J. Gumbo’s

3.5 stars. Nice little Cajun spot. It didn’t blow me away but the portions are nice and it is a good change of pace option. Plus, they have Big Red on tap and who doesn’t love that?

Great food but terrible at catering…
I love their food always been great will continue to go back.
However I booked them for my wedding rehearsal dinner and prepaid for everything. I called two days in advance and confirmed my order.
My husband went to pick it up at 7 pm on Friday October 2^nd, 2015 and the workers didn’t know anything about the order. They say that we were lucky that people were still in the restaurant otherwise we would have been out of luck. We didn’t get food until 9pm. They didn’t do anything to try to compensate for the food or anything. I was highly upset at this. If having a wedding isn’t stressful enough this only added to it.

J. Gumbo’s is a place that I like to grab carryout from, and — when I do – I always wonder why I don’t swing by more frequently.
Located just across Frankfort Ave from Varanese and right next to Nancy’s Bagel’s, J. Gumbo’s is a charming, fun place to grab a bite. As other Unilocalers have said, the location is nothing special to look at, but that’s part of the appeal. I’ve visited other locations in town, but there is something inviting about the no-​frills interior decorating and exposed brick. The staff is always fast and friendly, and also willing to let me hem and haw if I need a second to decide what I want.
So far I’ve tried a number of entrees, and I do have some favorites. The Bumblebee Stew is a must — sweet with just a little bit of heat, it combines corn, black beans, onions and tomatoes in a sweet and creamy sauce that hits the spot when I want something healthy with good flavor. Drunken chicken is spicy and tender. Last but not least, the Red Beans and Rice combines red beans with spicy sausage in a red sauce, all over rice. As someone who loves spicy food, I think it would be difficult for me not to enjoy almost anything on the menu.
Don’t miss J. Gumbo’s the next time you want a fast and delicious dinner — seriously, don’t miss it when you’re driving down Frankfort Ave, because if you blink then you just might! Sidle on up for your new favorite place to grab dinner to-​go.

Being in the Navy I don’t get many chance to come home to Louisville and get out to all my old favorites. J Gumbos, however, is a must for me. This bowl of half Voodoo Chicken and half Bourbon chicken is the reason I come home; sorry mom and dad

The food might be good. Who knows? Two major issues with this place: televisions in restaurants=instant u-​turn at the door. Fox «News» on said television=instant u-turn+never return to establishment. Can I please eat my lunch without having politics shoved down my throat?

The three stars are just for restaurant appearance but with $ 8 Groupon with $ 15 even not specified I ate there and they even include my soda. Bought an extra to go and once again Groupon says dine-​in and he allow me take it to go. EXCELLENT service. EXCELLENT food… So don’t judge the restaurant, it’s clean!!!

Very casual/​country atmosphere. Very good Cajun style breakfast. I would like to come back and try lunch. Definitely worth a visit or two.

Good very affordable food! They have outdoor seating which I’m always a fan of. Sometimes I mix it up and get bumblebee with something else. It’s two meals for me. I’ve been coming here for years… Sometimes we pick it up when we don’t feel like cooking.

Set back from Frankfort Ave, you are apt to miss it if you are driving by too quickly. Also, it is small, but maybe my eyes deceive me since I have never eaten there (only had take out).
I will say there is absolutely zero effort in presentation. I ordered a Voodoo Chicken Po Boy one time and it was just stew on a bun. Sort of like if you made a sloppy joe out of pulled chicken. Could I… I dont know. get a garnish or something? Some green onions? Maybe a sprig of parsley? Make it seem like my $ 9 is going towards something?
However, to be fair, my absolute favorite dish is the Jean Lafitte, which is a combination of voodoo chicken and bumblebee stew, topped with cheese, sour cream and jalapenos. Its like New Orleans meets Tex-​Mex.
I want to deduct a star so badly though because one day I was getting an order to bring back to the office, and it was 3 entrees plus some crawfish cheese dip. I open the bag once I got back and they had given me ONE set of silverware. And then I remembered the guy saying to me as he handed the bag off — hope you enjoy your lunch — well dang, I like to eat but — dang! Who assumes all that food is for one person? A little rude IMO!

One of my favorite places to eat in Louisville. The crawfish ettuoffe is my personal favorite. The bumble bee stew is super as well as the drunken and voodoo chicken. Debbie one of the owners has been working there for years and is simply a pleasure! Give it a shot you will not be disappointed!

