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Rajun Cajun
Categories: Restaurants Indian Restaurants Pakistani Restaurants Asian Fusion Indian, Pakistani, Asian Fusion
1459 E 53rd St(between Blackstone Ave & Harper Ave)
Chicago, IL 60615
Neighborhood: Hyde Park
(773) 955-1145
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 9 pm
Sun 12 pm - 8 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
131 reviews for Rajun Cajun
Review Highlights
"So we both shared the butter chicken dinner for $10."
(in 33 reviews)
"Their samosas are fresh and delicious."
(in 39 reviews)
"Go here and get some saag paneer and samosas."
(in 13 reviews)
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131 reviews in English
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Review from Allan M.
Chicago, IL
11/18/2011
Not bad, decided to try it out when I was down here a few weeks ago after years of hearing about this place. Tandoori Chicken was pretty good, and so was the samosa and curry(can't remember what it was called) that came with it. I'd gladly be open to returning, if I'm in the area again.
BTW, did you know the owner tried a failed attempt to get customers to pronounce the place as 'ra-john ca-jun' when it opened, before he dropped that pronunciation? -
Review from Nina X.
Chicago, IL
1/27/2012
I love the idea of this place. And I remember it being good the first few times I had it, but that was years and years ago.
Picked up food to go the other night to take to friends who'd just had a baby. They live in Hyde Park and had never been to Rajun Cajun. I talked it up and now I'm a little embarrassed.
The Indian food was mediocre. We got the channa masala, the cauliflower curry, the daal and the saag paneer. Overly sweet and really oily. I've had better at Trader Joe's.
We also got fried chicken. I love friend chicken. But because I would eat it everyday if I didn't limit myself, I stopped eating it in November. This was the first fried chicken that I've had in two months and it was so disappointing. It was completely flavorless. I didn't even bother to get any mac & cheese or greens because it looked all congealed in the serving pans.
Also, the smell of incense was overwhelming. I used to work at a bar and after the smoking ban, we had a strange, unidentifiable smell in the building, so we tried to mask it with incense. Not saying Rajun Cajun's trying to hide something, just that it was too much and brought back bad memories. -
Review from Matt S.
Saint Louis, MO
10/15/2011
This is the only place for Indian in Hyde Park, which might explain the overly positive reviews.
The food was good, but I was kind of put off by the service, which was definitely subpar. I was with my friend, who'd had Indian only a couple times before, and she asked about the different vegetable curries. The guy made a big deal out of having explain to her what each of the dishes in the warming plates were ("I'm only doing this once!"), and did so at a breakneck speed, so quickly and brusquely I ended up having to tell her what everything was myself. Really an unpleasant experience. Won't be back. -
Review from Anonymous S.
Chicago, IL
2/5/2012
Although I have had great Indian food, this "fast food" Indian option is also very delicious for a quick bite! Service is always great and food is always fresh and delicious. (I have NOT tried any of there dishes other than the Indian food (they sell fried chicken, mac n chs - WHY get that food at an Indian restaurant?)
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Review from Jesse H.
Chicago, IL
1/17/2012
As far as Indian food goes, it's just not that great. The chickpeas are usually a little dried out - probably because the food sits in giant vats instead of being cooked to order. The sauces are all fairly similar - buttery and greasy, nothing spectacular. You usually bite into at least one big, fat, dry cardamom pod that leaves a bitter taste in your mouth and little pieces stuck in your teeth. Also, no naan - only parathas, a somewhat bland whole wheat variety. One thing I do love here is the saag paneer.
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Review from M. Z.
Chicago, IL
10/11/2011
Decent Indian food in Hyde Park. I love the samosas; they're cheap, filling, and have just the right level of heat. The owners are friendly and helpful. (Once they even custom-made a plain lassi for me!) The vegetarian dishes are pretty good. The mutter paneer has a tasty sauce and the cabbage is nice and crisp. Avoid the cauliflower and eggplant curries though, as they're unpleasantly oily.
As for the soul food, I've only had the corn muffins, the peach cobbler and the mac n cheese. The muffins are good, but the cobbler has the texture of overcooked eggplant and is too syrupy. The mac n cheese is smooth, but kind of flavorless. I like to put the sweet samosa sauce on it. -
Review from marco o.
