Roux Louisiana Kitchen
Categories: Jazz & Blues, Cajun/Creole [Edit]
3055 Olin AveSte 1005
San Jose, CA 95128 (408) 249-8000
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Garage
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Music: Live
- Best Nights: Fri, Sat, Sun
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: No
144 reviews
San Jose, CA
"I love sucking head. The head of a crawdad! Get yo' mind out of that gutter! Ever since my relatives from Louisiana brought back crawdads…" read more »
103 Reviews for Roux Louisiana Kitchen
Roux may not be authentic Cajun (I lived in Louisiana before so I can speak with some authority), but it does have some dishes worthy to try. Start the evening with a large, potent Hurricane and some appetizers. The gumbo's soup base was not particulary teeming in rich seafoood taste, but a dash or two of Tabasco perked the dish right up. The fried oysters on a bed of cheese grits, washed down nicely with cold beer. The best entree was a blackened catfish, also with cheese grits. This dish epitomizes Roux's tastes, which tend to be restrained and safe but still pleasant. Top the night of with some very serviceble beignets (make sure to order this ahead of time because they do run out).
I'll probably go back on a night when there is live music and have a Hurricane, or two, or three.
Roux was my latest SRow conquest. Aside from the cheesy decor and uncomfortable dining room seating arrangement, the food was pretty decent. Don't confuse the immediate cash register station as the hostess podium like I did. Strange set-up.
The restaurant was surprisingly empty. That had me a bit worried at first. I hope it wasn't an indication of the food. But those feelings were squashed when the server brought us warm, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, cornbread. It was hard not to inhale it all. I'm a sucker for carbs.
The crab cake appetizer was too mushy, but the aioli-type sauce was tasty. The jambalaya was probably the best I have ever tried, but I haven't been to New Orleans. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and the chicken was tender.
My boyfriend had the fillet mignon which was also tender and cooked a perfect Medium Rare. The accompanying string beans however were under-cooked and under-salted.
The blackened catfish looked good. I caught a glimpse when the food runner accidentally delivered it to our table.
Will give it a 2-er as didn't give the place a chance to serve their food. Was sat by a chick that looked like she worked a pole not worked seating tables. Besides her under-dressed appearance, her attitude was far less than charming.
We walked out of the restaurant after being seated but before giving the menu chance.
I don't know the owners/cooks at Roux but from my experience they haven't set foot in Louisiana. Judging by the decor and menu they were obviously trying very hard to capture the Creole/Cajun experience but unfortunately didn't do a very good job.
Please note: We came here for lunch so the dinner/nightlife experience may be completely different.
As soon as we sat down, I immediately noticed the decor. While they have some really great pieces (like the dark velour drapery and huge sparkling chandeliers) the rest of the restaurant was saturated with Mardi Gras beads, feather boas and cheap masks. I get what they were trying to do but it just ended up looking overyly tacky.
Food: To sum it up in one word: "Blah". I expect Cajun/Creole food to have a lot of zest to it, but I didn't get that here.
Cornbread: Dry and bland
Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwich: My husband ordered this and to put it in his words "I just didn't like it. I get better Po' Boys at Disneyland". Yeah that's saying a lot.
Fried Green Tomatoes and Shrimp Remoulade: For $12 I was expecting some fat slices of tomatoes but was disappointed when I was presented with for measly pieces. They filled the rest of the plate with a whole lot of salad and a few shrimp.
Spinach Salad w/ Fried Grits: Salad was LOADED with bacon. While I didn't mind because I [heart] bacon it would probably be an over kill for most people. The fried grits were OK. They mixed in a little parmesan cheese, which gave it a nice taste.
Service: Usually when I come to a restaurant for lunch on the weekday I expect prompt service, since most people are limited to an hour lunch break. Ugh, the service was so slow here. It took about 20 min to get our food then other 15 minutes to get our check. Thank god I wasn't on a strict time schedule.