Lately we hadn’t been to many restaurants in the Louisville area that made us into returning customers.
We had been seeking a mom and pop place with a genuinely friendly atmosphere and fantastic food. We were not disappointed with J. Gumbo’s.
I had the Voodoo Chicken, and my wife had the crawfish gumbo. The soups are zesty, the meat tender, and the spices potent. The crispy slice of toast on the side is a perfect compliment to the soups. We both thoroughly enjoyed our food, fully satisfied when we left.
What left the deepest impression though, was the head chef’s pride in the food he puts on the table. You can tell how passionate he just by talking with him. This, coupled with the exceptional quality, is enough to make us repeat customers.

This is one of my favorite restaurants. My boyfriend and I checked it out using a Groupon and I have been hooked since! I brought my sister (she was from out of town and wanted to get some different) and she has been wanting to go back since.
I have yet to try something there I haven’t liked. I love the fact you can sample the dishes before committing to them. They have a wide variety from mild to spicy food. They also have vegetarian options as well.
They serve brunch on the weekends. It’s also really amazing!
I can definitely say if you walk out of there hungry then you must be doing something wrong :)

This has to be the best new orleans food around. I absolutely love this resturant. You have so much to pick from and the staff is absolutely amazing here. Everyone is laid back and know what you want when you want it. Check this place out if you’re on Frankfort aveune.

First visit to the original since the franchising and I should have done it sooner. The Frankfort Avenue store is about seven miles from my house, the Poplar Level store about a mile. I gave up on the Poplar Level store after the last management change when it became the flagship for the chain. Sure, they had the ‘big bowl’, but they filled it with the ‘tiny ladle’. Each franchise receives the soups from the central commissary then adds the meat at the manager’s discretion. I think the Frankfort store has secretly defected and should go back to calling themselves Gumbo-​A-​Go-​Go.
I had the gumbo and my wife had the half red beans and rice/​half mushroom etoufee. Bowls were full to the brim and still a bargain at seven fifty each. The single employee chief cook, chef and bottle-​washer did his best to turn a counter order into a sit-​down restaurant experience. The downsides: barely air-​conditioned with a few flies, and the beer license disappeared. Probably return in cooler weather, but still enjoyed the spice with a good sweat. Highly recommend for casual, value and flavor.

A bowl split between the Bumblebee Stew and the Bourbon Street Chicken is my ultimate comfort food.
The rice fills you up. The Bumblebee Stew is spicy yet sweet — a combination of tomatoes, corn, black beans and onions that I’ve tried to make at home without luck.
And the Bourbon Street Chicken has a kind of sweet, Asian flavor to it that just brings me to a happy place.
I’ve bought this at some of the other J. Gumbo’s locations, and it’s just not the same. Maybe that’s because this is the original J. Gumbo’s location — I’m not really sure — but this is the best J. Gumbo’s I’ve had. And every time I get it I wonder why I don’t come here more often.
This location is a bit of a hole in the wall, but there’s definitely a charm in that. Mardis Gras decorations plaster the walls, and you can normally hear Cajun music playing.
This location has a nice covered deck area that is great to eat in during the warmer months. You can watch the people and traffic going by on Frankfort Avenue.
And when you come here, make sure to get a Big Red pop with your meal. It just completes the meal.

Voodoo chicken and Drunken chicken are a must!!!
Been all around trying to find something that compares without too much luck. Was a good place in Memphis. I was all excited to go to New Orleans to find the real thing or something like that, but could not after much effort. Came back wanting the usual even more. This location is the best from some reason and often seems better if it is older (later in the day, 3 pm). Reheated in a toaster oven is better then fresh.

I had breakfast here and it was not memorable in any way. It’s fairly inexpensive but I’d much rather spend a little extra and go somewhere better. That being said, they do have chickory coffee which I LOVE.
Lunches are a lot better. I like their spicier offerings. Their desserts are good and the service has always been fantastic.

The place looks beat up and abandoned but other than that I love this place! The food is spectacular. I recommend getting the voodoo chicken which will set your mouth on fire! The people who work here are friendly and social and they’ll let you watch whatever you want to watch on the TV.

So good! Drunken chicken and voodoo chicken side by side were excellent. Great pick. This is something I still crave even after months! Don’t let the outside fool you, it’s a quaint little place on the inside and it’s a little hidden off the beaten path.

I love how they let you know range of flavors (from mild to insane-​hot) — such as voodoo chicken, Jambalaya, and Jean Lafitte Burrito Bowl.
I confess that I try to come here for breakfast– why? Their biegnets! Their Breaux Bridge Benedict (Eggs Benedicts), and blueberry pancakes… Oh my… just thinking about those, I am planning to get up early this Saturday for another stop at this place.