Jacques-Imo’s Cafe

I don’t get out to eat that much but have passed by so much that I wanted to give them a try.
Glad I did, the food was very good and I had a great experience. I do plan on going back with some friends.

This place is full of life. The staff is a well oiled machine. The service is top notch, probably the best I’ve experienced. Very creative menu items. No idea what’s in the alligators cheesecake, but it is awesome! More please! A must order under any circumstance. The corn bread keeps coming, the complimentary salad follows suit, pretty soon you will be wondering if you will have enough space for the entrée. Easy to see why they have been so successful

I’ve only been once and was disappointed. I ordered the Blackened Red Fish which comes with two sides (I chose Smothered Cabbage and Corn Macque Chow). At $ 27.95 I expected something special… I was wrong. The food was uninspiring and lacked personality. The «blackened» red fish wasn’t spicy or flavorful. The cabbage and corn were served together on a small platter and the corn was watery. The cabbage was fairly solid but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t supposed to be the star of the entrée and certainly was not worth $ 27.95. I would be surprised if someone told me the cutlery was not from The Dollar Store It looked and felt cheap and was slightly better than eating with carved wood. Skip this place, much better dining in NOLA.

Good food/​good service. Everything we had was good. The fried chicken SO GOOD. Our waiter was super nice & helpful

Walking through the kitchen on the way to our table was really cool. As soon as we sat down we were brought some of the best corn bread I have ever had, we saw them take it out of the oven on our way to our seats so it was piping hot and very fresh.
I got the mixed fried chicken which came with a breast, thigh, and a drumstick. The fried chicken was fantastic, accompanied by a side of cream corn and red beans and rice the whole meal was a success.

More great New Orleans food!
This place had a line out the door. Thankfully we had a party of 5 so we were able to make a reservation (I did it 5 days prior).
This place has a very casual vibe — you literally walk through the kitchen to get to your table (and are practically in the kitchen when you are using the restroom). We were in our trade show clothes so definitely over dressed.
As we usually do when visiting a new town, we had our server suggest appetizers and mains. Must have the alligator and shrimp cheesecake. It is not cheesecake at all — it’s more like a cheesy quiche filled with alligator sausage and shrimp — amazingly delicious. We also had fried green tomatoes.
For our main courses we had blackened redfish, barbecued shrimp (head on shrimp — amazingly good), the fried mirliton (which was squash stuffed with oyster dressing topped with fried oysters), and the blackened lamb sirloin.
Full bar — plus we tried their special rum drink which we shared with 5 straws. Great service.

I went here for the first time years ago, before the national hype started apparently (that sounds so hipster of me). But because of this, I can say that over the years since my first time, it has stayed consistent. The only reason that it hasn’t gotten better in my eyes over the years is because the bar is already set at the top.
Living in Boston, we don’t get much authentic, fresh Cajun/​Creole food (maybe we do, but I have no idea where to find it among the yuppie gastropubs and chic-​eateries). That’s why when I’m down in New Orleans for work, I make it a point to haul over here. I’ll even admit that one time I visited Jacques’ on a trip but didn’t even see the friend that introduced me to it (shame on me. SHAAAAME).
ANYWAYS. The food. Garlic Cornbread to start. I’ve never even seen that before and now I make it at home when I can. My friend made me try the Shrimp & Alligator Cheesecake since as a Bostonian, alligator isn’t really part of our main diet. It was absolutely amazing. Savory, warm, and full of the spices and herbs that you would want. Then, we tried the Cajun Bouillabaisse which is out of this world. I can’t even describe it aside from «DAMN.» The Fried Mirliton and Crawfish Étouffée are two additional entrees that I’ve dabbled in. Everything is fresh and flavorful. My all time favourite (s) though? Mushroom Stuffed Salmon or the Stuffed Catfish.
I just wish we had places like this in Boston. As long as Jacques’ is there, so will I when I’m in town.

