Jackson’s Catfish Corner: The continuation of an incredible Seattle legacy

Terrell Jackson’s energy is bubbling.

“I can’t stop smiling. The hard work has definitely paid off,” said Jackson, the chef and owner of Jackson’s Catfish Corner.

Fittingly located on the corner of 23rd and Jackson in the Central District of Seattle, Jackson’s Catfish Corner is a continuation of his grandparents’ legacy.

“The Original Catfish Corner was on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. and Cherry. It was founded in August 1985 and has become a permanent fixture in Seattle,” said Jackson. “It was a meeting place, a family place, a place where you always saw someone you hadn’t seen in a long time.”

Jackson started working in his grandparents’ restaurant when he was 13. After they closed the original Catfish Corner, he decided to take over the business.

“I heard a kid say, ‘Man, I’ve never been to Catfish Corner before,'” Jackson recalled. “I was just blown away. I thought ‘man, how have you never had catfish corner’? [I decided] I have to bring it back because there’s no way anyone from Seattle hasn’t had Catfish Corner. “

It wasn’t always easy. For several years he jumped from place to place. Thanks to his own determination and support from the city and community, Jackson’s Catfish Corner is being reborn in a sparkling new space less than a mile from the original restaurant.

“What I always tell everyone is that it was a stepping stone to get where we are right now,” said Jackson. “When I told people I was moving back to the Central District, everyone was like, ‘Okay, Terrell, whatever. Where will you be now? ‘ When they come to this place, people tell me they want to cry because it’s overwhelming. “

Of course, the food is what makes people come back, and there’s one point on the menu that Jackson’s is really known for: fried catfish.

“I think everyone in the United States gives you whole catfish,” he said. “We cut the leg into strips and it’s crazy, we give it to kids and most kids don’t eat catfish, but they love our catfish. It’s such a flaky and crunchy piece of meat. Then the combination of the fish with our tartar sauce. It’s a homemade tartar sauce that we make in-house and that goes with everything. “

For Jackson, the dishes he serves and the space itself, Jackson’s on Jackson, are a tribute to the two people who started it all.

“I have always dreamed about it. To do this for my grandparents because they deserve it. I’m so proud, “said Jackson.” You stay with me and we talk about it every night when I walk through the door. You are definitely super proud of me. “