Overall, I wasn't that impressed. I won't be back.
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I came here with my husband yesterday hoping for good Louisiana food, but was quite disappointed. The hush puppies just did not have the same flavors as I would get in Louisiana. The shrimp Po-boy was alright. I did not love it, but it did taste better when I asked for more of the red cajun sauce. The only item that was pretty good was the fried catfish. I would definitely go back there if the hush puppies were decent, but they weren't. So not sure if I would go back there again. If you do go there, order the fried catfish. That was tasty.
My husband on the other hand enjoyed this place. Maybe I expect too much from Louisiana food since I have been there before and ate such wonderful foods there.
Ugh, the food was not good... but I went in with high expectations for a new place.
We were quickly seated in the quieter restaurant area. The bar area is lively and loud.
The drinks are priced for The Row $$ and the Hurricane is fun and flavorful.
We had a crab salad, cheese N mac, and filet mignon with fried oysters. The fried oysters were probably the best part of the meal... and the corn bread; both had a wonderful crust dotted with bits of crunchy corn meal. The cheese N mac is still the best at Solstice; they have set the bar really high. The crab salad was passable but nothing special. The filet mignon was supposed to be medium rare but walked itself out of the kitchen onto my plate.
Won't be going back for sure! If I want NOLA food I will go to Nola's.
This place fits very well in Santana Row. One place it would not fit, however, is New Orleans. Granted, there aren't many places out here that can properly replicate the extraordinary culinary experience that is southern Louisiana, but it can be approximated, and has been. Just not here.
The decor was authentic New Orleans. And by authentic, I mean it resembled an updated version of the gaudy and over-thought carnival theme of Harrah's Casino, the most unauthentic establishment in the French Quarter / CBD area. Can't go wrong borrowing your look from the corporate suits of Old Vegas, right? Let's eat.
Or should we? To echo the sentiment of other Yelpers, the service was deplorable. No need to elaborate, it simply sucked. We finally got our menus, time for a drink. I'm craving an Abita Amber. Roux Louisiana Kitchen does not serve Abita Amber.
What? Now I'm on full scale red alert. A place with "Louisiana Kitchen" in its title and no Abita Amber in its giant bar. Very suspicious. What could be next? Perhaps bland, unauthentic, and overpriced food?
To anyone who has ever had an authentic or even semi-authentic creole BBQ Shrimp dish, heed my warning and do not try Roux's version. It's not bad to the taste, per se; the shrimp were good sized and cooked properly. The BBQ sauce, on the other hand... wow. Creole BBQ sauce is one of the most unique and delicious dressings I've ever experienced. Roux's version is so far off the mark, like a "gourmet" version of Bull's Eye or KC Masterpiece. What the heck were you people thinking? Oh well, the cheesy mashed potatoes that come with it are pretty darned good! Wait, those are supposed to be cheesy grits? Oh. Wow.
To me, crawfish etouffee is a staple of Nawlins eatin', and Roux's version looked amazing. Too bad, as it tasted slightly more savory than damp binder paper. Seriously, a half bottle of Tabasco couldn't save this dish. I know, I tried. It was almost as runny as gumbo... perhaps the recipe didn't have enough roux? I know I've had enough Roux.
One bright spot of the night: the band. Very cool four piece jazz group. This was Roux's saving grace. Of course, when you rely on subcontractors to cover up for your fundamental ineptitudes... Second bright spot of the night: after the meal, my girlfriend says, "This place is so mediocre, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same owners as Thea." Surprise! It is! Viva Santana Row!
I know you can get away with a lot in Santana Row if you make a place look nice, but seriously, do some homework first. One star for uninspiring food that didn't make me puke, plus one star for the excellent subcontractors a/k/a the band.
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Love the whole indoor/outdoor concept of the restaurant. Definitely decorated for the nightlife. Bar has a cool concept design. The fried chicken and mashed potatoes were delicious. That was about it...Filet mignon was overcooked, cornbread and macaroni and cheese were tasteless. This rating is definitely for the interior decorating. Not the food.
