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Alligator Soul - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Southern Restaurants Cajun/Creole Restaurants Soul Food Southern, Cajun/Creole, Soul Food [Edit]
3121 BroadwayEverett, WA 98201
(425) 259-6311
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
131 reviews for Alligator Soul
Review Highlights
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"Fried Green Tomatoes are awesome." In 11 reviews -
"The hush puppies were just awesome." In 25 reviews -
"For desert I tried the Bananas Foster Beignets." In 4 reviews
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131 reviews in English
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Review from Kristi H.
10/19/2010
I live just across the trestle and have eaten here many times. Sometimes just with the hubby, sometimes in a large group. Friday and Saturday night can be ROCKIN', so be prepared. It can get very loud, especially if you are seated near the band. The music is fun though and the atmosphere can be really enjoyable. This is a good place for kids too, as its laid back, noisy, and staff and patrons are generally good-natured.
When I started coming here years ago the food blew me away. We even got an amuse-bouche the first couple times! I hate to say it, but there has been a decline in food since the move to the new location. There are still some real standouts, but its obvious that they are dealing with a lot more plates and cant be as careful as they once were. Our last trip there on 10/15/10 I noticed the menu was missing some items as well, which was a real bummer as my favorite thing (double cut pork chop with blue cheese and sweet potato fries) was gone. Perhaps the smaller menu will help them serve customers faster and better, but I was sad to see my go-to dish missing.
The deep fried pickles are a MUST have. I'm not sure you can find them in any other restaurant! The house made and bottled Georgia Peach hot sauce is soooooo good. For dessert, the Bananas Foster beignets are delish and I get them every single time.
Lunch is NOT worth having here. We've never enjoyed it. Haven't had the breakfast, but heard good things about it.
I do love how the chef comes out regularly and talks to every table. -
Review from Diane J.
It's simple math -
Sundays = Chicken & Waffle's at Alligator Soul
Chicken & Waffles = Yum
Which mean's - Alligator Soul = good stuff!
We started with the Fried Pickles, then moved on to the Chicken & Waffles. No bones to pick around on the chicken, but the same delicious taste as the good southern fried stuff; the waffle with bacon ever so gently peppered through out.
Looks like Sunday's is a good day! -
Review from Marc M.
Lake Stevens, WA
9/28/2011
I am not surprised they went out of business.
Bad food, service and overpriced. -
Review from Mark M.
Lynnwood, WA
10/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
After reading the reviews we decided to try the place out. What a mistake!
We went on a Wednesday during lunch. To my surprise it was not busy at all. Here is a quick break down for the 1 star review:
1. Waiter reeked of cigarettes and his fingernails looked like he was doing some gardening before taking our order. Blech!
2. Despite being the only other table being served in the place, it took 15 mins til we were asked what drinks we wanted.
3. The ribs were way over cooked. And the seasoning was yuck! Falling off the bone?! More like stuck to the bone and crusty!
4. Overpriced for the quality of food being served.
Maybe we came at a bad time. Or maybe they're going through a transition with new staff. Whatever the case, we're definitely not coming back. Sorry but the food tasted like the restaurants name...Alligator Sole! -
Review from Sean M.
Edmonds, WA
10/18/2010 1 photo
This place just oozes character. It's a feast for all four senses. I'll review them in order:
Sound: The house band. Not the best I've seen but they love the music and their enthusiasm is contagious. One of the nights I came here the chef / owner even came out and sang a couple of songs.
Smell/taste: The smell of home cooking practically waifs from the front door and the food does not disappoint. Bottles of hot sauce sit at every table and each dish brings its own charms and flavor to the party. Fried food dominates but veggie and semi-health conscience options are present on the menu. I'm not going to judge as I like my salad with a hefty portion of fried chicken...
Vision: Even here the Soul does not disappoint. While the decor isn't upscale it clearly screams "the south" (to my northwest eyes) and it's clear some work went into making it fun and inviting. People watching is were the real strength is however. You could spend hours here just watching the clientele. Every table seems to hold a story and most of them are right there to watch.
I'm giving the Soul a strong four stars. The only two issues I have is the location. (Its a bit of a drive), and the price of the food seems on the high side. The drinks however are very reasonable and don't disappoint so I'll forgive the $15 price of the deep fried po-boy. -
Review from Brandon S.
Olympia, WA
3/5/2009
I can't believe I just ate a deep fried sandwich for dinner. Yep, you heard me right, the Good Ol' Boy Brisket Deep Fried Po' Boy is exactly as it sounds. It's a sourdough roll stuffed with thin sliced brisket and then deep fried and topped with a delicious gravy and served with some awesome pickles. It was the first thing I read on the menu and despite knowing better and maybe wanting something a little more traditional, it stuck in my brain and I had to order it. And it was awesome - kind of like a brisket donut with gravy - though at $15.95, it was perhaps a little bit steep. But the novelty factor is so off the charts, it's definitely something to have once.
The wife had catfish and hush puppies that were quite good and the salad trio served with them was tasty. The sweet potato fries are very good, almost desert-y - they are coated with cinnamon and sugar. Not as good were the fried green tomatoes. They were too thick and too firm and the remoulade was way too sweet. The breading was good though. Perhaps it's just a bad time for tomatoes? And we both drank lots and lots of sweet tea. God I love sweet tea. How has sweet tea not caught on in more restaurants?
Plus, we were treated to some good, old fashioned Southern music by Slim Pickens, which our one year old girl absolutely loved. I've never seen her dance so much in her seat as she did tonight. And anything that helps keep her happy while we enjoy a meal is very welcome and the music + sweet potato fries + catfish + potato salad really did the job.
