Catfish at Dino’s Pizzeria, Oak Park

Catfish at Dino’s Pizzeria, Oak Park

Catfish is one of those food items that seems to lack respect. Maybe it’s looked down upon because it’s a “bottom feeder,” but then again so are lobster and crab. Maybe it’s because it’s the kind of downhome food that you will not find at white tablecloth restaurants. To me, that’s a plus.

Where you will find catfish – and very good catfish at that – is at Dino’s Pizzeria, a place whose name hardly reflects their multi-ethnic menu of offerings that in addition to the mudfish include Italian, Mexican and Philadelphian (cheesesteaks). Like the catfish, Dino’s is not a place that’s likely to get a lot of respect. It’s billed as “The Home of the Pizza and Wings Deal.” You get the picture.

I ordered a small basket of catfish at Dino’s and it was…fantastic. White fish in general has come to bore me (I don’t need to see a tilapia ever again), but this white-ish fish had fluffy flesh and a definite flavor (unlike a lot of generic whitefish that tastes hardly of anything). The flavor of catfish, to me, is kind of earthy, and I can see why that might not appeal to many.



The thought of catfish broiled or baked…doesn’t appeal. Not sure why, but for catfish, frying seems so right.

The planks of catfish I had at Dino’s were really perfect, with just a thin fried shell that was not at all greasy.

Thank goodness the fries were just meh; I don’t need more reasons to eat fried potatoes.

Normally, eight bucks for two planks of catfish, fries and a small container of Cole slaw would not be a good deal. But for fish done this well, it seemed a value.

Dino’s
132 Madison St # 1 Oak Park
(708) 445-9911

I'm glad the catfish is good at Dino’s because the pizza sucks.

I'd love to be contradicted but the two times I stopped in for a slice (It's right by the Oak Park Gymnastics Center) I got one of those perforated frozen institutional crusts with what appeared to be Prego and a mixture of cheddar and monterey jack. It was like I was transported back to a dozen birthday parties at Enchanted Castle.

If anyone has had a better experience with the pizza I’d love to hear about it.

Can't say I'm surprised about the pizza; wouldn't surprise me if the catfish was a fluke.

thanks for posting David, as I do really enjoy a good piece of fried catfish.

So I tried Dino's after going to Chicago's home of Chicken & Waffles in Oak Park viewtopic.php?f=14&t=30494 yesterday.

After a delightful piece of fried catfish from CHoC&W, I found the catfish at Dino's to be overfried, overseasoned (main issue, just too much salt) & just not up to speed. I prob wouldn't have felt so negative had I not just had a great piece.

Sweet Willie wrote:thanks for posting David, as I do really enjoy a good piece of fried catfish.

So I tried Dino's after going to Chicago's home of Chicken & Waffles in Oak Park viewtopic.php?f=14&t=30494 yesterday.

After a delightful piece of fried catfish from CHoC&W, I found the catfish at Dino's to be overfried, overseasoned (main issue, just too much salt) & just not up to speed. I prob wouldn't have felt so negative had I not just had a great piece.

David Hammond wrote:wouldn't surprise me if the catfish was a fluke.

David Hammond wrote:wouldn't surprise me if the catfish was a fluke.

A flounder of the genus Paralichthys?

The lies they feed us...

Katie wrote:

David Hammond wrote:wouldn't surprise me if the catfish was a fluke.

A flounder of the genus Paralichthys?

The lies they feed us...

Thanks, Katie. I just spit coffee all over my keyboard. : )