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Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
Categories: Restaurants Cajun/Creole Restaurants Seafood Cajun/Creole, Seafood [Edit]
11975 NW Blvd.Springdale, OH 45246
(513) 671-4473
Announcement
It's Mardi Gras time! We are gonna be having a good ol' time from 2/17 thru 2/21!! Come on by for some yummy crawfish & a Swampthing!
Announced 8 hours ago- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Classy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
44 reviews for Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
Review Highlights
"The Crawfish Ettouffe with dirty rice was delicious."
(in 6 reviews)
"We shared a nicely prepared Greek salad."
(in 4 reviews)
"...I recommend the Banana Pudding which comes in a mason jar."
(in 4 reviews)
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44 reviews in English
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Review from Courtney B.
Cincinnati, OH
10/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
OMG - thank goodness we stumbled across this place. I don't even remember how we did, but oh boy, are we glad we did! I have no idea how I had never seen it advertised or discussed or anything. Since we discovered it 2 years ago, I've probably been here about 10 times.
I am giving it 5 stars for quality and consistency of food. Service is meh, especially when it's crowded, but so what? It's awesome cajun food in a lively atmosphere. Diverse crowd, and somewhere different to go in Cincinnati, especially, in the burbs. I kind of feel like I'm on vacation when I'm here with the ship decor, etc. Reminds me of big seafood restaurants down south.
We've sampled most of the menu - I usually stick with the greek salad or grilled seafood (halibut, shrimp, scallops) and my dining companions have ordered the etouffee, fried platters, chowders, and everything in between. All of it is excellent.
If you want to be a little healthier, skip the Chef's Selection Menu (which includes heavy cream and butter sauces), and order your seafood grilled or blackened without sauce (Naked). The greek salad is awesome, and they put it together tableside. I usually ask for the feta on the side--it's super salty and you will be bloated if you eat all of it.
I've snagged a few fried shrimp off of friends' plates, and to my surprise, even the fried food is tasty and flavorful.
The table has shared dessert also a few times. They will bring out a dessert tray, and the selections seem to rotate. All excellent.
They also have a great happy hour in the bar. There are some cheap appetizer selections and some alcohol deals.
Yum. From appetizer through dessert. Now, I'm hungry. -
Review from Dan B.
Covington, KY
2/8/2012
Pappadeaux was pretty delicious, my only issue with this place was somewhat to do with my own ordering. I mistakenly ordered a ton of deep fried fish and kind of felt a bit over-stuffed and regretted my choice. The food was pretty good, but a bit pricey. The atmosphere was fun, there was a jazz band playing near the bar.
I think I would go back here but would stray away from the deep fried everything meal and go for something that has a bit more flavor to it. The drinks were fine, but nothing special. The same kind of things you'd find at a Fridays or something.
I do appreciate a place that specializes in seafood in poor landlocked Ohio but I think that we can do a bit better. I'll have to come back though for a fix if I want some raw oysters or some other southern speciality. -
Review from Jesse F.
Two of my friends were craving seafood and having not gone to very much in the northern part of Cincinnati, I agreed to give this a try.
The experience left me torn. Yes, Pappadeaux is a chain and therefore not very unique. However, the service here was great and very personable, which made up for the manufactured blandness endemic to all chains.
The atmosphere was classy yet comfortable with a decent mix of people all dressed up and some families in more casual wear. If it had been a little slower, I might have even called the place intimate. A nice place to go on a date perhaps.
The drinks were amazing and the wait staff was on top of everything. There was even some live jazz playing that was very nice.
The food left a bit to be desired though. The appetizers were great, (the boudin was amazing,) but the entree was pretty bland. The fried catfish had no spice to it, very disappointing for a "creole" dish.
The boudin, which was my appetizer, just took the top prize. I should have had it as the entree. Not only were the portions great but it was very flavorful. It did come out late, but the manager himself came out to apologize and comped it on the bill.
All in all I would go again, but it wouldn't be my first choice. -
Review from Alex S.
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's not a giant secret that I usually prefer independent spots to chains. Still, I have friends who swear by this place and they really wanted to go. I'd never tried it before so off I went.
This is a giant, busy, busy, restaurant in Springdale (right near the movie theatre). It's mood-lit with a long bar to your right when you walk in and tons of tables leading back. It is so packed here that it's often hard to walk and I ended up feeling a little claustrophobic even making our way to the table. Yikes.
When we sat (you have to have at least 80 percent of your party present to get your table) our server was right there to hand out menus, and she was on her game. The service here is excellent. They're constantly checking in or refilling glasses, it's great. And when one of the appetizers took a long time to come out, they automatically took it off the bill. Classy all the way.