Though the prices are a little bit prohibitive, I'm looking forward to my next visit to Alligator Soul so I can try some other, more traditional dishes. It won't be for a while though, that deep fried brisket sandwich might stay with me for a few months. -
Review from Riss J.
2/22/2009
I can't think of a better way to have recovered from a wild night of pub crawling with the amazing Alli D, awesome yelpers and Alli's tres' cool entourage than having brunch here at Alligator Soul.
Don and I missed Nina or any other yelper who may have shown for this event somehow, but it is definitely their loss.
I had the Deep Fried Bread Pudding French Toast and it was just as good and decadent as it sounds. Served with fresh whip cream, syrup and what was the best raspberry jam I've had this side of my grandma's kitchen all on the side, it was an overload for the senses.
Don ordered the Louis Armstrong pork and potato hash cakes with poached egg..thing. I'm sure the name is a bit more classy than how I'm remembering it, but it was fabulous too.
From the decor, to the staff, the layout, this place really says "The South" and I can see returning here again and again to fully enjoy all the offerings. We perused the regular dinner menu as well to get a feel for the offerings here, and I think we discussed it would take a dozen trips just to cover the 'must trys' on the expansive menu.
They have the most fabulous ceiling mural a la' the "Southern Sistine Chapel' (check Don's local pics as he updates, he got some good shots of it) that is just awesome.
I've been trying to get him up here to try this place for months, it was so worth the wait. Waiting months for a return visit however, isn't an option for him.
Thanks Nina for posting up the Brunch event idea, sorry we missed seeing you!Listed in: FAIL
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Review from Lydia P.
Seattle, WA
9/26/2006
Holy Crap!!!! If ever you're in need of some serious comfort food and you're in the Everett area... this is the place to go. I'm just going to list what we had, cos I'm pretty much too lethargic to do anything else at this point:
Starters: We shared a cup of Snapping Turtle soup that was finished with Sherry.... packed with flavor, I mainly wanted to try this just to say I'd tasted turtle... yummm... the soup base was a very dark roux... it almost looked like a chutney... thick and rich. Between that and the Beignet's we shared, really ...a responsible adult would've stopped right there. The beignets were more like chunks of fried bread than the light/fluffy dumplings I imagined, but hey... I'm all for fried bread... and paired with a side of crawfish white gravy and my personal favorite: Alligator tail picante... big chunks of alligator, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and celery all stewed together with plenty of seasonings.. SO TASTY!
Entrees: T ordered Crawfish Etoufee - yummm!!! Of course, she was so full, that she put her fork down in defeat after about two bites... no worries. Guess what we're having for lunch tomorrow?? :-)
I got the so very wrong: Good Ol' Boy Brisket Deep Fry Po' Boy --- Cumin and brown sugar brisket stuffed inside a sourdough roll then deep fried crispy and really... horribly attractive. Smothered with brown pan gravy and homemade pickles (sweet and a little spicy). Umm, I don't think I really need to say anything here... a delight... yessss! It kinda reminds me of those nights at a bar which shall remain nameless, when the cook was bored, and he'd attempt deep frying whatever we requested in the fish and chip batter... my two favorites were the cheeseburger and the cheesecake (coincidence that they both contained 'cheese'??? methinks not!)
Nothing makes an already great dining experience better than good service. Our server was very cool, and didn't make too much fun of us for barely putting a dent in our entrees. Even when we protested that dessert would really be a bit ridiculous, she brought out a small sample of cake that isn't on their online menu... I believe it was called Almond Annie cake... normally, I'm not a cake fan, but this was so beautiful! A little crunchy with caramelized sugar on the outside, and moist and almondy inside (not too sweet)... served with whipped cream and raspberry coulis. It would have been great with a nice cup of coffee.
I made T take pics of our entrees with her phone... so I'll post them as soon as she remembers to send them to me. -
Review from Joy S.
WA
9/2/2009 4 photos
This was on my list of Need-To-Try-Before-I-Die places. I had been teasing myself by reading Yelp reviews and their online menu for almost a year now and finally got up the drive (and extra cash) to go. I met 3 other friends there tonight around 6:30 on a somewhat busy Wednesday night.
My heart's desire was the turtle soup, but we all needed a good amount of time with the menus to order a few things to share to get a good sampling of what they had. I wanted a drink, but at $8-10 apiece for the specialty cocktails, i begrudgingly ordered a boring $4.50 well drink instead to save money for food. I only wish I wasn't a broke-ass student with a part-time job that could afford to pick off more than I did from Alligator Soul's menu.
The service was a little slow because of the dinner rush, which I was grateful for...it took the pressure off of us having to decide. And our server (a polite, kind of shy guy in his 30's) was a good host anyway.
We ordered a bunch of stuff: 2 turtle soups (one for me), crawfish sweet corn & sausage grits to share, alligator bites and yam fries (we subbed the reg. for the yam ones upon request) to share, a deep fried pork po' boy, and a pulled pork sandwich.
While we waited for our food to come out, I tried to plan out in my mind which hot sauces I would use. They have a nice little assortment of their own on the table (and you can purchase them at the front of the restaurant).
The turtle soup tastes kind of like sherry-infused dark brown gravy. It's really good. I wish it had been hotter temp wise, though. Nice chunks of turtle float around in it. Why didn't I get any crackers or bread, though? Nothing to mop up my turtle goop? I should have asked, but I was too overstimulated by other things (such as the brown hot sauce on the table...it's great on EVERYTHING!). For $4.95, it's a decent sized cup, too.
