The food here was delicious when they first opened. It was one of my favorite restaurants in the area. As time passed the food got bland. I also think it's too expensive for the portions you're given. This is also something that changed with time. I used to order the fried seafood platter and split it with whoever I was with, but a change in their portion sizse put an end to that. It is a small place so I suggest an early dinner to beat the crowd. I would recommend going once just to say you've tried it, but there is another seafood place named Jubiliee Joe's nearby that is tastier.
(2)
Wheeler E.
Would be a four star but a couple of technicalities which are really important in food biz. Waited a little too long for service outside and half way through we asked about getting a heater on because one of our guests was cold; didn't hear back from the server's helper... On he food side, quite good. I don't have a lot of Cajun experience but just on taste, I'd say it was good. I'd go back to this restaurant for sure. I particularly like supporting non chain restaurant and really like small ventures such a this.
(3)
Garrett P.
Sure, you have some items on the menu that wouldn't be out of place on a "limited time only" menu at Ruby Tuesday's: the "Bourbon St. Fettucine" and "Bayou Chicken" come to mind. However, the Crawfish Etouffee is stupidly delicious. The Boudin works pretty well, and if you don't get a side of Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya I'm not talking to you ever again. They also do a steamed seafood platter that's a great value; the perfect thing to knock back a few Abita with some friends over. Absolutely love this place.
(4)
Scott N.
This is my favorite Cajun restaurant in the area. The Catfish Pontchartrain is my favorite item on the menu. They have several other items on the menu that I've had over time that I really enjoy such as the boudin balls, fried calamari, etoufee, gumbo, etc. which are also fantastic. The smoked tuna dip appetizer is a hidden gem that gets overlooked compared to their more well-known ones. This location is also has the hottest waitresses in town so the eye candy is also a huge plus.
(4)
Mark S.
I had fish tacos, absolutely the best I've had in the B'ham area. And the biggest portion of fish too. Ate out on the patio on a pretty day, very enjoyable. Excellent service. Will be back! (second time here)
(4)
Joe S.
Perfect to hang out and drink some beers. I had two apps that were pretty good. Wait staff is eye friendly and also take good care of you.
(4)
Brian C.
I've been a fan of Cajun Steamer for some time but tonight was a big letdown. I opted for fried oysters which I've never tried here. They were under seasoned, overcooked and very uninteresting. I'm a believer that hot sauce can fix most anything but despite having "Cajun" in the name, there was no hot sauce to be found on our outdoor table. A little salt would have helped but our table didn't have that either... It was around 6pm and we seemed to be the first party seated at the table so possibly they hadn't finished prepping for service. My wife opted for the boiled shrimp which were quite good despite being paired with shriveled up frozen corn... It is summer after all and fresh corn is plentiful and tastes so much better. Frozen corn looks gross and tastes worse and at this price point, it's an insult. Up to this point, my reviews have been 3 and 4 stars but tonight was a little better than okay but really nothing special.
(2)
Colin L.
A great local place to eat if you're looking for something delicious to eat. If you're eating on a budget forget it because it is expensive but it is also delicious. When in season their Appalachia Oysters are some of the best ive ever had. To compliment them with the crab legs is a knock out combo you gotta try TODAY. Fire shrimp are a must have for any meal starter. And the only place around with a Gumbo i actually enjoy. Be prepared to empty your wallets but for every dollar you spend you fill your stomach with delicious Cajun Cuisine.
(5)
Joe M.
Music on the patio is really good. Love the menu. Really good atmosphere and servers are really nice.
(5)
Lisa D.
The alligator tail was delicious... Almost as good as some I've had in NOLA. The crawfish could use a little more kick. I would have rated this 4 stars based on the food, but since Nickelback was playing on their radio, I almost vomited up my meal.
(3)
John S.
One of my favorite spots in B'ham. The food is better than average, and the menu is outstanding, they just need more space. Always been happy with the kitchen here, and my whole family has a great time whenever we go. There's always something new on the menu it seems. The "Build Your Catch" seafood options are out of this world. If you can't find something here that makes you happy, you have issues. The fried items are always perfect, especially the catfish, oysters, and alligator bites. And for lunch I always get the Shrimp Po Boy, its as good as it gets. So many things to choose from on the menu sometimes its hard to decide. The beer is cold and the bloody marys are top notch, the perfect cure for what ails you. For desert we really enjoy the fried cheesecake and key lime pie. Got a nice patio for when its not scorching hot outside, and they always seem to have a wait. Would do more business if this place wasn't so cramped.
(4)
Kara H.
We arrived with a 25-30min wait, no big deal considering how it was prime dinner time on a Friday night. Figured it would be less time anyway. Put our name down for party of 3 first avail, for the tablet to txt when table was ready. Noticed lots of people leaving and coming especially another party of 3 that arrived after us! Before we knew it everyone around was inside sitting, including the party of 3 after us! I went to the hostess, she looked at her tablet and my name was gone, she didn't know what happened and promised we would be next! We got 12 oysters which were good but then our meals arrived. My boyfriend got shrimp and grits with what looked like some type of liquid (like soup) guess that was the Tasso cream sauce. It wasn't a sauce consistency. I got the Flounder Seafood Roulade with a stuffing, that stuffing was mush. Our friend got fish tacos with fried green tomatoes, his tomatoes were wayyyy too crispy. The service was good but the kitchen has gone down hill over the years. Our stomachs did not agree with us the next morning, ALL of ours! I think that may hv been our final visit! I gave 2 stars because the service was good, except for the beginning!
(2)
Charnetta M.
Everything was delicious! First time visiting and my mom and I really enjoyed the food. Extremely satisfied! No complaints here.
(4)
Eric W.
Very disappointed with the quality of food. I got the catfish Ponchatrain. The catfish was a frozen breaded piece of fake fish that you could've bought from Sam's Club. It was covered with a cream sauce that included a few tiny frozen crawfish tails. Nothing was freshly cooked from scratch. One positive, they had a nice selection of beer.
(2)
Kristi R.
Ate here yesterday and had the best time. We sat outside, our waitress was very attentive and friendly. The food was great, will defiantly go back!
(4)
Jon S.
Great restaurant! Excellent service. Friends and I always enjoy either the smoked tuna dip, shrimp and grits, raw oysters, crawfish enchiladas, or the snow crab legs. All their seafood is fresh and really tasty. Try the fried cheesecake for a treat as well. Outdoor balcony seats are the best. They also have a nice patio with live music at night. I've never had a bad experience here.
(5)
Lance H.
best Cajun food I've ever had, even better than NoLa. I would highly recommend the Shrimp Diablo (spicy Yum Yum like sauce) OR the Bayou Chicken (salsa spaghetti like sauce). Trying the Shrimp Creole Next Visit...
(4)
Tom W.
I've been to NOLa. This is a Cajun restaurant, not authentic New Orleans flavor. The servers are friendly and service quick, but I found the food to be average. I had the Shrimp Platter (blackened - which was grilled, stuffed and fried). The menu stated Jumbo Shrimp - they weren't. Other than the blackened which was actually grilled, it tasted ok but not Cajun. My side (I paid additional for) was red beans and sausage (with white rice). It was pretty authentic. Of course I washed it down with an Abita Amber. Priced ok, but I was looking for more flavor. Family friendly and might be fun with a group, I'll give it another try when I'm back in town.
(3)
Sheila L.
I had the red beans and sausage for lunch and it was flavorful and definitely on the spicy side. I thought prices were reasonable for what I had for lunch. Tried the beignets but those were disappointing. Not very tasty and a bit overcooked. I would not order them again. Service was good, attentive and willing to offer dishes they recommend. Good for a quick bite if you're in the mood for Cajun. I would go back, just to try something different.
(3)
Julie K.
Love this place! I got the Bayou Chicken...it's so good. The fried pickles are delicious as well. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Sunny K.
Good people IPA, yum; Grilled alligator, yum; Peel and eat shrimp (warm), yum; Fried green tomatoes, yum; Kimberly as a waitress, fantastic; Auburn football game on, perfect!
Dinner with a group here last night and everybody was extremely happy! Yaya Gumbo is a must. Very good and packed with goodies! I went for he blackened shrimp po' boy which had a good kick to it. The desserts were really out of this world. Beignets and fried cheesecake! Beignets come four per plate with a ramekin of caramel to drizzle on them. All the beignets were properly still hot! The fried cheesecake was ridiculously good. It comes with three slices, so it's plenty to share. Would absolutely go back!
(5)
Silvia G.
Ok food, fun atmosphere! I'm not from the area but I was going to the Galleria Mall and our taxi driver recommended this place since it was a short drive away. I love the cajun seafood I've tried in places like the Boiling Crab in California so I was expecting something similar. I started with the corn and crab chowder that was very creamy and tasty with a lil kick. For appetizers, we had to try the grilled Alligator bites (best way to describe is that it has a chicken/calamary taste, medium soft texture and very garlicky), hush puppies and crab cake. All were good to try but not memorable. We also ordered the boiled seafood platter for 2 which came with lots of crawfish, some crab legs, grilled oysters, corns and shrimp. I like my sauces with lots of flavor and not spicy. This was the exact opposite. They give you butter and cocktail sauce as dipping sauces. Not bad but definitely not the best seafood I've had. Portion was pretty good as we were three and hardly finished it. Atmosphere was fun and our server was nice as well! Wouldn't go out of the way for it though. Yelp 100 Challenge! 2015: 8/100
(3)
Dale W.
I spent two weeks in Hoover last year during the summer and I discovered Cajun steamers oh my God I ate there like 10 times during that two weeks. I could not get enough of their voodoo chicken or their crawfish gumbo. This place was unbelievable I think it was better than some of the places I ate in New Orleans. I am looking for a way to get back there again.
(5)
Ee Vonn Y.
The $9 gumbo was delicious and worth every penny. I should have just had an entire bowl of that and it would've made my day. I've never had alligator meat before so I I tried the half po-boy of blackened alligator meat It's a more chewy, salty version of chicken (mostly due to the seasoning). I wished they put more sauce in it. It felt dry. The fried crawfish appetizer was fresh. I regretted dipping this in cocktail sauce because you can't appreciate the flavors.
(4)
John L.
This place was awesome, some of the best seafood I have eaten off of the gulf coast. My wife and I had the steamed platter for two, and it was great. We arrived around 1230 and were sat immediately. We started with six raw oysters, and fried crawfish. She had a Bloody Mary and I had an angry orchard. Our sitter that we brought with us on the trip had the snow crab legs and my child had the chicken strips. Our total bill was $100.00 I recommend this place to anyone who likes seafood.
(5)
Ramon L.
Like everything else prices have increased and quantity along with quality have decreased.
(3)
Robin R.
I've never had boudin before until I ate it here. It was great! Margherita was great too! I had a wonderful time on a date here. Good times. Good food.
(5)
Kaleb E.
I got the kalimari there as a appetizer must say it was really good then I got the oyster best thing ever the only problem is that it's kinda crowed so make sure to get a booth
(4)
Will L.
After seeing people posting pictures of crawfish, I knew it was time to head to the steamer. Even though it was looking like spring, it felt like winter on this day. Cold weather eliminates half of their seating. Either way, it only took about twenty minutes to get a table. Not too shabby. The highlight of our dinner was the service. While we knew who our primary server was, it seemed that everyone was taking care of us. at least four different employees asked if we were ok and filled up our drinks. In the seafood mood, we ordered the steamed seafood for two. I was worried about this choice, because of my elevated hunger level. Silly me. This plate was huge (check my picture)! There were enough shrimp, crawfish, crab legs, and oyster to feed an army. The crab legs were, by far, the best thing on the table. It's a bit loud and cramped, but perfect if you're looking for the southern/cajun experience.
(4)
Martin B.
Great food and atmosphere...very reasonably priced for quality of food. I had the seared ah I tuna salad and a cup of jambalaya.
(5)
Candice H.
Delicious snow crab legs though the corn on the cob and side potatoes were small sized. Nice, local atmosphere. Friendly waitstaff and manager recommended the fried cheesecake which is actually three small but decadent slices.
went back recently and I don't know if they changed managers but it was like it use to be when we loved going so much. Great service, food and no bad odor!! YAY
(4)
Liz R.
Recommended by local friends, so my friend R and I had to give it a try. The restaurant is located on the second floor (at least the way we got there involved a flight of stairs up from the street parking) of a sprawling outside mall-type complex. We scored a booth in the bar area and started with drinks and Fried Dill Pickle Chips (all on the Happy Hour menu we just squeeked in in time to enjoy). I liked my margarita enough to get a 2nd. They had a ton of app choices that looked delicious. My main was the Catfish Ponchartrain, which came stuffed with shrimp and crab breading and topped with a creamy, slightly (perfectly) sweet Crawfish Louie sauce. $13, and it came with a side! I chose the Crawfish Etouffee, which ate more like a soup (I'm not complaining, it was delicious, just not what I'm used to). Yum all around. R got the Fish Tacos - three tilapia tacos, prepared either grilled, blackened or fried, with shredded cabbage and pico. She chose grilled (which would have been my 3rd choice) and couldn't eat more than one because there was too much black pepper in something on the taco for her. I didn't try the dish, so I can't comment on the taste. $11 and included a side (I think she got fries). I'd return.
I was headed to a minor league ballgame, when the hunger struck. Now I know hot dogs and beer are the staples of fine baseball dining, but frankly I've been doing it way too long. When I travel, I want stuff I can't get back home, easily. When I found out that The Cajun Steamer had jambalaya, it was kind of a no-brainer that this was the place I had to go. It was conveniently located on the way to Regions Park, maybe 3-4 miles away. It's located in a gigantic McShopping center, one of those new Sim City-like commercial zones, complete with giant theater, bookstore, DSW and Ross. Needless to say, there's plenty of parking. Getting there towards the tail end of the rush, and being alone, it was easy to get a seat at the bar. The staff was all southern smiles and easy on the eyes, in that permanent spring break kind of way, and took my drink and food orders pretty promptly. I ordered a cup of jambalaya and a blackened catfish po-boy. While waiting, I could really soak in the atmosphere of the place; it's not that big, but has a cozy feel to it. Wooden booths and a few tables crammed in there, with a pretty generous outdoor seating area. Lots of flair and beer paraphernalia all over the walls, with a few big TVs to watch your sports on. When my food arrived, I dug into the jambalaya promptly. I'm no expert on jambalaya, but I enjoyed it well enough. I had hoped it would have been more of a creole style with shrimp in it, but chicken and sausage works fine too. It wasn't as spicy as I would have had preferred, but it was still delicious. The po-boy though, was a pleasant surprise. I got it mostly because I didn't want to dedicate to an entire bowl of jambalaya in case I didn't like it, so it was kind of plan B. But the catfish was flavorful and was a generous cut, and the lettuce and tomato were fresh. Not soggy lettuce, but still crispy and a cool contrast to the hot fish. The French bread wasn't like a giant saltine and was flaky and had some chew to it. It was delicious and better than I had expected. As a total, it only rang me up around $15. For a fresh meal in a fairly unique to me experience, I couldn't have really asked for anything else really. Would gladly come back if my travels bring me back down to Hoover again.
(4)
Mary Helen H.
My favorite place after work to go see my favorite bartender Vanessa Johnson have a Bahama mama an appetizer.
(5)
Christine M.
The Chiicken Bayou was amazing. Drink was overpriced for the size. Great service, great food and the other patrons were friendly.
(4)
Russ M.
I had lunch here for the second time within the last month. I had a lunch combo, a cup of gumbo (choice of chicken/sausage, seafood or YaYa) plus a half Po-Boy(choice of shrimp or catfish), you have choices of fried, grilled or blackened. The chicken/sausage gumbo was very good. A rich roux gave a full flavor to the gumbo. My fried shrimp Po-Boy was a disappointment. The French bread was good, but that was all I could taste. There were a total of 5 popcorn shrimp on the sandwich, a small tomato slice, a bit of lettuce and a hint of some kind of spread. Just did not deliver much value for this meal.
(2)
martin b.
I love everything about it.... fun, great food, and a great clientele.
(5)
B C.
Awesome Food! I ate at the Hoover Location. The crawfish enchiladas are amazing! Wait staff was great too! I'm a Fan!
(5)
Megan C.
Food was alright but too pricey for The small portions. We had a cup of gumbo and shrimp with potatoes and corn. The corn was chewy and old. But the potatoes and shrimp had a pretty good flavor. I've had more authentic Cajun food in California than here, so that was disappointing. And when I walked into the ladies room to wash my hands, a lady came out of the stall and ran water over her hands (didn't use soap) and walked out. Turns out. She was the bartender. Glad we don't drink.
(2)
Sarah H.
Not my favorite cajun place but def legit. We orded the half alligator po boy and shrimp po boy, one w fries the other w a salad. The balsalmic dressing was really good....it was a creamy texture so probably not really light but worth it :) Both our meats were done blackened and true to that they were...very spicy but not really blackened with the black traditional way. We were both moderately satisfied and our tastebuds happy but they were very simple. Literally my po boy was the shrimp and a dinky tomato slice and mayo (which I would have held) on white bread. All in all good but to pay $8 ea for a half sandwich is pretty steep. I'm interested to try their traditional cajun dishes I've had before but they were pricier than most other cajun places id been to before. Good, willing to try again, but not a fave.
(3)
Paul C.
Cajun Steamer is pretty good. The decor and atmosphere is very much like local restaurants in south Louisiana. We like the Blue Crab Claw appetizer. It can be prepared with your choice of Cajun spice, garlic herb, lemon pepper, or fried. Boiled crawfish are served during crawfish season, and they are very good. They are hot and spicy and served on a tray with corn and potatoes. The Fried Shrimp and Catfish entree is good, but I find the batter a little too salty. Friends have raved about the Crawfish Enchiladas. Crawfish tails are prepared in a Rotel cream sauce and rolled in flour tortilla. That looked good!
(4)
David A.
My wife and I ate here for lunch in May of 2010. My wife and her family are from New Orleans, and I lived there for several years as well. So, we're persnickety about seafood and restaurants claiming to serve Louisiana style food. I ordered the boiled shrimp and thought they were very bland. Barely any seasoning aside from salt. This is NOT how they would be served in South Louisiana. Is it really that hard to throw in some lemons, garlic, and a bunch of spices? On top of that, the shrimp were tough and overcooked. The gumbo, in contrast, was very good. Not a traditional South Louisiana gumbo but really delicious anyway. Many times when I order gumbo in this area, it's served as more of a soup than a stew, and it's not even the right color (gumbo should be almost black). The gumbo at The Cajun Steamer is thick and dark and spicy. My wife ordered a fried shrimp poboy. She enjoyed the shrimp on the sandwich, but the french bread was not remotely authentic. That's another thing I have never understood. Why is it so difficult to find New Orleans style french bread outside of New Orleans? Overall the experience was okay, but we won't be rushing back.
(2)
Betty B.
The Tilapia and Shrimp Rockefeller is to die for....literally one of the best dishes I've tasted. The coconut shrimp is a good starter as well! The food is always fresh.
(5)
Ayon J. R.
A really good menu with lots of choices. The food is great. I didn't much care for the "sports bar" atmosphere.
(4)
Marc L.
This is by far my favorite resturant ever!! I campare all other food to this place. Cajun food I now my favorite. They have the best gumbo, and all other food is just great. I have tried almost everything and it is all great except the jerk chicken skewers. I get the all saints tilapia and my wife gets the vodoo chicken. We have been here about 25 times and it is always great. The one in trussville is a little better than the one in hover and has more seats. They have live entertainment sometimes which is good. If I could give them 10 stars out of five I would! Just try it already, just leave room for me and everyone I know. Btw they always give me plenty of food, and I am 6ft 5inches and about 275lbs an I eat ALOT :)
(5)
Feverish G.
This place rocks!!!!!! I am writing this review on behalf of the 3 co-workers that were with me to experience this great food. Myself along with one of my co-workers had the shrimp diablo, F-ing Amazing!!!! Skip all the other resturants in the area and try the cajun steamer, you wont regret it.
(5)
Landon H.
One of the best Cajun restaurants in which I've ever eaten - period. I spent 7 years in Central/Southern Mississippi and I thought I'd had great Cajun Cuisine. This place caught me completely by surprise. The corn and crab bisque is the best appetizer on the menu. The spiciness of the food isn't overwhelming. They realize that they are in Birmingham, not New Orleans, so they adjust the spice to just the right levels. The only downside is that I don't think they expected the fanfare they are receiving, so the place - while it isn't small - isn't quite as large as it needs to be. But grab a seat at the bar and relax until your called.
(5)
John M.
I had lunch there recently, and unfortunately, the food was not up to par. I had the chicken and sausage gumbo-more like salty soup than gumbo. I then had the jambalaya, and it was dry as a bone-like it might have been sitting in the pot too long? The service and people were fantastic, but again, food not good-maybe I was there on an off day?
(2)
Autumn K.
It ain't the French Laundry and it's not Ad Hoc, but this is where I fell in love with cheese grits and some rice and pork thing that my mom's physical therapist all but shoved down my throat (don't ask...it's a long story). This is also a great place to hear a live band sing old classics like American Pie and Sweet Home Alabama (surprise!). Coming from San Francisco, where a thimbleful of margarita and a doll-size shot of Patron will set you back Fifteen bananas (daddy talk for dollars), the happy hour here is so great I became a regular in just one week. A drunk, sloppy regular, but hell- it's the South. There's a bartender who just had a baby and she looks hot as hell- she may be the nicest bartender I've ever drunk-ordered from :) I must note, mama's friend Grey pointed out that nothing is steamed and everything is fried. This is true as far as I can see. However, the fried stuff is good. Go here. You will fall in love. Even though it is in a shopping center (which we SFers don't have).
(4)
Joe L.
Great Cajun Food! However the drinks are too high! However, they're always crowed when I've been in. Great Staff. Very Pretty Girls on staff!
(3)
Jasmine T.
Delish! Unbelievably authentic cajun delights!
(5)
Paul R.
AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! What I ordered: Gator Appetizer Boudin Appetizer Gator Po'Boy What was wrong with what I ordered: Gator Appetizer tasted like mud - I know that Gator can have that flavor, but this tasted like I put some mud in my mouth and swished it around. Boudin Appetizer had NO flavor. This was some terrible Boudin. Gator Po'Boy - Made me so sick. At one point, I bit into a CHUNK OF MUD. I spit it out immediately (that looked civilized) and then I couldn't eat another thing until the next day at Lunch. It was all I could do to not throw up on the spot. My co-workers laughed, and I nearly cried. My co-worker had the shrimp po-boy and the ya ya gumbo. Both were bland and tasteless. Gumbo was very disappointing. His po-boy needed about a gallon of hot sauce to make it at all edible. I was told that the girls here are good looking. I went twice (the first time for drinks only, the second time for food, since I love cajun) The girls are average at best; the bartender may have been good looking-ish. Average girl rating in there: 6. Not worth it. This place is only good for backwoods country rednecks who regularly eat raccoons and possums. For everyone else, as I said before, Avoid this place like the plague.
(1)
Amy C.
I love the Cajun Steamer! I am brand new to cajun food.. don't know too much about what makes it "good" or "bad" . But I know what I like, and I like the cajun steamer! I had crawfish here for the first time recently... I loved how they were boiled in the cajun seasoning, and they picked up the flavors really well. My waitress noticed me struggling to eat it, and she was kind enough to go out of her way to show me how it's done. Gumbo is the best gumbo I've had so far. Really spicy and flavorful, with just the right amount of seafood. Shrimp Diablo is another really good, tasty dish. I think the only thing I've had here I wasn't too crazy about were the po'boys (they seem to have too much batter, and I prefer to have po-boys with crispy french bread) and the crawfish etoufee (just tasted like cream of mushroom soup to me... but is that how it's supposed to taste like? not sure, lol :) Besides the long waits during winter time, this is definitely a place I enjoy going to!
(4)
Tynetta H.