It really sucks that this place is getting such terrible reviews, because it really doesn't deserve them. I knew Yelp was turning back bad reviews of Roux, but I saw Bananas Foster Bread Pudding on the menu, and decided I had to try this place for myself. I'm glad I did, because I really don't agree with the overall reviews on Yelp.
We actually went here for drinks last week, which is where I saw the menu and decided to return. The bar is huge and takes up half the restaurant, but the ambience that bar provides is excellent. Drinks are delicious, especially the hurricanes!! The only thing that sucks is that it closes at midnight, BUT it is ultimately a restaurant and not a bar, so I'm not taking a star away for that. I also caught a bartender "breathing fire", which was cool, but I was kind of drunk, so I didn't fully appreciate it. Haha...
Tonight we came in at about 6:30 and the bar was full and a live band was playing. The restaurant was really empty when we got there, but it filled up towards the end of the night with some big groups. The decor of the restaurant fits the theme very well, and it's not too overdone or overwhelming. I liked the whole mismatched chairs thing too.
Our waitress was really sweet and attentive, if a little ditzy. Didn't matter though, we weren't bothered by it at all. She brought us everything in a timely manner, gave us good recommendations, and struck up good conversation.
The warm cornbread they served us almost as soon as we sat down was delicious. I love cornbread.
We went nonalcoholic tonight, but my boyfriend got a mango vanilla drink that was really different and tasty. They also brought us waters and a big pitcher for refills, which I was thankful for later (because of the spicy jambalaya!).
We ordered the bacon wrapped oysters with cheesy grits for an appetizer, and dear God, they were amazing!! I'm not a huge fan of oysters, but the presentation made them quite tasty. The bacon was nice and thick and not too crispy. But what I really have to rave about is the cheesy grits. I was ready to lick the plate clean of those. Wow... Just... WOW.
My boyfriend got the Thursday night special, which I believe was pecan-crusted halibut with crawfish rice in some sort of lemony cream sauce. That was absolute perfection. We're big seafood fans, and this meal did not disappoint.
I went with the jambalaya. I was a little worried about how spicy it would be, but it was the perfect amount. Spicy, but not to the point where I couldn't taste what I was eating, which has happened to me before when consuming jambalaya at other places.. HUGE shrimp, tons of chicken, and a lot of andouille sausage too. The rice was creamy and delcious, and the whole dish just worked well together. AND there was SO MUCH FOOD. I ended up only eating about half the plate, because I REALLY wanted to save room for dessert.
So.... The whole reason we chose to ignore the Yelp reviews and try this restaurant.... The Bananas Foster Bread Pudding. Oh my gosh, this was absolutely amazing.. HUGE, warm, caramely, banana-y, deliciousness. The heat of the bread pudding and caramel sauce in combination with the nice cool ice cream served on top gave my mouth a great sensation. And you could actually taste the rum in the dessert, which is awesome. We were actually sad that we couldn' t finish this dessert, though we tried really hard. I think this could easily feed 3 to 4 people at the end of a big meal like the one we had tonight.
Overall, I'm really pleased with Roux. I plan on coming back soon and trying some of the other interesting looking dishes... Like fried okra!! My dad used to make this all the time, and I loved it. But my dad passed away last summer, and he took the memorized recipe with him.. I'm really anxious to see if Roux prepares it the same way. Also, I really want some more cheesy grits... :)
So, Yelpers, for the first time, you all have proven to be wrong, in my humble opinion.. I would highly recommend Roux to anyone in the mood for some good food, drinks, and atmosphere.
Poor Roux. Seems everyone hates you.
I hate you too.
Fried chicken was a feast for the eyes. An ENTIRE HALF CHICKEN deep fried. My god I just had an eyegasm. Then I tasted the food and meh... my lust was gone. Dry with an extra helping of bland.