Good thing there were only 4 of us...because that's the number of gator bites that came out. For $12.95! Yikes. I got stuck with the dinky one :( Oh, well! They were way juicier than the alligator bites I've had other places. And they were amazing in that brown hot sauce. The fries were too, and we got a more sharable amount of those.
Those grits were probably the best grits I have ever had. It was like a warm, buttery corn pudding. Between four of us there wasn't much, but it's so rich that it's best used as kind of a dip anyway. I'm glad I experienced grits this way.
I tried a bite of my friend's deep-fried po boy. Good GOD, that thing was ridiculous. At first, I didn't know what he'd ordered...I thought it was a ham hock or the roasted leg of of some kind of beast. It was delicious, to be sure, but more like a novelty. If you can slam that thing down, you better not complain to me later about it.
My other friends split that pulled pork sandwich, but I didn't try it. They loved it. It came with a bunch of sides, though, from which I made my own little lettuce wrap (they let me use their GIANT super-crispy-and-thick lettuce garnish as a taco shell to make one) from their leftovers. I made a whole extra meal out of it!
Our server offered to split our checks up before we even mentioned it, and split them up even further when we needed the apps dissected. He didn't get pissy at all. The chef even came out at the end and made us feel good for getting all excited to try this place out after so long. It's a nice, low-pressure atmosphere.
Thank god, because my pants feel completely the opposite.
*joy -
Review from Emily T.
Austin, TX
1/23/2009
I have an intense affinity for anything New Orleans-related. I'm not sure why... I am completely unrelated to the area, culture, history... but love is blind and I LOVE New Orleans and I love Cajun food! I was so excited to try this place that I was willing to journey all the way to Everett. That's dedication.
My friend and I went there kinda early on a Wednesday, it was great because there was no wait and quick service. I started out with a mint julep (obvious choice!) and it was perfect, plus secretly strong (I was buzzed by the end of it, thanks Alligator Soul!). We decided if we were getting down with some good ol' southern cooking, there was no reason to be modest, we might as well just throw shame out the window and Paula Deen-style it... it was fat kid paradise. We shared:
- fried alligator chunks
- andouille gumbo
- jambalaya (BEST EVER. also the hugest portion you could imagine.)
- deep-fried catfish
- hush puppies
- salad trio (potato salad, corn salad, coleslaw)
Oh my god. It was out of control. The gumbo was fantastic, the only time I've had better was actually in Louisiana. Everything was worth the millions of calories I ingested, that's for sure. I also drank a huuuge watermelon lemon drop, I've decided that's going to be my official summertime beverage for 2009.
Oh and to top it off, there was a LIVE JAZZ BAND!!
As we departed, I pondered whether or not I would get some sweet Mardi Gras beads if I flashed the cute chef.... luckily (or unluckily, for him. ha!) I decided it probably was a bad idea. Next time, Alligator Soul, next time....
Laissez les bon temps roulez! -
Review from Laura P.
Seattle, WA
1/11/2009
Cheaper than plane tickets to New Orleans! Not my words- I'm stealing this line from the gregarious chef who is down-to-earth enough to come out of the kitchen to serve their creations and chat with the crowd.
Our table did a number of sides and apps along side only 2 entrees (ribs, pecan crusted fish with a kick-ass spinach and celery root saute). You can even get a small portion of gumbo. Fried green tomatoes, cornmeal crusted fried oysters (perfect!), collard greens, black eyed peas, you name it our table had it. We did not have any of their namesake meat as my in-laws told us that the alligator bites were not all that. The turtle soup sounded appealing to hubby, though I'm glad that he didn't order it.
The atmosphere was just right for baby- lots of lights and color to distract her, music to entertain the rest. -
Review from Faith Y.
6/23/2010 2 photos
I still can't believe we drove over a half hour to eat here but the trio consisted of avid Island Soul devotees and we wanted to scope out the other soul food in the area. Overall, the service was spot-on in the beginning but a little bit harried as the restaurant filled up.
And then we devoured practically the entire menu:
- Shrimp Po'Boy on a gigantic hoagie (shrimp was good but didn't like the generic bread)
- Catfish and Hush puppies (fish was flaky and succulent, hush puppies were underwhelming and tasted like dry, flavorless cornbread)
- Fried Chicken Gumbo (it's fried, of course it's good)
- Sides of hush puppies, collard greens and fried green tomatoes (in order: eh, a little sweet and spicy, tasty)
- Watermelon Lemonade (intriguing and you can get bottomless but could have used more lemony pow)
But the best part was definitely dessert that disappeared in about 2 minutes flat: banana foster beignets. Soft slices of banana enveloped in a rum sauce with fresh whipped cream and hot, fluffy bite-sized beignet doughnuts. The prices are reasonable, all our entrees set us back about $10 but the namesake alligator is $20 which was on the pricey side. I might come back for the dessert alone! -
Review from Nicki W.
Mountlake Terrace, WA
8/16/2009
My husband and I have a particular love for New Orleans, it stems with the people, having some of our best friends from there and spending ample time exploring their city in their company. Thus we may have been a "leetle" spoiled. Meaning we have been subject to the best music and food N'Awlins has to offer. This is why after reading about Alligator Soul on Yelp, we made a special trip to Everett in hopes of finding half the heart we did in our beloved city.
We arrived to a brightly colored, Mardigras style restaurant complete with a fresco ceiling spin off of Michelangelo's, The creation of Adam. However in this version the people were Alligators! There was a blues band, Star Drums and Lady Keys, playing in the back that infiltrated the whole restaurant and set a scene that began to transport me to N.O. and I could hardly contain myself for the much anticipated food!
