order and absolutely divine. Tried the jalapeño cornbread for the first time and it was very yummy. I highly recommend dining outside to avoid the lingering smell of oil inside. Plus, it's self seating and you have the option to have a waitress or order at the stand. It's typically quicker to order on your own and they just call your name out on the speaker when it's ready. Very efficient and everything was piping hot. They seem to run like a well-oiled machine (pun intended). Fun family place. After eating, walk off your meal by taking a stroll down to the river bank. Its a gorgeous view.
(4)
Leann G.
Mike Linnigs has been around my entire life, I have always enjoyed the outdoor atmosphere. I am not a fish eater and always get the fried chicken (cut up). It is hit or miss with it though as there are times that it is just reheated from what seems to be the day before and what was left over. I was excited to go yesterday for the beginning of their season, but was very disappointed with my food. the chicken without doubt had been dropped back into the oil to heat, it was not hot, it was dry all the way through, it was probably the worst I have ever gotten there. it was around 4;00 and there was only about a dozen others in there. My dad and I both ask for the cut up chicken, he got the baked. Neither was cut up and the onion rings were cold and most likely a reheat too. As most of us locals talk about concerning Mikes, we really wish they would keep the quality of their food up better, everyone who lives in Louisville knows that towards the end of the season everything is saturated in an old grease taste, but now apparently there is going to be quality issues in the beginning as well. I hope they care that the locals talk about the quality vs the money you shell out as it is not a cheap place to eat.
(2)
Kallie M.
Food took forever but was good. Here's a tip, please, keep your toothless waitress in the back and not waiting on people. She never even checked to ask if we wanted more drinks and then you people charge for refills??? F that. If this is your idea of fine dining, I'm scared.
(2)
Kent H.
Huge onion rings! I had to try them, but was severely disappointed. The blonde color should have warned me away. They were underdone, soggy, and the breading had no flavor. I also had a two piece fish plate. Being from Alaska, I asked what kind of fish it was, and was told that it was cod. Well, it was way overcooked and had no taste other than a hint of sweetness in the breading. I ended up eating one onion ring and throwing the rest away. I choked down one of the fish fillets and threw the other one in the trash. I may be a little harsh and snobbish, but if this is the best cod that Louisville can produce, I'll try catfish next time.
(2)
Ted W.
Will, 2nd time we have been. Here her good points. 1. Nice place to set outside. 2. Really nice portions of fish. Here are not so good points. 1. Waitress was extremely SLOW. Poor service. 2. Fries were only warm, not hot. Tasted like they had been sitting for awhile. 3. Two orders of fish, one tarter sauce. 4. Not much cold slaw for what I ordered. 5. Slow Slow getting order, totally unimpressed, slow to fill drinks. 6. But the waitress was in a hurry when it came time for us to pay bill (waitress was kind of heavy with blue hair). 7. Service and food was about the same as first time we went there. Frankly for all the stuff you hear about how great the place and food is, we once again were disappointed. Probably will not go back there.
(2)
Grad S.
Great local place, it's seasonal. They do self-service or waitstaff seating. We did the self service, ordered as we walked in, chose our own outdoor seating. You walk up to the bar to get drinks and pay when they call your name for your food. Price was great for the portions. We got two beers for 7.50ish and paid $17 for a fish plate that came with two sides ($14ish) and added another side. The fish plate came with two HUGE pieces. We each made a sandwich and had fish leftover. The fish was crispy and fresh (not fishy tasting at all). Definitely child friendly, they have swings and a playground.
(4)
Daryl's E.
Next time I go I'm just going to give someone a couple bucks for their leftovers. Ain't nobody finishing these plates of fish! They're huge! Oh, and save your quarters and pass on that old Gottlieb Cue Ball Wizard pinball. Shits boring! Get a beer though.
(3)
Tony R.
My wife and I loved the fish and fries! The portions are BIG so we just share a 2 piece fish and fries cause they are so big. Great as always! Sitting outside and watching the kids play and motorcycles going by! Great atmosphere! You can have your favorite beverage no matter what it is.... It's like in your back yard with the family.
(5)
Lena R.
Everyone who has the pleasure of knowing me knows that "If there's great food to be found--I will find it!" Great food & Lena goes hand in hand, so when my sister-in-law wanted some fish one Sunday, of course I jumped on Yelp to do a search and Lo and Behold I found Mike Linnig's. Now I'm going to be honest, I could give this place 4-stars but we'll stick to 3 stars on a count of our long wait, the person I brought to this establishment wasn't happy with her food, and some of the food was a little to bland for my taste buds. My sister-in-law ordered catfish (which I do not like by the way), my husband ordered alligator, and I ordered a fish sandwich and onion rings. I apologize for not remembering what type of fish it was, but it was huge, a bit on the bland side, yet it had a great crunch. Of course I wanted to give this place a fair shot so I doust my fish in hot sauce and tartar sauce to give it some kind of flavor and decided to try everybody elses' food to see if I'd ever return. Needless to say, my husband's alligator was to die for! It almost taste as if it were only seasoned with salt and pepper but sometimes the less seasoning the better and in that case, it worked well. Although I am not sure what part of the alligator we were eating, it did not matter because it was truly delicious. So there you have it! I know I only gave this place 3-stars, but I highly recommend you try this place for the alligator plate alone! Not only is it worth trying because of the alligator dish, but I like the fact that there are tables outside for people who want to dine-in (or out for that matter). The food all comes on these huge gray trays and the food portions are out of this world. I do plan to return and I may even get fish again just to see if we just came on a bad day. Oh wait, before I forget, there is a playground and walking trail right in the back where the tables for dining are and I thought that was really cool because the kids could swing and play on the playground to run off their dinner. If I return, I will update this review. Do Enjoy & let me know what you think.
(3)
Brian K.
I come to Lousiville for business occasionally but I always make a stop at Mike's. It's one of the better restaurants in KY.
(4)
Teri W.
If you're looking for a fancy place don't come here. They serve their fish on paper plates and sandwich bread comes straight out of the loaf (although you do get a choice of white, wheat or rye). But the food here is hot, fresh and great. Before 3pm the lunch plate was more cod than I could finish, with one side and a big drink and their very own tartar sauce. Get extra tartar! The batter on the fried fish is light and just right. Homey place here with outdoor picnic tables, plenty of beer and parking. Nice wait staff. Bring the whole fam. Onion rings rock.
(4)
Milly M.
One of the worst restaurants I have EVER been to! The people except our server was rude. The food was not good. The only food I had that was half decent was the hush puppies and the Cole slaw. The fish and shrimp were terrible. They had no taste but had some suspicious hard pieces and black stuff in them. The price was outrageous! I will never return!
(1)
Ric W.
Ok I get it this place is an landmark, but I'm not crazy about it. The fish I will admit is fresh and made to order. Big piece of boneless fresh fish With a great crust and very tasty. The outdoor seating is a big hit makes it a great place large families and running into old friends. It also has a play area for kids. This place is always packed as locals have been coming here for years. But that where it stops. The sides always disappointing, almost always made hours ahead and taste old and stale. Never seen such a big institution nickel and dime you for almost everything. Want Extra bread is 20 cents, need some more tater for your fish 25 cent I'm sure if you want butter for your corn there would be a charge for that also. With the exception of the fish, this place is at best OK. Did I mention if you choose to have a waiter, then only she/he are the only ones allowed to help you. Asked for some bread from another waiter and he said sorry I can't get that for you, your waiter has to, but I will find her for you... Really, is bread and other items kept UNDER LOCK AND KEY here? Needless to say the bread came after the meal was finished, but they didn't forget to add it to the bill, should have left it as part of the tip for the service! The portions and outdoor seating are great, but the rest of this place is a little Fishy.
(3)
Paul V.
I wish that I could give it negative stars. The service was slow and horrible. My group asked for refills on our drinks 3 times but the server was too busy to bring them until after we were done eating. Then we were told that an ice tea refills were $1 each. Who charges for refills in 2013?? And our food was cold when we got it. OH! And the bill for 5 people to eat cold food was almost 80 bucks. I wouldn't go back if the food was free. Paul Vest
(1)
TJ N.
This place is a Louisville land mark and those bitching about price or wait times don't know there ass from a hole in the ground. So as a guy who's been coming here twenty plus years let me give you some advice. Friday and Saturdays on a beautiful day be prepared to wait. On these days DO NOT wait fir someone to wait on you. Order at the front, pay and find a place to sit. Enjoy the atmosphere and get some drinks. There is a drink shack in the middle and get your drinks there. THERE ARE NO FREE REFILLS! I will repeat NO FREE REFILLS but they are a dollar and they are big cups. When you order up front they ask for your name and they will announce it when it's ready for pick up. Use a funny name, it's tradition. Go inside get your food and this is the easiest way to get food. The portions are MASSIVE be prepared to take fish home and if you're not to full go over the flood wall to the river. Use to do it as a kid and was always fun. These are my helpful tips and if you're visiting this is the best way to have a fairly trouble free good time and you'll love to come back. Have a good one and don't order the crab cakes. Use to be hand made and delicious. They stopped hand making them and I'm still bitter! BRING EM BACK!
(5)
Andy C.
Five stars. This place is a landmark for good reason. When it comes to fried seafood- this is what you want. A single fish sandwich will feed two grown men, but their variety of seafood options often leaves the fish behind. You could show up with 200 people without reservations and not come close to filling the place. Most of it is outside. You can walk to the river in 5 min while you wait for your food, or to walk off the amazing meal you just devoured. The inside of the place is like a small museum- filled with old photographs and many specimens of sea creatures. Also a good place to have a fun time while the kids keep themselves busy with all the swings and arcade games. Highly recommending giving this place a try- but only when it's warm outside!
(5)
Melanie K.
As Southern as a singing Bass fish on your wall.... and about as delicious deep fried. Mike Linig's has a lot of great things: great bands, great location, great seating, great parking, and great big portions. However, Mike Linnig's has one to many items that are a little too fishy for my tastes. Although there is a large selection to seafood cuts and choices, don't expect to find any of it clear of deep fried beer batter. In addition the staff is pretty helpful, but are use to the large crowds so don't expect personal service. This may be a place for hanging out, but all food is served pretty much to go with even condiments prepackaged and plastic silverware. Oh and its CROWDED in the Summer, so be prepared to wait. To summarize, as much as I love that singing Bass fish, I think I'll still leave it and Mike Linnig's on the shelf when it comes to representing southern seafood.
(3)
Giovanni Z.
This place is ridiculously terrible. I have 3 words to describe their food; Oily, oily and oily. I know, it's deep fried. But come on, I have had deep fried food that doesn't hold the oil like the food here. As far as their legacy, so what? McDonald's has a legacy too. If you want deep fried seafood, there are other places to go in Louisville. Fish House, The Fishery, Irish Rover, Moby Dick etc. As a side note. I will say that they beat Long John Silver's or Captain D's. Woop di frikin doo.
(1)
Ray G.
Epic portions of sub mediocre deep fried seafood. I love the surroundings and the staff is friendly. Otherwise, I would have rated Mike Linnig's with 1 star. It's one of those places that I visit every decade, give or take, and remember why it's been so long since the previous visit.
(2)
Big V S.
I had heard about this place for years, but never been. Now I can say I have eaten there. It was good, but doesn't rate on my All Time Faves list. The location and wait time take away from an otherwise decent meal for me. It is so far from everything that I would be hardpressed to say I'll be back soon. The food was good, but not worth the drive to me.
(3)
Terri D.
Very busy place. Large portions of good seafood. In the summer they have a tent across the street with music and beer. Love sitting outdoors to eat when it's not too hit. Downside is they charge you for "sides" of tomatoes and onions!!
(3)
Lisa L.
Pros: Don't come on a bike, you'll be taking part of it with you. HUGE portions. Food is consistantly adequate to good. Counter staff are friendly.. Fresh tomatoes and spring onions on the "sides" list. Cole slaw is really good. Al fresco seating. Cons. Go to the counter and do the "take a number" thing. Freindlier, more prompt service. Waitstaff are slow and sometimes rude. Outside can get nasty/messy on wknds from families and kids not picking up after themselves. Once saw a nasty diaper just laying wide open on the ground. Food is overpriced for what it is- even with the large portions and decent quality. They are prone to "nickel and dime" you for extra sauces, etc. Also, years ago, it was a "catch of the day" fresh fishmonger type cafe. That's what built its reputation. That is long gone. Fish are frozen from Sysco now. PS don't get the chix livers. WAY too much UNSEASONED breading, same with oysters.
(3)
Erin M.
I love the fried fish and onion rings! You get very large portions 2 people could easily share 1 fish sandwich. We like to sit outside and let our daughter play after she eats. I only wish they offered free refills. Staff is helpful and polite.
(4)
Howard G.
This used to be a great place for seafood; Over the past few years the quality of the food and the service have fallen significantly. On the last visit (this afternoon), I'm not sure whether it was the fish or the oil, but something was moderately rancid. The waiter (when he appeared at all, which was pretty rare) was unconcerned and totally useless. At this point, one is better served going a few miles down Dixie Highway to the Golden Coral. The fish is actually better there, there's much more selection and the prices are much more reasonable. Mike Linnig's was great in its time, but that time is, unfortunately, passed. RIP, and have the good sense to close the place before you actually poison someone with whatever rancid ingredients you are using.
(1)
Lynn P.
When I think of great seafood in Louisville, Mike Linnig's automatically is on the list. My BF and I recently dined here. Now this isn't a place to expect any kind of luxuries. Foam plates and cups. The portions are very ample. Two could actually share a Fish platter. I tries a rolled oyster, and the fried shrimp. Both were very good. The shrimp tasted fresh and were large - jumbo in size. Improvements would be free drink refills (even after 3 pm), and a little better take out containers (you get aluminum foil and a paper bag). Be sure to check out the tree sculpture they have added in the outdoor seating area....it is pretty cool!
(4)
Ray G.
The ultimate in fried seafood. Humongous portions of fried food. Clam chowder was good. This place is a local legend, due to it's old-style ambiance and huge, huge portions of fried fish. Everyone who visits the area should probably try it, but don't expect a culinary treat. A good value if you consider portion size versus cost.
(2)
Rob R.
Hard to beat their lunch special, great fish.
(4)
Joe S.
South side representing! Great fish, awesome outside seating, music fests, car shows, friendly staff, and amazing atmosphere. If you have not been here, you are missing out!
(4)
Betty C.
I hadn't been here in about ten years, but all my Louisville friends talk about it like it's the end-all-be-all of seafood restaurants, so I decided to give it another shot during a recent visit. The location is great. It's on the river and you can sit outside under the trees. And yet, the location isn't great. It's out of the way and if you do sit outside, you're treated to muffler-free motorcycles driving past every six to nine minutes. The food is served in epic proportions. A fish plate has two large pieces of fried cod. The catfish plate has four large, yet thin, pieces of catfish. That being said, there's nothing outstanding about any of the fish or side items. I was there with fourteen others and we all shared items. There wasn't a single menu item that stood out as being the best thing at this restaurant. There's no point serving someone a gallon-bucket of French fries if the fries are inedible. Speaking of inedible, the hush puppies were the size of a baseball. The reason most places serve golf-ball size hush puppies is because the insides become dry and flavorless once fried if they are the size of a baseball. Instead of a tender morsel of onion and cornmeal, the hush puppies were large, dessicated spheres of dried meal that fell apart once you bit into them. The menu alerts you to a few nutty House Rules: no free refills after 3 PM, and absolutely no free refills no matter what time it is on Mother's Day and Father's Day. It shouldn't be a big problem, since most patrons are ordering booze, anyway. I didn't have to deal with the wait staff or standing in line, since one person in my group took care of all that. Overall, my visit was a big disappointment.
(2)
Kent H.
Huge onion rings! I had to try them, but was severely disappointed. The blonde color should have warned me away. They were underdone, soggy, and the breading had no flavor. I also had a two piece fish plate. Being from Alaska, I asked what kind of fish it was, and was told that it was cod. Well, it was way overcooked and had no taste other than a hint of sweetness in the breading. I ended up eating one onion ring and throwing the rest away. I choked down one of the fish fillets and threw the other one in the trash. I may be a little harsh and snobbish, but if this is the best cod that Louisville can produce, I'll try catfish next time.
(2)
Erin C.
I don't understand any of the hype about this place. Granted I live in the highlands and so I'm spoiled by the great restaurants around here it's hard to compare. I will enjoy some fried goodness every once in a while but this was fried with no goodness. It was so bland. Everything was bland. Server was very nice and attentive even though they were very busy. I can already feel the heartburn coming on and it was not worth it. I won't be back. There are many waaay better food options on Louisville. Why waste your time here?
(2)
Kallie M.
Food took forever but was good. Here's a tip, please, keep your toothless waitress in the back and not waiting on people. She never even checked to ask if we wanted more drinks and then you people charge for refills??? F that. If this is your idea of fine dining, I'm scared.
(2)
Ted W.
Will, 2nd time we have been. Here her good points. 1. Nice place to set outside. 2. Really nice portions of fish. Here are not so good points. 1. Waitress was extremely SLOW. Poor service. 2. Fries were only warm, not hot. Tasted like they had been sitting for awhile. 3. Two orders of fish, one tarter sauce. 4. Not much cold slaw for what I ordered. 5. Slow Slow getting order, totally unimpressed, slow to fill drinks. 6. But the waitress was in a hurry when it came time for us to pay bill (waitress was kind of heavy with blue hair). 7. Service and food was about the same as first time we went there. Frankly for all the stuff you hear about how great the place and food is, we once again were disappointed. Probably will not go back there.
(2)
Grad S.
Great local place, it's seasonal. They do self-service or waitstaff seating. We did the self service, ordered as we walked in, chose our own outdoor seating. You walk up to the bar to get drinks and pay when they call your name for your food. Price was great for the portions. We got two beers for 7.50ish and paid $17 for a fish plate that came with two sides ($14ish) and added another side. The fish plate came with two HUGE pieces. We each made a sandwich and had fish leftover. The fish was crispy and fresh (not fishy tasting at all). Definitely child friendly, they have swings and a playground.
(4)
Daryl's E.
Next time I go I'm just going to give someone a couple bucks for their leftovers. Ain't nobody finishing these plates of fish! They're huge! Oh, and save your quarters and pass on that old Gottlieb Cue Ball Wizard pinball. Shits boring! Get a beer though.
(3)
Tony R.
My wife and I loved the fish and fries! The portions are BIG so we just share a 2 piece fish and fries cause they are so big. Great as always! Sitting outside and watching the kids play and motorcycles going by! Great atmosphere! You can have your favorite beverage no matter what it is.... It's like in your back yard with the family.
(5)
Paul V.
I wish that I could give it negative stars. The service was slow and horrible. My group asked for refills on our drinks 3 times but the server was too busy to bring them until after we were done eating. Then we were told that an ice tea refills were $1 each. Who charges for refills in 2013?? And our food was cold when we got it. OH! And the bill for 5 people to eat cold food was almost 80 bucks. I wouldn't go back if the food was free. Paul Vest
(1)
TJ N.
This place is a Louisville land mark and those bitching about price or wait times don't know there ass from a hole in the ground. So as a guy who's been coming here twenty plus years let me give you some advice. Friday and Saturdays on a beautiful day be prepared to wait. On these days DO NOT wait fir someone to wait on you. Order at the front, pay and find a place to sit. Enjoy the atmosphere and get some drinks. There is a drink shack in the middle and get your drinks there. THERE ARE NO FREE REFILLS! I will repeat NO FREE REFILLS but they are a dollar and they are big cups. When you order up front they ask for your name and they will announce it when it's ready for pick up. Use a funny name, it's tradition. Go inside get your food and this is the easiest way to get food. The portions are MASSIVE be prepared to take fish home and if you're not to full go over the flood wall to the river. Use to do it as a kid and was always fun. These are my helpful tips and if you're visiting this is the best way to have a fairly trouble free good time and you'll love to come back. Have a good one and don't order the crab cakes. Use to be hand made and delicious. They stopped hand making them and I'm still bitter! BRING EM BACK!
(5)
Andy C.
Five stars. This place is a landmark for good reason. When it comes to fried seafood- this is what you want. A single fish sandwich will feed two grown men, but their variety of seafood options often leaves the fish behind. You could show up with 200 people without reservations and not come close to filling the place. Most of it is outside. You can walk to the river in 5 min while you wait for your food, or to walk off the amazing meal you just devoured. The inside of the place is like a small museum- filled with old photographs and many specimens of sea creatures. Also a good place to have a fun time while the kids keep themselves busy with all the swings and arcade games. Highly recommending giving this place a try- but only when it's warm outside!
(5)
Melanie K.
As Southern as a singing Bass fish on your wall.... and about as delicious deep fried. Mike Linig's has a lot of great things: great bands, great location, great seating, great parking, and great big portions. However, Mike Linnig's has one to many items that are a little too fishy for my tastes. Although there is a large selection to seafood cuts and choices, don't expect to find any of it clear of deep fried beer batter. In addition the staff is pretty helpful, but are use to the large crowds so don't expect personal service. This may be a place for hanging out, but all food is served pretty much to go with even condiments prepackaged and plastic silverware. Oh and its CROWDED in the Summer, so be prepared to wait. To summarize, as much as I love that singing Bass fish, I think I'll still leave it and Mike Linnig's on the shelf when it comes to representing southern seafood.
(3)
Lena R.
Everyone who has the pleasure of knowing me knows that "If there's great food to be found--I will find it!" Great food & Lena goes hand in hand, so when my sister-in-law wanted some fish one Sunday, of course I jumped on Yelp to do a search and Lo and Behold I found Mike Linnig's. Now I'm going to be honest, I could give this place 4-stars but we'll stick to 3 stars on a count of our long wait, the person I brought to this establishment wasn't happy with her food, and some of the food was a little to bland for my taste buds. My sister-in-law ordered catfish (which I do not like by the way), my husband ordered alligator, and I ordered a fish sandwich and onion rings. I apologize for not remembering what type of fish it was, but it was huge, a bit on the bland side, yet it had a great crunch. Of course I wanted to give this place a fair shot so I doust my fish in hot sauce and tartar sauce to give it some kind of flavor and decided to try everybody elses' food to see if I'd ever return. Needless to say, my husband's alligator was to die for! It almost taste as if it were only seasoned with salt and pepper but sometimes the less seasoning the better and in that case, it worked well. Although I am not sure what part of the alligator we were eating, it did not matter because it was truly delicious. So there you have it! I know I only gave this place 3-stars, but I highly recommend you try this place for the alligator plate alone! Not only is it worth trying because of the alligator dish, but I like the fact that there are tables outside for people who want to dine-in (or out for that matter). The food all comes on these huge gray trays and the food portions are out of this world. I do plan to return and I may even get fish again just to see if we just came on a bad day. Oh wait, before I forget, there is a playground and walking trail right in the back where the tables for dining are and I thought that was really cool because the kids could swing and play on the playground to run off their dinner. If I return, I will update this review. Do Enjoy & let me know what you think.
(3)
Brian K.
I come to Lousiville for business occasionally but I always make a stop at Mike's. It's one of the better restaurants in KY.
(4)
Teri W.
If you're looking for a fancy place don't come here. They serve their fish on paper plates and sandwich bread comes straight out of the loaf (although you do get a choice of white, wheat or rye). But the food here is hot, fresh and great. Before 3pm the lunch plate was more cod than I could finish, with one side and a big drink and their very own tartar sauce. Get extra tartar! The batter on the fried fish is light and just right. Homey place here with outdoor picnic tables, plenty of beer and parking. Nice wait staff. Bring the whole fam. Onion rings rock.
(4)
Milly M.
One of the worst restaurants I have EVER been to! The people except our server was rude. The food was not good. The only food I had that was half decent was the hush puppies and the Cole slaw. The fish and shrimp were terrible. They had no taste but had some suspicious hard pieces and black stuff in them. The price was outrageous! I will never return!
(1)
Ric W.
Ok I get it this place is an landmark, but I'm not crazy about it. The fish I will admit is fresh and made to order. Big piece of boneless fresh fish With a great crust and very tasty. The outdoor seating is a big hit makes it a great place large families and running into old friends. It also has a play area for kids. This place is always packed as locals have been coming here for years. But that where it stops. The sides always disappointing, almost always made hours ahead and taste old and stale. Never seen such a big institution nickel and dime you for almost everything. Want Extra bread is 20 cents, need some more tater for your fish 25 cent I'm sure if you want butter for your corn there would be a charge for that also. With the exception of the fish, this place is at best OK. Did I mention if you choose to have a waiter, then only she/he are the only ones allowed to help you. Asked for some bread from another waiter and he said sorry I can't get that for you, your waiter has to, but I will find her for you... Really, is bread and other items kept UNDER LOCK AND KEY here? Needless to say the bread came after the meal was finished, but they didn't forget to add it to the bill, should have left it as part of the tip for the service! The portions and outdoor seating are great, but the rest of this place is a little Fishy.
(3)
Tony C.
I flew in from Florida to attend my uncles funeral. This was his favorite restaurant. We were a party of nine and arrived without a reservation. I was pretty skeptical about going to a seafood restaurant in Kentucky when I can get better in Florida. The fried catfish, hush puppies and cole slaw were made with perfection. Rest in peace Bobby C
(5)
Cathy J.
I was in fried food heaven. We had gone here for my in-laws birthday and heard that it had one of the best seafood around. As we drove in, the place was packed...we waited in line to place our order before seating, the line looked long but it went by pretty fast. It had an interesting layout. They had a bunch of picnic style tables if you sat outside and they had indoor seating if you didn't want to sit outside. The service was great and efficient cause it was self serve. They called your order when it was ready and you had to stand at a different building to order your drink. If you have kids, they have several swing sets available to keep them occupied. They even had a path to the Ohio Levve and after your done eating and stuffed yourself you can go for a brisk walk down the beaten path. As far as the food goes, we ordered a Seafood Plate ($21.25) - It had 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet, 1 Jumbo Shrimp, 1 Frog Legs, 2 HUGE Hush Puppies, 1 Crab Cake, 5 small scallops, 1 Deep Fried Oyster, French Fries, Fish Chips... I think that's it on that and a Fish Plate ($11.85) - 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet with fries and 2 pieces of white bread. The fish was moist and tender and massively huge and the rest of the food was just as good. The only down side is too much breading cause all the food was breaded but hey that's what make fried food good. My brother-in-law ordered the alligator tail, fish chips, and turtle soup. I enjoyed the alligator tail, good seasoning but too much breading wish they had more meat to it. I wasn't too fond of the turtle soup. Not to keen on the texture and the flavor was a little bland for my taste. The Onion rings where massive and really good. This place was a great experience. Great to go on special occasions. As they say "Good food, large portions, affordable prices, and a casual and relaxed atmosphere."
(4)
Doug V.
This is a local clasic that has been around since the 1920's and is a must if you are in the area. Everything is fried and huge. I was there with a coworker on a recent business trip and we ordered the seafood platter at lunch and split it. If you like fried food then you will like this place. It was all very good. The platter was one of the biggest plates of fried food I had ever seen. It also came with a fried frog leg(s) that was good. They have a great outside eating area that is very unique and that is the place to sit. The entire place is very unique with a lot of very intresting pictures and old photos of the owners over the years. It is not the best fried food or food in general in the world, but it is a must if you are in the area and the food is very very good.
(4)
Malissa K.
Delicious! Best seafood around. I love shrimp and theirs is so plump & delicious! Catfish is great, too. Big hushpuppies. Just wish you could get free refills after 3pm... This place is best to visit in the summer, but it tends to get packed! They have a lot of outdoor seating, which goes quick! They have swings for the kiddos. You can also sit inside. They have an indoor area with no waiter service and an indoor area with waiter service. They are closed on Monday's and they shut down for the year sometime in November.
(4)
Paul S.
Great food, if you leave hungry it's your fault.
(5)
Giovanni Z.
This place is ridiculously terrible. I have 3 words to describe their food; Oily, oily and oily. I know, it's deep fried. But come on, I have had deep fried food that doesn't hold the oil like the food here. As far as their legacy, so what? McDonald's has a legacy too. If you want deep fried seafood, there are other places to go in Louisville. Fish House, The Fishery, Irish Rover, Moby Dick etc. As a side note. I will say that they beat Long John Silver's or Captain D's. Woop di frikin doo.
(1)
Ray G.
Epic portions of sub mediocre deep fried seafood. I love the surroundings and the staff is friendly. Otherwise, I would have rated Mike Linnig's with 1 star. It's one of those places that I visit every decade, give or take, and remember why it's been so long since the previous visit.
(2)
Big V S.
I had heard about this place for years, but never been. Now I can say I have eaten there. It was good, but doesn't rate on my All Time Faves list. The location and wait time take away from an otherwise decent meal for me. It is so far from everything that I would be hardpressed to say I'll be back soon. The food was good, but not worth the drive to me.
(3)
Terri D.
Very busy place. Large portions of good seafood. In the summer they have a tent across the street with music and beer. Love sitting outdoors to eat when it's not too hit. Downside is they charge you for "sides" of tomatoes and onions!!
(3)
Lisa L.
Pros: Don't come on a bike, you'll be taking part of it with you. HUGE portions. Food is consistantly adequate to good. Counter staff are friendly.. Fresh tomatoes and spring onions on the "sides" list. Cole slaw is really good. Al fresco seating. Cons. Go to the counter and do the "take a number" thing. Freindlier, more prompt service. Waitstaff are slow and sometimes rude. Outside can get nasty/messy on wknds from families and kids not picking up after themselves. Once saw a nasty diaper just laying wide open on the ground. Food is overpriced for what it is- even with the large portions and decent quality. They are prone to "nickel and dime" you for extra sauces, etc. Also, years ago, it was a "catch of the day" fresh fishmonger type cafe. That's what built its reputation. That is long gone. Fish are frozen from Sysco now. PS don't get the chix livers. WAY too much UNSEASONED breading, same with oysters.
(3)
Erin M.
I love the fried fish and onion rings! You get very large portions 2 people could easily share 1 fish sandwich. We like to sit outside and let our daughter play after she eats. I only wish they offered free refills. Staff is helpful and polite.
(4)
Howard G.
This used to be a great place for seafood; Over the past few years the quality of the food and the service have fallen significantly. On the last visit (this afternoon), I'm not sure whether it was the fish or the oil, but something was moderately rancid. The waiter (when he appeared at all, which was pretty rare) was unconcerned and totally useless. At this point, one is better served going a few miles down Dixie Highway to the Golden Coral. The fish is actually better there, there's much more selection and the prices are much more reasonable. Mike Linnig's was great in its time, but that time is, unfortunately, passed. RIP, and have the good sense to close the place before you actually poison someone with whatever rancid ingredients you are using.
(1)
Lynn P.
When I think of great seafood in Louisville, Mike Linnig's automatically is on the list. My BF and I recently dined here. Now this isn't a place to expect any kind of luxuries. Foam plates and cups. The portions are very ample. Two could actually share a Fish platter. I tries a rolled oyster, and the fried shrimp. Both were very good. The shrimp tasted fresh and were large - jumbo in size. Improvements would be free drink refills (even after 3 pm), and a little better take out containers (you get aluminum foil and a paper bag). Be sure to check out the tree sculpture they have added in the outdoor seating area....it is pretty cool!
(4)
Ray G.
The ultimate in fried seafood. Humongous portions of fried food. Clam chowder was good. This place is a local legend, due to it's old-style ambiance and huge, huge portions of fried fish. Everyone who visits the area should probably try it, but don't expect a culinary treat. A good value if you consider portion size versus cost.
(2)
Rob R.
Hard to beat their lunch special, great fish.
(4)
Joe S.
