Absolutely EXCELLENT fried catfish! The fish was fresh, with a surprisingly yummy, well seasoned, lemon-y, tangy crispy breading. It's the kind my mom would make in India.. lol.. really! It was super yum! Would be back here and bear the 20 minute wait, just for my catfish - and given the hurry I am in during lunch, that is saying a LOT there, my friend! Sad they have no other options for a non red-meat eater, except the chicken gravy thingie I haven't had yet. Veggie people - Dont bother coming! Also - Thursdays is Spaghetti Jambalaya day, and just seeing the look on my co-workers face, when he saw that was enough to tell me that it is awesome.. lol! So yeah, I would recommend getting that too! Wait wasn't good, service was super southern friendly , but their sides really are bad! They were out of white beans (I Hate them anyways), the green benas looked terrible. I got a double side of the green salad, which was nothing but lettuce and package ranch dressing. Not impressed. But hey, like I said before, I would come back JUST for the fish! ps - they DO take AmEx, which is awesome!
(4)
Thomas P.
GAHHH! Do not eat here! I am flabbergasted by the high ratings for this restaurant. This was one of the first restaurants I tried after moving to Baton Rouge from the North some 10 months ago. Having never experienced gumbo before, I was inordinately excited to partake. What I found in front of me was a discolored abomination of tasteless mud water with the occasional floating piece of chicken. Suffice to say, I can offer no greater condemnation then to say I left this place convinced I did not like gumbo (and uncertain why there was so much fuss about the dish at all) . Luckily I have tried gumbo elsewhere and come to greatly enjoy it. To be fair, I did try the jambalaya (their namesake) and it was solid. Having not tried any other items on the menu, they could be incredible for all I know. I do feel passionately that anyone from out of state seeking to sample the pleasures of Louisiana Cajun/Creole cooking must look elsewhere to get the real product. Look for some of the non-chain whole in the wall restaurants in the area (Poor Boy Lloyds and Harringtons Cafe get my vote) or preferably find someone making jambalaya/gumbo themselves. Visiting this restaurant will simply leave a sour taste in your mouth and rob you of enjoying real Cajun cooking.
(1)
Scott J.
This place has excellent food. I went for lunch and got catfish, jambalaya and gumbo. The rest of the sides did not really look very good, but if you stick to the main courses they are fantastic.
(4)
Mary P.
Holy cow, this hole in the wall is actually the most delicious dive spot I've found in a while. I could not believe how delicious it actually was. I'm sure my arteries will eventually suffer from my meal here, but I couldn't help stuffing myself full of 1) the best brown jumbalaya I've yet to have, 2) the amazingly greasy and terrific boudin, 3) the creamy, sweet potato salad. The next time I'm in Baton Rouge I will definitely be eating here again.
(5)
Chris C.
Was introduced to the Jambalaya Shoppe by a co-worker, and now I have to go everytime I visit Baton Rouge. I'm still looking for gumbo as good as I get from this place! Ain't nothin' better than some thick, rich gumbo served over dat spicy jambalaya rice! Hoo-whee! Dat'll do you up right! I'm gettin' mo cajun by the minute the mo I think about it! But come early... they run outta dat food durin' the lunch rush, so gets there befo' noon! And they only open during the week... for lunch. Yeah, it's small and cramped, but let's face it, I'll trade atmosphere for great eatin' any day. Besides, it's an outstanding value. And if you didn't get sausage, it's cause you didn't ask for it, or they ran out... cause you came too late!
(5)
Mr. I.
My company ordered some chicken dirty rice with gumbo from this place. I found myself knee deep into the buckets eatting with my fingers. So if you find yourself in the baton rouge area and want some good LA food. I would highly recommend this place. I cant give you a yah or nah on the location because I never went there. Just had the food, but over all the food was good and I would DEF. go back for some more! Well its pretty much the only place I know where to get food in Baton Rouge. :) PS- The Sweet Tea they give you is in a huge Gallon! IT WAS GOOD!
(4)
R S.
