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Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Southern Restaurants Cajun/Creole Seafood, Southern, Cajun/Creole [Edit]
429 Decatur StNew Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 522-5800
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
43 reviews for Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Review Highlights
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"I sure know everything about Forrest Gump now." In 10 reviews -
"...My boyfriend got the Bourbon Street Mahi Mahi and I got the..." In 2 reviews -
"...a great segway to the Shrimpers Heaven (which was very good..." In 3 reviews
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43 reviews in English
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Review from Melissa M.
Kansas City, MO
3/25/2012 2 photos
Good beverages and good appetizers!
EXCELLENT gift shop!
Novelty Chain, not local flavor, -1 star for lack of originality. Friendly staff. -
Review from Amy T.
Washington, DC
4/22/2012
You're hungry. You're sweaty. Your feet hurt. You want something easy, filing and affordable, whilst still being touristy and on vacation. We thought this would be a good idea, too. Don't do it! Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is NOT this place.
...You'll be much happier if you go anywhere else. We sat upstairs while visiting the French Quarter on a sunny bustling Sunday and were not super satisfied. Service was pretty bad (appetizers arrived after the main course and the drink orders that made it in took a while), and food was unexciting (and of a small portion size). Despite the 20+ minute wait many of the tables near us were empty (an indication that they're understaffed and based on our servers attitudes I understand why!). It cost too much for what it was, also.
Stop in at the nearby peppersauce store and sample some chips to tide you over as you wander farther towards the French Market for something better. -
Review from John S.
Woodstock, GA
2/21/2012
Reluctantly went here.
First, we got seated in the worst table in the restaurant - you'll notice it if you visit the location - a booth near the welcome booth and in the bar. The folks in this restaurant must really want people to sit here.
After a spell, got re-seated upstairs. The restaurant was supposed to be full - that is why we got the lousy table -went upstairs it was empty.
Anyhow.. the service was bad, if not scary downstairs. Got the cobb salad and peel/eat shrimp. -
Review from Melissa G.
Freeport, TX
5/24/2012
A few months ago i spent a weekend in new Orleans and ate dinner here with my family. Everyone was nice but service was slow, when we received our meals i began eating my burger and was unpleasantly surprised when i had hair in my burger. My sister also had hair in her food and she ordered an expensive seafood platter. The waiter apologized and offered to remake our food , but maybe i am to picky i didn't have an appetite anymore. The seafood platter was remade and was fine the next time. I complained on the website later and never received a response.
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Review from Cindi W.
Dinner with a group at Bubba Gumps did not disappoint.
I had a shaken margarita, cajun shrimp appetizer, and bread pudding for dessert. All very good. Very good, indeed.
Our server was great...super nice, brought everything we needed, and was able to remember who got separate checks.
The gift shop was fun, and honestly had the best (softest, most reasonably priced) hoodies in all of New Orleans. I regret not buying one.
Definitely a fun place to visit for a casual lunch or dinner. -
Review from Megan W.
Biloxi, MS
3/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
So my first trip to NOLA and we stopped here to grab a bite to eat that wasn't in an overly congested area... our server finally showed up about 10 mins after being there, we asked for a min to view the menu since we we're getting the kids settled, he didn't return until 15 mins AFTER we had placed our order with some nasty behaved server who asked so kindly "What do you want?!?!"... wow! Then our food comes out COLD which I ordered Shrimp New Orleans with dried out rice & stale bread that I could carve wood with and again our server disappears don't see him till we are finished eating. Food was eh and service was nonexistent. Thanks for an overpriced cold lunch... will never ever return here again.
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Review from Michelle R.
Houston, TX
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
I usually do not - (try to NEVER) go to franchises BUT - we kind of just ended up here. The atmosphere was fun - quirky - I mean who doesn't love a Forrest Gump covered restaurant .... yea.
Food was decent - I ordered a salad since nothing else seemed appetizing to me. Seylina was our server and was pretty nice.
I don't have a hunger pain to go back but at least I can say I tried it. -
Review from Laura G.