South side representing! Great fish, awesome outside seating, music fests, car shows, friendly staff, and amazing atmosphere. If you have not been here, you are missing out!
(4)
Jim G.
This place is a Louisville classic if you love Southern-style fried fish and seafood. Mike Linnig's has some of the largest & tastiest onion rings around, plus delicious corn on the cob, and other credible sides. On our most recent visit on July 4, 2007, my friend and I ordered two fish sandwiches, corn on the cob, onion rings, a diet coke, and water. The portions were huge, we couldn't eat that much. The tab was just under $30.00.
(4)
Erin O.
I never leave Louisville without eating here. It is the best. The fried fish sandwich is absolutely amazing.
(5)
Michael M.
This place is the rave of the "South End" but personally it was not my kinda place to hang out and drink crappy beer. My food was ok the alligator I had was kinda greasy but i guess that is common. Had to try something new. How ever the people were friendly as were the servers. I did like that it kinda had a family feel. Though I thought it was a bit pricey even though you do get a good helping of what you order.
(3)
Alison C.
I set out with my family to find this recommended place a few years ago on a Saturday evening. After hunting and hunting, we finally found it. It was difficult to find out how you were supposed to place an order (wending your way back through the smoky, crowded interior with the "locals" all staring at us); when we got our food, there was nowhere to sit and besides, the fish all tasted like it had been fried and then reheated. All in all, a disappointing experience. I was embarrassed I'd been so insistent about finding it. Maybe it was an off night, but I was never tempted to go back. :(
(2)
dave w.
who doesn't like fried catfish? well, then, you've never had mike linnig's. when i was young, i remember thinking my dad was super fucking cool for knowing one of the sons of the original proprietor. now, i know he's cool for other reasons, but i still always love getting mike linnig's when i can.
(4)
Liv S.
One of the top 5 restaurants I've ever been to, easily the best seafood. Awesome shrimp, insanely large hush puppies, and great wait staff. Our waiter, Grant, was a really nice old man who knew a lot about the place and even sent us home to Georgia with one of their menus. I'm headed up to Louisville for college next year, and I look forward to becoming a regular!
(5)
Trey B.
it's gotten way too expensive for what you eat. Portions are big, but for how far you have to drive and what you pay, it just doesn't seem worth it anymore.
(2)
Wes K.
Go to party not eat 3 stars for originality 1 star for food I like fried food, especially fish but this was terrible (cod? Def not catfish) My meal of fish/shrimp/fries was served hot and fast. The fish was 2 HUGE pieces. Too big to fry and have any flavor. In order to be palatable- I drenched in hot sauce/malt vinegar/& tarter combo. It was awful. Shrimp was mildly better, about what you'd expect from a fast food restaurant. I would not mind paying the price if food was better. On the upside-Great facility and really fun though
(2)
Malvina C.
The local newspaper always gives this place great reviews, so we decided to try it. I don't get it. Great atmosphere, but the food was simply awful. Heavy, grease-laden breading, and all the seafood was overcooked. The clam strips were nearly inedible -- hard and chewy, and the last two I ate were gritty with sand.
(1)
M. J. W.
I have to admit that one of my top 2 favorite foods is deep-fried chicken (the other being pork chops). When it comes to over-sized, tender and juicy freshly deep-fried chicken from the state that made it famous, I choose Linnig's. Hands down. Yes, it's out of the way and yes, it's best to visit in the summer months. But there's nothing more enjoyable than to sit near a river bed, drinking an iced cold Falls City Beer chowing down on a hot deep-fried chicken breast while your fries and catfish are soaking up the all the malt vinegar possible. It's the life for me.
(4)
Michael M.
This place is the rave of the "South End" but personally it was not my kinda place to hang out and drink crappy beer. My food was ok the alligator I had was kinda greasy but i guess that is common. Had to try something new. How ever the people were friendly as were the servers. I did like that it kinda had a family feel. Though I thought it was a bit pricey even though you do get a good helping of what you order.
(3)
Alison C.
I set out with my family to find this recommended place a few years ago on a Saturday evening. After hunting and hunting, we finally found it. It was difficult to find out how you were supposed to place an order (wending your way back through the smoky, crowded interior with the "locals" all staring at us); when we got our food, there was nowhere to sit and besides, the fish all tasted like it had been fried and then reheated. All in all, a disappointing experience. I was embarrassed I'd been so insistent about finding it. Maybe it was an off night, but I was never tempted to go back. :(
(2)
dave w.
who doesn't like fried catfish? well, then, you've never had mike linnig's. when i was young, i remember thinking my dad was super fucking cool for knowing one of the sons of the original proprietor. now, i know he's cool for other reasons, but i still always love getting mike linnig's when i can.
(4)
Cathy J.
I was in fried food heaven. We had gone here for my in-laws birthday and heard that it had one of the best seafood around. As we drove in, the place was packed...we waited in line to place our order before seating, the line looked long but it went by pretty fast. It had an interesting layout. They had a bunch of picnic style tables if you sat outside and they had indoor seating if you didn't want to sit outside. The service was great and efficient cause it was self serve. They called your order when it was ready and you had to stand at a different building to order your drink. If you have kids, they have several swing sets available to keep them occupied. They even had a path to the Ohio Levve and after your done eating and stuffed yourself you can go for a brisk walk down the beaten path. As far as the food goes, we ordered a Seafood Plate ($21.25) - It had 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet, 1 Jumbo Shrimp, 1 Frog Legs, 2 HUGE Hush Puppies, 1 Crab Cake, 5 small scallops, 1 Deep Fried Oyster, French Fries, Fish Chips... I think that's it on that and a Fish Plate ($11.85) - 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet with fries and 2 pieces of white bread. The fish was moist and tender and massively huge and the rest of the food was just as good. The only down side is too much breading cause all the food was breaded but hey that's what make fried food good. My brother-in-law ordered the alligator tail, fish chips, and turtle soup. I enjoyed the alligator tail, good seasoning but too much breading wish they had more meat to it. I wasn't too fond of the turtle soup. Not to keen on the texture and the flavor was a little bland for my taste. The Onion rings where massive and really good. This place was a great experience. Great to go on special occasions. As they say "Good food, large portions, affordable prices, and a casual and relaxed atmosphere."
(4)
Doug V.
This is a local clasic that has been around since the 1920's and is a must if you are in the area. Everything is fried and huge. I was there with a coworker on a recent business trip and we ordered the seafood platter at lunch and split it. If you like fried food then you will like this place. It was all very good. The platter was one of the biggest plates of fried food I had ever seen. It also came with a fried frog leg(s) that was good. They have a great outside eating area that is very unique and that is the place to sit. The entire place is very unique with a lot of very intresting pictures and old photos of the owners over the years. It is not the best fried food or food in general in the world, but it is a must if you are in the area and the food is very very good.
(4)
Malissa K.
Delicious! Best seafood around. I love shrimp and theirs is so plump & delicious! Catfish is great, too. Big hushpuppies. Just wish you could get free refills after 3pm... This place is best to visit in the summer, but it tends to get packed! They have a lot of outdoor seating, which goes quick! They have swings for the kiddos. You can also sit inside. They have an indoor area with no waiter service and an indoor area with waiter service. They are closed on Monday's and they shut down for the year sometime in November.
(4)
Paul S.
Great food, if you leave hungry it's your fault.
(5)
Dave R.
I get to Louisville every few months and heard this is the place to come for fried fish and other fried food. This place has a lot of history and has a huge patio area with picnic tables everywhere and room for any size group to enjoy a good time. The order process is a bit tedious since you need to wait in line and place your order and then wait for quite a while to hear your name called to the bar. They pile on the napkins, condiments, and of course the food and give you a flimsy little plastic fork but this is mainly finger food anyway. I chose to eat outside but they do have a good size indoor area too. I ordered the fish dinner and it came with 2 giant breaded filets about 10 inches by 5 inches each. It also had fries and cole slaw and your choice of bread slices under the whole mess. The fish was too hot to handle but tasted great with their homemade tarter sauce. Nice and flaky too. The other sides were just average. Aside from the huge filet size, I was not overly impressed but was certainly not hungry when I left. I would come back but only with others with healthy appetites to share the portions. Some cool items on the walls and a great wooden carved tree trunk on the patio. This was as much about the experience as the food.
(3)
Ping P.
OMG. As good as fried gets. I am cali girl - and my fiance is a southern gent. On a recent trip to visit his fam in Louisville (our engagement trip) we went with said fam to Mike Linnigs. This is See-food at its' finest. See food and eat it! Nothing is bad on this menu, unless you have a heart problem or are skittish about amphibian legs. I personally love frog legs (a la sauteed in butter and garlic at Spengers..but I digress) I actually got my scatter on at Mike Linnigs! I ordered the fried shrimp and feasted witout saying a word to anyone except for some primal grunts of happiness The portions are generous, so go prepared to chow down! My soon to be mother-in-law ordered half a fried chicken. Good lawdy that was a teradactyl! Oh do not miss the onion rings. The only downside - the sauces - prepackaged. I would recommend going prepared with your own condiments. You can eat outside and I am sure they wouldn't mind if you brought your own tub of sauce or malt vinegar (not a southern thing by the way!) Great for big family gatherings outside - bring a nice tablecloth "a la pic nic" and do it up family style. You sooooo won't be sorry!
(5)
Mr And Mrs G.
MR says.... MRS says.... we tried this place at the Kentucky State Fair. they had a tent with karaoke contest/bar. food portion was well enough for two. we ordered fried frog legs, fried scallops and catfish fillets. all of which was fried crispy yet tender and juicy inside. i wish they gave us malt vinegar which would have complimented the fish fillet better than the ketchup but overall food was good and you could say we got our share of comfort food :)
(3)
Jim G.
This place is a Louisville classic if you love Southern-style fried fish and seafood. Mike Linnig's has some of the largest & tastiest onion rings around, plus delicious corn on the cob, and other credible sides. On our most recent visit on July 4, 2007, my friend and I ordered two fish sandwiches, corn on the cob, onion rings, a diet coke, and water. The portions were huge, we couldn't eat that much. The tab was just under $30.00.
(4)
Erin O.
I never leave Louisville without eating here. It is the best. The fried fish sandwich is absolutely amazing.
(5)
Liv S.
One of the top 5 restaurants I've ever been to, easily the best seafood. Awesome shrimp, insanely large hush puppies, and great wait staff. Our waiter, Grant, was a really nice old man who knew a lot about the place and even sent us home to Georgia with one of their menus. I'm headed up to Louisville for college next year, and I look forward to becoming a regular!
(5)
Betty C.
I hadn't been here in about ten years, but all my Louisville friends talk about it like it's the end-all-be-all of seafood restaurants, so I decided to give it another shot during a recent visit. The location is great. It's on the river and you can sit outside under the trees. And yet, the location isn't great. It's out of the way and if you do sit outside, you're treated to muffler-free motorcycles driving past every six to nine minutes. The food is served in epic proportions. A fish plate has two large pieces of fried cod. The catfish plate has four large, yet thin, pieces of catfish. That being said, there's nothing outstanding about any of the fish or side items. I was there with fourteen others and we all shared items. There wasn't a single menu item that stood out as being the best thing at this restaurant. There's no point serving someone a gallon-bucket of French fries if the fries are inedible. Speaking of inedible, the hush puppies were the size of a baseball. The reason most places serve golf-ball size hush puppies is because the insides become dry and flavorless once fried if they are the size of a baseball. Instead of a tender morsel of onion and cornmeal, the hush puppies were large, dessicated spheres of dried meal that fell apart once you bit into them. The menu alerts you to a few nutty House Rules: no free refills after 3 PM, and absolutely no free refills no matter what time it is on Mother's Day and Father's Day. It shouldn't be a big problem, since most patrons are ordering booze, anyway. I didn't have to deal with the wait staff or standing in line, since one person in my group took care of all that. Overall, my visit was a big disappointment.
(2)
Trey B.
it's gotten way too expensive for what you eat. Portions are big, but for how far you have to drive and what you pay, it just doesn't seem worth it anymore.
(2)
Wes K.
Go to party not eat 3 stars for originality 1 star for food I like fried food, especially fish but this was terrible (cod? Def not catfish) My meal of fish/shrimp/fries was served hot and fast. The fish was 2 HUGE pieces. Too big to fry and have any flavor. In order to be palatable- I drenched in hot sauce/malt vinegar/& tarter combo. It was awful. Shrimp was mildly better, about what you'd expect from a fast food restaurant. I would not mind paying the price if food was better. On the upside-Great facility and really fun though
(2)
Malvina C.
The local newspaper always gives this place great reviews, so we decided to try it. I don't get it. Great atmosphere, but the food was simply awful. Heavy, grease-laden breading, and all the seafood was overcooked. The clam strips were nearly inedible -- hard and chewy, and the last two I ate were gritty with sand.
(1)
M. J. W.
I have to admit that one of my top 2 favorite foods is deep-fried chicken (the other being pork chops). When it comes to over-sized, tender and juicy freshly deep-fried chicken from the state that made it famous, I choose Linnig's. Hands down. Yes, it's out of the way and yes, it's best to visit in the summer months. But there's nothing more enjoyable than to sit near a river bed, drinking an iced cold Falls City Beer chowing down on a hot deep-fried chicken breast while your fries and catfish are soaking up the all the malt vinegar possible. It's the life for me.
(4)
Mr And Mrs G.
MR says.... MRS says.... we tried this place at the Kentucky State Fair. they had a tent with karaoke contest/bar. food portion was well enough for two. we ordered fried frog legs, fried scallops and catfish fillets. all of which was fried crispy yet tender and juicy inside. i wish they gave us malt vinegar which would have complimented the fish fillet better than the ketchup but overall food was good and you could say we got our share of comfort food :)
(3)
Troy W.
Such a cool place. When visiting, I feel like I've stepped back in time to an amusement park from yesteryear... back when those parks were all about picnic grounds under shady trees and the wildest rides were big swings fueled only by children laughing. Oh yeah, it's all about the atmosphere. 6 (ouf of 5!) stars for atmosphere... especially at night when strings of white lights illuminate from the trees above. This is a seasonal place. There is indoor seating, but if eating inside, the experience is... ordinary. Outside is the place to be. It can get crowded when the weather is nice, but with a large amount of concrete, picnic tables, the crowd is handled well. Oh yeah... the food. The menu is available online. It is sort of a "deluxe" fish fry assortment of food. I give the food 3 of 5 stars. It's good. Not great, but good. In summary, visit for the atmosphere, not the food. But by all means, have some food while you're here!
(4)
Lee B.
I was in town with one of our salesmen who suggested he knew the owner and would like to make a "sales call" here. He said the place gets packed in the summer time though I was there in the winter- surprisingly there was still a nice crowd as they opened the restaurant. This is really great fried food. The fried fish (I believe I had cod) is was flaky and crisp. I also had your standard cole slaw and fries and a soda. It was one of those meals that just made me smile and say I wish I lived around a place like this- yet I only have been to one other- Rudy's in Oswego Ny. Mik Linnig's offered cheap, large portions and great service as well....
(5)
Sarah H.
After not having been to Mike Linnigs in probably 10 years I got a craving for some good fried fish on a nice Sunday evening. The most important thing to note is that the portions are enormous. My husband and I were able to share one fish plate, and we are not small eaters. The fish plate comes with two huge pieces of fried cod, French fries,and cole slaw. The fish was perfectly cooked and the breading was flavorful. The fries were just average but the slaw was fantastic, maybe the best I've ever eaten. We did add an order of hush puppies because for me it just isn't a fish dinner without them and I was very surprised that for only to dollars and change there were 5 baseball sized hush puppies in the one order. For only about 21 dollars the two of us had a huge meal and even had a little left over. The outdoor dining area was also ust as nice as I remembered. The big concrete picnic tables under the very tall shade trees made for a very nice evening. The playground is also nice to keep the kiddos entertained while waiting for the food. Another thing to mention is that it was pretty busy with the weather being as pleasant as it was but we only waited about 15 minutes for our food which was nice. I definitely won't wait another ten years to come back!
(4)
Tom G.
Love this Resturant!...Best Fish in town!...I recommend the fish plate you will be full!!!!...great prices!...
(5)
Dave R.
I get to Louisville every few months and heard this is the place to come for fried fish and other fried food. This place has a lot of history and has a huge patio area with picnic tables everywhere and room for any size group to enjoy a good time. The order process is a bit tedious since you need to wait in line and place your order and then wait for quite a while to hear your name called to the bar. They pile on the napkins, condiments, and of course the food and give you a flimsy little plastic fork but this is mainly finger food anyway. I chose to eat outside but they do have a good size indoor area too. I ordered the fish dinner and it came with 2 giant breaded filets about 10 inches by 5 inches each. It also had fries and cole slaw and your choice of bread slices under the whole mess. The fish was too hot to handle but tasted great with their homemade tarter sauce. Nice and flaky too. The other sides were just average. Aside from the huge filet size, I was not overly impressed but was certainly not hungry when I left. I would come back but only with others with healthy appetites to share the portions. Some cool items on the walls and a great wooden carved tree trunk on the patio. This was as much about the experience as the food.
(3)
Ping P.
OMG. As good as fried gets. I am cali girl - and my fiance is a southern gent. On a recent trip to visit his fam in Louisville (our engagement trip) we went with said fam to Mike Linnigs. This is See-food at its' finest. See food and eat it! Nothing is bad on this menu, unless you have a heart problem or are skittish about amphibian legs. I personally love frog legs (a la sauteed in butter and garlic at Spengers..but I digress) I actually got my scatter on at Mike Linnigs! I ordered the fried shrimp and feasted witout saying a word to anyone except for some primal grunts of happiness The portions are generous, so go prepared to chow down! My soon to be mother-in-law ordered half a fried chicken. Good lawdy that was a teradactyl! Oh do not miss the onion rings. The only downside - the sauces - prepackaged. I would recommend going prepared with your own condiments. You can eat outside and I am sure they wouldn't mind if you brought your own tub of sauce or malt vinegar (not a southern thing by the way!) Great for big family gatherings outside - bring a nice tablecloth "a la pic nic" and do it up family style. You sooooo won't be sorry!
(5)
Megan R.
I hate to do it... I really do. Maybe it's me, but I simply don't understand this place. When you walk up, it's like you're walking onto a compound, not a restaurant. There are buildings and tables and umbrellas and bars and playgrounds and... it's just a lot to approach if you have never been before and don't know exactly what it is that you are doing or where it is that you are going. Personally, I walked up asking myself (and several others around me), "What is this place?" I went on a busy night, and it was lovely outside. We were with a group, so we sat outside at some of the picnic tables. Our servers were super friendly and personable. They called everyone "honey" and "babe", and though that could make some people uncomfortable, it just made my group feel welcomed, almost like we were eating with family. It seems as though there are many ways to order at Mike Linnig's. You can go up to a booth and put your order in with your name. (I've been told to give the employee a funny name because "it's tradition".) We ordered with our server. It was a bit of a cluster, though, because different servers brought out food to people from whom they did not take the order. We wound up getting the wrong food a few times and had to play a modified game of musical chairs so that everyone was eating at least something resembling what they ordered. When it comes to the actual food, others are right. HUGE portions. VERY oily. LOTS of fried seafood. If that's what you're going for - believe me, sometimes that kind of stuff hits the spot - then it's awesome. If you're looking for anything outside of that very specific type of cuisine, this place just isn't for you. It just wasn't for me. After we finished eating, we were able to walk down to the river. Again, it was lovely out, so that was a great way to finish the evening. Had it not been a pretty night, or had I not known about the proximity to the river, this saving grace would have never been an option to find. I don't know how much you can allow the river to improve your judgement of the restaurant/compound. It was a bonus, sure, but how much of that was attributed to Mike Linnig's? I really can't say. Try it if it's in your palate's wheelhouse of preference. If you're ready to travel out there and work your way through the evening, go for it. I'm sure regulars have the place and its processes down pat, but as a first-timer, I had no idea what was going on. To be honest, I still don't. The entire evening left me wondering, "What just happened?"
(2)
Caitlin K.
Asked my SO (who is from Louisville) to take me to a real and local place and he succeeded! Loved the relaxed and open atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating. I got the catfish and the fish was great, perfectly cooked, although the fried breaking actually took a bit away from it. Good fries and good fish, just didn't love the super fried component.
(4)
Amanda W.
So you cannot find a decent sea food in Midwest. This place is a great place if you love greasy food that would give you a heartburn afterwords. A big portion, a strange atmosphere. I get it to go whenever I order my food from here. I would not go after certain hours simply I hate to drive through Cane Run Road. I don't feel safe driving through...
(3)
Bob H.
We waited an hour before we received our food. The fish was hot and very good. Our fries were cold and the onion rings that we paid $6.25 was also cold. If it would not have been heading for the airport i would have sent our lunch back
(3)
JL Q.
I know everybody raves about this place and for some reason I've always felt the same. But as it goes without saying that our memories are usually better than we remember. First of all, this is fried food, so don't expect anything different, but there are some items on the menu that really stand out. Our friends ordered the pan fried oysters as a side dish and I wish I'd have ordered them as an entree because I would've liked them better. FANTASTIC is what they are. Very soft inside with a huge amount of oysters in each one. French fries were okay. Sorry to say I thought the onion rings were disappointing. No seasoning and most of the breading was falling off of them. THEN, we ordered the seafood platter to share. Please note, ML, that frogs legs are NOT seafood. It came with cod, shrimp, spicy fish bites which were ANYTHING but spicy, hush puppies, salmon and maybe one more item. It's certainly enough for 2 people but the cod wasn't the best pieces of fish. One was very thin so the frying turned it into shoe leather. We got a huge amount of food and our server, Monica, only gave us two cocktail sauces. REALLY??? So, go if you really must but I would lower your expectations, or go on a midweek day when it's not so crowded, if that's even possible.
(3)
Sara T.
Some of the best fried fish in the Louisville area and a very unique eating experience. We ordered fish plates but I wish we'd just ordered one -- it was more than enough food to split. I will remember that next time. I loved that they let me swap hush puppies for the slaw. It was a little confusing figuring out their system because you order your food, pick up and pay for your food, and get drinks all in different places. The staff members we ran into were not very friendly or helpful but we watched other customers to figure out what to do. The atmosphere is really casual so it seemed like a good place to bring kids, even if they're rambunctious.
(4)
Mike A.
A Louisville tradition. Every Time I'm in the area my car auto pilots to Mike's. Inside has is a cross between dive bar and cafeteria. My favorite is in nice weather to eat at the outside picnic tables. Vibe is a little on the beachy side and family reunion fused into one. Don't let the size of the place or randomness of the place overwhelm you. It's all part of the charm. Now let's discuss the fish. Not the best or worst I've had but somewhere in the middle. Fish is a little on the bland and over fried side but it's consistent. Best deal is lunch fish sandwich, fries and a drink.
(3)
Caleb V.
Amazing catfish. Everything on the seafood platter is made perfectly. And by everything, I mean just that. Its my assumption that they take a plate, find whatever fish is hot, and pile it all on, along with fries until they can't see the plate anymore. If you leave here hungry, its your own fault. I come from Columbus Indiana, visited here a week or so after father's day. So much so that we're making the trip back down tomorrow. Not gonna eat anything all day until I get there so I can eat all the fish I possibly can, and still have some left over for lunch tomorrow.
(5)
Jeff P.
In reading over the reviews of Mike Linnig's I noticed that most people either really like or really dislike this longtime seafood establishment. I would say that the many positive reviews and the negative reviews are both correct! That being said I really like going to this Louisville institution 3-4 times a season. It is relatively expensive but the portions are huge. The fish is often fried hard but that seems to be their style and most people like the taste of the fish. The service, or lack thereof, is part of the Mike Linnig's "atmosphere." It is not a fine dining experience. It is a unique "melting pot" of Louisville and the surrounding area. I think it's worth the drive for the fried fish, the outside eating experience, and a walk along the levee after your meal! It may not be everyone's favorite, but it's been around a very long time and is still going as strong as ever.
(3)
Leann G.
Mike Linnigs has been around my entire life, I have always enjoyed the outdoor atmosphere. I am not a fish eater and always get the fried chicken (cut up). It is hit or miss with it though as there are times that it is just reheated from what seems to be the day before and what was left over. I was excited to go yesterday for the beginning of their season, but was very disappointed with my food. the chicken without doubt had been dropped back into the oil to heat, it was not hot, it was dry all the way through, it was probably the worst I have ever gotten there. it was around 4;00 and there was only about a dozen others in there. My dad and I both ask for the cut up chicken, he got the baked. Neither was cut up and the onion rings were cold and most likely a reheat too. As most of us locals talk about concerning Mikes, we really wish they would keep the quality of their food up better, everyone who lives in Louisville knows that towards the end of the season everything is saturated in an old grease taste, but now apparently there is going to be quality issues in the beginning as well. I hope they care that the locals talk about the quality vs the money you shell out as it is not a cheap place to eat.
(2)
Tony C.
I flew in from Florida to attend my uncles funeral. This was his favorite restaurant. We were a party of nine and arrived without a reservation. I was pretty skeptical about going to a seafood restaurant in Kentucky when I can get better in Florida. The fried catfish, hush puppies and cole slaw were made with perfection. Rest in peace Bobby C
(5)
Josh F.
So we pulled up red lobster on google maps. And ended up at this place. Looked cool from the outside but it was 94 outside and humid as heck Went in. We found a line that said wait to be seated. And the line ran in front of a door to the outside dining area. While in line we asked a person who worked there for a menu. She seemed annoyed we asked. Them shouted that they were at the bar we passed. Then she pushed past us to sit down at what appeared to be the only open table in the bar dining area. At that point i was done and we left. Smelled good. Just awful personnel and bad layout. We will not be back.
(1)
Peg G.
After reading some of the comments on here I was skeptical, but we ended up loving it! Everyone in our party agreed it was the best fish sandwich we'd ever had. I can see how the whole set-up might be confusing to newbies, so here are some useful tips. 1. This place is not fancy, and neither is the food. It is not seafood like you might get at an upscale downtown place or even (gasp) Red Lobster. It is more like your favorite tavern, the old style one with good food. 2. Order the fried fish. It is true there's grilled fish and crab cakes and baked chicken and crab legs and all sorts of stuff on the menu, but fried fish is what they're famous for, and you'll just be swimming against the current. Don't be high maintenance! If what you want is something else, go someplace else. Oh alright. Fried shrimp is allowed, too. 3. When you get there, grab a menu from the stand near the entrance and stake out a table. Sit in the shade and read the menu. Grab drinks from the outside bar. RELAX. 4. When you're ready to order, mosey up to the stand and place your order. Give them your own name! Yes, they do have waitresses but why? Why? Why? Unless you need help carrying your tray, self-service is the way to go. 5. Your food--unbelievable amounts--will be ready after they're done cooking it to order. They'll call your name over the speakers and you can pick it up inside. That's when you pay. Don't forget to grab your condiments at the same time! Meanwhile, avail yourself of the swing set and slides (kidding!). Have another drink. I can vouch for the iced tea. 6. When they call your name, go get your food. This system may seem strange, but once you've done it, you'll see the beauty of it. There's great freedom in being able to pick your own table and even move around. Need a drink? Don't wait for a waiter....go get one! No more bickering about who had the up charge bleu cheese in a large party....or who gets the check. Sit and visit as long as you want: you won't be putting anyone out. And when you want to leave, just stand up and walk out: you've already paid! No flagging down your server or dividing up the check, no scrambling for a tip. Seriously, it works a charm if you realize that what this really is, is a self-service place with beer. Huge portions, relaxing atmosphere, amazing prices. Since we served ourselves, the tip was negligible too.... Just threw a couple bucks in the jar when we picked up the food. Other yelpers have complained that they're charged for extra slices of bread, tartar sauce etc. if they'd stop to think about it, they'd see why. First, prices are cheap for the quantity. Lots of people share as it is. If they gave away bread, everyone would be making two fish sandwiches and paying for one. When prices are cheap for the quantity given, it doesn't pay to gripe about 20 cents. Also, it's self serve: if bread and tartar were free, people would just steal it. If you want all that stuff to be free, they're going to have to raise prices or decrease portion sizes. Did I mention that it's lovely under these mature oaks on a hot day? And it's very clean: employees were bleaching off the tables. Their displayed board of health grade is "A."
(5)
Norman G.
In town for a visit and went to Mike's for a family gathering. It has been a very long time since my last visit. Mike's Is mostly outdoor seating so make sure the weather is right for you. Today was hot but for us it was a part of the experience. Sitting outside and having lunch with family. I ordered the frog legs, something I haven't had in a while. The large portion of legs were very good. Not overly breaded and deep fried just right. The legs were juicy and flavorful. It was a great day at a Louisville landmark.
(3)
Joseph T.
Overrated. I've been coming here for years. I live relatively close to it. Don't get me wrong - the food is decent to good, but nothing will blow your doors off. I sometimes find the fish to be overcooked and fried too hard. But when cooked right, it is pretty good. The main thing going for this place is the atmosphere. It's a great place if you have kids and they want to play. On a nice evening, it's wonderful to sit outside and even go for a walk on the other side of the flood wall. Overall, it's overrated and expensive. I would rate Mike Linnig's as "OK." Mark's Feed Store has better fish.
(3)
Meela L.
Okay, I have been wanting to go there and finally we did. The restaurant has nice and relaxing areas with lots of trees. But I was not impressed by the food at all. Everything was fried, which is fine if seasoned enough. The food was bland, no taste. I had to put lots of tartar sauce. The frog legs were big yet once again tasteless as if they just battered frozen frog legs without seasoning them. The breading was thick and had no flavor. Not happy....
(2)
Emily B.
Love this place !!! My family and I always love going to this place. Great food and great service !!! Also I love the outside dinning one of my favorite things about this restaurant. Love how they have swings and slides for children , great restaurant for a family !!!
(5)
Amy L.
For what it is, this place is great. Awesome fried food (fish is key), friendly service, enthusiasm of customer base. I thought it was a fun experience and if I were craving fried food in the future, I'd definitely go here again. You also get great bang for your buck sharing a plate or platter with a group of friends!
(4)
Matt M.
Huge shrimp, that were delicious. Great kids area. Perfect for a sunny day. Got lucky and a car show was going on across the street. We will be back!
(5)
Missy H.
Dined here last night for the first time in a few years. It was just as good as I remember! If you're a fish lover, the famous fish sandwich cannot be beat! HUGE portion that is truly large enough for two people to share. Do not pass on the hushpuppies!! 5 large ones in an order and absolutely divine. Tried the jalapeño cornbread for the first time and it was very yummy. I highly recommend dining outside to avoid the lingering smell of oil inside. Plus, it's self seating and you have the option to have a waitress or order at the stand. It's typically quicker to order on your own and they just call your name out on the speaker when it's ready. Very efficient and everything was piping hot. They seem to run like a well-oiled machine (pun intended). Fun family place. After eating, walk off your meal by taking a stroll down to the river bank. Its a gorgeous view.
(4)
Victoria T.