My mom and I found ourselves passing through Baton Rouge during a road trip from North Carolina to Texas, and we felt inclined to indulge in some classic Louisiana and/or creole flavors. The night before we passed through, we took to Yelp to see what our best options would be. As Yelp lovers, we looked first at the restaurants with the most reviews - feeling it's the best way to get a full picture of what a place has to offer and how it is perceived. Looking at restaurant menus, though, we found that the seemingly most "popular" restaurants by Yelp standards were actually more pub/cafe places that, in addition to burger and sandwich fare, offered some po boys or jambalaya. We were a bit nervous to branch out and try Jambalaya Shoppe with it's spare (though clearly positive!) reviews but compared to the other offerings we were finding on Yelp it seemed to be the most authentic offering we would find where creole cuisine would be the star, not an afterthought. We were thrilled with Jambalaya Shoppe. It's a low fuss, cafeteria style joint with two (or more?) jambalayas per day, a gumbo, fried catfish, and around 5 southern style side dishes (inclunding plain green salad for the calorie conscious). When we went, there was a traditional rice, chicken, and sausage jambalaya and a spaghetti jambalaya. We kind of scoffed at the idea of the spaghetti jambalaya, but it was probably our favorite dish of the day. The gumbo was smoky and savory, with perfectly cooked chicked, though was a bit thin compared to some of my favorite gumbo recipes. We had white beans, green beans, and corn for our sides. The green beans were a surprise hit, and the corn was superb. Our meals, with drinks and a roll (no corn bread??? Surprising, that's all) came to $7 (no gumbo) and $8 (with gumbo), and it was a ton of food...we could have fed a third person easily. The staff was super laid back and friendly, and the passion for jambalaya was evident in the quality of the food and the constant stream of diners coming through during the early lunch hour. I'd very highly recommend this place as a great authentic Louisiana experience for locals and visitors alike. My only recommendation to the Jambalaya Shoppe owners: where's the pecan pie?? Not that we even had room for dessert after our lunch, but we would have found room for our favorite southern sweet. I was also happy to find tons of cheap meter parking on nearby streets.
(4)
Mike G.
Awesome food! I was so hungry when I found the place that I scarfed the food down in minutes! The food was great! You definitely feel like you're in someones home for some great local fare! I'm glad I found this place and I can't wait to come back!!
(4)
Chris S.
I'm definitely down with this place. For the price, you get a good meal with good jambalaya. I enjoy their white beans, their crawfish etoufee (on Wednesday), and their spaghetti jambalaya (Thursdays) too. They do good catering too, which I had for the first time today. For lunch, I recommend them.
(4)
Timothy D.
Good lunch! It's a hole in the wall, but the food is very good. Only open for lunch. The pastalaya (jambalaya, but with pasta instead of rice) is very good, and I highly recommend the crawfish pies - think tiny pot pies with crawfish etouffee in the middle.
(4)
Mike B.
Was driving through to N'awlins and used my handy Yelp app to locate me a good lunch spot in downtown Baton Rouge. I usually let the app do the talking and The Jumbalaya Shoppe absolutely spoke to me! Catfish and delicious Jumbalaya are what stood out and that is what I got. Cornmeal battered hot fish and deep-flavored brown Jumbalaya....drooling just thinking about it. Also on the menu were these crawfish pies that looked absolutely fantastic! But I had to show some refrain. Walking in, it is a fairly small establishment and I imagine peak times would undoubtedly be cramped. I like the feel of smaller mom & pop places! As I proceeded to order, the young lady behind the counter instantly knew I was not from around and starred to chat me up and even let me try a few things...this was really nice. AND it was an off time, and wouldn't expect that any other time. They all had great patience with me as I was figuring out what I wanted. They seemed to appreciate the business and a patron who took their time to order the right thing. You walk up to a counter, order your food, and they serve you right there...if you're like me and like your catfish piping hot...they will throw a few pieces on for you. All-in-all my experience here was a great one and I recommend this place to friends in or driving through the area and recommend it you try it as well.
(4)
Justin D.
Damn good authentic jambalaya what more could I say. Love this place. Fast as well
(5)
Swatee G.