I must start off by saying that Cajun Steamer, Hoover is a nice relaxed environment. The service is decent too. However, decided to have dinner there one evening and while enjoying nice conversation and watching the game, a ROACH crawled up the back of the booth. Manager came over and tried to rectify the situation, but how can you sit back down and finish your meal. So long story short the environment is nice and relaxed, staff is decent but I CAN NOT enjoy a meal with pest crawling around at will.
(1)
Kevin S.
I stopped by Sunday for lunch. Not very crowded and I found a new favorite place to go. A wider variety of Cajun seafood than I have seen anywhere in northern Alabama. Owned by a Louisiana native and the menu, food, and taste shows. I had the ya ya gumbo and crawfish poboy. Both were outstanding and way more than I expected form a place in a strip mall. I will definitely stop here every time I am in Birmingham from now on. Also the waitresses were very kind and helped me with menu questions and suggestions. They were very easy on the eyes too!
(5)
Lizzie P.
A Thursday summer night at the Cajun Steamer Atmosphere: If it's not too much of a hot summer night, outside seating is best. There are two areas, a back patio and a front patio. The front patio usually has a band (mainly country) which is entertaining. Food: Our table ordered boudin and oysters as appetizers. The Boudin was average and the oysters were larger than I would expect - and also very good. The crawfish etoufee was a miss and I would only get it as a side as opposed to an entree. The stuffed seafood chicken was very good - and I would recommend it. The jambalaya is also great as a side. Up until 6:00 they have happy hour which is a ridiculously great deal if you get food. For happy hour, definitely get the royal red shrimp and split it between two people. Service: They were extremely busy and I think they were all flustered. My waitress spilled a diet coke in front of me which resulted in a tied died looking dress - not so hot. However, she did make it up at the end of the meal with a chocolate cake on the house.
(3)
Bill J.
Really good variety of cajun food. Good beer and on certain nights, live music. A good casual spot for cajun food.
(4)
Matt E.
THIS PLACE WAS AWESOME! Ok, so this was my first visit, so I can't attest to consistency... This said, my wife wanted to go here for her birthday dinner today... We arrived about 3pm and started off with a few brews (not the best selection, but they had New Castle, which kept me happy) and the Fried Pickles as an app. The fried pickles were perfect.. Just the right amount of seasoning, perfectly fried crispy batter and tasty sour-tart pickles, served with a side of ranch - they were a great starter... Since it was 'happy hour' (basically all day on Saturday), the pickles were $5 - def worth it considering the quality and portion, which was huge. For our meals, we went with a couple of po boy's... My wife ordered the whole crayfish po boy with the spicy curly fries... I opted for the Alligator Poor Po Boy ("Half" - quotes due to it not really being half, but more like 3/4!!!), Fried Green Tomatoes and an order of the Crayfish Enchiladas (again, a $5 happy hour appetizer). I don't quite know how to put this, but the amount of food was basically 2.5 meals for us each... My wife and I ate until we were grossly full and still walked out of the door with 3 FULL to-go plates - I kid you not - THREE... The po boys were so loaded with crayfish/alligator, it was basically like having a po boy with a large side of crayfish/alligator in additional to the rest of the meal. My wife's order of fries were so large they were literally falling off of the plate and she actually had to leave some behind because they just wouldn't fit in the to-go plate. Again, I order the 1/2 po-boy since I wanted the Crayfish Enchiladas, but still was so stuffed I carried out 1/2 of my "half" po-boy, 2 of my fried tomatoes and 1 of my Crayfish Enchiladas (my wife and I could only eat 1 sharing). To top this off, we carried out a 3rd to-go of ~1/2 of our huge order of pickles... I just can't say enough good about this place... The prices were reasonable based on the normal menu price and they were outright exceptional when factoring in the "happy hour" rates... 2 beers, 2 apps and 2 meals for ~$37 before tip! Can't beat it. The staff was very friendly and very fast. We will most certainly be going back and will likely be taking friends next time to show off :D
(5)
J S.
Ok, I'm not gonna pretend to have been cajun in a past life or anything so I can't vouch for how authentic the food is. What I can vouch for is the taste. It was a'ight. Nothing super fabulous. In laws brought us there cause it's their fave, can't say that it would be mine. Got the steamed shrimp (I know, not wild livin), it was, as I said, a'ight. It came with potatoes and corn, unfortunately the corn was so overcooked, my toddler wouldn't even touch it and the potatoes were crazy spicy. And, it's just a boiled potato, maybe that's some cajun thing, but overcooked corn and a spicy boiled potato just aren't my thing. Hubby had the crawfish etoufee (yes I'm probably misspelling that....) thought it was good, not awesome, not bad, just good. Their place is a bit small, especially since they seem really busy, overcooked corn and all!
(3)
Curly Q.
The last time I was here I waited for over an hour and then, when I got my food, noticed all the things on my combo plate tasted of Tony Chachere's. It was not that great. The dining room was so loud that my friend and I pretty much ate in silence because we couldn't hear one another. And the waitstaff was still annoying.
(3)
ashraf a.
i do love to go there on Sundays for lunch but its like hit or miss with this sometimes the food is awesome but other times we get the exact same thing and its what ever so it lacks consistency other then that its an OK place to come and chill on a sunny afternoon.
(2)
Jessica G.
Good food but insufficient space. They are quite busy on the weekends and often have LONG waits, which is not practical if you have small children. I would advise you to go on a weeknight or for an early dinner to avoid the wait. Great Tilapia Rockefeller, I would definitely suggest that to anyone.
(4)
Bob G.
We love this place. We had a large party of 15 and they were very accommodating. Our server was friendly and attentive. I had the shrimp and Grits among other things and everything was delicious. All of the portions were generous and big enough to share. Overall a good value for the money. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in Alabama.
(5)
Jeff T.
Nice patio. Very good service. Royal reds and crab legs were yummy and nicely cooked!
(4)
Mandy C.
I think it depends on what you order as to whether you think you got a good value. As for us, we do not eat fried food, so our plates always seem to have small portions on the plate for the price we pay. However, the food we do get is good...not fantastic but when we are int he mood for seafood but want a casual atmosphere we eat here. We typically order a grilled fish of some kind and a side. My favorite side is the Cajun Black-eyed peas- these are yummy! Note- if you go on a Friday or Saturday night, be prepared to wait and serach for a parking spot
(2)
Sarah D.
I've been there a few times and I remember that one time the waitress was very nice. Another time, our waitress ignored my group and gave me the worst service I ever had. I went back not too long after that. My now ex and I sat and waited and were NEVER served. We told the hostess, who did nothing. I went back a few years later to see if it had changed with my husband. It was very busy and the waitress paid little attention to us. Although the food is great, the service is bad. I really don't believe that I'll be going back, it's just not worth it.
(1)
Susanne K.
Enjoyed some great tunes by Damon Lockhart last night at Cajun Steamer at Patton Creek. Looking forward to seeing him there again soon!
(5)
David A.
My wife and I ate here for lunch in May of 2010. My wife and her family are from New Orleans, and I lived there for several years as well. So, we're persnickety about seafood and restaurants claiming to serve Louisiana style food. I ordered the boiled shrimp and thought they were very bland. Barely any seasoning aside from salt. This is NOT how they would be served in South Louisiana. Is it really that hard to throw in some lemons, garlic, and a bunch of spices? On top of that, the shrimp were tough and overcooked. The gumbo, in contrast, was very good. Not a traditional South Louisiana gumbo but really delicious anyway. Many times when I order gumbo in this area, it's served as more of a soup than a stew, and it's not even the right color (gumbo should be almost black). The gumbo at The Cajun Steamer is thick and dark and spicy. My wife ordered a fried shrimp poboy. She enjoyed the shrimp on the sandwich, but the french bread was not remotely authentic. That's another thing I have never understood. Why is it so difficult to find New Orleans style french bread outside of New Orleans? Overall the experience was okay, but we won't be rushing back.
(2)
Marc L.
This is by far my favorite resturant ever!! I campare all other food to this place. Cajun food I now my favorite. They have the best gumbo, and all other food is just great. I have tried almost everything and it is all great except the jerk chicken skewers. I get the all saints tilapia and my wife gets the vodoo chicken. We have been here about 25 times and it is always great. The one in trussville is a little better than the one in hover and has more seats. They have live entertainment sometimes which is good. If I could give them 10 stars out of five I would! Just try it already, just leave room for me and everyone I know. Btw they always give me plenty of food, and I am 6ft 5inches and about 275lbs an I eat ALOT :)
(5)
Feverish G.
This place rocks!!!!!! I am writing this review on behalf of the 3 co-workers that were with me to experience this great food. Myself along with one of my co-workers had the shrimp diablo, F-ing Amazing!!!! Skip all the other resturants in the area and try the cajun steamer, you wont regret it.
(5)
Landon H.
One of the best Cajun restaurants in which I've ever eaten - period. I spent 7 years in Central/Southern Mississippi and I thought I'd had great Cajun Cuisine. This place caught me completely by surprise. The corn and crab bisque is the best appetizer on the menu. The spiciness of the food isn't overwhelming. They realize that they are in Birmingham, not New Orleans, so they adjust the spice to just the right levels. The only downside is that I don't think they expected the fanfare they are receiving, so the place - while it isn't small - isn't quite as large as it needs to be. But grab a seat at the bar and relax until your called.
(5)
Jessica G.
Good food but insufficient space. They are quite busy on the weekends and often have LONG waits, which is not practical if you have small children. I would advise you to go on a weeknight or for an early dinner to avoid the wait. Great Tilapia Rockefeller, I would definitely suggest that to anyone.
(4)
Betty B.
The Tilapia and Shrimp Rockefeller is to die for....literally one of the best dishes I've tasted. The coconut shrimp is a good starter as well! The food is always fresh.
(5)
Ayon J. R.
A really good menu with lots of choices. The food is great. I didn't much care for the "sports bar" atmosphere.
(4)
J S.
Ok, I'm not gonna pretend to have been cajun in a past life or anything so I can't vouch for how authentic the food is. What I can vouch for is the taste. It was a'ight. Nothing super fabulous. In laws brought us there cause it's their fave, can't say that it would be mine. Got the steamed shrimp (I know, not wild livin), it was, as I said, a'ight. It came with potatoes and corn, unfortunately the corn was so overcooked, my toddler wouldn't even touch it and the potatoes were crazy spicy. And, it's just a boiled potato, maybe that's some cajun thing, but overcooked corn and a spicy boiled potato just aren't my thing. Hubby had the crawfish etoufee (yes I'm probably misspelling that....) thought it was good, not awesome, not bad, just good. Their place is a bit small, especially since they seem really busy, overcooked corn and all!
(3)
Curly Q.
The last time I was here I waited for over an hour and then, when I got my food, noticed all the things on my combo plate tasted of Tony Chachere's. It was not that great. The dining room was so loud that my friend and I pretty much ate in silence because we couldn't hear one another. And the waitstaff was still annoying.
(3)
martin b.
I love everything about it.... fun, great food, and a great clientele.
(5)
B C.
Awesome Food! I ate at the Hoover Location. The crawfish enchiladas are amazing! Wait staff was great too! I'm a Fan!
(5)
ashraf a.
i do love to go there on Sundays for lunch but its like hit or miss with this sometimes the food is awesome but other times we get the exact same thing and its what ever so it lacks consistency other then that its an OK place to come and chill on a sunny afternoon.
(2)
Bob G.
We love this place. We had a large party of 15 and they were very accommodating. Our server was friendly and attentive. I had the shrimp and Grits among other things and everything was delicious. All of the portions were generous and big enough to share. Overall a good value for the money. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in Alabama.
(5)
R G.
There were 6 in my party and 4 had really bad experiences. The steamed seafood platter was described as being the worst they'd ever had. It was a weird texture...described best as mushy and dry. The corn and potato combo was awful...corn was chewy and potatoes were very bland. The fried green tomatoes was the only thing I liked okay. I will never eat at this place again!
(2)
Mary Helen H.
My favorite place after work to go see my favorite bartender Vanessa Johnson have a Bahama mama an appetizer.
(5)
Christine M.
The Chiicken Bayou was amazing. Drink was overpriced for the size. Great service, great food and the other patrons were friendly.
(4)
Kaye L.
The food here was delicious when they first opened. It was one of my favorite restaurants in the area. As time passed the food got bland. I also think it's too expensive for the portions you're given. This is also something that changed with time. I used to order the fried seafood platter and split it with whoever I was with, but a change in their portion sizse put an end to that. It is a small place so I suggest an early dinner to beat the crowd. I would recommend going once just to say you've tried it, but there is another seafood place named Jubiliee Joe's nearby that is tastier.
(2)
Wheeler E.
Would be a four star but a couple of technicalities which are really important in food biz. Waited a little too long for service outside and half way through we asked about getting a heater on because one of our guests was cold; didn't hear back from the server's helper... On he food side, quite good. I don't have a lot of Cajun experience but just on taste, I'd say it was good. I'd go back to this restaurant for sure. I particularly like supporting non chain restaurant and really like small ventures such a this.
(3)
John L.
This place was awesome, some of the best seafood I have eaten off of the gulf coast. My wife and I had the steamed platter for two, and it was great. We arrived around 1230 and were sat immediately. We started with six raw oysters, and fried crawfish. She had a Bloody Mary and I had an angry orchard. Our sitter that we brought with us on the trip had the snow crab legs and my child had the chicken strips. Our total bill was $100.00 I recommend this place to anyone who likes seafood.
(5)
Ramon L.
Like everything else prices have increased and quantity along with quality have decreased.
(3)
Robin R.
I've never had boudin before until I ate it here. It was great! Margherita was great too! I had a wonderful time on a date here. Good times. Good food.
(5)
Kaleb E.
I got the kalimari there as a appetizer must say it was really good then I got the oyster best thing ever the only problem is that it's kinda crowed so make sure to get a booth
(4)
Russ M.
I had lunch here for the second time within the last month. I had a lunch combo, a cup of gumbo (choice of chicken/sausage, seafood or YaYa) plus a half Po-Boy(choice of shrimp or catfish), you have choices of fried, grilled or blackened. The chicken/sausage gumbo was very good. A rich roux gave a full flavor to the gumbo. My fried shrimp Po-Boy was a disappointment. The French bread was good, but that was all I could taste. There were a total of 5 popcorn shrimp on the sandwich, a small tomato slice, a bit of lettuce and a hint of some kind of spread. Just did not deliver much value for this meal.
(2)
Will L.
After seeing people posting pictures of crawfish, I knew it was time to head to the steamer. Even though it was looking like spring, it felt like winter on this day. Cold weather eliminates half of their seating. Either way, it only took about twenty minutes to get a table. Not too shabby. The highlight of our dinner was the service. While we knew who our primary server was, it seemed that everyone was taking care of us. at least four different employees asked if we were ok and filled up our drinks. In the seafood mood, we ordered the steamed seafood for two. I was worried about this choice, because of my elevated hunger level. Silly me. This plate was huge (check my picture)! There were enough shrimp, crawfish, crab legs, and oyster to feed an army. The crab legs were, by far, the best thing on the table. It's a bit loud and cramped, but perfect if you're looking for the southern/cajun experience.
(4)
Dale W.
I spent two weeks in Hoover last year during the summer and I discovered Cajun steamers oh my God I ate there like 10 times during that two weeks. I could not get enough of their voodoo chicken or their crawfish gumbo. This place was unbelievable I think it was better than some of the places I ate in New Orleans. I am looking for a way to get back there again.
(5)
Ee Vonn Y.
The $9 gumbo was delicious and worth every penny. I should have just had an entire bowl of that and it would've made my day. I've never had alligator meat before so I I tried the half po-boy of blackened alligator meat It's a more chewy, salty version of chicken (mostly due to the seasoning). I wished they put more sauce in it. It felt dry. The fried crawfish appetizer was fresh. I regretted dipping this in cocktail sauce because you can't appreciate the flavors.
(4)
Martin B.
Great food and atmosphere...very reasonably priced for quality of food. I had the seared ah I tuna salad and a cup of jambalaya.
(5)
Candice H.
Delicious snow crab legs though the corn on the cob and side potatoes were small sized. Nice, local atmosphere. Friendly waitstaff and manager recommended the fried cheesecake which is actually three small but decadent slices.
went back recently and I don't know if they changed managers but it was like it use to be when we loved going so much. Great service, food and no bad odor!! YAY
(4)
Liz R.
Recommended by local friends, so my friend R and I had to give it a try. The restaurant is located on the second floor (at least the way we got there involved a flight of stairs up from the street parking) of a sprawling outside mall-type complex. We scored a booth in the bar area and started with drinks and Fried Dill Pickle Chips (all on the Happy Hour menu we just squeeked in in time to enjoy). I liked my margarita enough to get a 2nd. They had a ton of app choices that looked delicious. My main was the Catfish Ponchartrain, which came stuffed with shrimp and crab breading and topped with a creamy, slightly (perfectly) sweet Crawfish Louie sauce. $13, and it came with a side! I chose the Crawfish Etouffee, which ate more like a soup (I'm not complaining, it was delicious, just not what I'm used to). Yum all around. R got the Fish Tacos - three tilapia tacos, prepared either grilled, blackened or fried, with shredded cabbage and pico. She chose grilled (which would have been my 3rd choice) and couldn't eat more than one because there was too much black pepper in something on the taco for her. I didn't try the dish, so I can't comment on the taste. $11 and included a side (I think she got fries). I'd return.
I was headed to a minor league ballgame, when the hunger struck. Now I know hot dogs and beer are the staples of fine baseball dining, but frankly I've been doing it way too long. When I travel, I want stuff I can't get back home, easily. When I found out that The Cajun Steamer had jambalaya, it was kind of a no-brainer that this was the place I had to go. It was conveniently located on the way to Regions Park, maybe 3-4 miles away. It's located in a gigantic McShopping center, one of those new Sim City-like commercial zones, complete with giant theater, bookstore, DSW and Ross. Needless to say, there's plenty of parking. Getting there towards the tail end of the rush, and being alone, it was easy to get a seat at the bar. The staff was all southern smiles and easy on the eyes, in that permanent spring break kind of way, and took my drink and food orders pretty promptly. I ordered a cup of jambalaya and a blackened catfish po-boy. While waiting, I could really soak in the atmosphere of the place; it's not that big, but has a cozy feel to it. Wooden booths and a few tables crammed in there, with a pretty generous outdoor seating area. Lots of flair and beer paraphernalia all over the walls, with a few big TVs to watch your sports on. When my food arrived, I dug into the jambalaya promptly. I'm no expert on jambalaya, but I enjoyed it well enough. I had hoped it would have been more of a creole style with shrimp in it, but chicken and sausage works fine too. It wasn't as spicy as I would have had preferred, but it was still delicious. The po-boy though, was a pleasant surprise. I got it mostly because I didn't want to dedicate to an entire bowl of jambalaya in case I didn't like it, so it was kind of plan B. But the catfish was flavorful and was a generous cut, and the lettuce and tomato were fresh. Not soggy lettuce, but still crispy and a cool contrast to the hot fish. The French bread wasn't like a giant saltine and was flaky and had some chew to it. It was delicious and better than I had expected. As a total, it only rang me up around $15. For a fresh meal in a fairly unique to me experience, I couldn't have really asked for anything else really. Would gladly come back if my travels bring me back down to Hoover again.
(4)
Brian C.
I've been a fan of Cajun Steamer for some time but tonight was a big letdown. I opted for fried oysters which I've never tried here. They were under seasoned, overcooked and very uninteresting. I'm a believer that hot sauce can fix most anything but despite having "Cajun" in the name, there was no hot sauce to be found on our outdoor table. A little salt would have helped but our table didn't have that either... It was around 6pm and we seemed to be the first party seated at the table so possibly they hadn't finished prepping for service. My wife opted for the boiled shrimp which were quite good despite being paired with shriveled up frozen corn... It is summer after all and fresh corn is plentiful and tastes so much better. Frozen corn looks gross and tastes worse and at this price point, it's an insult. Up to this point, my reviews have been 3 and 4 stars but tonight was a little better than okay but really nothing special.
(2)
Colin L.
A great local place to eat if you're looking for something delicious to eat. If you're eating on a budget forget it because it is expensive but it is also delicious. When in season their Appalachia Oysters are some of the best ive ever had. To compliment them with the crab legs is a knock out combo you gotta try TODAY. Fire shrimp are a must have for any meal starter. And the only place around with a Gumbo i actually enjoy. Be prepared to empty your wallets but for every dollar you spend you fill your stomach with delicious Cajun Cuisine.
(5)
Joe M.
Music on the patio is really good. Love the menu. Really good atmosphere and servers are really nice.
(5)
Lisa D.
The alligator tail was delicious... Almost as good as some I've had in NOLA. The crawfish could use a little more kick. I would have rated this 4 stars based on the food, but since Nickelback was playing on their radio, I almost vomited up my meal.
(3)
Megan C.
Food was alright but too pricey for The small portions. We had a cup of gumbo and shrimp with potatoes and corn. The corn was chewy and old. But the potatoes and shrimp had a pretty good flavor. I've had more authentic Cajun food in California than here, so that was disappointing. And when I walked into the ladies room to wash my hands, a lady came out of the stall and ran water over her hands (didn't use soap) and walked out. Turns out. She was the bartender. Glad we don't drink.
(2)
R G.
There were 6 in my party and 4 had really bad experiences. The steamed seafood platter was described as being the worst they'd ever had. It was a weird texture...described best as mushy and dry. The corn and potato combo was awful...corn was chewy and potatoes were very bland. The fried green tomatoes was the only thing I liked okay. I will never eat at this place again!
(2)
Garrett P.
Sure, you have some items on the menu that wouldn't be out of place on a "limited time only" menu at Ruby Tuesday's: the "Bourbon St. Fettucine" and "Bayou Chicken" come to mind. However, the Crawfish Etouffee is stupidly delicious. The Boudin works pretty well, and if you don't get a side of Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya I'm not talking to you ever again. They also do a steamed seafood platter that's a great value; the perfect thing to knock back a few Abita with some friends over. Absolutely love this place.
(4)
Scott N.
This is my favorite Cajun restaurant in the area. The Catfish Pontchartrain is my favorite item on the menu. They have several other items on the menu that I've had over time that I really enjoy such as the boudin balls, fried calamari, etoufee, gumbo, etc. which are also fantastic. The smoked tuna dip appetizer is a hidden gem that gets overlooked compared to their more well-known ones. This location is also has the hottest waitresses in town so the eye candy is also a huge plus.
(4)
Mark S.
I had fish tacos, absolutely the best I've had in the B'ham area. And the biggest portion of fish too. Ate out on the patio on a pretty day, very enjoyable. Excellent service. Will be back! (second time here)
(4)
Joe S.
Perfect to hang out and drink some beers. I had two apps that were pretty good. Wait staff is eye friendly and also take good care of you.
(4)
Jeff T.
Nice patio. Very good service. Royal reds and crab legs were yummy and nicely cooked!
(4)
Mandy C.
I think it depends on what you order as to whether you think you got a good value. As for us, we do not eat fried food, so our plates always seem to have small portions on the plate for the price we pay. However, the food we do get is good...not fantastic but when we are int he mood for seafood but want a casual atmosphere we eat here. We typically order a grilled fish of some kind and a side. My favorite side is the Cajun Black-eyed peas- these are yummy! Note- if you go on a Friday or Saturday night, be prepared to wait and serach for a parking spot
(2)
Sarah D.
I've been there a few times and I remember that one time the waitress was very nice. Another time, our waitress ignored my group and gave me the worst service I ever had. I went back not too long after that. My now ex and I sat and waited and were NEVER served. We told the hostess, who did nothing. I went back a few years later to see if it had changed with my husband. It was very busy and the waitress paid little attention to us. Although the food is great, the service is bad. I really don't believe that I'll be going back, it's just not worth it.
(1)
Susanne K.
Enjoyed some great tunes by Damon Lockhart last night at Cajun Steamer at Patton Creek. Looking forward to seeing him there again soon!
(5)
Autumn K.