We were a party of about fifteen people celebrating the birth of one of us back before the advent of cell phones and Yelp. Because at least one of us is smarter than the average bear, we reserved one of those outbuildings situated by the playground. I'm very, very glad that we did because the main dining area was a full-on, brutal cluster fuck. There were people milling around in circles at the door, lines snaking up and down the narrow corridor, the odd mouth-breathing Neanderthal brandishing a bottle of Budweiser, and every obnoxious snot nosed heathen under twelve years old screeching like little gibbons in there. I did not enjoy the atmosphere. It made me want to throat punch someone. The little hut that we were dining in was quieter. It was like a picnic inside someone's garage, though. The furnishings included one long table and a plethora of folding chairs. That's really all we needed. They were mostly clean. Our waitress was very nice, if a bit harried and overwhelmed. She did manage to keep all of the checks in order so she gets bonus points for that, as well. The wait for drink refills and the like was pretty minimal. The service was just peachy. Everyone seemed to love that deep fried mystery fish. It's just listed as "fish" on the menu. No one at our table could tell me what species it was so I decided on the Grilled Salmon with a "Combo Salad" and Macaroni & Cheese. This was a mistake. The salmon was dry. There were no grill marks anywhere near it. It made me sad. The macaroni and cheese was a very weird shade of orange. I call it Chernobyl orange. The salad was pre-made but of decent quality so I ate that. I stole one of Sexy Beast's Hush Puppies. It was delicious. Sexy Beast ordered the Fish Plate with Fries and Cole Slaw. He was happy with his mountain of mystery fish. He gave me his slaw. It was pretty good. He ordered Onion Rings for sharing but no one seemed to want any after the first bite. They were a bit greasy and flavorless. Spawn A ordered the Fish Sandwich and the soup of the day (Gumbalaya or some other made up name) and he enjoyed his meal. Spawn B ordered the Alligator and ate all of it. He was sad when the last bite left his plate. So, the mistake was mine, really. I should have ordered what everyone comes here for - Deep Fried Mystery Fish. I'll know better next time.
(3)
Amanda W.
So you cannot find a decent sea food in Midwest. This place is a great place if you love greasy food that would give you a heartburn afterwords. A big portion, a strange atmosphere. I get it to go whenever I order my food from here. I would not go after certain hours simply I hate to drive through Cane Run Road. I don't feel safe driving through...
(3)
Bob H.
We waited an hour before we received our food. The fish was hot and very good. Our fries were cold and the onion rings that we paid $6.25 was also cold. If it would not have been heading for the airport i would have sent our lunch back
(3)
Rob S.
Decent but not great. LONG waits on Saturdays 90 minutes for cold food and staff with attitudes. Portions are large but so are some of the prices. Too many other seafood places to put up with this. I think the busy weekends have tainted some of the staff, you still have to be polite.
(2)
Joseph L.
First off I am the type of guy who takes the bad reviews of others with a grain of salt because most people today are giving bad reviews if there isn't someone right there following them around with a roll of toilet paper wiping their butts at every turn. However after my experience I can tell you the bad reviews on here besides my own are 100% accurate. I am about as easy to please at it gets. After 8 years in the Army, as long as what I am eating is somewhat presentable, the heads cut off and it half way tastes good you have my vote. So believe me when I say you can take this review to the bank and cash it. Went here the Wednesday after Memorial Day at 5 pm and IMO it was unusually busy for this time of day esp. being in the middle of the week. Not off the chain stupid busy but way busier than I thought they should have been. We waited about 30 minutes to be seated, again way too long for a Wednesday at 5 pm. The indoor full-service dining area is extremely cramped and the way their tables are set up the seats around the table are literally only a quarter inch apart if that. So if all the chairs were occupied at the table you would literally be touching elbows to those sitting on either side of you. Before we sat down we had to make room for a wheelchair, and speaking of that this place barely, if at all meets the bare-bones minimum requirements for being handicapped accessible. Once we were seated we ordered soft drinks and a couple of apps that came out fast enough. After the apps is when it all went downhill from there. It took us LITERALLY a whole TWO HOURS...you heard me right....TWO HOURS to get the rest of our food. There were 5 in our group and when the food did finally arrive allot of it was lukewarm or cold. My order was messed up and went back to the kitchen and didn't get it back until 10 minutes later. At this point I'm fairly fired up. The portions are large and the fish is good, but was in no way worth all the trouble and the waiting we had to endure to get it. Did I mention this place is extremely overpriced? For me, my wife and my daughter my bill was $76.10. Add the $15.00 tip that came to a little over $91.00. That's right...91 bucks for fried food that in all actuality is no better than Moby Dicks or the Fish House down off Baxter Ave. The Fish house is 10 times better and much more affordable. To sum it all up, and if you haven't listened to a word I have said so far hear me now. I don't care what any mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging local yokel tells you about how great this place is, Mike Lennigs always has been and always will be nothing more...I repeat NOTHING more than a glorified Moby Dicks...period, end of story. But hey, don't take my word for it, go experience it for yourself. But when you walk out of that joint with the $91.00 kick in the bawlz like I got...don't say ol' Joe didn't tell you so...because I told you so!
(1)
Sean M.
FISH EXPLOSION. From sea to face. Mike Linnig's is just a middleman. The girlfriend and I arrived around 6 on a Saturday night and were told there was a 45 minute wait for our food. We were prepared for this and knew it would be packed. Our name is called. Sweet fried fish Valhalla, I'm coming. Yes Odin, I'll have a generous order of fried fish, shrimp, frog legs, pan-fried oysters, turtle soup, chicken and onion rings. The fork and spoon are my bloodaxes. Regale in the outrageous portions. Eat half. Food coma. Procede to funeral pyre.
(4)
Sabrina S.
I am not a fan of this place they are way over priced and everything is fried. To me the batter has no flavor which is not good if you use it for everything. Onion rings were about the best thing on the menu and the atmosphere is pretty dang cool.
(1)
Megan R.
I hate to do it... I really do. Maybe it's me, but I simply don't understand this place. When you walk up, it's like you're walking onto a compound, not a restaurant. There are buildings and tables and umbrellas and bars and playgrounds and... it's just a lot to approach if you have never been before and don't know exactly what it is that you are doing or where it is that you are going. Personally, I walked up asking myself (and several others around me), "What is this place?" I went on a busy night, and it was lovely outside. We were with a group, so we sat outside at some of the picnic tables. Our servers were super friendly and personable. They called everyone "honey" and "babe", and though that could make some people uncomfortable, it just made my group feel welcomed, almost like we were eating with family. It seems as though there are many ways to order at Mike Linnig's. You can go up to a booth and put your order in with your name. (I've been told to give the employee a funny name because "it's tradition".) We ordered with our server. It was a bit of a cluster, though, because different servers brought out food to people from whom they did not take the order. We wound up getting the wrong food a few times and had to play a modified game of musical chairs so that everyone was eating at least something resembling what they ordered. When it comes to the actual food, others are right. HUGE portions. VERY oily. LOTS of fried seafood. If that's what you're going for - believe me, sometimes that kind of stuff hits the spot - then it's awesome. If you're looking for anything outside of that very specific type of cuisine, this place just isn't for you. It just wasn't for me. After we finished eating, we were able to walk down to the river. Again, it was lovely out, so that was a great way to finish the evening. Had it not been a pretty night, or had I not known about the proximity to the river, this saving grace would have never been an option to find. I don't know how much you can allow the river to improve your judgement of the restaurant/compound. It was a bonus, sure, but how much of that was attributed to Mike Linnig's? I really can't say. Try it if it's in your palate's wheelhouse of preference. If you're ready to travel out there and work your way through the evening, go for it. I'm sure regulars have the place and its processes down pat, but as a first-timer, I had no idea what was going on. To be honest, I still don't. The entire evening left me wondering, "What just happened?"
(2)
Caitlin K.
Asked my SO (who is from Louisville) to take me to a real and local place and he succeeded! Loved the relaxed and open atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating. I got the catfish and the fish was great, perfectly cooked, although the fried breaking actually took a bit away from it. Good fries and good fish, just didn't love the super fried component.
(4)
Rob S.
Decent but not great. LONG waits on Saturdays 90 minutes for cold food and staff with attitudes. Portions are large but so are some of the prices. Too many other seafood places to put up with this. I think the busy weekends have tainted some of the staff, you still have to be polite.
(2)
Missy H.
Dined here last night for the first time in a few years. It was just as good as I remember! If you're a fish lover, the famous fish sandwich cannot be beat! HUGE portion that is truly large enough for two people to share. Do not pass on the hushpuppies!! 5 large ones in an order and absolutely divine. Tried the jalapeño cornbread for the first time and it was very yummy. I highly recommend dining outside to avoid the lingering smell of oil inside. Plus, it's self seating and you have the option to have a waitress or order at the stand. It's typically quicker to order on your own and they just call your name out on the speaker when it's ready. Very efficient and everything was piping hot. They seem to run like a well-oiled machine (pun intended). Fun family place. After eating, walk off your meal by taking a stroll down to the river bank. Its a gorgeous view.
(4)
Kent H.
Huge onion rings! I had to try them, but was severely disappointed. The blonde color should have warned me away. They were underdone, soggy, and the breading had no flavor. I also had a two piece fish plate. Being from Alaska, I asked what kind of fish it was, and was told that it was cod. Well, it was way overcooked and had no taste other than a hint of sweetness in the breading. I ended up eating one onion ring and throwing the rest away. I choked down one of the fish fillets and threw the other one in the trash. I may be a little harsh and snobbish, but if this is the best cod that Louisville can produce, I'll try catfish next time.
(2)
Big V S.
I had heard about this place for years, but never been. Now I can say I have eaten there. It was good, but doesn't rate on my All Time Faves list. The location and wait time take away from an otherwise decent meal for me. It is so far from everything that I would be hardpressed to say I'll be back soon. The food was good, but not worth the drive to me.
(3)
Terri D.
Very busy place. Large portions of good seafood. In the summer they have a tent across the street with music and beer. Love sitting outdoors to eat when it's not too hit. Downside is they charge you for "sides" of tomatoes and onions!!
(3)
Leann G.
Mike Linnigs has been around my entire life, I have always enjoyed the outdoor atmosphere. I am not a fish eater and always get the fried chicken (cut up). It is hit or miss with it though as there are times that it is just reheated from what seems to be the day before and what was left over. I was excited to go yesterday for the beginning of their season, but was very disappointed with my food. the chicken without doubt had been dropped back into the oil to heat, it was not hot, it was dry all the way through, it was probably the worst I have ever gotten there. it was around 4;00 and there was only about a dozen others in there. My dad and I both ask for the cut up chicken, he got the baked. Neither was cut up and the onion rings were cold and most likely a reheat too. As most of us locals talk about concerning Mikes, we really wish they would keep the quality of their food up better, everyone who lives in Louisville knows that towards the end of the season everything is saturated in an old grease taste, but now apparently there is going to be quality issues in the beginning as well. I hope they care that the locals talk about the quality vs the money you shell out as it is not a cheap place to eat.
(2)
Kallie M.
Food took forever but was good. Here's a tip, please, keep your toothless waitress in the back and not waiting on people. She never even checked to ask if we wanted more drinks and then you people charge for refills??? F that. If this is your idea of fine dining, I'm scared.
(2)
Ted W.
Will, 2nd time we have been. Here her good points. 1. Nice place to set outside. 2. Really nice portions of fish. Here are not so good points. 1. Waitress was extremely SLOW. Poor service. 2. Fries were only warm, not hot. Tasted like they had been sitting for awhile. 3. Two orders of fish, one tarter sauce. 4. Not much cold slaw for what I ordered. 5. Slow Slow getting order, totally unimpressed, slow to fill drinks. 6. But the waitress was in a hurry when it came time for us to pay bill (waitress was kind of heavy with blue hair). 7. Service and food was about the same as first time we went there. Frankly for all the stuff you hear about how great the place and food is, we once again were disappointed. Probably will not go back there.
(2)
TJ N.
This place is a Louisville land mark and those bitching about price or wait times don't know there ass from a hole in the ground. So as a guy who's been coming here twenty plus years let me give you some advice. Friday and Saturdays on a beautiful day be prepared to wait. On these days DO NOT wait fir someone to wait on you. Order at the front, pay and find a place to sit. Enjoy the atmosphere and get some drinks. There is a drink shack in the middle and get your drinks there. THERE ARE NO FREE REFILLS! I will repeat NO FREE REFILLS but they are a dollar and they are big cups. When you order up front they ask for your name and they will announce it when it's ready for pick up. Use a funny name, it's tradition. Go inside get your food and this is the easiest way to get food. The portions are MASSIVE be prepared to take fish home and if you're not to full go over the flood wall to the river. Use to do it as a kid and was always fun. These are my helpful tips and if you're visiting this is the best way to have a fairly trouble free good time and you'll love to come back. Have a good one and don't order the crab cakes. Use to be hand made and delicious. They stopped hand making them and I'm still bitter! BRING EM BACK!
(5)
Andy C.
Five stars. This place is a landmark for good reason. When it comes to fried seafood- this is what you want. A single fish sandwich will feed two grown men, but their variety of seafood options often leaves the fish behind. You could show up with 200 people without reservations and not come close to filling the place. Most of it is outside. You can walk to the river in 5 min while you wait for your food, or to walk off the amazing meal you just devoured. The inside of the place is like a small museum- filled with old photographs and many specimens of sea creatures. Also a good place to have a fun time while the kids keep themselves busy with all the swings and arcade games. Highly recommending giving this place a try- but only when it's warm outside!
(5)
Lisa L.
Pros: Don't come on a bike, you'll be taking part of it with you. HUGE portions. Food is consistantly adequate to good. Counter staff are friendly.. Fresh tomatoes and spring onions on the "sides" list. Cole slaw is really good. Al fresco seating. Cons. Go to the counter and do the "take a number" thing. Freindlier, more prompt service. Waitstaff are slow and sometimes rude. Outside can get nasty/messy on wknds from families and kids not picking up after themselves. Once saw a nasty diaper just laying wide open on the ground. Food is overpriced for what it is- even with the large portions and decent quality. They are prone to "nickel and dime" you for extra sauces, etc. Also, years ago, it was a "catch of the day" fresh fishmonger type cafe. That's what built its reputation. That is long gone. Fish are frozen from Sysco now. PS don't get the chix livers. WAY too much UNSEASONED breading, same with oysters.
(3)
Erin M.
I love the fried fish and onion rings! You get very large portions 2 people could easily share 1 fish sandwich. We like to sit outside and let our daughter play after she eats. I only wish they offered free refills. Staff is helpful and polite.
(4)
Howard G.
This used to be a great place for seafood; Over the past few years the quality of the food and the service have fallen significantly. On the last visit (this afternoon), I'm not sure whether it was the fish or the oil, but something was moderately rancid. The waiter (when he appeared at all, which was pretty rare) was unconcerned and totally useless. At this point, one is better served going a few miles down Dixie Highway to the Golden Coral. The fish is actually better there, there's much more selection and the prices are much more reasonable. Mike Linnig's was great in its time, but that time is, unfortunately, passed. RIP, and have the good sense to close the place before you actually poison someone with whatever rancid ingredients you are using.
(1)
Lynn P.
When I think of great seafood in Louisville, Mike Linnig's automatically is on the list. My BF and I recently dined here. Now this isn't a place to expect any kind of luxuries. Foam plates and cups. The portions are very ample. Two could actually share a Fish platter. I tries a rolled oyster, and the fried shrimp. Both were very good. The shrimp tasted fresh and were large - jumbo in size. Improvements would be free drink refills (even after 3 pm), and a little better take out containers (you get aluminum foil and a paper bag). Be sure to check out the tree sculpture they have added in the outdoor seating area....it is pretty cool!
(4)
Sabrina S.
I am not a fan of this place they are way over priced and everything is fried. To me the batter has no flavor which is not good if you use it for everything. Onion rings were about the best thing on the menu and the atmosphere is pretty dang cool.
(1)
Tony C.
I flew in from Florida to attend my uncles funeral. This was his favorite restaurant. We were a party of nine and arrived without a reservation. I was pretty skeptical about going to a seafood restaurant in Kentucky when I can get better in Florida. The fried catfish, hush puppies and cole slaw were made with perfection. Rest in peace Bobby C
(5)
Grad S.
Great local place, it's seasonal. They do self-service or waitstaff seating. We did the self service, ordered as we walked in, chose our own outdoor seating. You walk up to the bar to get drinks and pay when they call your name for your food. Price was great for the portions. We got two beers for 7.50ish and paid $17 for a fish plate that came with two sides ($14ish) and added another side. The fish plate came with two HUGE pieces. We each made a sandwich and had fish leftover. The fish was crispy and fresh (not fishy tasting at all). Definitely child friendly, they have swings and a playground.
(4)
Daryl's E.
Next time I go I'm just going to give someone a couple bucks for their leftovers. Ain't nobody finishing these plates of fish! They're huge! Oh, and save your quarters and pass on that old Gottlieb Cue Ball Wizard pinball. Shits boring! Get a beer though.
(3)
Ric W.
Ok I get it this place is an landmark, but I'm not crazy about it. The fish I will admit is fresh and made to order. Big piece of boneless fresh fish With a great crust and very tasty. The outdoor seating is a big hit makes it a great place large families and running into old friends. It also has a play area for kids. This place is always packed as locals have been coming here for years. But that where it stops. The sides always disappointing, almost always made hours ahead and taste old and stale. Never seen such a big institution nickel and dime you for almost everything. Want Extra bread is 20 cents, need some more tater for your fish 25 cent I'm sure if you want butter for your corn there would be a charge for that also. With the exception of the fish, this place is at best OK. Did I mention if you choose to have a waiter, then only she/he are the only ones allowed to help you. Asked for some bread from another waiter and he said sorry I can't get that for you, your waiter has to, but I will find her for you... Really, is bread and other items kept UNDER LOCK AND KEY here? Needless to say the bread came after the meal was finished, but they didn't forget to add it to the bill, should have left it as part of the tip for the service! The portions and outdoor seating are great, but the rest of this place is a little Fishy.
(3)
Paul V.
I wish that I could give it negative stars. The service was slow and horrible. My group asked for refills on our drinks 3 times but the server was too busy to bring them until after we were done eating. Then we were told that an ice tea refills were $1 each. Who charges for refills in 2013?? And our food was cold when we got it. OH! And the bill for 5 people to eat cold food was almost 80 bucks. I wouldn't go back if the food was free. Paul Vest
(1)
Lena R.
Everyone who has the pleasure of knowing me knows that "If there's great food to be found--I will find it!" Great food & Lena goes hand in hand, so when my sister-in-law wanted some fish one Sunday, of course I jumped on Yelp to do a search and Lo and Behold I found Mike Linnig's. Now I'm going to be honest, I could give this place 4-stars but we'll stick to 3 stars on a count of our long wait, the person I brought to this establishment wasn't happy with her food, and some of the food was a little to bland for my taste buds. My sister-in-law ordered catfish (which I do not like by the way), my husband ordered alligator, and I ordered a fish sandwich and onion rings. I apologize for not remembering what type of fish it was, but it was huge, a bit on the bland side, yet it had a great crunch. Of course I wanted to give this place a fair shot so I doust my fish in hot sauce and tartar sauce to give it some kind of flavor and decided to try everybody elses' food to see if I'd ever return. Needless to say, my husband's alligator was to die for! It almost taste as if it were only seasoned with salt and pepper but sometimes the less seasoning the better and in that case, it worked well. Although I am not sure what part of the alligator we were eating, it did not matter because it was truly delicious. So there you have it! I know I only gave this place 3-stars, but I highly recommend you try this place for the alligator plate alone! Not only is it worth trying because of the alligator dish, but I like the fact that there are tables outside for people who want to dine-in (or out for that matter). The food all comes on these huge gray trays and the food portions are out of this world. I do plan to return and I may even get fish again just to see if we just came on a bad day. Oh wait, before I forget, there is a playground and walking trail right in the back where the tables for dining are and I thought that was really cool because the kids could swing and play on the playground to run off their dinner. If I return, I will update this review. Do Enjoy & let me know what you think.
(3)
Brian K.
I come to Lousiville for business occasionally but I always make a stop at Mike's. It's one of the better restaurants in KY.
(4)
Leigh V.
My parents always rode their motorcyles to Mike Linning's weekly for their fish sandwiches. Nick constantly goes with his work family for lunch and raves about the food portions and fish sandwiches. So, I had been dying to try the place for a long time. We finally had the chance to try Mike Linnig's several weeks ago during a car show. Nick was right about the portions. The two of us should have spilt a fish sandwich and onion rings, but we decided to go all out and each have their own. We tried the fish sandwich on rye bread with onion rings, coleslaw and alligator. I personally have never had alligator before and probably should have my first experience with the food in a state that is not land locked. However, the alligator was tasty and crisp. I loved it, and no, it does not taste like chicken. Having nothing to compare it to though, but I would still order it again at Mike Linnig's. The fish sandwich was good, but I have had better. BUT, it is the best fish sandwich I have had thus far in Louisville. Everyone raves about the onion rings here. Everyone is right. Most onion rings are overly greasy and fall apart on you quickly. Either the breading comes off or you end up eating the entire onion in your first bite. These were as close to perfection as you can get. I didn't have to use a napkin to take the grease off my hands every time I picked on up. The rings stayed together and were actually not bad the next day when we ate them. (Nick and I took home one fish sandwich and onion rings - enough food leftover for us to eat again.) The coleslaw was on par; I would try a different side next time...maybe the frog legs! The atmosphere outside was good. There was more than enough seating for everyone outside on picnic tables, several outside bar areas for your drinks and lots of things to explore including swings for an after dinner playground. The patio was massive, and I can see why my parents enjoy going there so often after a long motorcycle ride. While the food was good and portions large, I feel like it was a little too pricey. It was a little over 50$ for 2 sodas, 2 fish sandwiches with a side and alligator. While we were able to get 4 meals out of it, it stills puts that at over $10/per meal. I enjoyed the food and car show and will go back there again just for the onion rings.
(3)
Josh F.
So we pulled up red lobster on google maps. And ended up at this place. Looked cool from the outside but it was 94 outside and humid as heck Went in. We found a line that said wait to be seated. And the line ran in front of a door to the outside dining area. While in line we asked a person who worked there for a menu. She seemed annoyed we asked. Them shouted that they were at the bar we passed. Then she pushed past us to sit down at what appeared to be the only open table in the bar dining area. At that point i was done and we left. Smelled good. Just awful personnel and bad layout. We will not be back.
(1)
Norman G.
In town for a visit and went to Mike's for a family gathering. It has been a very long time since my last visit. Mike's Is mostly outdoor seating so make sure the weather is right for you. Today was hot but for us it was a part of the experience. Sitting outside and having lunch with family. I ordered the frog legs, something I haven't had in a while. The large portion of legs were very good. Not overly breaded and deep fried just right. The legs were juicy and flavorful. It was a great day at a Louisville landmark.
(3)
Victoria T.
We were a party of about fifteen people celebrating the birth of one of us back before the advent of cell phones and Yelp. Because at least one of us is smarter than the average bear, we reserved one of those outbuildings situated by the playground. I'm very, very glad that we did because the main dining area was a full-on, brutal cluster fuck. There were people milling around in circles at the door, lines snaking up and down the narrow corridor, the odd mouth-breathing Neanderthal brandishing a bottle of Budweiser, and every obnoxious snot nosed heathen under twelve years old screeching like little gibbons in there. I did not enjoy the atmosphere. It made me want to throat punch someone. The little hut that we were dining in was quieter. It was like a picnic inside someone's garage, though. The furnishings included one long table and a plethora of folding chairs. That's really all we needed. They were mostly clean. Our waitress was very nice, if a bit harried and overwhelmed. She did manage to keep all of the checks in order so she gets bonus points for that, as well. The wait for drink refills and the like was pretty minimal. The service was just peachy. Everyone seemed to love that deep fried mystery fish. It's just listed as "fish" on the menu. No one at our table could tell me what species it was so I decided on the Grilled Salmon with a "Combo Salad" and Macaroni & Cheese. This was a mistake. The salmon was dry. There were no grill marks anywhere near it. It made me sad. The macaroni and cheese was a very weird shade of orange. I call it Chernobyl orange. The salad was pre-made but of decent quality so I ate that. I stole one of Sexy Beast's Hush Puppies. It was delicious. Sexy Beast ordered the Fish Plate with Fries and Cole Slaw. He was happy with his mountain of mystery fish. He gave me his slaw. It was pretty good. He ordered Onion Rings for sharing but no one seemed to want any after the first bite. They were a bit greasy and flavorless. Spawn A ordered the Fish Sandwich and the soup of the day (Gumbalaya or some other made up name) and he enjoyed his meal. Spawn B ordered the Alligator and ate all of it. He was sad when the last bite left his plate. So, the mistake was mine, really. I should have ordered what everyone comes here for - Deep Fried Mystery Fish. I'll know better next time.
(3)
Sean M.
FISH EXPLOSION. From sea to face. Mike Linnig's is just a middleman. The girlfriend and I arrived around 6 on a Saturday night and were told there was a 45 minute wait for our food. We were prepared for this and knew it would be packed. Our name is called. Sweet fried fish Valhalla, I'm coming. Yes Odin, I'll have a generous order of fried fish, shrimp, frog legs, pan-fried oysters, turtle soup, chicken and onion rings. The fork and spoon are my bloodaxes. Regale in the outrageous portions. Eat half. Food coma. Procede to funeral pyre.
(4)
Erin C.
I don't understand any of the hype about this place. Granted I live in the highlands and so I'm spoiled by the great restaurants around here it's hard to compare. I will enjoy some fried goodness every once in a while but this was fried with no goodness. It was so bland. Everything was bland. Server was very nice and attentive even though they were very busy. I can already feel the heartburn coming on and it was not worth it. I won't be back. There are many waaay better food options on Louisville. Why waste your time here?
(2)
Teri W.
If you're looking for a fancy place don't come here. They serve their fish on paper plates and sandwich bread comes straight out of the loaf (although you do get a choice of white, wheat or rye). But the food here is hot, fresh and great. Before 3pm the lunch plate was more cod than I could finish, with one side and a big drink and their very own tartar sauce. Get extra tartar! The batter on the fried fish is light and just right. Homey place here with outdoor picnic tables, plenty of beer and parking. Nice wait staff. Bring the whole fam. Onion rings rock.
(4)
Milly M.
One of the worst restaurants I have EVER been to! The people except our server was rude. The food was not good. The only food I had that was half decent was the hush puppies and the Cole slaw. The fish and shrimp were terrible. They had no taste but had some suspicious hard pieces and black stuff in them. The price was outrageous! I will never return!
(1)
Melanie K.
As Southern as a singing Bass fish on your wall.... and about as delicious deep fried. Mike Linig's has a lot of great things: great bands, great location, great seating, great parking, and great big portions. However, Mike Linnig's has one to many items that are a little too fishy for my tastes. Although there is a large selection to seafood cuts and choices, don't expect to find any of it clear of deep fried beer batter. In addition the staff is pretty helpful, but are use to the large crowds so don't expect personal service. This may be a place for hanging out, but all food is served pretty much to go with even condiments prepackaged and plastic silverware. Oh and its CROWDED in the Summer, so be prepared to wait. To summarize, as much as I love that singing Bass fish, I think I'll still leave it and Mike Linnig's on the shelf when it comes to representing southern seafood.
(3)
Ray G.
The ultimate in fried seafood. Humongous portions of fried food. Clam chowder was good. This place is a local legend, due to it's old-style ambiance and huge, huge portions of fried fish. Everyone who visits the area should probably try it, but don't expect a culinary treat. A good value if you consider portion size versus cost.
(2)
Rob R.
Hard to beat their lunch special, great fish.
(4)
Giovanni Z.
This place is ridiculously terrible. I have 3 words to describe their food; Oily, oily and oily. I know, it's deep fried. But come on, I have had deep fried food that doesn't hold the oil like the food here. As far as their legacy, so what? McDonald's has a legacy too. If you want deep fried seafood, there are other places to go in Louisville. Fish House, The Fishery, Irish Rover, Moby Dick etc. As a side note. I will say that they beat Long John Silver's or Captain D's. Woop di frikin doo.
(1)
Ray G.
Epic portions of sub mediocre deep fried seafood. I love the surroundings and the staff is friendly. Otherwise, I would have rated Mike Linnig's with 1 star. It's one of those places that I visit every decade, give or take, and remember why it's been so long since the previous visit.
(2)
Troy W.
Such a cool place. When visiting, I feel like I've stepped back in time to an amusement park from yesteryear... back when those parks were all about picnic grounds under shady trees and the wildest rides were big swings fueled only by children laughing. Oh yeah, it's all about the atmosphere. 6 (ouf of 5!) stars for atmosphere... especially at night when strings of white lights illuminate from the trees above. This is a seasonal place. There is indoor seating, but if eating inside, the experience is... ordinary. Outside is the place to be. It can get crowded when the weather is nice, but with a large amount of concrete, picnic tables, the crowd is handled well. Oh yeah... the food. The menu is available online. It is sort of a "deluxe" fish fry assortment of food. I give the food 3 of 5 stars. It's good. Not great, but good. In summary, visit for the atmosphere, not the food. But by all means, have some food while you're here!
(4)
Lee B.
I was in town with one of our salesmen who suggested he knew the owner and would like to make a "sales call" here. He said the place gets packed in the summer time though I was there in the winter- surprisingly there was still a nice crowd as they opened the restaurant. This is really great fried food. The fried fish (I believe I had cod) is was flaky and crisp. I also had your standard cole slaw and fries and a soda. It was one of those meals that just made me smile and say I wish I lived around a place like this- yet I only have been to one other- Rudy's in Oswego Ny. Mik Linnig's offered cheap, large portions and great service as well....
(5)
Joe S.
South side representing! Great fish, awesome outside seating, music fests, car shows, friendly staff, and amazing atmosphere. If you have not been here, you are missing out!
(4)
M. J. W.
I have to admit that one of my top 2 favorite foods is deep-fried chicken (the other being pork chops). When it comes to over-sized, tender and juicy freshly deep-fried chicken from the state that made it famous, I choose Linnig's. Hands down. Yes, it's out of the way and yes, it's best to visit in the summer months. But there's nothing more enjoyable than to sit near a river bed, drinking an iced cold Falls City Beer chowing down on a hot deep-fried chicken breast while your fries and catfish are soaking up the all the malt vinegar possible. It's the life for me.
(4)
Liv S.
One of the top 5 restaurants I've ever been to, easily the best seafood. Awesome shrimp, insanely large hush puppies, and great wait staff. Our waiter, Grant, was a really nice old man who knew a lot about the place and even sent us home to Georgia with one of their menus. I'm headed up to Louisville for college next year, and I look forward to becoming a regular!
(5)
Sara T.
Some of the best fried fish in the Louisville area and a very unique eating experience. We ordered fish plates but I wish we'd just ordered one -- it was more than enough food to split. I will remember that next time. I loved that they let me swap hush puppies for the slaw. It was a little confusing figuring out their system because you order your food, pick up and pay for your food, and get drinks all in different places. The staff members we ran into were not very friendly or helpful but we watched other customers to figure out what to do. The atmosphere is really casual so it seemed like a good place to bring kids, even if they're rambunctious.
(4)
Peg G.