Absolutely EXCELLENT fried catfish! The fish was fresh, with a surprisingly yummy, well seasoned, lemon-y, tangy crispy breading. It's the kind my mom would make in India.. lol.. really! It was super yum! Would be back here and bear the 20 minute wait, just for my catfish - and given the hurry I am in during lunch, that is saying a LOT there, my friend! Sad they have no other options for a non red-meat eater, except the chicken gravy thingie I haven't had yet. Veggie people - Dont bother coming! Also - Thursdays is Spaghetti Jambalaya day, and just seeing the look on my co-workers face, when he saw that was enough to tell me that it is awesome.. lol! So yeah, I would recommend getting that too! Wait wasn't good, service was super southern friendly , but their sides really are bad! They were out of white beans (I Hate them anyways), the green benas looked terrible. I got a double side of the green salad, which was nothing but lettuce and package ranch dressing. Not impressed. But hey, like I said before, I would come back JUST for the fish! ps - they DO take AmEx, which is awesome!
(4)
Thomas P.
GAHHH! Do not eat here! I am flabbergasted by the high ratings for this restaurant. This was one of the first restaurants I tried after moving to Baton Rouge from the North some 10 months ago. Having never experienced gumbo before, I was inordinately excited to partake. What I found in front of me was a discolored abomination of tasteless mud water with the occasional floating piece of chicken. Suffice to say, I can offer no greater condemnation then to say I left this place convinced I did not like gumbo (and uncertain why there was so much fuss about the dish at all) . Luckily I have tried gumbo elsewhere and come to greatly enjoy it. To be fair, I did try the jambalaya (their namesake) and it was solid. Having not tried any other items on the menu, they could be incredible for all I know. I do feel passionately that anyone from out of state seeking to sample the pleasures of Louisiana Cajun/Creole cooking must look elsewhere to get the real product. Look for some of the non-chain whole in the wall restaurants in the area (Poor Boy Lloyds and Harringtons Cafe get my vote) or preferably find someone making jambalaya/gumbo themselves. Visiting this restaurant will simply leave a sour taste in your mouth and rob you of enjoying real Cajun cooking.
(1)
Scott J.
This place has excellent food. I went for lunch and got catfish, jambalaya and gumbo. The rest of the sides did not really look very good, but if you stick to the main courses they are fantastic.
(4)
Mary P.
Holy cow, this hole in the wall is actually the most delicious dive spot I've found in a while. I could not believe how delicious it actually was. I'm sure my arteries will eventually suffer from my meal here, but I couldn't help stuffing myself full of 1) the best brown jumbalaya I've yet to have, 2) the amazingly greasy and terrific boudin, 3) the creamy, sweet potato salad. The next time I'm in Baton Rouge I will definitely be eating here again.
(5)
Chris C.
Was introduced to the Jambalaya Shoppe by a co-worker, and now I have to go everytime I visit Baton Rouge. I'm still looking for gumbo as good as I get from this place! Ain't nothin' better than some thick, rich gumbo served over dat spicy jambalaya rice! Hoo-whee! Dat'll do you up right! I'm gettin' mo cajun by the minute the mo I think about it! But come early... they run outta dat food durin' the lunch rush, so gets there befo' noon! And they only open during the week... for lunch. Yeah, it's small and cramped, but let's face it, I'll trade atmosphere for great eatin' any day. Besides, it's an outstanding value. And if you didn't get sausage, it's cause you didn't ask for it, or they ran out... cause you came too late!
(5)
Mr. I.
My company ordered some chicken dirty rice with gumbo from this place. I found myself knee deep into the buckets eatting with my fingers. So if you find yourself in the baton rouge area and want some good LA food. I would highly recommend this place. I cant give you a yah or nah on the location because I never went there. Just had the food, but over all the food was good and I would DEF. go back for some more! Well its pretty much the only place I know where to get food in Baton Rouge. :) PS- The Sweet Tea they give you is in a huge Gallon! IT WAS GOOD!
(4)
R S.
