J. Gumbo’s

Love this place! My husband’s coworker told him about and we were never able to go since we had conflicting work schedules. We went to the Calvacade of Customs in 2015 and saw a J Gumbo stand. Got the Chicken Red Hot and instantly fell in love. I was under the impression that they were only located in Fairfield but thanks to Google, I found that there was one very close in Clifton.
Parking sucks when it’s lunchtime but that is to be expected for Clifton period.
I am happy they’re open late… very late!
Oh and I am a huge fan of bread pudding, best freaking bread pudding I’ve ever had!
Great cornbread too.
Very awesome staff as well!
My favorites are: drunken chicken, chicken red hot, jean lafitte burrito bowl. Everything is good there but those are my personal favorites.

Love this place! Pretty much any dishes pair well together. The jambalaya and drinken chicken are two of my favorites. The cornbread is perfectly sweet and well made. Entrees do come with a piece of bread. I want to try every dish they all look so good.

I’ve been lucky enough to experience some really good and authentic creole food over the years and so my review might come off a bit harsh but my taste buds weren’t too impressed. You have to give it J. Gumbo’s for trying to offer quality cajun food in a quick casual setting. However, the Crawfish Étouffée really is something they should consider taking off the menu. I haven’t had a chance to try their other entrees, but their étouffée tastes like it were made with Chef Boyardee tomato sauce topped off with a little Frank’s. They nailed the consistency as it’s thick and not soup like some etoufee I’ve had, but it might have tasted the worst. Just so singularly bland and unexciting and the crawfish too far and in between to try and help it. The garlic bread was nice and soft, and the flavor the bread pudding I ordered was pretty on point, but I’m not sure I trust that what they’re making is even deserving of being called creole food.

The drunken chicken is my everything. It’s the perfect comfort food (especially with the weather getting colder /​me getting lazier…). My meal was an awesome savory blend of Cajun flavor with a kick. I got the drunken chicken over a bed of rice and loved it. If you’re looking something quick, satisfying, and full of flavor, definitely stop by. Added bonus that they’re open late!

So we wanted some food on Friday night around 2 am and my friend told me about this place. The place was pretty clean and didn’t gave a unhappy vibe as compared to other late night restaurants.
The etouffe with crawfish I ordered was incredible, which I wasn’t expecting. Also most of the items were $ 6.99 or in the same ballpark.
After We paid at the counter, the guy served us the order in less than 5 minutes.

It’s a very unique little place: a fast-​casual cajun place? Think Bayou Panera. Being from a small town, the concept was pretty foreign but the food is delicious. Try the Red Beans & Rice or the Drunken Chicken, or if you crave spicy food the Voodoo Chicken.

Not a fan of this restaurant. Food is ok. Rice that is used is not tasty. I enjoyed the bread more than the main dish.

The food is great, friendly staff and reasonable prices. I love their bumblebee stew and bread pudding.

Good, quick Cajun food. I had the jambalaya, which was good, not great, but good. Not very spicy, which was fine for me (I am a spice wimp), and a bit dry, but okay. The bread was also pretty good. But the cornbread — that was the standout of my meal. The cornbread bumps up a three star meal to a four star. It was so soft and creamy and crumbly and moist and just SO GOOD. I crumbled it up into the jambalaya and it made the meal. Go here for the cornbread!!!

Hooray for a tasty Cajun option near campus!
I’m a fan of the Zydeco Chicken.
Some limited parking is available in the adjacent lot. Typically, plentiful metered parking is also available.
Daily specials and coupon deals are not as good at this location as they are at other locations (like Finneytown). Sweet tea is often HOT, so fill up with ice if you go this route.

I went here on a whim with some of my workmates.
I tried a couple different dishes, and they were both delicious and had very different profiles. I tried the Voodoo Chicken and the standard gumbo. The chicken was slow cooked and melted in my mouth. The gumbo was smokey and rich.
I’ll definitely be back for more.

Sure the food is inexpensive but it lacks flavor and tastes like it’s been sitting out all day. You’re definitely getting what you pay for.