After reading some of the comments on here I was skeptical, but we ended up loving it! Everyone in our party agreed it was the best fish sandwich we'd ever had. I can see how the whole set-up might be confusing to newbies, so here are some useful tips. 1. This place is not fancy, and neither is the food. It is not seafood like you might get at an upscale downtown place or even (gasp) Red Lobster. It is more like your favorite tavern, the old style one with good food. 2. Order the fried fish. It is true there's grilled fish and crab cakes and baked chicken and crab legs and all sorts of stuff on the menu, but fried fish is what they're famous for, and you'll just be swimming against the current. Don't be high maintenance! If what you want is something else, go someplace else. Oh alright. Fried shrimp is allowed, too. 3. When you get there, grab a menu from the stand near the entrance and stake out a table. Sit in the shade and read the menu. Grab drinks from the outside bar. RELAX. 4. When you're ready to order, mosey up to the stand and place your order. Give them your own name! Yes, they do have waitresses but why? Why? Why? Unless you need help carrying your tray, self-service is the way to go. 5. Your food--unbelievable amounts--will be ready after they're done cooking it to order. They'll call your name over the speakers and you can pick it up inside. That's when you pay. Don't forget to grab your condiments at the same time! Meanwhile, avail yourself of the swing set and slides (kidding!). Have another drink. I can vouch for the iced tea. 6. When they call your name, go get your food. This system may seem strange, but once you've done it, you'll see the beauty of it. There's great freedom in being able to pick your own table and even move around. Need a drink? Don't wait for a waiter....go get one! No more bickering about who had the up charge bleu cheese in a large party....or who gets the check. Sit and visit as long as you want: you won't be putting anyone out. And when you want to leave, just stand up and walk out: you've already paid! No flagging down your server or dividing up the check, no scrambling for a tip. Seriously, it works a charm if you realize that what this really is, is a self-service place with beer. Huge portions, relaxing atmosphere, amazing prices. Since we served ourselves, the tip was negligible too.... Just threw a couple bucks in the jar when we picked up the food. Other yelpers have complained that they're charged for extra slices of bread, tartar sauce etc. if they'd stop to think about it, they'd see why. First, prices are cheap for the quantity. Lots of people share as it is. If they gave away bread, everyone would be making two fish sandwiches and paying for one. When prices are cheap for the quantity given, it doesn't pay to gripe about 20 cents. Also, it's self serve: if bread and tartar were free, people would just steal it. If you want all that stuff to be free, they're going to have to raise prices or decrease portion sizes. Did I mention that it's lovely under these mature oaks on a hot day? And it's very clean: employees were bleaching off the tables. Their displayed board of health grade is "A."
(5)
Mike A.
A Louisville tradition. Every Time I'm in the area my car auto pilots to Mike's. Inside has is a cross between dive bar and cafeteria. My favorite is in nice weather to eat at the outside picnic tables. Vibe is a little on the beachy side and family reunion fused into one. Don't let the size of the place or randomness of the place overwhelm you. It's all part of the charm. Now let's discuss the fish. Not the best or worst I've had but somewhere in the middle. Fish is a little on the bland and over fried side but it's consistent. Best deal is lunch fish sandwich, fries and a drink.
(3)
JL Q.
I know everybody raves about this place and for some reason I've always felt the same. But as it goes without saying that our memories are usually better than we remember. First of all, this is fried food, so don't expect anything different, but there are some items on the menu that really stand out. Our friends ordered the pan fried oysters as a side dish and I wish I'd have ordered them as an entree because I would've liked them better. FANTASTIC is what they are. Very soft inside with a huge amount of oysters in each one. French fries were okay. Sorry to say I thought the onion rings were disappointing. No seasoning and most of the breading was falling off of them. THEN, we ordered the seafood platter to share. Please note, ML, that frogs legs are NOT seafood. It came with cod, shrimp, spicy fish bites which were ANYTHING but spicy, hush puppies, salmon and maybe one more item. It's certainly enough for 2 people but the cod wasn't the best pieces of fish. One was very thin so the frying turned it into shoe leather. We got a huge amount of food and our server, Monica, only gave us two cocktail sauces. REALLY??? So, go if you really must but I would lower your expectations, or go on a midweek day when it's not so crowded, if that's even possible.
(3)
Joseph T.
Overrated. I've been coming here for years. I live relatively close to it. Don't get me wrong - the food is decent to good, but nothing will blow your doors off. I sometimes find the fish to be overcooked and fried too hard. But when cooked right, it is pretty good. The main thing going for this place is the atmosphere. It's a great place if you have kids and they want to play. On a nice evening, it's wonderful to sit outside and even go for a walk on the other side of the flood wall. Overall, it's overrated and expensive. I would rate Mike Linnig's as "OK." Mark's Feed Store has better fish.
(3)
Caleb V.
Amazing catfish. Everything on the seafood platter is made perfectly. And by everything, I mean just that. Its my assumption that they take a plate, find whatever fish is hot, and pile it all on, along with fries until they can't see the plate anymore. If you leave here hungry, its your own fault. I come from Columbus Indiana, visited here a week or so after father's day. So much so that we're making the trip back down tomorrow. Not gonna eat anything all day until I get there so I can eat all the fish I possibly can, and still have some left over for lunch tomorrow.
(5)
Jeff P.
In reading over the reviews of Mike Linnig's I noticed that most people either really like or really dislike this longtime seafood establishment. I would say that the many positive reviews and the negative reviews are both correct! That being said I really like going to this Louisville institution 3-4 times a season. It is relatively expensive but the portions are huge. The fish is often fried hard but that seems to be their style and most people like the taste of the fish. The service, or lack thereof, is part of the Mike Linnig's "atmosphere." It is not a fine dining experience. It is a unique "melting pot" of Louisville and the surrounding area. I think it's worth the drive for the fried fish, the outside eating experience, and a walk along the levee after your meal! It may not be everyone's favorite, but it's been around a very long time and is still going as strong as ever.
(3)
Meela L.
Okay, I have been wanting to go there and finally we did. The restaurant has nice and relaxing areas with lots of trees. But I was not impressed by the food at all. Everything was fried, which is fine if seasoned enough. The food was bland, no taste. I had to put lots of tartar sauce. The frog legs were big yet once again tasteless as if they just battered frozen frog legs without seasoning them. The breading was thick and had no flavor. Not happy....
(2)
Amy L.
For what it is, this place is great. Awesome fried food (fish is key), friendly service, enthusiasm of customer base. I thought it was a fun experience and if I were craving fried food in the future, I'd definitely go here again. You also get great bang for your buck sharing a plate or platter with a group of friends!
(4)
Emily B.
Love this place !!! My family and I always love going to this place. Great food and great service !!! Also I love the outside dinning one of my favorite things about this restaurant. Love how they have swings and slides for children , great restaurant for a family !!!
(5)
Matt M.
Huge shrimp, that were delicious. Great kids area. Perfect for a sunny day. Got lucky and a car show was going on across the street. We will be back!
(5)
Joseph L.
First off I am the type of guy who takes the bad reviews of others with a grain of salt because most people today are giving bad reviews if there isn't someone right there following them around with a roll of toilet paper wiping their butts at every turn. However after my experience I can tell you the bad reviews on here besides my own are 100% accurate. I am about as easy to please at it gets. After 8 years in the Army, as long as what I am eating is somewhat presentable, the heads cut off and it half way tastes good you have my vote. So believe me when I say you can take this review to the bank and cash it. Went here the Wednesday after Memorial Day at 5 pm and IMO it was unusually busy for this time of day esp. being in the middle of the week. Not off the chain stupid busy but way busier than I thought they should have been. We waited about 30 minutes to be seated, again way too long for a Wednesday at 5 pm. The indoor full-service dining area is extremely cramped and the way their tables are set up the seats around the table are literally only a quarter inch apart if that. So if all the chairs were occupied at the table you would literally be touching elbows to those sitting on either side of you. Before we sat down we had to make room for a wheelchair, and speaking of that this place barely, if at all meets the bare-bones minimum requirements for being handicapped accessible. Once we were seated we ordered soft drinks and a couple of apps that came out fast enough. After the apps is when it all went downhill from there. It took us LITERALLY a whole TWO HOURS...you heard me right....TWO HOURS to get the rest of our food. There were 5 in our group and when the food did finally arrive allot of it was lukewarm or cold. My order was messed up and went back to the kitchen and didn't get it back until 10 minutes later. At this point I'm fairly fired up. The portions are large and the fish is good, but was in no way worth all the trouble and the waiting we had to endure to get it. Did I mention this place is extremely overpriced? For me, my wife and my daughter my bill was $76.10. Add the $15.00 tip that came to a little over $91.00. That's right...91 bucks for fried food that in all actuality is no better than Moby Dicks or the Fish House down off Baxter Ave. The Fish house is 10 times better and much more affordable. To sum it all up, and if you haven't listened to a word I have said so far hear me now. I don't care what any mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging local yokel tells you about how great this place is, Mike Lennigs always has been and always will be nothing more...I repeat NOTHING more than a glorified Moby Dicks...period, end of story. But hey, don't take my word for it, go experience it for yourself. But when you walk out of that joint with the $91.00 kick in the bawlz like I got...don't say ol' Joe didn't tell you so...because I told you so!
(1)
Sarah H.
After not having been to Mike Linnigs in probably 10 years I got a craving for some good fried fish on a nice Sunday evening. The most important thing to note is that the portions are enormous. My husband and I were able to share one fish plate, and we are not small eaters. The fish plate comes with two huge pieces of fried cod, French fries,and cole slaw. The fish was perfectly cooked and the breading was flavorful. The fries were just average but the slaw was fantastic, maybe the best I've ever eaten. We did add an order of hush puppies because for me it just isn't a fish dinner without them and I was very surprised that for only to dollars and change there were 5 baseball sized hush puppies in the one order. For only about 21 dollars the two of us had a huge meal and even had a little left over. The outdoor dining area was also ust as nice as I remembered. The big concrete picnic tables under the very tall shade trees made for a very nice evening. The playground is also nice to keep the kiddos entertained while waiting for the food. Another thing to mention is that it was pretty busy with the weather being as pleasant as it was but we only waited about 15 minutes for our food which was nice. I definitely won't wait another ten years to come back!
(4)
Tom G.
Love this Resturant!...Best Fish in town!...I recommend the fish plate you will be full!!!!...great prices!...
(5)
Cathy J.
I was in fried food heaven. We had gone here for my in-laws birthday and heard that it had one of the best seafood around. As we drove in, the place was packed...we waited in line to place our order before seating, the line looked long but it went by pretty fast. It had an interesting layout. They had a bunch of picnic style tables if you sat outside and they had indoor seating if you didn't want to sit outside. The service was great and efficient cause it was self serve. They called your order when it was ready and you had to stand at a different building to order your drink. If you have kids, they have several swing sets available to keep them occupied. They even had a path to the Ohio Levve and after your done eating and stuffed yourself you can go for a brisk walk down the beaten path. As far as the food goes, we ordered a Seafood Plate ($21.25) - It had 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet, 1 Jumbo Shrimp, 1 Frog Legs, 2 HUGE Hush Puppies, 1 Crab Cake, 5 small scallops, 1 Deep Fried Oyster, French Fries, Fish Chips... I think that's it on that and a Fish Plate ($11.85) - 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet with fries and 2 pieces of white bread. The fish was moist and tender and massively huge and the rest of the food was just as good. The only down side is too much breading cause all the food was breaded but hey that's what make fried food good. My brother-in-law ordered the alligator tail, fish chips, and turtle soup. I enjoyed the alligator tail, good seasoning but too much breading wish they had more meat to it. I wasn't too fond of the turtle soup. Not to keen on the texture and the flavor was a little bland for my taste. The Onion rings where massive and really good. This place was a great experience. Great to go on special occasions. As they say "Good food, large portions, affordable prices, and a casual and relaxed atmosphere."
(4)
Doug V.
This is a local clasic that has been around since the 1920's and is a must if you are in the area. Everything is fried and huge. I was there with a coworker on a recent business trip and we ordered the seafood platter at lunch and split it. If you like fried food then you will like this place. It was all very good. The platter was one of the biggest plates of fried food I had ever seen. It also came with a fried frog leg(s) that was good. They have a great outside eating area that is very unique and that is the place to sit. The entire place is very unique with a lot of very intresting pictures and old photos of the owners over the years. It is not the best fried food or food in general in the world, but it is a must if you are in the area and the food is very very good.
(4)
Malissa K.
Delicious! Best seafood around. I love shrimp and theirs is so plump & delicious! Catfish is great, too. Big hushpuppies. Just wish you could get free refills after 3pm... This place is best to visit in the summer, but it tends to get packed! They have a lot of outdoor seating, which goes quick! They have swings for the kiddos. You can also sit inside. They have an indoor area with no waiter service and an indoor area with waiter service. They are closed on Monday's and they shut down for the year sometime in November.
(4)
Paul S.
Great food, if you leave hungry it's your fault.
(5)
Dave R.
I get to Louisville every few months and heard this is the place to come for fried fish and other fried food. This place has a lot of history and has a huge patio area with picnic tables everywhere and room for any size group to enjoy a good time. The order process is a bit tedious since you need to wait in line and place your order and then wait for quite a while to hear your name called to the bar. They pile on the napkins, condiments, and of course the food and give you a flimsy little plastic fork but this is mainly finger food anyway. I chose to eat outside but they do have a good size indoor area too. I ordered the fish dinner and it came with 2 giant breaded filets about 10 inches by 5 inches each. It also had fries and cole slaw and your choice of bread slices under the whole mess. The fish was too hot to handle but tasted great with their homemade tarter sauce. Nice and flaky too. The other sides were just average. Aside from the huge filet size, I was not overly impressed but was certainly not hungry when I left. I would come back but only with others with healthy appetites to share the portions. Some cool items on the walls and a great wooden carved tree trunk on the patio. This was as much about the experience as the food.
(3)
Ping P.
OMG. As good as fried gets. I am cali girl - and my fiance is a southern gent. On a recent trip to visit his fam in Louisville (our engagement trip) we went with said fam to Mike Linnigs. This is See-food at its' finest. See food and eat it! Nothing is bad on this menu, unless you have a heart problem or are skittish about amphibian legs. I personally love frog legs (a la sauteed in butter and garlic at Spengers..but I digress) I actually got my scatter on at Mike Linnigs! I ordered the fried shrimp and feasted witout saying a word to anyone except for some primal grunts of happiness The portions are generous, so go prepared to chow down! My soon to be mother-in-law ordered half a fried chicken. Good lawdy that was a teradactyl! Oh do not miss the onion rings. The only downside - the sauces - prepackaged. I would recommend going prepared with your own condiments. You can eat outside and I am sure they wouldn't mind if you brought your own tub of sauce or malt vinegar (not a southern thing by the way!) Great for big family gatherings outside - bring a nice tablecloth "a la pic nic" and do it up family style. You sooooo won't be sorry!
(5)
Mr And Mrs G.
MR says.... MRS says.... we tried this place at the Kentucky State Fair. they had a tent with karaoke contest/bar. food portion was well enough for two. we ordered fried frog legs, fried scallops and catfish fillets. all of which was fried crispy yet tender and juicy inside. i wish they gave us malt vinegar which would have complimented the fish fillet better than the ketchup but overall food was good and you could say we got our share of comfort food :)
(3)
Jim G.
This place is a Louisville classic if you love Southern-style fried fish and seafood. Mike Linnig's has some of the largest & tastiest onion rings around, plus delicious corn on the cob, and other credible sides. On our most recent visit on July 4, 2007, my friend and I ordered two fish sandwiches, corn on the cob, onion rings, a diet coke, and water. The portions were huge, we couldn't eat that much. The tab was just under $30.00.
(4)
Erin O.
I never leave Louisville without eating here. It is the best. The fried fish sandwich is absolutely amazing.
(5)
Alison C.
I set out with my family to find this recommended place a few years ago on a Saturday evening. After hunting and hunting, we finally found it. It was difficult to find out how you were supposed to place an order (wending your way back through the smoky, crowded interior with the "locals" all staring at us); when we got our food, there was nowhere to sit and besides, the fish all tasted like it had been fried and then reheated. All in all, a disappointing experience. I was embarrassed I'd been so insistent about finding it. Maybe it was an off night, but I was never tempted to go back. :(
(2)
dave w.
who doesn't like fried catfish? well, then, you've never had mike linnig's. when i was young, i remember thinking my dad was super fucking cool for knowing one of the sons of the original proprietor. now, i know he's cool for other reasons, but i still always love getting mike linnig's when i can.
(4)
Tony R.
My wife and I loved the fish and fries! The portions are BIG so we just share a 2 piece fish and fries cause they are so big. Great as always! Sitting outside and watching the kids play and motorcycles going by! Great atmosphere! You can have your favorite beverage no matter what it is.... It's like in your back yard with the family.
(5)
Betty C.
I hadn't been here in about ten years, but all my Louisville friends talk about it like it's the end-all-be-all of seafood restaurants, so I decided to give it another shot during a recent visit. The location is great. It's on the river and you can sit outside under the trees. And yet, the location isn't great. It's out of the way and if you do sit outside, you're treated to muffler-free motorcycles driving past every six to nine minutes. The food is served in epic proportions. A fish plate has two large pieces of fried cod. The catfish plate has four large, yet thin, pieces of catfish. That being said, there's nothing outstanding about any of the fish or side items. I was there with fourteen others and we all shared items. There wasn't a single menu item that stood out as being the best thing at this restaurant. There's no point serving someone a gallon-bucket of French fries if the fries are inedible. Speaking of inedible, the hush puppies were the size of a baseball. The reason most places serve golf-ball size hush puppies is because the insides become dry and flavorless once fried if they are the size of a baseball. Instead of a tender morsel of onion and cornmeal, the hush puppies were large, dessicated spheres of dried meal that fell apart once you bit into them. The menu alerts you to a few nutty House Rules: no free refills after 3 PM, and absolutely no free refills no matter what time it is on Mother's Day and Father's Day. It shouldn't be a big problem, since most patrons are ordering booze, anyway. I didn't have to deal with the wait staff or standing in line, since one person in my group took care of all that. Overall, my visit was a big disappointment.
(2)
Trey B.
it's gotten way too expensive for what you eat. Portions are big, but for how far you have to drive and what you pay, it just doesn't seem worth it anymore.
(2)
Wes K.
Go to party not eat 3 stars for originality 1 star for food I like fried food, especially fish but this was terrible (cod? Def not catfish) My meal of fish/shrimp/fries was served hot and fast. The fish was 2 HUGE pieces. Too big to fry and have any flavor. In order to be palatable- I drenched in hot sauce/malt vinegar/& tarter combo. It was awful. Shrimp was mildly better, about what you'd expect from a fast food restaurant. I would not mind paying the price if food was better. On the upside-Great facility and really fun though
(2)
Malvina C.
The local newspaper always gives this place great reviews, so we decided to try it. I don't get it. Great atmosphere, but the food was simply awful. Heavy, grease-laden breading, and all the seafood was overcooked. The clam strips were nearly inedible -- hard and chewy, and the last two I ate were gritty with sand.
(1)
Michael M.
This place is the rave of the "South End" but personally it was not my kinda place to hang out and drink crappy beer. My food was ok the alligator I had was kinda greasy but i guess that is common. Had to try something new. How ever the people were friendly as were the servers. I did like that it kinda had a family feel. Though I thought it was a bit pricey even though you do get a good helping of what you order.
(3)
JL Q.
I know everybody raves about this place and for some reason I've always felt the same. But as it goes without saying that our memories are usually better than we remember. First of all, this is fried food, so don't expect anything different, but there are some items on the menu that really stand out. Our friends ordered the pan fried oysters as a side dish and I wish I'd have ordered them as an entree because I would've liked them better. FANTASTIC is what they are. Very soft inside with a huge amount of oysters in each one. French fries were okay. Sorry to say I thought the onion rings were disappointing. No seasoning and most of the breading was falling off of them. THEN, we ordered the seafood platter to share. Please note, ML, that frogs legs are NOT seafood. It came with cod, shrimp, spicy fish bites which were ANYTHING but spicy, hush puppies, salmon and maybe one more item. It's certainly enough for 2 people but the cod wasn't the best pieces of fish. One was very thin so the frying turned it into shoe leather. We got a huge amount of food and our server, Monica, only gave us two cocktail sauces. REALLY??? So, go if you really must but I would lower your expectations, or go on a midweek day when it's not so crowded, if that's even possible.
(3)
Joseph T.
Overrated. I've been coming here for years. I live relatively close to it. Don't get me wrong - the food is decent to good, but nothing will blow your doors off. I sometimes find the fish to be overcooked and fried too hard. But when cooked right, it is pretty good. The main thing going for this place is the atmosphere. It's a great place if you have kids and they want to play. On a nice evening, it's wonderful to sit outside and even go for a walk on the other side of the flood wall. Overall, it's overrated and expensive. I would rate Mike Linnig's as "OK." Mark's Feed Store has better fish.
(3)
Caleb V.
Amazing catfish. Everything on the seafood platter is made perfectly. And by everything, I mean just that. Its my assumption that they take a plate, find whatever fish is hot, and pile it all on, along with fries until they can't see the plate anymore. If you leave here hungry, its your own fault. I come from Columbus Indiana, visited here a week or so after father's day. So much so that we're making the trip back down tomorrow. Not gonna eat anything all day until I get there so I can eat all the fish I possibly can, and still have some left over for lunch tomorrow.
(5)
Jeff P.
In reading over the reviews of Mike Linnig's I noticed that most people either really like or really dislike this longtime seafood establishment. I would say that the many positive reviews and the negative reviews are both correct! That being said I really like going to this Louisville institution 3-4 times a season. It is relatively expensive but the portions are huge. The fish is often fried hard but that seems to be their style and most people like the taste of the fish. The service, or lack thereof, is part of the Mike Linnig's "atmosphere." It is not a fine dining experience. It is a unique "melting pot" of Louisville and the surrounding area. I think it's worth the drive for the fried fish, the outside eating experience, and a walk along the levee after your meal! It may not be everyone's favorite, but it's been around a very long time and is still going as strong as ever.
(3)
Emily B.
Love this place !!! My family and I always love going to this place. Great food and great service !!! Also I love the outside dinning one of my favorite things about this restaurant. Love how they have swings and slides for children , great restaurant for a family !!!
(5)
Matt M.
Huge shrimp, that were delicious. Great kids area. Perfect for a sunny day. Got lucky and a car show was going on across the street. We will be back!
(5)
Victoria T.
We were a party of about fifteen people celebrating the birth of one of us back before the advent of cell phones and Yelp. Because at least one of us is smarter than the average bear, we reserved one of those outbuildings situated by the playground. I'm very, very glad that we did because the main dining area was a full-on, brutal cluster fuck. There were people milling around in circles at the door, lines snaking up and down the narrow corridor, the odd mouth-breathing Neanderthal brandishing a bottle of Budweiser, and every obnoxious snot nosed heathen under twelve years old screeching like little gibbons in there. I did not enjoy the atmosphere. It made me want to throat punch someone. The little hut that we were dining in was quieter. It was like a picnic inside someone's garage, though. The furnishings included one long table and a plethora of folding chairs. That's really all we needed. They were mostly clean. Our waitress was very nice, if a bit harried and overwhelmed. She did manage to keep all of the checks in order so she gets bonus points for that, as well. The wait for drink refills and the like was pretty minimal. The service was just peachy. Everyone seemed to love that deep fried mystery fish. It's just listed as "fish" on the menu. No one at our table could tell me what species it was so I decided on the Grilled Salmon with a "Combo Salad" and Macaroni & Cheese. This was a mistake. The salmon was dry. There were no grill marks anywhere near it. It made me sad. The macaroni and cheese was a very weird shade of orange. I call it Chernobyl orange. The salad was pre-made but of decent quality so I ate that. I stole one of Sexy Beast's Hush Puppies. It was delicious. Sexy Beast ordered the Fish Plate with Fries and Cole Slaw. He was happy with his mountain of mystery fish. He gave me his slaw. It was pretty good. He ordered Onion Rings for sharing but no one seemed to want any after the first bite. They were a bit greasy and flavorless. Spawn A ordered the Fish Sandwich and the soup of the day (Gumbalaya or some other made up name) and he enjoyed his meal. Spawn B ordered the Alligator and ate all of it. He was sad when the last bite left his plate. So, the mistake was mine, really. I should have ordered what everyone comes here for - Deep Fried Mystery Fish. I'll know better next time.
(3)
Sean M.
FISH EXPLOSION. From sea to face. Mike Linnig's is just a middleman. The girlfriend and I arrived around 6 on a Saturday night and were told there was a 45 minute wait for our food. We were prepared for this and knew it would be packed. Our name is called. Sweet fried fish Valhalla, I'm coming. Yes Odin, I'll have a generous order of fried fish, shrimp, frog legs, pan-fried oysters, turtle soup, chicken and onion rings. The fork and spoon are my bloodaxes. Regale in the outrageous portions. Eat half. Food coma. Procede to funeral pyre.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Leigh V.
My parents always rode their motorcyles to Mike Linning's weekly for their fish sandwiches. Nick constantly goes with his work family for lunch and raves about the food portions and fish sandwiches. So, I had been dying to try the place for a long time. We finally had the chance to try Mike Linnig's several weeks ago during a car show. Nick was right about the portions. The two of us should have spilt a fish sandwich and onion rings, but we decided to go all out and each have their own. We tried the fish sandwich on rye bread with onion rings, coleslaw and alligator. I personally have never had alligator before and probably should have my first experience with the food in a state that is not land locked. However, the alligator was tasty and crisp. I loved it, and no, it does not taste like chicken. Having nothing to compare it to though, but I would still order it again at Mike Linnig's. The fish sandwich was good, but I have had better. BUT, it is the best fish sandwich I have had thus far in Louisville. Everyone raves about the onion rings here. Everyone is right. Most onion rings are overly greasy and fall apart on you quickly. Either the breading comes off or you end up eating the entire onion in your first bite. These were as close to perfection as you can get. I didn't have to use a napkin to take the grease off my hands every time I picked on up. The rings stayed together and were actually not bad the next day when we ate them. (Nick and I took home one fish sandwich and onion rings - enough food leftover for us to eat again.) The coleslaw was on par; I would try a different side next time...maybe the frog legs! The atmosphere outside was good. There was more than enough seating for everyone outside on picnic tables, several outside bar areas for your drinks and lots of things to explore including swings for an after dinner playground. The patio was massive, and I can see why my parents enjoy going there so often after a long motorcycle ride. While the food was good and portions large, I feel like it was a little too pricey. It was a little over 50$ for 2 sodas, 2 fish sandwiches with a side and alligator. While we were able to get 4 meals out of it, it stills puts that at over $10/per meal. I enjoyed the food and car show and will go back there again just for the onion rings.
(3)Josh F.
So we pulled up red lobster on google maps. And ended up at this place. Looked cool from the outside but it was 94 outside and humid as heck Went in. We found a line that said wait to be seated. And the line ran in front of a door to the outside dining area. While in line we asked a person who worked there for a menu. She seemed annoyed we asked. Them shouted that they were at the bar we passed. Then she pushed past us to sit down at what appeared to be the only open table in the bar dining area. At that point i was done and we left. Smelled good. Just awful personnel and bad layout. We will not be back.
(1)Amy L.
For what it is, this place is great. Awesome fried food (fish is key), friendly service, enthusiasm of customer base. I thought it was a fun experience and if I were craving fried food in the future, I'd definitely go here again. You also get great bang for your buck sharing a plate or platter with a group of friends!
(4)Peg G.
After reading some of the comments on here I was skeptical, but we ended up loving it! Everyone in our party agreed it was the best fish sandwich we'd ever had. I can see how the whole set-up might be confusing to newbies, so here are some useful tips. 1. This place is not fancy, and neither is the food. It is not seafood like you might get at an upscale downtown place or even (gasp) Red Lobster. It is more like your favorite tavern, the old style one with good food. 2. Order the fried fish. It is true there's grilled fish and crab cakes and baked chicken and crab legs and all sorts of stuff on the menu, but fried fish is what they're famous for, and you'll just be swimming against the current. Don't be high maintenance! If what you want is something else, go someplace else. Oh alright. Fried shrimp is allowed, too. 3. When you get there, grab a menu from the stand near the entrance and stake out a table. Sit in the shade and read the menu. Grab drinks from the outside bar. RELAX. 4. When you're ready to order, mosey up to the stand and place your order. Give them your own name! Yes, they do have waitresses but why? Why? Why? Unless you need help carrying your tray, self-service is the way to go. 5. Your food--unbelievable amounts--will be ready after they're done cooking it to order. They'll call your name over the speakers and you can pick it up inside. That's when you pay. Don't forget to grab your condiments at the same time! Meanwhile, avail yourself of the swing set and slides (kidding!). Have another drink. I can vouch for the iced tea. 6. When they call your name, go get your food. This system may seem strange, but once you've done it, you'll see the beauty of it. There's great freedom in being able to pick your own table and even move around. Need a drink? Don't wait for a waiter....go get one! No more bickering about who had the up charge bleu cheese in a large party....or who gets the check. Sit and visit as long as you want: you won't be putting anyone out. And when you want to leave, just stand up and walk out: you've already paid! No flagging down your server or dividing up the check, no scrambling for a tip. Seriously, it works a charm if you realize that what this really is, is a self-service place with beer. Huge portions, relaxing atmosphere, amazing prices. Since we served ourselves, the tip was negligible too.... Just threw a couple bucks in the jar when we picked up the food. Other yelpers have complained that they're charged for extra slices of bread, tartar sauce etc. if they'd stop to think about it, they'd see why. First, prices are cheap for the quantity. Lots of people share as it is. If they gave away bread, everyone would be making two fish sandwiches and paying for one. When prices are cheap for the quantity given, it doesn't pay to gripe about 20 cents. Also, it's self serve: if bread and tartar were free, people would just steal it. If you want all that stuff to be free, they're going to have to raise prices or decrease portion sizes. Did I mention that it's lovely under these mature oaks on a hot day? And it's very clean: employees were bleaching off the tables. Their displayed board of health grade is "A."
(5)Joseph L.
First off I am the type of guy who takes the bad reviews of others with a grain of salt because most people today are giving bad reviews if there isn't someone right there following them around with a roll of toilet paper wiping their butts at every turn. However after my experience I can tell you the bad reviews on here besides my own are 100% accurate. I am about as easy to please at it gets. After 8 years in the Army, as long as what I am eating is somewhat presentable, the heads cut off and it half way tastes good you have my vote. So believe me when I say you can take this review to the bank and cash it. Went here the Wednesday after Memorial Day at 5 pm and IMO it was unusually busy for this time of day esp. being in the middle of the week. Not off the chain stupid busy but way busier than I thought they should have been. We waited about 30 minutes to be seated, again way too long for a Wednesday at 5 pm. The indoor full-service dining area is extremely cramped and the way their tables are set up the seats around the table are literally only a quarter inch apart if that. So if all the chairs were occupied at the table you would literally be touching elbows to those sitting on either side of you. Before we sat down we had to make room for a wheelchair, and speaking of that this place barely, if at all meets the bare-bones minimum requirements for being handicapped accessible. Once we were seated we ordered soft drinks and a couple of apps that came out fast enough. After the apps is when it all went downhill from there. It took us LITERALLY a whole TWO HOURS...you heard me right....TWO HOURS to get the rest of our food. There were 5 in our group and when the food did finally arrive allot of it was lukewarm or cold. My order was messed up and went back to the kitchen and didn't get it back until 10 minutes later. At this point I'm fairly fired up. The portions are large and the fish is good, but was in no way worth all the trouble and the waiting we had to endure to get it. Did I mention this place is extremely overpriced? For me, my wife and my daughter my bill was $76.10. Add the $15.00 tip that came to a little over $91.00. That's right...91 bucks for fried food that in all actuality is no better than Moby Dicks or the Fish House down off Baxter Ave. The Fish house is 10 times better and much more affordable. To sum it all up, and if you haven't listened to a word I have said so far hear me now. I don't care what any mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging local yokel tells you about how great this place is, Mike Lennigs always has been and always will be nothing more...I repeat NOTHING more than a glorified Moby Dicks...period, end of story. But hey, don't take my word for it, go experience it for yourself. But when you walk out of that joint with the $91.00 kick in the bawlz like I got...don't say ol' Joe didn't tell you so...because I told you so!
(1)Sabrina S.