My mom and I found ourselves passing through Baton Rouge during a road trip from North Carolina to Texas, and we felt inclined to indulge in some classic Louisiana and/or creole flavors. The night before we passed through, we took to Yelp to see what our best options would be. As Yelp lovers, we looked first at the restaurants with the most reviews - feeling it's the best way to get a full picture of what a place has to offer and how it is perceived. Looking at restaurant menus, though, we found that the seemingly most "popular" restaurants by Yelp standards were actually more pub/cafe places that, in addition to burger and sandwich fare, offered some po boys or jambalaya. We were a bit nervous to branch out and try Jambalaya Shoppe with it's spare (though clearly positive!) reviews but compared to the other offerings we were finding on Yelp it seemed to be the most authentic offering we would find where creole cuisine would be the star, not an afterthought. We were thrilled with Jambalaya Shoppe. It's a low fuss, cafeteria style joint with two (or more?) jambalayas per day, a gumbo, fried catfish, and around 5 southern style side dishes (inclunding plain green salad for the calorie conscious). When we went, there was a traditional rice, chicken, and sausage jambalaya and a spaghetti jambalaya. We kind of scoffed at the idea of the spaghetti jambalaya, but it was probably our favorite dish of the day. The gumbo was smoky and savory, with perfectly cooked chicked, though was a bit thin compared to some of my favorite gumbo recipes. We had white beans, green beans, and corn for our sides. The green beans were a surprise hit, and the corn was superb. Our meals, with drinks and a roll (no corn bread??? Surprising, that's all) came to $7 (no gumbo) and $8 (with gumbo), and it was a ton of food...we could have fed a third person easily. The staff was super laid back and friendly, and the passion for jambalaya was evident in the quality of the food and the constant stream of diners coming through during the early lunch hour. I'd very highly recommend this place as a great authentic Louisiana experience for locals and visitors alike. My only recommendation to the Jambalaya Shoppe owners: where's the pecan pie?? Not that we even had room for dessert after our lunch, but we would have found room for our favorite southern sweet. I was also happy to find tons of cheap meter parking on nearby streets.
(4)
Mike G.
Awesome food! I was so hungry when I found the place that I scarfed the food down in minutes! The food was great! You definitely feel like you're in someones home for some great local fare! I'm glad I found this place and I can't wait to come back!!
(4)
Chris S.
I'm definitely down with this place. For the price, you get a good meal with good jambalaya. I enjoy their white beans, their crawfish etoufee (on Wednesday), and their spaghetti jambalaya (Thursdays) too. They do good catering too, which I had for the first time today. For lunch, I recommend them.
(4)
Timothy D.
Good lunch! It's a hole in the wall, but the food is very good. Only open for lunch. The pastalaya (jambalaya, but with pasta instead of rice) is very good, and I highly recommend the crawfish pies - think tiny pot pies with crawfish etouffee in the middle.
(4)
Mike B.
Was driving through to N'awlins and used my handy Yelp app to locate me a good lunch spot in downtown Baton Rouge. I usually let the app do the talking and The Jumbalaya Shoppe absolutely spoke to me! Catfish and delicious Jumbalaya are what stood out and that is what I got. Cornmeal battered hot fish and deep-flavored brown Jumbalaya....drooling just thinking about it. Also on the menu were these crawfish pies that looked absolutely fantastic! But I had to show some refrain. Walking in, it is a fairly small establishment and I imagine peak times would undoubtedly be cramped. I like the feel of smaller mom & pop places! As I proceeded to order, the young lady behind the counter instantly knew I was not from around and starred to chat me up and even let me try a few things...this was really nice. AND it was an off time, and wouldn't expect that any other time. They all had great patience with me as I was figuring out what I wanted. They seemed to appreciate the business and a patron who took their time to order the right thing. You walk up to a counter, order your food, and they serve you right there...if you're like me and like your catfish piping hot...they will throw a few pieces on for you. All-in-all my experience here was a great one and I recommend this place to friends in or driving through the area and recommend it you try it as well.
(4)
Justin D.
Damn good authentic jambalaya what more could I say. Love this place. Fast as well
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Lunch Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Swatee G.