I recommend making reservations for this place because it was packed when we arrived. There is a truck out front that you can opt to dine in but, you better be ok with everyone stopping to take your picture while you eat. The kitchen is located in the middle of this restaurant so, you have to pass through it to get to the dining area as well as using the restroom in the kitchen which is a bit odd. However this is a renovated house so, there is only so much you can do.
I loved the vibe of this place and our server was very nice. I ordered the fried crab special but, I was also interested in trying the chicken that everyone raves about so, the server let me add on a piece of chicken for a couple bucks. Bonus points! My special came with a spinach salad with a fried oyster on it and we were served cornbread for the table as well.
The blue crab was perfectly fried with flavorful breading and moist crab meat. I wasn’t really a true fan of the chicken but, it tasted like it had been pickle brined or something. The overall flavor just didn’t fascinate my taste buds. The salad was complimented by a standard dressing they serve it with and I enjoyed it however I am not a fan of the texture of fried oysters. The little corn breads were heaven!
The price is a little expensive but, I think for the quality and flavor of the food mixed with the ambiance, it was worth it.

Meh. This place has fallen off and the food was subpar. I wouldn’t go back.
Head to frenchmen to check out Three Muses instead.

I had some really high hopes for this place and finally got to go this past weekend. We started off with the complimentary garlic cornbread, which was delicious! They were buttery and garlicky, crisp on the outside and very soft on the inside. yummmm. Then, we got the alligator and shrimp cheesecake, which was as amazing as everyone described. It was creamy, meaty and the flavor was delicious! Next, we had the snails over pasta. The garlic butter sauce that it sat in was good but quickly got salty, almost unbearable salty with the pasta. However, the snails were cooked very well. They were extremely tender! Next we had the duck and andouille gumbo, which had pretty good flavor and a generous amount of meat but just wasnt outstanding. it wasn’t bad but not amazing. We also got the fried boudin. These were goood! They were stuffed with cheese that oozes out as you bite into it, awesomely crunchy on the outside and the flavor of the boudin was on point. Lastly, we got the deep fried roast beef poboy. This was a huge disappointment. For a cajun place, we definitely had a different idea of how this should’ve been like. The deep fried factor was good, it was crispy as it should be but the poboy itself wasn’t very good. It was more like a philly cheesesteak than a roast beef poboy. It was also quite salty.
For drinks, I tried their bloody mary, which was unfortunately one of the worst I’ve ever had. Each sip gives you about a teaspoon of huge pepper chunks and if you tried to sip on top to avoid the pepper at the bottom, it is extremely salty. It was unbearable to drink this and I had to send it back.
Overall, this place was okaaay. I may come back for the gator cheesecake and perhaps try their entrees but most of the food we tried were just not that great.

I’m not sure what to think about this place, IF they would allow reservations, it might be the #1 restaurant in the entire new orleans region!
After our 2 hour wait, my wife and i had simply the best meal we could have expected. I had a delicious bouillabaisse and my wife had what she called the best blackened redfish of her life.
When we return to New Orleans, we will be visiting Jaques-​Imos!

Loved this place. They were very accommodating for our family with my special needs son in a wheelchair. They brought out some cornbread with a garlic taste. Very good. I would have eaten more than one but we had a lot of food coming. They brought out a nice tasty and clean spinach salad. That was one of my fibers for the day. We ordered the crab stuffed shrimp appetizer and boudin balls. Both were excellent. One of their specials of the day was snapper on top of a bed of black beans, spinach, carrots, onions and mushrooms. It was delicious. My youngest son ordered the grouper topped with crab. He enjoyed it but thought the snapper was better. My husband ordered the shrimp étouffée and loved it. The mashed potatoes were a little cold and lumpy. The red cabbage side dish was good and my 2^nd fiber dish of the day. Our waitress was very nice. Enjoyed our visit