I am not a fan of this place they are way over priced and everything is fried. To me the batter has no flavor which is not good if you use it for everything. Onion rings were about the best thing on the menu and the atmosphere is pretty dang cool.
(1)Troy W.
Such a cool place. When visiting, I feel like I've stepped back in time to an amusement park from yesteryear... back when those parks were all about picnic grounds under shady trees and the wildest rides were big swings fueled only by children laughing. Oh yeah, it's all about the atmosphere. 6 (ouf of 5!) stars for atmosphere... especially at night when strings of white lights illuminate from the trees above. This is a seasonal place. There is indoor seating, but if eating inside, the experience is... ordinary. Outside is the place to be. It can get crowded when the weather is nice, but with a large amount of concrete, picnic tables, the crowd is handled well. Oh yeah... the food. The menu is available online. It is sort of a "deluxe" fish fry assortment of food. I give the food 3 of 5 stars. It's good. Not great, but good. In summary, visit for the atmosphere, not the food. But by all means, have some food while you're here!
(4)Lee B.
I was in town with one of our salesmen who suggested he knew the owner and would like to make a "sales call" here. He said the place gets packed in the summer time though I was there in the winter- surprisingly there was still a nice crowd as they opened the restaurant. This is really great fried food. The fried fish (I believe I had cod) is was flaky and crisp. I also had your standard cole slaw and fries and a soda. It was one of those meals that just made me smile and say I wish I lived around a place like this- yet I only have been to one other- Rudy's in Oswego Ny. Mik Linnig's offered cheap, large portions and great service as well....
(5)Sarah H.
After not having been to Mike Linnigs in probably 10 years I got a craving for some good fried fish on a nice Sunday evening. The most important thing to note is that the portions are enormous. My husband and I were able to share one fish plate, and we are not small eaters. The fish plate comes with two huge pieces of fried cod, French fries,and cole slaw. The fish was perfectly cooked and the breading was flavorful. The fries were just average but the slaw was fantastic, maybe the best I've ever eaten. We did add an order of hush puppies because for me it just isn't a fish dinner without them and I was very surprised that for only to dollars and change there were 5 baseball sized hush puppies in the one order. For only about 21 dollars the two of us had a huge meal and even had a little left over. The outdoor dining area was also ust as nice as I remembered. The big concrete picnic tables under the very tall shade trees made for a very nice evening. The playground is also nice to keep the kiddos entertained while waiting for the food. Another thing to mention is that it was pretty busy with the weather being as pleasant as it was but we only waited about 15 minutes for our food which was nice. I definitely won't wait another ten years to come back!
(4)Tom G.
Love this Resturant!...Best Fish in town!...I recommend the fish plate you will be full!!!!...great prices!...
(5)Sara T.
Some of the best fried fish in the Louisville area and a very unique eating experience. We ordered fish plates but I wish we'd just ordered one -- it was more than enough food to split. I will remember that next time. I loved that they let me swap hush puppies for the slaw. It was a little confusing figuring out their system because you order your food, pick up and pay for your food, and get drinks all in different places. The staff members we ran into were not very friendly or helpful but we watched other customers to figure out what to do. The atmosphere is really casual so it seemed like a good place to bring kids, even if they're rambunctious.
(4)Mike A.
A Louisville tradition. Every Time I'm in the area my car auto pilots to Mike's. Inside has is a cross between dive bar and cafeteria. My favorite is in nice weather to eat at the outside picnic tables. Vibe is a little on the beachy side and family reunion fused into one. Don't let the size of the place or randomness of the place overwhelm you. It's all part of the charm. Now let's discuss the fish. Not the best or worst I've had but somewhere in the middle. Fish is a little on the bland and over fried side but it's consistent. Best deal is lunch fish sandwich, fries and a drink.
(3)Norman G.
In town for a visit and went to Mike's for a family gathering. It has been a very long time since my last visit. Mike's Is mostly outdoor seating so make sure the weather is right for you. Today was hot but for us it was a part of the experience. Sitting outside and having lunch with family. I ordered the frog legs, something I haven't had in a while. The large portion of legs were very good. Not overly breaded and deep fried just right. The legs were juicy and flavorful. It was a great day at a Louisville landmark.
(3)Meela L.
Okay, I have been wanting to go there and finally we did. The restaurant has nice and relaxing areas with lots of trees. But I was not impressed by the food at all. Everything was fried, which is fine if seasoned enough. The food was bland, no taste. I had to put lots of tartar sauce. The frog legs were big yet once again tasteless as if they just battered frozen frog legs without seasoning them. The breading was thick and had no flavor. Not happy....
(2)Megan R.
I hate to do it... I really do. Maybe it's me, but I simply don't understand this place. When you walk up, it's like you're walking onto a compound, not a restaurant. There are buildings and tables and umbrellas and bars and playgrounds and... it's just a lot to approach if you have never been before and don't know exactly what it is that you are doing or where it is that you are going. Personally, I walked up asking myself (and several others around me), "What is this place?" I went on a busy night, and it was lovely outside. We were with a group, so we sat outside at some of the picnic tables. Our servers were super friendly and personable. They called everyone "honey" and "babe", and though that could make some people uncomfortable, it just made my group feel welcomed, almost like we were eating with family. It seems as though there are many ways to order at Mike Linnig's. You can go up to a booth and put your order in with your name. (I've been told to give the employee a funny name because "it's tradition".) We ordered with our server. It was a bit of a cluster, though, because different servers brought out food to people from whom they did not take the order. We wound up getting the wrong food a few times and had to play a modified game of musical chairs so that everyone was eating at least something resembling what they ordered. When it comes to the actual food, others are right. HUGE portions. VERY oily. LOTS of fried seafood. If that's what you're going for - believe me, sometimes that kind of stuff hits the spot - then it's awesome. If you're looking for anything outside of that very specific type of cuisine, this place just isn't for you. It just wasn't for me. After we finished eating, we were able to walk down to the river. Again, it was lovely out, so that was a great way to finish the evening. Had it not been a pretty night, or had I not known about the proximity to the river, this saving grace would have never been an option to find. I don't know how much you can allow the river to improve your judgement of the restaurant/compound. It was a bonus, sure, but how much of that was attributed to Mike Linnig's? I really can't say. Try it if it's in your palate's wheelhouse of preference. If you're ready to travel out there and work your way through the evening, go for it. I'm sure regulars have the place and its processes down pat, but as a first-timer, I had no idea what was going on. To be honest, I still don't. The entire evening left me wondering, "What just happened?"
(2)Caitlin K.
Asked my SO (who is from Louisville) to take me to a real and local place and he succeeded! Loved the relaxed and open atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating. I got the catfish and the fish was great, perfectly cooked, although the fried breaking actually took a bit away from it. Good fries and good fish, just didn't love the super fried component.
(4)Amanda W.
So you cannot find a decent sea food in Midwest. This place is a great place if you love greasy food that would give you a heartburn afterwords. A big portion, a strange atmosphere. I get it to go whenever I order my food from here. I would not go after certain hours simply I hate to drive through Cane Run Road. I don't feel safe driving through...
(3)Erin C.
I don't understand any of the hype about this place. Granted I live in the highlands and so I'm spoiled by the great restaurants around here it's hard to compare. I will enjoy some fried goodness every once in a while but this was fried with no goodness. It was so bland. Everything was bland. Server was very nice and attentive even though they were very busy. I can already feel the heartburn coming on and it was not worth it. I won't be back. There are many waaay better food options on Louisville. Why waste your time here?
(2)Bob H.
We waited an hour before we received our food. The fish was hot and very good. Our fries were cold and the onion rings that we paid $6.25 was also cold. If it would not have been heading for the airport i would have sent our lunch back
(3)Rob S.
Decent but not great. LONG waits on Saturdays 90 minutes for cold food and staff with attitudes. Portions are large but so are some of the prices. Too many other seafood places to put up with this. I think the busy weekends have tainted some of the staff, you still have to be polite.
(2)Missy H.
Dined here last night for the first time in a few years. It was just as good as I remember! If you're a fish lover, the famous fish sandwich cannot be beat! HUGE portion that is truly large enough for two people to share. Do not pass on the hushpuppies!! 5 large ones in an order and absolutely divine. Tried the jalapeño cornbread for the first time and it was very yummy. I highly recommend dining outside to avoid the lingering smell of oil inside. Plus, it's self seating and you have the option to have a waitress or order at the stand. It's typically quicker to order on your own and they just call your name out on the speaker when it's ready. Very efficient and everything was piping hot. They seem to run like a well-oiled machine (pun intended). Fun family place. After eating, walk off your meal by taking a stroll down to the river bank. Its a gorgeous view.
(4)Leann G.
Mike Linnigs has been around my entire life, I have always enjoyed the outdoor atmosphere. I am not a fish eater and always get the fried chicken (cut up). It is hit or miss with it though as there are times that it is just reheated from what seems to be the day before and what was left over. I was excited to go yesterday for the beginning of their season, but was very disappointed with my food. the chicken without doubt had been dropped back into the oil to heat, it was not hot, it was dry all the way through, it was probably the worst I have ever gotten there. it was around 4;00 and there was only about a dozen others in there. My dad and I both ask for the cut up chicken, he got the baked. Neither was cut up and the onion rings were cold and most likely a reheat too. As most of us locals talk about concerning Mikes, we really wish they would keep the quality of their food up better, everyone who lives in Louisville knows that towards the end of the season everything is saturated in an old grease taste, but now apparently there is going to be quality issues in the beginning as well. I hope they care that the locals talk about the quality vs the money you shell out as it is not a cheap place to eat.
(2)Kallie M.
Food took forever but was good. Here's a tip, please, keep your toothless waitress in the back and not waiting on people. She never even checked to ask if we wanted more drinks and then you people charge for refills??? F that. If this is your idea of fine dining, I'm scared.
(2)Kent H.
Huge onion rings! I had to try them, but was severely disappointed. The blonde color should have warned me away. They were underdone, soggy, and the breading had no flavor. I also had a two piece fish plate. Being from Alaska, I asked what kind of fish it was, and was told that it was cod. Well, it was way overcooked and had no taste other than a hint of sweetness in the breading. I ended up eating one onion ring and throwing the rest away. I choked down one of the fish fillets and threw the other one in the trash. I may be a little harsh and snobbish, but if this is the best cod that Louisville can produce, I'll try catfish next time.
(2)Ted W.
Will, 2nd time we have been. Here her good points. 1. Nice place to set outside. 2. Really nice portions of fish. Here are not so good points. 1. Waitress was extremely SLOW. Poor service. 2. Fries were only warm, not hot. Tasted like they had been sitting for awhile. 3. Two orders of fish, one tarter sauce. 4. Not much cold slaw for what I ordered. 5. Slow Slow getting order, totally unimpressed, slow to fill drinks. 6. But the waitress was in a hurry when it came time for us to pay bill (waitress was kind of heavy with blue hair). 7. Service and food was about the same as first time we went there. Frankly for all the stuff you hear about how great the place and food is, we once again were disappointed. Probably will not go back there.
(2)Grad S.
Great local place, it's seasonal. They do self-service or waitstaff seating. We did the self service, ordered as we walked in, chose our own outdoor seating. You walk up to the bar to get drinks and pay when they call your name for your food. Price was great for the portions. We got two beers for 7.50ish and paid $17 for a fish plate that came with two sides ($14ish) and added another side. The fish plate came with two HUGE pieces. We each made a sandwich and had fish leftover. The fish was crispy and fresh (not fishy tasting at all). Definitely child friendly, they have swings and a playground.
(4)Daryl's E.
Next time I go I'm just going to give someone a couple bucks for their leftovers. Ain't nobody finishing these plates of fish! They're huge! Oh, and save your quarters and pass on that old Gottlieb Cue Ball Wizard pinball. Shits boring! Get a beer though.
(3)Tony R.
My wife and I loved the fish and fries! The portions are BIG so we just share a 2 piece fish and fries cause they are so big. Great as always! Sitting outside and watching the kids play and motorcycles going by! Great atmosphere! You can have your favorite beverage no matter what it is.... It's like in your back yard with the family.
(5)Lena R.
Everyone who has the pleasure of knowing me knows that "If there's great food to be found--I will find it!" Great food & Lena goes hand in hand, so when my sister-in-law wanted some fish one Sunday, of course I jumped on Yelp to do a search and Lo and Behold I found Mike Linnig's. Now I'm going to be honest, I could give this place 4-stars but we'll stick to 3 stars on a count of our long wait, the person I brought to this establishment wasn't happy with her food, and some of the food was a little to bland for my taste buds. My sister-in-law ordered catfish (which I do not like by the way), my husband ordered alligator, and I ordered a fish sandwich and onion rings. I apologize for not remembering what type of fish it was, but it was huge, a bit on the bland side, yet it had a great crunch. Of course I wanted to give this place a fair shot so I doust my fish in hot sauce and tartar sauce to give it some kind of flavor and decided to try everybody elses' food to see if I'd ever return. Needless to say, my husband's alligator was to die for! It almost taste as if it were only seasoned with salt and pepper but sometimes the less seasoning the better and in that case, it worked well. Although I am not sure what part of the alligator we were eating, it did not matter because it was truly delicious. So there you have it! I know I only gave this place 3-stars, but I highly recommend you try this place for the alligator plate alone! Not only is it worth trying because of the alligator dish, but I like the fact that there are tables outside for people who want to dine-in (or out for that matter). The food all comes on these huge gray trays and the food portions are out of this world. I do plan to return and I may even get fish again just to see if we just came on a bad day. Oh wait, before I forget, there is a playground and walking trail right in the back where the tables for dining are and I thought that was really cool because the kids could swing and play on the playground to run off their dinner. If I return, I will update this review. Do Enjoy & let me know what you think.
(3)Brian K.
I come to Lousiville for business occasionally but I always make a stop at Mike's. It's one of the better restaurants in KY.
(4)Teri W.
If you're looking for a fancy place don't come here. They serve their fish on paper plates and sandwich bread comes straight out of the loaf (although you do get a choice of white, wheat or rye). But the food here is hot, fresh and great. Before 3pm the lunch plate was more cod than I could finish, with one side and a big drink and their very own tartar sauce. Get extra tartar! The batter on the fried fish is light and just right. Homey place here with outdoor picnic tables, plenty of beer and parking. Nice wait staff. Bring the whole fam. Onion rings rock.
(4)Milly M.
One of the worst restaurants I have EVER been to! The people except our server was rude. The food was not good. The only food I had that was half decent was the hush puppies and the Cole slaw. The fish and shrimp were terrible. They had no taste but had some suspicious hard pieces and black stuff in them. The price was outrageous! I will never return!
(1)Ric W.
Ok I get it this place is an landmark, but I'm not crazy about it. The fish I will admit is fresh and made to order. Big piece of boneless fresh fish With a great crust and very tasty. The outdoor seating is a big hit makes it a great place large families and running into old friends. It also has a play area for kids. This place is always packed as locals have been coming here for years. But that where it stops. The sides always disappointing, almost always made hours ahead and taste old and stale. Never seen such a big institution nickel and dime you for almost everything. Want Extra bread is 20 cents, need some more tater for your fish 25 cent I'm sure if you want butter for your corn there would be a charge for that also. With the exception of the fish, this place is at best OK. Did I mention if you choose to have a waiter, then only she/he are the only ones allowed to help you. Asked for some bread from another waiter and he said sorry I can't get that for you, your waiter has to, but I will find her for you... Really, is bread and other items kept UNDER LOCK AND KEY here? Needless to say the bread came after the meal was finished, but they didn't forget to add it to the bill, should have left it as part of the tip for the service! The portions and outdoor seating are great, but the rest of this place is a little Fishy.
(3)Paul V.
I wish that I could give it negative stars. The service was slow and horrible. My group asked for refills on our drinks 3 times but the server was too busy to bring them until after we were done eating. Then we were told that an ice tea refills were $1 each. Who charges for refills in 2013?? And our food was cold when we got it. OH! And the bill for 5 people to eat cold food was almost 80 bucks. I wouldn't go back if the food was free. Paul Vest
(1)TJ N.
This place is a Louisville land mark and those bitching about price or wait times don't know there ass from a hole in the ground. So as a guy who's been coming here twenty plus years let me give you some advice. Friday and Saturdays on a beautiful day be prepared to wait. On these days DO NOT wait fir someone to wait on you. Order at the front, pay and find a place to sit. Enjoy the atmosphere and get some drinks. There is a drink shack in the middle and get your drinks there. THERE ARE NO FREE REFILLS! I will repeat NO FREE REFILLS but they are a dollar and they are big cups. When you order up front they ask for your name and they will announce it when it's ready for pick up. Use a funny name, it's tradition. Go inside get your food and this is the easiest way to get food. The portions are MASSIVE be prepared to take fish home and if you're not to full go over the flood wall to the river. Use to do it as a kid and was always fun. These are my helpful tips and if you're visiting this is the best way to have a fairly trouble free good time and you'll love to come back. Have a good one and don't order the crab cakes. Use to be hand made and delicious. They stopped hand making them and I'm still bitter! BRING EM BACK!
(5)Andy C.
Five stars. This place is a landmark for good reason. When it comes to fried seafood- this is what you want. A single fish sandwich will feed two grown men, but their variety of seafood options often leaves the fish behind. You could show up with 200 people without reservations and not come close to filling the place. Most of it is outside. You can walk to the river in 5 min while you wait for your food, or to walk off the amazing meal you just devoured. The inside of the place is like a small museum- filled with old photographs and many specimens of sea creatures. Also a good place to have a fun time while the kids keep themselves busy with all the swings and arcade games. Highly recommending giving this place a try- but only when it's warm outside!
(5)Melanie K.
As Southern as a singing Bass fish on your wall.... and about as delicious deep fried. Mike Linig's has a lot of great things: great bands, great location, great seating, great parking, and great big portions. However, Mike Linnig's has one to many items that are a little too fishy for my tastes. Although there is a large selection to seafood cuts and choices, don't expect to find any of it clear of deep fried beer batter. In addition the staff is pretty helpful, but are use to the large crowds so don't expect personal service. This may be a place for hanging out, but all food is served pretty much to go with even condiments prepackaged and plastic silverware. Oh and its CROWDED in the Summer, so be prepared to wait. To summarize, as much as I love that singing Bass fish, I think I'll still leave it and Mike Linnig's on the shelf when it comes to representing southern seafood.
(3)Giovanni Z.
This place is ridiculously terrible. I have 3 words to describe their food; Oily, oily and oily. I know, it's deep fried. But come on, I have had deep fried food that doesn't hold the oil like the food here. As far as their legacy, so what? McDonald's has a legacy too. If you want deep fried seafood, there are other places to go in Louisville. Fish House, The Fishery, Irish Rover, Moby Dick etc. As a side note. I will say that they beat Long John Silver's or Captain D's. Woop di frikin doo.
(1)Ray G.
Epic portions of sub mediocre deep fried seafood. I love the surroundings and the staff is friendly. Otherwise, I would have rated Mike Linnig's with 1 star. It's one of those places that I visit every decade, give or take, and remember why it's been so long since the previous visit.
(2)Big V S.
I had heard about this place for years, but never been. Now I can say I have eaten there. It was good, but doesn't rate on my All Time Faves list. The location and wait time take away from an otherwise decent meal for me. It is so far from everything that I would be hardpressed to say I'll be back soon. The food was good, but not worth the drive to me.
(3)Terri D.
Very busy place. Large portions of good seafood. In the summer they have a tent across the street with music and beer. Love sitting outdoors to eat when it's not too hit. Downside is they charge you for "sides" of tomatoes and onions!!
(3)Lisa L.
Pros: Don't come on a bike, you'll be taking part of it with you. HUGE portions. Food is consistantly adequate to good. Counter staff are friendly.. Fresh tomatoes and spring onions on the "sides" list. Cole slaw is really good. Al fresco seating. Cons. Go to the counter and do the "take a number" thing. Freindlier, more prompt service. Waitstaff are slow and sometimes rude. Outside can get nasty/messy on wknds from families and kids not picking up after themselves. Once saw a nasty diaper just laying wide open on the ground. Food is overpriced for what it is- even with the large portions and decent quality. They are prone to "nickel and dime" you for extra sauces, etc. Also, years ago, it was a "catch of the day" fresh fishmonger type cafe. That's what built its reputation. That is long gone. Fish are frozen from Sysco now. PS don't get the chix livers. WAY too much UNSEASONED breading, same with oysters.
(3)Erin M.
I love the fried fish and onion rings! You get very large portions 2 people could easily share 1 fish sandwich. We like to sit outside and let our daughter play after she eats. I only wish they offered free refills. Staff is helpful and polite.
(4)Howard G.
This used to be a great place for seafood; Over the past few years the quality of the food and the service have fallen significantly. On the last visit (this afternoon), I'm not sure whether it was the fish or the oil, but something was moderately rancid. The waiter (when he appeared at all, which was pretty rare) was unconcerned and totally useless. At this point, one is better served going a few miles down Dixie Highway to the Golden Coral. The fish is actually better there, there's much more selection and the prices are much more reasonable. Mike Linnig's was great in its time, but that time is, unfortunately, passed. RIP, and have the good sense to close the place before you actually poison someone with whatever rancid ingredients you are using.
(1)Lynn P.
When I think of great seafood in Louisville, Mike Linnig's automatically is on the list. My BF and I recently dined here. Now this isn't a place to expect any kind of luxuries. Foam plates and cups. The portions are very ample. Two could actually share a Fish platter. I tries a rolled oyster, and the fried shrimp. Both were very good. The shrimp tasted fresh and were large - jumbo in size. Improvements would be free drink refills (even after 3 pm), and a little better take out containers (you get aluminum foil and a paper bag). Be sure to check out the tree sculpture they have added in the outdoor seating area....it is pretty cool!
(4)Ray G.
The ultimate in fried seafood. Humongous portions of fried food. Clam chowder was good. This place is a local legend, due to it's old-style ambiance and huge, huge portions of fried fish. Everyone who visits the area should probably try it, but don't expect a culinary treat. A good value if you consider portion size versus cost.
(2)Rob R.
Hard to beat their lunch special, great fish.
(4)Joe S.
South side representing! Great fish, awesome outside seating, music fests, car shows, friendly staff, and amazing atmosphere. If you have not been here, you are missing out!
(4)Betty C.
I hadn't been here in about ten years, but all my Louisville friends talk about it like it's the end-all-be-all of seafood restaurants, so I decided to give it another shot during a recent visit. The location is great. It's on the river and you can sit outside under the trees. And yet, the location isn't great. It's out of the way and if you do sit outside, you're treated to muffler-free motorcycles driving past every six to nine minutes. The food is served in epic proportions. A fish plate has two large pieces of fried cod. The catfish plate has four large, yet thin, pieces of catfish. That being said, there's nothing outstanding about any of the fish or side items. I was there with fourteen others and we all shared items. There wasn't a single menu item that stood out as being the best thing at this restaurant. There's no point serving someone a gallon-bucket of French fries if the fries are inedible. Speaking of inedible, the hush puppies were the size of a baseball. The reason most places serve golf-ball size hush puppies is because the insides become dry and flavorless once fried if they are the size of a baseball. Instead of a tender morsel of onion and cornmeal, the hush puppies were large, dessicated spheres of dried meal that fell apart once you bit into them. The menu alerts you to a few nutty House Rules: no free refills after 3 PM, and absolutely no free refills no matter what time it is on Mother's Day and Father's Day. It shouldn't be a big problem, since most patrons are ordering booze, anyway. I didn't have to deal with the wait staff or standing in line, since one person in my group took care of all that. Overall, my visit was a big disappointment.
(2)Kent H.
Huge onion rings! I had to try them, but was severely disappointed. The blonde color should have warned me away. They were underdone, soggy, and the breading had no flavor. I also had a two piece fish plate. Being from Alaska, I asked what kind of fish it was, and was told that it was cod. Well, it was way overcooked and had no taste other than a hint of sweetness in the breading. I ended up eating one onion ring and throwing the rest away. I choked down one of the fish fillets and threw the other one in the trash. I may be a little harsh and snobbish, but if this is the best cod that Louisville can produce, I'll try catfish next time.
(2)Erin C.
I don't understand any of the hype about this place. Granted I live in the highlands and so I'm spoiled by the great restaurants around here it's hard to compare. I will enjoy some fried goodness every once in a while but this was fried with no goodness. It was so bland. Everything was bland. Server was very nice and attentive even though they were very busy. I can already feel the heartburn coming on and it was not worth it. I won't be back. There are many waaay better food options on Louisville. Why waste your time here?
(2)Kallie M.
Food took forever but was good. Here's a tip, please, keep your toothless waitress in the back and not waiting on people. She never even checked to ask if we wanted more drinks and then you people charge for refills??? F that. If this is your idea of fine dining, I'm scared.
(2)Ted W.
Will, 2nd time we have been. Here her good points. 1. Nice place to set outside. 2. Really nice portions of fish. Here are not so good points. 1. Waitress was extremely SLOW. Poor service. 2. Fries were only warm, not hot. Tasted like they had been sitting for awhile. 3. Two orders of fish, one tarter sauce. 4. Not much cold slaw for what I ordered. 5. Slow Slow getting order, totally unimpressed, slow to fill drinks. 6. But the waitress was in a hurry when it came time for us to pay bill (waitress was kind of heavy with blue hair). 7. Service and food was about the same as first time we went there. Frankly for all the stuff you hear about how great the place and food is, we once again were disappointed. Probably will not go back there.
(2)Grad S.
Great local place, it's seasonal. They do self-service or waitstaff seating. We did the self service, ordered as we walked in, chose our own outdoor seating. You walk up to the bar to get drinks and pay when they call your name for your food. Price was great for the portions. We got two beers for 7.50ish and paid $17 for a fish plate that came with two sides ($14ish) and added another side. The fish plate came with two HUGE pieces. We each made a sandwich and had fish leftover. The fish was crispy and fresh (not fishy tasting at all). Definitely child friendly, they have swings and a playground.
(4)Daryl's E.
Next time I go I'm just going to give someone a couple bucks for their leftovers. Ain't nobody finishing these plates of fish! They're huge! Oh, and save your quarters and pass on that old Gottlieb Cue Ball Wizard pinball. Shits boring! Get a beer though.
(3)Tony R.
My wife and I loved the fish and fries! The portions are BIG so we just share a 2 piece fish and fries cause they are so big. Great as always! Sitting outside and watching the kids play and motorcycles going by! Great atmosphere! You can have your favorite beverage no matter what it is.... It's like in your back yard with the family.
(5)Paul V.
I wish that I could give it negative stars. The service was slow and horrible. My group asked for refills on our drinks 3 times but the server was too busy to bring them until after we were done eating. Then we were told that an ice tea refills were $1 each. Who charges for refills in 2013?? And our food was cold when we got it. OH! And the bill for 5 people to eat cold food was almost 80 bucks. I wouldn't go back if the food was free. Paul Vest
(1)TJ N.
This place is a Louisville land mark and those bitching about price or wait times don't know there ass from a hole in the ground. So as a guy who's been coming here twenty plus years let me give you some advice. Friday and Saturdays on a beautiful day be prepared to wait. On these days DO NOT wait fir someone to wait on you. Order at the front, pay and find a place to sit. Enjoy the atmosphere and get some drinks. There is a drink shack in the middle and get your drinks there. THERE ARE NO FREE REFILLS! I will repeat NO FREE REFILLS but they are a dollar and they are big cups. When you order up front they ask for your name and they will announce it when it's ready for pick up. Use a funny name, it's tradition. Go inside get your food and this is the easiest way to get food. The portions are MASSIVE be prepared to take fish home and if you're not to full go over the flood wall to the river. Use to do it as a kid and was always fun. These are my helpful tips and if you're visiting this is the best way to have a fairly trouble free good time and you'll love to come back. Have a good one and don't order the crab cakes. Use to be hand made and delicious. They stopped hand making them and I'm still bitter! BRING EM BACK!
(5)Andy C.
Five stars. This place is a landmark for good reason. When it comes to fried seafood- this is what you want. A single fish sandwich will feed two grown men, but their variety of seafood options often leaves the fish behind. You could show up with 200 people without reservations and not come close to filling the place. Most of it is outside. You can walk to the river in 5 min while you wait for your food, or to walk off the amazing meal you just devoured. The inside of the place is like a small museum- filled with old photographs and many specimens of sea creatures. Also a good place to have a fun time while the kids keep themselves busy with all the swings and arcade games. Highly recommending giving this place a try- but only when it's warm outside!
(5)Melanie K.
As Southern as a singing Bass fish on your wall.... and about as delicious deep fried. Mike Linig's has a lot of great things: great bands, great location, great seating, great parking, and great big portions. However, Mike Linnig's has one to many items that are a little too fishy for my tastes. Although there is a large selection to seafood cuts and choices, don't expect to find any of it clear of deep fried beer batter. In addition the staff is pretty helpful, but are use to the large crowds so don't expect personal service. This may be a place for hanging out, but all food is served pretty much to go with even condiments prepackaged and plastic silverware. Oh and its CROWDED in the Summer, so be prepared to wait. To summarize, as much as I love that singing Bass fish, I think I'll still leave it and Mike Linnig's on the shelf when it comes to representing southern seafood.
(3)Lena R.
Everyone who has the pleasure of knowing me knows that "If there's great food to be found--I will find it!" Great food & Lena goes hand in hand, so when my sister-in-law wanted some fish one Sunday, of course I jumped on Yelp to do a search and Lo and Behold I found Mike Linnig's. Now I'm going to be honest, I could give this place 4-stars but we'll stick to 3 stars on a count of our long wait, the person I brought to this establishment wasn't happy with her food, and some of the food was a little to bland for my taste buds. My sister-in-law ordered catfish (which I do not like by the way), my husband ordered alligator, and I ordered a fish sandwich and onion rings. I apologize for not remembering what type of fish it was, but it was huge, a bit on the bland side, yet it had a great crunch. Of course I wanted to give this place a fair shot so I doust my fish in hot sauce and tartar sauce to give it some kind of flavor and decided to try everybody elses' food to see if I'd ever return. Needless to say, my husband's alligator was to die for! It almost taste as if it were only seasoned with salt and pepper but sometimes the less seasoning the better and in that case, it worked well. Although I am not sure what part of the alligator we were eating, it did not matter because it was truly delicious. So there you have it! I know I only gave this place 3-stars, but I highly recommend you try this place for the alligator plate alone! Not only is it worth trying because of the alligator dish, but I like the fact that there are tables outside for people who want to dine-in (or out for that matter). The food all comes on these huge gray trays and the food portions are out of this world. I do plan to return and I may even get fish again just to see if we just came on a bad day. Oh wait, before I forget, there is a playground and walking trail right in the back where the tables for dining are and I thought that was really cool because the kids could swing and play on the playground to run off their dinner. If I return, I will update this review. Do Enjoy & let me know what you think.
(3)Brian K.
I come to Lousiville for business occasionally but I always make a stop at Mike's. It's one of the better restaurants in KY.
(4)Teri W.
If you're looking for a fancy place don't come here. They serve their fish on paper plates and sandwich bread comes straight out of the loaf (although you do get a choice of white, wheat or rye). But the food here is hot, fresh and great. Before 3pm the lunch plate was more cod than I could finish, with one side and a big drink and their very own tartar sauce. Get extra tartar! The batter on the fried fish is light and just right. Homey place here with outdoor picnic tables, plenty of beer and parking. Nice wait staff. Bring the whole fam. Onion rings rock.
(4)Milly M.
One of the worst restaurants I have EVER been to! The people except our server was rude. The food was not good. The only food I had that was half decent was the hush puppies and the Cole slaw. The fish and shrimp were terrible. They had no taste but had some suspicious hard pieces and black stuff in them. The price was outrageous! I will never return!
