Delicious! Blackened, fried or grilled, the flavorful variety of fish is amazing! Thursday’s are a special treat of all you can eat fried catfish, cod, grouper…with grits or fries and coleslaw!😋 The service is wonderful too! Sweet southern home style atmosphere, and of course the sweet tea is great! A must try, you won’t regret it!

If you're looking for southern fried seafood? You've found it! This is a well established staple in the community. We ordered 2 kids fish meals, one seafood combo, hush puppies and crawfish. Everything was fried just right and not to heavy on the batter. We'll be ordering from Fat Willie's again! They offer alternatives to fried if you're looking for healthier options. Enjoy!

With a national staff shortage, it's sad that patrons penalize a business for not being able to offer tableside ordering. Yes, you order at the counter, but NO ONE asks you to leave a tip. You can leave a tip on the table after your meal, if you wish. The food here is INCREDIBLE. I never liked fried foods until I came here in July. I now stop in regularly for the Fried Catfish; Grits; Grouper; Gator Bites; Onion Rings; Key Lime Pie (made by a popular Tampa pie-maker); Fried Oysters; French Fries; & so much more! The Catfish & Grits are my FAVORITES! Fat Willie's first opened in 1975. In March, it reopened w/ new owners connected to the original owners. SAME GREAT RECIPES! Open Friday thru Sunday, there's lots of space for large groups. Staff is incredibly friendly & kind. No table service just yet, but eventually. Be patient-- the owners are working hard to please everyone. I am a VERY HAPPY regular here. Check out my Yelp LOVE-- Kaitlyn S!

Friendly place, relaxed atmosphere, and okay food. We had gotten early dinner at Fat Willie's on a Friday. The diner was not busy when we got there. By the time we left, business was picking up and the parking lot was full. We tried the blackened Mahi, grilled Grouper, gator bites, fried pickles, the key lime pie, and mudslide pie. The one thing I did not like is that they ask you to pay for the food and tip when you place your order. The ladies taking our order were nice and helpful, however, the waitress forgot about our appetizers and brought them out after the rest of the food. The fried food tasted like fried food, nothing special. The fish was a little on the dry side and the dessert was underwhelming. For this type of diner/restaurant, it was a bit on the expensive side (with tip, just over $70). Was it cool to go there once, yeah. Will we be back, probably not. In response to the comment below, I am aware of the employee shortage! When we arrived, there there were at least seven employees (people that at least appeared to be employed there) that I am sure we’re getting ready for the Friday night rush. From my short time in the service industry, seven people should have been able to take care of two tables worth of guests. I do appreciate the reply, it shows you actually read the reviews and might use them to improve the perceived shortfalls that others see.

Small town fish camp. Fresh fish caught and brought in and cooked daily. Everyone is nice and friendly food is made to order so it can take some time but still great. Gives me an old country vibe

This is my favorite place for Seafood in the Brandon area. I’m basically there almost every weekend. It’s my go too place when I want a little “me time”, with great food and phenomenal service. My usual are shrimp, catfish or grouper, fried oysters, and Modelo of course.

Always fresh delicious seafood here. I have eaten here since I was a kid and continue to enjoy it as an adult. Support local businesses! We got fried crawfish as an appetizer and they were so good. I ate fried catfish with fries, hushpuppies and coleslaw. My son got fried Gator bites with fries and hushpuppies. Mmmmmmmm, it was all so yummy 😋 The service was friendly and fast which added to our delightful visit.

Very outdated. Needs updated decor. Coleslaw tastes like it's for people in a hospital. Why are the pieces so tiny? It's not grits. And it was tasteless. Gator bites were flavorful, buuuttt a bit tough. They were edible. Needs a diverse staff. Needs friendlier staff. Hushpuppies were great.