Chesapeake Beach, MD
11/22/2011
We enjoyed our trip to Bubba Gumps, specifically because the service was good and, let's face it, Forrest Gump is a damn fine movie. The servers even played a little movie trivia game with our room of tables.
I had gumbo and a salad, while my husband had the friend shrimp. The food was ok, but nothing I'd go running back to have again. For dessert, we shared the cookie ice cream sundae, which was a bit over-baked for our liking. -
Review from Kim N.
8/19/2011
Bubba's is a chain and it is pretty good. We were in NOLA for Halloween and everywhere was busy and we didn't want to wait long we were hungry. We had just landed and dropped our stuff at the hotel and wanted a quick bite before we headed to Priates Alley to have a few drinks.
We decided on Bubba's because it is a chain and it is usually pretty easy to get in and out of, because really if you go to NOLA to eat seafood there are better places. But this is good and fast.
We had my favorite here the "Bucket of Boat Trash" it is fried bits of shrimp, fish and lobster. Server with fries. Healthy no. Tasty yes. Shrimpers Heaven which is three paper cones with three types of shrimp we had Coconut, Chilly and Fried. I know lots of fried food, but you will walk it off :-)
It is good people watching you can sit out side on the deck and watch people walk by.
You have the Run Forest and Stop Forest signs which means you want refills or need something or leave me alone I am good.
Another fun thing to do is walk through the gift shop, we bought a stupid stuffed shrimp because it was cute and our cat turned it into her toy. Which is kinda funny beacuse it is almost as big as her.
The have sweet tea and cocktails. Like I said a place to get in and out of fast. It does the trick. -
Review from Joe M.
Spring, TX
9/7/2011
We visit New Orleans quite frequently. Each trip, we try to go to 1 restaurant that is new to us. We picked Bubba Gump this time and we will never return. When it comes to good Cajun food, we know where to go. Since this is a chain, I can understand the seafood being different, but the fried shrimp were the worse I've ever tasted. Didn't eat but 3 of the 11 I was served. Didn't care for the onion ring appetizer either. Both of these items seemed pre cooked, pre packaged and sent out to the restaurant where all they do is fry them up. The texture was soft & mushy and the taste were old & frozen.
A couple of other guests in our party ordered the grilled shrimp skewers and liked them. 1 child in our party ordered pepperoni pizza and it was very good for a child's plate pizza! I actually ate a piece along with all of her crust, since I was still hungry!
The trivia was fun, but that's not what I go to a restaurant for, especially in NOLA! -
Review from Cristina G.
Sunnyvale, CA
3/16/2011
I was in New Orleans the week of Mardi Gras and I told myself that I needed to go check out Bubba Gumps, (this is where it originated.) Anyways the whole environment was very welcoming. The employees were nothing but friendly making conversation with us and what not.
Being from California I expected the menu to be different. I looked for the things that looked unfamiliar. I ordered something that was called LT. Dan, it was as delicious. It was super tasty, with lots of flavor and spicy, that's cajun food for you, got to love it. -
Review from Hope T.
Houston, TX
1/6/2011
Yeah, it's touristy and has all the annoying chain restaurant attributes. But guess what? The food rocked. I wanted a quality seafood dinner, wasn't really in the mood for Cajun or anything too spicy. This place delivered. The stuffed hush puppies were surprisingly good. They had fish, crab, shrimp, and delicious seasonings. They were like seafood fritters. The remoulade sauce was tasty, too. I loved the Bucket of Boat Trash. Crab claws, shrimp, big chunks of fish, and fries. All were tasty and satisfying.
The blue lemonade was good but a bit low on the alcohol. They need to kick the drinks up a notch because it's the Quarter and most places do their drinks pretty strong so you might be disappointed in the low to moderate alcohol content of the signature drinks.
The movie memorabilia was fun to look at. Our waiter took us on a quick tour around the restaurant to point out some neat stuff after our meal. He was busy, but still went the extra mile to talk to us and show us around. At first he was kind of doing his shtick but as we built a rapport he was more genuine and conversational. He seemed to enjoy waiting on us and that's a good thing. Exceptional service and quality food.