Carry out or dine in, J. Gumbos is one of the best places to get your fix, late night, for dinner or lunch. They are open until 4 am during weekends so this little corner of Clifton has the 2 best late-​night spots in Cincinnati as far as I am concerned (the other being the skyline).
There are a number of great dishes here but i will highlight a few of my favorites. First off the voodoo chicken is perfect for anyone who enjoys a big kick in their gumbos. It is big hunks of shredded chicken with a super spicy red sauce, with rice under it. You will not regret getting this if spiciness is your thang.
The Drunken Chicken is very good as well. It has a very small amount of kick but has great flavor.
Bumblebee stew is one of my favorites — it has corn, chicken and a great spice blend.
You can get any of your bowls mixed together (Bumblebee and voodoo is a great combo) and it always comes with garlic bread which I recommend ordering an extra serving of because it goes so well with it.
Now on to the service — I can speak highly enough about the staff at J. Gumbos. They are always great and they get your food out quickly and with a smile.
Also, check in with the «Spot On» service at checkout and every 5 visits you can get a free drink, or every 10 you can get a free entrée. I have done this about 3 – 4 times now. I love J. Gumbo’s!

Right next to zoo. Excellent find! Amazing cajun!!! Drunken chicken and voodoo nachos taste subtle so you can actually taste the food and all of its glory before the typical cajun spices kick in (like most cajun restaurants you just feel the kick). Wonderful service, we had a complicated order and she was great with multiple trips. Inside is hip and clean. A+

You need to know what you’re going to get. Ask the server for a sample. My favorite is voodoo chicken and drunken chicken.

Burrito lines the bowl with a mix of bumblebee stew and voodoo chicken. Topped with cheese sour cream and an little extra spices. Sooo sweet and spicy they you can’t stop eating it!!! HIGHLY recommend this dish. Jean Lafitte bowl

I love j gumbos! My favorite is the bumblebee stew, drunken chicken! Voodoo is good but spicy! I have a decent spice tolerance too. The étouffée is okay. It needs more crawfish.

I did not eat in but had carry out. This restaurant looks pretty awesome and would love to dine in when in Clifton. The place looked quaint and comfortable. There is a backroom that is «intimate seating» where groups of friend can get together to watch a game and not bother any other customers or maybe a meeting. Not sure if you can, didn’t ask.
Anywho, there was a nice choice of items on the menu. Not too overwhelming. You could make the gumbo in/​with rice or on bread (called Po’boy). I have never been there and did not know what to get. The person at the front helped with my decision and a nice lady said that I must try the red chili Chicken. It had a red pepper symbol next to it and I absolutely love spicy food so I tried out that one. It was only 8 bucks and the serving size was huge! Really could share with another person if you are looking at true serving sizes.
When I got home to enjoy my glorious, delicious smelling meal, I was surprised. In FL, Po’boys has slaw and tomatoes on it but this one didn’t. It was just Gumbo and French bread, almost reminded me of a bread bowl. BUT it really didn’t need it! It was so good and had a great tasty kick to it. It even got me sweating and it is pretty hard to do due to my high tolerance of spicy food. The ingredients were fresh and the chicken was cooked through. The bread was really good to sop up the thick creamy liquid. Very filling!
I will definitely come back to try others with rice or Bread.

This place is delicous, bottom line.
I discovered this gem one late night out and about in Mr. Cliftonville (Gaslight Clifton’s fancy name). Anyways: the outside is a bit cheeky, but I promise the inside has some of the most delicious pulled chicken I’ve ever had. You can pick any bowl up on the wall that they gladly can add to or take away from. I suppose you’d call me a traditionalist when I go here because I always get the Bourbon Chicken but I swear to you it’s heavenly. Order a side of sour cream and you have a simple dish that is spoken for from the aromatic flavors within.
I also highly recommend you get either the garlic bread or the cornbread, or both BECAUSE they Sat-​is-​FY. My mouth is legit watering right now, it’s becoming a problem.
Go here, find something that fits your fancy for spice and flavor and come thank me later.

J gumbo’s never fails to satisfy my tummy. it is such a comfort food and you literally cannot go wrong with any of their gumbos. and that butter toast? Delicious! I have yet to try the po-​boys, but plan on doing so very soon. I would highly recommend the bumble bee stew if you like sweeter flavors. it is my go-​to whenever I am there.
What’s more? You can order take out and they’re also open til 3am!