I'm going to go all seafood snob here since I was raised in New England but the fish? Meh ... I tried a bunch of everything from lots of different people, fried fish, baked fish, mussels, shrimp, etc. And it was all nothing amazing, just your basic run of seafood. However, their non-seafood items were pretty damn good. Their Boudin (with Cajun sausage) stuffed with dirty rice was fantastic. Seriously, get any meal with the dirty rice, awesome.
They've also got a nice dessert tray with some fun items like banana pudding that's served in a mason jar. Still, I tried a few of these as well and wasn't truly amazed with any of them. Ah well...
Prices are about $10 for an appetizer and about $15 to $20 for a meal (although they can go way up depending on what kind of seafood you are ordering.)
Sometimes they have live music playing in the bar area (like the night we were there) which was a nice touch.
Overall, I wasn't amazed by anything here. I'd come back ... but only if my friends really wanted to go again. -
Review from Matt P.
Covington, KY
12/20/2011
I only have this restaurant 3 stars because when my wife and I went there the appetizers, drinks, & desert were amazing! If your looking to go get drinks, apps and dessert, this place is perfect. We had the Crispy Fried Alligator and Oyster Duo for appetizers, and they were perfect. However, the main course (and the most expensive part of the meal) was a major disappointment. I ordered the Mississippi Catfish Opelousas and my wife ordered the Pappadeaux Platter. My wife's food was way over fried and very dry, my fish was also dry, tasteless, and the rice was like chewing cardboard. Also, I ordered a cup of the lobster bisque, which I sent back in exchange for the Andouille Sausage & Seafood Gumbo because it didn't taste anything like lobster, and the Gumbo tasted like someone threw shrimp & sausage in beef broth.
So, moral of the story, steer clear of the entrees, stick with the appetizers, drinks, and desserts for a nice, fairly inexpensive date. -
Review from Natalie V.
Dayton, OH
1/10/2012
We went there for the first time for a surprise birthday dinner, we had a large group of about 20. The staff let us seat early (policy is when 50-60% of your party is there) when we explained that the person bringing the guest of honor wanted us to be sat and ready when she got there and they were 10 minutes away.
Service was really good, I left another 20% on top of the added 18% gratuity.
Food was great also/ Oysters we yummy, alligator tail and it's sauce was delicious and the stuffed blue crab was absolutely out of this world :)
The only thing keeping it from getting a full 5 stars is we had 2 spiders crawling in our area. 1 on the table when there was appetizers on it (crawling away from a plate) and the 2nd crawling up one person of the parties back. Spent a good amount of time after that on spider patrol :(
Will most likely be back fro another special occasion and when we can save up for that price range again.
Oh not part of the star rating but:
I ordered a Captain and coke and wasn't impressed. I tend bar and I would never charge $7.19 for a drink of that caliber. This did not go into the star rating since we came there to eat and not take part in the happy hour prices or to sit at the bar. -
Review from Matthew R.
Middletown, OH
8/16/2011
Fantastic food. Get the Mahi Quepo. It comes with some kind of butter garlic sauce stuff, I don't know what it was, but it was out of this world. If anyone knows the recipe for that sauce, PLEASE let me know.
I had an especially good time when I saw some professional UFC fighters there. That doesn't improve the star rating at all, but they deserve 5 stars anyways for the mahi quepo alone. -
Review from CK A.
8/15/2011
Service was lacking. My salad, appetizer, soup and main course all arrived at the same time. The bread took about 20 mins to arrive and barely got there before all the rest of the food.
Food was good though. Get there early or you will be waiting for a seat a long time. We fortunately got there early. The Ladies restroom had no soap anywhere. All the dispensers were empty.
Key Lime Pie was excellent for dessert. -
Review from Ashley S.
Bakersfield, CA
7/9/2011
This review is a little late, but I was home for the holidays and my family and I ate here. I had the catfish & grits, which was amazing! The service was also really great (& during a busy season no less). I couldn't finish the huge portion (plus we had the amazing lobster dip appetizer) so I asked for a box. I wound up leaving it at the table, which I'm prone to do. As we were walking out the hostess started talking to us and we chatted for about 5 minutes before I realized that I left my box. When I went back to the table it had already been cleared : ( A man (turned out to be the manager) asked if I needed something and I said no, I just forgot my box but the waitress has already cleared the table. He made me a WHOLE NEW ENTREE for free to take home. Too kind!
Great food - Great service! -
Review from Hannah P.
6/15/2011
I've only eaten here twice, but since my most recent visit I know I will be frequenting more often. I started with the fried alligator, which I'd never had before. It was so tasty, especially with the sauce they served.
Overall the menu was overwhelming, but in a good way. There were probably 10 dishes I would have been happy ordering; everything sounded great. I settled on the shrimp brochette stuffed with monterey jack cheese and jalapeno. I didn't like the rice served with the dish but the shrimp were big and filling. I had it for lunch the next day too.