I need to start by saying that prior to this past year, my last visit to Fat Willie's had been over 15 years ago. I hadn't been back because it was so hard to find parking back then. Not because the parking lot is small, but because they have a huge local following. I mean, people have always lined up before they open just to get a seat. I remember parking across from the restaurant on Front St in the grassy area which is considered their overflow parking. So, if you don't find a space on their lot you can park across the street. Everyone else does it. Anyway, this is what I would describe as a true hidden gem. It's tucked away behind the CSX railroad track near the intersection of Valrico Rd and Front St. You won't see it from the road but the locals know exactly where it is. Everyone who lives in Valrico knows about this place and the community has actually supported them through a few ups and downs in a period of over 45 years. Yes, this place has survived a lot. They had to close briefly during COVID-19 but were able to reopen (and thank goodness for that). This is the type of Old Florida staple that should be preserved at all cost. I mean, it's literally a historical site for this town. It once housed the General Store and Post Office back in the early 1900's. You can read about this history on their website. There are also some very cool articles about Bill "Willie" Robinson and how his family and staff have kept his legacy going through thick and thin. A South Tampa Magazine article titled "Fat Willie's Fish Shack" from 2014 which talks about how he modeled his restaurant after a North Carolina staple called Jack Lineberger's Fish Camp. There was also a great Fox 13 news story that was televised in June called "Former employees preserving legacy of Fat Willie's Fish Camp" that highlights the loyalty and dedication of the employees who are basically their own family. You can't get better than this folks. Who wouldn't want to visit this restaurant after reading about the history? Let's talk about the food! I love it! I've had the fried oyster and fried catfish basket which comes with a side (Grits or French Fries), hush puppies, and their homemade slaw. I've also had the gator bites appetizer. All have been wonderful. They know how to do a fish fry. I mean they learned from the best and have been doing this for years. I've also sampled the fried onion rings as well. All of these items are standouts. Especially that fried catfish. Make sure you ask for lemon wedges to go along with the catfish. It doesn't need it, but it actually elevated the flavor even more. I can't stop thinking about that crispy and light cornmeal batter with the lemon. I was also impressed with how the fish stayed tender inside of that crispy layer. The best I've tasted in the Tampa Bay area so far. Oh and the grits were also really good. The onion rings were also lightly battered and fried to perfection. They have blackened and grilled fish offerings that are also very popular. I brought the leftovers home to my husband who is not a seafood lover. He surprisingly liked the catfish. Also, everyone is friendly and helpful (staff, owner, family members, and local patrons). It's a true family run business. A true reflection of Willie's values and personality. Just go try it for yourself.

We drove a little over 30 minutes to check this place out, and it was well worth it. We tried the gator bites for appetizers, and they were some of the best that we've ever had. That sauce...get in my belly! My husband had the clam strips, fries, and hushpuppies(he got extra because he doesn't like coleslaw), and he enjoyed every bite. I had the grouper with fries, coleslaw, and hushpuppies. The grouper was fried to perfection and wasn't too greasy. I didn't care for the coleslaw, but the delicious hushpuppies made up for it. We finished dinner off with the pie of the month, peanut butter pie. Unbutton your pants to make room for this one. Soooo good! Their tea is also very good, both sweet and unsweetened. We will be back!

Best fried catfish ever! The hush puppies are delicious. Love the historical atmosphere. I worked there 40 years ago and it still looks the same.

Another great meal had at Willies tonight. Catfish dinner was so delicious as well as plentiful and onion rings are made with the lightest and crispiest of batter.

The food and service is always amazing. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu fried grilled or blackened. The fried catfish is the best I’ve ever had. For something a little different get any of the fish Pontchartrain.

We really liked the gator bites, blackened shrimp, and fried scallops. The sides were good, too. The serving sizes were generous and the waitress was very attentive and friendly. The location is quiet and the inside was interesting to look around.

Just as GREAT as the reviews! Large portions of fried oysters and shrimp. The wife and I split the 2 item plate and still took a few home. Amazing fresh onion rings in a light shifted flour coating. Fish camp style so paper plates and plastic cups. Wait staff were friendly and prompt. They never stopped. When a table left they immediately cleared the table so you don' t have to stare at dirty dishes like you do at our local Applebee's. Nice tropical view out the large dining room windows!!!

Food was really good other than the alligator bites being a little chewy but other than that everything was hot and very tasteful. We were seated at the lower section, which was a little warm temperature wise versus the upper possibly main section. Other than those two things I would have to say, I will definitely be back.

Very tasty options! I recommend the pontchartrain, seafood pasta and onion rings. Despite the waitresses efforts, the service was pretty slow. This was likely due to us having a large party so it's understandable.