I dont think my 1 year old niece (happy birthday you little brat) could have gotten drunk from these drinks. I didnt order a jack and coke hold the jack.
Oh well dessert was good. Mmm Beignets and Bread Pudding.
Its sad when no one at the table finishes their plate...and no one cares for a doggy bag.
Davids bottom line- Eat before you come here.
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This place is YUMMY, at least for brunch! it was sooooo goood. The only think I didn't like was that it was slow service I mean slow. Not like i wanted to get out of there in a hurry but I mean it took a while for the waitress to get our drinks. Other then that yummy
I'm only reviewing the night scene, not the food. The mojito was yucky. The interior design is strange. And the scene was D-E-D, dead. I can only hope that the food delivers cuz nothing else seemed to. Sorry. :(
oh, and the drink with the dry ice and the lighted cubes in it... CHEEZY!
We went during lunch so the dinner staff/crowd is probably a bit better. The food was okay, the drinks were nothing to rave about and the service was horrible. I did like the bread pudding dessert. Overall, I'd probably make the extra drive and head over to NOLA's in downtown Palo Alto.
I LOVED this place! We were looking for a fun place to have dinner last night and happened to see Roux as we were walking around. The decor looked fun and the menu sounded good so we walked in. We were greated & seated right away in the dining room (which is a very cozy atmosphere compared to the bar area). The waiter was attentive and brought our drinks quickly. We ordered three kinds of mojitos (the vanilla coconut one was sooo good!) and the absinthe - which was a really cool novelty with the way it's served.
The waiter recommended the Fried Green Tomatoes as an appetizer - which were delicious. We ordered the Fried Chicken, the Filet and the Ribs as entrees. All were very, very good. The ribs were super moist and good sauce, the fried chicken was huge - a whole half chicken - and the coating was delicious. The filet came with fried oysters, which went very well with the meal. We wanted to order dessert, but were way too stuffed after all the food.
I would totally eat here again - and it's a great place for drinks too! The drink menu has so many unique combinations. I plan on trying the lychee cosmo next time ;) The restaurant area is perfect for a cozy date or dinner with friends - and the bar area is festive and fun!
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Argh! My experience with Roux was like a bad blind date. Unfortunately my friends and I decided to dine here on a whim W/O checking out the yelp reviews... Bad Colin, Bad Colin. If I had only read Che G.'s post I would have know NOT to order the jambalaya. But c'mon, isn't that pretty much a standard order when you go to check out a cajun/creole joint, right?! Unfortunately we ordered pretty much everything on the menu (it IS a rather limited menu) besides what Che G. recommended.
Corn Bread: bland
Jambalaya: bland
Crab Cakes: tasted more like bad fish than crab
Fried Green Tomatos: actually quite tasty, yum
Greens w/ Bacon: meh
Mac and Cheese: my friends' kid didn't like it but she's quite the food snob! (Uncle Colin still loves you JAZ)
Hush Puppies: the dip made this dish. not bad.
Onion Rings???: Ordered them... but they were never to be seen.
I learned my lesson the hard way. Yelp before you dine!
*However... this place looked like fun place to get your drink on!
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I had lunch with a friend at Roux recently and thought it was good. The food was very good - fresh, tasty - but the Catfish Po Boy was a huge serving - we could of split it for sure. I had the salad with fried chicken - and thought it was really good, but again a large serving. We both took home doggie bags and had a really yummy dinner! ;0)
I haven't been there at night but I bet its fun - awesome bar when you walk in, a large drink menu. Would try again.
I was at Roux last night (monday night) and had the 1/2 rack of ribs and it was tasty...god bbq sauce and the meat was soft, almost falling off the ribs bones. I also had a mango mojito and a shot of absinthe w/ the sugar cube and water drip thing. We also had the fried green tomatoes for an appetizer. Overall, I though my food was pretty good...also the waiter was funny and attentive. Minus two stars because it didn't exceed my expectations of the perfect dinner, but I'd say its definitely worth trying for yourself...