Chicago, IL
10/10/2011
Good indian food for delivery! Good prices, perfectly cooked rice, spicey, but not too spicey, somosa's were tasty as well.
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Review from Kate G.
Chicago, IL
12/6/2010
I LOVE this place. It looks like the most random hole in the wall from the outside and the concept is bizarre (Indian + soul food... hmm?), but the food is really delicious and the portions are plentiful (you get so many sides with the combo meal). Highly recommend: the butter chicken, the lentils, and saag paneer (spinach with cheese). All the food has some kick to it; have a box of kleenex handy!
Plus, the owners are such nice people-- it makes you want to support their business. -
Review from Adam P.
Chicago, IL
3/5/2011
This is my favorite restaurant in Hyde Park. The food is cheap for the amount you get, and it's so good. I'm a vegetarian, and they have lots of options. I actually found out about this restaurant by a friend who all but dragged me there when he found out I had never tried their peas and paneer. If you go, you need to get some.
Also the staff is very friendly. I got stuck here in a blizzard one time and they let me go back into the kitchen to use the bathroom. -
Review from Tory w.
6/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Oh, Rajun Cajun. Where to begin? My friends and I were out and about on a gorgeous Chicago spring Sunday afternoon. We were headed to Jackson Park to do some birdwatching and thought we'd grab some lunch before heading into the wild. Out comes my trusty cell phone and onto Yelp I go. Out of a plethora of choices, mostly ethnic of some sort, the most enticing was Rajun Cajun, the first tag of which is "soul food". So, southern, we were thinking. Catfish, mac-n-cheese, po'boys. How surprised we were to walk into this hole-in-the-wall and see a display of what is most definitely Indian food under warming lamps. We were greeted by who I think is the owner, who was very friendly. There was one of those awkward moments while we tried to decide what to do. Were we in the right place? Yes, it definitely said "Rajun Cajun" over the door. I noticed that amongst the pans of Indian food were several trays of fried chicken, mac and cheese, greens, and corn bread. What was this place? Should we stay? Leave, in hopes of quelling our po'boy craving? The owner must have seen our confusion because he asked us if we were looking for "New Orleans" food. He then pointed out that the name, which we had been too hungry to really notice, is RAJ-un Cajun, as in RAJ, and not "Ragin Cajun" which would imply southern cookin'. I was in a particular dilemma, torn because I equally dislike food in warming pans and walking out of a restaurant that I have walked into, especially if the service is friendly and it is a local joint. We decided to stay, and I'm so glad we did. The food was amazing. I had the butter chicken and a side of rice. The sauce was a delight for the senses. My friends both had the vegetarian combo, which is a ton of food for under $10 - 2 veggie dishes, a samosa, rice, and bread. All of their dishes were great too - the eggplant, lentils, chickpeas. At the end of our meal we were definitely full and satisfied but not in the heavy way that Indian food can sometimes have.
As we were eating the owner told us that his family took over the business when it was actually a Cajun place, and that it didn't really do well until his dad came from India and suggested the change in cuisine.
I don't live too close to Hyde Park, but I would travel to return here. Rajun Cajun is ragin' good! -
Review from Faith F.
Blue Island, IL
2/15/2011
I LOVE this place. The Indian food is absolutely wonderful, so delicious. My favorites are the peas & paneer, spinach & paneer, the samosas are so yummy and I love the paratha bread. Yes, it's not naan, but this is the type of bread that Indians typically eat with this kind of food. You tear off a piece and use it to scoop up the food. Yum! My only wish is that there was a bit more paneer in the paneer dishes, do that and it'll be utmost perfection for me!
The owners are great. Very helpful and friendly, they remember their regulars & even sometimes remember what I usually order. Makes me feel very welcome there. The place is kept super clean and I love the Bollywood music playing while I eat, it completes the experience. -
Review from Jessy P.
Chicago, IL
3/17/2011
Definitely the best and ONLY Indian place in Hyde Park!
Upon returning to cat sit for my dear father and his lady friend, I decided I was craving Indian, and not being up north where I have my spot, I remembered Rajun Cajun, and so happy taht I did! Oh so pleasant but the Alu could be a bit spicier but other than that everything tasted very good. Only suggestion is to order your food well before you get hungry, it does take a while, but what doesn't in Hyde Park?