The drinks at this place are good too, and strong. Even though it's a chain restaurant, the employees claim to make all the dressings and food items there are site, which I believe. Everything was fresh. -
Review from Stephen S.
Oxford, OH
6/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ever since I went to New Orleans on vacation last March, I have been craving good, authentic Cajun/Creole food. I have driven past Pappadeaux several times but it was not until I found out that they specialized in Cajun/Creole seafood and New Orleans type dishes that I decided I had to check it out.
Overall, I thought it was great. The menu, although not the cheapest, has plenty of things on it that sounded delicious. Most of the usual, quintessential-NOLA dishes are present. The Crawfish Ettouffe with dirty rice was delicious. My wife had the Shrimp Brochette. She and I (I sampled some) both thought it was delicious as well. There are lots of other great-looking dishes that I plan to return and sample.
The desert selection looked amazing. My wife had her mind set already on the bread pudding (It was excellent), but every desert they had looked incredibly tempting.
My only real complaint with the menu overall was that it appeared that Poor Boys were only offered on the lunchtime menu (which ends at 3pm). But on the bright side, their lunch prices looked to be fairly reasonable.
Also, we had no complaints in regards to the service, cleanliness, etc. We arrived just before 5pm on a Friday, and there was no wait. By the time we left around 6pm, it was starting to get busy. Expect a wait if you show up any later than that.
Our dinner (2 entrees, 1 dessert, and 2 non-alcoholic drinks) ran a little high at $57. However, I feel that the higher price is justified when you are getting higher-quality, fresh seafood. I have found the old saying, "You get what you pay for," to be particularly true when it comes to seafood. And I wouldn't expect it to be easy getting fresh seafood to a place about as far away from the ocean as one can get (Cincinnati). If you want cheap seafood that tastes like it is worth every penny, go to Long John Silvers. If you want a truly excellent seafood meal with a Cajun twist, and you don't mind paying a little more, then go to Pappadeaux.
If, however, you are on a budget, or just aren't sure if you like Cajun food yet, then I suggest going for lunch. The lunchtime prices were very reasonable ($9 to $15 for a lunch entree). -
Review from Matt P.
Dayton, OH
4/2/2011
I don't see a point in penalizing a Seafood Restaurant for not having enough alcohol choices. To me if alcohol is so important, go to a bar. And my god don't give something a poor rating because it's a seafood place and they don't cook a steak or chicken the way you like.
ITS A DAMN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT NOT A BAR OR A STEAKHOUSE.
Pappadeaux is the best seafood restaurant in Ohio (or at least within 2 hours from where I live). If your not a drunk and actually go for the seafood, you will love the place. Yes it can be noisy, but the service and food are both always excellent.
I recommend the fried shrimp and garlic mashed potatoes. For dessert I recommend the Banana Pudding which comes in a mason jar.
For the alcoholics I recommend the nearest bar or AA. And for the steak/chicken lovers I recommend a steakhouse.Listed in: Good for Groups
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Review from Lara P.
10/4/2011
This restaurant makes me feel like I'm back in Louisiana, especially when we sit out on the charming patio. This place is almost always crowded and a little on the noisy side, but the food and drinks have always been great. My favorites are the N'Awlins Punch and Salmon Yvette. And for a real southern treat they have a sweet potato pecan pie that's so good you will be speaking with a southern drawl by the time you finish it. It's hard to eat there for less than $50 per person, but I have found Pappadeauxs to be consistently good for special occasions.
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Review from Becky S.
3/31/2011
Pat was craving seafood. We planned a dinner/movie date night and tried Pappadeaux. First of all that place is sprawling! VERY large dining room. We had prompt service from a friendly server who helped us through the expansive menu. I was impressed that they had a chef selection menu of "daily fresh fish" that is flown in.
I wanted to try their crab cake (below). It was very tasty, lots of crab meat inside it. I prefer a crisp crab cake and this was more moist. It had a nest of potato straws on top, a remoulade butter sauce with crawfish and capers. It was very flavorful and unexpectedly hearty for just one crab cake.
We also had the alligator appetizer. They were as tasty as I remember from when I had alligator for the first time in Florida. The dipping sauce is a creole butter sauce which was very tasty. It had a slight smoky roux flavor to it and was a good substitute for a barbecue sauce.
I had a side cup of the andouille sausage and seafood gumbo. I liked the taste of this, it had a great smoky flavor which can be attributed to a dark roux. There was however a little too much going on in it for me. There was several unidentified seafood items in this bowl. There was one item that I can only HOPE was an oyster that I had that I think led to a slight allergic reaction/migraine. Not their fault though.