If you want a super gourmet Cajun dinner, there are plenty of other places to go. This was an excellent place for seafood, even if it is a chain. -
Review from Lexa O.
Buffalo, NY
7/13/2010
This place was delicious! It was the first restaurant I ate at while I was in New Orleans. Not only are the meals delicious, but so are the drinks. You can even get one in a souvenir glass. The staff is friendly and the manager always comes by to say hello. While I waited, the waitress entertained me with Forrest Gump trivia. Boy, did I fail miserably! I guess it's been a long time since I've seen the movie! Luckily, Forrest Gump played on TV each night of our stay. I sure know everything about Forrest Gump now!
Bubba Gump is a really extraordinary restaurant. The atmosphere is friendly and I truly enjoyed my time there. I would definitely eat there again. I recommend this to everyone! -
Review from Megan M.
11/5/2010
I've always found the idea of Bubba Gump to be a lot like a Hard Rock or Planet Hollywood- ideally not a place I'd like to spend an evening. Yes, it is a total tourist trap, but I'm willing to try anything once.
Checking in is a little bit weird. They herd you down a corridor like cattle, all the while checking in with people on headsets looking at tables. We were asked if we wanted to sit in the courtyard- which we ended up being the only ones there most of the time and was definitely an advantage for us.
Our waitress, Pandora, was fabulous and definitely down to earth- giving us great recommendations for dinner when she asked us some of the menu items we were thinking over. She was also helpful in recommending some places to spend the rest of our evening down on Frenchman, which was much needed after spending a lot of time in the Quarter. So that was pretty cool.
On to the food: My boyfriend ordered a Blue Louisiana Lemonade which had a very interesting taste to it - when you drink it, you definitely taste the lemonade followed by a tinge of blueberry aftertaste... Like you drank lemonade and ended up with a blueberry in your mouth.
We ordered a spinach & artichoke dip (Bubba's Far Out Dip) that was pretty yummy. There was a really delicious blend of parmesean with red peppers in there that really set it off, making it different from other dips I've had.
For our entrees: My boyfriend got the Bourbon Street Mahi Mahi and I got the Lt. Dan's Drunken Shrimp. Both of ours had the same sauce base that was a nice and creamy bourbon sauce. Both of ours had mashed potatoes which were all right. His fish was nicely cooked and my shrimp were scrumptious.
We left dinner feeling satisfied and pleasantly surprised.
The only thing that kind of bugged me was that the restrooms were on the 2nd floor- but I guess they're designed that way so people don't come in willy nilly to use the restrooms? -
Review from Meg G.
10/29/2009
'Dear God, make me a bird, so I can fly... fly far, far away from here.' Yes, Jenny, my sentiments exactly.
Aww, but it's not so bad. It's mostly a restaurant for entertainment. We are not expecting Emeril to drop a signature etoufee on the table, or for a peaux-boy like Dooky Chase, now are we?
I loved the movie, and all the trivia & trinkets associated with the cast. I love shrimp, almost as much as Bubba. Whenever we would visit family here in my youth, I would order shrimp at Bubba Gump's because I just had to. It's not memorable, but it wasn't bad either. I knew that I went to Copeland's if I wanted a dinner I could talk about the next day. I went to Bubba Gump's to have fun - kind of like a Planet Hollywood experience.
When you visit, stop in and check it out for yourself. I would go back, but probably more for the drinks than the food. -
Review from Judy H.
8/18/2010
I got the bucket/trash/garbage pail thing with the seafood (man...the name escapes me) and it was really really good.
The staff is super friendly and they quiz you on Forrest Gump questions.
Only things that turned me off were the wait and the prices for the quality of food.
Go here for the entertainment and Forrest Gump happiness. -
Review from John M.