Absolutely EXCELLENT fried catfish! The fish was fresh, with a surprisingly yummy, well seasoned, lemon-y, tangy crispy breading. It's the kind my mom would make in India.. lol.. really! It was super yum! Would be back here and bear the 20 minute wait, just for my catfish - and given the hurry I am in during lunch, that is saying a LOT there, my friend! Sad they have no other options for a non red-meat eater, except the chicken gravy thingie I haven't had yet. Veggie people - Dont bother coming! Also - Thursdays is Spaghetti Jambalaya day, and just seeing the look on my co-workers face, when he saw that was enough to tell me that it is awesome.. lol! So yeah, I would recommend getting that too! Wait wasn't good, service was super southern friendly , but their sides really are bad! They were out of white beans (I Hate them anyways), the green benas looked terrible. I got a double side of the green salad, which was nothing but lettuce and package ranch dressing. Not impressed. But hey, like I said before, I would come back JUST for the fish! ps - they DO take AmEx, which is awesome!
(4)Thomas P.
GAHHH! Do not eat here! I am flabbergasted by the high ratings for this restaurant. This was one of the first restaurants I tried after moving to Baton Rouge from the North some 10 months ago. Having never experienced gumbo before, I was inordinately excited to partake. What I found in front of me was a discolored abomination of tasteless mud water with the occasional floating piece of chicken. Suffice to say, I can offer no greater condemnation then to say I left this place convinced I did not like gumbo (and uncertain why there was so much fuss about the dish at all) . Luckily I have tried gumbo elsewhere and come to greatly enjoy it. To be fair, I did try the jambalaya (their namesake) and it was solid. Having not tried any other items on the menu, they could be incredible for all I know. I do feel passionately that anyone from out of state seeking to sample the pleasures of Louisiana Cajun/Creole cooking must look elsewhere to get the real product. Look for some of the non-chain whole in the wall restaurants in the area (Poor Boy Lloyds and Harringtons Cafe get my vote) or preferably find someone making jambalaya/gumbo themselves. Visiting this restaurant will simply leave a sour taste in your mouth and rob you of enjoying real Cajun cooking.
(1)Scott J.
This place has excellent food. I went for lunch and got catfish, jambalaya and gumbo. The rest of the sides did not really look very good, but if you stick to the main courses they are fantastic.
(4)Mary P.
Holy cow, this hole in the wall is actually the most delicious dive spot I've found in a while. I could not believe how delicious it actually was. I'm sure my arteries will eventually suffer from my meal here, but I couldn't help stuffing myself full of 1) the best brown jumbalaya I've yet to have, 2) the amazingly greasy and terrific boudin, 3) the creamy, sweet potato salad. The next time I'm in Baton Rouge I will definitely be eating here again.
(5)Chris C.
Was introduced to the Jambalaya Shoppe by a co-worker, and now I have to go everytime I visit Baton Rouge. I'm still looking for gumbo as good as I get from this place! Ain't nothin' better than some thick, rich gumbo served over dat spicy jambalaya rice! Hoo-whee! Dat'll do you up right! I'm gettin' mo cajun by the minute the mo I think about it! But come early... they run outta dat food durin' the lunch rush, so gets there befo' noon! And they only open during the week... for lunch. Yeah, it's small and cramped, but let's face it, I'll trade atmosphere for great eatin' any day. Besides, it's an outstanding value. And if you didn't get sausage, it's cause you didn't ask for it, or they ran out... cause you came too late!
(5)Mr. I.
My company ordered some chicken dirty rice with gumbo from this place. I found myself knee deep into the buckets eatting with my fingers. So if you find yourself in the baton rouge area and want some good LA food. I would highly recommend this place. I cant give you a yah or nah on the location because I never went there. Just had the food, but over all the food was good and I would DEF. go back for some more! Well its pretty much the only place I know where to get food in Baton Rouge. :) PS- The Sweet Tea they give you is in a huge Gallon! IT WAS GOOD!
(4)R S.