It ain't the French Laundry and it's not Ad Hoc, but this is where I fell in love with cheese grits and some rice and pork thing that my mom's physical therapist all but shoved down my throat (don't ask...it's a long story). This is also a great place to hear a live band sing old classics like American Pie and Sweet Home Alabama (surprise!). Coming from San Francisco, where a thimbleful of margarita and a doll-size shot of Patron will set you back Fifteen bananas (daddy talk for dollars), the happy hour here is so great I became a regular in just one week. A drunk, sloppy regular, but hell- it's the South. There's a bartender who just had a baby and she looks hot as hell- she may be the nicest bartender I've ever drunk-ordered from :) I must note, mama's friend Grey pointed out that nothing is steamed and everything is fried. This is true as far as I can see. However, the fried stuff is good. Go here. You will fall in love. Even though it is in a shopping center (which we SFers don't have).
(4)
Joe L.
Great Cajun Food! However the drinks are too high! However, they're always crowed when I've been in. Great Staff. Very Pretty Girls on staff!
(3)
Jasmine T.
Delish! Unbelievably authentic cajun delights!
(5)
Paul R.
AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! What I ordered: Gator Appetizer Boudin Appetizer Gator Po'Boy What was wrong with what I ordered: Gator Appetizer tasted like mud - I know that Gator can have that flavor, but this tasted like I put some mud in my mouth and swished it around. Boudin Appetizer had NO flavor. This was some terrible Boudin. Gator Po'Boy - Made me so sick. At one point, I bit into a CHUNK OF MUD. I spit it out immediately (that looked civilized) and then I couldn't eat another thing until the next day at Lunch. It was all I could do to not throw up on the spot. My co-workers laughed, and I nearly cried. My co-worker had the shrimp po-boy and the ya ya gumbo. Both were bland and tasteless. Gumbo was very disappointing. His po-boy needed about a gallon of hot sauce to make it at all edible. I was told that the girls here are good looking. I went twice (the first time for drinks only, the second time for food, since I love cajun) The girls are average at best; the bartender may have been good looking-ish. Average girl rating in there: 6. Not worth it. This place is only good for backwoods country rednecks who regularly eat raccoons and possums. For everyone else, as I said before, Avoid this place like the plague.
(1)
Amy C.
I love the Cajun Steamer! I am brand new to cajun food.. don't know too much about what makes it "good" or "bad" . But I know what I like, and I like the cajun steamer! I had crawfish here for the first time recently... I loved how they were boiled in the cajun seasoning, and they picked up the flavors really well. My waitress noticed me struggling to eat it, and she was kind enough to go out of her way to show me how it's done. Gumbo is the best gumbo I've had so far. Really spicy and flavorful, with just the right amount of seafood. Shrimp Diablo is another really good, tasty dish. I think the only thing I've had here I wasn't too crazy about were the po'boys (they seem to have too much batter, and I prefer to have po-boys with crispy french bread) and the crawfish etoufee (just tasted like cream of mushroom soup to me... but is that how it's supposed to taste like? not sure, lol :) Besides the long waits during winter time, this is definitely a place I enjoy going to!
(4)
Tynetta H.
I must start off by saying that Cajun Steamer, Hoover is a nice relaxed environment. The service is decent too. However, decided to have dinner there one evening and while enjoying nice conversation and watching the game, a ROACH crawled up the back of the booth. Manager came over and tried to rectify the situation, but how can you sit back down and finish your meal. So long story short the environment is nice and relaxed, staff is decent but I CAN NOT enjoy a meal with pest crawling around at will.
(1)
Kevin S.
I stopped by Sunday for lunch. Not very crowded and I found a new favorite place to go. A wider variety of Cajun seafood than I have seen anywhere in northern Alabama. Owned by a Louisiana native and the menu, food, and taste shows. I had the ya ya gumbo and crawfish poboy. Both were outstanding and way more than I expected form a place in a strip mall. I will definitely stop here every time I am in Birmingham from now on. Also the waitresses were very kind and helped me with menu questions and suggestions. They were very easy on the eyes too!
(5)
Lizzie P.
A Thursday summer night at the Cajun Steamer Atmosphere: If it's not too much of a hot summer night, outside seating is best. There are two areas, a back patio and a front patio. The front patio usually has a band (mainly country) which is entertaining. Food: Our table ordered boudin and oysters as appetizers. The Boudin was average and the oysters were larger than I would expect - and also very good. The crawfish etoufee was a miss and I would only get it as a side as opposed to an entree. The stuffed seafood chicken was very good - and I would recommend it. The jambalaya is also great as a side. Up until 6:00 they have happy hour which is a ridiculously great deal if you get food. For happy hour, definitely get the royal red shrimp and split it between two people. Service: They were extremely busy and I think they were all flustered. My waitress spilled a diet coke in front of me which resulted in a tied died looking dress - not so hot. However, she did make it up at the end of the meal with a chocolate cake on the house.
(3)
Bill J.
Really good variety of cajun food. Good beer and on certain nights, live music. A good casual spot for cajun food.
(4)
Matt E.
THIS PLACE WAS AWESOME! Ok, so this was my first visit, so I can't attest to consistency... This said, my wife wanted to go here for her birthday dinner today... We arrived about 3pm and started off with a few brews (not the best selection, but they had New Castle, which kept me happy) and the Fried Pickles as an app. The fried pickles were perfect.. Just the right amount of seasoning, perfectly fried crispy batter and tasty sour-tart pickles, served with a side of ranch - they were a great starter... Since it was 'happy hour' (basically all day on Saturday), the pickles were $5 - def worth it considering the quality and portion, which was huge. For our meals, we went with a couple of po boy's... My wife ordered the whole crayfish po boy with the spicy curly fries... I opted for the Alligator Poor Po Boy ("Half" - quotes due to it not really being half, but more like 3/4!!!), Fried Green Tomatoes and an order of the Crayfish Enchiladas (again, a $5 happy hour appetizer). I don't quite know how to put this, but the amount of food was basically 2.5 meals for us each... My wife and I ate until we were grossly full and still walked out of the door with 3 FULL to-go plates - I kid you not - THREE... The po boys were so loaded with crayfish/alligator, it was basically like having a po boy with a large side of crayfish/alligator in additional to the rest of the meal. My wife's order of fries were so large they were literally falling off of the plate and she actually had to leave some behind because they just wouldn't fit in the to-go plate. Again, I order the 1/2 po-boy since I wanted the Crayfish Enchiladas, but still was so stuffed I carried out 1/2 of my "half" po-boy, 2 of my fried tomatoes and 1 of my Crayfish Enchiladas (my wife and I could only eat 1 sharing). To top this off, we carried out a 3rd to-go of ~1/2 of our huge order of pickles... I just can't say enough good about this place... The prices were reasonable based on the normal menu price and they were outright exceptional when factoring in the "happy hour" rates... 2 beers, 2 apps and 2 meals for ~$37 before tip! Can't beat it. The staff was very friendly and very fast. We will most certainly be going back and will likely be taking friends next time to show off :D
(5)
Sarah H.
Not my favorite cajun place but def legit. We orded the half alligator po boy and shrimp po boy, one w fries the other w a salad. The balsalmic dressing was really good....it was a creamy texture so probably not really light but worth it :) Both our meats were done blackened and true to that they were...very spicy but not really blackened with the black traditional way. We were both moderately satisfied and our tastebuds happy but they were very simple. Literally my po boy was the shrimp and a dinky tomato slice and mayo (which I would have held) on white bread. All in all good but to pay $8 ea for a half sandwich is pretty steep. I'm interested to try their traditional cajun dishes I've had before but they were pricier than most other cajun places id been to before. Good, willing to try again, but not a fave.
(3)
Paul C.
Cajun Steamer is pretty good. The decor and atmosphere is very much like local restaurants in south Louisiana. We like the Blue Crab Claw appetizer. It can be prepared with your choice of Cajun spice, garlic herb, lemon pepper, or fried. Boiled crawfish are served during crawfish season, and they are very good. They are hot and spicy and served on a tray with corn and potatoes. The Fried Shrimp and Catfish entree is good, but I find the batter a little too salty. Friends have raved about the Crawfish Enchiladas. Crawfish tails are prepared in a Rotel cream sauce and rolled in flour tortilla. That looked good!
(4)
Sheila L.
I had the red beans and sausage for lunch and it was flavorful and definitely on the spicy side. I thought prices were reasonable for what I had for lunch. Tried the beignets but those were disappointing. Not very tasty and a bit overcooked. I would not order them again. Service was good, attentive and willing to offer dishes they recommend. Good for a quick bite if you're in the mood for Cajun. I would go back, just to try something different.
(3)
Julie K.
Love this place! I got the Bayou Chicken...it's so good. The fried pickles are delicious as well. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Sunny K.
Good people IPA, yum; Grilled alligator, yum; Peel and eat shrimp (warm), yum; Fried green tomatoes, yum; Kimberly as a waitress, fantastic; Auburn football game on, perfect!
(4)
John S.
One of my favorite spots in B'ham. The food is better than average, and the menu is outstanding, they just need more space. Always been happy with the kitchen here, and my whole family has a great time whenever we go. There's always something new on the menu it seems. The "Build Your Catch" seafood options are out of this world. If you can't find something here that makes you happy, you have issues. The fried items are always perfect, especially the catfish, oysters, and alligator bites. And for lunch I always get the Shrimp Po Boy, its as good as it gets. So many things to choose from on the menu sometimes its hard to decide. The beer is cold and the bloody marys are top notch, the perfect cure for what ails you. For desert we really enjoy the fried cheesecake and key lime pie. Got a nice patio for when its not scorching hot outside, and they always seem to have a wait. Would do more business if this place wasn't so cramped.
Dinner with a group here last night and everybody was extremely happy! Yaya Gumbo is a must. Very good and packed with goodies! I went for he blackened shrimp po' boy which had a good kick to it. The desserts were really out of this world. Beignets and fried cheesecake! Beignets come four per plate with a ramekin of caramel to drizzle on them. All the beignets were properly still hot! The fried cheesecake was ridiculously good. It comes with three slices, so it's plenty to share. Would absolutely go back!
(5)
Silvia G.
Ok food, fun atmosphere! I'm not from the area but I was going to the Galleria Mall and our taxi driver recommended this place since it was a short drive away. I love the cajun seafood I've tried in places like the Boiling Crab in California so I was expecting something similar. I started with the corn and crab chowder that was very creamy and tasty with a lil kick. For appetizers, we had to try the grilled Alligator bites (best way to describe is that it has a chicken/calamary taste, medium soft texture and very garlicky), hush puppies and crab cake. All were good to try but not memorable. We also ordered the boiled seafood platter for 2 which came with lots of crawfish, some crab legs, grilled oysters, corns and shrimp. I like my sauces with lots of flavor and not spicy. This was the exact opposite. They give you butter and cocktail sauce as dipping sauces. Not bad but definitely not the best seafood I've had. Portion was pretty good as we were three and hardly finished it. Atmosphere was fun and our server was nice as well! Wouldn't go out of the way for it though. Yelp 100 Challenge! 2015: 8/100
(3)
Kara H.
We arrived with a 25-30min wait, no big deal considering how it was prime dinner time on a Friday night. Figured it would be less time anyway. Put our name down for party of 3 first avail, for the tablet to txt when table was ready. Noticed lots of people leaving and coming especially another party of 3 that arrived after us! Before we knew it everyone around was inside sitting, including the party of 3 after us! I went to the hostess, she looked at her tablet and my name was gone, she didn't know what happened and promised we would be next! We got 12 oysters which were good but then our meals arrived. My boyfriend got shrimp and grits with what looked like some type of liquid (like soup) guess that was the Tasso cream sauce. It wasn't a sauce consistency. I got the Flounder Seafood Roulade with a stuffing, that stuffing was mush. Our friend got fish tacos with fried green tomatoes, his tomatoes were wayyyy too crispy. The service was good but the kitchen has gone down hill over the years. Our stomachs did not agree with us the next morning, ALL of ours! I think that may hv been our final visit! I gave 2 stars because the service was good, except for the beginning!
(2)
Charnetta M.
Everything was delicious! First time visiting and my mom and I really enjoyed the food. Extremely satisfied! No complaints here.
(4)
Eric W.
Very disappointed with the quality of food. I got the catfish Ponchatrain. The catfish was a frozen breaded piece of fake fish that you could've bought from Sam's Club. It was covered with a cream sauce that included a few tiny frozen crawfish tails. Nothing was freshly cooked from scratch. One positive, they had a nice selection of beer.
(2)
Kristi R.
Ate here yesterday and had the best time. We sat outside, our waitress was very attentive and friendly. The food was great, will defiantly go back!
(4)
Jon S.
Great restaurant! Excellent service. Friends and I always enjoy either the smoked tuna dip, shrimp and grits, raw oysters, crawfish enchiladas, or the snow crab legs. All their seafood is fresh and really tasty. Try the fried cheesecake for a treat as well. Outdoor balcony seats are the best. They also have a nice patio with live music at night. I've never had a bad experience here.
(5)
Lance H.
best Cajun food I've ever had, even better than NoLa. I would highly recommend the Shrimp Diablo (spicy Yum Yum like sauce) OR the Bayou Chicken (salsa spaghetti like sauce). Trying the Shrimp Creole Next Visit...
(4)
Tom W.
I've been to NOLa. This is a Cajun restaurant, not authentic New Orleans flavor. The servers are friendly and service quick, but I found the food to be average. I had the Shrimp Platter (blackened - which was grilled, stuffed and fried). The menu stated Jumbo Shrimp - they weren't. Other than the blackened which was actually grilled, it tasted ok but not Cajun. My side (I paid additional for) was red beans and sausage (with white rice). It was pretty authentic. Of course I washed it down with an Abita Amber. Priced ok, but I was looking for more flavor. Family friendly and might be fun with a group, I'll give it another try when I'm back in town.
(3)
John M.
I had lunch there recently, and unfortunately, the food was not up to par. I had the chicken and sausage gumbo-more like salty soup than gumbo. I then had the jambalaya, and it was dry as a bone-like it might have been sitting in the pot too long? The service and people were fantastic, but again, food not good-maybe I was there on an off day?
(2)
Paul R.
AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! What I ordered: Gator Appetizer Boudin Appetizer Gator Po'Boy What was wrong with what I ordered: Gator Appetizer tasted like mud - I know that Gator can have that flavor, but this tasted like I put some mud in my mouth and swished it around. Boudin Appetizer had NO flavor. This was some terrible Boudin. Gator Po'Boy - Made me so sick. At one point, I bit into a CHUNK OF MUD. I spit it out immediately (that looked civilized) and then I couldn't eat another thing until the next day at Lunch. It was all I could do to not throw up on the spot. My co-workers laughed, and I nearly cried. My co-worker had the shrimp po-boy and the ya ya gumbo. Both were bland and tasteless. Gumbo was very disappointing. His po-boy needed about a gallon of hot sauce to make it at all edible. I was told that the girls here are good looking. I went twice (the first time for drinks only, the second time for food, since I love cajun) The girls are average at best; the bartender may have been good looking-ish. Average girl rating in there: 6. Not worth it. This place is only good for backwoods country rednecks who regularly eat raccoons and possums. For everyone else, as I said before, Avoid this place like the plague.
(1)
Amy C.
I love the Cajun Steamer! I am brand new to cajun food.. don't know too much about what makes it "good" or "bad" . But I know what I like, and I like the cajun steamer! I had crawfish here for the first time recently... I loved how they were boiled in the cajun seasoning, and they picked up the flavors really well. My waitress noticed me struggling to eat it, and she was kind enough to go out of her way to show me how it's done. Gumbo is the best gumbo I've had so far. Really spicy and flavorful, with just the right amount of seafood. Shrimp Diablo is another really good, tasty dish. I think the only thing I've had here I wasn't too crazy about were the po'boys (they seem to have too much batter, and I prefer to have po-boys with crispy french bread) and the crawfish etoufee (just tasted like cream of mushroom soup to me... but is that how it's supposed to taste like? not sure, lol :) Besides the long waits during winter time, this is definitely a place I enjoy going to!
(4)
Tynetta H.
I must start off by saying that Cajun Steamer, Hoover is a nice relaxed environment. The service is decent too. However, decided to have dinner there one evening and while enjoying nice conversation and watching the game, a ROACH crawled up the back of the booth. Manager came over and tried to rectify the situation, but how can you sit back down and finish your meal. So long story short the environment is nice and relaxed, staff is decent but I CAN NOT enjoy a meal with pest crawling around at will.
(1)
Kevin S.
I stopped by Sunday for lunch. Not very crowded and I found a new favorite place to go. A wider variety of Cajun seafood than I have seen anywhere in northern Alabama. Owned by a Louisiana native and the menu, food, and taste shows. I had the ya ya gumbo and crawfish poboy. Both were outstanding and way more than I expected form a place in a strip mall. I will definitely stop here every time I am in Birmingham from now on. Also the waitresses were very kind and helped me with menu questions and suggestions. They were very easy on the eyes too!
(5)
martin b.
I love everything about it.... fun, great food, and a great clientele.
(5)
Lizzie P.
A Thursday summer night at the Cajun Steamer Atmosphere: If it's not too much of a hot summer night, outside seating is best. There are two areas, a back patio and a front patio. The front patio usually has a band (mainly country) which is entertaining. Food: Our table ordered boudin and oysters as appetizers. The Boudin was average and the oysters were larger than I would expect - and also very good. The crawfish etoufee was a miss and I would only get it as a side as opposed to an entree. The stuffed seafood chicken was very good - and I would recommend it. The jambalaya is also great as a side. Up until 6:00 they have happy hour which is a ridiculously great deal if you get food. For happy hour, definitely get the royal red shrimp and split it between two people. Service: They were extremely busy and I think they were all flustered. My waitress spilled a diet coke in front of me which resulted in a tied died looking dress - not so hot. However, she did make it up at the end of the meal with a chocolate cake on the house.
(3)
Bill J.
Really good variety of cajun food. Good beer and on certain nights, live music. A good casual spot for cajun food.
(4)
Paul C.
Cajun Steamer is pretty good. The decor and atmosphere is very much like local restaurants in south Louisiana. We like the Blue Crab Claw appetizer. It can be prepared with your choice of Cajun spice, garlic herb, lemon pepper, or fried. Boiled crawfish are served during crawfish season, and they are very good. They are hot and spicy and served on a tray with corn and potatoes. The Fried Shrimp and Catfish entree is good, but I find the batter a little too salty. Friends have raved about the Crawfish Enchiladas. Crawfish tails are prepared in a Rotel cream sauce and rolled in flour tortilla. That looked good!
(4)
Matt E.
THIS PLACE WAS AWESOME! Ok, so this was my first visit, so I can't attest to consistency... This said, my wife wanted to go here for her birthday dinner today... We arrived about 3pm and started off with a few brews (not the best selection, but they had New Castle, which kept me happy) and the Fried Pickles as an app. The fried pickles were perfect.. Just the right amount of seasoning, perfectly fried crispy batter and tasty sour-tart pickles, served with a side of ranch - they were a great starter... Since it was 'happy hour' (basically all day on Saturday), the pickles were $5 - def worth it considering the quality and portion, which was huge. For our meals, we went with a couple of po boy's... My wife ordered the whole crayfish po boy with the spicy curly fries... I opted for the Alligator Poor Po Boy ("Half" - quotes due to it not really being half, but more like 3/4!!!), Fried Green Tomatoes and an order of the Crayfish Enchiladas (again, a $5 happy hour appetizer). I don't quite know how to put this, but the amount of food was basically 2.5 meals for us each... My wife and I ate until we were grossly full and still walked out of the door with 3 FULL to-go plates - I kid you not - THREE... The po boys were so loaded with crayfish/alligator, it was basically like having a po boy with a large side of crayfish/alligator in additional to the rest of the meal. My wife's order of fries were so large they were literally falling off of the plate and she actually had to leave some behind because they just wouldn't fit in the to-go plate. Again, I order the 1/2 po-boy since I wanted the Crayfish Enchiladas, but still was so stuffed I carried out 1/2 of my "half" po-boy, 2 of my fried tomatoes and 1 of my Crayfish Enchiladas (my wife and I could only eat 1 sharing). To top this off, we carried out a 3rd to-go of ~1/2 of our huge order of pickles... I just can't say enough good about this place... The prices were reasonable based on the normal menu price and they were outright exceptional when factoring in the "happy hour" rates... 2 beers, 2 apps and 2 meals for ~$37 before tip! Can't beat it. The staff was very friendly and very fast. We will most certainly be going back and will likely be taking friends next time to show off :D
(5)
Sarah H.
Not my favorite cajun place but def legit. We orded the half alligator po boy and shrimp po boy, one w fries the other w a salad. The balsalmic dressing was really good....it was a creamy texture so probably not really light but worth it :) Both our meats were done blackened and true to that they were...very spicy but not really blackened with the black traditional way. We were both moderately satisfied and our tastebuds happy but they were very simple. Literally my po boy was the shrimp and a dinky tomato slice and mayo (which I would have held) on white bread. All in all good but to pay $8 ea for a half sandwich is pretty steep. I'm interested to try their traditional cajun dishes I've had before but they were pricier than most other cajun places id been to before. Good, willing to try again, but not a fave.
(3)
David A.
My wife and I ate here for lunch in May of 2010. My wife and her family are from New Orleans, and I lived there for several years as well. So, we're persnickety about seafood and restaurants claiming to serve Louisiana style food. I ordered the boiled shrimp and thought they were very bland. Barely any seasoning aside from salt. This is NOT how they would be served in South Louisiana. Is it really that hard to throw in some lemons, garlic, and a bunch of spices? On top of that, the shrimp were tough and overcooked. The gumbo, in contrast, was very good. Not a traditional South Louisiana gumbo but really delicious anyway. Many times when I order gumbo in this area, it's served as more of a soup than a stew, and it's not even the right color (gumbo should be almost black). The gumbo at The Cajun Steamer is thick and dark and spicy. My wife ordered a fried shrimp poboy. She enjoyed the shrimp on the sandwich, but the french bread was not remotely authentic. That's another thing I have never understood. Why is it so difficult to find New Orleans style french bread outside of New Orleans? Overall the experience was okay, but we won't be rushing back.
(2)
Betty B.
The Tilapia and Shrimp Rockefeller is to die for....literally one of the best dishes I've tasted. The coconut shrimp is a good starter as well! The food is always fresh.
(5)
Ayon J. R.
A really good menu with lots of choices. The food is great. I didn't much care for the "sports bar" atmosphere.
(4)
John M.
I had lunch there recently, and unfortunately, the food was not up to par. I had the chicken and sausage gumbo-more like salty soup than gumbo. I then had the jambalaya, and it was dry as a bone-like it might have been sitting in the pot too long? The service and people were fantastic, but again, food not good-maybe I was there on an off day?
(2)
Marc L.
This is by far my favorite resturant ever!! I campare all other food to this place. Cajun food I now my favorite. They have the best gumbo, and all other food is just great. I have tried almost everything and it is all great except the jerk chicken skewers. I get the all saints tilapia and my wife gets the vodoo chicken. We have been here about 25 times and it is always great. The one in trussville is a little better than the one in hover and has more seats. They have live entertainment sometimes which is good. If I could give them 10 stars out of five I would! Just try it already, just leave room for me and everyone I know. Btw they always give me plenty of food, and I am 6ft 5inches and about 275lbs an I eat ALOT :)
(5)
Feverish G.
This place rocks!!!!!! I am writing this review on behalf of the 3 co-workers that were with me to experience this great food. Myself along with one of my co-workers had the shrimp diablo, F-ing Amazing!!!! Skip all the other resturants in the area and try the cajun steamer, you wont regret it.
(5)
Landon H.
One of the best Cajun restaurants in which I've ever eaten - period. I spent 7 years in Central/Southern Mississippi and I thought I'd had great Cajun Cuisine. This place caught me completely by surprise. The corn and crab bisque is the best appetizer on the menu. The spiciness of the food isn't overwhelming. They realize that they are in Birmingham, not New Orleans, so they adjust the spice to just the right levels. The only downside is that I don't think they expected the fanfare they are receiving, so the place - while it isn't small - isn't quite as large as it needs to be. But grab a seat at the bar and relax until your called.