My only real issue is that food that should be spicy weren't so spicy...but this is Hyde Park and I guess you should cater to the population, no everyone can handle it. I think half of the neighborhood would get Delhi belly if they did make it spicy :) -
Review from Claire S.
Somerville, MA
11/25/2011
This is, so far, my favorite place to eat in Hyde Park. The dinner combos are gigantic, and make a great lunch to take to work the next day. My favorite is the butter chicken. The things on the menu that are meant to be spicy really are spicy. I haven't tried the soul food part of the menu, but it looks good too.
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Review from Ron I.
Chicago, IL
2/27/2011
There's really not much better in Hyde Park. The food isn't quite as authentic as I'm used to but it's very good and the service is exceptional. They even delivered after the "blizzard" which I thought was amazing.
I've never tried the southern options but I really like the Dal, Butter Chicken, and the Samosas. The Tandoori Chicken is usually pretty moist and you can't get much healthier than chicken coated in spices. The staff is always very friendly and their delivery drivers are always prompt. Prices are pretty reasonable for the amount of food...~$10 for a meat curry, veggie curry, chapati, samosa, and rice. -
Review from Gerri H.
Chicago, IL
1/31/2011
I've lived in Kenwood for over six years, was at U of C for 5 1/2 years, and just got around to trying Rajun Cajun. I'm a little slow. I was also a little intimidated as the only Indian food I've ever had was on an Air India flight to Frankfurt (I know, this is weird).
I tried the butter chicken meal with saag paneer. My husband tried the tandoori chicken with a side of spiced peas. Each meal comes with jasmine rice, Indian bread, and a samosa. I was afraid that the food wouldn't live up to my spiciness expectation, but my meal was sufficiently spicy (the butter chicken and saag paneer). My husband enjoyed his meal, and I also enjoyed his "pea" side dish. We both thought the mini samosa was very good and could have had another one. The Indian food was good, but I would never get the "cajun" cuisine (which is actually Southern food) because I could get better elsewhere at another restaurant or my grandmother's house. But the Indian food, I highly recommend. A great neighborhood restaurant. -
Review from Fe T.
Chicago, IL
2/27/2011
Amazing food!!! I have never enjoyed eating so much. The price is cheap, delivery is fast and cool. Food is abundant. Once you taste Rajun Cajun food, your mouth would probably start watering every time you think about this place.
that said, this review is generally based on other eating places in Hyde Park - which only offers badly cooked food -
Review from Ian T.
Chicago, IL
8/27/2010 2 Check-ins Here
This is a 5-star place and here is why...
Yum. I loved the Lamb curry. It was not quite as spicy as I can handle it but it was spice enough to not kill my wife and keep me happy.
Really good food. Based on food alone it would get 4 stars. However the owner dumping our trays for us, joking with us, and being overall very friendly PLUS the HUGE portion size on the dinner combos boosts this into 5 star land.
Great food, I will be returning oft. -
Review from Colleen D.
Chicago, IL
9/4/2010
In all honesty, I would probably give this restaurant at least three stars for its concept alone. This is the place I tell people about when I try to explain Hyde Park as a neighborhood: a cafeteria-style restaurant with blindingly garish neon signs that serves Indian food and Soul food, side by side, while doing a side business in Bollywood movie rental. You can have peach cobbler with your mutter paneer. That is some funny sh*t right there.
But it earns its fourth, real star from good food and good prices. As reviews indicate, the soul food is not the way to go. I've never tried that side of the menu, to be fair, but that mac 'n' cheese always looks sort of...coagulated. No, Yelper, you want the Indian food. The combo deals are great value-for-money. I recommend the saag paneer (spinach and cheese) and/or the aloo gobhi (cauliflower and potato); fortunately the combos let you do a little mix-n-matching. As noted below, no naan available - but this is a cafeteria, people. The key is quality, not quantity of selection, and their chapathis and samosas are good, fresh, and just the right amount of greasy. For the lassi afficianados, the mango lassis are very sweet and very orange - not sure how close they are to actual mangoes, but a delicious dessert drink nonetheless. -
Review from Matt R.