I ordered the platter with fried shrimp, fried crawfish, catfish and chicken tenders and dirty rice. I liked the breading for the shrimp, chicken and crawfish. It was crsip and smoky. I had never eaten crawfish before and I didn't know what I'd been missing! The catfish had a cornmeal breading which was good. The fish itself tasted very fresh and buttery. They do take extra care with the shrimp ensuring it is butterflied before frying. There was an overwhelming portion of that rice, I couldn't finish it all.
Pat got the shrimp and catfish combo and he enjoyed it very much. He and I bartered a little bit, I took some of his shrimp for some of my chicken tenders. Pat decided to use more of that creole sauce for dipping instead of cocktail sauce which he hates.
For desserts I chose the banana pudding. I really hate the fact that it comes in a mason jar. It's really hard to eat, just unnecessary decoration. The pudding itself was nothing outstanding. There wasn't a lot of banana flavor in it until the bottom where the bananas lurk. Word to the wise: if you can't finish it - they give you a lid for you to take the jar home. Seriously.
Pat had the pecan sweet potato pie and enjoyed it. He's a sucker for both so he was in heaven.
By no means think that Pappadeaux is cheap. It cost us as much to eat there as it does on a normal evening to eat at the Precinct. The quality of the food is good and the service was great as well. It is something different for sure. I'd still prefer to eat steak than seafood any day. -
Review from Patrick B.
Dayton, OH
4/23/2011 3 photos
Despite having a severe shellfish allergy, I went to this place because I was with a friend and knew it was their favorite place.
We sat at the bar because of a 20-30 minute wait and decided to eat at one of the little tables instead, since there were only two of us. We got a "Black and Tan" having to purchase a bottle of Guiness and Bass (careful if only one of you want one).
After discussing the allergy issue, they recommended that I have the Cedar Plank Atlantic Salmon. I'm not a big fish guy and had really expected to eat chicken or steak but steak was out of my price range, and I didn't feel like paying $22 for a chicken dinner. So I threw caution to the wind and got the Salmon.
First, let me tell you that the manager came over after the waitress told him about my allergy. He questioned me and then assured me that he would not only make sure there were no issues in the kitchen but that he would also watch out for me, in case there was an issue and an ambulance had to be called.
They brought out my food and the roasted asparagus was the biggest I had ever seen. The salmon steak was also huge and cooked perfectly completely through. After taking several bites, I would not have known this was fish if someone had not told me. I had never had it fresh before.
Also my friend had ordered an appetizer of Boudin. They brought out two links served on top of something I wasn't familiar with. The stuffed sausage was good but the other stuff was excellent. I was floored when the waitress told me that it was cheese grits because I have never liked grits before... even trying them in Louisiana and Georgia (both good southern states). I'm still thinking about them.
We went back the next week for lunch and I had Ginger Salmon with the asparagus (tasting even better the second time.). I think they grill them on the steak grill as they had a really nice "beefy" flavor. The salmon was even better with the ginger butter.
The staff is extremely courteous and the waitress told me they even carry EpiPens in case a diner has a reaction.
As for the shellfish food, my friend swears by any of the Etouffee dishes, specifically the crawfish and the Mississippi Catfish Opelousas, which has become his favorite.
I'm giving it five stars even though I'm a bit hung up on the price of the food. It is great food and you get a nice helping, but that is a lot of money for a dish. If cost is not a problem, eat at this place for sure. I will again, just not often. :) -
Review from Laura G.
12/26/2010
ATTENTION: I'm giving a chain restaurant five stars. Five well-deserved stars.
I don't give chain restaurants five stars. The reasons why vary from place to place but among them are poor service, inconsistent quality of food/presentation, lack of interior updates and so on. Pappadeaux has set the bar for any restaurant with more than five nationwide locations with their consistency, unbelievable service and the ability to bring my picky family back again and again. My family comes to Pappadeaux's for every big event. Graduations, Christmas Eve, birthdays; they all happen at Pappadeaux now.
The first thing that you should know is that the service is impeccable. The hiring manager really knows what they're doing because every server we've had here is on top of everything. They always know what to recommend, give us the daily special and are just plain friendly. My 90 year old grandmother can be hard to deal with and has really high expectations. Shockingly, every server here has made her laugh and treated her with respect, even after she yells at other tables for being loud or sticks her fingers in the sample desserts. The kitchen staff also deserves credit for timing on food. We always have something at the our table, which keeps us full and happy.
The food is certainly the main event and makes Pappadeaux the premier place for seafood in the West Chester/Fairfield/Springdale area. The first 5-6 times I ate here I ordered the Costa Rican Tilapia Lafayette. It's just so good I couldn't stand to try anything else. The fish is cooked medium unless specified and is topped with the deliciousness that is lump crab meat, cooked shrimp and capers in a creamy white lemon sauce. The dish comes with green beans and spaghetti squash. If you haven't tried spaghetti squash, shame on you. It's like little strands of buttered bliss that melt in your mouth. Do yourself a favor and replace the green bean with jumbo asparagus. This vegetable is cooked just so it crunches when you bite, but isn't raw by any means.