That's where things started to go South, and not New Orleans South. I loved that they had beer in a bucket on the menu but it was a late dinner and momma needed a cocktail, so I went with the watermelon lemon drop, this was very delicious, Not too sweet lemon base with a slight melon tang. I ended up ordering 2 so you'd think that my have only increased my reception of the food. Sadly I don't think 4 would have done the trick.
Unfortunately the Hush Puppies didn't have the moist light texture I'm used to, instead were dense, hard, dry and grainy. The baby back ribs I ordered were overdone and extremely salty. However the Dr. Pepper/Mustard BBQ sauce was tasty. So much so that my husband kept dipping his Tour De Pork in it because the tomato sauce for that was lacking. The best part of the meal was the salad trio, potato, corn/black bean and cole slaw. These were excellent and the flavors complimented each other well. The beans were just okay. However throughout the meal, all we could think about was that we were missing some buttered Wonderbread. That would have almost remedied this meal!
Lastly, because since we first looked at the menu, I noticed peach bread pudding with Bourbon sauce and thought surely this would make things end on a good note! They were also serving a special peach and pecan cobbler. We were having a hard time deciding and as I tried to ask our server for more details on each she pointed to a table displaying a bowl topped with a huge scoop of ice cream. This was the owner having himself some cobbler. To me, I hate having that much ice cream on my desert, if I want a sundae, I'll get it!
That was when a very generous offer was made by the owner and he treated us to some bread pudding if we would try the cobbler on his word. I have to say the bread pudding is all it should be, dappled with peaches, raisins and nuts while swimming in a delectable spiked sauce. However the cobbler, although the fruit center was tart and delicious, the phyllo crust turned me off. Phyllo is NOT a cobbler pastry! I'm a truist and wanted that dense doughy yummy crust that indicates a true cobbler and this was sacriledge to such a pastry.
Alligator Soul surrounds you with the New Orleans likeness via music, warm service and an owner's touch however the food for the most part to me lacked the heart found in it's inspiration. Maybe it was a result of arriving later in the dinner service or not ordering the right dishes. Whatever the case, the food was a 2 for me but the service and atmosphere a 4 thus the 3 stars. -
Review from Ken L.
5/22/2010
Read good reviews on this place so took the 45 minute drive. Got there early enough for their happy hour from 3 to 6 pm daily. Glanced at the menu and saw Fried Catfish, Fried Chicken, Mussels, Hush Puppies, Red Beans and Rice on the HH menu and immediately ordered all of the above. The prices during HH are very reasonable at 3, 4, and 5 dollar prices.
Why the one star? The real question I asked myself was how my fellow yelpers gave rave reviews.... The lowdown:
Fried Catfish = cold.
Fried Chicken = lukewarm.
Hushpuppies = colder.
Red Beans and Rice = mostly beans and slightly warm.
Mussels = actually hot!
After trying to wave down a waiter for 6 minutes, they came by and grabbed the chicken. It seemed like they came back with the same pieces refried instead of giving me some fresh ones. Overall on all these dishes there were no real cajun flavors that blew my mind or rocked my boat; in fact, my taste buds were put to sleep. Was comped the bread pudding, which was above average but still wasn't HOT.
This visit definitely was not indicative of a "hot meal" and the cajun experience I know and love back in Texas and Louisiana. High expectations? Nah. -
Review from M C.
Seattle, WA
9/15/2008
Soul Food Week, just can't get enough!
After a massive meal yesterday on Capital Hill, I cant' get enough the soul out of my mind!
Service = Good
Ambiance = decent setup, interesting paint on ceiling, live music at night could spice things up
Food = Jambalaya is best I've tried, hands down! Fried Chicken is insane, pretty close to the best and that a tough accomplishment!
Price = $$
Crowd = light Monday afternoon,
Favorite = Fried chicken is awesome!
Worst = far drive for me!
Final Say = WATCH OUT FOR MAD FLAVOR!Listed in: SoUL FooD!
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Review from Dan P.
Seattle, WA
5/7/2009
We felt like we had been magically transported back to the mid-west. We walked in and there it was... an oily formica-topped paradise in every direction. From the back bar area that yearned to be smoky to the clientele that proved that tatoos were completely acceptable replacements for teeth, we were home. Also the high average girth of the crowd and the guy at the next table with Cards team wear from head to toe helped.
Anyhow, the food! For the prices, I'd just as soon go to Kingfish Cafe or the newish place in Leschi/Madrona, but it was really really good. Really! Great service and warm, yummy, cajin goodness goes a long ways.
Also, the alligator mural is what Devinci really MEANT to do. He just didn't know it.
It isn't worth the drive to Everett with it being so close to Canada and all, but since I was lost anyways... Totally worth stopping. Also, being next to Cowgirls Coffee was a delightful bonus. -
Review from Nina N.
1/17/2008
So one of my clients sings at alligator soul and she pretty much said i have to go if I really want good food... since I told her my new love of yelp... she told me to go eat there.. so I did... I was in love.. .not in love enough to move to everett.... but in love enough that I will go there with again maybe next week by myself :( hahaha
my order... ok get ready for this .. I wanted to try everything out.. and plus I had left overs.. :)
- Shrimp creole - let's just say.. my mouth said thank you jesus..
- jambalaya - as amazing as the shrimp creole .. but spicier oh yeah baby.!!!!!
