Happy's Fish House is a relatively new place that I have been meaning to try for quite some time. I finally got a chance to check them out for a friend's birthday. They are just inside the loop off of 5th street. There have been several failed restaurants in this location, hopefully, they can break the curse. They did a great job with the decor inside the building. It is strewn with "Lousiana/Cajun" decorations and whatnot. It has a fun, party atmosphere to me.
The spread: They serve a Cajun style menu with appetizers ranging from fried pickles, various shrimp concoctions, and fried green tomatoes. They also have oysters on the half shell. The entrees include poboys (chicken shrimp, oyster, fish, roast beef), some pasta dishes, and fried/grilled platters (shrimp, catfish, whitefish, chicken, etc). They also offer a Cajun menu to include gumbo, etoufee, shrimp and grits, red beans and rice, etc. They also have a decent beer selection.
The verdict: Well I had a shrimp poboy, some gumbo, some red beans and dirty rice and a couple of onion rings. The gumbo was the best I have had in a long time. You can tell they make their own roux (or sure know how to fool me) and aren't afraid to use a little spice. The shrimp poboy had perfectly cooked, fresh shrimp, my only complaint is that the bread choice wasn't that great. I would have preferred a fresh french baguette. The red beans and dirty rice also tasted great. They had a deep rich flavor that can only come from someone who carefully cooks their food from scratch. Overall, its the best Cajun I have had in a long time and I am sorry I waited so long to try them out.
Edible Tyler Roses 5 out of 5, Go on now, don't wait, give them a try!