Random Notes:
-I recently had the salmon, which didn't disappoint and catered to my lighter appetite. We started with coconut shrimp first and were all delighted by the freshness of the shrimp and the sweet sauce that accompanied it.
-The drink menu could spare to be worked on. They're a bit kitschy and belong in a lesser restaurant. Perhaps less drinks with tropical names and more sophisticated martini's with a southern twist.
-If you have a big group ask to have a table put together for you, my family hates sitting by big table the kitchen.
-There is a beautiful space outside to eat complete with a fountain, so the summer would a pristine time to dine.
Final word: Pappadeaux, keep doing what you're doing. It's damn good. -
Review from Jamie M.
Harrison, OH
5/28/2011
I like seafood, the fresher the better. This place has a great variety of seafood-most with a New Orleans style twist. Had my first fried gator appetizer- which tastes like a mild fish. Really enjoyed the Pappa's Greek salad. Prepared at your table by the wait staff. It was a salad that would have made even great grandma Helena happy.
For you meat lovers there is a nice selection of steaks- but I've never tried this.
Two things to keep in mind, arrive early or your going to have a wait. Also it can be quite noisy. So if your looking to chat - you'll need to raise your voice.
Beautiful decor, comfortable seats and nice options for dessert. That's if you have any room. We never do. -
Review from Andrew F.
Burlington, KY
9/20/2011
As good as any restaurant in Cincinnati area. Haven't tried anything here that wasn't amazing, but have to say the alligator tail is my favorite. Great atmosphere, and always leave feeling stuffed and damn glad I came.
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Review from Michael H.
Cincinnati, OH
11/1/2010
We used to go to New Orleans just for food.
When Pappadeaux opened up a location in Cincinnati, I was ecstatic!!
It has never once disappointed me. I can drop serious coin in this place and have never once gotten a bad meal. Not one thing has ever disappointed me.
The seafood gumbo is STELLAR! Like with a real roux and everything! The etouffe' is not spectacular, but it is extremely good. I cannot complain. But the best thing of all... BOUDIN! Their boudin sausage is excellent. It has a little nip to it, so if hot isn't your thing... well what are you doing eating at a cajun/creole place? Go find your way to Bob Evans and get some applesauce.
For Cincinnati, this is about as good as it gets for bayou cooking. Save the $1000 weekend and just head over to Pappadeaux... but get there EARLY because if you wait until 5 or 6, you're waiting for a while.
If you can't leave room for dessert, the Banana Pudding is phenom, and they serve it in a Mason jar and will even toss in the lid and let you take it home. The sugar wafer? This ain't Nilla wafers like Gramma tossed into her Sunday dinner tub of pudding... they roll their own. It's awesome. -
Review from Nathan P.
Cincinnati, OH
2/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Listen up: I absolutely love this place. My wife's family were born and raised in N'Orlean's and it's about as damn good as you're gonna get in the Midwest without making it yourself. They do a pretty good ettouffee. They have boudin. Fresh french bread. Cheesy grits. Their gumbo and jambalaya are not great, but pretty good. They do an exceptional crawfish boil seasonally. They follow the oyster schedule (for the most part) and when they do they have happy hour prices.
This place would be getting 5 stars but two things really need help. The service is good, but spotty enough to take it down about a half a star. But the real kicker: their bar is absolutely worthless. They've had the same bland beer selection for as long as they've been there: American mass-produced drafts, Abita Amber and a couple other bottled selections are as good as it gets. But the cocktails... THE COCKTAILS... they need work man. If the Swap Thing is your best one, that's the sign. Fruity smoothies and sour pucker only go so far guys.
As a long-time patron and a strong supporter, I hope they read this. You want to give people the real gulf, salt in the air, white apron NOLA experience? Start with the basics and master them. Make sure everyone knows how to make a proper sazerac and a sloe gin fizz. Get a better bourbon selection. I mean at least get Bulleit and Jim Beam Rye. Carry Catdaddy Moonshine. And for the love... of all that is cajun and holy... please invest time and effort into making sure your bartenders know and love a perfect, consistent dirty martini. You do that, you're 5 stars. -
Review from Julie B.
11/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
4.5 stars for the food - it truly is excellent. Service is exceptional as well. I've had the gumbo and several salads here for lunch and one dinner. As a restaurant, I was surprised at how good the food was for a chain.
I'm giving it 3 stars for the beer and liquor selection. Absoutely horrible. I've been spoiled by going downtown and OTR so much - nothing on the tap or bottle list except large brews. Unimaginative cocktails with mainstream liquor. I guess this is truly what the surbuban crowd goes for....
stick with the food and avoid the bar. -
Review from Tom Z.