(1)Ric W.
Ok I get it this place is an landmark, but I'm not crazy about it. The fish I will admit is fresh and made to order. Big piece of boneless fresh fish With a great crust and very tasty. The outdoor seating is a big hit makes it a great place large families and running into old friends. It also has a play area for kids. This place is always packed as locals have been coming here for years. But that where it stops. The sides always disappointing, almost always made hours ahead and taste old and stale. Never seen such a big institution nickel and dime you for almost everything. Want Extra bread is 20 cents, need some more tater for your fish 25 cent I'm sure if you want butter for your corn there would be a charge for that also. With the exception of the fish, this place is at best OK. Did I mention if you choose to have a waiter, then only she/he are the only ones allowed to help you. Asked for some bread from another waiter and he said sorry I can't get that for you, your waiter has to, but I will find her for you... Really, is bread and other items kept UNDER LOCK AND KEY here? Needless to say the bread came after the meal was finished, but they didn't forget to add it to the bill, should have left it as part of the tip for the service! The portions and outdoor seating are great, but the rest of this place is a little Fishy.
(3)Tony C.
I flew in from Florida to attend my uncles funeral. This was his favorite restaurant. We were a party of nine and arrived without a reservation. I was pretty skeptical about going to a seafood restaurant in Kentucky when I can get better in Florida. The fried catfish, hush puppies and cole slaw were made with perfection. Rest in peace Bobby C
(5)Cathy J.
I was in fried food heaven. We had gone here for my in-laws birthday and heard that it had one of the best seafood around. As we drove in, the place was packed...we waited in line to place our order before seating, the line looked long but it went by pretty fast. It had an interesting layout. They had a bunch of picnic style tables if you sat outside and they had indoor seating if you didn't want to sit outside. The service was great and efficient cause it was self serve. They called your order when it was ready and you had to stand at a different building to order your drink. If you have kids, they have several swing sets available to keep them occupied. They even had a path to the Ohio Levve and after your done eating and stuffed yourself you can go for a brisk walk down the beaten path. As far as the food goes, we ordered a Seafood Plate ($21.25) - It had 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet, 1 Jumbo Shrimp, 1 Frog Legs, 2 HUGE Hush Puppies, 1 Crab Cake, 5 small scallops, 1 Deep Fried Oyster, French Fries, Fish Chips... I think that's it on that and a Fish Plate ($11.85) - 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet with fries and 2 pieces of white bread. The fish was moist and tender and massively huge and the rest of the food was just as good. The only down side is too much breading cause all the food was breaded but hey that's what make fried food good. My brother-in-law ordered the alligator tail, fish chips, and turtle soup. I enjoyed the alligator tail, good seasoning but too much breading wish they had more meat to it. I wasn't too fond of the turtle soup. Not to keen on the texture and the flavor was a little bland for my taste. The Onion rings where massive and really good. This place was a great experience. Great to go on special occasions. As they say "Good food, large portions, affordable prices, and a casual and relaxed atmosphere."
(4)Doug V.
This is a local clasic that has been around since the 1920's and is a must if you are in the area. Everything is fried and huge. I was there with a coworker on a recent business trip and we ordered the seafood platter at lunch and split it. If you like fried food then you will like this place. It was all very good. The platter was one of the biggest plates of fried food I had ever seen. It also came with a fried frog leg(s) that was good. They have a great outside eating area that is very unique and that is the place to sit. The entire place is very unique with a lot of very intresting pictures and old photos of the owners over the years. It is not the best fried food or food in general in the world, but it is a must if you are in the area and the food is very very good.
(4)Malissa K.
Delicious! Best seafood around. I love shrimp and theirs is so plump & delicious! Catfish is great, too. Big hushpuppies. Just wish you could get free refills after 3pm... This place is best to visit in the summer, but it tends to get packed! They have a lot of outdoor seating, which goes quick! They have swings for the kiddos. You can also sit inside. They have an indoor area with no waiter service and an indoor area with waiter service. They are closed on Monday's and they shut down for the year sometime in November.
(4)Paul S.
Great food, if you leave hungry it's your fault.
(5)Giovanni Z.
This place is ridiculously terrible. I have 3 words to describe their food; Oily, oily and oily. I know, it's deep fried. But come on, I have had deep fried food that doesn't hold the oil like the food here. As far as their legacy, so what? McDonald's has a legacy too. If you want deep fried seafood, there are other places to go in Louisville. Fish House, The Fishery, Irish Rover, Moby Dick etc. As a side note. I will say that they beat Long John Silver's or Captain D's. Woop di frikin doo.
(1)Ray G.
Epic portions of sub mediocre deep fried seafood. I love the surroundings and the staff is friendly. Otherwise, I would have rated Mike Linnig's with 1 star. It's one of those places that I visit every decade, give or take, and remember why it's been so long since the previous visit.
(2)Big V S.
I had heard about this place for years, but never been. Now I can say I have eaten there. It was good, but doesn't rate on my All Time Faves list. The location and wait time take away from an otherwise decent meal for me. It is so far from everything that I would be hardpressed to say I'll be back soon. The food was good, but not worth the drive to me.
(3)Terri D.
Very busy place. Large portions of good seafood. In the summer they have a tent across the street with music and beer. Love sitting outdoors to eat when it's not too hit. Downside is they charge you for "sides" of tomatoes and onions!!
(3)Lisa L.
Pros: Don't come on a bike, you'll be taking part of it with you. HUGE portions. Food is consistantly adequate to good. Counter staff are friendly.. Fresh tomatoes and spring onions on the "sides" list. Cole slaw is really good. Al fresco seating. Cons. Go to the counter and do the "take a number" thing. Freindlier, more prompt service. Waitstaff are slow and sometimes rude. Outside can get nasty/messy on wknds from families and kids not picking up after themselves. Once saw a nasty diaper just laying wide open on the ground. Food is overpriced for what it is- even with the large portions and decent quality. They are prone to "nickel and dime" you for extra sauces, etc. Also, years ago, it was a "catch of the day" fresh fishmonger type cafe. That's what built its reputation. That is long gone. Fish are frozen from Sysco now. PS don't get the chix livers. WAY too much UNSEASONED breading, same with oysters.
(3)Erin M.
I love the fried fish and onion rings! You get very large portions 2 people could easily share 1 fish sandwich. We like to sit outside and let our daughter play after she eats. I only wish they offered free refills. Staff is helpful and polite.
(4)Howard G.
This used to be a great place for seafood; Over the past few years the quality of the food and the service have fallen significantly. On the last visit (this afternoon), I'm not sure whether it was the fish or the oil, but something was moderately rancid. The waiter (when he appeared at all, which was pretty rare) was unconcerned and totally useless. At this point, one is better served going a few miles down Dixie Highway to the Golden Coral. The fish is actually better there, there's much more selection and the prices are much more reasonable. Mike Linnig's was great in its time, but that time is, unfortunately, passed. RIP, and have the good sense to close the place before you actually poison someone with whatever rancid ingredients you are using.
(1)Lynn P.
When I think of great seafood in Louisville, Mike Linnig's automatically is on the list. My BF and I recently dined here. Now this isn't a place to expect any kind of luxuries. Foam plates and cups. The portions are very ample. Two could actually share a Fish platter. I tries a rolled oyster, and the fried shrimp. Both were very good. The shrimp tasted fresh and were large - jumbo in size. Improvements would be free drink refills (even after 3 pm), and a little better take out containers (you get aluminum foil and a paper bag). Be sure to check out the tree sculpture they have added in the outdoor seating area....it is pretty cool!
(4)Ray G.
The ultimate in fried seafood. Humongous portions of fried food. Clam chowder was good. This place is a local legend, due to it's old-style ambiance and huge, huge portions of fried fish. Everyone who visits the area should probably try it, but don't expect a culinary treat. A good value if you consider portion size versus cost.
(2)Rob R.
Hard to beat their lunch special, great fish.
(4)Joe S.
South side representing! Great fish, awesome outside seating, music fests, car shows, friendly staff, and amazing atmosphere. If you have not been here, you are missing out!
(4)Jim G.
This place is a Louisville classic if you love Southern-style fried fish and seafood. Mike Linnig's has some of the largest & tastiest onion rings around, plus delicious corn on the cob, and other credible sides. On our most recent visit on July 4, 2007, my friend and I ordered two fish sandwiches, corn on the cob, onion rings, a diet coke, and water. The portions were huge, we couldn't eat that much. The tab was just under $30.00.
(4)Erin O.
I never leave Louisville without eating here. It is the best. The fried fish sandwich is absolutely amazing.
(5)Michael M.
This place is the rave of the "South End" but personally it was not my kinda place to hang out and drink crappy beer. My food was ok the alligator I had was kinda greasy but i guess that is common. Had to try something new. How ever the people were friendly as were the servers. I did like that it kinda had a family feel. Though I thought it was a bit pricey even though you do get a good helping of what you order.
(3)Alison C.
I set out with my family to find this recommended place a few years ago on a Saturday evening. After hunting and hunting, we finally found it. It was difficult to find out how you were supposed to place an order (wending your way back through the smoky, crowded interior with the "locals" all staring at us); when we got our food, there was nowhere to sit and besides, the fish all tasted like it had been fried and then reheated. All in all, a disappointing experience. I was embarrassed I'd been so insistent about finding it. Maybe it was an off night, but I was never tempted to go back. :(
(2)dave w.
who doesn't like fried catfish? well, then, you've never had mike linnig's. when i was young, i remember thinking my dad was super fucking cool for knowing one of the sons of the original proprietor. now, i know he's cool for other reasons, but i still always love getting mike linnig's when i can.
(4)Liv S.
One of the top 5 restaurants I've ever been to, easily the best seafood. Awesome shrimp, insanely large hush puppies, and great wait staff. Our waiter, Grant, was a really nice old man who knew a lot about the place and even sent us home to Georgia with one of their menus. I'm headed up to Louisville for college next year, and I look forward to becoming a regular!
(5)Trey B.
it's gotten way too expensive for what you eat. Portions are big, but for how far you have to drive and what you pay, it just doesn't seem worth it anymore.
(2)Wes K.
Go to party not eat 3 stars for originality 1 star for food I like fried food, especially fish but this was terrible (cod? Def not catfish) My meal of fish/shrimp/fries was served hot and fast. The fish was 2 HUGE pieces. Too big to fry and have any flavor. In order to be palatable- I drenched in hot sauce/malt vinegar/& tarter combo. It was awful. Shrimp was mildly better, about what you'd expect from a fast food restaurant. I would not mind paying the price if food was better. On the upside-Great facility and really fun though
(2)Malvina C.
The local newspaper always gives this place great reviews, so we decided to try it. I don't get it. Great atmosphere, but the food was simply awful. Heavy, grease-laden breading, and all the seafood was overcooked. The clam strips were nearly inedible -- hard and chewy, and the last two I ate were gritty with sand.
(1)M. J. W.
I have to admit that one of my top 2 favorite foods is deep-fried chicken (the other being pork chops). When it comes to over-sized, tender and juicy freshly deep-fried chicken from the state that made it famous, I choose Linnig's. Hands down. Yes, it's out of the way and yes, it's best to visit in the summer months. But there's nothing more enjoyable than to sit near a river bed, drinking an iced cold Falls City Beer chowing down on a hot deep-fried chicken breast while your fries and catfish are soaking up the all the malt vinegar possible. It's the life for me.
(4)Michael M.
This place is the rave of the "South End" but personally it was not my kinda place to hang out and drink crappy beer. My food was ok the alligator I had was kinda greasy but i guess that is common. Had to try something new. How ever the people were friendly as were the servers. I did like that it kinda had a family feel. Though I thought it was a bit pricey even though you do get a good helping of what you order.
(3)Alison C.
I set out with my family to find this recommended place a few years ago on a Saturday evening. After hunting and hunting, we finally found it. It was difficult to find out how you were supposed to place an order (wending your way back through the smoky, crowded interior with the "locals" all staring at us); when we got our food, there was nowhere to sit and besides, the fish all tasted like it had been fried and then reheated. All in all, a disappointing experience. I was embarrassed I'd been so insistent about finding it. Maybe it was an off night, but I was never tempted to go back. :(
(2)dave w.
who doesn't like fried catfish? well, then, you've never had mike linnig's. when i was young, i remember thinking my dad was super fucking cool for knowing one of the sons of the original proprietor. now, i know he's cool for other reasons, but i still always love getting mike linnig's when i can.
(4)Cathy J.
I was in fried food heaven. We had gone here for my in-laws birthday and heard that it had one of the best seafood around. As we drove in, the place was packed...we waited in line to place our order before seating, the line looked long but it went by pretty fast. It had an interesting layout. They had a bunch of picnic style tables if you sat outside and they had indoor seating if you didn't want to sit outside. The service was great and efficient cause it was self serve. They called your order when it was ready and you had to stand at a different building to order your drink. If you have kids, they have several swing sets available to keep them occupied. They even had a path to the Ohio Levve and after your done eating and stuffed yourself you can go for a brisk walk down the beaten path. As far as the food goes, we ordered a Seafood Plate ($21.25) - It had 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet, 1 Jumbo Shrimp, 1 Frog Legs, 2 HUGE Hush Puppies, 1 Crab Cake, 5 small scallops, 1 Deep Fried Oyster, French Fries, Fish Chips... I think that's it on that and a Fish Plate ($11.85) - 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet with fries and 2 pieces of white bread. The fish was moist and tender and massively huge and the rest of the food was just as good. The only down side is too much breading cause all the food was breaded but hey that's what make fried food good. My brother-in-law ordered the alligator tail, fish chips, and turtle soup. I enjoyed the alligator tail, good seasoning but too much breading wish they had more meat to it. I wasn't too fond of the turtle soup. Not to keen on the texture and the flavor was a little bland for my taste. The Onion rings where massive and really good. This place was a great experience. Great to go on special occasions. As they say "Good food, large portions, affordable prices, and a casual and relaxed atmosphere."
(4)Doug V.
This is a local clasic that has been around since the 1920's and is a must if you are in the area. Everything is fried and huge. I was there with a coworker on a recent business trip and we ordered the seafood platter at lunch and split it. If you like fried food then you will like this place. It was all very good. The platter was one of the biggest plates of fried food I had ever seen. It also came with a fried frog leg(s) that was good. They have a great outside eating area that is very unique and that is the place to sit. The entire place is very unique with a lot of very intresting pictures and old photos of the owners over the years. It is not the best fried food or food in general in the world, but it is a must if you are in the area and the food is very very good.
(4)Malissa K.
Delicious! Best seafood around. I love shrimp and theirs is so plump & delicious! Catfish is great, too. Big hushpuppies. Just wish you could get free refills after 3pm... This place is best to visit in the summer, but it tends to get packed! They have a lot of outdoor seating, which goes quick! They have swings for the kiddos. You can also sit inside. They have an indoor area with no waiter service and an indoor area with waiter service. They are closed on Monday's and they shut down for the year sometime in November.
(4)Paul S.
Great food, if you leave hungry it's your fault.
(5)Dave R.
I get to Louisville every few months and heard this is the place to come for fried fish and other fried food. This place has a lot of history and has a huge patio area with picnic tables everywhere and room for any size group to enjoy a good time. The order process is a bit tedious since you need to wait in line and place your order and then wait for quite a while to hear your name called to the bar. They pile on the napkins, condiments, and of course the food and give you a flimsy little plastic fork but this is mainly finger food anyway. I chose to eat outside but they do have a good size indoor area too. I ordered the fish dinner and it came with 2 giant breaded filets about 10 inches by 5 inches each. It also had fries and cole slaw and your choice of bread slices under the whole mess. The fish was too hot to handle but tasted great with their homemade tarter sauce. Nice and flaky too. The other sides were just average. Aside from the huge filet size, I was not overly impressed but was certainly not hungry when I left. I would come back but only with others with healthy appetites to share the portions. Some cool items on the walls and a great wooden carved tree trunk on the patio. This was as much about the experience as the food.
(3)Ping P.
OMG. As good as fried gets. I am cali girl - and my fiance is a southern gent. On a recent trip to visit his fam in Louisville (our engagement trip) we went with said fam to Mike Linnigs. This is See-food at its' finest. See food and eat it! Nothing is bad on this menu, unless you have a heart problem or are skittish about amphibian legs. I personally love frog legs (a la sauteed in butter and garlic at Spengers..but I digress) I actually got my scatter on at Mike Linnigs! I ordered the fried shrimp and feasted witout saying a word to anyone except for some primal grunts of happiness The portions are generous, so go prepared to chow down! My soon to be mother-in-law ordered half a fried chicken. Good lawdy that was a teradactyl! Oh do not miss the onion rings. The only downside - the sauces - prepackaged. I would recommend going prepared with your own condiments. You can eat outside and I am sure they wouldn't mind if you brought your own tub of sauce or malt vinegar (not a southern thing by the way!) Great for big family gatherings outside - bring a nice tablecloth "a la pic nic" and do it up family style. You sooooo won't be sorry!
(5)Mr And Mrs G.
MR says.... MRS says.... we tried this place at the Kentucky State Fair. they had a tent with karaoke contest/bar. food portion was well enough for two. we ordered fried frog legs, fried scallops and catfish fillets. all of which was fried crispy yet tender and juicy inside. i wish they gave us malt vinegar which would have complimented the fish fillet better than the ketchup but overall food was good and you could say we got our share of comfort food :)
(3)Jim G.
This place is a Louisville classic if you love Southern-style fried fish and seafood. Mike Linnig's has some of the largest & tastiest onion rings around, plus delicious corn on the cob, and other credible sides. On our most recent visit on July 4, 2007, my friend and I ordered two fish sandwiches, corn on the cob, onion rings, a diet coke, and water. The portions were huge, we couldn't eat that much. The tab was just under $30.00.
(4)Erin O.
I never leave Louisville without eating here. It is the best. The fried fish sandwich is absolutely amazing.
(5)Liv S.
One of the top 5 restaurants I've ever been to, easily the best seafood. Awesome shrimp, insanely large hush puppies, and great wait staff. Our waiter, Grant, was a really nice old man who knew a lot about the place and even sent us home to Georgia with one of their menus. I'm headed up to Louisville for college next year, and I look forward to becoming a regular!
(5)Betty C.
I hadn't been here in about ten years, but all my Louisville friends talk about it like it's the end-all-be-all of seafood restaurants, so I decided to give it another shot during a recent visit. The location is great. It's on the river and you can sit outside under the trees. And yet, the location isn't great. It's out of the way and if you do sit outside, you're treated to muffler-free motorcycles driving past every six to nine minutes. The food is served in epic proportions. A fish plate has two large pieces of fried cod. The catfish plate has four large, yet thin, pieces of catfish. That being said, there's nothing outstanding about any of the fish or side items. I was there with fourteen others and we all shared items. There wasn't a single menu item that stood out as being the best thing at this restaurant. There's no point serving someone a gallon-bucket of French fries if the fries are inedible. Speaking of inedible, the hush puppies were the size of a baseball. The reason most places serve golf-ball size hush puppies is because the insides become dry and flavorless once fried if they are the size of a baseball. Instead of a tender morsel of onion and cornmeal, the hush puppies were large, dessicated spheres of dried meal that fell apart once you bit into them. The menu alerts you to a few nutty House Rules: no free refills after 3 PM, and absolutely no free refills no matter what time it is on Mother's Day and Father's Day. It shouldn't be a big problem, since most patrons are ordering booze, anyway. I didn't have to deal with the wait staff or standing in line, since one person in my group took care of all that. Overall, my visit was a big disappointment.
(2)Trey B.
it's gotten way too expensive for what you eat. Portions are big, but for how far you have to drive and what you pay, it just doesn't seem worth it anymore.
(2)Wes K.
Go to party not eat 3 stars for originality 1 star for food I like fried food, especially fish but this was terrible (cod? Def not catfish) My meal of fish/shrimp/fries was served hot and fast. The fish was 2 HUGE pieces. Too big to fry and have any flavor. In order to be palatable- I drenched in hot sauce/malt vinegar/& tarter combo. It was awful. Shrimp was mildly better, about what you'd expect from a fast food restaurant. I would not mind paying the price if food was better. On the upside-Great facility and really fun though
(2)Malvina C.
The local newspaper always gives this place great reviews, so we decided to try it. I don't get it. Great atmosphere, but the food was simply awful. Heavy, grease-laden breading, and all the seafood was overcooked. The clam strips were nearly inedible -- hard and chewy, and the last two I ate were gritty with sand.
(1)M. J. W.
I have to admit that one of my top 2 favorite foods is deep-fried chicken (the other being pork chops). When it comes to over-sized, tender and juicy freshly deep-fried chicken from the state that made it famous, I choose Linnig's. Hands down. Yes, it's out of the way and yes, it's best to visit in the summer months. But there's nothing more enjoyable than to sit near a river bed, drinking an iced cold Falls City Beer chowing down on a hot deep-fried chicken breast while your fries and catfish are soaking up the all the malt vinegar possible. It's the life for me.
(4)Mr And Mrs G.
MR says.... MRS says.... we tried this place at the Kentucky State Fair. they had a tent with karaoke contest/bar. food portion was well enough for two. we ordered fried frog legs, fried scallops and catfish fillets. all of which was fried crispy yet tender and juicy inside. i wish they gave us malt vinegar which would have complimented the fish fillet better than the ketchup but overall food was good and you could say we got our share of comfort food :)
(3)Troy W.
Such a cool place. When visiting, I feel like I've stepped back in time to an amusement park from yesteryear... back when those parks were all about picnic grounds under shady trees and the wildest rides were big swings fueled only by children laughing. Oh yeah, it's all about the atmosphere. 6 (ouf of 5!) stars for atmosphere... especially at night when strings of white lights illuminate from the trees above. This is a seasonal place. There is indoor seating, but if eating inside, the experience is... ordinary. Outside is the place to be. It can get crowded when the weather is nice, but with a large amount of concrete, picnic tables, the crowd is handled well. Oh yeah... the food. The menu is available online. It is sort of a "deluxe" fish fry assortment of food. I give the food 3 of 5 stars. It's good. Not great, but good. In summary, visit for the atmosphere, not the food. But by all means, have some food while you're here!
(4)Lee B.
I was in town with one of our salesmen who suggested he knew the owner and would like to make a "sales call" here. He said the place gets packed in the summer time though I was there in the winter- surprisingly there was still a nice crowd as they opened the restaurant. This is really great fried food. The fried fish (I believe I had cod) is was flaky and crisp. I also had your standard cole slaw and fries and a soda. It was one of those meals that just made me smile and say I wish I lived around a place like this- yet I only have been to one other- Rudy's in Oswego Ny. Mik Linnig's offered cheap, large portions and great service as well....
(5)Sarah H.
After not having been to Mike Linnigs in probably 10 years I got a craving for some good fried fish on a nice Sunday evening. The most important thing to note is that the portions are enormous. My husband and I were able to share one fish plate, and we are not small eaters. The fish plate comes with two huge pieces of fried cod, French fries,and cole slaw. The fish was perfectly cooked and the breading was flavorful. The fries were just average but the slaw was fantastic, maybe the best I've ever eaten. We did add an order of hush puppies because for me it just isn't a fish dinner without them and I was very surprised that for only to dollars and change there were 5 baseball sized hush puppies in the one order. For only about 21 dollars the two of us had a huge meal and even had a little left over. The outdoor dining area was also ust as nice as I remembered. The big concrete picnic tables under the very tall shade trees made for a very nice evening. The playground is also nice to keep the kiddos entertained while waiting for the food. Another thing to mention is that it was pretty busy with the weather being as pleasant as it was but we only waited about 15 minutes for our food which was nice. I definitely won't wait another ten years to come back!
(4)Tom G.
Love this Resturant!...Best Fish in town!...I recommend the fish plate you will be full!!!!...great prices!...
(5)Dave R.
I get to Louisville every few months and heard this is the place to come for fried fish and other fried food. This place has a lot of history and has a huge patio area with picnic tables everywhere and room for any size group to enjoy a good time. The order process is a bit tedious since you need to wait in line and place your order and then wait for quite a while to hear your name called to the bar. They pile on the napkins, condiments, and of course the food and give you a flimsy little plastic fork but this is mainly finger food anyway. I chose to eat outside but they do have a good size indoor area too. I ordered the fish dinner and it came with 2 giant breaded filets about 10 inches by 5 inches each. It also had fries and cole slaw and your choice of bread slices under the whole mess. The fish was too hot to handle but tasted great with their homemade tarter sauce. Nice and flaky too. The other sides were just average. Aside from the huge filet size, I was not overly impressed but was certainly not hungry when I left. I would come back but only with others with healthy appetites to share the portions. Some cool items on the walls and a great wooden carved tree trunk on the patio. This was as much about the experience as the food.
(3)Ping P.
OMG. As good as fried gets. I am cali girl - and my fiance is a southern gent. On a recent trip to visit his fam in Louisville (our engagement trip) we went with said fam to Mike Linnigs. This is See-food at its' finest. See food and eat it! Nothing is bad on this menu, unless you have a heart problem or are skittish about amphibian legs. I personally love frog legs (a la sauteed in butter and garlic at Spengers..but I digress) I actually got my scatter on at Mike Linnigs! I ordered the fried shrimp and feasted witout saying a word to anyone except for some primal grunts of happiness The portions are generous, so go prepared to chow down! My soon to be mother-in-law ordered half a fried chicken. Good lawdy that was a teradactyl! Oh do not miss the onion rings. The only downside - the sauces - prepackaged. I would recommend going prepared with your own condiments. You can eat outside and I am sure they wouldn't mind if you brought your own tub of sauce or malt vinegar (not a southern thing by the way!) Great for big family gatherings outside - bring a nice tablecloth "a la pic nic" and do it up family style. You sooooo won't be sorry!
(5)Megan R.
I hate to do it... I really do. Maybe it's me, but I simply don't understand this place. When you walk up, it's like you're walking onto a compound, not a restaurant. There are buildings and tables and umbrellas and bars and playgrounds and... it's just a lot to approach if you have never been before and don't know exactly what it is that you are doing or where it is that you are going. Personally, I walked up asking myself (and several others around me), "What is this place?" I went on a busy night, and it was lovely outside. We were with a group, so we sat outside at some of the picnic tables. Our servers were super friendly and personable. They called everyone "honey" and "babe", and though that could make some people uncomfortable, it just made my group feel welcomed, almost like we were eating with family. It seems as though there are many ways to order at Mike Linnig's. You can go up to a booth and put your order in with your name. (I've been told to give the employee a funny name because "it's tradition".) We ordered with our server. It was a bit of a cluster, though, because different servers brought out food to people from whom they did not take the order. We wound up getting the wrong food a few times and had to play a modified game of musical chairs so that everyone was eating at least something resembling what they ordered. When it comes to the actual food, others are right. HUGE portions. VERY oily. LOTS of fried seafood. If that's what you're going for - believe me, sometimes that kind of stuff hits the spot - then it's awesome. If you're looking for anything outside of that very specific type of cuisine, this place just isn't for you. It just wasn't for me. After we finished eating, we were able to walk down to the river. Again, it was lovely out, so that was a great way to finish the evening. Had it not been a pretty night, or had I not known about the proximity to the river, this saving grace would have never been an option to find. I don't know how much you can allow the river to improve your judgement of the restaurant/compound. It was a bonus, sure, but how much of that was attributed to Mike Linnig's? I really can't say. Try it if it's in your palate's wheelhouse of preference. If you're ready to travel out there and work your way through the evening, go for it. I'm sure regulars have the place and its processes down pat, but as a first-timer, I had no idea what was going on. To be honest, I still don't. The entire evening left me wondering, "What just happened?"
(2)Caitlin K.
Asked my SO (who is from Louisville) to take me to a real and local place and he succeeded! Loved the relaxed and open atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating. I got the catfish and the fish was great, perfectly cooked, although the fried breaking actually took a bit away from it. Good fries and good fish, just didn't love the super fried component.
(4)Amanda W.
So you cannot find a decent sea food in Midwest. This place is a great place if you love greasy food that would give you a heartburn afterwords. A big portion, a strange atmosphere. I get it to go whenever I order my food from here. I would not go after certain hours simply I hate to drive through Cane Run Road. I don't feel safe driving through...
(3)Bob H.
We waited an hour before we received our food. The fish was hot and very good. Our fries were cold and the onion rings that we paid $6.25 was also cold. If it would not have been heading for the airport i would have sent our lunch back
(3)JL Q.
I know everybody raves about this place and for some reason I've always felt the same. But as it goes without saying that our memories are usually better than we remember. First of all, this is fried food, so don't expect anything different, but there are some items on the menu that really stand out. Our friends ordered the pan fried oysters as a side dish and I wish I'd have ordered them as an entree because I would've liked them better. FANTASTIC is what they are. Very soft inside with a huge amount of oysters in each one. French fries were okay. Sorry to say I thought the onion rings were disappointing. No seasoning and most of the breading was falling off of them. THEN, we ordered the seafood platter to share. Please note, ML, that frogs legs are NOT seafood. It came with cod, shrimp, spicy fish bites which were ANYTHING but spicy, hush puppies, salmon and maybe one more item. It's certainly enough for 2 people but the cod wasn't the best pieces of fish. One was very thin so the frying turned it into shoe leather. We got a huge amount of food and our server, Monica, only gave us two cocktail sauces. REALLY??? So, go if you really must but I would lower your expectations, or go on a midweek day when it's not so crowded, if that's even possible.
(3)Sara T.
Some of the best fried fish in the Louisville area and a very unique eating experience. We ordered fish plates but I wish we'd just ordered one -- it was more than enough food to split. I will remember that next time. I loved that they let me swap hush puppies for the slaw. It was a little confusing figuring out their system because you order your food, pick up and pay for your food, and get drinks all in different places. The staff members we ran into were not very friendly or helpful but we watched other customers to figure out what to do. The atmosphere is really casual so it seemed like a good place to bring kids, even if they're rambunctious.
(4)Mike A.
A Louisville tradition. Every Time I'm in the area my car auto pilots to Mike's. Inside has is a cross between dive bar and cafeteria. My favorite is in nice weather to eat at the outside picnic tables. Vibe is a little on the beachy side and family reunion fused into one. Don't let the size of the place or randomness of the place overwhelm you. It's all part of the charm. Now let's discuss the fish. Not the best or worst I've had but somewhere in the middle. Fish is a little on the bland and over fried side but it's consistent. Best deal is lunch fish sandwich, fries and a drink.
(3)Caleb V.
Amazing catfish. Everything on the seafood platter is made perfectly. And by everything, I mean just that. Its my assumption that they take a plate, find whatever fish is hot, and pile it all on, along with fries until they can't see the plate anymore. If you leave here hungry, its your own fault. I come from Columbus Indiana, visited here a week or so after father's day. So much so that we're making the trip back down tomorrow. Not gonna eat anything all day until I get there so I can eat all the fish I possibly can, and still have some left over for lunch tomorrow.
(5)Jeff P.
In reading over the reviews of Mike Linnig's I noticed that most people either really like or really dislike this longtime seafood establishment. I would say that the many positive reviews and the negative reviews are both correct! That being said I really like going to this Louisville institution 3-4 times a season. It is relatively expensive but the portions are huge. The fish is often fried hard but that seems to be their style and most people like the taste of the fish. The service, or lack thereof, is part of the Mike Linnig's "atmosphere." It is not a fine dining experience. It is a unique "melting pot" of Louisville and the surrounding area. I think it's worth the drive for the fried fish, the outside eating experience, and a walk along the levee after your meal! It may not be everyone's favorite, but it's been around a very long time and is still going as strong as ever.