"Roux (pronounced somewhat like the English word "rue") is a mixture of wheat flour and fat. It is the basis of three of the mother sauces of classical French cooking: sauce bchamel, sauce velout, and sauce espagnole. Butter, vegetable oils, or lard are common fats used. It is used as a base for gravy, other sauces, souffls, soups and stews." - Wikipedia
The "R" in Roux's sign almost looks like "Poux"...
The entrance to this place is odd. When you walk, it feels like it's strictly a bar atmosphere with a live band section. Only until you walk pass the crowded bar area will you find a hostess stand and the dining area. Shouldn't the hostess be at the front?
The main color scheme is a red brightness similar to that of a photography dark room. I was ready to get out my photo developer and thongs.
There are these gigantic chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. They're kinda distracting and make me feel like monkeys should be swinging from them. There are a bunch of pictures on the inner most walls while the upper jutting walls continue with the redness. This place is a mixture of the Disneyland ghost ride, the Disneyland pirate ride, and the White Stripes album art. I was waiting to see my reflection with a happy-go-lucky pirate sitting next to me.
Since it was our friend's birthday, they left beads and masks at the table for us. So where were our deng crayons? It also doesn't help when all the masks have "MADE IN CHINA" stickers. A nice touch if it were executed properly.
There is booth seating and regular "arrangable" table seating. This atmosphere is more for appropriate casual small-sized groups and liquid consumers. Jazz inspired rock reverberates along the walls, so don't expect this place to be a quiet romantic evening. You have to talk over the noise to make you point clear. The lighting is achieved through the chandeliers and table lit candles. I couldn't help but feel like a blood-eyed pirate or cajun vampire. WHERE ME RUM?!
Service is mixed and can't really tell how they'd do for a regular party. Our party was pretty big, so they did fairly well considering our size. Food delivery was pretty consistent as well as water refilling. They left carafes for us, making self-refilling very convenient. The best part of service was that they separated all our checks, even though this took as long as getting our food.
Around 8:30pm the lights went out and odd electronic dancehall music started bumping. It was quite unusual due to the fact that they were playing jazz rock earlier. The dining hall was still full, so this added an awkward element. It felt like the restaurant was saying, "Okay everyone but the boozers -- OUT."
I was disappointed by the food. They give you a complimentary yellow brick of cornbread before your food arrives. It's pretty big, really crumbly, and dry so you'll either be smacking your lips or trying to wipe away crumbs at the edges of you mouth -- not the sexy. What sucks is that they never refill your bread plate with more cornbread. What am I supposed to sop up all the roux with??
I ordered a crawfish etouffe ($15). The crawfish and sausage slices are plainly small and discernible. They're there, you just have to look a little. There is a flat scoop of buttered white rice placed on top of the etouffe. As a whole the dish is seasoned well and tasty. I just wish there was more! They served the etouffe in a shallow plate. Plus a piece of crusty French bread would do some good. I wouldn't order it again. It's not bad, it just felt more like an appetizer dish than a "dinner special".
I had some of my friend's hush puppies that are settled on top of folded "news-wax-paper". They're very lackluster. They're even drier than the cornbread. The tartar sauce follows in similar uninspired tradition. I took a look at the other dishes. The presentation varies. The blackened fish looks alright.
Drinks are incredibly ridiculous. They range from 9 to 15 dolla dolla bills y'all. I'm no drinker, but you have got to be kidding me.
______
Roux or Poux? Maybe "Roux Poo". I still haven't found exceptional cajun food on the westcoast... Anyone have a suggestion?
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I only came here for the drinks, no dining.
When coming up to this place, I was a bit excited to see the place because the placed looked kinda cool, with the sign and all.
I was unsure of the theme but then I saw some of the bartenders wearing some mardi gras beads then it hit me. I just noticed that there was a darn lot of metal to their decor.