Lincolnshire, IL
8/18/2010
Preface: My Mom's from Nawlins, been doing Louisiana shrimp boils, crawfish boils, catfish fry's for decades in back yards in the steamy south
Subject: Getting a table
Can be very difficult on weekend evenings, over an hour is pretty much standard
Subject:: Noise
Wow!
During weekend evenings my wife and I shouted as loud as we could and still couldn't hear each other
How can I rate a 5 out of 5 with those negatives?
Boil season, mon!
Did someone say Zatarain's?
You'd have more success panning the Ohio river for gold than finding a restaurant selling fresh, bolied mud bugs and at VERY reasonable price anywhere in the midwest. Like $3.99 a pound. You do need to check the website in season to find out which days they have them. Get there for an early dinner to ensure they don't run out. You can't get them to go but you can order 3 pounds, eat a pound and take 2 home in a bag. Da corn and taters will light you up as well. Ahhhhhhhhh
You MUST wash it down with a large 'Swampthing' drink. It's cool, sweet flavors douse the burning skids marks left behind in your throat. Beer is much more traditional, of course. And that drink is expensive but it's also unique and living in Indy makes visits here sporadic so I splurge! Ahhhhhhhhhh
The money you spent on dat drink is financially counter-balanced by the inexpensive crawfish in season and the omnipresent large bowl of gumbo with duh french bread, mon. The seafood gumbo is the REAL thing. Tear at the french bread and plunge it into dat gumbo. Hold it helpless beneath the surface so the sponge-like bread soaks it in to capacity. Ahhhhhhh
Gumbo can be purchased by the 1/2 gallon as they have a special to-go menu. Do it!!!
They take phone in orders for take out so there's a way to beat the crowd if you are in the area at super-busy times. You have to 'twiggy' your way through a raucous bar crowd jammed together to get to the carry-out location.
If you want an entree - you gotta go for the 3 soft shell crabs for 20 beans. Have one broiled, one sauteed, one fried. Then when you come back for more on another trip you'll know which kind suites you better. Ahhhhhhhhhh
Hidden Secret: Their mashed potatoes are melt-in-mouth good!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh -
Review from C H.
Seattle, WA
10/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
The oyster trio was a fun sampler, though the bbq oyster was boring. Drink choices were decent. Cheese grits with andouille were pretty good (chunks of corn were a plus for me). Service was so-so and the place had such an overwhelming chain feel that I felt a bit uncomfortable, as if I'd accidentally gone to an Applebees or something.
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Review from Mike N.
Cleveland Heights, OH
7/7/2011
We had a wonderful dining experience. Excellent appetizers and oysters. Service was polite and attentive. A bit pricey but the portions are very large. Wedge salad is good but big enough for two. Most entrees could be split for two. Desserts are very good especially the banana pudding. Recommend getting it to go if you have eaten too much.
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Review from Angela B.
West Chester, OH
4/15/2008
I have never needed a reservation to get a table at Pappadeaux in Springdale...then again, I don't think I have ever been on a weekend night.
I have visited this restaurant on a number of occasions and I will keep going back for one simple reason: Crabfingers. You can order them as an appetizer or as an entree and they can be prepared by either deep-frying or sauteing. I prefer the saute, they come doused in a delicious garlic cream sauce. "Crabfingers" are simply the claws of crabs with an inch or so of yummy white meat attached to the ends. At Pappadeaux you receive a pile of about 40 "fingers" (I actually counted once, I was curious!) for $13.00. The meal also comes with a heap of ridiculously spicy but yummy dirty rice...if you aren't a fan of spice, substitute a different side item.
Pappadeaux tries to be fancy with it's white table-cloths, ornate bar, and serving staff decked out in almost-tuxedos...but it's really a pretty casual place at heart. I usually wear jeans with a nice top and I more than fit in with the rest of the dining crowd.
The restaurant does a huge bar business (the bar is actually a separate section of the restaurant with different open and close times and slightly different menu) and it can get pretty loud when it's crowded...don't sit in the bar if you're looking for a romantic evening. -
Review from Jenna D.
1/24/2011 2 photos
oh. my. god.
this place is so effing good.
we drive 40 minutes to get there for lunch one day, and did it again the next night for dinner.
food:
MUST GET THE CRAB CAKES!! i dont even like crab cakes usually (i have no idea why), but next time I think im going to get them as my main course-- amazing butter sauce and perfect little craw-fishies on the side?? BOMB.
alaskan king crab- cooked perfectly, so flavorful, and few cuts on my fingers but totally worth it :) it comes with a pasta on the side with a little kick to it-- a meal in itself, would get it again
pasta mardi gras- HUGE! served with crawfish, adouille sausage, mushrooms in a spicy/creamy marinara, topped with some big-ass prawns. yum.
the man got the surf n turf with whichever one has the BIG lobster-- loved it, of course.
drinks:
stick to what u know, their "creative" libations are.......... lets just say they missed the mark on most.
skinny girl margarita- A-, couldve been a little stronger, I would make it a cadillac next time
NOW PLEASE OPEN ONE IN L.A.!!!!! -
Review from Doug S.