(3)Leann G.
Mike Linnigs has been around my entire life, I have always enjoyed the outdoor atmosphere. I am not a fish eater and always get the fried chicken (cut up). It is hit or miss with it though as there are times that it is just reheated from what seems to be the day before and what was left over. I was excited to go yesterday for the beginning of their season, but was very disappointed with my food. the chicken without doubt had been dropped back into the oil to heat, it was not hot, it was dry all the way through, it was probably the worst I have ever gotten there. it was around 4;00 and there was only about a dozen others in there. My dad and I both ask for the cut up chicken, he got the baked. Neither was cut up and the onion rings were cold and most likely a reheat too. As most of us locals talk about concerning Mikes, we really wish they would keep the quality of their food up better, everyone who lives in Louisville knows that towards the end of the season everything is saturated in an old grease taste, but now apparently there is going to be quality issues in the beginning as well. I hope they care that the locals talk about the quality vs the money you shell out as it is not a cheap place to eat.
(2)Tony C.
I flew in from Florida to attend my uncles funeral. This was his favorite restaurant. We were a party of nine and arrived without a reservation. I was pretty skeptical about going to a seafood restaurant in Kentucky when I can get better in Florida. The fried catfish, hush puppies and cole slaw were made with perfection. Rest in peace Bobby C
(5)Josh F.
So we pulled up red lobster on google maps. And ended up at this place. Looked cool from the outside but it was 94 outside and humid as heck Went in. We found a line that said wait to be seated. And the line ran in front of a door to the outside dining area. While in line we asked a person who worked there for a menu. She seemed annoyed we asked. Them shouted that they were at the bar we passed. Then she pushed past us to sit down at what appeared to be the only open table in the bar dining area. At that point i was done and we left. Smelled good. Just awful personnel and bad layout. We will not be back.
(1)Peg G.
After reading some of the comments on here I was skeptical, but we ended up loving it! Everyone in our party agreed it was the best fish sandwich we'd ever had. I can see how the whole set-up might be confusing to newbies, so here are some useful tips. 1. This place is not fancy, and neither is the food. It is not seafood like you might get at an upscale downtown place or even (gasp) Red Lobster. It is more like your favorite tavern, the old style one with good food. 2. Order the fried fish. It is true there's grilled fish and crab cakes and baked chicken and crab legs and all sorts of stuff on the menu, but fried fish is what they're famous for, and you'll just be swimming against the current. Don't be high maintenance! If what you want is something else, go someplace else. Oh alright. Fried shrimp is allowed, too. 3. When you get there, grab a menu from the stand near the entrance and stake out a table. Sit in the shade and read the menu. Grab drinks from the outside bar. RELAX. 4. When you're ready to order, mosey up to the stand and place your order. Give them your own name! Yes, they do have waitresses but why? Why? Why? Unless you need help carrying your tray, self-service is the way to go. 5. Your food--unbelievable amounts--will be ready after they're done cooking it to order. They'll call your name over the speakers and you can pick it up inside. That's when you pay. Don't forget to grab your condiments at the same time! Meanwhile, avail yourself of the swing set and slides (kidding!). Have another drink. I can vouch for the iced tea. 6. When they call your name, go get your food. This system may seem strange, but once you've done it, you'll see the beauty of it. There's great freedom in being able to pick your own table and even move around. Need a drink? Don't wait for a waiter....go get one! No more bickering about who had the up charge bleu cheese in a large party....or who gets the check. Sit and visit as long as you want: you won't be putting anyone out. And when you want to leave, just stand up and walk out: you've already paid! No flagging down your server or dividing up the check, no scrambling for a tip. Seriously, it works a charm if you realize that what this really is, is a self-service place with beer. Huge portions, relaxing atmosphere, amazing prices. Since we served ourselves, the tip was negligible too.... Just threw a couple bucks in the jar when we picked up the food. Other yelpers have complained that they're charged for extra slices of bread, tartar sauce etc. if they'd stop to think about it, they'd see why. First, prices are cheap for the quantity. Lots of people share as it is. If they gave away bread, everyone would be making two fish sandwiches and paying for one. When prices are cheap for the quantity given, it doesn't pay to gripe about 20 cents. Also, it's self serve: if bread and tartar were free, people would just steal it. If you want all that stuff to be free, they're going to have to raise prices or decrease portion sizes. Did I mention that it's lovely under these mature oaks on a hot day? And it's very clean: employees were bleaching off the tables. Their displayed board of health grade is "A."
(5)Norman G.
In town for a visit and went to Mike's for a family gathering. It has been a very long time since my last visit. Mike's Is mostly outdoor seating so make sure the weather is right for you. Today was hot but for us it was a part of the experience. Sitting outside and having lunch with family. I ordered the frog legs, something I haven't had in a while. The large portion of legs were very good. Not overly breaded and deep fried just right. The legs were juicy and flavorful. It was a great day at a Louisville landmark.
(3)Joseph T.
Overrated. I've been coming here for years. I live relatively close to it. Don't get me wrong - the food is decent to good, but nothing will blow your doors off. I sometimes find the fish to be overcooked and fried too hard. But when cooked right, it is pretty good. The main thing going for this place is the atmosphere. It's a great place if you have kids and they want to play. On a nice evening, it's wonderful to sit outside and even go for a walk on the other side of the flood wall. Overall, it's overrated and expensive. I would rate Mike Linnig's as "OK." Mark's Feed Store has better fish.
(3)Meela L.
Okay, I have been wanting to go there and finally we did. The restaurant has nice and relaxing areas with lots of trees. But I was not impressed by the food at all. Everything was fried, which is fine if seasoned enough. The food was bland, no taste. I had to put lots of tartar sauce. The frog legs were big yet once again tasteless as if they just battered frozen frog legs without seasoning them. The breading was thick and had no flavor. Not happy....
(2)Emily B.
Love this place !!! My family and I always love going to this place. Great food and great service !!! Also I love the outside dinning one of my favorite things about this restaurant. Love how they have swings and slides for children , great restaurant for a family !!!
(5)Amy L.
For what it is, this place is great. Awesome fried food (fish is key), friendly service, enthusiasm of customer base. I thought it was a fun experience and if I were craving fried food in the future, I'd definitely go here again. You also get great bang for your buck sharing a plate or platter with a group of friends!
(4)Matt M.
Huge shrimp, that were delicious. Great kids area. Perfect for a sunny day. Got lucky and a car show was going on across the street. We will be back!
(5)Missy H.
Dined here last night for the first time in a few years. It was just as good as I remember! If you're a fish lover, the famous fish sandwich cannot be beat! HUGE portion that is truly large enough for two people to share. Do not pass on the hushpuppies!! 5 large ones in an order and absolutely divine. Tried the jalapeño cornbread for the first time and it was very yummy. I highly recommend dining outside to avoid the lingering smell of oil inside. Plus, it's self seating and you have the option to have a waitress or order at the stand. It's typically quicker to order on your own and they just call your name out on the speaker when it's ready. Very efficient and everything was piping hot. They seem to run like a well-oiled machine (pun intended). Fun family place. After eating, walk off your meal by taking a stroll down to the river bank. Its a gorgeous view.
(4)Victoria T.
We were a party of about fifteen people celebrating the birth of one of us back before the advent of cell phones and Yelp. Because at least one of us is smarter than the average bear, we reserved one of those outbuildings situated by the playground. I'm very, very glad that we did because the main dining area was a full-on, brutal cluster fuck. There were people milling around in circles at the door, lines snaking up and down the narrow corridor, the odd mouth-breathing Neanderthal brandishing a bottle of Budweiser, and every obnoxious snot nosed heathen under twelve years old screeching like little gibbons in there. I did not enjoy the atmosphere. It made me want to throat punch someone. The little hut that we were dining in was quieter. It was like a picnic inside someone's garage, though. The furnishings included one long table and a plethora of folding chairs. That's really all we needed. They were mostly clean. Our waitress was very nice, if a bit harried and overwhelmed. She did manage to keep all of the checks in order so she gets bonus points for that, as well. The wait for drink refills and the like was pretty minimal. The service was just peachy. Everyone seemed to love that deep fried mystery fish. It's just listed as "fish" on the menu. No one at our table could tell me what species it was so I decided on the Grilled Salmon with a "Combo Salad" and Macaroni & Cheese. This was a mistake. The salmon was dry. There were no grill marks anywhere near it. It made me sad. The macaroni and cheese was a very weird shade of orange. I call it Chernobyl orange. The salad was pre-made but of decent quality so I ate that. I stole one of Sexy Beast's Hush Puppies. It was delicious. Sexy Beast ordered the Fish Plate with Fries and Cole Slaw. He was happy with his mountain of mystery fish. He gave me his slaw. It was pretty good. He ordered Onion Rings for sharing but no one seemed to want any after the first bite. They were a bit greasy and flavorless. Spawn A ordered the Fish Sandwich and the soup of the day (Gumbalaya or some other made up name) and he enjoyed his meal. Spawn B ordered the Alligator and ate all of it. He was sad when the last bite left his plate. So, the mistake was mine, really. I should have ordered what everyone comes here for - Deep Fried Mystery Fish. I'll know better next time.
(3)Amanda W.
So you cannot find a decent sea food in Midwest. This place is a great place if you love greasy food that would give you a heartburn afterwords. A big portion, a strange atmosphere. I get it to go whenever I order my food from here. I would not go after certain hours simply I hate to drive through Cane Run Road. I don't feel safe driving through...
(3)Bob H.
We waited an hour before we received our food. The fish was hot and very good. Our fries were cold and the onion rings that we paid $6.25 was also cold. If it would not have been heading for the airport i would have sent our lunch back
(3)Rob S.
Decent but not great. LONG waits on Saturdays 90 minutes for cold food and staff with attitudes. Portions are large but so are some of the prices. Too many other seafood places to put up with this. I think the busy weekends have tainted some of the staff, you still have to be polite.
(2)Joseph L.
First off I am the type of guy who takes the bad reviews of others with a grain of salt because most people today are giving bad reviews if there isn't someone right there following them around with a roll of toilet paper wiping their butts at every turn. However after my experience I can tell you the bad reviews on here besides my own are 100% accurate. I am about as easy to please at it gets. After 8 years in the Army, as long as what I am eating is somewhat presentable, the heads cut off and it half way tastes good you have my vote. So believe me when I say you can take this review to the bank and cash it. Went here the Wednesday after Memorial Day at 5 pm and IMO it was unusually busy for this time of day esp. being in the middle of the week. Not off the chain stupid busy but way busier than I thought they should have been. We waited about 30 minutes to be seated, again way too long for a Wednesday at 5 pm. The indoor full-service dining area is extremely cramped and the way their tables are set up the seats around the table are literally only a quarter inch apart if that. So if all the chairs were occupied at the table you would literally be touching elbows to those sitting on either side of you. Before we sat down we had to make room for a wheelchair, and speaking of that this place barely, if at all meets the bare-bones minimum requirements for being handicapped accessible. Once we were seated we ordered soft drinks and a couple of apps that came out fast enough. After the apps is when it all went downhill from there. It took us LITERALLY a whole TWO HOURS...you heard me right....TWO HOURS to get the rest of our food. There were 5 in our group and when the food did finally arrive allot of it was lukewarm or cold. My order was messed up and went back to the kitchen and didn't get it back until 10 minutes later. At this point I'm fairly fired up. The portions are large and the fish is good, but was in no way worth all the trouble and the waiting we had to endure to get it. Did I mention this place is extremely overpriced? For me, my wife and my daughter my bill was $76.10. Add the $15.00 tip that came to a little over $91.00. That's right...91 bucks for fried food that in all actuality is no better than Moby Dicks or the Fish House down off Baxter Ave. The Fish house is 10 times better and much more affordable. To sum it all up, and if you haven't listened to a word I have said so far hear me now. I don't care what any mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging local yokel tells you about how great this place is, Mike Lennigs always has been and always will be nothing more...I repeat NOTHING more than a glorified Moby Dicks...period, end of story. But hey, don't take my word for it, go experience it for yourself. But when you walk out of that joint with the $91.00 kick in the bawlz like I got...don't say ol' Joe didn't tell you so...because I told you so!
(1)Sean M.
FISH EXPLOSION. From sea to face. Mike Linnig's is just a middleman. The girlfriend and I arrived around 6 on a Saturday night and were told there was a 45 minute wait for our food. We were prepared for this and knew it would be packed. Our name is called. Sweet fried fish Valhalla, I'm coming. Yes Odin, I'll have a generous order of fried fish, shrimp, frog legs, pan-fried oysters, turtle soup, chicken and onion rings. The fork and spoon are my bloodaxes. Regale in the outrageous portions. Eat half. Food coma. Procede to funeral pyre.
(4)Sabrina S.
I am not a fan of this place they are way over priced and everything is fried. To me the batter has no flavor which is not good if you use it for everything. Onion rings were about the best thing on the menu and the atmosphere is pretty dang cool.
(1)Megan R.
I hate to do it... I really do. Maybe it's me, but I simply don't understand this place. When you walk up, it's like you're walking onto a compound, not a restaurant. There are buildings and tables and umbrellas and bars and playgrounds and... it's just a lot to approach if you have never been before and don't know exactly what it is that you are doing or where it is that you are going. Personally, I walked up asking myself (and several others around me), "What is this place?" I went on a busy night, and it was lovely outside. We were with a group, so we sat outside at some of the picnic tables. Our servers were super friendly and personable. They called everyone "honey" and "babe", and though that could make some people uncomfortable, it just made my group feel welcomed, almost like we were eating with family. It seems as though there are many ways to order at Mike Linnig's. You can go up to a booth and put your order in with your name. (I've been told to give the employee a funny name because "it's tradition".) We ordered with our server. It was a bit of a cluster, though, because different servers brought out food to people from whom they did not take the order. We wound up getting the wrong food a few times and had to play a modified game of musical chairs so that everyone was eating at least something resembling what they ordered. When it comes to the actual food, others are right. HUGE portions. VERY oily. LOTS of fried seafood. If that's what you're going for - believe me, sometimes that kind of stuff hits the spot - then it's awesome. If you're looking for anything outside of that very specific type of cuisine, this place just isn't for you. It just wasn't for me. After we finished eating, we were able to walk down to the river. Again, it was lovely out, so that was a great way to finish the evening. Had it not been a pretty night, or had I not known about the proximity to the river, this saving grace would have never been an option to find. I don't know how much you can allow the river to improve your judgement of the restaurant/compound. It was a bonus, sure, but how much of that was attributed to Mike Linnig's? I really can't say. Try it if it's in your palate's wheelhouse of preference. If you're ready to travel out there and work your way through the evening, go for it. I'm sure regulars have the place and its processes down pat, but as a first-timer, I had no idea what was going on. To be honest, I still don't. The entire evening left me wondering, "What just happened?"
(2)Caitlin K.
Asked my SO (who is from Louisville) to take me to a real and local place and he succeeded! Loved the relaxed and open atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating. I got the catfish and the fish was great, perfectly cooked, although the fried breaking actually took a bit away from it. Good fries and good fish, just didn't love the super fried component.
(4)Rob S.
Decent but not great. LONG waits on Saturdays 90 minutes for cold food and staff with attitudes. Portions are large but so are some of the prices. Too many other seafood places to put up with this. I think the busy weekends have tainted some of the staff, you still have to be polite.
(2)Missy H.
Dined here last night for the first time in a few years. It was just as good as I remember! If you're a fish lover, the famous fish sandwich cannot be beat! HUGE portion that is truly large enough for two people to share. Do not pass on the hushpuppies!! 5 large ones in an order and absolutely divine. Tried the jalapeño cornbread for the first time and it was very yummy. I highly recommend dining outside to avoid the lingering smell of oil inside. Plus, it's self seating and you have the option to have a waitress or order at the stand. It's typically quicker to order on your own and they just call your name out on the speaker when it's ready. Very efficient and everything was piping hot. They seem to run like a well-oiled machine (pun intended). Fun family place. After eating, walk off your meal by taking a stroll down to the river bank. Its a gorgeous view.
(4)Kent H.
Huge onion rings! I had to try them, but was severely disappointed. The blonde color should have warned me away. They were underdone, soggy, and the breading had no flavor. I also had a two piece fish plate. Being from Alaska, I asked what kind of fish it was, and was told that it was cod. Well, it was way overcooked and had no taste other than a hint of sweetness in the breading. I ended up eating one onion ring and throwing the rest away. I choked down one of the fish fillets and threw the other one in the trash. I may be a little harsh and snobbish, but if this is the best cod that Louisville can produce, I'll try catfish next time.
(2)Big V S.
I had heard about this place for years, but never been. Now I can say I have eaten there. It was good, but doesn't rate on my All Time Faves list. The location and wait time take away from an otherwise decent meal for me. It is so far from everything that I would be hardpressed to say I'll be back soon. The food was good, but not worth the drive to me.
(3)Terri D.
Very busy place. Large portions of good seafood. In the summer they have a tent across the street with music and beer. Love sitting outdoors to eat when it's not too hit. Downside is they charge you for "sides" of tomatoes and onions!!
(3)Leann G.
Mike Linnigs has been around my entire life, I have always enjoyed the outdoor atmosphere. I am not a fish eater and always get the fried chicken (cut up). It is hit or miss with it though as there are times that it is just reheated from what seems to be the day before and what was left over. I was excited to go yesterday for the beginning of their season, but was very disappointed with my food. the chicken without doubt had been dropped back into the oil to heat, it was not hot, it was dry all the way through, it was probably the worst I have ever gotten there. it was around 4;00 and there was only about a dozen others in there. My dad and I both ask for the cut up chicken, he got the baked. Neither was cut up and the onion rings were cold and most likely a reheat too. As most of us locals talk about concerning Mikes, we really wish they would keep the quality of their food up better, everyone who lives in Louisville knows that towards the end of the season everything is saturated in an old grease taste, but now apparently there is going to be quality issues in the beginning as well. I hope they care that the locals talk about the quality vs the money you shell out as it is not a cheap place to eat.
(2)Kallie M.
Food took forever but was good. Here's a tip, please, keep your toothless waitress in the back and not waiting on people. She never even checked to ask if we wanted more drinks and then you people charge for refills??? F that. If this is your idea of fine dining, I'm scared.
(2)Ted W.
Will, 2nd time we have been. Here her good points. 1. Nice place to set outside. 2. Really nice portions of fish. Here are not so good points. 1. Waitress was extremely SLOW. Poor service. 2. Fries were only warm, not hot. Tasted like they had been sitting for awhile. 3. Two orders of fish, one tarter sauce. 4. Not much cold slaw for what I ordered. 5. Slow Slow getting order, totally unimpressed, slow to fill drinks. 6. But the waitress was in a hurry when it came time for us to pay bill (waitress was kind of heavy with blue hair). 7. Service and food was about the same as first time we went there. Frankly for all the stuff you hear about how great the place and food is, we once again were disappointed. Probably will not go back there.
(2)TJ N.
This place is a Louisville land mark and those bitching about price or wait times don't know there ass from a hole in the ground. So as a guy who's been coming here twenty plus years let me give you some advice. Friday and Saturdays on a beautiful day be prepared to wait. On these days DO NOT wait fir someone to wait on you. Order at the front, pay and find a place to sit. Enjoy the atmosphere and get some drinks. There is a drink shack in the middle and get your drinks there. THERE ARE NO FREE REFILLS! I will repeat NO FREE REFILLS but they are a dollar and they are big cups. When you order up front they ask for your name and they will announce it when it's ready for pick up. Use a funny name, it's tradition. Go inside get your food and this is the easiest way to get food. The portions are MASSIVE be prepared to take fish home and if you're not to full go over the flood wall to the river. Use to do it as a kid and was always fun. These are my helpful tips and if you're visiting this is the best way to have a fairly trouble free good time and you'll love to come back. Have a good one and don't order the crab cakes. Use to be hand made and delicious. They stopped hand making them and I'm still bitter! BRING EM BACK!
(5)Andy C.
Five stars. This place is a landmark for good reason. When it comes to fried seafood- this is what you want. A single fish sandwich will feed two grown men, but their variety of seafood options often leaves the fish behind. You could show up with 200 people without reservations and not come close to filling the place. Most of it is outside. You can walk to the river in 5 min while you wait for your food, or to walk off the amazing meal you just devoured. The inside of the place is like a small museum- filled with old photographs and many specimens of sea creatures. Also a good place to have a fun time while the kids keep themselves busy with all the swings and arcade games. Highly recommending giving this place a try- but only when it's warm outside!
(5)Lisa L.
Pros: Don't come on a bike, you'll be taking part of it with you. HUGE portions. Food is consistantly adequate to good. Counter staff are friendly.. Fresh tomatoes and spring onions on the "sides" list. Cole slaw is really good. Al fresco seating. Cons. Go to the counter and do the "take a number" thing. Freindlier, more prompt service. Waitstaff are slow and sometimes rude. Outside can get nasty/messy on wknds from families and kids not picking up after themselves. Once saw a nasty diaper just laying wide open on the ground. Food is overpriced for what it is- even with the large portions and decent quality. They are prone to "nickel and dime" you for extra sauces, etc. Also, years ago, it was a "catch of the day" fresh fishmonger type cafe. That's what built its reputation. That is long gone. Fish are frozen from Sysco now. PS don't get the chix livers. WAY too much UNSEASONED breading, same with oysters.
(3)Erin M.
I love the fried fish and onion rings! You get very large portions 2 people could easily share 1 fish sandwich. We like to sit outside and let our daughter play after she eats. I only wish they offered free refills. Staff is helpful and polite.
(4)Howard G.
This used to be a great place for seafood; Over the past few years the quality of the food and the service have fallen significantly. On the last visit (this afternoon), I'm not sure whether it was the fish or the oil, but something was moderately rancid. The waiter (when he appeared at all, which was pretty rare) was unconcerned and totally useless. At this point, one is better served going a few miles down Dixie Highway to the Golden Coral. The fish is actually better there, there's much more selection and the prices are much more reasonable. Mike Linnig's was great in its time, but that time is, unfortunately, passed. RIP, and have the good sense to close the place before you actually poison someone with whatever rancid ingredients you are using.
(1)Lynn P.
When I think of great seafood in Louisville, Mike Linnig's automatically is on the list. My BF and I recently dined here. Now this isn't a place to expect any kind of luxuries. Foam plates and cups. The portions are very ample. Two could actually share a Fish platter. I tries a rolled oyster, and the fried shrimp. Both were very good. The shrimp tasted fresh and were large - jumbo in size. Improvements would be free drink refills (even after 3 pm), and a little better take out containers (you get aluminum foil and a paper bag). Be sure to check out the tree sculpture they have added in the outdoor seating area....it is pretty cool!
(4)Sabrina S.
I am not a fan of this place they are way over priced and everything is fried. To me the batter has no flavor which is not good if you use it for everything. Onion rings were about the best thing on the menu and the atmosphere is pretty dang cool.
(1)Tony C.
I flew in from Florida to attend my uncles funeral. This was his favorite restaurant. We were a party of nine and arrived without a reservation. I was pretty skeptical about going to a seafood restaurant in Kentucky when I can get better in Florida. The fried catfish, hush puppies and cole slaw were made with perfection. Rest in peace Bobby C
(5)Grad S.
Great local place, it's seasonal. They do self-service or waitstaff seating. We did the self service, ordered as we walked in, chose our own outdoor seating. You walk up to the bar to get drinks and pay when they call your name for your food. Price was great for the portions. We got two beers for 7.50ish and paid $17 for a fish plate that came with two sides ($14ish) and added another side. The fish plate came with two HUGE pieces. We each made a sandwich and had fish leftover. The fish was crispy and fresh (not fishy tasting at all). Definitely child friendly, they have swings and a playground.
(4)Daryl's E.
Next time I go I'm just going to give someone a couple bucks for their leftovers. Ain't nobody finishing these plates of fish! They're huge! Oh, and save your quarters and pass on that old Gottlieb Cue Ball Wizard pinball. Shits boring! Get a beer though.
(3)Ric W.
Ok I get it this place is an landmark, but I'm not crazy about it. The fish I will admit is fresh and made to order. Big piece of boneless fresh fish With a great crust and very tasty. The outdoor seating is a big hit makes it a great place large families and running into old friends. It also has a play area for kids. This place is always packed as locals have been coming here for years. But that where it stops. The sides always disappointing, almost always made hours ahead and taste old and stale. Never seen such a big institution nickel and dime you for almost everything. Want Extra bread is 20 cents, need some more tater for your fish 25 cent I'm sure if you want butter for your corn there would be a charge for that also. With the exception of the fish, this place is at best OK. Did I mention if you choose to have a waiter, then only she/he are the only ones allowed to help you. Asked for some bread from another waiter and he said sorry I can't get that for you, your waiter has to, but I will find her for you... Really, is bread and other items kept UNDER LOCK AND KEY here? Needless to say the bread came after the meal was finished, but they didn't forget to add it to the bill, should have left it as part of the tip for the service! The portions and outdoor seating are great, but the rest of this place is a little Fishy.
(3)Paul V.
I wish that I could give it negative stars. The service was slow and horrible. My group asked for refills on our drinks 3 times but the server was too busy to bring them until after we were done eating. Then we were told that an ice tea refills were $1 each. Who charges for refills in 2013?? And our food was cold when we got it. OH! And the bill for 5 people to eat cold food was almost 80 bucks. I wouldn't go back if the food was free. Paul Vest
(1)Lena R.
Everyone who has the pleasure of knowing me knows that "If there's great food to be found--I will find it!" Great food & Lena goes hand in hand, so when my sister-in-law wanted some fish one Sunday, of course I jumped on Yelp to do a search and Lo and Behold I found Mike Linnig's. Now I'm going to be honest, I could give this place 4-stars but we'll stick to 3 stars on a count of our long wait, the person I brought to this establishment wasn't happy with her food, and some of the food was a little to bland for my taste buds. My sister-in-law ordered catfish (which I do not like by the way), my husband ordered alligator, and I ordered a fish sandwich and onion rings. I apologize for not remembering what type of fish it was, but it was huge, a bit on the bland side, yet it had a great crunch. Of course I wanted to give this place a fair shot so I doust my fish in hot sauce and tartar sauce to give it some kind of flavor and decided to try everybody elses' food to see if I'd ever return. Needless to say, my husband's alligator was to die for! It almost taste as if it were only seasoned with salt and pepper but sometimes the less seasoning the better and in that case, it worked well. Although I am not sure what part of the alligator we were eating, it did not matter because it was truly delicious. So there you have it! I know I only gave this place 3-stars, but I highly recommend you try this place for the alligator plate alone! Not only is it worth trying because of the alligator dish, but I like the fact that there are tables outside for people who want to dine-in (or out for that matter). The food all comes on these huge gray trays and the food portions are out of this world. I do plan to return and I may even get fish again just to see if we just came on a bad day. Oh wait, before I forget, there is a playground and walking trail right in the back where the tables for dining are and I thought that was really cool because the kids could swing and play on the playground to run off their dinner. If I return, I will update this review. Do Enjoy & let me know what you think.
(3)Brian K.
I come to Lousiville for business occasionally but I always make a stop at Mike's. It's one of the better restaurants in KY.
(4)Leigh V.
My parents always rode their motorcyles to Mike Linning's weekly for their fish sandwiches. Nick constantly goes with his work family for lunch and raves about the food portions and fish sandwiches. So, I had been dying to try the place for a long time. We finally had the chance to try Mike Linnig's several weeks ago during a car show. Nick was right about the portions. The two of us should have spilt a fish sandwich and onion rings, but we decided to go all out and each have their own. We tried the fish sandwich on rye bread with onion rings, coleslaw and alligator. I personally have never had alligator before and probably should have my first experience with the food in a state that is not land locked. However, the alligator was tasty and crisp. I loved it, and no, it does not taste like chicken. Having nothing to compare it to though, but I would still order it again at Mike Linnig's. The fish sandwich was good, but I have had better. BUT, it is the best fish sandwich I have had thus far in Louisville. Everyone raves about the onion rings here. Everyone is right. Most onion rings are overly greasy and fall apart on you quickly. Either the breading comes off or you end up eating the entire onion in your first bite. These were as close to perfection as you can get. I didn't have to use a napkin to take the grease off my hands every time I picked on up. The rings stayed together and were actually not bad the next day when we ate them. (Nick and I took home one fish sandwich and onion rings - enough food leftover for us to eat again.) The coleslaw was on par; I would try a different side next time...maybe the frog legs! The atmosphere outside was good. There was more than enough seating for everyone outside on picnic tables, several outside bar areas for your drinks and lots of things to explore including swings for an after dinner playground. The patio was massive, and I can see why my parents enjoy going there so often after a long motorcycle ride. While the food was good and portions large, I feel like it was a little too pricey. It was a little over 50$ for 2 sodas, 2 fish sandwiches with a side and alligator. While we were able to get 4 meals out of it, it stills puts that at over $10/per meal. I enjoyed the food and car show and will go back there again just for the onion rings.
(3)Josh F.
So we pulled up red lobster on google maps. And ended up at this place. Looked cool from the outside but it was 94 outside and humid as heck Went in. We found a line that said wait to be seated. And the line ran in front of a door to the outside dining area. While in line we asked a person who worked there for a menu. She seemed annoyed we asked. Them shouted that they were at the bar we passed. Then she pushed past us to sit down at what appeared to be the only open table in the bar dining area. At that point i was done and we left. Smelled good. Just awful personnel and bad layout. We will not be back.
(1)Norman G.
In town for a visit and went to Mike's for a family gathering. It has been a very long time since my last visit. Mike's Is mostly outdoor seating so make sure the weather is right for you. Today was hot but for us it was a part of the experience. Sitting outside and having lunch with family. I ordered the frog legs, something I haven't had in a while. The large portion of legs were very good. Not overly breaded and deep fried just right. The legs were juicy and flavorful. It was a great day at a Louisville landmark.
(3)Victoria T.
We were a party of about fifteen people celebrating the birth of one of us back before the advent of cell phones and Yelp. Because at least one of us is smarter than the average bear, we reserved one of those outbuildings situated by the playground. I'm very, very glad that we did because the main dining area was a full-on, brutal cluster fuck. There were people milling around in circles at the door, lines snaking up and down the narrow corridor, the odd mouth-breathing Neanderthal brandishing a bottle of Budweiser, and every obnoxious snot nosed heathen under twelve years old screeching like little gibbons in there. I did not enjoy the atmosphere. It made me want to throat punch someone. The little hut that we were dining in was quieter. It was like a picnic inside someone's garage, though. The furnishings included one long table and a plethora of folding chairs. That's really all we needed. They were mostly clean. Our waitress was very nice, if a bit harried and overwhelmed. She did manage to keep all of the checks in order so she gets bonus points for that, as well. The wait for drink refills and the like was pretty minimal. The service was just peachy. Everyone seemed to love that deep fried mystery fish. It's just listed as "fish" on the menu. No one at our table could tell me what species it was so I decided on the Grilled Salmon with a "Combo Salad" and Macaroni & Cheese. This was a mistake. The salmon was dry. There were no grill marks anywhere near it. It made me sad. The macaroni and cheese was a very weird shade of orange. I call it Chernobyl orange. The salad was pre-made but of decent quality so I ate that. I stole one of Sexy Beast's Hush Puppies. It was delicious. Sexy Beast ordered the Fish Plate with Fries and Cole Slaw. He was happy with his mountain of mystery fish. He gave me his slaw. It was pretty good. He ordered Onion Rings for sharing but no one seemed to want any after the first bite. They were a bit greasy and flavorless. Spawn A ordered the Fish Sandwich and the soup of the day (Gumbalaya or some other made up name) and he enjoyed his meal. Spawn B ordered the Alligator and ate all of it. He was sad when the last bite left his plate. So, the mistake was mine, really. I should have ordered what everyone comes here for - Deep Fried Mystery Fish. I'll know better next time.