Chicago, IL
10/31/2010
What a brilliant idea for a restaurant - combining soul food and indian fare. Almost sounds as crazy as the ramblings of this review. But it works, they totally hit the pin on the head and hammer the nail in the coffin...the coffin of deliciousness. There is seating if you want it, booth style, and street parking is so-so. You might be better off picking up and taking home. They really do a tasty job with the indian - and those samosas are absolute trouble...but in the best way possible. And then go absolutely sideways by adding a corn muffin. Absurd, right? What an age we live in.
The only critique is that prices are a little high, and it seems hard to place an order that comes in at a reasonable budget. Or maybe I just eat too much. Either way, the rhyming title alone merits 3 stars. You won't find a duplicate anywhere else. -
Review from CE K.
Washington, DC
1/7/2011
Oh my goodness, do I miss Rajun Cajun! I don't miss the long nights huddled around econ and stats notes studying for mid terms and finals, but I credit Rajun Cajun with my successful graduation. As long as it wasn't a busy night there, the staff never took issue with us taking over a booth for dinner and studying. I usually stuck to the Indian side of the house, but my friends would mix it us - Fried Chicken, greens and a Samosa, why not?
Cheap. Plentiful. Delish. Friendly. Good tunes. I need to go back to Chicago just to have some Rajun (minus the stats books). -
Review from Serena B.
Chicago, IL
7/11/2011
Go there for the Indian food. I love it here. Their soul food is definitely on the iffy side. Sometimes they knock it out the park sometimes they don't. The Indian food is always on point though. I could go vegetarian just eating the sides. The people who run the place are very nice and this is one of my fav restaurants in the city.
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Review from Winston G.
Chicago, IL
10/17/2010
3.5 stars, rounded up b/c I liked the fact you could get a combo.
I had the butter chicken dinner combination plate delivered from here, which came with some saag paneer, a samosa, rice, and one paratha (thin and not fluffy like naan, but still good - maybe a poor man's version of naan). Cost is $10, but after tax, delivery fee, and tip, you're looking at more around $15-16 to get this delivered to your door.
I thought the butter chicken sauce was great, but the pieces of chicken were dry and overcooked. A pretty frequent problem I run into at Indian restaurants, and so that was a bit disappointing. The saag paneer was good, although a bit of a sweet finish to it, which was different from other places I've gotten saag from. Overall though, a decent dish. Samosa was just okay - not the best, though not the worst I've had either. Rice and paratha were standard.
I would probably deliver from here again at some point, considering the very limited options in Hyde Park, this could be a decent go-to. However, I'm sure this is not the gold standard for Indian food in Chicago, but certainly a place you could order from on a cold, windy, and rainy Chicago day. -
Review from Sophia T.
6/9/2011
Back in the day I lined in Hyde Park and maybe I've blocked it out but I did go to mucho restaurants when I resided there. Rajun Cajun makes me laugh b/c the owners are brilliant in their catering to a diverse population. If I still ate fried chicken, I'd a been in there daily. But as a vegan, I enjoyed their veggie dishes, samosas (vegetarian probably), Chai masala (mmm on a cold day), and paratha (i'm an addict). fan of fast service.
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Review from Farooq C.
Chicago, IL
7/13/2011
It is the only Indian Restaurant in Hyde Park and it is a good one. They also have soul food but I have never tried that here. Spiciness is a bit on the mild side because they cater to everyone but it is still delicious. Their samosas are fresh and delicious. We have had their Tandoori Chicken and Mutter Paneer. Both were great. It is a family run, local business and the owners are very nice. We went once and the second time I was there they asked me how is my son!
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Review from Maretta J.
Chicago, IL
8/2/2011
This is a great place though it doesn't look like much decor-wise: it's not expensive, it offers tasty vegetarian options, the music sound track has wonderful prayerful mantras. It may not have a full range of Indian food, but the samosas are the best. I haven't tried the Cajun options but they make a real effort to appeal to a diverse population and are very friendly. We love it for a quick delicious meal; so glad they're in Hyde Park, which needs more vegetarian restaurants!
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Review from Tina B.
1/26/2009
I actually am the kind of person that ends up in the mood for some aloo gobi and for some fried chicken and macaroni n cheese at the exact same time, and I love that a restaurant exists that understands me like that.