The music wasn't my type of music, it was a lot of electronica, I mean I do like electronica, but maybe last night wasn't one of those nights.
I got a lychee martini, and my girl friend got a Tokyo tea, and Tony B. got something I don't remember. While we were sitting there waiting for our drinks to be made, the bartender then spills the Tokyo tea and some got onto Tony B. (poor tony!!). She quickly made another one. She was really nice though and didn't charge us for the drink. But she did charge for my drink and Tony B.'s drink. It was $6-8 for the drinks which I would say is normal, so it's not too pricey at all. The lychee martini was pretty good except when they stuck an olive in it!! I was hoping they were going to stick lychees in it like other places.
Overall, the ambiance wasn't that great for me and the drinks aren't bad and pricey .
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Went here for a 30th Birthday party on a Friday night, had decent service and had a mango mojito (yummy) and fried chicken for dinner, that plate was huge and it was pretty good. Friends had the Jambalaya and said it was good too. The only problem was that they did not offer much of a vegetarian selection so the veggie at our table was a little put off, so hence the 3 stars.
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This was our girl's night out so I was excited to try something new. Nola's in PA is one of my fav places to eat so I had expectations for Roux to be a little like that. Hmm...not so much.
Atmosphere was cool, a round bar right when you walk in, it's a good size and makes it easy to scan the area for cute people ;-) We were sat in the back which made it easy to talk and get some distance from the live band. The menu looked like it had a lot to chose from but then I realize it was ALL booze...which is usually good. But in this case I was down to have a good meal. The one side of the menu which did contain food wasn't a large selection and the majority contained fish...I'm not a big fan of fish so it sort of put me off. Then I discovered the Filet! Steak..perfect (or so I thought).
The steak was WAY over cooked. Even after I specifically asked if the "medium" was truely medium or if I should get it medium rare. The waiter assure me they cook it true to your order...so i went with what he said. It was CHARRED. No flavor at all. I picked around it and ate the fried shrimp and veggies which were really good. I do have to say the service was great, the waiter was very nice and felt bad for my steak being so well done. I didnt send it back so he brought me a free alcoholic beverage ;-) that almost made up for it ;-)
The other girls got Jumbalya and friend chicken salad. They said theirs was pretty good. We also ordered sides - Mac n Cheese, coleslaw and greens. Those were all really good.
Over all it was ok, I would go back but it probably won't be anytime soon. Just sort of average and now I know to order my steak on the rare side...so it won't be charred.
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The girls and I had reservations at Roux last night (Thursday) around 7pm. The restaurant had a band playing and the atmosphere was pretty lively...the bar was packed and there were lots of diners.
We ordered a few drinks before we decided on our meal. Our drinks were pretty strong (always a good thing!) and my friend commented that her dirty grey goose martini was very tasty. We were given some cornbread and butter to start. The cornbread was okay, nothing fantastic.
We ordered:
Main Dishes
Fried Chicken Salad: my friend enjoyed it...the chicken was really tasty
Jambalaya- average, portion was pretty big
Filet Mignon w Fried Shrimp- this dish originally comes with Fried Oysters, but my friend had it changed to shrimp. She asked for it to be cooked medium. She even asked if the restaurant tends to overcook the request and if she should order it medium rare. The waiter insisted it would be fine as is. When she received the filet, it was well done..and charred on the outside. We were all hungry so she just ended up eating it, but she did let the waiter know. He ended up giving her a free drink.
Sides (very big and perfect for sharing)
Macaroni and Cheese- okay. Regular mac and cheese w breadcrumbs on top
Greens w Bacon- even bacon couldn't save this dish. The greens were flavorless.
Spicy and Sweet Coleslaw- okay. Too much mayo (and I love mayo).
Our food took a while to come out (maybe 25 min?), luckily we had good conversation and drinks to keep us occupied. We found the decor to be a bit weird and creepy. There was music playing in the back where we were sitting, yet we could also hear the band in the front...so it was very distracting.