(3)Sean M.
FISH EXPLOSION. From sea to face. Mike Linnig's is just a middleman. The girlfriend and I arrived around 6 on a Saturday night and were told there was a 45 minute wait for our food. We were prepared for this and knew it would be packed. Our name is called. Sweet fried fish Valhalla, I'm coming. Yes Odin, I'll have a generous order of fried fish, shrimp, frog legs, pan-fried oysters, turtle soup, chicken and onion rings. The fork and spoon are my bloodaxes. Regale in the outrageous portions. Eat half. Food coma. Procede to funeral pyre.
(4)Erin C.
I don't understand any of the hype about this place. Granted I live in the highlands and so I'm spoiled by the great restaurants around here it's hard to compare. I will enjoy some fried goodness every once in a while but this was fried with no goodness. It was so bland. Everything was bland. Server was very nice and attentive even though they were very busy. I can already feel the heartburn coming on and it was not worth it. I won't be back. There are many waaay better food options on Louisville. Why waste your time here?
(2)Teri W.
If you're looking for a fancy place don't come here. They serve their fish on paper plates and sandwich bread comes straight out of the loaf (although you do get a choice of white, wheat or rye). But the food here is hot, fresh and great. Before 3pm the lunch plate was more cod than I could finish, with one side and a big drink and their very own tartar sauce. Get extra tartar! The batter on the fried fish is light and just right. Homey place here with outdoor picnic tables, plenty of beer and parking. Nice wait staff. Bring the whole fam. Onion rings rock.
(4)Milly M.
One of the worst restaurants I have EVER been to! The people except our server was rude. The food was not good. The only food I had that was half decent was the hush puppies and the Cole slaw. The fish and shrimp were terrible. They had no taste but had some suspicious hard pieces and black stuff in them. The price was outrageous! I will never return!
(1)Melanie K.
As Southern as a singing Bass fish on your wall.... and about as delicious deep fried. Mike Linig's has a lot of great things: great bands, great location, great seating, great parking, and great big portions. However, Mike Linnig's has one to many items that are a little too fishy for my tastes. Although there is a large selection to seafood cuts and choices, don't expect to find any of it clear of deep fried beer batter. In addition the staff is pretty helpful, but are use to the large crowds so don't expect personal service. This may be a place for hanging out, but all food is served pretty much to go with even condiments prepackaged and plastic silverware. Oh and its CROWDED in the Summer, so be prepared to wait. To summarize, as much as I love that singing Bass fish, I think I'll still leave it and Mike Linnig's on the shelf when it comes to representing southern seafood.
(3)Ray G.
The ultimate in fried seafood. Humongous portions of fried food. Clam chowder was good. This place is a local legend, due to it's old-style ambiance and huge, huge portions of fried fish. Everyone who visits the area should probably try it, but don't expect a culinary treat. A good value if you consider portion size versus cost.
(2)Rob R.
Hard to beat their lunch special, great fish.
(4)Giovanni Z.
This place is ridiculously terrible. I have 3 words to describe their food; Oily, oily and oily. I know, it's deep fried. But come on, I have had deep fried food that doesn't hold the oil like the food here. As far as their legacy, so what? McDonald's has a legacy too. If you want deep fried seafood, there are other places to go in Louisville. Fish House, The Fishery, Irish Rover, Moby Dick etc. As a side note. I will say that they beat Long John Silver's or Captain D's. Woop di frikin doo.
(1)Ray G.
Epic portions of sub mediocre deep fried seafood. I love the surroundings and the staff is friendly. Otherwise, I would have rated Mike Linnig's with 1 star. It's one of those places that I visit every decade, give or take, and remember why it's been so long since the previous visit.
(2)Troy W.
Such a cool place. When visiting, I feel like I've stepped back in time to an amusement park from yesteryear... back when those parks were all about picnic grounds under shady trees and the wildest rides were big swings fueled only by children laughing. Oh yeah, it's all about the atmosphere. 6 (ouf of 5!) stars for atmosphere... especially at night when strings of white lights illuminate from the trees above. This is a seasonal place. There is indoor seating, but if eating inside, the experience is... ordinary. Outside is the place to be. It can get crowded when the weather is nice, but with a large amount of concrete, picnic tables, the crowd is handled well. Oh yeah... the food. The menu is available online. It is sort of a "deluxe" fish fry assortment of food. I give the food 3 of 5 stars. It's good. Not great, but good. In summary, visit for the atmosphere, not the food. But by all means, have some food while you're here!
(4)Lee B.
I was in town with one of our salesmen who suggested he knew the owner and would like to make a "sales call" here. He said the place gets packed in the summer time though I was there in the winter- surprisingly there was still a nice crowd as they opened the restaurant. This is really great fried food. The fried fish (I believe I had cod) is was flaky and crisp. I also had your standard cole slaw and fries and a soda. It was one of those meals that just made me smile and say I wish I lived around a place like this- yet I only have been to one other- Rudy's in Oswego Ny. Mik Linnig's offered cheap, large portions and great service as well....
(5)Joe S.
South side representing! Great fish, awesome outside seating, music fests, car shows, friendly staff, and amazing atmosphere. If you have not been here, you are missing out!
(4)M. J. W.
I have to admit that one of my top 2 favorite foods is deep-fried chicken (the other being pork chops). When it comes to over-sized, tender and juicy freshly deep-fried chicken from the state that made it famous, I choose Linnig's. Hands down. Yes, it's out of the way and yes, it's best to visit in the summer months. But there's nothing more enjoyable than to sit near a river bed, drinking an iced cold Falls City Beer chowing down on a hot deep-fried chicken breast while your fries and catfish are soaking up the all the malt vinegar possible. It's the life for me.
(4)Liv S.
One of the top 5 restaurants I've ever been to, easily the best seafood. Awesome shrimp, insanely large hush puppies, and great wait staff. Our waiter, Grant, was a really nice old man who knew a lot about the place and even sent us home to Georgia with one of their menus. I'm headed up to Louisville for college next year, and I look forward to becoming a regular!
(5)Sara T.
Some of the best fried fish in the Louisville area and a very unique eating experience. We ordered fish plates but I wish we'd just ordered one -- it was more than enough food to split. I will remember that next time. I loved that they let me swap hush puppies for the slaw. It was a little confusing figuring out their system because you order your food, pick up and pay for your food, and get drinks all in different places. The staff members we ran into were not very friendly or helpful but we watched other customers to figure out what to do. The atmosphere is really casual so it seemed like a good place to bring kids, even if they're rambunctious.
(4)Peg G.
After reading some of the comments on here I was skeptical, but we ended up loving it! Everyone in our party agreed it was the best fish sandwich we'd ever had. I can see how the whole set-up might be confusing to newbies, so here are some useful tips. 1. This place is not fancy, and neither is the food. It is not seafood like you might get at an upscale downtown place or even (gasp) Red Lobster. It is more like your favorite tavern, the old style one with good food. 2. Order the fried fish. It is true there's grilled fish and crab cakes and baked chicken and crab legs and all sorts of stuff on the menu, but fried fish is what they're famous for, and you'll just be swimming against the current. Don't be high maintenance! If what you want is something else, go someplace else. Oh alright. Fried shrimp is allowed, too. 3. When you get there, grab a menu from the stand near the entrance and stake out a table. Sit in the shade and read the menu. Grab drinks from the outside bar. RELAX. 4. When you're ready to order, mosey up to the stand and place your order. Give them your own name! Yes, they do have waitresses but why? Why? Why? Unless you need help carrying your tray, self-service is the way to go. 5. Your food--unbelievable amounts--will be ready after they're done cooking it to order. They'll call your name over the speakers and you can pick it up inside. That's when you pay. Don't forget to grab your condiments at the same time! Meanwhile, avail yourself of the swing set and slides (kidding!). Have another drink. I can vouch for the iced tea. 6. When they call your name, go get your food. This system may seem strange, but once you've done it, you'll see the beauty of it. There's great freedom in being able to pick your own table and even move around. Need a drink? Don't wait for a waiter....go get one! No more bickering about who had the up charge bleu cheese in a large party....or who gets the check. Sit and visit as long as you want: you won't be putting anyone out. And when you want to leave, just stand up and walk out: you've already paid! No flagging down your server or dividing up the check, no scrambling for a tip. Seriously, it works a charm if you realize that what this really is, is a self-service place with beer. Huge portions, relaxing atmosphere, amazing prices. Since we served ourselves, the tip was negligible too.... Just threw a couple bucks in the jar when we picked up the food. Other yelpers have complained that they're charged for extra slices of bread, tartar sauce etc. if they'd stop to think about it, they'd see why. First, prices are cheap for the quantity. Lots of people share as it is. If they gave away bread, everyone would be making two fish sandwiches and paying for one. When prices are cheap for the quantity given, it doesn't pay to gripe about 20 cents. Also, it's self serve: if bread and tartar were free, people would just steal it. If you want all that stuff to be free, they're going to have to raise prices or decrease portion sizes. Did I mention that it's lovely under these mature oaks on a hot day? And it's very clean: employees were bleaching off the tables. Their displayed board of health grade is "A."
(5)Mike A.
A Louisville tradition. Every Time I'm in the area my car auto pilots to Mike's. Inside has is a cross between dive bar and cafeteria. My favorite is in nice weather to eat at the outside picnic tables. Vibe is a little on the beachy side and family reunion fused into one. Don't let the size of the place or randomness of the place overwhelm you. It's all part of the charm. Now let's discuss the fish. Not the best or worst I've had but somewhere in the middle. Fish is a little on the bland and over fried side but it's consistent. Best deal is lunch fish sandwich, fries and a drink.
(3)JL Q.
I know everybody raves about this place and for some reason I've always felt the same. But as it goes without saying that our memories are usually better than we remember. First of all, this is fried food, so don't expect anything different, but there are some items on the menu that really stand out. Our friends ordered the pan fried oysters as a side dish and I wish I'd have ordered them as an entree because I would've liked them better. FANTASTIC is what they are. Very soft inside with a huge amount of oysters in each one. French fries were okay. Sorry to say I thought the onion rings were disappointing. No seasoning and most of the breading was falling off of them. THEN, we ordered the seafood platter to share. Please note, ML, that frogs legs are NOT seafood. It came with cod, shrimp, spicy fish bites which were ANYTHING but spicy, hush puppies, salmon and maybe one more item. It's certainly enough for 2 people but the cod wasn't the best pieces of fish. One was very thin so the frying turned it into shoe leather. We got a huge amount of food and our server, Monica, only gave us two cocktail sauces. REALLY??? So, go if you really must but I would lower your expectations, or go on a midweek day when it's not so crowded, if that's even possible.
(3)Joseph T.
Overrated. I've been coming here for years. I live relatively close to it. Don't get me wrong - the food is decent to good, but nothing will blow your doors off. I sometimes find the fish to be overcooked and fried too hard. But when cooked right, it is pretty good. The main thing going for this place is the atmosphere. It's a great place if you have kids and they want to play. On a nice evening, it's wonderful to sit outside and even go for a walk on the other side of the flood wall. Overall, it's overrated and expensive. I would rate Mike Linnig's as "OK." Mark's Feed Store has better fish.
(3)Caleb V.
Amazing catfish. Everything on the seafood platter is made perfectly. And by everything, I mean just that. Its my assumption that they take a plate, find whatever fish is hot, and pile it all on, along with fries until they can't see the plate anymore. If you leave here hungry, its your own fault. I come from Columbus Indiana, visited here a week or so after father's day. So much so that we're making the trip back down tomorrow. Not gonna eat anything all day until I get there so I can eat all the fish I possibly can, and still have some left over for lunch tomorrow.
(5)Jeff P.
In reading over the reviews of Mike Linnig's I noticed that most people either really like or really dislike this longtime seafood establishment. I would say that the many positive reviews and the negative reviews are both correct! That being said I really like going to this Louisville institution 3-4 times a season. It is relatively expensive but the portions are huge. The fish is often fried hard but that seems to be their style and most people like the taste of the fish. The service, or lack thereof, is part of the Mike Linnig's "atmosphere." It is not a fine dining experience. It is a unique "melting pot" of Louisville and the surrounding area. I think it's worth the drive for the fried fish, the outside eating experience, and a walk along the levee after your meal! It may not be everyone's favorite, but it's been around a very long time and is still going as strong as ever.
(3)Meela L.
Okay, I have been wanting to go there and finally we did. The restaurant has nice and relaxing areas with lots of trees. But I was not impressed by the food at all. Everything was fried, which is fine if seasoned enough. The food was bland, no taste. I had to put lots of tartar sauce. The frog legs were big yet once again tasteless as if they just battered frozen frog legs without seasoning them. The breading was thick and had no flavor. Not happy....
(2)Amy L.
For what it is, this place is great. Awesome fried food (fish is key), friendly service, enthusiasm of customer base. I thought it was a fun experience and if I were craving fried food in the future, I'd definitely go here again. You also get great bang for your buck sharing a plate or platter with a group of friends!
(4)Emily B.
Love this place !!! My family and I always love going to this place. Great food and great service !!! Also I love the outside dinning one of my favorite things about this restaurant. Love how they have swings and slides for children , great restaurant for a family !!!
(5)Matt M.
Huge shrimp, that were delicious. Great kids area. Perfect for a sunny day. Got lucky and a car show was going on across the street. We will be back!
(5)Joseph L.
First off I am the type of guy who takes the bad reviews of others with a grain of salt because most people today are giving bad reviews if there isn't someone right there following them around with a roll of toilet paper wiping their butts at every turn. However after my experience I can tell you the bad reviews on here besides my own are 100% accurate. I am about as easy to please at it gets. After 8 years in the Army, as long as what I am eating is somewhat presentable, the heads cut off and it half way tastes good you have my vote. So believe me when I say you can take this review to the bank and cash it. Went here the Wednesday after Memorial Day at 5 pm and IMO it was unusually busy for this time of day esp. being in the middle of the week. Not off the chain stupid busy but way busier than I thought they should have been. We waited about 30 minutes to be seated, again way too long for a Wednesday at 5 pm. The indoor full-service dining area is extremely cramped and the way their tables are set up the seats around the table are literally only a quarter inch apart if that. So if all the chairs were occupied at the table you would literally be touching elbows to those sitting on either side of you. Before we sat down we had to make room for a wheelchair, and speaking of that this place barely, if at all meets the bare-bones minimum requirements for being handicapped accessible. Once we were seated we ordered soft drinks and a couple of apps that came out fast enough. After the apps is when it all went downhill from there. It took us LITERALLY a whole TWO HOURS...you heard me right....TWO HOURS to get the rest of our food. There were 5 in our group and when the food did finally arrive allot of it was lukewarm or cold. My order was messed up and went back to the kitchen and didn't get it back until 10 minutes later. At this point I'm fairly fired up. The portions are large and the fish is good, but was in no way worth all the trouble and the waiting we had to endure to get it. Did I mention this place is extremely overpriced? For me, my wife and my daughter my bill was $76.10. Add the $15.00 tip that came to a little over $91.00. That's right...91 bucks for fried food that in all actuality is no better than Moby Dicks or the Fish House down off Baxter Ave. The Fish house is 10 times better and much more affordable. To sum it all up, and if you haven't listened to a word I have said so far hear me now. I don't care what any mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging local yokel tells you about how great this place is, Mike Lennigs always has been and always will be nothing more...I repeat NOTHING more than a glorified Moby Dicks...period, end of story. But hey, don't take my word for it, go experience it for yourself. But when you walk out of that joint with the $91.00 kick in the bawlz like I got...don't say ol' Joe didn't tell you so...because I told you so!
(1)Sarah H.
After not having been to Mike Linnigs in probably 10 years I got a craving for some good fried fish on a nice Sunday evening. The most important thing to note is that the portions are enormous. My husband and I were able to share one fish plate, and we are not small eaters. The fish plate comes with two huge pieces of fried cod, French fries,and cole slaw. The fish was perfectly cooked and the breading was flavorful. The fries were just average but the slaw was fantastic, maybe the best I've ever eaten. We did add an order of hush puppies because for me it just isn't a fish dinner without them and I was very surprised that for only to dollars and change there were 5 baseball sized hush puppies in the one order. For only about 21 dollars the two of us had a huge meal and even had a little left over. The outdoor dining area was also ust as nice as I remembered. The big concrete picnic tables under the very tall shade trees made for a very nice evening. The playground is also nice to keep the kiddos entertained while waiting for the food. Another thing to mention is that it was pretty busy with the weather being as pleasant as it was but we only waited about 15 minutes for our food which was nice. I definitely won't wait another ten years to come back!
(4)Tom G.
Love this Resturant!...Best Fish in town!...I recommend the fish plate you will be full!!!!...great prices!...
(5)Cathy J.
I was in fried food heaven. We had gone here for my in-laws birthday and heard that it had one of the best seafood around. As we drove in, the place was packed...we waited in line to place our order before seating, the line looked long but it went by pretty fast. It had an interesting layout. They had a bunch of picnic style tables if you sat outside and they had indoor seating if you didn't want to sit outside. The service was great and efficient cause it was self serve. They called your order when it was ready and you had to stand at a different building to order your drink. If you have kids, they have several swing sets available to keep them occupied. They even had a path to the Ohio Levve and after your done eating and stuffed yourself you can go for a brisk walk down the beaten path. As far as the food goes, we ordered a Seafood Plate ($21.25) - It had 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet, 1 Jumbo Shrimp, 1 Frog Legs, 2 HUGE Hush Puppies, 1 Crab Cake, 5 small scallops, 1 Deep Fried Oyster, French Fries, Fish Chips... I think that's it on that and a Fish Plate ($11.85) - 2 GINORMOUS deep fried breaded Fish Fillet with fries and 2 pieces of white bread. The fish was moist and tender and massively huge and the rest of the food was just as good. The only down side is too much breading cause all the food was breaded but hey that's what make fried food good. My brother-in-law ordered the alligator tail, fish chips, and turtle soup. I enjoyed the alligator tail, good seasoning but too much breading wish they had more meat to it. I wasn't too fond of the turtle soup. Not to keen on the texture and the flavor was a little bland for my taste. The Onion rings where massive and really good. This place was a great experience. Great to go on special occasions. As they say "Good food, large portions, affordable prices, and a casual and relaxed atmosphere."
(4)Doug V.
This is a local clasic that has been around since the 1920's and is a must if you are in the area. Everything is fried and huge. I was there with a coworker on a recent business trip and we ordered the seafood platter at lunch and split it. If you like fried food then you will like this place. It was all very good. The platter was one of the biggest plates of fried food I had ever seen. It also came with a fried frog leg(s) that was good. They have a great outside eating area that is very unique and that is the place to sit. The entire place is very unique with a lot of very intresting pictures and old photos of the owners over the years. It is not the best fried food or food in general in the world, but it is a must if you are in the area and the food is very very good.
(4)Malissa K.
Delicious! Best seafood around. I love shrimp and theirs is so plump & delicious! Catfish is great, too. Big hushpuppies. Just wish you could get free refills after 3pm... This place is best to visit in the summer, but it tends to get packed! They have a lot of outdoor seating, which goes quick! They have swings for the kiddos. You can also sit inside. They have an indoor area with no waiter service and an indoor area with waiter service. They are closed on Monday's and they shut down for the year sometime in November.
(4)Paul S.
Great food, if you leave hungry it's your fault.
(5)Dave R.
I get to Louisville every few months and heard this is the place to come for fried fish and other fried food. This place has a lot of history and has a huge patio area with picnic tables everywhere and room for any size group to enjoy a good time. The order process is a bit tedious since you need to wait in line and place your order and then wait for quite a while to hear your name called to the bar. They pile on the napkins, condiments, and of course the food and give you a flimsy little plastic fork but this is mainly finger food anyway. I chose to eat outside but they do have a good size indoor area too. I ordered the fish dinner and it came with 2 giant breaded filets about 10 inches by 5 inches each. It also had fries and cole slaw and your choice of bread slices under the whole mess. The fish was too hot to handle but tasted great with their homemade tarter sauce. Nice and flaky too. The other sides were just average. Aside from the huge filet size, I was not overly impressed but was certainly not hungry when I left. I would come back but only with others with healthy appetites to share the portions. Some cool items on the walls and a great wooden carved tree trunk on the patio. This was as much about the experience as the food.
(3)Ping P.
OMG. As good as fried gets. I am cali girl - and my fiance is a southern gent. On a recent trip to visit his fam in Louisville (our engagement trip) we went with said fam to Mike Linnigs. This is See-food at its' finest. See food and eat it! Nothing is bad on this menu, unless you have a heart problem or are skittish about amphibian legs. I personally love frog legs (a la sauteed in butter and garlic at Spengers..but I digress) I actually got my scatter on at Mike Linnigs! I ordered the fried shrimp and feasted witout saying a word to anyone except for some primal grunts of happiness The portions are generous, so go prepared to chow down! My soon to be mother-in-law ordered half a fried chicken. Good lawdy that was a teradactyl! Oh do not miss the onion rings. The only downside - the sauces - prepackaged. I would recommend going prepared with your own condiments. You can eat outside and I am sure they wouldn't mind if you brought your own tub of sauce or malt vinegar (not a southern thing by the way!) Great for big family gatherings outside - bring a nice tablecloth "a la pic nic" and do it up family style. You sooooo won't be sorry!
(5)Mr And Mrs G.
MR says.... MRS says.... we tried this place at the Kentucky State Fair. they had a tent with karaoke contest/bar. food portion was well enough for two. we ordered fried frog legs, fried scallops and catfish fillets. all of which was fried crispy yet tender and juicy inside. i wish they gave us malt vinegar which would have complimented the fish fillet better than the ketchup but overall food was good and you could say we got our share of comfort food :)
(3)Jim G.
This place is a Louisville classic if you love Southern-style fried fish and seafood. Mike Linnig's has some of the largest & tastiest onion rings around, plus delicious corn on the cob, and other credible sides. On our most recent visit on July 4, 2007, my friend and I ordered two fish sandwiches, corn on the cob, onion rings, a diet coke, and water. The portions were huge, we couldn't eat that much. The tab was just under $30.00.
(4)Erin O.
I never leave Louisville without eating here. It is the best. The fried fish sandwich is absolutely amazing.
(5)Alison C.
I set out with my family to find this recommended place a few years ago on a Saturday evening. After hunting and hunting, we finally found it. It was difficult to find out how you were supposed to place an order (wending your way back through the smoky, crowded interior with the "locals" all staring at us); when we got our food, there was nowhere to sit and besides, the fish all tasted like it had been fried and then reheated. All in all, a disappointing experience. I was embarrassed I'd been so insistent about finding it. Maybe it was an off night, but I was never tempted to go back. :(
(2)dave w.
who doesn't like fried catfish? well, then, you've never had mike linnig's. when i was young, i remember thinking my dad was super fucking cool for knowing one of the sons of the original proprietor. now, i know he's cool for other reasons, but i still always love getting mike linnig's when i can.
(4)Tony R.
My wife and I loved the fish and fries! The portions are BIG so we just share a 2 piece fish and fries cause they are so big. Great as always! Sitting outside and watching the kids play and motorcycles going by! Great atmosphere! You can have your favorite beverage no matter what it is.... It's like in your back yard with the family.
(5)Betty C.
I hadn't been here in about ten years, but all my Louisville friends talk about it like it's the end-all-be-all of seafood restaurants, so I decided to give it another shot during a recent visit. The location is great. It's on the river and you can sit outside under the trees. And yet, the location isn't great. It's out of the way and if you do sit outside, you're treated to muffler-free motorcycles driving past every six to nine minutes. The food is served in epic proportions. A fish plate has two large pieces of fried cod. The catfish plate has four large, yet thin, pieces of catfish. That being said, there's nothing outstanding about any of the fish or side items. I was there with fourteen others and we all shared items. There wasn't a single menu item that stood out as being the best thing at this restaurant. There's no point serving someone a gallon-bucket of French fries if the fries are inedible. Speaking of inedible, the hush puppies were the size of a baseball. The reason most places serve golf-ball size hush puppies is because the insides become dry and flavorless once fried if they are the size of a baseball. Instead of a tender morsel of onion and cornmeal, the hush puppies were large, dessicated spheres of dried meal that fell apart once you bit into them. The menu alerts you to a few nutty House Rules: no free refills after 3 PM, and absolutely no free refills no matter what time it is on Mother's Day and Father's Day. It shouldn't be a big problem, since most patrons are ordering booze, anyway. I didn't have to deal with the wait staff or standing in line, since one person in my group took care of all that. Overall, my visit was a big disappointment.
(2)Trey B.
it's gotten way too expensive for what you eat. Portions are big, but for how far you have to drive and what you pay, it just doesn't seem worth it anymore.
(2)Wes K.
Go to party not eat 3 stars for originality 1 star for food I like fried food, especially fish but this was terrible (cod? Def not catfish) My meal of fish/shrimp/fries was served hot and fast. The fish was 2 HUGE pieces. Too big to fry and have any flavor. In order to be palatable- I drenched in hot sauce/malt vinegar/& tarter combo. It was awful. Shrimp was mildly better, about what you'd expect from a fast food restaurant. I would not mind paying the price if food was better. On the upside-Great facility and really fun though
(2)Malvina C.
The local newspaper always gives this place great reviews, so we decided to try it. I don't get it. Great atmosphere, but the food was simply awful. Heavy, grease-laden breading, and all the seafood was overcooked. The clam strips were nearly inedible -- hard and chewy, and the last two I ate were gritty with sand.
(1)Michael M.
This place is the rave of the "South End" but personally it was not my kinda place to hang out and drink crappy beer. My food was ok the alligator I had was kinda greasy but i guess that is common. Had to try something new. How ever the people were friendly as were the servers. I did like that it kinda had a family feel. Though I thought it was a bit pricey even though you do get a good helping of what you order.
(3)JL Q.
I know everybody raves about this place and for some reason I've always felt the same. But as it goes without saying that our memories are usually better than we remember. First of all, this is fried food, so don't expect anything different, but there are some items on the menu that really stand out. Our friends ordered the pan fried oysters as a side dish and I wish I'd have ordered them as an entree because I would've liked them better. FANTASTIC is what they are. Very soft inside with a huge amount of oysters in each one. French fries were okay. Sorry to say I thought the onion rings were disappointing. No seasoning and most of the breading was falling off of them. THEN, we ordered the seafood platter to share. Please note, ML, that frogs legs are NOT seafood. It came with cod, shrimp, spicy fish bites which were ANYTHING but spicy, hush puppies, salmon and maybe one more item. It's certainly enough for 2 people but the cod wasn't the best pieces of fish. One was very thin so the frying turned it into shoe leather. We got a huge amount of food and our server, Monica, only gave us two cocktail sauces. REALLY??? So, go if you really must but I would lower your expectations, or go on a midweek day when it's not so crowded, if that's even possible.
(3)Joseph T.
Overrated. I've been coming here for years. I live relatively close to it. Don't get me wrong - the food is decent to good, but nothing will blow your doors off. I sometimes find the fish to be overcooked and fried too hard. But when cooked right, it is pretty good. The main thing going for this place is the atmosphere. It's a great place if you have kids and they want to play. On a nice evening, it's wonderful to sit outside and even go for a walk on the other side of the flood wall. Overall, it's overrated and expensive. I would rate Mike Linnig's as "OK." Mark's Feed Store has better fish.
(3)Caleb V.
Amazing catfish. Everything on the seafood platter is made perfectly. And by everything, I mean just that. Its my assumption that they take a plate, find whatever fish is hot, and pile it all on, along with fries until they can't see the plate anymore. If you leave here hungry, its your own fault. I come from Columbus Indiana, visited here a week or so after father's day. So much so that we're making the trip back down tomorrow. Not gonna eat anything all day until I get there so I can eat all the fish I possibly can, and still have some left over for lunch tomorrow.
(5)Jeff P.
In reading over the reviews of Mike Linnig's I noticed that most people either really like or really dislike this longtime seafood establishment. I would say that the many positive reviews and the negative reviews are both correct! That being said I really like going to this Louisville institution 3-4 times a season. It is relatively expensive but the portions are huge. The fish is often fried hard but that seems to be their style and most people like the taste of the fish. The service, or lack thereof, is part of the Mike Linnig's "atmosphere." It is not a fine dining experience. It is a unique "melting pot" of Louisville and the surrounding area. I think it's worth the drive for the fried fish, the outside eating experience, and a walk along the levee after your meal! It may not be everyone's favorite, but it's been around a very long time and is still going as strong as ever.
(3)Emily B.
Love this place !!! My family and I always love going to this place. Great food and great service !!! Also I love the outside dinning one of my favorite things about this restaurant. Love how they have swings and slides for children , great restaurant for a family !!!
(5)Matt M.
Huge shrimp, that were delicious. Great kids area. Perfect for a sunny day. Got lucky and a car show was going on across the street. We will be back!
(5)Victoria T.
We were a party of about fifteen people celebrating the birth of one of us back before the advent of cell phones and Yelp. Because at least one of us is smarter than the average bear, we reserved one of those outbuildings situated by the playground. I'm very, very glad that we did because the main dining area was a full-on, brutal cluster fuck. There were people milling around in circles at the door, lines snaking up and down the narrow corridor, the odd mouth-breathing Neanderthal brandishing a bottle of Budweiser, and every obnoxious snot nosed heathen under twelve years old screeching like little gibbons in there. I did not enjoy the atmosphere. It made me want to throat punch someone. The little hut that we were dining in was quieter. It was like a picnic inside someone's garage, though. The furnishings included one long table and a plethora of folding chairs. That's really all we needed. They were mostly clean. Our waitress was very nice, if a bit harried and overwhelmed. She did manage to keep all of the checks in order so she gets bonus points for that, as well. The wait for drink refills and the like was pretty minimal. The service was just peachy. Everyone seemed to love that deep fried mystery fish. It's just listed as "fish" on the menu. No one at our table could tell me what species it was so I decided on the Grilled Salmon with a "Combo Salad" and Macaroni & Cheese. This was a mistake. The salmon was dry. There were no grill marks anywhere near it. It made me sad. The macaroni and cheese was a very weird shade of orange. I call it Chernobyl orange. The salad was pre-made but of decent quality so I ate that. I stole one of Sexy Beast's Hush Puppies. It was delicious. Sexy Beast ordered the Fish Plate with Fries and Cole Slaw. He was happy with his mountain of mystery fish. He gave me his slaw. It was pretty good. He ordered Onion Rings for sharing but no one seemed to want any after the first bite. They were a bit greasy and flavorless. Spawn A ordered the Fish Sandwich and the soup of the day (Gumbalaya or some other made up name) and he enjoyed his meal. Spawn B ordered the Alligator and ate all of it. He was sad when the last bite left his plate. So, the mistake was mine, really. I should have ordered what everyone comes here for - Deep Fried Mystery Fish. I'll know better next time.
(3)Sean M.
FISH EXPLOSION. From sea to face. Mike Linnig's is just a middleman. The girlfriend and I arrived around 6 on a Saturday night and were told there was a 45 minute wait for our food. We were prepared for this and knew it would be packed. Our name is called. Sweet fried fish Valhalla, I'm coming. Yes Odin, I'll have a generous order of fried fish, shrimp, frog legs, pan-fried oysters, turtle soup, chicken and onion rings. The fork and spoon are my bloodaxes. Regale in the outrageous portions. Eat half. Food coma. Procede to funeral pyre.
(4)