Nampa, ID
7/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Absolutely delicious and great service! A+++
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Review from Michael N.
Columbus, OH
6/7/2010
I have been to New Orleans to sample their fine cuisine down there. Well once I came back to Columbus, Ohio. I felt really sick cause I wanted that awesome food again. While talking to a friend of mine. He had told me of Pappadeaux. It's about over an hour away but hey I am game to drive for some good food any day.
I got there and I will say the first time there was a long wait for our food. Granted the restaurant was really crowded. But nevertheless it took about 1 hour for us to get served. Lucky for them what I ordered was the BOMB! It tasted great. Reminded me of what I ate down in New Orleans. I had this Pappadeaux Platter which had:FRIED SHRIMP, FRIED OYSTERS, FRIED CATFISH FILLET, STUFFED SHRIMP & STUFFED CRAB. It was so delicious. Loved it.
If you ever get the chance to go i would definitely say GO! Your soul will be blessed by the tasty goodness of the food here... -
Review from Courtney S.
Cincinnati, OH
5/3/2010
I came here last night with my boyfriend and his sister. We chose to eat at the bar to do some people watching.
This is only the 2nd time I have been here in Cincinnati and I really think location has a lot to do with it because I spent almost every birthday dinner at the one in Chicago but this one has yet to impress me.
I had two glasses of savaughn blanc and it was mediocre at best for their house wine. My boyfriend and his sister had two dozen oysters which they gobbled up quickly and said were great (there was a deal going on, a dozen for $3.95) and my boyfriend also had alligator and thin fries which looked burnt but he said was ok. I had linguine noodles with olive oil, spinach and shrimp. It was good but too oily- the pasta was almost swimming in it! I couldn't finish it.
Since its the only Pappadeaux's in town I keep going back, but it has yet to excite me. -
Review from melody m.
San Francisco, CA
3/19/2010
I was really looking forward to eating at this establishment as I have really really missed good Cajun/Creole cooking.
The food was INCREDIBLY salty and over-spiced. The vegetables were drowning in sauce that dominated the fish plate.
Fish speaks for itself. It doesn't need to be soaked in salt and heat.
One of my friends had the Shrimp Montage and that was a little more to my liking. Prepared well...not so salty.
The other friend had the Pasta Mardi Gras - could've been any pasta anywhere...nothing special.
I told the waiter that it was my friend's birthday. They did nothing. Didn't even say "Happy Birthday" to her before we left. Not even a candle in our dessert (that I ordered for her so that they could make a big deal out of it.)
On top of all that...my beer took 20 minutes to finally reach our table.
Bummer on all counts. -
Review from Adam C.
Louisville, KY
8/21/2011
Wow....I had heard good things so we decided to stop on our way back from Columbus. I had some pretty high expectations and they lived up to them all. Now I want one of these in Louisville it would be a huge hit. Started off with crab cake and gumbo. Crab cake was amazing, I had one from a supposedly nice place in Louisville and they should not even be called the same thing. We cleaned the plate soaking up all the sauce with the great bread. I usually throw down some bread and this was good bread, but I wanted to save room for the good stuff. We had the Lafayette Talapia and the Hudson Bay platter. Talapia was awesome, great flavor. Didn't care much for the spaghetti squash although it sounded interesting. Everything on the platter was meal on it's own. Needless to say we had two boxes to take home... then we decided on the bread pudding. I have never had it before so my first bread pudding it was memorable. Great bourbon sauce and plenty for two people, all for $3. I loved the place, atmosphere is cool and very relaxed, you feel very welcome here and want to meet here on a regular basis, the world would be a better place with more Pappadeaux.
Note: It can get pricey but it is worth every penny -
Review from Steve P.
Cincinnati, OH
12/1/2010
If you love Cajun food or want to sample its flavors for the first time, Pappadeaux's should be your choice. I've been there 6 or 7 times and I love the place. My all time favorite dish here is the Crawfish Etouffee. Etouffee means smothered, and this dish smothers the crawfish in butter! It's mildly spicy and maximally delicious! My second favorite dish is the bacon wrapped shrimp. So good. After dinner a too good to be true dessert cart rolls up to the table. A dinner for two, with appetizers, drinks and desserts can get a little pricey, approximately $70-$85. But you'll be very full, and very satisfied.
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Review from Mike B.