- cat fish and hush puppies.. I am pretty indifferent about the cat fish.... since it was a little fishy.. but the hush puppies.. two of my favorite things.. corn bread that is fried.. really? holy cow I love it....
to drink I didn't know what to pick from the arnold palmer, or the sweet tea so I got both... I went by myself.. and I think they might have thought I was pregnant..... but who cares.... I got myself good food... who needs a date right?????????????? -
Review from Carly L.
5/1/2010
Matt and I spent the afternoon in the booming metropolis that is Everett, and about 3pm, we were starving. Lucky for us, Alligator Soul was there to provide much needed relief.
Our server was very friendly and checked on us often. We sat at the bar and got:
Caesar salads- good with a bit of a kick
soul fish plate with hush puppies- fish was cooked perfectly, hush puppies were OK.
frychos- waffle fries with pork, roasted garlic, cheese, etc.... yum. lots of pork and garlic.
I will definitely come back to try some other stuff when I am up in Everett again.Comment from Chelsea H. of Alligator Soul 5/4/2010
Thank you for your positive feedback! We are very glad that… More » -
Review from Chris B.
Seattle, WA
3/15/2009
This is pretty standard "N'Awlins" fare. Which means it's good -- VERY good.
I heard a quote today: "If you have a gator, make gatorade". I thought it was cute, and it inspired me to write a review of this place.
I've been here a few times. The seafood gumbo was very good -- the spice level is perfect for New Orleans, but a bit hot by northwest standards -- but I like the spice. The dish features 5 huge deep-fried prawns that are great. The other seafood in it is good, but not as identifiable as the shrimp. I was very satisfied, but at $18 for a lunch dish, well, that's definitely a bit pricey by New Orleans standards, but then, we aren't in New Orleans.
The Jambalaya lunch special is $10, and all you can eat. Now there's a deal! Only I'm not a huge fan of the Jambalaya because it's a bit too wet, and there's some mystery meat in it that I wasn't a fan of. BUT... if you like this dish, there's free seconds, and you will definitely fill up big time on this dish with the generous portion, and if you dare the free seconds.
The most amazing, 6-out-of-five-star dish I had was the Oyster po-boy. Oh my gosh, the remoulade sauce (AMAZING!) slathered generously on a perfect bun with huge specimens of fried, juicy oysters) -- now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about. It's even better than most places you'd get a po-boy in the quarter. It's really good -- and at $11, for this quality, it really is a terrific deal. If you want to know what a good po-boy sandwich in New Orleans tastes like, get this sandwich. Yum YUM!
The service is great, and the servers make an effort to actually have a conversation with you, which is New Orleans style, albeit maybe a bit awkward here in the PacNW. Even the cook came out to say "Hi", and he took pride in my endorsement of the oyster po-boy -- as he should -- very nice. I really do appreciate that.
The employees here look like a big family -- always busy, working hard, and they seem to be enjoying their work. Lovely to see in and out of the kitchen.
The menu is extensive, and interesting. It's also a great place to bring groups, because this place is HUGE. And they have a unique tap beer selection, including a variety of southern and northwest beers. Plus the several southern-style hot sauces, and the spice mix they make themselves -- delicious.
I would give it five stars, but there were some dishes that aren't a complete hit, so I'm sticking to the four stars -- which is still a great endorsement.
I do highly recommend this place. especially if you want authentic New Orleans food here in the Pac NW, which is somewhat hard to find.
PROS: Good, authentic New Orleans food. Friendly staff. Awesome po-boys that are New Orleans perfection.
CONS: A bit pricey by New Orleans standards. Jambalaya not my favorite. -
Review from Sarah B.
Seattle, WA
7/19/2006 1 photo
Incredible. Absolutely incredible.
This to me is as good as it gets. Well, as good as it gets when I want Cajun cooking and po boys. While this is a bit away from Seattle, it is well worth the drive.
A nice beer selection to make up for the fact that you can't order a hurricane. Good gumbo with a different take on it, more gravy and a tomato feel to it. Hush puppies that come in groups of 9-12 and are delicious.
He ordered a deep fried pulled pork sandwich that would be anyone's last meal. And I ordered the steak stuffed with crab on a corn fritter. Wow. This meal was orgasmic. I kid you not. The amazing mix of tastes and texture. With the ambiance of a live band playing blues in a nice little place made it all come together for me.
Our waiter was a tad slow but made up for it with a free taste of an appetizer and a taste of bread pudding. Totally classy without the fakeness.
I plan to go here as often as I can!Listed in: Blue Wizard needs food badly.
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Review from Stefan W.
Seattle, WA
1/11/2009
Damn we had a lot of fun last night. Brother's birthday dinner - we had 14 people in attendance. They sat us near the band and with a 4-year old who doesn't like things loud we thought, "oh hell, we're in trouble".
Not so much.
The service was just excellent - from the waitress to the sous chef to the exec chef who both came out several times to make sure things were a-ok, it felt like we were part of the family. When one of the entrees for one of our party ran behind the other 13, the chef brought out a little bowl of soup until the gumbo was ready - that is just smart, excellent service.
I had a beautiful Sazerac drink to start followed by a great IPA (their beer menu is awesome and varied). A puff-pastry crawfish dish was literally something I'd kill for. My Shrimp Creole was very good, if not excellent - nice prawns and a spicy tomato broth is hard to beat. The hush puppies were just awesome. My biggest issue was wanting to try more stuff (deep-fried poboy, anyone?) than I could in a single sitting.
The live music was just awesome with the players working the room, giving my daughter and niece tamborines so they could jam with the band up on stage, and just generally making the place feel like places I remember in n'awlins from a couple of years back. My daughter, who I mentioned doesn't like loud stuff, was clapping and dancing in the back area most of the night.