In fact, I was tonight. Big time. I watched a whole Iron Chef all about curry last night and I had been craving fried chicken in a very it's-cold-and-I-want-to-eat-something-comforting-t hat-requires-stretch-pants kind of way - Rajun Cajun came through like a champ, offering me every single thing I was in the mood for, super fast cafeteria style and at a decent price. And the people who work here, while a bit curt while ordering, are very sweet.
Soul food and Indian food work SO DAMN WELL TOGETHER. Seriously, they should take this shit on the road. Dipped my fried chicken in the cilantro sauce, alternating bites of greens and buttery samosas, orangey-red plastic fast food booths? Hells yes. Different presentation from other samosas I've had, but delicious. And their fried chicken was more than decent. Fresh mango and guava juices = slamming.
I wouldn't drive out of my way here if I just wanted Indian food and I wouldn't drive out of my way here for soul food, but when I want both? Holler at your restaurant right here.Listed in: The Southside Center - From…
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Review from Val B.
Chicago, IL
9/8/2010
Decent spot in Hyde Park. It's all pre-made, buffet-style (without the all-you-can-eat part of being a buffet). It's a strange, strange mix of soul food, like fried chicken and mac & cheese, and Indian cuisine, like chicken curry and samosas.
Boyfriend and I had about the same thing - he got the butter chicken combo, which includes rice, a veggie side, a samosa, and injera-like bread. I just got a medium order of butter chicken with a samosa and bread. The butter chicken is the star, but the samosa was good too. The bread was kind of dry and lacking flavor... it made me miss naan.
For $18 we were both stuffed, which is cool. Definitely wasn't the best food I've ever had, but there was nothing wrong with it either. -
Review from Krsna V.
5/6/2007 1 Check-in Here
Pretty good for Indian 'fast' food. The menu is 80% Indian and 20% Cajun. The only Cajun items I found was rice and beans. Fried chicken is not Cajun. The Indian food is pretty good for a fast food restaurant. I usually get the food to go. The management is friendly and polite. The only complaint I have is they serve "biryani" only on the weekends.
I noticed someone wrote a review saying this is not authentic Indian food and their Indian colleague was offended. What do you expect from a fast food joint? If I wanted to try authentic Indian food, I would go to Devon. Even on Devon, only a handful are "authentic" Indian. Just be aware that they have a $10 minimum on credit card charges.
The prices are good for the food you get. The quantity is optimal. The tandoor chicken is not bad at all and the biryani is as close to good biryani you get anywhere south of Devon. I definitely recommend this place for Indian fast food.
Just a note to people like Kitaro aka Ken H. (or whatever name you are adopting for the day) who criticized my review: I based my review on for what this restaurant is good for: "fast food". I consider Rajun Cajun the McDonald's of Indian food and rated it accordingly. On the other hand, Hema's kitchen and Tiffin gloat of being authentic and real Indian food, while they are not. I hope my "consistency" is clear to you now. I guess you are the one who has problems understanding the word "consistency" -
Review from Mike K.
8/11/2009
If there was an award called "Confuse A Tourist" or "Locals Only, Sucka!", this place would win it hands down.
In what appears to be the most blatant misuse of a name ever, Rajun Cajun does not actually serve any Cajun food whatsoever. Although there are pictures of New Orleans all over the interior and, of course, the name literally screams Cajun food, you will find no Cajun food here.
"No Cajun food?!" you ask in disbelief. "What do they serve then?!" Come on now, the answer should be pretty damn obvious - Indian and soul food.
Yeah, no - I don't get it either. Just go along w/ this. Ok?
The Indian food was fantastic. I had the butter chicken w/ a vegetable dish (cauliflower + peas - help me out somebody). For a combo meal, I also received a samosa and a flat bread (paratha).
It was an excellent meal for around $10. Portions were generous, the food was very tasty (decent spiciness) and the service was high class. Outside of the confusing name of the establishment, there's really nothing working against this place. It is very well maintained. -
Review from Carl W.
Santa Clara, CA
10/10/2010
Go here and get some saag paneer and samosas. Period.
Well, a month ago I probably would've said "get any of the Indian food." The value is pretty good by my standards (Indian food was never that cheap where I lived in So Cal) and I had enjoyed the butter chicken and lamb curry.