(5)
Jessica G.
Good food but insufficient space. They are quite busy on the weekends and often have LONG waits, which is not practical if you have small children. I would advise you to go on a weeknight or for an early dinner to avoid the wait. Great Tilapia Rockefeller, I would definitely suggest that to anyone.
(4)
J S.
Ok, I'm not gonna pretend to have been cajun in a past life or anything so I can't vouch for how authentic the food is. What I can vouch for is the taste. It was a'ight. Nothing super fabulous. In laws brought us there cause it's their fave, can't say that it would be mine. Got the steamed shrimp (I know, not wild livin), it was, as I said, a'ight. It came with potatoes and corn, unfortunately the corn was so overcooked, my toddler wouldn't even touch it and the potatoes were crazy spicy. And, it's just a boiled potato, maybe that's some cajun thing, but overcooked corn and a spicy boiled potato just aren't my thing. Hubby had the crawfish etoufee (yes I'm probably misspelling that....) thought it was good, not awesome, not bad, just good. Their place is a bit small, especially since they seem really busy, overcooked corn and all!
(3)
Curly Q.
The last time I was here I waited for over an hour and then, when I got my food, noticed all the things on my combo plate tasted of Tony Chachere's. It was not that great. The dining room was so loud that my friend and I pretty much ate in silence because we couldn't hear one another. And the waitstaff was still annoying.
(3)
B C.
Awesome Food! I ate at the Hoover Location. The crawfish enchiladas are amazing! Wait staff was great too! I'm a Fan!
(5)
ashraf a.
i do love to go there on Sundays for lunch but its like hit or miss with this sometimes the food is awesome but other times we get the exact same thing and its what ever so it lacks consistency other then that its an OK place to come and chill on a sunny afternoon.
(2)
Bob G.
We love this place. We had a large party of 15 and they were very accommodating. Our server was friendly and attentive. I had the shrimp and Grits among other things and everything was delicious. All of the portions were generous and big enough to share. Overall a good value for the money. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in Alabama.
(5)
John S.
One of my favorite spots in B'ham. The food is better than average, and the menu is outstanding, they just need more space. Always been happy with the kitchen here, and my whole family has a great time whenever we go. There's always something new on the menu it seems. The "Build Your Catch" seafood options are out of this world. If you can't find something here that makes you happy, you have issues. The fried items are always perfect, especially the catfish, oysters, and alligator bites. And for lunch I always get the Shrimp Po Boy, its as good as it gets. So many things to choose from on the menu sometimes its hard to decide. The beer is cold and the bloody marys are top notch, the perfect cure for what ails you. For desert we really enjoy the fried cheesecake and key lime pie. Got a nice patio for when its not scorching hot outside, and they always seem to have a wait. Would do more business if this place wasn't so cramped.
Dinner with a group here last night and everybody was extremely happy! Yaya Gumbo is a must. Very good and packed with goodies! I went for he blackened shrimp po' boy which had a good kick to it. The desserts were really out of this world. Beignets and fried cheesecake! Beignets come four per plate with a ramekin of caramel to drizzle on them. All the beignets were properly still hot! The fried cheesecake was ridiculously good. It comes with three slices, so it's plenty to share. Would absolutely go back!
(5)
Silvia G.
Ok food, fun atmosphere! I'm not from the area but I was going to the Galleria Mall and our taxi driver recommended this place since it was a short drive away. I love the cajun seafood I've tried in places like the Boiling Crab in California so I was expecting something similar. I started with the corn and crab chowder that was very creamy and tasty with a lil kick. For appetizers, we had to try the grilled Alligator bites (best way to describe is that it has a chicken/calamary taste, medium soft texture and very garlicky), hush puppies and crab cake. All were good to try but not memorable. We also ordered the boiled seafood platter for 2 which came with lots of crawfish, some crab legs, grilled oysters, corns and shrimp. I like my sauces with lots of flavor and not spicy. This was the exact opposite. They give you butter and cocktail sauce as dipping sauces. Not bad but definitely not the best seafood I've had. Portion was pretty good as we were three and hardly finished it. Atmosphere was fun and our server was nice as well! Wouldn't go out of the way for it though. Yelp 100 Challenge! 2015: 8/100
(3)
Kara H.
We arrived with a 25-30min wait, no big deal considering how it was prime dinner time on a Friday night. Figured it would be less time anyway. Put our name down for party of 3 first avail, for the tablet to txt when table was ready. Noticed lots of people leaving and coming especially another party of 3 that arrived after us! Before we knew it everyone around was inside sitting, including the party of 3 after us! I went to the hostess, she looked at her tablet and my name was gone, she didn't know what happened and promised we would be next! We got 12 oysters which were good but then our meals arrived. My boyfriend got shrimp and grits with what looked like some type of liquid (like soup) guess that was the Tasso cream sauce. It wasn't a sauce consistency. I got the Flounder Seafood Roulade with a stuffing, that stuffing was mush. Our friend got fish tacos with fried green tomatoes, his tomatoes were wayyyy too crispy. The service was good but the kitchen has gone down hill over the years. Our stomachs did not agree with us the next morning, ALL of ours! I think that may hv been our final visit! I gave 2 stars because the service was good, except for the beginning!
(2)
Charnetta M.
Everything was delicious! First time visiting and my mom and I really enjoyed the food. Extremely satisfied! No complaints here.
(4)
Dale W.
I spent two weeks in Hoover last year during the summer and I discovered Cajun steamers oh my God I ate there like 10 times during that two weeks. I could not get enough of their voodoo chicken or their crawfish gumbo. This place was unbelievable I think it was better than some of the places I ate in New Orleans. I am looking for a way to get back there again.
(5)
Robin R.
I've never had boudin before until I ate it here. It was great! Margherita was great too! I had a wonderful time on a date here. Good times. Good food.
(5)
Kaleb E.
I got the kalimari there as a appetizer must say it was really good then I got the oyster best thing ever the only problem is that it's kinda crowed so make sure to get a booth
(4)
Will L.
After seeing people posting pictures of crawfish, I knew it was time to head to the steamer. Even though it was looking like spring, it felt like winter on this day. Cold weather eliminates half of their seating. Either way, it only took about twenty minutes to get a table. Not too shabby. The highlight of our dinner was the service. While we knew who our primary server was, it seemed that everyone was taking care of us. at least four different employees asked if we were ok and filled up our drinks. In the seafood mood, we ordered the steamed seafood for two. I was worried about this choice, because of my elevated hunger level. Silly me. This plate was huge (check my picture)! There were enough shrimp, crawfish, crab legs, and oyster to feed an army. The crab legs were, by far, the best thing on the table. It's a bit loud and cramped, but perfect if you're looking for the southern/cajun experience.
(4)
Ee Vonn Y.
The $9 gumbo was delicious and worth every penny. I should have just had an entire bowl of that and it would've made my day. I've never had alligator meat before so I I tried the half po-boy of blackened alligator meat It's a more chewy, salty version of chicken (mostly due to the seasoning). I wished they put more sauce in it. It felt dry. The fried crawfish appetizer was fresh. I regretted dipping this in cocktail sauce because you can't appreciate the flavors.
(4)
Martin B.
Great food and atmosphere...very reasonably priced for quality of food. I had the seared ah I tuna salad and a cup of jambalaya.
(5)
Candice H.
Delicious snow crab legs though the corn on the cob and side potatoes were small sized. Nice, local atmosphere. Friendly waitstaff and manager recommended the fried cheesecake which is actually three small but decadent slices.
went back recently and I don't know if they changed managers but it was like it use to be when we loved going so much. Great service, food and no bad odor!! YAY
(4)
Mary Helen H.
My favorite place after work to go see my favorite bartender Vanessa Johnson have a Bahama mama an appetizer.
(5)
Christine M.
The Chiicken Bayou was amazing. Drink was overpriced for the size. Great service, great food and the other patrons were friendly.
(4)
Liz R.
Recommended by local friends, so my friend R and I had to give it a try. The restaurant is located on the second floor (at least the way we got there involved a flight of stairs up from the street parking) of a sprawling outside mall-type complex. We scored a booth in the bar area and started with drinks and Fried Dill Pickle Chips (all on the Happy Hour menu we just squeeked in in time to enjoy). I liked my margarita enough to get a 2nd. They had a ton of app choices that looked delicious. My main was the Catfish Ponchartrain, which came stuffed with shrimp and crab breading and topped with a creamy, slightly (perfectly) sweet Crawfish Louie sauce. $13, and it came with a side! I chose the Crawfish Etouffee, which ate more like a soup (I'm not complaining, it was delicious, just not what I'm used to). Yum all around. R got the Fish Tacos - three tilapia tacos, prepared either grilled, blackened or fried, with shredded cabbage and pico. She chose grilled (which would have been my 3rd choice) and couldn't eat more than one because there was too much black pepper in something on the taco for her. I didn't try the dish, so I can't comment on the taste. $11 and included a side (I think she got fries). I'd return.
I was headed to a minor league ballgame, when the hunger struck. Now I know hot dogs and beer are the staples of fine baseball dining, but frankly I've been doing it way too long. When I travel, I want stuff I can't get back home, easily. When I found out that The Cajun Steamer had jambalaya, it was kind of a no-brainer that this was the place I had to go. It was conveniently located on the way to Regions Park, maybe 3-4 miles away. It's located in a gigantic McShopping center, one of those new Sim City-like commercial zones, complete with giant theater, bookstore, DSW and Ross. Needless to say, there's plenty of parking. Getting there towards the tail end of the rush, and being alone, it was easy to get a seat at the bar. The staff was all southern smiles and easy on the eyes, in that permanent spring break kind of way, and took my drink and food orders pretty promptly. I ordered a cup of jambalaya and a blackened catfish po-boy. While waiting, I could really soak in the atmosphere of the place; it's not that big, but has a cozy feel to it. Wooden booths and a few tables crammed in there, with a pretty generous outdoor seating area. Lots of flair and beer paraphernalia all over the walls, with a few big TVs to watch your sports on. When my food arrived, I dug into the jambalaya promptly. I'm no expert on jambalaya, but I enjoyed it well enough. I had hoped it would have been more of a creole style with shrimp in it, but chicken and sausage works fine too. It wasn't as spicy as I would have had preferred, but it was still delicious. The po-boy though, was a pleasant surprise. I got it mostly because I didn't want to dedicate to an entire bowl of jambalaya in case I didn't like it, so it was kind of plan B. But the catfish was flavorful and was a generous cut, and the lettuce and tomato were fresh. Not soggy lettuce, but still crispy and a cool contrast to the hot fish. The French bread wasn't like a giant saltine and was flaky and had some chew to it. It was delicious and better than I had expected. As a total, it only rang me up around $15. For a fresh meal in a fairly unique to me experience, I couldn't have really asked for anything else really. Would gladly come back if my travels bring me back down to Hoover again.
(4)
Russ M.
I had lunch here for the second time within the last month. I had a lunch combo, a cup of gumbo (choice of chicken/sausage, seafood or YaYa) plus a half Po-Boy(choice of shrimp or catfish), you have choices of fried, grilled or blackened. The chicken/sausage gumbo was very good. A rich roux gave a full flavor to the gumbo. My fried shrimp Po-Boy was a disappointment. The French bread was good, but that was all I could taste. There were a total of 5 popcorn shrimp on the sandwich, a small tomato slice, a bit of lettuce and a hint of some kind of spread. Just did not deliver much value for this meal.
(2)
Brian C.
I've been a fan of Cajun Steamer for some time but tonight was a big letdown. I opted for fried oysters which I've never tried here. They were under seasoned, overcooked and very uninteresting. I'm a believer that hot sauce can fix most anything but despite having "Cajun" in the name, there was no hot sauce to be found on our outdoor table. A little salt would have helped but our table didn't have that either... It was around 6pm and we seemed to be the first party seated at the table so possibly they hadn't finished prepping for service. My wife opted for the boiled shrimp which were quite good despite being paired with shriveled up frozen corn... It is summer after all and fresh corn is plentiful and tastes so much better. Frozen corn looks gross and tastes worse and at this price point, it's an insult. Up to this point, my reviews have been 3 and 4 stars but tonight was a little better than okay but really nothing special.
(2)
Colin L.
A great local place to eat if you're looking for something delicious to eat. If you're eating on a budget forget it because it is expensive but it is also delicious. When in season their Appalachia Oysters are some of the best ive ever had. To compliment them with the crab legs is a knock out combo you gotta try TODAY. Fire shrimp are a must have for any meal starter. And the only place around with a Gumbo i actually enjoy. Be prepared to empty your wallets but for every dollar you spend you fill your stomach with delicious Cajun Cuisine.
(5)
Joe M.
Music on the patio is really good. Love the menu. Really good atmosphere and servers are really nice.
(5)
Lisa D.
The alligator tail was delicious... Almost as good as some I've had in NOLA. The crawfish could use a little more kick. I would have rated this 4 stars based on the food, but since Nickelback was playing on their radio, I almost vomited up my meal.
(3)
Megan C.
Food was alright but too pricey for The small portions. We had a cup of gumbo and shrimp with potatoes and corn. The corn was chewy and old. But the potatoes and shrimp had a pretty good flavor. I've had more authentic Cajun food in California than here, so that was disappointing. And when I walked into the ladies room to wash my hands, a lady came out of the stall and ran water over her hands (didn't use soap) and walked out. Turns out. She was the bartender. Glad we don't drink.
(2)
R G.
There were 6 in my party and 4 had really bad experiences. The steamed seafood platter was described as being the worst they'd ever had. It was a weird texture...described best as mushy and dry. The corn and potato combo was awful...corn was chewy and potatoes were very bland. The fried green tomatoes was the only thing I liked okay. I will never eat at this place again!
(2)
Kaye L.
The food here was delicious when they first opened. It was one of my favorite restaurants in the area. As time passed the food got bland. I also think it's too expensive for the portions you're given. This is also something that changed with time. I used to order the fried seafood platter and split it with whoever I was with, but a change in their portion sizse put an end to that. It is a small place so I suggest an early dinner to beat the crowd. I would recommend going once just to say you've tried it, but there is another seafood place named Jubiliee Joe's nearby that is tastier.
(2)
Wheeler E.
Would be a four star but a couple of technicalities which are really important in food biz. Waited a little too long for service outside and half way through we asked about getting a heater on because one of our guests was cold; didn't hear back from the server's helper... On he food side, quite good. I don't have a lot of Cajun experience but just on taste, I'd say it was good. I'd go back to this restaurant for sure. I particularly like supporting non chain restaurant and really like small ventures such a this.
(3)
Garrett P.
Sure, you have some items on the menu that wouldn't be out of place on a "limited time only" menu at Ruby Tuesday's: the "Bourbon St. Fettucine" and "Bayou Chicken" come to mind. However, the Crawfish Etouffee is stupidly delicious. The Boudin works pretty well, and if you don't get a side of Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya I'm not talking to you ever again. They also do a steamed seafood platter that's a great value; the perfect thing to knock back a few Abita with some friends over. Absolutely love this place.
(4)
Scott N.
This is my favorite Cajun restaurant in the area. The Catfish Pontchartrain is my favorite item on the menu. They have several other items on the menu that I've had over time that I really enjoy such as the boudin balls, fried calamari, etoufee, gumbo, etc. which are also fantastic. The smoked tuna dip appetizer is a hidden gem that gets overlooked compared to their more well-known ones. This location is also has the hottest waitresses in town so the eye candy is also a huge plus.
(4)
Mark S.
I had fish tacos, absolutely the best I've had in the B'ham area. And the biggest portion of fish too. Ate out on the patio on a pretty day, very enjoyable. Excellent service. Will be back! (second time here)
(4)
Joe S.
Perfect to hang out and drink some beers. I had two apps that were pretty good. Wait staff is eye friendly and also take good care of you.
(4)
Jeff T.
Nice patio. Very good service. Royal reds and crab legs were yummy and nicely cooked!
(4)
Mandy C.
I think it depends on what you order as to whether you think you got a good value. As for us, we do not eat fried food, so our plates always seem to have small portions on the plate for the price we pay. However, the food we do get is good...not fantastic but when we are int he mood for seafood but want a casual atmosphere we eat here. We typically order a grilled fish of some kind and a side. My favorite side is the Cajun Black-eyed peas- these are yummy! Note- if you go on a Friday or Saturday night, be prepared to wait and serach for a parking spot
(2)
Sarah D.
I've been there a few times and I remember that one time the waitress was very nice. Another time, our waitress ignored my group and gave me the worst service I ever had. I went back not too long after that. My now ex and I sat and waited and were NEVER served. We told the hostess, who did nothing. I went back a few years later to see if it had changed with my husband. It was very busy and the waitress paid little attention to us. Although the food is great, the service is bad. I really don't believe that I'll be going back, it's just not worth it.
(1)
Susanne K.
Enjoyed some great tunes by Damon Lockhart last night at Cajun Steamer at Patton Creek. Looking forward to seeing him there again soon!
(5)
Autumn K.
It ain't the French Laundry and it's not Ad Hoc, but this is where I fell in love with cheese grits and some rice and pork thing that my mom's physical therapist all but shoved down my throat (don't ask...it's a long story). This is also a great place to hear a live band sing old classics like American Pie and Sweet Home Alabama (surprise!). Coming from San Francisco, where a thimbleful of margarita and a doll-size shot of Patron will set you back Fifteen bananas (daddy talk for dollars), the happy hour here is so great I became a regular in just one week. A drunk, sloppy regular, but hell- it's the South. There's a bartender who just had a baby and she looks hot as hell- she may be the nicest bartender I've ever drunk-ordered from :) I must note, mama's friend Grey pointed out that nothing is steamed and everything is fried. This is true as far as I can see. However, the fried stuff is good. Go here. You will fall in love. Even though it is in a shopping center (which we SFers don't have).
(4)
Joe L.
Great Cajun Food! However the drinks are too high! However, they're always crowed when I've been in. Great Staff. Very Pretty Girls on staff!
(3)
Jasmine T.
Delish! Unbelievably authentic cajun delights!
(5)
Eric W.
Very disappointed with the quality of food. I got the catfish Ponchatrain. The catfish was a frozen breaded piece of fake fish that you could've bought from Sam's Club. It was covered with a cream sauce that included a few tiny frozen crawfish tails. Nothing was freshly cooked from scratch. One positive, they had a nice selection of beer.
(2)
Kristi R.
Ate here yesterday and had the best time. We sat outside, our waitress was very attentive and friendly. The food was great, will defiantly go back!
(4)
Jon S.
Great restaurant! Excellent service. Friends and I always enjoy either the smoked tuna dip, shrimp and grits, raw oysters, crawfish enchiladas, or the snow crab legs. All their seafood is fresh and really tasty. Try the fried cheesecake for a treat as well. Outdoor balcony seats are the best. They also have a nice patio with live music at night. I've never had a bad experience here.
(5)
Lance H.
best Cajun food I've ever had, even better than NoLa. I would highly recommend the Shrimp Diablo (spicy Yum Yum like sauce) OR the Bayou Chicken (salsa spaghetti like sauce). Trying the Shrimp Creole Next Visit...
(4)
Tom W.
I've been to NOLa. This is a Cajun restaurant, not authentic New Orleans flavor. The servers are friendly and service quick, but I found the food to be average. I had the Shrimp Platter (blackened - which was grilled, stuffed and fried). The menu stated Jumbo Shrimp - they weren't. Other than the blackened which was actually grilled, it tasted ok but not Cajun. My side (I paid additional for) was red beans and sausage (with white rice). It was pretty authentic. Of course I washed it down with an Abita Amber. Priced ok, but I was looking for more flavor. Family friendly and might be fun with a group, I'll give it another try when I'm back in town.
(3)
Sheila L.
I had the red beans and sausage for lunch and it was flavorful and definitely on the spicy side. I thought prices were reasonable for what I had for lunch. Tried the beignets but those were disappointing. Not very tasty and a bit overcooked. I would not order them again. Service was good, attentive and willing to offer dishes they recommend. Good for a quick bite if you're in the mood for Cajun. I would go back, just to try something different.
(3)
Julie K.
Love this place! I got the Bayou Chicken...it's so good. The fried pickles are delicious as well. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Sunny K.
Good people IPA, yum; Grilled alligator, yum; Peel and eat shrimp (warm), yum; Fried green tomatoes, yum; Kimberly as a waitress, fantastic; Auburn football game on, perfect!
(4)
John L.
This place was awesome, some of the best seafood I have eaten off of the gulf coast. My wife and I had the steamed platter for two, and it was great. We arrived around 1230 and were sat immediately. We started with six raw oysters, and fried crawfish. She had a Bloody Mary and I had an angry orchard. Our sitter that we brought with us on the trip had the snow crab legs and my child had the chicken strips. Our total bill was $100.00 I recommend this place to anyone who likes seafood.
(5)
Ramon L.
Like everything else prices have increased and quantity along with quality have decreased.
(3)
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Address :180 Main Street, Ste. 200
Hoover, AL, 35244
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Kaye L.
The food here was delicious when they first opened. It was one of my favorite restaurants in the area. As time passed the food got bland. I also think it's too expensive for the portions you're given. This is also something that changed with time. I used to order the fried seafood platter and split it with whoever I was with, but a change in their portion sizse put an end to that. It is a small place so I suggest an early dinner to beat the crowd. I would recommend going once just to say you've tried it, but there is another seafood place named Jubiliee Joe's nearby that is tastier.
(2)Wheeler E.
Would be a four star but a couple of technicalities which are really important in food biz. Waited a little too long for service outside and half way through we asked about getting a heater on because one of our guests was cold; didn't hear back from the server's helper... On he food side, quite good. I don't have a lot of Cajun experience but just on taste, I'd say it was good. I'd go back to this restaurant for sure. I particularly like supporting non chain restaurant and really like small ventures such a this.
(3)Garrett P.
Sure, you have some items on the menu that wouldn't be out of place on a "limited time only" menu at Ruby Tuesday's: the "Bourbon St. Fettucine" and "Bayou Chicken" come to mind. However, the Crawfish Etouffee is stupidly delicious. The Boudin works pretty well, and if you don't get a side of Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya I'm not talking to you ever again. They also do a steamed seafood platter that's a great value; the perfect thing to knock back a few Abita with some friends over. Absolutely love this place.
(4)Scott N.
This is my favorite Cajun restaurant in the area. The Catfish Pontchartrain is my favorite item on the menu. They have several other items on the menu that I've had over time that I really enjoy such as the boudin balls, fried calamari, etoufee, gumbo, etc. which are also fantastic. The smoked tuna dip appetizer is a hidden gem that gets overlooked compared to their more well-known ones. This location is also has the hottest waitresses in town so the eye candy is also a huge plus.
(4)Mark S.
I had fish tacos, absolutely the best I've had in the B'ham area. And the biggest portion of fish too. Ate out on the patio on a pretty day, very enjoyable. Excellent service. Will be back! (second time here)
(4)Joe S.
Perfect to hang out and drink some beers. I had two apps that were pretty good. Wait staff is eye friendly and also take good care of you.
(4)Brian C.
I've been a fan of Cajun Steamer for some time but tonight was a big letdown. I opted for fried oysters which I've never tried here. They were under seasoned, overcooked and very uninteresting. I'm a believer that hot sauce can fix most anything but despite having "Cajun" in the name, there was no hot sauce to be found on our outdoor table. A little salt would have helped but our table didn't have that either... It was around 6pm and we seemed to be the first party seated at the table so possibly they hadn't finished prepping for service. My wife opted for the boiled shrimp which were quite good despite being paired with shriveled up frozen corn... It is summer after all and fresh corn is plentiful and tastes so much better. Frozen corn looks gross and tastes worse and at this price point, it's an insult. Up to this point, my reviews have been 3 and 4 stars but tonight was a little better than okay but really nothing special.