Everyone left full and happy - and I can attest that the creole hotpot was a hit with people in the party. Don't let the drive to Everett scare you - from Magnolia it only took us 39 minutes door-to-door. We'll definitely come back - the food and drink, the entertainment, and the staff make it too much fun not to. -
Review from John H.
Hayward, CA
9/6/2007 1 photo
First and foremost, I have to give 5 more stars, so we'll make it 10 stars.
This is the BEST place to go and have some Southern cooking in Everett WA. I was up here to go to my cousins sons first christening. My honey lady, Veronica G, and I walked here from our hotel room, she had heard about it from our Washington Yelpers..thank you all, and we heard some killer live music coming out of the place.
When we went in we had to wait a few for them to clear a table,( place was full), and Star Drums and Lady Keys were jamming out some great soul music...Soul man, Sweet Home Chicago..... We ordered some Alligator Sauce Picante, AMAZING.....and I had a Pork and Bourbon Sandwich. The plates were FULL of food and the beers came in a foot tall glass!!!!!
Ok gimme a sec, I'm drooling all over again.....
The bill was less than 50, and we left there full and VERY happy. This made the stay in Everett a good one. We will be back here to eat again, and for food like this its worth the 12 or so hour drive. -
Review from jla K.
Seattle, WA
10/25/2006
I've been dispalced in Everett for about a month now with about 2 months togo and I'm determined to embrace the city and contribute to it. This is my first of hopefully many DownTown Everett Reviews.
Alligator Soul is Wonderful. It's seriously one of the only "nice" in a classy sort of way, resturaunt you can find around here. Counting out boring ol Anthony's and Lombardi's.
JAZZ on WEDNESDAY's
Super GREAT WINE, try Castle Rock, it's so yummy and berryish...
Bread Pudding! So Delicious!
They give you a little appetizer while your waiting too.
All in all a super great place, with a good mood, good music and good food!
Congrats Everett! thanks to Alligator Soul I give you your first thumbs up! -
Review from c y.
Seattle, WA
2/12/2009
What's not to like about this place? They have: a superb menu of great Cajun food. I've had their Jambalaya, gumbo, seafood boil, catfish... all top notch. It's really difficult deciding what to order here. I love the fried crawdads and fried green tomatoes as starters. Bread pudding is made with a wonderful bourbon sauce, it's our favourite. All the items are reasonably priced.
They have a nice selection of beers on tap. There's live entertainment on Saturday nights. (which can be a bit loud if you are seated too close)Service is always friendly and good and there's parking. The new location suits them well, the old place was funky cool but the new one offers more seating and is better for the entertainment. It's well worth my drive from Seattle to eat here! -
Review from Krissi P.
Seattle, WA
9/7/2006
It always amazes me how there are so many places out there where, if you give them enough notice, they'll bend over backwards to accommodate diet restrictions. G had called ahead to Alligator Soul a while back during my vegan heyday to see if they could make something vegan for me while a group of us went there for dinner. And boy, did they accommodate! I ended up with an amazing stuffed green pepper that was breaded and deep fried, honeyed potatoes, and a mix of other veggies. Plus hush puppies, fried green tomatoes, and watermelon lemonade!
The carnivores at my table ordered jambalaya, gumbo, catfish, and chicken with peach, I believe. Everyone ate until we nearly burst, and happily rolled on home. -
Review from Angela W.
Seattle, WA
3/5/2009
Finding good Cajun in the Northwest is challenging, at best. But I had the biggest craving around Mardis Gras, and this place left me feeling satisfied (if not blown away). The chef has Commander's Palace cred, and an epic menu. The seafood bouillabaisse was great - spicy, tomato-y and chock full of crawfish, mussels, shrimp, and (maybe too much) andouille sausage. It was easily enough for two people to share. The beignets were lovely with crawfish sauce. The turtle soup hit the spot, but in New Orleans it would've been so-so. The bananas foster beignets made me long for actual bananas foster. The drinks were really yummy. The worst part was driving the half hour back to Seattle in way-too-tight jeans.
Prices were totally reasonable for the quality, though understandably more than you'd pay for the same thing in Louisiana.
I will certainly be back next time I have a craving, but I'd love to see maybe some crab/crawfish/bacon stuffed catfish in tasso sauce?!?! Softshell crab? Chargrilled oysters? Pretty please? -
Review from Dawn R.
Seattle, WA
5/19/2009
Oh my goodness. I hadn't been here in years, and did not recall having all that great of an impression at the old location. But I was curious, and meeting an Everett friend for dinner, so we decided to give it a go. And boy am I glad we did!
We split the crawfish beignets to start, which were unlike much anything I've had before. A bit like the fanciest biscuits and gravy ever, and very tasty. The apple and pecan spinach salad was quite nice. And for our main course we split the pork and bourbon poor boy. Not my usual thing, but I'm glad to have tried it.
But what really won my heart over? HOMEMADE PICKLES. So damned tasty, I wanted to take a jar home with me. Had to get a side of those just to chow on. YUM YUM YUM!
Will I be back? Hell yes! Lots of things I'm dying to try on that menu... -
Review from Mo O.
Everett, WA
3/24/2010
I don't know how to rate this place.
If you want to die, eat here. Or if you want to be in heaven, attempt to finish and die as your are trying, come here.
Parking on the street or closest parking suck. Underground parking around the block, but takes you under the restaurant is good.
The place is crowded, there is a live band, and there is a bar as well as dining areas. People dance right next to their tables. It's a social place for groups, families, couples, anyone.
