Jacques-Imo's Cafe
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504-861-0886
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Jacque-Imo's is a great restaurant. Its atmosphere is very ""New Orleans."" The food is great, especially the Jiffy Cornbread. The servings are pleniful and there is plenty of variety. The only bad thing at this restaurant is the wait on the weekends. If you don't get there early be prepared to wait over an hour for a table.
Have a drink at the cozy bar and chat with the friendly staff while you wait for your table. Once your table is ready you will be escorted through the kitchen literally into an old Cajun swamp styled dining room. As far as the food, you really can't go wrong with any item on the varied menu.
Try the crawfish etouffee. Gumbo comes in a bread bowl that you will want to eat after you are done with the soup. Portions are hearty and prices very reasonable.
The guy you will see walking around in his boxer shorts is the chef/owner, Jacque.
Great service, fun atmosphere, charming bartenders, terrific food AND JACQUES! Ten of us made reservations for 5:45 and it was a great evening for all of us. The only thing better than the food was Jacques (Jack) going table to table with his singing Christmas tree leading everyone in Christmas Carols. Definitely will go back and can't wait to do it!!!
Was told that there would be about a 2 hour wait for a table. Since it was one of the best rated places in NO, not a problem. Got a scotch, enjoyed the crowd and scenery.
When the wait was only 40 minutes, we were sorry that we couldn't just hang around longer. However, once at our table, not a problem. The food was wonderful, Lisa was helpful with recommendations, pleasant even though she was very busy and the people at adjacent tables were fun.
The alligator cheesecake and the porkchops was great and the house wine (Bonnie Doon Big House Red 2002 en Screwcap) complimented it all well. Next time, its take a bigger group so we can try more things.
Great night. This will be on my list for my next trip to the Big Easy.
Whoever argued that this amazing culinary adventure needed re-decorating needs to seriously lighten up and consider that they are (arguably) in the most eccentric city of the US.
I LOVE THIS RESTAURANT! I have been there at least a dozen times since I've lived there and it is my hands-down favorite.
If you miss this, you haven't really experienced NOLA. GO!
I am from New Orleans and decided to try the place. I am used to long waits so that was not a problem for me. I thought that the food was really good and different from the hum drum menus of the french quarter. I really think that they could change the atmosphere. The restroom was barely operational and right in the middle of all of the action. The $1.50 table cloths need to be thrown out. The lighting left a lot to be desired. I could hardly read the menu. I will not let this keep me from taking friend in the future. I hope they get a designer to fix the broken things around there.
Not at all a well-kept secret, Jacque-Imo's is none-the-less a spectacular eating spot in New Orleans. Packed with a noisy, hip crowd, the wait is usually about an hour in a crowded, crazy, funky bar in the front with excellent bartenders and staggeringly loud music. And it is unequivicobly worth the wait. The food is New Orleans with an attention to detail unlike any other restaurant of it's kind. In addition to a huge menu, LA staples such as oysters, pork-chops, fried chicken, and others sit side-by-side with lamb, rabbit...you must see this place to believe it. An excellent value for the quality of food and service. No reservations.
I knew I'd be in for a rather long wait at this fine eatery, but I was still shocked when the hostess told me ""2-3 hours"" when I put my name in. After about 1.5 hours and a couple martinis, they told me ""there are about 6 names before yours"" on the list. I began to salivate in anticipation of a delectable cajun dinner, but I sat for another hour listening to the hostess call about 20 more names before mine and I watched numerous ""regulars"" and ""friends"" getting seated before me.
The food here was extraordinary, but Mr. Jacques needs to expand his seating or begin taking and honoring reservations. I would not go back to Jacques Imo's and endure the 2+ hour wait--especially since the hostesses do not shoot straight with you about the wait time.
What an experience! With so many wonderful restaurants in this town we feel very fortunate to have found this place; and on our first night, no less.
Sure the wait was long, but if it wasn't we would have never discovered the Maple Leaf bar next door. Service (which makes or breaks a dining experience) was excellent. Everything was made to perfection. The California wine we ordered was actually cheaper than at home! And save room for the banana cream pie, it's superb.
If you're visiting from out of town stay away from tourists traps in the French Quarter and eat here. You won't be disappointed. Maybe Jacques will have the band play stop at your table like he did ours.
Of course I was pretty drunk that night, but I'm pretty sure it was great.