Matthews, NC
9/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
People say Cafe Du Monde is touristy. That was fun. This was kind of annoying. It was the off season and there was no one else upstairs so the server was constantly annoying us. Even though our sign said Run Forrest Run which means we dont need anything. He was really pushing us to drink and as we had a long night the night before that was annoying. I had the coconut shrimp which was good and the beer was good. The server did take a couple of nicely set up pictures for us, but waaaaayyy overpriced. Id like to give this place 3 stars, but just cant do it.
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Review from Christopher G.
Charlotte, NC
10/1/2011
We had a great time . Good food and service. Run on in
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Review from Jennifer W.
McKinney, TX
7/3/2010
For a chain restaurant they did alright. Compared to the other food available in even the smallest establishment in New Orleans, they aren't even worth a second look. BUT! I'm going to be fair and rate them on their own merit.
We were just hoping to grab a snack before starting some shopping and drinking on Bourbon and so we just wanted some appetizers. We were a little confused that even though there were a lot of empty tables/booths downstairs they put us in a tiny corner upstairs. It seemed really weird.
Then we had about 4-5 waiters who are supposed to stop and help you when you flip this sign from "Run Forrest Run" to "Stop Forrest Stop". Good luck getting this to work, because they seem to keep going either way! Although the waitstaff is pretty friendly, and we were not treated rudely.
The saving grace of our trio of appetizers had to be the hushpuppies! They were filled with crab and crawfish and very very good. The drinks I recommend are the strawberry or blueberry lemonade, not heavy on the alcohol but delicious enough to get you on the right foot.
I will warn you away from their cajun chicken fingers and their shrimp cocktail. First, the chicken fingers were not exactly seasoned so much as they poured the hottest hot sauce they could find on them so your taste buds ceased to exist. I like hot food, but these were just bad. My biggest pet peeve on pull n' peel shrimp is when they aren't clean. CLEAN YOUR SHRIMP! It's cooking 101 (okay, maybe 201). But seriously, you're a restaurant, have clean food. Also, very overpriced for the quality of food, which just annoys the foodie in me.
Finally, what really kept them from a good rating was the fact that they don't serve Dr. Pepper. Forrest Gump LOVED Dr. Pepper in the film, they have signs for it all over the restaurant, and don't serve it. Really now? That's just wrong.
Experience real New Orleans food, don't even bother stopping here for the kitschy film stuff. -
Review from Brittany S.
Conway, AR
4/29/2011
I went here during mardi gras this year and the food was so good! I was craving seafood and it sure hit the spot, any place you go to for seafood in new orleans is all gonna be a bit pricey but it was worth the bit of splurge and the atmosphere is so fun and lots of cool people. the service is fast and friendly. i definitley reccommend it and its right in downtown and you can watch the action on the streets! love it!
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Review from Food C.
Lakewood, CA
9/12/2011
Loved it. They had dishes they didn't have at my local Bubba Gump. Example: Gumbo and etoufee. Both dishes were actually better then the other restuarants I've tried in the surrounding area in the French Quarter.
If you LIKE Bubba Gump's, you should try this one. -
Review from Mark C.
11/29/2009
In 1994, one of the best movies released in the US was Forrest Gump. The story is about a young man growing up in the rural South and many of the adventures he goes through. During one of these adventures, he becomes a shrimp boat owner with his buddy Captain Dan and his former Army buddy, Bubba.
From the movie, restauranteurs took note of the interesting storyline, and created the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. I would definitely recommend going to the one in New Orleans, although there are plenty of locations, and trying the Shrimp New Orleans. The Shrimp is sautéed in butter, garlic, and spices with jasmine rice.
I am not really in to going to "chain" restaurants, but in this case it is sort of the original location. -
Review from Kal C.
Beaverton, OR
3/6/2009 1 photo
I don't think this place is deserving of 1 or 2 stars, but you may have had a bad experience?
This is just a seafood place and isn't supposed to cater to those who want authentic Cajun food. Hello, it's a chain with a gift shop selling Forrest Gump souvenirs...?