(2)Colin L.
A great local place to eat if you're looking for something delicious to eat. If you're eating on a budget forget it because it is expensive but it is also delicious. When in season their Appalachia Oysters are some of the best ive ever had. To compliment them with the crab legs is a knock out combo you gotta try TODAY. Fire shrimp are a must have for any meal starter. And the only place around with a Gumbo i actually enjoy. Be prepared to empty your wallets but for every dollar you spend you fill your stomach with delicious Cajun Cuisine.
(5)Joe M.
Music on the patio is really good. Love the menu. Really good atmosphere and servers are really nice.
(5)Lisa D.
The alligator tail was delicious... Almost as good as some I've had in NOLA. The crawfish could use a little more kick. I would have rated this 4 stars based on the food, but since Nickelback was playing on their radio, I almost vomited up my meal.
(3)John S.
One of my favorite spots in B'ham. The food is better than average, and the menu is outstanding, they just need more space. Always been happy with the kitchen here, and my whole family has a great time whenever we go. There's always something new on the menu it seems. The "Build Your Catch" seafood options are out of this world. If you can't find something here that makes you happy, you have issues. The fried items are always perfect, especially the catfish, oysters, and alligator bites. And for lunch I always get the Shrimp Po Boy, its as good as it gets. So many things to choose from on the menu sometimes its hard to decide. The beer is cold and the bloody marys are top notch, the perfect cure for what ails you. For desert we really enjoy the fried cheesecake and key lime pie. Got a nice patio for when its not scorching hot outside, and they always seem to have a wait. Would do more business if this place wasn't so cramped.
(4)Kara H.
We arrived with a 25-30min wait, no big deal considering how it was prime dinner time on a Friday night. Figured it would be less time anyway. Put our name down for party of 3 first avail, for the tablet to txt when table was ready. Noticed lots of people leaving and coming especially another party of 3 that arrived after us! Before we knew it everyone around was inside sitting, including the party of 3 after us! I went to the hostess, she looked at her tablet and my name was gone, she didn't know what happened and promised we would be next! We got 12 oysters which were good but then our meals arrived. My boyfriend got shrimp and grits with what looked like some type of liquid (like soup) guess that was the Tasso cream sauce. It wasn't a sauce consistency. I got the Flounder Seafood Roulade with a stuffing, that stuffing was mush. Our friend got fish tacos with fried green tomatoes, his tomatoes were wayyyy too crispy. The service was good but the kitchen has gone down hill over the years. Our stomachs did not agree with us the next morning, ALL of ours! I think that may hv been our final visit! I gave 2 stars because the service was good, except for the beginning!
(2)Charnetta M.
Everything was delicious! First time visiting and my mom and I really enjoyed the food. Extremely satisfied! No complaints here.
(4)Eric W.
Very disappointed with the quality of food. I got the catfish Ponchatrain. The catfish was a frozen breaded piece of fake fish that you could've bought from Sam's Club. It was covered with a cream sauce that included a few tiny frozen crawfish tails. Nothing was freshly cooked from scratch. One positive, they had a nice selection of beer.
(2)Kristi R.
Ate here yesterday and had the best time. We sat outside, our waitress was very attentive and friendly. The food was great, will defiantly go back!
(4)Jon S.
Great restaurant! Excellent service. Friends and I always enjoy either the smoked tuna dip, shrimp and grits, raw oysters, crawfish enchiladas, or the snow crab legs. All their seafood is fresh and really tasty. Try the fried cheesecake for a treat as well. Outdoor balcony seats are the best. They also have a nice patio with live music at night. I've never had a bad experience here.
(5)Lance H.
best Cajun food I've ever had, even better than NoLa. I would highly recommend the Shrimp Diablo (spicy Yum Yum like sauce) OR the Bayou Chicken (salsa spaghetti like sauce). Trying the Shrimp Creole Next Visit...
(4)Tom W.
I've been to NOLa. This is a Cajun restaurant, not authentic New Orleans flavor. The servers are friendly and service quick, but I found the food to be average. I had the Shrimp Platter (blackened - which was grilled, stuffed and fried). The menu stated Jumbo Shrimp - they weren't. Other than the blackened which was actually grilled, it tasted ok but not Cajun. My side (I paid additional for) was red beans and sausage (with white rice). It was pretty authentic. Of course I washed it down with an Abita Amber. Priced ok, but I was looking for more flavor. Family friendly and might be fun with a group, I'll give it another try when I'm back in town.
(3)Sheila L.
I had the red beans and sausage for lunch and it was flavorful and definitely on the spicy side. I thought prices were reasonable for what I had for lunch. Tried the beignets but those were disappointing. Not very tasty and a bit overcooked. I would not order them again. Service was good, attentive and willing to offer dishes they recommend. Good for a quick bite if you're in the mood for Cajun. I would go back, just to try something different.
(3)Julie K.
Love this place! I got the Bayou Chicken...it's so good. The fried pickles are delicious as well. I will definitely be back!
(5)Sunny K.
Good people IPA, yum; Grilled alligator, yum; Peel and eat shrimp (warm), yum; Fried green tomatoes, yum; Kimberly as a waitress, fantastic; Auburn football game on, perfect!
(4)Katie S.
Found this place via Yelp and I'm pretty excited about it! Smallish restaurant and seems pretty busy for a Monday night. Lots of TVs strategically placed so you can see one from just about any seat. I'm able to see a baseball game, basketball game and Nancy Grace from my seat. Music is also playing on speakers tonight. Nice crowd - families, couples, small groups and people flying solo like me. Pretty loud but lots of conversations so not too loud. Service tonight is mediocre. It wasn't too crowded when I first arrived but took awhile to place drink order and then a little more while to place dinner order. Decor is New Orleans barish...beads, neon crawfish/crab beer signs, fleur de lis, etc. I'm drinking a draft beer but the bar seems to be fully stocked with booze. Looks to be a good variety of that. There were happy hour specials from 3-6 but I missed out on them. I didn't order any apps but good variety to choose from. I ordered the crawfish étouffée for dinner which looks to be a side dish for some meals (probs in a smaller version). It was delicious!! Came in a bowl with white rice. Very spicy! Yum!! I was offered crackers with it but declined. Wish I hadn't BC it would have cut the spice a little. Only thing I would change is to have bread/cornbread served with it. It did fill me up however. I spied two others having the steamed shrimp/crawfish platter which I would have ordered but too much for just me. I will definitely return to this place next time I'm in Birmingham. Hidden gem for sure. Bonus for me was the music playing...Island Song by Zac Brown Band came on which was randomly awesome!! If you haven't been here and enjoy creole, you must check it out. Would have given 5 stars except for service. Maybe off night for my waitress. There's a lot of wait staff tonight but she seems slow. She hasn't come by often to check on me at all.
(4)C C.
Dinner with a group here last night and everybody was extremely happy! Yaya Gumbo is a must. Very good and packed with goodies! I went for he blackened shrimp po' boy which had a good kick to it. The desserts were really out of this world. Beignets and fried cheesecake! Beignets come four per plate with a ramekin of caramel to drizzle on them. All the beignets were properly still hot! The fried cheesecake was ridiculously good. It comes with three slices, so it's plenty to share. Would absolutely go back!
(5)Silvia G.
Ok food, fun atmosphere! I'm not from the area but I was going to the Galleria Mall and our taxi driver recommended this place since it was a short drive away. I love the cajun seafood I've tried in places like the Boiling Crab in California so I was expecting something similar. I started with the corn and crab chowder that was very creamy and tasty with a lil kick. For appetizers, we had to try the grilled Alligator bites (best way to describe is that it has a chicken/calamary taste, medium soft texture and very garlicky), hush puppies and crab cake. All were good to try but not memorable. We also ordered the boiled seafood platter for 2 which came with lots of crawfish, some crab legs, grilled oysters, corns and shrimp. I like my sauces with lots of flavor and not spicy. This was the exact opposite. They give you butter and cocktail sauce as dipping sauces. Not bad but definitely not the best seafood I've had. Portion was pretty good as we were three and hardly finished it. Atmosphere was fun and our server was nice as well! Wouldn't go out of the way for it though. Yelp 100 Challenge! 2015: 8/100
(3)Dale W.
I spent two weeks in Hoover last year during the summer and I discovered Cajun steamers oh my God I ate there like 10 times during that two weeks. I could not get enough of their voodoo chicken or their crawfish gumbo. This place was unbelievable I think it was better than some of the places I ate in New Orleans. I am looking for a way to get back there again.
(5)Ee Vonn Y.
The $9 gumbo was delicious and worth every penny. I should have just had an entire bowl of that and it would've made my day. I've never had alligator meat before so I I tried the half po-boy of blackened alligator meat It's a more chewy, salty version of chicken (mostly due to the seasoning). I wished they put more sauce in it. It felt dry. The fried crawfish appetizer was fresh. I regretted dipping this in cocktail sauce because you can't appreciate the flavors.
(4)John L.
This place was awesome, some of the best seafood I have eaten off of the gulf coast. My wife and I had the steamed platter for two, and it was great. We arrived around 1230 and were sat immediately. We started with six raw oysters, and fried crawfish. She had a Bloody Mary and I had an angry orchard. Our sitter that we brought with us on the trip had the snow crab legs and my child had the chicken strips. Our total bill was $100.00 I recommend this place to anyone who likes seafood.
(5)Ramon L.
Like everything else prices have increased and quantity along with quality have decreased.
(3)Robin R.
I've never had boudin before until I ate it here. It was great! Margherita was great too! I had a wonderful time on a date here. Good times. Good food.
(5)Kaleb E.
I got the kalimari there as a appetizer must say it was really good then I got the oyster best thing ever the only problem is that it's kinda crowed so make sure to get a booth
(4)Will L.
After seeing people posting pictures of crawfish, I knew it was time to head to the steamer. Even though it was looking like spring, it felt like winter on this day. Cold weather eliminates half of their seating. Either way, it only took about twenty minutes to get a table. Not too shabby. The highlight of our dinner was the service. While we knew who our primary server was, it seemed that everyone was taking care of us. at least four different employees asked if we were ok and filled up our drinks. In the seafood mood, we ordered the steamed seafood for two. I was worried about this choice, because of my elevated hunger level. Silly me. This plate was huge (check my picture)! There were enough shrimp, crawfish, crab legs, and oyster to feed an army. The crab legs were, by far, the best thing on the table. It's a bit loud and cramped, but perfect if you're looking for the southern/cajun experience.
(4)Martin B.
Great food and atmosphere...very reasonably priced for quality of food. I had the seared ah I tuna salad and a cup of jambalaya.
(5)Candice H.
Delicious snow crab legs though the corn on the cob and side potatoes were small sized. Nice, local atmosphere. Friendly waitstaff and manager recommended the fried cheesecake which is actually three small but decadent slices.
(4)David T.
My absolute favorite place in Alabama. I get blackened Red Snapper with Mushroom Artichoke topping with Red Beans and Sausage and Crawfish Étouffée. Sometimes add Fried Green Tomatoes. All Yummy!
(5)Linda D.
went back recently and I don't know if they changed managers but it was like it use to be when we loved going so much. Great service, food and no bad odor!! YAY
(4)Liz R.
Recommended by local friends, so my friend R and I had to give it a try. The restaurant is located on the second floor (at least the way we got there involved a flight of stairs up from the street parking) of a sprawling outside mall-type complex. We scored a booth in the bar area and started with drinks and Fried Dill Pickle Chips (all on the Happy Hour menu we just squeeked in in time to enjoy). I liked my margarita enough to get a 2nd. They had a ton of app choices that looked delicious. My main was the Catfish Ponchartrain, which came stuffed with shrimp and crab breading and topped with a creamy, slightly (perfectly) sweet Crawfish Louie sauce. $13, and it came with a side! I chose the Crawfish Etouffee, which ate more like a soup (I'm not complaining, it was delicious, just not what I'm used to). Yum all around. R got the Fish Tacos - three tilapia tacos, prepared either grilled, blackened or fried, with shredded cabbage and pico. She chose grilled (which would have been my 3rd choice) and couldn't eat more than one because there was too much black pepper in something on the taco for her. I didn't try the dish, so I can't comment on the taste. $11 and included a side (I think she got fries). I'd return.
(4)Chuck W.
Bread pudding is to die for! Étouffée and beans and rice are also great. We're on Hoover for the SEC Baseball Tournament and have eaten at the Steamer twice.
(5)Danny H.
I was headed to a minor league ballgame, when the hunger struck. Now I know hot dogs and beer are the staples of fine baseball dining, but frankly I've been doing it way too long. When I travel, I want stuff I can't get back home, easily. When I found out that The Cajun Steamer had jambalaya, it was kind of a no-brainer that this was the place I had to go. It was conveniently located on the way to Regions Park, maybe 3-4 miles away. It's located in a gigantic McShopping center, one of those new Sim City-like commercial zones, complete with giant theater, bookstore, DSW and Ross. Needless to say, there's plenty of parking. Getting there towards the tail end of the rush, and being alone, it was easy to get a seat at the bar. The staff was all southern smiles and easy on the eyes, in that permanent spring break kind of way, and took my drink and food orders pretty promptly. I ordered a cup of jambalaya and a blackened catfish po-boy. While waiting, I could really soak in the atmosphere of the place; it's not that big, but has a cozy feel to it. Wooden booths and a few tables crammed in there, with a pretty generous outdoor seating area. Lots of flair and beer paraphernalia all over the walls, with a few big TVs to watch your sports on. When my food arrived, I dug into the jambalaya promptly. I'm no expert on jambalaya, but I enjoyed it well enough. I had hoped it would have been more of a creole style with shrimp in it, but chicken and sausage works fine too. It wasn't as spicy as I would have had preferred, but it was still delicious. The po-boy though, was a pleasant surprise. I got it mostly because I didn't want to dedicate to an entire bowl of jambalaya in case I didn't like it, so it was kind of plan B. But the catfish was flavorful and was a generous cut, and the lettuce and tomato were fresh. Not soggy lettuce, but still crispy and a cool contrast to the hot fish. The French bread wasn't like a giant saltine and was flaky and had some chew to it. It was delicious and better than I had expected. As a total, it only rang me up around $15. For a fresh meal in a fairly unique to me experience, I couldn't have really asked for anything else really. Would gladly come back if my travels bring me back down to Hoover again.
(4)Mary Helen H.
My favorite place after work to go see my favorite bartender Vanessa Johnson have a Bahama mama an appetizer.
(5)Christine M.
The Chiicken Bayou was amazing. Drink was overpriced for the size. Great service, great food and the other patrons were friendly.
(4)Russ M.
I had lunch here for the second time within the last month. I had a lunch combo, a cup of gumbo (choice of chicken/sausage, seafood or YaYa) plus a half Po-Boy(choice of shrimp or catfish), you have choices of fried, grilled or blackened. The chicken/sausage gumbo was very good. A rich roux gave a full flavor to the gumbo. My fried shrimp Po-Boy was a disappointment. The French bread was good, but that was all I could taste. There were a total of 5 popcorn shrimp on the sandwich, a small tomato slice, a bit of lettuce and a hint of some kind of spread. Just did not deliver much value for this meal.
(2)martin b.
I love everything about it.... fun, great food, and a great clientele.
(5)B C.
Awesome Food! I ate at the Hoover Location. The crawfish enchiladas are amazing! Wait staff was great too! I'm a Fan!
(5)Megan C.
Food was alright but too pricey for The small portions. We had a cup of gumbo and shrimp with potatoes and corn. The corn was chewy and old. But the potatoes and shrimp had a pretty good flavor. I've had more authentic Cajun food in California than here, so that was disappointing. And when I walked into the ladies room to wash my hands, a lady came out of the stall and ran water over her hands (didn't use soap) and walked out. Turns out. She was the bartender. Glad we don't drink.
(2)Sarah H.
Not my favorite cajun place but def legit. We orded the half alligator po boy and shrimp po boy, one w fries the other w a salad. The balsalmic dressing was really good....it was a creamy texture so probably not really light but worth it :) Both our meats were done blackened and true to that they were...very spicy but not really blackened with the black traditional way. We were both moderately satisfied and our tastebuds happy but they were very simple. Literally my po boy was the shrimp and a dinky tomato slice and mayo (which I would have held) on white bread. All in all good but to pay $8 ea for a half sandwich is pretty steep. I'm interested to try their traditional cajun dishes I've had before but they were pricier than most other cajun places id been to before. Good, willing to try again, but not a fave.
(3)Paul C.
Cajun Steamer is pretty good. The decor and atmosphere is very much like local restaurants in south Louisiana. We like the Blue Crab Claw appetizer. It can be prepared with your choice of Cajun spice, garlic herb, lemon pepper, or fried. Boiled crawfish are served during crawfish season, and they are very good. They are hot and spicy and served on a tray with corn and potatoes. The Fried Shrimp and Catfish entree is good, but I find the batter a little too salty. Friends have raved about the Crawfish Enchiladas. Crawfish tails are prepared in a Rotel cream sauce and rolled in flour tortilla. That looked good!
(4)David A.
My wife and I ate here for lunch in May of 2010. My wife and her family are from New Orleans, and I lived there for several years as well. So, we're persnickety about seafood and restaurants claiming to serve Louisiana style food. I ordered the boiled shrimp and thought they were very bland. Barely any seasoning aside from salt. This is NOT how they would be served in South Louisiana. Is it really that hard to throw in some lemons, garlic, and a bunch of spices? On top of that, the shrimp were tough and overcooked. The gumbo, in contrast, was very good. Not a traditional South Louisiana gumbo but really delicious anyway. Many times when I order gumbo in this area, it's served as more of a soup than a stew, and it's not even the right color (gumbo should be almost black). The gumbo at The Cajun Steamer is thick and dark and spicy. My wife ordered a fried shrimp poboy. She enjoyed the shrimp on the sandwich, but the french bread was not remotely authentic. That's another thing I have never understood. Why is it so difficult to find New Orleans style french bread outside of New Orleans? Overall the experience was okay, but we won't be rushing back.
(2)Betty B.
The Tilapia and Shrimp Rockefeller is to die for....literally one of the best dishes I've tasted. The coconut shrimp is a good starter as well! The food is always fresh.
(5)Ayon J. R.
A really good menu with lots of choices. The food is great. I didn't much care for the "sports bar" atmosphere.
(4)Marc L.
This is by far my favorite resturant ever!! I campare all other food to this place. Cajun food I now my favorite. They have the best gumbo, and all other food is just great. I have tried almost everything and it is all great except the jerk chicken skewers. I get the all saints tilapia and my wife gets the vodoo chicken. We have been here about 25 times and it is always great. The one in trussville is a little better than the one in hover and has more seats. They have live entertainment sometimes which is good. If I could give them 10 stars out of five I would! Just try it already, just leave room for me and everyone I know. Btw they always give me plenty of food, and I am 6ft 5inches and about 275lbs an I eat ALOT :)
(5)Feverish G.
This place rocks!!!!!! I am writing this review on behalf of the 3 co-workers that were with me to experience this great food. Myself along with one of my co-workers had the shrimp diablo, F-ing Amazing!!!! Skip all the other resturants in the area and try the cajun steamer, you wont regret it.
(5)Landon H.
One of the best Cajun restaurants in which I've ever eaten - period. I spent 7 years in Central/Southern Mississippi and I thought I'd had great Cajun Cuisine. This place caught me completely by surprise. The corn and crab bisque is the best appetizer on the menu. The spiciness of the food isn't overwhelming. They realize that they are in Birmingham, not New Orleans, so they adjust the spice to just the right levels. The only downside is that I don't think they expected the fanfare they are receiving, so the place - while it isn't small - isn't quite as large as it needs to be. But grab a seat at the bar and relax until your called.
(5)John M.
I had lunch there recently, and unfortunately, the food was not up to par. I had the chicken and sausage gumbo-more like salty soup than gumbo. I then had the jambalaya, and it was dry as a bone-like it might have been sitting in the pot too long? The service and people were fantastic, but again, food not good-maybe I was there on an off day?
(2)Autumn K.
It ain't the French Laundry and it's not Ad Hoc, but this is where I fell in love with cheese grits and some rice and pork thing that my mom's physical therapist all but shoved down my throat (don't ask...it's a long story). This is also a great place to hear a live band sing old classics like American Pie and Sweet Home Alabama (surprise!). Coming from San Francisco, where a thimbleful of margarita and a doll-size shot of Patron will set you back Fifteen bananas (daddy talk for dollars), the happy hour here is so great I became a regular in just one week. A drunk, sloppy regular, but hell- it's the South. There's a bartender who just had a baby and she looks hot as hell- she may be the nicest bartender I've ever drunk-ordered from :) I must note, mama's friend Grey pointed out that nothing is steamed and everything is fried. This is true as far as I can see. However, the fried stuff is good. Go here. You will fall in love. Even though it is in a shopping center (which we SFers don't have).
(4)Joe L.
Great Cajun Food! However the drinks are too high! However, they're always crowed when I've been in. Great Staff. Very Pretty Girls on staff!
(3)Jasmine T.
Delish! Unbelievably authentic cajun delights!
(5)Paul R.
AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! What I ordered: Gator Appetizer Boudin Appetizer Gator Po'Boy What was wrong with what I ordered: Gator Appetizer tasted like mud - I know that Gator can have that flavor, but this tasted like I put some mud in my mouth and swished it around. Boudin Appetizer had NO flavor. This was some terrible Boudin. Gator Po'Boy - Made me so sick. At one point, I bit into a CHUNK OF MUD. I spit it out immediately (that looked civilized) and then I couldn't eat another thing until the next day at Lunch. It was all I could do to not throw up on the spot. My co-workers laughed, and I nearly cried. My co-worker had the shrimp po-boy and the ya ya gumbo. Both were bland and tasteless. Gumbo was very disappointing. His po-boy needed about a gallon of hot sauce to make it at all edible. I was told that the girls here are good looking. I went twice (the first time for drinks only, the second time for food, since I love cajun) The girls are average at best; the bartender may have been good looking-ish. Average girl rating in there: 6. Not worth it. This place is only good for backwoods country rednecks who regularly eat raccoons and possums. For everyone else, as I said before, Avoid this place like the plague.
(1)Amy C.
I love the Cajun Steamer! I am brand new to cajun food.. don't know too much about what makes it "good" or "bad" . But I know what I like, and I like the cajun steamer! I had crawfish here for the first time recently... I loved how they were boiled in the cajun seasoning, and they picked up the flavors really well. My waitress noticed me struggling to eat it, and she was kind enough to go out of her way to show me how it's done. Gumbo is the best gumbo I've had so far. Really spicy and flavorful, with just the right amount of seafood. Shrimp Diablo is another really good, tasty dish. I think the only thing I've had here I wasn't too crazy about were the po'boys (they seem to have too much batter, and I prefer to have po-boys with crispy french bread) and the crawfish etoufee (just tasted like cream of mushroom soup to me... but is that how it's supposed to taste like? not sure, lol :) Besides the long waits during winter time, this is definitely a place I enjoy going to!
(4)Tynetta H.
I must start off by saying that Cajun Steamer, Hoover is a nice relaxed environment. The service is decent too. However, decided to have dinner there one evening and while enjoying nice conversation and watching the game, a ROACH crawled up the back of the booth. Manager came over and tried to rectify the situation, but how can you sit back down and finish your meal. So long story short the environment is nice and relaxed, staff is decent but I CAN NOT enjoy a meal with pest crawling around at will.
(1)Kevin S.
I stopped by Sunday for lunch. Not very crowded and I found a new favorite place to go. A wider variety of Cajun seafood than I have seen anywhere in northern Alabama. Owned by a Louisiana native and the menu, food, and taste shows. I had the ya ya gumbo and crawfish poboy. Both were outstanding and way more than I expected form a place in a strip mall. I will definitely stop here every time I am in Birmingham from now on. Also the waitresses were very kind and helped me with menu questions and suggestions. They were very easy on the eyes too!
(5)Lizzie P.