My mom and I found ourselves passing through Baton Rouge during a road trip from North Carolina to Texas, and we felt inclined to indulge in some classic Louisiana and/or creole flavors. The night before we passed through, we took to Yelp to see what our best options would be. As Yelp lovers, we looked first at the restaurants with the most reviews - feeling it's the best way to get a full picture of what a place has to offer and how it is perceived. Looking at restaurant menus, though, we found that the seemingly most "popular" restaurants by Yelp standards were actually more pub/cafe places that, in addition to burger and sandwich fare, offered some po boys or jambalaya. We were a bit nervous to branch out and try Jambalaya Shoppe with it's spare (though clearly positive!) reviews but compared to the other offerings we were finding on Yelp it seemed to be the most authentic offering we would find where creole cuisine would be the star, not an afterthought. We were thrilled with Jambalaya Shoppe. It's a low fuss, cafeteria style joint with two (or more?) jambalayas per day, a gumbo, fried catfish, and around 5 southern style side dishes (inclunding plain green salad for the calorie conscious). When we went, there was a traditional rice, chicken, and sausage jambalaya and a spaghetti jambalaya. We kind of scoffed at the idea of the spaghetti jambalaya, but it was probably our favorite dish of the day. The gumbo was smoky and savory, with perfectly cooked chicked, though was a bit thin compared to some of my favorite gumbo recipes. We had white beans, green beans, and corn for our sides. The green beans were a surprise hit, and the corn was superb. Our meals, with drinks and a roll (no corn bread??? Surprising, that's all) came to $7 (no gumbo) and $8 (with gumbo), and it was a ton of food...we could have fed a third person easily. The staff was super laid back and friendly, and the passion for jambalaya was evident in the quality of the food and the constant stream of diners coming through during the early lunch hour. I'd very highly recommend this place as a great authentic Louisiana experience for locals and visitors alike. My only recommendation to the Jambalaya Shoppe owners: where's the pecan pie?? Not that we even had room for dessert after our lunch, but we would have found room for our favorite southern sweet. I was also happy to find tons of cheap meter parking on nearby streets.
(4)Mike G.
Awesome food! I was so hungry when I found the place that I scarfed the food down in minutes! The food was great! You definitely feel like you're in someones home for some great local fare! I'm glad I found this place and I can't wait to come back!!
(4)Chris S.
I'm definitely down with this place. For the price, you get a good meal with good jambalaya. I enjoy their white beans, their crawfish etoufee (on Wednesday), and their spaghetti jambalaya (Thursdays) too. They do good catering too, which I had for the first time today. For lunch, I recommend them.
(4)Timothy D.
Good lunch! It's a hole in the wall, but the food is very good. Only open for lunch. The pastalaya (jambalaya, but with pasta instead of rice) is very good, and I highly recommend the crawfish pies - think tiny pot pies with crawfish etouffee in the middle.
(4)Mike B.
Was driving through to N'awlins and used my handy Yelp app to locate me a good lunch spot in downtown Baton Rouge. I usually let the app do the talking and The Jumbalaya Shoppe absolutely spoke to me! Catfish and delicious Jumbalaya are what stood out and that is what I got. Cornmeal battered hot fish and deep-flavored brown Jumbalaya....drooling just thinking about it. Also on the menu were these crawfish pies that looked absolutely fantastic! But I had to show some refrain. Walking in, it is a fairly small establishment and I imagine peak times would undoubtedly be cramped. I like the feel of smaller mom & pop places! As I proceeded to order, the young lady behind the counter instantly knew I was not from around and starred to chat me up and even let me try a few things...this was really nice. AND it was an off time, and wouldn't expect that any other time. They all had great patience with me as I was figuring out what I wanted. They seemed to appreciate the business and a patron who took their time to order the right thing. You walk up to a counter, order your food, and they serve you right there...if you're like me and like your catfish piping hot...they will throw a few pieces on for you. All-in-all my experience here was a great one and I recommend this place to friends in or driving through the area and recommend it you try it as well.
(4)Justin D.
Damn good authentic jambalaya what more could I say. Love this place. Fast as well
(5)Swatee G.