The one thing that surprised me was how good their drinks/smoothies are. I had a drink once with a name like Lotsa Lava (?) and it was delicious! I got addicted and ended up trying them all on each visit back.
The coconut shrimp and spinach dip are good.
My friends and I came here a number of times. We always took volunteers here because it's affordable and the waiting staff is awesome. We used to get seated on the 2nd floor, which is less busy and much quieter.
I don't see much wrong with this place, other than the fact that it's not authentic Cajun food, but who ever said it was? That doesn't mean it should get crappy ratings. It's supposed to please tourists, so get over it! -
Review from Christina T.
Worcester, MA
2/23/2011
Went here street getting fed up about all the lines everywhere else. We ate on the roof deck....a little dark, with minimal lights. I had the steak and surprisingly good. The wait staff was really friendly. The reast of my party had various fish entries and all loved it. Cute place, nothing to write home about.
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Review from A'Ja L.
Houston, TX
6/27/2011 3 photos
Tourist spot. But the food is delicious and the staff is really nice. Some of the food does have small portions and you can find better in the local areas.
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Review from Vida M.
Atlanta, GA
5/29/2009
It's a chain. What can you expect? For what I expected it was ok. The garlic peel and eat shrimp are really good. Do NOT order the cajun flavor, it doesn't taste cajun, and it leaves your fingers red.
I also had the coconut shrimp. Eh....I've had better. I would try something else.
The drinks are good. I ordered the Mango Lada, delicious. We came back that evening and both had one. -
Review from Richard R.
Dallas, TX
5/9/2011
Small portions ,grilled catfish was good,boiled shrimp was horrible..shrimp were greasy but they did remove from bill willing. The hula-hoop contest in the street was awesome. Sitting on the balcony provides a great view. I will not be going back but the overall experience was good.
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Review from Lady J.
Atlanta, GA
1/15/2011 1 photo
Great food, great service!!!!!! This will be a favorite spot whenever I visit new Orleans...the shrimp and grits entree is the best I've had so far. The entire place is full of energy, good food, good drinks, and also a great place for kids to eat!!!
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Review from Gourmet G.
San Francisco, CA
5/19/2006 1 photo
To be in a garden of gastronomic delights like New Orleans and choose this place to eat, you'd have to be as simple-minded as Forrest Gump himself.
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Review from Jen B.
7/31/2005
yes, it's a touristy restaurant. But it has really good food and not just shrimp, although they do some great varieties of shrimp dishes, but some of my favorites are the BBQ ribs, Caesar salad and the spinach dip. I don't think I have ever had anything that I didn't like there, from fried shrimp, coconut shrimp, the bucket of boat trash, which is their seafood platter, and the big salads.....its all good! And, they have some very nice specialty drinks and good desserts, too.
Listed in: Me First!!, Some French Quarter Favorites
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Review from Herman S.
Richland, MS
9/26/2009
The Louisiana Homestyle Etouffee which is only on the New Orleans menu is absoultely fantastic. I think of myself as a cajun connisseur, and this was a different take thank I'm use to, but in a great way. This family friendly restaurant has something for a vareity of seafood palettes. They have a few New Orleans dishes, but its mainly a seafood/ribs place, like Landry's.
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Review from D Q.
Navarre, FL
1/23/2011
Service was excellent. Make sure you ask for Brittany when you dine. He was spectacular. Meal was fantastic, for the price. If you are looking for something quick and easy you'll find it here. Oh and brush up on your Forest Gump trivia you'll be asked.
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Review from Lilian H.
Forest Park, GA
12/8/2010
This was the first restaurant I went to on my visit to New Orleans. In my opinion, the food wasn't that great. The mussels and clams were small and overcooked, but it wasn't the worst that I've had either. I liked how they had a small movie trivia session. However, what ticked me off was that they had the door wide open on a cold day in December, and I asked one of the servers to close the door in which they only closed halfway. They told me that they couldn't close it all the way because it was a fire hazard. I don't understand the logic or reasoning of it, but I was cold and uncomfortable from the moment I sat down until the time I left the restaurant.