A Thursday summer night at the Cajun Steamer Atmosphere: If it's not too much of a hot summer night, outside seating is best. There are two areas, a back patio and a front patio. The front patio usually has a band (mainly country) which is entertaining. Food: Our table ordered boudin and oysters as appetizers. The Boudin was average and the oysters were larger than I would expect - and also very good. The crawfish etoufee was a miss and I would only get it as a side as opposed to an entree. The stuffed seafood chicken was very good - and I would recommend it. The jambalaya is also great as a side. Up until 6:00 they have happy hour which is a ridiculously great deal if you get food. For happy hour, definitely get the royal red shrimp and split it between two people. Service: They were extremely busy and I think they were all flustered. My waitress spilled a diet coke in front of me which resulted in a tied died looking dress - not so hot. However, she did make it up at the end of the meal with a chocolate cake on the house.
(3)Bill J.
Really good variety of cajun food. Good beer and on certain nights, live music. A good casual spot for cajun food.
(4)Matt E.
THIS PLACE WAS AWESOME! Ok, so this was my first visit, so I can't attest to consistency... This said, my wife wanted to go here for her birthday dinner today... We arrived about 3pm and started off with a few brews (not the best selection, but they had New Castle, which kept me happy) and the Fried Pickles as an app. The fried pickles were perfect.. Just the right amount of seasoning, perfectly fried crispy batter and tasty sour-tart pickles, served with a side of ranch - they were a great starter... Since it was 'happy hour' (basically all day on Saturday), the pickles were $5 - def worth it considering the quality and portion, which was huge. For our meals, we went with a couple of po boy's... My wife ordered the whole crayfish po boy with the spicy curly fries... I opted for the Alligator Poor Po Boy ("Half" - quotes due to it not really being half, but more like 3/4!!!), Fried Green Tomatoes and an order of the Crayfish Enchiladas (again, a $5 happy hour appetizer). I don't quite know how to put this, but the amount of food was basically 2.5 meals for us each... My wife and I ate until we were grossly full and still walked out of the door with 3 FULL to-go plates - I kid you not - THREE... The po boys were so loaded with crayfish/alligator, it was basically like having a po boy with a large side of crayfish/alligator in additional to the rest of the meal. My wife's order of fries were so large they were literally falling off of the plate and she actually had to leave some behind because they just wouldn't fit in the to-go plate. Again, I order the 1/2 po-boy since I wanted the Crayfish Enchiladas, but still was so stuffed I carried out 1/2 of my "half" po-boy, 2 of my fried tomatoes and 1 of my Crayfish Enchiladas (my wife and I could only eat 1 sharing). To top this off, we carried out a 3rd to-go of ~1/2 of our huge order of pickles... I just can't say enough good about this place... The prices were reasonable based on the normal menu price and they were outright exceptional when factoring in the "happy hour" rates... 2 beers, 2 apps and 2 meals for ~$37 before tip! Can't beat it. The staff was very friendly and very fast. We will most certainly be going back and will likely be taking friends next time to show off :D
(5)J S.
Ok, I'm not gonna pretend to have been cajun in a past life or anything so I can't vouch for how authentic the food is. What I can vouch for is the taste. It was a'ight. Nothing super fabulous. In laws brought us there cause it's their fave, can't say that it would be mine. Got the steamed shrimp (I know, not wild livin), it was, as I said, a'ight. It came with potatoes and corn, unfortunately the corn was so overcooked, my toddler wouldn't even touch it and the potatoes were crazy spicy. And, it's just a boiled potato, maybe that's some cajun thing, but overcooked corn and a spicy boiled potato just aren't my thing. Hubby had the crawfish etoufee (yes I'm probably misspelling that....) thought it was good, not awesome, not bad, just good. Their place is a bit small, especially since they seem really busy, overcooked corn and all!
(3)Curly Q.
The last time I was here I waited for over an hour and then, when I got my food, noticed all the things on my combo plate tasted of Tony Chachere's. It was not that great. The dining room was so loud that my friend and I pretty much ate in silence because we couldn't hear one another. And the waitstaff was still annoying.
(3)ashraf a.
i do love to go there on Sundays for lunch but its like hit or miss with this sometimes the food is awesome but other times we get the exact same thing and its what ever so it lacks consistency other then that its an OK place to come and chill on a sunny afternoon.
(2)Jessica G.
Good food but insufficient space. They are quite busy on the weekends and often have LONG waits, which is not practical if you have small children. I would advise you to go on a weeknight or for an early dinner to avoid the wait. Great Tilapia Rockefeller, I would definitely suggest that to anyone.
(4)Bob G.
We love this place. We had a large party of 15 and they were very accommodating. Our server was friendly and attentive. I had the shrimp and Grits among other things and everything was delicious. All of the portions were generous and big enough to share. Overall a good value for the money. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in Alabama.
(5)Jeff T.
Nice patio. Very good service. Royal reds and crab legs were yummy and nicely cooked!
(4)Mandy C.
I think it depends on what you order as to whether you think you got a good value. As for us, we do not eat fried food, so our plates always seem to have small portions on the plate for the price we pay. However, the food we do get is good...not fantastic but when we are int he mood for seafood but want a casual atmosphere we eat here. We typically order a grilled fish of some kind and a side. My favorite side is the Cajun Black-eyed peas- these are yummy! Note- if you go on a Friday or Saturday night, be prepared to wait and serach for a parking spot
(2)Sarah D.
I've been there a few times and I remember that one time the waitress was very nice. Another time, our waitress ignored my group and gave me the worst service I ever had. I went back not too long after that. My now ex and I sat and waited and were NEVER served. We told the hostess, who did nothing. I went back a few years later to see if it had changed with my husband. It was very busy and the waitress paid little attention to us. Although the food is great, the service is bad. I really don't believe that I'll be going back, it's just not worth it.
(1)Susanne K.
Enjoyed some great tunes by Damon Lockhart last night at Cajun Steamer at Patton Creek. Looking forward to seeing him there again soon!
(5)David A.
My wife and I ate here for lunch in May of 2010. My wife and her family are from New Orleans, and I lived there for several years as well. So, we're persnickety about seafood and restaurants claiming to serve Louisiana style food. I ordered the boiled shrimp and thought they were very bland. Barely any seasoning aside from salt. This is NOT how they would be served in South Louisiana. Is it really that hard to throw in some lemons, garlic, and a bunch of spices? On top of that, the shrimp were tough and overcooked. The gumbo, in contrast, was very good. Not a traditional South Louisiana gumbo but really delicious anyway. Many times when I order gumbo in this area, it's served as more of a soup than a stew, and it's not even the right color (gumbo should be almost black). The gumbo at The Cajun Steamer is thick and dark and spicy. My wife ordered a fried shrimp poboy. She enjoyed the shrimp on the sandwich, but the french bread was not remotely authentic. That's another thing I have never understood. Why is it so difficult to find New Orleans style french bread outside of New Orleans? Overall the experience was okay, but we won't be rushing back.
(2)Marc L.
This is by far my favorite resturant ever!! I campare all other food to this place. Cajun food I now my favorite. They have the best gumbo, and all other food is just great. I have tried almost everything and it is all great except the jerk chicken skewers. I get the all saints tilapia and my wife gets the vodoo chicken. We have been here about 25 times and it is always great. The one in trussville is a little better than the one in hover and has more seats. They have live entertainment sometimes which is good. If I could give them 10 stars out of five I would! Just try it already, just leave room for me and everyone I know. Btw they always give me plenty of food, and I am 6ft 5inches and about 275lbs an I eat ALOT :)
(5)Feverish G.
This place rocks!!!!!! I am writing this review on behalf of the 3 co-workers that were with me to experience this great food. Myself along with one of my co-workers had the shrimp diablo, F-ing Amazing!!!! Skip all the other resturants in the area and try the cajun steamer, you wont regret it.
(5)Landon H.
One of the best Cajun restaurants in which I've ever eaten - period. I spent 7 years in Central/Southern Mississippi and I thought I'd had great Cajun Cuisine. This place caught me completely by surprise. The corn and crab bisque is the best appetizer on the menu. The spiciness of the food isn't overwhelming. They realize that they are in Birmingham, not New Orleans, so they adjust the spice to just the right levels. The only downside is that I don't think they expected the fanfare they are receiving, so the place - while it isn't small - isn't quite as large as it needs to be. But grab a seat at the bar and relax until your called.
(5)Jessica G.
Good food but insufficient space. They are quite busy on the weekends and often have LONG waits, which is not practical if you have small children. I would advise you to go on a weeknight or for an early dinner to avoid the wait. Great Tilapia Rockefeller, I would definitely suggest that to anyone.
(4)Betty B.
The Tilapia and Shrimp Rockefeller is to die for....literally one of the best dishes I've tasted. The coconut shrimp is a good starter as well! The food is always fresh.
(5)Ayon J. R.
A really good menu with lots of choices. The food is great. I didn't much care for the "sports bar" atmosphere.
(4)J S.
Ok, I'm not gonna pretend to have been cajun in a past life or anything so I can't vouch for how authentic the food is. What I can vouch for is the taste. It was a'ight. Nothing super fabulous. In laws brought us there cause it's their fave, can't say that it would be mine. Got the steamed shrimp (I know, not wild livin), it was, as I said, a'ight. It came with potatoes and corn, unfortunately the corn was so overcooked, my toddler wouldn't even touch it and the potatoes were crazy spicy. And, it's just a boiled potato, maybe that's some cajun thing, but overcooked corn and a spicy boiled potato just aren't my thing. Hubby had the crawfish etoufee (yes I'm probably misspelling that....) thought it was good, not awesome, not bad, just good. Their place is a bit small, especially since they seem really busy, overcooked corn and all!
(3)Curly Q.
The last time I was here I waited for over an hour and then, when I got my food, noticed all the things on my combo plate tasted of Tony Chachere's. It was not that great. The dining room was so loud that my friend and I pretty much ate in silence because we couldn't hear one another. And the waitstaff was still annoying.
(3)martin b.
I love everything about it.... fun, great food, and a great clientele.
(5)B C.
Awesome Food! I ate at the Hoover Location. The crawfish enchiladas are amazing! Wait staff was great too! I'm a Fan!
(5)ashraf a.
i do love to go there on Sundays for lunch but its like hit or miss with this sometimes the food is awesome but other times we get the exact same thing and its what ever so it lacks consistency other then that its an OK place to come and chill on a sunny afternoon.
(2)Bob G.
We love this place. We had a large party of 15 and they were very accommodating. Our server was friendly and attentive. I had the shrimp and Grits among other things and everything was delicious. All of the portions were generous and big enough to share. Overall a good value for the money. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in Alabama.
(5)R G.
There were 6 in my party and 4 had really bad experiences. The steamed seafood platter was described as being the worst they'd ever had. It was a weird texture...described best as mushy and dry. The corn and potato combo was awful...corn was chewy and potatoes were very bland. The fried green tomatoes was the only thing I liked okay. I will never eat at this place again!
(2)Mary Helen H.
My favorite place after work to go see my favorite bartender Vanessa Johnson have a Bahama mama an appetizer.
(5)Christine M.
The Chiicken Bayou was amazing. Drink was overpriced for the size. Great service, great food and the other patrons were friendly.
(4)Kaye L.
The food here was delicious when they first opened. It was one of my favorite restaurants in the area. As time passed the food got bland. I also think it's too expensive for the portions you're given. This is also something that changed with time. I used to order the fried seafood platter and split it with whoever I was with, but a change in their portion sizse put an end to that. It is a small place so I suggest an early dinner to beat the crowd. I would recommend going once just to say you've tried it, but there is another seafood place named Jubiliee Joe's nearby that is tastier.
(2)Wheeler E.
Would be a four star but a couple of technicalities which are really important in food biz. Waited a little too long for service outside and half way through we asked about getting a heater on because one of our guests was cold; didn't hear back from the server's helper... On he food side, quite good. I don't have a lot of Cajun experience but just on taste, I'd say it was good. I'd go back to this restaurant for sure. I particularly like supporting non chain restaurant and really like small ventures such a this.
(3)John L.
This place was awesome, some of the best seafood I have eaten off of the gulf coast. My wife and I had the steamed platter for two, and it was great. We arrived around 1230 and were sat immediately. We started with six raw oysters, and fried crawfish. She had a Bloody Mary and I had an angry orchard. Our sitter that we brought with us on the trip had the snow crab legs and my child had the chicken strips. Our total bill was $100.00 I recommend this place to anyone who likes seafood.
(5)Ramon L.
Like everything else prices have increased and quantity along with quality have decreased.
(3)Robin R.
I've never had boudin before until I ate it here. It was great! Margherita was great too! I had a wonderful time on a date here. Good times. Good food.
(5)Kaleb E.
I got the kalimari there as a appetizer must say it was really good then I got the oyster best thing ever the only problem is that it's kinda crowed so make sure to get a booth
(4)Russ M.
I had lunch here for the second time within the last month. I had a lunch combo, a cup of gumbo (choice of chicken/sausage, seafood or YaYa) plus a half Po-Boy(choice of shrimp or catfish), you have choices of fried, grilled or blackened. The chicken/sausage gumbo was very good. A rich roux gave a full flavor to the gumbo. My fried shrimp Po-Boy was a disappointment. The French bread was good, but that was all I could taste. There were a total of 5 popcorn shrimp on the sandwich, a small tomato slice, a bit of lettuce and a hint of some kind of spread. Just did not deliver much value for this meal.
(2)Will L.
After seeing people posting pictures of crawfish, I knew it was time to head to the steamer. Even though it was looking like spring, it felt like winter on this day. Cold weather eliminates half of their seating. Either way, it only took about twenty minutes to get a table. Not too shabby. The highlight of our dinner was the service. While we knew who our primary server was, it seemed that everyone was taking care of us. at least four different employees asked if we were ok and filled up our drinks. In the seafood mood, we ordered the steamed seafood for two. I was worried about this choice, because of my elevated hunger level. Silly me. This plate was huge (check my picture)! There were enough shrimp, crawfish, crab legs, and oyster to feed an army. The crab legs were, by far, the best thing on the table. It's a bit loud and cramped, but perfect if you're looking for the southern/cajun experience.
(4)Dale W.
I spent two weeks in Hoover last year during the summer and I discovered Cajun steamers oh my God I ate there like 10 times during that two weeks. I could not get enough of their voodoo chicken or their crawfish gumbo. This place was unbelievable I think it was better than some of the places I ate in New Orleans. I am looking for a way to get back there again.
(5)Ee Vonn Y.
The $9 gumbo was delicious and worth every penny. I should have just had an entire bowl of that and it would've made my day. I've never had alligator meat before so I I tried the half po-boy of blackened alligator meat It's a more chewy, salty version of chicken (mostly due to the seasoning). I wished they put more sauce in it. It felt dry. The fried crawfish appetizer was fresh. I regretted dipping this in cocktail sauce because you can't appreciate the flavors.
(4)Martin B.
Great food and atmosphere...very reasonably priced for quality of food. I had the seared ah I tuna salad and a cup of jambalaya.
(5)Candice H.
Delicious snow crab legs though the corn on the cob and side potatoes were small sized. Nice, local atmosphere. Friendly waitstaff and manager recommended the fried cheesecake which is actually three small but decadent slices.
(4)David T.
My absolute favorite place in Alabama. I get blackened Red Snapper with Mushroom Artichoke topping with Red Beans and Sausage and Crawfish Étouffée. Sometimes add Fried Green Tomatoes. All Yummy!
(5)Linda D.
went back recently and I don't know if they changed managers but it was like it use to be when we loved going so much. Great service, food and no bad odor!! YAY
(4)Liz R.
Recommended by local friends, so my friend R and I had to give it a try. The restaurant is located on the second floor (at least the way we got there involved a flight of stairs up from the street parking) of a sprawling outside mall-type complex. We scored a booth in the bar area and started with drinks and Fried Dill Pickle Chips (all on the Happy Hour menu we just squeeked in in time to enjoy). I liked my margarita enough to get a 2nd. They had a ton of app choices that looked delicious. My main was the Catfish Ponchartrain, which came stuffed with shrimp and crab breading and topped with a creamy, slightly (perfectly) sweet Crawfish Louie sauce. $13, and it came with a side! I chose the Crawfish Etouffee, which ate more like a soup (I'm not complaining, it was delicious, just not what I'm used to). Yum all around. R got the Fish Tacos - three tilapia tacos, prepared either grilled, blackened or fried, with shredded cabbage and pico. She chose grilled (which would have been my 3rd choice) and couldn't eat more than one because there was too much black pepper in something on the taco for her. I didn't try the dish, so I can't comment on the taste. $11 and included a side (I think she got fries). I'd return.
(4)Chuck W.
Bread pudding is to die for! Étouffée and beans and rice are also great. We're on Hoover for the SEC Baseball Tournament and have eaten at the Steamer twice.
(5)Danny H.
I was headed to a minor league ballgame, when the hunger struck. Now I know hot dogs and beer are the staples of fine baseball dining, but frankly I've been doing it way too long. When I travel, I want stuff I can't get back home, easily. When I found out that The Cajun Steamer had jambalaya, it was kind of a no-brainer that this was the place I had to go. It was conveniently located on the way to Regions Park, maybe 3-4 miles away. It's located in a gigantic McShopping center, one of those new Sim City-like commercial zones, complete with giant theater, bookstore, DSW and Ross. Needless to say, there's plenty of parking. Getting there towards the tail end of the rush, and being alone, it was easy to get a seat at the bar. The staff was all southern smiles and easy on the eyes, in that permanent spring break kind of way, and took my drink and food orders pretty promptly. I ordered a cup of jambalaya and a blackened catfish po-boy. While waiting, I could really soak in the atmosphere of the place; it's not that big, but has a cozy feel to it. Wooden booths and a few tables crammed in there, with a pretty generous outdoor seating area. Lots of flair and beer paraphernalia all over the walls, with a few big TVs to watch your sports on. When my food arrived, I dug into the jambalaya promptly. I'm no expert on jambalaya, but I enjoyed it well enough. I had hoped it would have been more of a creole style with shrimp in it, but chicken and sausage works fine too. It wasn't as spicy as I would have had preferred, but it was still delicious. The po-boy though, was a pleasant surprise. I got it mostly because I didn't want to dedicate to an entire bowl of jambalaya in case I didn't like it, so it was kind of plan B. But the catfish was flavorful and was a generous cut, and the lettuce and tomato were fresh. Not soggy lettuce, but still crispy and a cool contrast to the hot fish. The French bread wasn't like a giant saltine and was flaky and had some chew to it. It was delicious and better than I had expected. As a total, it only rang me up around $15. For a fresh meal in a fairly unique to me experience, I couldn't have really asked for anything else really. Would gladly come back if my travels bring me back down to Hoover again.
(4)Brian C.
I've been a fan of Cajun Steamer for some time but tonight was a big letdown. I opted for fried oysters which I've never tried here. They were under seasoned, overcooked and very uninteresting. I'm a believer that hot sauce can fix most anything but despite having "Cajun" in the name, there was no hot sauce to be found on our outdoor table. A little salt would have helped but our table didn't have that either... It was around 6pm and we seemed to be the first party seated at the table so possibly they hadn't finished prepping for service. My wife opted for the boiled shrimp which were quite good despite being paired with shriveled up frozen corn... It is summer after all and fresh corn is plentiful and tastes so much better. Frozen corn looks gross and tastes worse and at this price point, it's an insult. Up to this point, my reviews have been 3 and 4 stars but tonight was a little better than okay but really nothing special.
(2)Colin L.
A great local place to eat if you're looking for something delicious to eat. If you're eating on a budget forget it because it is expensive but it is also delicious. When in season their Appalachia Oysters are some of the best ive ever had. To compliment them with the crab legs is a knock out combo you gotta try TODAY. Fire shrimp are a must have for any meal starter. And the only place around with a Gumbo i actually enjoy. Be prepared to empty your wallets but for every dollar you spend you fill your stomach with delicious Cajun Cuisine.
(5)Joe M.
Music on the patio is really good. Love the menu. Really good atmosphere and servers are really nice.
(5)Lisa D.
The alligator tail was delicious... Almost as good as some I've had in NOLA. The crawfish could use a little more kick. I would have rated this 4 stars based on the food, but since Nickelback was playing on their radio, I almost vomited up my meal.
(3)Megan C.
Food was alright but too pricey for The small portions. We had a cup of gumbo and shrimp with potatoes and corn. The corn was chewy and old. But the potatoes and shrimp had a pretty good flavor. I've had more authentic Cajun food in California than here, so that was disappointing. And when I walked into the ladies room to wash my hands, a lady came out of the stall and ran water over her hands (didn't use soap) and walked out. Turns out. She was the bartender. Glad we don't drink.
(2)R G.
There were 6 in my party and 4 had really bad experiences. The steamed seafood platter was described as being the worst they'd ever had. It was a weird texture...described best as mushy and dry. The corn and potato combo was awful...corn was chewy and potatoes were very bland. The fried green tomatoes was the only thing I liked okay. I will never eat at this place again!
(2)Garrett P.
Sure, you have some items on the menu that wouldn't be out of place on a "limited time only" menu at Ruby Tuesday's: the "Bourbon St. Fettucine" and "Bayou Chicken" come to mind. However, the Crawfish Etouffee is stupidly delicious. The Boudin works pretty well, and if you don't get a side of Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya I'm not talking to you ever again. They also do a steamed seafood platter that's a great value; the perfect thing to knock back a few Abita with some friends over. Absolutely love this place.
(4)Scott N.
This is my favorite Cajun restaurant in the area. The Catfish Pontchartrain is my favorite item on the menu. They have several other items on the menu that I've had over time that I really enjoy such as the boudin balls, fried calamari, etoufee, gumbo, etc. which are also fantastic. The smoked tuna dip appetizer is a hidden gem that gets overlooked compared to their more well-known ones. This location is also has the hottest waitresses in town so the eye candy is also a huge plus.
(4)Mark S.
I had fish tacos, absolutely the best I've had in the B'ham area. And the biggest portion of fish too. Ate out on the patio on a pretty day, very enjoyable. Excellent service. Will be back! (second time here)
(4)Joe S.
Perfect to hang out and drink some beers. I had two apps that were pretty good. Wait staff is eye friendly and also take good care of you.
(4)Jeff T.
Nice patio. Very good service. Royal reds and crab legs were yummy and nicely cooked!
(4)Mandy C.
I think it depends on what you order as to whether you think you got a good value. As for us, we do not eat fried food, so our plates always seem to have small portions on the plate for the price we pay. However, the food we do get is good...not fantastic but when we are int he mood for seafood but want a casual atmosphere we eat here. We typically order a grilled fish of some kind and a side. My favorite side is the Cajun Black-eyed peas- these are yummy! Note- if you go on a Friday or Saturday night, be prepared to wait and serach for a parking spot
(2)Sarah D.
I've been there a few times and I remember that one time the waitress was very nice. Another time, our waitress ignored my group and gave me the worst service I ever had. I went back not too long after that. My now ex and I sat and waited and were NEVER served. We told the hostess, who did nothing. I went back a few years later to see if it had changed with my husband. It was very busy and the waitress paid little attention to us. Although the food is great, the service is bad. I really don't believe that I'll be going back, it's just not worth it.
(1)Susanne K.
Enjoyed some great tunes by Damon Lockhart last night at Cajun Steamer at Patton Creek. Looking forward to seeing him there again soon!
(5)Autumn K.
It ain't the French Laundry and it's not Ad Hoc, but this is where I fell in love with cheese grits and some rice and pork thing that my mom's physical therapist all but shoved down my throat (don't ask...it's a long story). This is also a great place to hear a live band sing old classics like American Pie and Sweet Home Alabama (surprise!). Coming from San Francisco, where a thimbleful of margarita and a doll-size shot of Patron will set you back Fifteen bananas (daddy talk for dollars), the happy hour here is so great I became a regular in just one week. A drunk, sloppy regular, but hell- it's the South. There's a bartender who just had a baby and she looks hot as hell- she may be the nicest bartender I've ever drunk-ordered from :) I must note, mama's friend Grey pointed out that nothing is steamed and everything is fried. This is true as far as I can see. However, the fried stuff is good. Go here. You will fall in love. Even though it is in a shopping center (which we SFers don't have).