I ordered the Brie, Mushroom pie something for appetizer... shoot that could have been my whole meal. It had basil and nuts on it which reminded me of vietnamese food, but it was good and i ended up taking 3/4 of it home. Cuz thats when the main course came out. Crawfish Et-2-fay... Not like what I'm used to in San Diego, but I'm no expert. It was good. Waiter asked as he is taking your order "on a spicy scale of 1 - 10 it comes out as a 4. How spicy do you want it?"
It was okay spicy. But also ended up eating about 1/3 of that before boxing all of it up. No room for desert, but wanted to sooo bad.
So that next day approx 12 hours later, i broke out, it must have some "love" cooked into that food. I had about 3-5 pimples. Anyway, not sure if i'll go back. maybe to take friends, but i'm sticking with minimal amounts.
I always say, it may be bad for your health but its good for the soul... they should definitely park a ambulance right out side, especially for teh amount of people that pack this place in.Listed in: Take your Momma to
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Review from Tom B.
9/1/2009
Oh, how I miss the Green Lake branch of Alligator Soul. That was kind of a shabby-chic white linen tablecloth version of what the Everett place is. So let me just say that I could be favorably predisposed to AS, or disappointed by the differences. But I think I am pretty right on.
AS is essentially a gigantic pub with a kitchen that completely embraces Louisiana cooking traditions. That doesn't mean they do them all, that doesn't mean they necessarily rock the house every time--it just means that that's what they do all the time, and you notice it in virtually every dish they serve. They proudly point out, at least in conversation, that they themselves invented some of the dishes, and "they" aren't all LA natives. Most of the staff in back and in front is from here. But they still seemed to me to keep the spirit of the dishes alive.
I was there for lunch on a weekday. First one in the door. Cooks were still getting set up. Wait staff was awesomely friendly, cooks eventually finished setting up and even they came out and were awesomely friendly. I ordered a bunch of different things (beignets, turtle soup, po' boy), and was completely stuffed.
All the presentation felt pubby--lots of crockery, heavy utensils, ingredients that were fairly simple for the most part. But it's all made enthusiastically and to a nice level of power and balance in the flavors. It's pretty much poor people food with history behind it.
I have to say I walked around and the way the place is set up hardly screams that high-quality food would be served there. Lots of pre-fab touches in the railings, bars, etc.--nothing wrong with it, and I totally get that it costs six figures, minimum, to make a place look truly unique, warm, and inviting. Add to that the fact that there's a souvenir stand by the host station and you might start feeling tourist trap vibes. But once you talk to the staff and get your hands on the food, there's a better than even chance that those vibes will stop. They certainly did for me.
What really leapt out at me was the insanely well-selected beer list. TONS of good stuff. I have talked to distributors who laugh about how often the owner of the place calls around looking for kegs--he really gets some goodies in his cooler, especially for Everett. And as a result, he has built a reputation as a man possessed to serve good beer.
Whichever season it ends up being that I finally buy a pack of Silvertips tickets, I am sure this will turn into a home away from home for me. -
Review from liz s.
Seattle, WA
12/15/2007
I love me some Alligator Soul, everything I've eaten here has always been delicious. I don't eat meat, just seafood, but the waitstaff is awesome at hooking you up with dishes that are meatfree. They've got family dinners every once in a while and the menu was all meat. We called up, said we were bringing along a non-meat-eater, and they made me up a giant platter of meatfree goodness. Too bad they didn't give me an extra fork to poke my friends as they kept stealing my goodies off my plate! Plus they've got great beer and don't mind you tasting a few to find one you really like.
I'm not a huge fan of their new location though. I liked the little storefront, it was nice and cozy. This one felt like we were eating in a remodeled Dennys. And it was SO much bigger but I don't think they'd hired much waitstaff. It took so long for us to get a waitress and order drinks that we all ordered two, so we wouldn't have to go through it again.
But really, all that matters are four words:
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie.
Dayum. That's some gooood stuff. -
Review from chris y.
Seattle, WA
3/26/2009
Just had my first visit to this place and I will be going back. The atmosphere is great, just like the food.
Sampled some alligator (I liked, girfriend didn't) while jammin' to blues and talking to the chef. Very busy on a weekend, show up early if you want a table. Stay all night, you won't regret it. Be sure to check out the "gatorized" sistine chapel ceiling ;) -
Review from Erin B.
Updated - 8/24/2009
Had breakfast here again & man oh man we love this place!
My man had never had grits before a venture here & now would prefer to live on them. The Louis Armstrong is the shizznit. Hash & poached eggs & green onion oh my! And both ringing in at $8.95 makes it a superb deal. And the service is also impeccable. Sweet girls who are right on the ball with every course.
The only thing we would skip is the coffee. Not the highlight of the morning. But then what are we doing ordering coffee, I think a bloody mary would be much more in style.Listed in: Not in Kansas anymore, Favorite Meal of the Day
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/23/2009
Whoever wrote this menu is a genius, not just a food genius, but an Albert Einstein worthy GENIUS! I… Read more »
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Review from Howard S.
Everett, WA
8/7/2008
This is my FAVE place in Everett....the food is Excellent,,,the staff Fun and Helpful...the drinks are strong and properly mixed(they have a Wide selection...including MANY top shelf bottles not found anywhere else in town!)...and if you Love good music then check out their calender for the bands they have there weekly...
Oh and try the Happy Hour Menu in the bar,,,,,lots of good eats on the cheap... -
Review from Russ C.
San Francisco, CA
9/9/2010
I went here about 1 in the afternoon and was worried after hearing how crowded this place gets. It was practically empty, which was odd. Have you ever eaten in a restaurant with only one other table filled, it's a rather strange feeling. I did however love the remake of "creation of adam" on the ceiling.