Unfortunately, one day (my 5th or 6th visit after having lived down here for only a few months) I placed my biggest order yet, hoping to have leftovers, and ended up with sour, aftertaste-leaving butter chicken and Indian rice that seemed to have been repurposed from the "soul food" rice (it was cooked with peas and such as usual, but the shape, texture, and taste was all wrong).
I guess they get a little sloppy on Friday nights? Color me disillusioned, anyway. I still recommend it, but my previous visits were during off hours, and I suggest you do the same if you want to try it out.
Well, two more things. First, parothas suck, don't bother with them as they will only make you miss naan all the more. This leads into the second thing, which is that you shoudln't bother with the combo either. Especially if you're eating alone, it's too much food, and the value is not that impressive anyway. What it comes down to is that your $1 parotha is free, and I only ate the damn thing so as not to waste food. -
Review from Jacob D.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 11/1/2010
Been heading there a lot
My gym is conveniently close to this place. I recently tasted the biryani and it is so delicious, made to order and at $6.50! The samosas are addictive, they are always fresh, and moist..I think they are baked so never feels oily. I ordered a whole bunch of samosas for a party I had at my neighbors place. The owners are so friendly and every time I go there is a big line, that tells me that people are enjoying the food, again, that is the only place with Indian (Rajasthani) cuisine in that area.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/11/2010
Finally Found Indian In the South
I moved here a year ago and was daunted by having to travel north… Read more »
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Review from Aurore L.
1/11/2010
Living in Hyde Park is not as dreadful as people think.
It's diverse, very green (well - presently very white), historic, architecturally interesting....
But there is not much to eat.
And it's awfully far from, let's say, Devon Avenue.
So - not cool when you have a craving for lamb curry, or palak paneer (one of my ultimate favorites)
Rajun Cajun, with its little muscled arms (yes, it requites a little bit of imagination but work with me here) and its ready-to-go dishes, comes to the rescue!!!!!!!!!
Bollywood paradise (for Hyde Parkers at least) 4 blocks away from home.
Priceless!
Actually - the price is right: for around $10 you get some sort of samossa (it's really hard to call it otherwise but it's yummy nonetheless), a meat, a side and a glorious little bowl of rice. I mean it - it's so fragrant and flavorful....last time I 'fished' a cinnamon stick, star anise and a clove out of it!!
The real deal!!
And my hubby can even get some fried chicken to go along with his butter chicken....yeah...welcome to my world...Listed in: Hyde Park - the 'eating'…
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Review from Reuben H.
Updated - 1/2/2010
Oh- and their fried chicken, candied yams, greens and that whole southern side of things from this place is really good too!
You thought I might rant on about it, didn't you?Listed in: (Dr. Jekyll and Mr.) Hyde Park
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/19/2009
Seriously......... What the hell is wrong with me?!? I have lived within five blocks of this place… Read more »
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Review from super t.
Los Angeles, CA
10/9/2011
Eh, okay I guess. For $10 I got take out for dinner and had some leftovers for a small lunch the next day. Chicken Tikka Masala/Butter Chicken was good, but not mind-blowing. It's hard to mess up in a way. Saag Paneer was so-so, and the naan -- was that even naan? It seemed more like a heated up whole wheat tortilla. Rice had too many cinnamon sticks in it for my liking. The samosa and sauces were good, but yeah. I'd guess I'd come back if I desperately wanted Indian food...
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Review from Meg O.
Saint Louis, MO
5/4/2008
Here's the dilemma: you're really craving lamb curry, but also want sweet potatoes and peach cobbler. Or, fried chicken sounds perfect, but can I get a side of saag paneer with that? Voila, you need 53rd Street, you need Rajun Cajun, probably the only Indian Soul Food restaurant in the world.
While I usually go for all Indian, the peach cobbler is amazing! And some days mac n' cheese is The side dish for tandoori chicken. The food is on the hotter side of spicy, especially the lamb curry. The Vegetarian plate gives you the most flavors. Samosas are decent. Although it's primarily a carry-out joint, I normally eat it right there. With Chutney music in the background, the funky clientele, the plastic booths, and the blind woman folding take-out boxes, it's sort of like being in "The Royal Tannenbaums."Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Jeanie P.
6/5/2009
MmmMm when I think of this place, one phrase comes in mind....
"a brotha from another motha!" That's how I feel the soul food meets the Indian food! I always go here when I'm craving Indian food since Devon is wayyy too far from Hyde Park.