(4)Joe L.
Great Cajun Food! However the drinks are too high! However, they're always crowed when I've been in. Great Staff. Very Pretty Girls on staff!
(3)Jasmine T.
Delish! Unbelievably authentic cajun delights!
(5)Paul R.
AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! What I ordered: Gator Appetizer Boudin Appetizer Gator Po'Boy What was wrong with what I ordered: Gator Appetizer tasted like mud - I know that Gator can have that flavor, but this tasted like I put some mud in my mouth and swished it around. Boudin Appetizer had NO flavor. This was some terrible Boudin. Gator Po'Boy - Made me so sick. At one point, I bit into a CHUNK OF MUD. I spit it out immediately (that looked civilized) and then I couldn't eat another thing until the next day at Lunch. It was all I could do to not throw up on the spot. My co-workers laughed, and I nearly cried. My co-worker had the shrimp po-boy and the ya ya gumbo. Both were bland and tasteless. Gumbo was very disappointing. His po-boy needed about a gallon of hot sauce to make it at all edible. I was told that the girls here are good looking. I went twice (the first time for drinks only, the second time for food, since I love cajun) The girls are average at best; the bartender may have been good looking-ish. Average girl rating in there: 6. Not worth it. This place is only good for backwoods country rednecks who regularly eat raccoons and possums. For everyone else, as I said before, Avoid this place like the plague.
(1)Amy C.
I love the Cajun Steamer! I am brand new to cajun food.. don't know too much about what makes it "good" or "bad" . But I know what I like, and I like the cajun steamer! I had crawfish here for the first time recently... I loved how they were boiled in the cajun seasoning, and they picked up the flavors really well. My waitress noticed me struggling to eat it, and she was kind enough to go out of her way to show me how it's done. Gumbo is the best gumbo I've had so far. Really spicy and flavorful, with just the right amount of seafood. Shrimp Diablo is another really good, tasty dish. I think the only thing I've had here I wasn't too crazy about were the po'boys (they seem to have too much batter, and I prefer to have po-boys with crispy french bread) and the crawfish etoufee (just tasted like cream of mushroom soup to me... but is that how it's supposed to taste like? not sure, lol :) Besides the long waits during winter time, this is definitely a place I enjoy going to!
(4)Tynetta H.
I must start off by saying that Cajun Steamer, Hoover is a nice relaxed environment. The service is decent too. However, decided to have dinner there one evening and while enjoying nice conversation and watching the game, a ROACH crawled up the back of the booth. Manager came over and tried to rectify the situation, but how can you sit back down and finish your meal. So long story short the environment is nice and relaxed, staff is decent but I CAN NOT enjoy a meal with pest crawling around at will.
(1)Kevin S.
I stopped by Sunday for lunch. Not very crowded and I found a new favorite place to go. A wider variety of Cajun seafood than I have seen anywhere in northern Alabama. Owned by a Louisiana native and the menu, food, and taste shows. I had the ya ya gumbo and crawfish poboy. Both were outstanding and way more than I expected form a place in a strip mall. I will definitely stop here every time I am in Birmingham from now on. Also the waitresses were very kind and helped me with menu questions and suggestions. They were very easy on the eyes too!
(5)Lizzie P.
A Thursday summer night at the Cajun Steamer Atmosphere: If it's not too much of a hot summer night, outside seating is best. There are two areas, a back patio and a front patio. The front patio usually has a band (mainly country) which is entertaining. Food: Our table ordered boudin and oysters as appetizers. The Boudin was average and the oysters were larger than I would expect - and also very good. The crawfish etoufee was a miss and I would only get it as a side as opposed to an entree. The stuffed seafood chicken was very good - and I would recommend it. The jambalaya is also great as a side. Up until 6:00 they have happy hour which is a ridiculously great deal if you get food. For happy hour, definitely get the royal red shrimp and split it between two people. Service: They were extremely busy and I think they were all flustered. My waitress spilled a diet coke in front of me which resulted in a tied died looking dress - not so hot. However, she did make it up at the end of the meal with a chocolate cake on the house.
(3)Bill J.
Really good variety of cajun food. Good beer and on certain nights, live music. A good casual spot for cajun food.
(4)Matt E.
THIS PLACE WAS AWESOME! Ok, so this was my first visit, so I can't attest to consistency... This said, my wife wanted to go here for her birthday dinner today... We arrived about 3pm and started off with a few brews (not the best selection, but they had New Castle, which kept me happy) and the Fried Pickles as an app. The fried pickles were perfect.. Just the right amount of seasoning, perfectly fried crispy batter and tasty sour-tart pickles, served with a side of ranch - they were a great starter... Since it was 'happy hour' (basically all day on Saturday), the pickles were $5 - def worth it considering the quality and portion, which was huge. For our meals, we went with a couple of po boy's... My wife ordered the whole crayfish po boy with the spicy curly fries... I opted for the Alligator Poor Po Boy ("Half" - quotes due to it not really being half, but more like 3/4!!!), Fried Green Tomatoes and an order of the Crayfish Enchiladas (again, a $5 happy hour appetizer). I don't quite know how to put this, but the amount of food was basically 2.5 meals for us each... My wife and I ate until we were grossly full and still walked out of the door with 3 FULL to-go plates - I kid you not - THREE... The po boys were so loaded with crayfish/alligator, it was basically like having a po boy with a large side of crayfish/alligator in additional to the rest of the meal. My wife's order of fries were so large they were literally falling off of the plate and she actually had to leave some behind because they just wouldn't fit in the to-go plate. Again, I order the 1/2 po-boy since I wanted the Crayfish Enchiladas, but still was so stuffed I carried out 1/2 of my "half" po-boy, 2 of my fried tomatoes and 1 of my Crayfish Enchiladas (my wife and I could only eat 1 sharing). To top this off, we carried out a 3rd to-go of ~1/2 of our huge order of pickles... I just can't say enough good about this place... The prices were reasonable based on the normal menu price and they were outright exceptional when factoring in the "happy hour" rates... 2 beers, 2 apps and 2 meals for ~$37 before tip! Can't beat it. The staff was very friendly and very fast. We will most certainly be going back and will likely be taking friends next time to show off :D
(5)Sarah H.
Not my favorite cajun place but def legit. We orded the half alligator po boy and shrimp po boy, one w fries the other w a salad. The balsalmic dressing was really good....it was a creamy texture so probably not really light but worth it :) Both our meats were done blackened and true to that they were...very spicy but not really blackened with the black traditional way. We were both moderately satisfied and our tastebuds happy but they were very simple. Literally my po boy was the shrimp and a dinky tomato slice and mayo (which I would have held) on white bread. All in all good but to pay $8 ea for a half sandwich is pretty steep. I'm interested to try their traditional cajun dishes I've had before but they were pricier than most other cajun places id been to before. Good, willing to try again, but not a fave.
(3)Paul C.
Cajun Steamer is pretty good. The decor and atmosphere is very much like local restaurants in south Louisiana. We like the Blue Crab Claw appetizer. It can be prepared with your choice of Cajun spice, garlic herb, lemon pepper, or fried. Boiled crawfish are served during crawfish season, and they are very good. They are hot and spicy and served on a tray with corn and potatoes. The Fried Shrimp and Catfish entree is good, but I find the batter a little too salty. Friends have raved about the Crawfish Enchiladas. Crawfish tails are prepared in a Rotel cream sauce and rolled in flour tortilla. That looked good!
(4)Sheila L.
I had the red beans and sausage for lunch and it was flavorful and definitely on the spicy side. I thought prices were reasonable for what I had for lunch. Tried the beignets but those were disappointing. Not very tasty and a bit overcooked. I would not order them again. Service was good, attentive and willing to offer dishes they recommend. Good for a quick bite if you're in the mood for Cajun. I would go back, just to try something different.
(3)Julie K.
Love this place! I got the Bayou Chicken...it's so good. The fried pickles are delicious as well. I will definitely be back!
(5)Sunny K.
Good people IPA, yum; Grilled alligator, yum; Peel and eat shrimp (warm), yum; Fried green tomatoes, yum; Kimberly as a waitress, fantastic; Auburn football game on, perfect!
(4)John S.
One of my favorite spots in B'ham. The food is better than average, and the menu is outstanding, they just need more space. Always been happy with the kitchen here, and my whole family has a great time whenever we go. There's always something new on the menu it seems. The "Build Your Catch" seafood options are out of this world. If you can't find something here that makes you happy, you have issues. The fried items are always perfect, especially the catfish, oysters, and alligator bites. And for lunch I always get the Shrimp Po Boy, its as good as it gets. So many things to choose from on the menu sometimes its hard to decide. The beer is cold and the bloody marys are top notch, the perfect cure for what ails you. For desert we really enjoy the fried cheesecake and key lime pie. Got a nice patio for when its not scorching hot outside, and they always seem to have a wait. Would do more business if this place wasn't so cramped.
(4)Katie S.
Found this place via Yelp and I'm pretty excited about it! Smallish restaurant and seems pretty busy for a Monday night. Lots of TVs strategically placed so you can see one from just about any seat. I'm able to see a baseball game, basketball game and Nancy Grace from my seat. Music is also playing on speakers tonight. Nice crowd - families, couples, small groups and people flying solo like me. Pretty loud but lots of conversations so not too loud. Service tonight is mediocre. It wasn't too crowded when I first arrived but took awhile to place drink order and then a little more while to place dinner order. Decor is New Orleans barish...beads, neon crawfish/crab beer signs, fleur de lis, etc. I'm drinking a draft beer but the bar seems to be fully stocked with booze. Looks to be a good variety of that. There were happy hour specials from 3-6 but I missed out on them. I didn't order any apps but good variety to choose from. I ordered the crawfish étouffée for dinner which looks to be a side dish for some meals (probs in a smaller version). It was delicious!! Came in a bowl with white rice. Very spicy! Yum!! I was offered crackers with it but declined. Wish I hadn't BC it would have cut the spice a little. Only thing I would change is to have bread/cornbread served with it. It did fill me up however. I spied two others having the steamed shrimp/crawfish platter which I would have ordered but too much for just me. I will definitely return to this place next time I'm in Birmingham. Hidden gem for sure. Bonus for me was the music playing...Island Song by Zac Brown Band came on which was randomly awesome!! If you haven't been here and enjoy creole, you must check it out. Would have given 5 stars except for service. Maybe off night for my waitress. There's a lot of wait staff tonight but she seems slow. She hasn't come by often to check on me at all.
(4)C C.
Dinner with a group here last night and everybody was extremely happy! Yaya Gumbo is a must. Very good and packed with goodies! I went for he blackened shrimp po' boy which had a good kick to it. The desserts were really out of this world. Beignets and fried cheesecake! Beignets come four per plate with a ramekin of caramel to drizzle on them. All the beignets were properly still hot! The fried cheesecake was ridiculously good. It comes with three slices, so it's plenty to share. Would absolutely go back!
(5)Silvia G.
Ok food, fun atmosphere! I'm not from the area but I was going to the Galleria Mall and our taxi driver recommended this place since it was a short drive away. I love the cajun seafood I've tried in places like the Boiling Crab in California so I was expecting something similar. I started with the corn and crab chowder that was very creamy and tasty with a lil kick. For appetizers, we had to try the grilled Alligator bites (best way to describe is that it has a chicken/calamary taste, medium soft texture and very garlicky), hush puppies and crab cake. All were good to try but not memorable. We also ordered the boiled seafood platter for 2 which came with lots of crawfish, some crab legs, grilled oysters, corns and shrimp. I like my sauces with lots of flavor and not spicy. This was the exact opposite. They give you butter and cocktail sauce as dipping sauces. Not bad but definitely not the best seafood I've had. Portion was pretty good as we were three and hardly finished it. Atmosphere was fun and our server was nice as well! Wouldn't go out of the way for it though. Yelp 100 Challenge! 2015: 8/100
(3)Kara H.
We arrived with a 25-30min wait, no big deal considering how it was prime dinner time on a Friday night. Figured it would be less time anyway. Put our name down for party of 3 first avail, for the tablet to txt when table was ready. Noticed lots of people leaving and coming especially another party of 3 that arrived after us! Before we knew it everyone around was inside sitting, including the party of 3 after us! I went to the hostess, she looked at her tablet and my name was gone, she didn't know what happened and promised we would be next! We got 12 oysters which were good but then our meals arrived. My boyfriend got shrimp and grits with what looked like some type of liquid (like soup) guess that was the Tasso cream sauce. It wasn't a sauce consistency. I got the Flounder Seafood Roulade with a stuffing, that stuffing was mush. Our friend got fish tacos with fried green tomatoes, his tomatoes were wayyyy too crispy. The service was good but the kitchen has gone down hill over the years. Our stomachs did not agree with us the next morning, ALL of ours! I think that may hv been our final visit! I gave 2 stars because the service was good, except for the beginning!
(2)Charnetta M.
Everything was delicious! First time visiting and my mom and I really enjoyed the food. Extremely satisfied! No complaints here.
(4)Eric W.
Very disappointed with the quality of food. I got the catfish Ponchatrain. The catfish was a frozen breaded piece of fake fish that you could've bought from Sam's Club. It was covered with a cream sauce that included a few tiny frozen crawfish tails. Nothing was freshly cooked from scratch. One positive, they had a nice selection of beer.
(2)Kristi R.
Ate here yesterday and had the best time. We sat outside, our waitress was very attentive and friendly. The food was great, will defiantly go back!
(4)Jon S.
Great restaurant! Excellent service. Friends and I always enjoy either the smoked tuna dip, shrimp and grits, raw oysters, crawfish enchiladas, or the snow crab legs. All their seafood is fresh and really tasty. Try the fried cheesecake for a treat as well. Outdoor balcony seats are the best. They also have a nice patio with live music at night. I've never had a bad experience here.
(5)Lance H.
best Cajun food I've ever had, even better than NoLa. I would highly recommend the Shrimp Diablo (spicy Yum Yum like sauce) OR the Bayou Chicken (salsa spaghetti like sauce). Trying the Shrimp Creole Next Visit...
(4)Tom W.
I've been to NOLa. This is a Cajun restaurant, not authentic New Orleans flavor. The servers are friendly and service quick, but I found the food to be average. I had the Shrimp Platter (blackened - which was grilled, stuffed and fried). The menu stated Jumbo Shrimp - they weren't. Other than the blackened which was actually grilled, it tasted ok but not Cajun. My side (I paid additional for) was red beans and sausage (with white rice). It was pretty authentic. Of course I washed it down with an Abita Amber. Priced ok, but I was looking for more flavor. Family friendly and might be fun with a group, I'll give it another try when I'm back in town.
(3)John M.
I had lunch there recently, and unfortunately, the food was not up to par. I had the chicken and sausage gumbo-more like salty soup than gumbo. I then had the jambalaya, and it was dry as a bone-like it might have been sitting in the pot too long? The service and people were fantastic, but again, food not good-maybe I was there on an off day?
(2)Paul R.
AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! What I ordered: Gator Appetizer Boudin Appetizer Gator Po'Boy What was wrong with what I ordered: Gator Appetizer tasted like mud - I know that Gator can have that flavor, but this tasted like I put some mud in my mouth and swished it around. Boudin Appetizer had NO flavor. This was some terrible Boudin. Gator Po'Boy - Made me so sick. At one point, I bit into a CHUNK OF MUD. I spit it out immediately (that looked civilized) and then I couldn't eat another thing until the next day at Lunch. It was all I could do to not throw up on the spot. My co-workers laughed, and I nearly cried. My co-worker had the shrimp po-boy and the ya ya gumbo. Both were bland and tasteless. Gumbo was very disappointing. His po-boy needed about a gallon of hot sauce to make it at all edible. I was told that the girls here are good looking. I went twice (the first time for drinks only, the second time for food, since I love cajun) The girls are average at best; the bartender may have been good looking-ish. Average girl rating in there: 6. Not worth it. This place is only good for backwoods country rednecks who regularly eat raccoons and possums. For everyone else, as I said before, Avoid this place like the plague.
(1)Amy C.
I love the Cajun Steamer! I am brand new to cajun food.. don't know too much about what makes it "good" or "bad" . But I know what I like, and I like the cajun steamer! I had crawfish here for the first time recently... I loved how they were boiled in the cajun seasoning, and they picked up the flavors really well. My waitress noticed me struggling to eat it, and she was kind enough to go out of her way to show me how it's done. Gumbo is the best gumbo I've had so far. Really spicy and flavorful, with just the right amount of seafood. Shrimp Diablo is another really good, tasty dish. I think the only thing I've had here I wasn't too crazy about were the po'boys (they seem to have too much batter, and I prefer to have po-boys with crispy french bread) and the crawfish etoufee (just tasted like cream of mushroom soup to me... but is that how it's supposed to taste like? not sure, lol :) Besides the long waits during winter time, this is definitely a place I enjoy going to!
(4)Tynetta H.
I must start off by saying that Cajun Steamer, Hoover is a nice relaxed environment. The service is decent too. However, decided to have dinner there one evening and while enjoying nice conversation and watching the game, a ROACH crawled up the back of the booth. Manager came over and tried to rectify the situation, but how can you sit back down and finish your meal. So long story short the environment is nice and relaxed, staff is decent but I CAN NOT enjoy a meal with pest crawling around at will.
(1)Kevin S.
I stopped by Sunday for lunch. Not very crowded and I found a new favorite place to go. A wider variety of Cajun seafood than I have seen anywhere in northern Alabama. Owned by a Louisiana native and the menu, food, and taste shows. I had the ya ya gumbo and crawfish poboy. Both were outstanding and way more than I expected form a place in a strip mall. I will definitely stop here every time I am in Birmingham from now on. Also the waitresses were very kind and helped me with menu questions and suggestions. They were very easy on the eyes too!
(5)martin b.
I love everything about it.... fun, great food, and a great clientele.
(5)Lizzie P.
A Thursday summer night at the Cajun Steamer Atmosphere: If it's not too much of a hot summer night, outside seating is best. There are two areas, a back patio and a front patio. The front patio usually has a band (mainly country) which is entertaining. Food: Our table ordered boudin and oysters as appetizers. The Boudin was average and the oysters were larger than I would expect - and also very good. The crawfish etoufee was a miss and I would only get it as a side as opposed to an entree. The stuffed seafood chicken was very good - and I would recommend it. The jambalaya is also great as a side. Up until 6:00 they have happy hour which is a ridiculously great deal if you get food. For happy hour, definitely get the royal red shrimp and split it between two people. Service: They were extremely busy and I think they were all flustered. My waitress spilled a diet coke in front of me which resulted in a tied died looking dress - not so hot. However, she did make it up at the end of the meal with a chocolate cake on the house.
(3)Bill J.
Really good variety of cajun food. Good beer and on certain nights, live music. A good casual spot for cajun food.
(4)Paul C.
Cajun Steamer is pretty good. The decor and atmosphere is very much like local restaurants in south Louisiana. We like the Blue Crab Claw appetizer. It can be prepared with your choice of Cajun spice, garlic herb, lemon pepper, or fried. Boiled crawfish are served during crawfish season, and they are very good. They are hot and spicy and served on a tray with corn and potatoes. The Fried Shrimp and Catfish entree is good, but I find the batter a little too salty. Friends have raved about the Crawfish Enchiladas. Crawfish tails are prepared in a Rotel cream sauce and rolled in flour tortilla. That looked good!
(4)Matt E.
THIS PLACE WAS AWESOME! Ok, so this was my first visit, so I can't attest to consistency... This said, my wife wanted to go here for her birthday dinner today... We arrived about 3pm and started off with a few brews (not the best selection, but they had New Castle, which kept me happy) and the Fried Pickles as an app. The fried pickles were perfect.. Just the right amount of seasoning, perfectly fried crispy batter and tasty sour-tart pickles, served with a side of ranch - they were a great starter... Since it was 'happy hour' (basically all day on Saturday), the pickles were $5 - def worth it considering the quality and portion, which was huge. For our meals, we went with a couple of po boy's... My wife ordered the whole crayfish po boy with the spicy curly fries... I opted for the Alligator Poor Po Boy ("Half" - quotes due to it not really being half, but more like 3/4!!!), Fried Green Tomatoes and an order of the Crayfish Enchiladas (again, a $5 happy hour appetizer). I don't quite know how to put this, but the amount of food was basically 2.5 meals for us each... My wife and I ate until we were grossly full and still walked out of the door with 3 FULL to-go plates - I kid you not - THREE... The po boys were so loaded with crayfish/alligator, it was basically like having a po boy with a large side of crayfish/alligator in additional to the rest of the meal. My wife's order of fries were so large they were literally falling off of the plate and she actually had to leave some behind because they just wouldn't fit in the to-go plate. Again, I order the 1/2 po-boy since I wanted the Crayfish Enchiladas, but still was so stuffed I carried out 1/2 of my "half" po-boy, 2 of my fried tomatoes and 1 of my Crayfish Enchiladas (my wife and I could only eat 1 sharing). To top this off, we carried out a 3rd to-go of ~1/2 of our huge order of pickles... I just can't say enough good about this place... The prices were reasonable based on the normal menu price and they were outright exceptional when factoring in the "happy hour" rates... 2 beers, 2 apps and 2 meals for ~$37 before tip! Can't beat it. The staff was very friendly and very fast. We will most certainly be going back and will likely be taking friends next time to show off :D
(5)Sarah H.
Not my favorite cajun place but def legit. We orded the half alligator po boy and shrimp po boy, one w fries the other w a salad. The balsalmic dressing was really good....it was a creamy texture so probably not really light but worth it :) Both our meats were done blackened and true to that they were...very spicy but not really blackened with the black traditional way. We were both moderately satisfied and our tastebuds happy but they were very simple. Literally my po boy was the shrimp and a dinky tomato slice and mayo (which I would have held) on white bread. All in all good but to pay $8 ea for a half sandwich is pretty steep. I'm interested to try their traditional cajun dishes I've had before but they were pricier than most other cajun places id been to before. Good, willing to try again, but not a fave.
(3)David A.
My wife and I ate here for lunch in May of 2010. My wife and her family are from New Orleans, and I lived there for several years as well. So, we're persnickety about seafood and restaurants claiming to serve Louisiana style food. I ordered the boiled shrimp and thought they were very bland. Barely any seasoning aside from salt. This is NOT how they would be served in South Louisiana. Is it really that hard to throw in some lemons, garlic, and a bunch of spices? On top of that, the shrimp were tough and overcooked. The gumbo, in contrast, was very good. Not a traditional South Louisiana gumbo but really delicious anyway. Many times when I order gumbo in this area, it's served as more of a soup than a stew, and it's not even the right color (gumbo should be almost black). The gumbo at The Cajun Steamer is thick and dark and spicy. My wife ordered a fried shrimp poboy. She enjoyed the shrimp on the sandwich, but the french bread was not remotely authentic. That's another thing I have never understood. Why is it so difficult to find New Orleans style french bread outside of New Orleans? Overall the experience was okay, but we won't be rushing back.
(2)Betty B.
The Tilapia and Shrimp Rockefeller is to die for....literally one of the best dishes I've tasted. The coconut shrimp is a good starter as well! The food is always fresh.
(5)Ayon J. R.
A really good menu with lots of choices. The food is great. I didn't much care for the "sports bar" atmosphere.
(4)John M.
I had lunch there recently, and unfortunately, the food was not up to par. I had the chicken and sausage gumbo-more like salty soup than gumbo. I then had the jambalaya, and it was dry as a bone-like it might have been sitting in the pot too long? The service and people were fantastic, but again, food not good-maybe I was there on an off day?
(2)Marc L.