As if the reviews before me didn’t already say it all …
This. Place. Is. Incredible.
I’ve been to NOLA a handful of times and we’ve always put Jacques-Imo’s on our itinerary. For whatever reason, today was the first time we actually made it here. I’m already plotting to see if we can squeeze one more dinner in before we leave. That’s how amazing the food was.
First of all, the complementary garlic cornbread is out of this world. It took every ounce of will-​power to not fill up on those alone. Hubby and I decided to share some apps and split one entrée so that we got to taste a bunch of different things … best decision ever.
I was terrified to try the alligator cheesecake, but I’m so glad he talked me into it. It was fantastic and not at all what I expected. As others mentioned, it’s very quiche-​like. Next, we had the boudin balls and the crab-​stuffed fried shrimp. The shrimp was so succulent! The boudin balls, while a little too cheesy for my taste, were pretty darn good as well. You know a place is fantastic when they make you like things that you normally don’t. Onto the entrée! We kept it classy ;) and got the fried chicken which was honest to goodness the best fried chicken I’ve ever had. Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, flavorful through and through! Our side of mashed potatoes and corn-«something» were equally yummy.
Our waiter was just the most fantastic guy ever — so friendly and beyond the definition of GREAT customer service. He surprisingly brought out dessert for my husband’s birthday and it was just phenomenal. Chocolate-​covered strawberries? Crème brûlée? Yes and yes. He made our already great experience just over the top.
Not one bad thing to say about this place. It’s easily the best meal I’ve ever had in NOLA. I would love to meet the very few who gave Jacques-Imo’s a bad review so I can slap them and then run away.

Super friendly! Amazing food! Great atmosphere! This review will be short because I have nothing to complain about. Everything was awesome!!!

Came here for my first dinner on the trip. The flaw of this place is they do not take reservations, so you’re gonna have to wait most of the time. We had almost a two hour wait on a Saturday night and then got seated on the outside part of the restaurant.
They start you off with tasty garlic cornbread balls which are almost addicting. Then we had the alligator cheesecake which is so unique and creamy and tasty. It’s a lot of bread to start off with so hopefully you have a few people dining with you so you’re not full before your meals. Our entrees were shrimp étouffée, jumbalaya, and a seafood gumbo. All of these were great choices which were recommended from our waitress. The barbecued shrimp was cooked perfectly and all the sauces were perfect for the right dishes. For dessert we had a delicious bread pudding. If you couldn’t tell we needed more bread…
This was a fantastic kinda divey restaurant but perfect fitting for NOLA. Highly recommend this restaurant

Jacques-Imo’s is legendary. This divey, walk-​in restaurant could care less about ambiance, fancy drinks, or even comfy seating. The tablecloths are those plastic ones you see at kid parties. Ours had gingerbread men and snowflakes. Seriously. The tables are crammed haphazardly, and the waiters do a dance around the maze to reach you. You walk though the kitchen to get to the dining room. This place has character for sure.
They also have a spot on my most delicious meal in New Orleans thus far. This is saying something, as the bar is so high in this city!
The complimentary Garlic Cornbread bites set the tone off right. Don’t be shy to ask for more — we devoured 7 between both of us…
The Boudin Balls aren’t mentioned much in the reviews, but it was my favorite dish of the night. Fried pork rice balls stuffed with jalapeño & gooey pepper jack cheese. Words can’t even explain how satisfying this was. Just order it!
Austin Leslie’s Fried Chicken was so (so!) juicy with a thicker, crispy breading. We chose four sides total. The Corn Macque Chow and Mashed Sweet Potato had so much butter, so much fat, and so much yummy. The Red Beans & Rice were hearty and delicious. The Country Greens had good seasoning and fatty flavor.
We also had the Crawfish Étouffée and the Duck & Andouille Gumbo. These flavor profiles pretty much epitomize Cajun food. Jacques-Imo’s did not disappoint. They make it with a dark roux and you could just taste the labor of love in the complexity of flavor. The amount of crawfish was very generous.
Unfortunately we made the mistake of thinking the Shrimp and Alligator Sausage Cheesecake was a sweet dessert. We cancelled our order, but our waiter couldn’t resist and brought us complimentary Crème Brulee instead. As you guessed, the top was torched perfectly and the filling was done right.
Speaking of our waiter, his personality and service was superb. This ain’t no white glove place, instead he made us feel like family.
If I had to recommend one spot in this city it would be here. Go and thank me later :)
Take Note:
–They only take reservations for 5+. Get here early for walk-​ins. We arrived just before 6 pm on a Saturday and our estimated 45 minute wait turned into a quick 10.