Absolutely EXCELLENT fried catfish! The fish was fresh, with a surprisingly yummy, well seasoned, lemon-y, tangy crispy breading. It's the kind my mom would make in India.. lol.. really! It was super yum! Would be back here and bear the 20 minute wait, just for my catfish - and given the hurry I am in during lunch, that is saying a LOT there, my friend! Sad they have no other options for a non red-meat eater, except the chicken gravy thingie I haven't had yet. Veggie people - Dont bother coming! Also - Thursdays is Spaghetti Jambalaya day, and just seeing the look on my co-workers face, when he saw that was enough to tell me that it is awesome.. lol! So yeah, I would recommend getting that too! Wait wasn't good, service was super southern friendly , but their sides really are bad! They were out of white beans (I Hate them anyways), the green benas looked terrible. I got a double side of the green salad, which was nothing but lettuce and package ranch dressing. Not impressed. But hey, like I said before, I would come back JUST for the fish! ps - they DO take AmEx, which is awesome!
(4)Thomas P.
GAHHH! Do not eat here! I am flabbergasted by the high ratings for this restaurant. This was one of the first restaurants I tried after moving to Baton Rouge from the North some 10 months ago. Having never experienced gumbo before, I was inordinately excited to partake. What I found in front of me was a discolored abomination of tasteless mud water with the occasional floating piece of chicken. Suffice to say, I can offer no greater condemnation then to say I left this place convinced I did not like gumbo (and uncertain why there was so much fuss about the dish at all) . Luckily I have tried gumbo elsewhere and come to greatly enjoy it. To be fair, I did try the jambalaya (their namesake) and it was solid. Having not tried any other items on the menu, they could be incredible for all I know. I do feel passionately that anyone from out of state seeking to sample the pleasures of Louisiana Cajun/Creole cooking must look elsewhere to get the real product. Look for some of the non-chain whole in the wall restaurants in the area (Poor Boy Lloyds and Harringtons Cafe get my vote) or preferably find someone making jambalaya/gumbo themselves. Visiting this restaurant will simply leave a sour taste in your mouth and rob you of enjoying real Cajun cooking.
(1)Scott J.
This place has excellent food. I went for lunch and got catfish, jambalaya and gumbo. The rest of the sides did not really look very good, but if you stick to the main courses they are fantastic.
(4)Mary P.
Holy cow, this hole in the wall is actually the most delicious dive spot I've found in a while. I could not believe how delicious it actually was. I'm sure my arteries will eventually suffer from my meal here, but I couldn't help stuffing myself full of 1) the best brown jumbalaya I've yet to have, 2) the amazingly greasy and terrific boudin, 3) the creamy, sweet potato salad. The next time I'm in Baton Rouge I will definitely be eating here again.
(5)Chris C.
Was introduced to the Jambalaya Shoppe by a co-worker, and now I have to go everytime I visit Baton Rouge. I'm still looking for gumbo as good as I get from this place! Ain't nothin' better than some thick, rich gumbo served over dat spicy jambalaya rice! Hoo-whee! Dat'll do you up right! I'm gettin' mo cajun by the minute the mo I think about it! But come early... they run outta dat food durin' the lunch rush, so gets there befo' noon! And they only open during the week... for lunch. Yeah, it's small and cramped, but let's face it, I'll trade atmosphere for great eatin' any day. Besides, it's an outstanding value. And if you didn't get sausage, it's cause you didn't ask for it, or they ran out... cause you came too late!
(5)Mr. I.
My company ordered some chicken dirty rice with gumbo from this place. I found myself knee deep into the buckets eatting with my fingers. So if you find yourself in the baton rouge area and want some good LA food. I would highly recommend this place. I cant give you a yah or nah on the location because I never went there. Just had the food, but over all the food was good and I would DEF. go back for some more! Well its pretty much the only place I know where to get food in Baton Rouge. :) PS- The Sweet Tea they give you is in a huge Gallon! IT WAS GOOD!
(4)R S.