Chesterfield Court House, VA
3/7/2011
Great seafood restaurant, with really neat atmosphere. To be honest, I've only tried 1 dish in 2 visits. The crawfish etouffee is out of this world. Onion rings are also amazing.
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Review from Kimberly W.
Columbus, OH
2/8/2010
I'm from Louisiana and I'm pretty picky about Creole/Cajun food. I usually order the catfish dinner or crawfish po'boy and the sweet mango ice tea. The food tastes exactly like the Pappadeaux restaurants in the South, which makes it feel like home.
The homemade banana pudding is absolutely delicious and the only other banana pudding I usually eat is my mom's, so that's saying a lot! It's served in a Mason Jar, that you can take home, and it comes with a homemade sugar cookie, a strawberry and whipped cream on the top.
I'm looking forward to going there during April because that's usually when they serve boiled crawfish, which is my favorite food!
Excellent food and service! I even make the 2 hour drive from Columbus just to eat there! -
Review from Teddy R.
Hagerstown, MD
12/1/2010
Great food. My first experience with this chain was in Texas and it was an instant hit. This one was great as well.
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Review from Stephanie W.
Maineville, OH
7/8/2009
I have to admit, I was fairly skeptical when I learned we were going to this restaurant I had seen from the highway for a family member's birthday. I'm not typically a big fan of packaged chain restaurants, and this one is nested in behind the Showcase Cinemas and between the long-shuttered Bahama Breeze and an office building. However, when we pulled up to the building and walked through the bricked-in courtyard, I started to become a little more open minded.
Our party sat on the patio, and commented several times how nice it was. The tables weren't crammed together the way some patios can be, and we hardly noticed that we were directly next to the highway.
While I'm a fan of both cajun-style food and seafood, I found few options that didn't appear to be swimming in a butter or cream sauce, and opted for Pappa's Greek Salad and a cup of gumbo. I talked my husband into sharing the salad with me, since the menu says serves 1-2 (also comes in sizes to serve 3-4 or 5-6). While it was plenty for the two of us, I ended up cleaning his plate at the end, it was so good. Assembled tableside, greens are tossed with capers, feta, olives, and crunchy veggies topped with greek dressing and a squeeze of a lemon half. This salad alone will probably bring me back to the restaurant!
The gumbo, however, was a disappointment. I have had some fantastic gumbo in New Orleans and Heaven on 7 in Chicago, and unfortunately (though I had high expectations after the salad), it didn't even come close. The worst part is that I found a few small pieces of crab shell and what appeared to be the fin part of a shrimp that I had to pick out. Everyone else at the table said they enjoyed their meals, and despite the generous portions, most plates were cleaned. From what I was told, the cheesy grits were a particular standout.
Our server was fantastic - knowledgable, attentive (but not hovering), and personable. -
Review from Paul F.
Updated - 7/31/2010 6 photos
Drove down again today for a great dinner. They've been hurt by the goings on in New Orleans but have still managed to pull through it. The oysters just aren't as cheap or as plentiful. But they're stil a bargain. I had a half-dozen oysters and a half-dozen shrimp to start off with. Then I got an order of crab fingers. These are the tips of crabs that are peeled and ready to eat. The serve them with gravy and dirty rice. I then got a bowl of lobster bisque. This had real lobster meat in it and I mean a LOT. I then killed my dinner with an order of bread pudding, some of which made it home with me and I'll eat it for dessert tomorrow. A great meal!!
Listed in: Top Restaurants (in no…, My Top Fish Places
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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4/20/2010
I've been here a number of times since my first review, and it's better than it was originally. How… Read more »
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Review from M Q.
Natick, MA
11/3/2010
A little disappointed on this visit. Arrived early on a weekday. Restaurant was 75% empty, yet we were seated right next to a family with screaming babies. Not a good start.
My entree was blackened catfish with dirty rice. The catfish was huge and flavorful. Not the best I've had but decent (I like places that serve smaller more tender fillets vs the tougher version here). I always love dirty rice. But this time, it was super salty. I mean so salty that it hurts eating it. Very disappointed. -
Review from Sarah P.
OH
4/13/2009
If the restaurant were laid out a bit differently (the dining room is basically just a big open room) and were not quite so noisy, I'd give it 5 stars. Everything we ordered was delicious, the service was prompt and courteous, and the prices are appropriate. My hubby is not a seafood fan, and you can't count on the quality of steaks at a seafood restaurant, but his filet was tender, flavorful and perfectly prepared. I was more than happy with my fried oysters and cheese grits. We shared a nicely prepared Greek salad. This is about as good as chain restaurant dining gets.
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Review from Will H.
3/19/2010
in cincinnati there are way better restaurants, for way less money, for much shorter wait than 2.5hrs....
save your tastebuds and your wallet.