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Review from Jaire Q.
11/11/2008
I had never been to New Orleans and I actually liked the food there. The drinks were good too. I was not super impressed as I ate at other better and worse restaurants the time I was there. I really liked the "bucket of things the storm brought in" haha, that may not be the name but it did sound something like that. I did like the forrest gump inspired decor with the ping pong tables and all. I did play some ping pong while I was there (and yes, I won)! :)
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Review from Linda R.
7/19/2009
Yes, it is a chain, but for a chain, it's good!
We visited Bubba Gump's on Sept. 26, 2006. We sat on the top balcony outdoors. Our waitress was very cheerful and energetic; she was quick with our food and drink orders and when she found out that we were visiting New Orleans on our honeymoon, she brought us a complimentary dessert. The cajun peel & eat shrimp was a great start, as well as the Peach, Love & Rock N Roll drink and beer my husband had, and was a great segway to the Shrimpers Heaven (which was very good, but my hubby didn't like the coconut shrimp), but the Hush Pups were VERY good - better than any we have had before (combination of Mahi Mahi, crawfish and hush puppy mix); my hubby had the Lt. Dan's dish; he says it was ok, preferred the cajun shrimp appetizer. The ambience was great if you are a fan of the Forrest Gump movie (which we are!) and the waitstaff is equipped with movie trivia.
We first visited this Bubba Gump's restaurant 3 years ago and were happy with the service we received then. -
Review from Justin M.
San Mateo, CA
2/28/2008
I guess this was the wrong place to go for authentic Cajun grub, being that it's a chain restaurant. But in defense of my decision, I had never heard of the place. Anyway, I guess this is what you would expect out of a chain CAJUN restaurant.
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Review from Carlos B.
San Diego, CA
5/31/2009
Not bad for being a chain.
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Review from Laura H.
Madison, AL
8/6/2008
If it were possible to give Bubba Gump's a rating lower than one star, I would be all over it. I planned to stop in at lunch for a quick bite and it was the biggest mistake of my trip.
First, I helped out the wait staff by pointing out that beer was running all over the bar from where someone had left the tap running. Not so much as a thank you! Then the bartender ignored me and waited on anyone and everyone else who sauntered up to the bar. (I thought I would receive faster service there.) The last straw though was looking down and finding the bartop covered with ANTS! Gross!
Needless to say, I got up and walked out. Crescent City Brewhouse received my business instead. I had an excellent meal and excellent service. -
Review from Jerrod A.
Whitehouse, TX
7/27/2009
We arrived around 5:30pm & were told 45-60 minutes. However, after sitting down (if you can find a place to sit & wait) we proceeded to wait 1hr & 15 minutes for our table. The food was mediocre & for the money you can find better else where. The desserts were the highlight of the evening. I had the Mud Pie & my wife had their chocolate chip sundae. Total time was 2hrs & 45 minutes. Simply way to trendy. There are so many places to choose from in the French Quarter, however my father has wanted to try this establishment. Now, he won't ever go again.
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Review from m b.
Boston, MA
1/25/2012
poor. just a bunch of nonsense, franchise-like marketing, would never go back. didnt even wanna go in the first place- but we were facing a food emergency- as we hadnt eaten in several hours, and just said fuck it. wasnt a soul in the place- but that also couldda been bc of the time of year- mid january. had one of their "po boys"- it SUCKED!!! no flavor, stale roll- which was also way too big for the sandwich. gotta say at this point- i HATE when places try to create the illusion of a large sandwich by using a huge roll!!! prob fools a lot of people, but prob rarely fools em twice. server was nice, but not enuff to make up for the suckiness of this place. even the fries werent great- tasted like old oil. sadly- i think i remember stopping in here yrs ago- like over 10 yrs ago- and the sandwich was great! dont know what happened, maybe it was even a different place, who knows, but this place now sucks!!! if it doesnt go outta business- itll only be bc new orleans gets so crowded at certain times of year. ugh.