OK, apparently this place was super well known and had a super amazing reputation! (That’s always a bit scary– will it measure up to its big rep?)
For one of our meals out we decided to wait the time it took to get in (an hour and a half.) Luckily there are bars and coffee shops around the corner and they text you when it is your turn to get seated.
Our waiter was super nice. Our appetizers were a bit delayed. He apologized like ten times, comped the apps and gave us dessert on the house too!
I ordered the blacked redfish with an amazing hollandaise sauce. It did not disappoint. My husband had BBQed shrimp which were pretty much the best thing ever, so delicious and spicy. Our alligator cheesecake was creamy and savory– not to miss. I mean, even the salad was delicious.
I was so impressed that it lived up to its hype and would absolutely do the wait again.

Went back a few years after my first visit. Damn that BBQ Shrimp. No shame. I put the bowl to my lips and gulped that plate clean.
The fried chicken isn’t among my favorites. Blackened Redfish is small, but delicious as other reviewers said. Jacques-Imo’s is at it’s best when servers screw up. They make up for their mistakes with free desserts and comped food. God bless ‘em.

Snapshot: ⁵⁄₅ Authentic, ⁵⁄₅ Atmosphere ⁵⁄₅ Price & Quality
When the locals and Unilocal say go… you venture out. Though it was an hour wait, the Maple Leaf Bar is next store door which offers stiff drinks and local beers at a college prices.
If you are looking for fresh seafood with amazing sides and local cuisine, there’s nothing better.
The service is prompt and attentive. Price point is very reasonable. Less than $ 30 for the entry which includes two sides plus a salad.
The ride or drove down St. Charles is entraining.
Tip: Get there early as they don’t take reso’s!

The food here was amazing! This restaurant is tiny and the décor is so unique, you’ll feel like you’ve walked into Wonderland. Be prepared to wait though. We got here about 15 minutes after they opened and the wait was already 45 minutes for 2 people. You’ll have to get there before they open if you want a table right away.
Highlights: FREE AMAZING CORNBREAD! The cornbread was moist and buttery and they give you as many as you want! Shrimp and alligator sausage cheesecake is a must try as well. This savory cheesecake was really filling and heavy but good, definitely a dish to share.
Skip the fried green tomatoes though. It was kind of bland. We got the redfish as the entrée which was good. Overall the food and service were really good.

Une expérience à né pas manquer lors de votre séjour à La Nouvelle Orléans! Située à l’écart des quartiers touristique, cela vous donnera aussi l’occasion de sortir un peu des sentiers battus.
En entrée je vous recommande particulièrement le Jambalaya et l’alligator cheescake!
Compte tenu de la qualité des plats, les prix sont vraiment raisonnable. Service très bon.
Il y a généralement une longue file mais vous y échapperez peut-​être si comme nous vous venez ici lors d’une soirée de match des New Orleans Saints!

Le service était top. Compte tenu que nous étions accompagnés de nos enfants, ils nous ont attribué une table à peine quelques instants après notre arrivée. Nous avons échappé à l’attente ;) qui peut parfois être longue. Mais ça vaut le coup. Vous pourrez goûter au fameux cheesecake de crevettes et d’alligator. Original et très bon. Les portions du menu enfant sont très généreuses. Si ils en viennent à bout ce sera uniquement grace à votre aide.