The owners are great! They are like your friend's parents... and yeah I'll admit I kind of want them to adopt me so I can eat saag paneer everyday.
Anyway, this rating is definitely based on what this place is... a small mom and pop cafeteria-style restaurant. This is not a fancy place you want to go out of your way to go to. But great for hungry students :)
So I definitely recommend the butter chicken curry and the lamb curry as well. The saag paneer is definitely more spicy than the traditional version but delicious!!!! And the mac and cheese+cornbread is solid. I used to get my Indian friends to get their moms to make me samosas, and oh I miss them so~ But the samosas definitely satisfy my craving... they are spicy, crispy, and delicious with the sweet chutney. I would say one of those combo meals usually lasts me two meals :)
Side story: once I was so hungry for Rajun Cajun, I hit a parking pole on the way out of the parking garage b/c I was only thinking of Indian food. I stepped out to look at the dent momentarily, then drove straight to Rajun Cajun. Yes friends, true story. -
Review from Emblem P.
IL
1/2/2007
What most reviewers forgot to mention is that this place is a buffet. That's a bit crucial if you're comparing it to other restaurants! Buffet means food isn't cooked to order, but constantly made throughout the day. Menu is limited and changes daily, and freshness varies depending on when you stop by. So, complaining about that seems a bit odd. It's fast food, people. That's how it works. With that in mind, as far as buffet food goes, Rajun Cajun's is very good, and vegetarian friendly.
My two relevant complaints are that prices are a bit high for fast food, and that they could do with more variety.
A little known secret: They make really good fruit juices! Try them all! -
Review from Michael W.
Sonoma, CA
1/26/2009
OK? So ... was this an old Louisiana-style storefront remade into a fast-food cafeteria joint featuring Indian food?
Or is Rajun Cajun some wildly inspired mix of desi meets dixie?
Not really sure.
One thing I do know is that worldwide Everybody. Loves. Fried Chicken.
Seriously, and everything was really tasty.
I guess, unlike many others, I didn't have any cuisine specific to India. Chick-chick, mac 'n cheese, and greens.
Both were great to pedestrian, except for the greens (spicy) and the mango lassi. Great to really good.
No high chair or booster for the little boy. Bummer.
But he got to dance to Bollywood hits & I got to see a DVD of some awards show with Aishwarya Rai on a flat screen TV while I ate butter chicken. Even better.
See what I mean.
http://www.theaishwary... -
Review from mike l.
Brooklyn, NY
4/2/2007
Are you there, Yelp? It's me, Margaret. Um, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, we could really use a half-star button. I'd use it on Rajun Cajun to give them a 3.5. They're better than a 3, but not worthy of 4-star country. See, the half star would help. The fusion thing is a little weird. because, it's not really fusion. The foods aren't fused or anything, they're just served next to one and other.
Ideas for similar fusion joints A) Italian & Car Wash B) tailor & gyros C) ice cream & funeral home.
Anyhows, rajun. yeah, not so much. the food was decent. the fried chicken was good, not too greasy. But the dudes behind the counter were weird and the breakdown of the menu required graph paper & a scientific calculator. plus, they've got this $10 credit card minimum or else there's a 50 cent surcharge. now, I know the credit card is sucking 3% off my lunch sale, but don't make my life difficult. -
Review from Amy D.
Chicago, IL
5/8/2007
Rajun Cajun earned the epithet "keeps on rajin'" from some friends of mine, as its effects sometimes hit you well after you've enjoyed some tasty tandoori chicken. I think its cute that you can get biscuits and cornbread (not Cajun, really) with your Indian food. I really like whatever dish it is with the peas and curry sauce. Nothing is labeled, one time I got stuck with peach cobbler hoping for apple, and it was very disappointing. I think I am just too intimidated to ask what everything is, seeing as I wouldn't understand it anyway. Nonetheless, I generally love the food.
I also enjoy that it appears to be an old Subway. And the bad Indian techno, with alternating black-and-white sketches of New Orleans with gilded Indian prints. The people are nice, but I always spending more than I intended becuase the pricing scheme is totally confusing. Or becuase its cafeteria-style, which has always been a bit of a problem for me. And its always full of Hyde Parkers, which makes me happy.