My mom and I found ourselves passing through Baton Rouge during a road trip from North Carolina to Texas, and we felt inclined to indulge in some classic Louisiana and/or creole flavors. The night before we passed through, we took to Yelp to see what our best options would be. As Yelp lovers, we looked first at the restaurants with the most reviews - feeling it's the best way to get a full picture of what a place has to offer and how it is perceived. Looking at restaurant menus, though, we found that the seemingly most "popular" restaurants by Yelp standards were actually more pub/cafe places that, in addition to burger and sandwich fare, offered some po boys or jambalaya. We were a bit nervous to branch out and try Jambalaya Shoppe with it's spare (though clearly positive!) reviews but compared to the other offerings we were finding on Yelp it seemed to be the most authentic offering we would find where creole cuisine would be the star, not an afterthought. We were thrilled with Jambalaya Shoppe. It's a low fuss, cafeteria style joint with two (or more?) jambalayas per day, a gumbo, fried catfish, and around 5 southern style side dishes (inclunding plain green salad for the calorie conscious). When we went, there was a traditional rice, chicken, and sausage jambalaya and a spaghetti jambalaya. We kind of scoffed at the idea of the spaghetti jambalaya, but it was probably our favorite dish of the day. The gumbo was smoky and savory, with perfectly cooked chicked, though was a bit thin compared to some of my favorite gumbo recipes. We had white beans, green beans, and corn for our sides. The green beans were a surprise hit, and the corn was superb. Our meals, with drinks and a roll (no corn bread??? Surprising, that's all) came to $7 (no gumbo) and $8 (with gumbo), and it was a ton of food...we could have fed a third person easily. The staff was super laid back and friendly, and the passion for jambalaya was evident in the quality of the food and the constant stream of diners coming through during the early lunch hour. I'd very highly recommend this place as a great authentic Louisiana experience for locals and visitors alike. My only recommendation to the Jambalaya Shoppe owners: where's the pecan pie?? Not that we even had room for dessert after our lunch, but we would have found room for our favorite southern sweet. I was also happy to find tons of cheap meter parking on nearby streets.
(4)Mike G.
Awesome food! I was so hungry when I found the place that I scarfed the food down in minutes! The food was great! You definitely feel like you're in someones home for some great local fare! I'm glad I found this place and I can't wait to come back!!
(4)Chris S.
I'm definitely down with this place. For the price, you get a good meal with good jambalaya. I enjoy their white beans, their crawfish etoufee (on Wednesday), and their spaghetti jambalaya (Thursdays) too. They do good catering too, which I had for the first time today. For lunch, I recommend them.
(4)Timothy D.
Good lunch! It's a hole in the wall, but the food is very good. Only open for lunch. The pastalaya (jambalaya, but with pasta instead of rice) is very good, and I highly recommend the crawfish pies - think tiny pot pies with crawfish etouffee in the middle.
(4)Mike B.
Was driving through to N'awlins and used my handy Yelp app to locate me a good lunch spot in downtown Baton Rouge. I usually let the app do the talking and The Jumbalaya Shoppe absolutely spoke to me! Catfish and delicious Jumbalaya are what stood out and that is what I got. Cornmeal battered hot fish and deep-flavored brown Jumbalaya....drooling just thinking about it. Also on the menu were these crawfish pies that looked absolutely fantastic! But I had to show some refrain. Walking in, it is a fairly small establishment and I imagine peak times would undoubtedly be cramped. I like the feel of smaller mom & pop places! As I proceeded to order, the young lady behind the counter instantly knew I was not from around and starred to chat me up and even let me try a few things...this was really nice. AND it was an off time, and wouldn't expect that any other time. They all had great patience with me as I was figuring out what I wanted. They seemed to appreciate the business and a patron who took their time to order the right thing. You walk up to a counter, order your food, and they serve you right there...if you're like me and like your catfish piping hot...they will throw a few pieces on for you. All-in-all my experience here was a great one and I recommend this place to friends in or driving through the area and recommend it you try it as well.
(4)Justin D.
Damn good authentic jambalaya what more could I say. Love this place. Fast as well
(5)