Food is very fine. But is it worth the wait. I realize that eating establishments make there greatest profit by making you wait as opposed to reservations (1-4 people), but the many times I have eaten here have required long waits. If you wish to put up with this, fine, but be warned, particularly on weekends
We had a large party during prime time on a Saturday night and were thrilled with our dinner at Jacques-Imo's. With 22 people dining, EVERY person raved about their meal selection. We were seated in the adjacent building with a charming ""under the sea"" theme and did not experience any delays/issues as noted in an earlier posting. The service was very prompt and friendly without being obtrusive. After asking about a particular sauce, the waitress brought samples of 2 options to try to ensure that I would enjoy my meal. After a very disappointing dinner in the Quarter the previous evening, Jacques-Imo's is DEFINITELY worth the drive uptown. I will visit there again next time I'm in New Orleans and would encourage others to give it a try. BTW - the champagne-oyster sauce is to die for.
Awesome place with crazy dishes. The decor adds so much to the experience. The wait was pretty long but the food was awesome. The chef was a cool guy who bought the table a bottle of wine. You have to walk through the kitchen to get to the dining room. That's cool because you know you're eating at a clean place that the staff is confident enough to show you. The bar was a good place to meet people. supposedly the counting crows visit this place whenever they're in town.
By far the best food we've had in New Orleans. Service is great, atmosphere is fun and funky. Everything they say about the fried chicken is true! And you won't leave with an empty wallet. Be prepared for a wait-but it's well worth every minute. Make sure to walk through the kitchen and visit Jacques!
This used to be one of my favorite restaurants. I would always take first time visitors to the city here. I hadn't been in several months, and then took my cousin and his girlfriend there in October. The cornbread was still good, but not as good as it used to be. The same could be said about the fried oyster with the salad. Also it took almost an hour and a half to get our dinner. My cousin thought everything was great, but since I knew what it used to be like, I was disapointed. The food has fallen from extraordinary to ordinary.
I always tried to keep Jacques-Imo's Cafe as my little secret. I would always surprise friends with the suggestion for the best food in N.O. After I would send someone there, they would always call in astonishment! I can not believe we have never eaten at this wonderful place. From the alligator cheescake to the fried chicken it is the best!
Living in New Orleans, you constantly get company. Jacques-Imo's is my first must-do for everyone. I've taken my parents, my grandmother, my friends, my friends' friends, and whoever else drops in. I've even (confidently) taken visiting chefs. That's a lot of varied tastes, but NOONE has ever been anything but highly pleased. There's always a (fairly lenghty) wait, but the bar/waiting area is always a blast, and you won't be disappointed. It's worth the wait. Good service, excellent food. I can't seem to get enough. I like everything I've had (and everything my company has had, too). Remember, if the locals like to hang here, that's a good sign.
This place rocks! It's always packed because the food is just terrific. A good tip: Reservations are accepted for parties of 6 or more. Get a group together and you won't have to wait. Appetizers were great, we had alligator cheesecake, the deep fried roast beef po-boy and oysters. Entrees great too, I had the fried chicken and loved it. There was duck, shrimp Creole and steak at the table as well, all very good. Our service was excellent, however, this place is so busy that everyone that works there really has to hustle, and they do! Some of the best casual dining I have ever experienced. Worth the wait if you don't have a reservation, just get a drink or two and hang out for while!
LOvely ambience.... thought I was in a swamp of some sort but the food was excellent and yeah.... the chef was very entertaining and friendly.
The Hostess and waite staff seem overwhelmed. The hostess was especially unpleasant.The service was poor, and the food not up to earlier standards which gave the restaurant its good reputation. The overcrowded conditions forced the restaurant to open an unattractive room next door where servers carry trays back and from from the main restaurant. What a let-down!
Everything on the menu is great. I know this because I've had it all. The Carpetbagger steak is my favorite, and I always get the oyster brie soup. Soft-shell crab rocks too! Fish, any fish, is always fresh and amazingly prepared. The sauces make every dish succulent and amazing. As the previous review stated, this isn't cajun. But it is very creole! And the aligator is cajun. But who cares about labels. At Jacques-Imo's the food's the thing.
Oh, we once waited 3.5 hours because they don't take reservations for parties 1 hour. Go get appetizers there.
- Extra Phones
Phone: 504-861-7356
Phone: 504-314-1585
Phone: 504-861-1443
- Hours
- Regular Hours
Mon - Fri: - Categories
- Coffee Shops, Caterers, Restaurants, Take Out Restaurants
- Payment Options
- Price Range
- $$
- Neighborhoods
- Leonidas, Uptown - Carrollton
- AKA
Jacques-Imo's Café
- Other Links
- Other Information
Parking: Street
Wi-Fi: No
Bike Parking: Yes
Attire: Casual
Good For Groups: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Take Out: Yes
Cuisines: Caterers, Take Out, Cafeterias
Alcohol: Full Bar
Takes Reservations: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Pets Allowed: No