King Fish

Nashville Restaurants and Food
King Fish
708 Monroe Ave. North
Nashville
615-242-5700

The fish sandwich business has apparently become so red hot in Nashville that there is a bit of a fish war developing between area restaurants. I love hot fish, so I’ll jump into the deep water and start reviewing some of the better joints. I’m going to start with one of the newer kids on the block. King Fish is hard to miss, thanks to the big sign with the smiling king of fish, adorned with crown and staff.

Inside King Fish looks like something you would expect in Cool Springs, and not at 8th and Monroe. The shiny interior and modern furniture isn’t exactly down home, but it is squeaky clean.

In typical hot fish style, the catfish sandwich is laid out on two pieces of white bread and covered with pickles, mustard and onions. You have to work to turn it into a sandwich. And a fine sandwich it is, with a good crunch and flavor. The fish is light and tender. My only issue is this: the King Fish is a pretty tame species. There’s nothing that will knock your socks off. When I compare it to other places in town, like Joe’s or Old Timers, it comes off a bit staid. Respectable sure, but the other joints have sandwiches that will reach out and grab hold of your taste buds. It helps to reach for the hot sauce.

The sides seem fine. The mac and cheese was okay, not very original, just the usual Velveeta mac. The French fries were good: thick crinkle cuts. Other items include spaghetti. They also offer an array of shrimp, chicken, chicken wings, crab cakes and even salads. It’s a menu that has something for most tastes.

You certainly can’t complain about the service. There are smiles all around and the food comes out quickly.

You’ll find a good meal at King Fish, but is it really the King of Fish sandwiches? I’ll have reviews of Ed's, Joe’s, Old Timers and East Side fish here soon. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.