I ordered the alligator gumbo which was decent enough. For those who have never had Alligator, it tastes like a cross between chicken and fish. It takes a little getting used to but is actually pretty good. The gumbo itself was ok but nothing spectacular. The watermelon lemonade was very good and had me dreaming of what it would be like with a little vodka added.
Chicken gumbo was also ordered but it wasn't as good as the alligator. The chicken was overcooked which took away from the whole dish.
The bottom line: It was interesting to go here for the novelty of eating alligator but I don't think I would go out of my way to come back. -
Review from Margaux j.
Seattle, WA
6/11/2007
In all fairness I didn't have much of the food, A friend and I made the long haul to Everett to see Slim Pickins, play at A.S.. If you have a chance to catch them - DO! They are phenomenal musicians.
Geez...I wish I had checked out the reviews for this place before going, I would have definitely saved my appetite for some good cajun food. Live and learn...
The service was great, incredibly friendly, they even made room for my friend and myself to sit, despite being totally packed.
I did sample some hush puppies and catfish, which gave me instant Cincinnati flashbacks. True comfort food!
Well worth the trip, which also included driving around Everett lost.... -
Review from Karl H.
Kirkland, WA
Updated - 6/15/2008
We came back here just this past Saturday and had another phenomenal meal. We didn't have reservations so we opted to sit in the bar where we could hear the music better. Some guy named Ryan LaPlante was doing a bang up job on the steal guitar and rocking the joint solo!
Anyhow, the food is the important thing here. We had the Seafood Jambalaya (traditional pork & chicken Jambalaya topped with shrimp, crawfish, clams, mussels and some smoky homemade Andouille sausage. If that don't get your mouth watering, nothing will. Name your heat, but as it comes, they'll call it a "4" on their heat scale) and the Alligator Tail Picant (Alligator tail, sliced then braised tender in a chili pepper tomato picant sauce, served with buttered white rice & cornbread)... topped off with a couple of gin and tonics and you had two VERY happy people.
Next week we're coming back for some good old fashioned Po' Boys!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/8/2007
Dude! The new location rocks! And the entire menu was so bad ass... words cannot describe. You… Read more »
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Review from Melissa K.
Argos, IN
1/21/2009
After driving by this place to get to work so many times my husband and I just had to stop. Finding parking was a pain but we managed. The wait was about a half an hour so they gave us menus to look over. I was thrilled to see some familiar and not so familiar fare on the list.
We go seated near the live band, something I'll do my best not to have happen again. The music was good, but you couldn't even hear yourself think let alone talk to your partner. The service was prompt. The staff was courteous and even fun. The food was spectacular though the prices a bit high, $8 being the average for every drink.
All in all it was a fun experience and we'll go back again for sure. If you're in the area I recommend to check it out. -
Review from Nicole P.
Long Beach, CA
1/3/2010
Not so much.
I ordered their version of french onion soup, which was actually quite delicious. The only problem was that my bowl only consisted of about 3 spoonfuls of soup. Maybe it was bottom of the barrel, last of the soup? It was weird and notable, since it didn't even fill 1/3 of the bowl it was served in. I also ordered the fried green tomato salad, which I would describe as "ok", and the watermelon lemon drop martini, which was slightly less than "ok". -
Review from Sam B.
Bothell, WA
2/24/2008
A Southerner once told me once that corn bread should never be sweet, yet it should be so dry it sucks the life out of your body through your mouth when you eat it. It would be unfair of me to judge Alligator Soul exclusively on the quality of their corn bread. However, the gumbo was delightful if a little on the creative side. Just thinking about that gumbo and I'm desperate to go back and try the pulled pork sandwich. Perhaps the cornbread that will come with that sandwich will not be quite as moist or sweet as that which came with my gumbo. Oh man. Just thinking about that gumbo. It truely was just one more fresh stalk of okra away from being saintly.
Our food came up a bit on the slow side, something I can't place fault on the waitstaff by my observations. The bartender we observed was 2nd only to a swiss watch in terms of regularity and efficiency of service. The waitress for our table and the sections next to ours seemed to have their "A" game on. Perhaps the kitchen staff need to figure out a swifter system?
Before I forget: The coleslaw was sugary enough to give you a toothache on contact. Bring a dental hygenist with you as a date.
So there are little things to nit-pick over. Longish drive from Seattle, slow service, not-quite-authentic taste, some of the decore is a bit obcessive with the fake plastic ivy, parking on peak days/times can be challenging... But you know what? It's charming. It's better than average service compared to most establishments in Everett. It has a cult following and It's got a live band! Furthermore, If you are a Seattleite you'll like the price on the tab at the end of the evening.
All things considered, I love it, but... I don't _love_ it. Know what I mean?
I'll be back for more in the not too distant future. -
Review from clint w.
8/18/2007
Not much going on up in Everett. This place serves dishes like gumbo, etouffe', etc. and is pretty unique for the area.
Although not a big place, they tend to skimp on staff and service is usually pretty dang slow. If you are going with a group, order ahead or you will wait.
Food is pretty good and huge portions. I always take stuff home, usually the cornbread thingie. Be forewarned, when they say hot, they mean it. I love hot stuff and the etouffe' lit me up once. It's not the best date dish when your nose is running as you try to hold a nice conversation with someone.
It's not great, but it's unique. It may be a bit expensive but you get a lot of food. They do have live music at night, but it's often nothing to get excited about. Still, it's a nice change of pace every once in awhile.