This is by far my favorite resturant ever!! I campare all other food to this place. Cajun food I now my favorite. They have the best gumbo, and all other food is just great. I have tried almost everything and it is all great except the jerk chicken skewers. I get the all saints tilapia and my wife gets the vodoo chicken. We have been here about 25 times and it is always great. The one in trussville is a little better than the one in hover and has more seats. They have live entertainment sometimes which is good. If I could give them 10 stars out of five I would! Just try it already, just leave room for me and everyone I know. Btw they always give me plenty of food, and I am 6ft 5inches and about 275lbs an I eat ALOT :)
(5)Feverish G.
This place rocks!!!!!! I am writing this review on behalf of the 3 co-workers that were with me to experience this great food. Myself along with one of my co-workers had the shrimp diablo, F-ing Amazing!!!! Skip all the other resturants in the area and try the cajun steamer, you wont regret it.
(5)Landon H.
One of the best Cajun restaurants in which I've ever eaten - period. I spent 7 years in Central/Southern Mississippi and I thought I'd had great Cajun Cuisine. This place caught me completely by surprise. The corn and crab bisque is the best appetizer on the menu. The spiciness of the food isn't overwhelming. They realize that they are in Birmingham, not New Orleans, so they adjust the spice to just the right levels. The only downside is that I don't think they expected the fanfare they are receiving, so the place - while it isn't small - isn't quite as large as it needs to be. But grab a seat at the bar and relax until your called.
(5)Jessica G.
Good food but insufficient space. They are quite busy on the weekends and often have LONG waits, which is not practical if you have small children. I would advise you to go on a weeknight or for an early dinner to avoid the wait. Great Tilapia Rockefeller, I would definitely suggest that to anyone.
(4)J S.
Ok, I'm not gonna pretend to have been cajun in a past life or anything so I can't vouch for how authentic the food is. What I can vouch for is the taste. It was a'ight. Nothing super fabulous. In laws brought us there cause it's their fave, can't say that it would be mine. Got the steamed shrimp (I know, not wild livin), it was, as I said, a'ight. It came with potatoes and corn, unfortunately the corn was so overcooked, my toddler wouldn't even touch it and the potatoes were crazy spicy. And, it's just a boiled potato, maybe that's some cajun thing, but overcooked corn and a spicy boiled potato just aren't my thing. Hubby had the crawfish etoufee (yes I'm probably misspelling that....) thought it was good, not awesome, not bad, just good. Their place is a bit small, especially since they seem really busy, overcooked corn and all!
(3)Curly Q.
The last time I was here I waited for over an hour and then, when I got my food, noticed all the things on my combo plate tasted of Tony Chachere's. It was not that great. The dining room was so loud that my friend and I pretty much ate in silence because we couldn't hear one another. And the waitstaff was still annoying.
(3)B C.
Awesome Food! I ate at the Hoover Location. The crawfish enchiladas are amazing! Wait staff was great too! I'm a Fan!
(5)ashraf a.
i do love to go there on Sundays for lunch but its like hit or miss with this sometimes the food is awesome but other times we get the exact same thing and its what ever so it lacks consistency other then that its an OK place to come and chill on a sunny afternoon.
(2)Bob G.
We love this place. We had a large party of 15 and they were very accommodating. Our server was friendly and attentive. I had the shrimp and Grits among other things and everything was delicious. All of the portions were generous and big enough to share. Overall a good value for the money. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in Alabama.
(5)John S.
One of my favorite spots in B'ham. The food is better than average, and the menu is outstanding, they just need more space. Always been happy with the kitchen here, and my whole family has a great time whenever we go. There's always something new on the menu it seems. The "Build Your Catch" seafood options are out of this world. If you can't find something here that makes you happy, you have issues. The fried items are always perfect, especially the catfish, oysters, and alligator bites. And for lunch I always get the Shrimp Po Boy, its as good as it gets. So many things to choose from on the menu sometimes its hard to decide. The beer is cold and the bloody marys are top notch, the perfect cure for what ails you. For desert we really enjoy the fried cheesecake and key lime pie. Got a nice patio for when its not scorching hot outside, and they always seem to have a wait. Would do more business if this place wasn't so cramped.
(4)Katie S.
Found this place via Yelp and I'm pretty excited about it! Smallish restaurant and seems pretty busy for a Monday night. Lots of TVs strategically placed so you can see one from just about any seat. I'm able to see a baseball game, basketball game and Nancy Grace from my seat. Music is also playing on speakers tonight. Nice crowd - families, couples, small groups and people flying solo like me. Pretty loud but lots of conversations so not too loud. Service tonight is mediocre. It wasn't too crowded when I first arrived but took awhile to place drink order and then a little more while to place dinner order. Decor is New Orleans barish...beads, neon crawfish/crab beer signs, fleur de lis, etc. I'm drinking a draft beer but the bar seems to be fully stocked with booze. Looks to be a good variety of that. There were happy hour specials from 3-6 but I missed out on them. I didn't order any apps but good variety to choose from. I ordered the crawfish étouffée for dinner which looks to be a side dish for some meals (probs in a smaller version). It was delicious!! Came in a bowl with white rice. Very spicy! Yum!! I was offered crackers with it but declined. Wish I hadn't BC it would have cut the spice a little. Only thing I would change is to have bread/cornbread served with it. It did fill me up however. I spied two others having the steamed shrimp/crawfish platter which I would have ordered but too much for just me. I will definitely return to this place next time I'm in Birmingham. Hidden gem for sure. Bonus for me was the music playing...Island Song by Zac Brown Band came on which was randomly awesome!! If you haven't been here and enjoy creole, you must check it out. Would have given 5 stars except for service. Maybe off night for my waitress. There's a lot of wait staff tonight but she seems slow. She hasn't come by often to check on me at all.
(4)C C.
Dinner with a group here last night and everybody was extremely happy! Yaya Gumbo is a must. Very good and packed with goodies! I went for he blackened shrimp po' boy which had a good kick to it. The desserts were really out of this world. Beignets and fried cheesecake! Beignets come four per plate with a ramekin of caramel to drizzle on them. All the beignets were properly still hot! The fried cheesecake was ridiculously good. It comes with three slices, so it's plenty to share. Would absolutely go back!
(5)Silvia G.
Ok food, fun atmosphere! I'm not from the area but I was going to the Galleria Mall and our taxi driver recommended this place since it was a short drive away. I love the cajun seafood I've tried in places like the Boiling Crab in California so I was expecting something similar. I started with the corn and crab chowder that was very creamy and tasty with a lil kick. For appetizers, we had to try the grilled Alligator bites (best way to describe is that it has a chicken/calamary taste, medium soft texture and very garlicky), hush puppies and crab cake. All were good to try but not memorable. We also ordered the boiled seafood platter for 2 which came with lots of crawfish, some crab legs, grilled oysters, corns and shrimp. I like my sauces with lots of flavor and not spicy. This was the exact opposite. They give you butter and cocktail sauce as dipping sauces. Not bad but definitely not the best seafood I've had. Portion was pretty good as we were three and hardly finished it. Atmosphere was fun and our server was nice as well! Wouldn't go out of the way for it though. Yelp 100 Challenge! 2015: 8/100
(3)Kara H.
We arrived with a 25-30min wait, no big deal considering how it was prime dinner time on a Friday night. Figured it would be less time anyway. Put our name down for party of 3 first avail, for the tablet to txt when table was ready. Noticed lots of people leaving and coming especially another party of 3 that arrived after us! Before we knew it everyone around was inside sitting, including the party of 3 after us! I went to the hostess, she looked at her tablet and my name was gone, she didn't know what happened and promised we would be next! We got 12 oysters which were good but then our meals arrived. My boyfriend got shrimp and grits with what looked like some type of liquid (like soup) guess that was the Tasso cream sauce. It wasn't a sauce consistency. I got the Flounder Seafood Roulade with a stuffing, that stuffing was mush. Our friend got fish tacos with fried green tomatoes, his tomatoes were wayyyy too crispy. The service was good but the kitchen has gone down hill over the years. Our stomachs did not agree with us the next morning, ALL of ours! I think that may hv been our final visit! I gave 2 stars because the service was good, except for the beginning!
(2)Charnetta M.
Everything was delicious! First time visiting and my mom and I really enjoyed the food. Extremely satisfied! No complaints here.
(4)Dale W.
I spent two weeks in Hoover last year during the summer and I discovered Cajun steamers oh my God I ate there like 10 times during that two weeks. I could not get enough of their voodoo chicken or their crawfish gumbo. This place was unbelievable I think it was better than some of the places I ate in New Orleans. I am looking for a way to get back there again.
(5)Robin R.
I've never had boudin before until I ate it here. It was great! Margherita was great too! I had a wonderful time on a date here. Good times. Good food.
(5)Kaleb E.
I got the kalimari there as a appetizer must say it was really good then I got the oyster best thing ever the only problem is that it's kinda crowed so make sure to get a booth
(4)Will L.
After seeing people posting pictures of crawfish, I knew it was time to head to the steamer. Even though it was looking like spring, it felt like winter on this day. Cold weather eliminates half of their seating. Either way, it only took about twenty minutes to get a table. Not too shabby. The highlight of our dinner was the service. While we knew who our primary server was, it seemed that everyone was taking care of us. at least four different employees asked if we were ok and filled up our drinks. In the seafood mood, we ordered the steamed seafood for two. I was worried about this choice, because of my elevated hunger level. Silly me. This plate was huge (check my picture)! There were enough shrimp, crawfish, crab legs, and oyster to feed an army. The crab legs were, by far, the best thing on the table. It's a bit loud and cramped, but perfect if you're looking for the southern/cajun experience.
(4)Ee Vonn Y.
The $9 gumbo was delicious and worth every penny. I should have just had an entire bowl of that and it would've made my day. I've never had alligator meat before so I I tried the half po-boy of blackened alligator meat It's a more chewy, salty version of chicken (mostly due to the seasoning). I wished they put more sauce in it. It felt dry. The fried crawfish appetizer was fresh. I regretted dipping this in cocktail sauce because you can't appreciate the flavors.
(4)Martin B.
Great food and atmosphere...very reasonably priced for quality of food. I had the seared ah I tuna salad and a cup of jambalaya.
(5)Candice H.
Delicious snow crab legs though the corn on the cob and side potatoes were small sized. Nice, local atmosphere. Friendly waitstaff and manager recommended the fried cheesecake which is actually three small but decadent slices.
(4)David T.
My absolute favorite place in Alabama. I get blackened Red Snapper with Mushroom Artichoke topping with Red Beans and Sausage and Crawfish Étouffée. Sometimes add Fried Green Tomatoes. All Yummy!
(5)Linda D.
went back recently and I don't know if they changed managers but it was like it use to be when we loved going so much. Great service, food and no bad odor!! YAY
(4)Mary Helen H.
My favorite place after work to go see my favorite bartender Vanessa Johnson have a Bahama mama an appetizer.
(5)Christine M.
The Chiicken Bayou was amazing. Drink was overpriced for the size. Great service, great food and the other patrons were friendly.
(4)Liz R.
Recommended by local friends, so my friend R and I had to give it a try. The restaurant is located on the second floor (at least the way we got there involved a flight of stairs up from the street parking) of a sprawling outside mall-type complex. We scored a booth in the bar area and started with drinks and Fried Dill Pickle Chips (all on the Happy Hour menu we just squeeked in in time to enjoy). I liked my margarita enough to get a 2nd. They had a ton of app choices that looked delicious. My main was the Catfish Ponchartrain, which came stuffed with shrimp and crab breading and topped with a creamy, slightly (perfectly) sweet Crawfish Louie sauce. $13, and it came with a side! I chose the Crawfish Etouffee, which ate more like a soup (I'm not complaining, it was delicious, just not what I'm used to). Yum all around. R got the Fish Tacos - three tilapia tacos, prepared either grilled, blackened or fried, with shredded cabbage and pico. She chose grilled (which would have been my 3rd choice) and couldn't eat more than one because there was too much black pepper in something on the taco for her. I didn't try the dish, so I can't comment on the taste. $11 and included a side (I think she got fries). I'd return.
(4)Chuck W.
Bread pudding is to die for! Étouffée and beans and rice are also great. We're on Hoover for the SEC Baseball Tournament and have eaten at the Steamer twice.
(5)Danny H.
I was headed to a minor league ballgame, when the hunger struck. Now I know hot dogs and beer are the staples of fine baseball dining, but frankly I've been doing it way too long. When I travel, I want stuff I can't get back home, easily. When I found out that The Cajun Steamer had jambalaya, it was kind of a no-brainer that this was the place I had to go. It was conveniently located on the way to Regions Park, maybe 3-4 miles away. It's located in a gigantic McShopping center, one of those new Sim City-like commercial zones, complete with giant theater, bookstore, DSW and Ross. Needless to say, there's plenty of parking. Getting there towards the tail end of the rush, and being alone, it was easy to get a seat at the bar. The staff was all southern smiles and easy on the eyes, in that permanent spring break kind of way, and took my drink and food orders pretty promptly. I ordered a cup of jambalaya and a blackened catfish po-boy. While waiting, I could really soak in the atmosphere of the place; it's not that big, but has a cozy feel to it. Wooden booths and a few tables crammed in there, with a pretty generous outdoor seating area. Lots of flair and beer paraphernalia all over the walls, with a few big TVs to watch your sports on. When my food arrived, I dug into the jambalaya promptly. I'm no expert on jambalaya, but I enjoyed it well enough. I had hoped it would have been more of a creole style with shrimp in it, but chicken and sausage works fine too. It wasn't as spicy as I would have had preferred, but it was still delicious. The po-boy though, was a pleasant surprise. I got it mostly because I didn't want to dedicate to an entire bowl of jambalaya in case I didn't like it, so it was kind of plan B. But the catfish was flavorful and was a generous cut, and the lettuce and tomato were fresh. Not soggy lettuce, but still crispy and a cool contrast to the hot fish. The French bread wasn't like a giant saltine and was flaky and had some chew to it. It was delicious and better than I had expected. As a total, it only rang me up around $15. For a fresh meal in a fairly unique to me experience, I couldn't have really asked for anything else really. Would gladly come back if my travels bring me back down to Hoover again.
(4)Russ M.
I had lunch here for the second time within the last month. I had a lunch combo, a cup of gumbo (choice of chicken/sausage, seafood or YaYa) plus a half Po-Boy(choice of shrimp or catfish), you have choices of fried, grilled or blackened. The chicken/sausage gumbo was very good. A rich roux gave a full flavor to the gumbo. My fried shrimp Po-Boy was a disappointment. The French bread was good, but that was all I could taste. There were a total of 5 popcorn shrimp on the sandwich, a small tomato slice, a bit of lettuce and a hint of some kind of spread. Just did not deliver much value for this meal.
(2)Brian C.
I've been a fan of Cajun Steamer for some time but tonight was a big letdown. I opted for fried oysters which I've never tried here. They were under seasoned, overcooked and very uninteresting. I'm a believer that hot sauce can fix most anything but despite having "Cajun" in the name, there was no hot sauce to be found on our outdoor table. A little salt would have helped but our table didn't have that either... It was around 6pm and we seemed to be the first party seated at the table so possibly they hadn't finished prepping for service. My wife opted for the boiled shrimp which were quite good despite being paired with shriveled up frozen corn... It is summer after all and fresh corn is plentiful and tastes so much better. Frozen corn looks gross and tastes worse and at this price point, it's an insult. Up to this point, my reviews have been 3 and 4 stars but tonight was a little better than okay but really nothing special.
(2)Colin L.
A great local place to eat if you're looking for something delicious to eat. If you're eating on a budget forget it because it is expensive but it is also delicious. When in season their Appalachia Oysters are some of the best ive ever had. To compliment them with the crab legs is a knock out combo you gotta try TODAY. Fire shrimp are a must have for any meal starter. And the only place around with a Gumbo i actually enjoy. Be prepared to empty your wallets but for every dollar you spend you fill your stomach with delicious Cajun Cuisine.
(5)Joe M.
Music on the patio is really good. Love the menu. Really good atmosphere and servers are really nice.
(5)Lisa D.
The alligator tail was delicious... Almost as good as some I've had in NOLA. The crawfish could use a little more kick. I would have rated this 4 stars based on the food, but since Nickelback was playing on their radio, I almost vomited up my meal.
(3)Megan C.
Food was alright but too pricey for The small portions. We had a cup of gumbo and shrimp with potatoes and corn. The corn was chewy and old. But the potatoes and shrimp had a pretty good flavor. I've had more authentic Cajun food in California than here, so that was disappointing. And when I walked into the ladies room to wash my hands, a lady came out of the stall and ran water over her hands (didn't use soap) and walked out. Turns out. She was the bartender. Glad we don't drink.
(2)R G.
There were 6 in my party and 4 had really bad experiences. The steamed seafood platter was described as being the worst they'd ever had. It was a weird texture...described best as mushy and dry. The corn and potato combo was awful...corn was chewy and potatoes were very bland. The fried green tomatoes was the only thing I liked okay. I will never eat at this place again!
(2)Kaye L.
The food here was delicious when they first opened. It was one of my favorite restaurants in the area. As time passed the food got bland. I also think it's too expensive for the portions you're given. This is also something that changed with time. I used to order the fried seafood platter and split it with whoever I was with, but a change in their portion sizse put an end to that. It is a small place so I suggest an early dinner to beat the crowd. I would recommend going once just to say you've tried it, but there is another seafood place named Jubiliee Joe's nearby that is tastier.
(2)Wheeler E.
Would be a four star but a couple of technicalities which are really important in food biz. Waited a little too long for service outside and half way through we asked about getting a heater on because one of our guests was cold; didn't hear back from the server's helper... On he food side, quite good. I don't have a lot of Cajun experience but just on taste, I'd say it was good. I'd go back to this restaurant for sure. I particularly like supporting non chain restaurant and really like small ventures such a this.
(3)Garrett P.
Sure, you have some items on the menu that wouldn't be out of place on a "limited time only" menu at Ruby Tuesday's: the "Bourbon St. Fettucine" and "Bayou Chicken" come to mind. However, the Crawfish Etouffee is stupidly delicious. The Boudin works pretty well, and if you don't get a side of Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya I'm not talking to you ever again. They also do a steamed seafood platter that's a great value; the perfect thing to knock back a few Abita with some friends over. Absolutely love this place.
(4)Scott N.
This is my favorite Cajun restaurant in the area. The Catfish Pontchartrain is my favorite item on the menu. They have several other items on the menu that I've had over time that I really enjoy such as the boudin balls, fried calamari, etoufee, gumbo, etc. which are also fantastic. The smoked tuna dip appetizer is a hidden gem that gets overlooked compared to their more well-known ones. This location is also has the hottest waitresses in town so the eye candy is also a huge plus.
(4)Mark S.
I had fish tacos, absolutely the best I've had in the B'ham area. And the biggest portion of fish too. Ate out on the patio on a pretty day, very enjoyable. Excellent service. Will be back! (second time here)
(4)Joe S.
Perfect to hang out and drink some beers. I had two apps that were pretty good. Wait staff is eye friendly and also take good care of you.
(4)Jeff T.
Nice patio. Very good service. Royal reds and crab legs were yummy and nicely cooked!
(4)Mandy C.
I think it depends on what you order as to whether you think you got a good value. As for us, we do not eat fried food, so our plates always seem to have small portions on the plate for the price we pay. However, the food we do get is good...not fantastic but when we are int he mood for seafood but want a casual atmosphere we eat here. We typically order a grilled fish of some kind and a side. My favorite side is the Cajun Black-eyed peas- these are yummy! Note- if you go on a Friday or Saturday night, be prepared to wait and serach for a parking spot
(2)Sarah D.
I've been there a few times and I remember that one time the waitress was very nice. Another time, our waitress ignored my group and gave me the worst service I ever had. I went back not too long after that. My now ex and I sat and waited and were NEVER served. We told the hostess, who did nothing. I went back a few years later to see if it had changed with my husband. It was very busy and the waitress paid little attention to us. Although the food is great, the service is bad. I really don't believe that I'll be going back, it's just not worth it.
(1)Susanne K.
Enjoyed some great tunes by Damon Lockhart last night at Cajun Steamer at Patton Creek. Looking forward to seeing him there again soon!
(5)Autumn K.
It ain't the French Laundry and it's not Ad Hoc, but this is where I fell in love with cheese grits and some rice and pork thing that my mom's physical therapist all but shoved down my throat (don't ask...it's a long story). This is also a great place to hear a live band sing old classics like American Pie and Sweet Home Alabama (surprise!). Coming from San Francisco, where a thimbleful of margarita and a doll-size shot of Patron will set you back Fifteen bananas (daddy talk for dollars), the happy hour here is so great I became a regular in just one week. A drunk, sloppy regular, but hell- it's the South. There's a bartender who just had a baby and she looks hot as hell- she may be the nicest bartender I've ever drunk-ordered from :) I must note, mama's friend Grey pointed out that nothing is steamed and everything is fried. This is true as far as I can see. However, the fried stuff is good. Go here. You will fall in love. Even though it is in a shopping center (which we SFers don't have).
(4)Joe L.
Great Cajun Food! However the drinks are too high! However, they're always crowed when I've been in. Great Staff. Very Pretty Girls on staff!
(3)Jasmine T.
Delish! Unbelievably authentic cajun delights!
(5)Eric W.
Very disappointed with the quality of food. I got the catfish Ponchatrain. The catfish was a frozen breaded piece of fake fish that you could've bought from Sam's Club. It was covered with a cream sauce that included a few tiny frozen crawfish tails. Nothing was freshly cooked from scratch. One positive, they had a nice selection of beer.
(2)Kristi R.
Ate here yesterday and had the best time. We sat outside, our waitress was very attentive and friendly. The food was great, will defiantly go back!
(4)Jon S.
Great restaurant! Excellent service. Friends and I always enjoy either the smoked tuna dip, shrimp and grits, raw oysters, crawfish enchiladas, or the snow crab legs. All their seafood is fresh and really tasty. Try the fried cheesecake for a treat as well. Outdoor balcony seats are the best. They also have a nice patio with live music at night. I've never had a bad experience here.
(5)Lance H.
best Cajun food I've ever had, even better than NoLa. I would highly recommend the Shrimp Diablo (spicy Yum Yum like sauce) OR the Bayou Chicken (salsa spaghetti like sauce). Trying the Shrimp Creole Next Visit...
(4)Tom W.
I've been to NOLa. This is a Cajun restaurant, not authentic New Orleans flavor. The servers are friendly and service quick, but I found the food to be average. I had the Shrimp Platter (blackened - which was grilled, stuffed and fried). The menu stated Jumbo Shrimp - they weren't. Other than the blackened which was actually grilled, it tasted ok but not Cajun. My side (I paid additional for) was red beans and sausage (with white rice). It was pretty authentic. Of course I washed it down with an Abita Amber. Priced ok, but I was looking for more flavor. Family friendly and might be fun with a group, I'll give it another try when I'm back in town.
(3)Sheila L.
I had the red beans and sausage for lunch and it was flavorful and definitely on the spicy side. I thought prices were reasonable for what I had for lunch. Tried the beignets but those were disappointing. Not very tasty and a bit overcooked. I would not order them again. Service was good, attentive and willing to offer dishes they recommend. Good for a quick bite if you're in the mood for Cajun. I would go back, just to try something different.
(3)Julie K.
Love this place! I got the Bayou Chicken...it's so good. The fried pickles are delicious as well. I will definitely be back!
(5)Sunny K.
Good people IPA, yum; Grilled alligator, yum; Peel and eat shrimp (warm), yum; Fried green tomatoes, yum; Kimberly as a waitress, fantastic; Auburn football game on, perfect!
(4)John L.
This place was awesome, some of the best seafood I have eaten off of the gulf coast. My wife and I had the steamed platter for two, and it was great. We arrived around 1230 and were sat immediately. We started with six raw oysters, and fried crawfish. She had a Bloody Mary and I had an angry orchard. Our sitter that we brought with us on the trip had the snow crab legs and my child had the chicken strips. Our total bill was $100.00 I recommend this place to anyone who likes seafood.
(5)Ramon L.
Like everything else prices have increased and quantity along with quality have decreased.
(3)