I probably would not come back here again for dinner. The selection of food was not very good (only a few entrees to choose from) and the food wasn't that great. The fact that they overcooked a filet from medium to well-done was the ultimate no-no that makes me give this place 2.5 stars.
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When asked about what one of my best friends does, I tell people that she's doing "God's work". You see, after Hurricane Katrina, she moved from her job in Milwaukee to New Orleans to coordinate relief ministry with the Jesuits. For her work in New Orleans, she received an award from our alma mater this weekend. After the award ceremony her sister and boyfriend, my friend and I headed to Roux to grab some drinks/dessert. We love eatin.
I've visited New Orleans, and have had real Cafe du Monde beignets and cafe au lait, and know that they shouldn't cost an arm and a leg. However, being transported halfway across the country into Silicon Valley and the heart of hoity toitiness of Santana Row--the price had gone up.
We arrived a little before 11, and for a Santana Row "hot spot" it wasn't as packed, but was pretty empty. We sat on the patio, and the waitress informed us that her shift was ending, but she would take our order, but the bartenders would be bringing out our food.
Prices were ~$7 for each dessert, and a cafe au lait cost ~5. I got the bananas foster bread pudding. The portion size was decent, but honestly, a week later, not all that memorable. The cafe au lait came in a French Press, and was good, as well.
It would have been a better experience if they weren't blaring dance music. A live jazz band or something like that would appeal to more "mature" clientele that want get away from the "regular" Santana Row scene.
So, three stars for being underwhelmed. I wanted to like it, but walked away a little disappointed.
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This is the latest place on Santana Row to compete for your restaurant dollar.
I came here with my wife this past Thursday. The look and feel of the place has a New Orleans "flavor"...too bad the food missed the mark. I had the jambalaya...which was a bland and lacked the rich flavor of New Orleans jambalaya. My wife had the fried chicken salad...with the chicken having very little flavor...even extra crispy KFC has a stronger punch. We ordered a side of mac and cheese which was bland too...we ate half of it..and sent the rest back. Ugh...for the prices charged, the food really missed the mark.
This maybe be a good place for a Hurricane drink after work when they have music playing. Maybe take a few strings of beads and give them to the first person you meet there?
I was actually quite excited to take my mom here for mother's day brunch because when we first called, they said they were completely booked. Then I checked again two days before and they had an opening at 12:45. I said, perfect! The menu looked great despite so many negative reviews on Yelp.... let's check it out, I said.
So, when we got to the restaurant, it was empty. Seriously, in this pretty spacious restaurant, there were like 1 party of maybe 6 people and another party of 2. We said, woah, I thought this place was all booked. What the heck, right? and our waitress didn't even know the menu. Ok, it's possible she was new, but when I asked her, what is this? She said mm... not sure.. maybe it's something like a french toast maybe? (um, you can go ask and come back, if you don't mind) right? Maybe she was in the mood to play games with me, but I wasn't really in the mood for guessing games.
Anyway, our overall experience goes something like this: we had a party of 8. One person ordered Fried chicken (which, btw, was pretty good and ginormous). BUT the problem was this - that was the only dish that came out first and we had to wait 15-20 more minutes for the rest of the dishes to come out. I mean, this was no appetizer. Was he supposed to eat while everyone was still waiting for the food or was he supposed to eat it cold when the rest of the dishes finally decided to come out? Oh, and did I mention that the restaurant was EMPTY? Why does it take so freakin long to make a vegetarian omelette and to toss a salad? In any case, aren't they supposed to serve all the main dishes together? Well, most "good" restaurants do.
Anyway, we asked our waitress, who was so oblivious to the fact that his dish came out like 15 minutes ago and the rest of the 7 dishes still were nowhere to be seen. She was like, Oh~ ok. Don't worry~ I'm sure they are working on it. Then walked away like nothing was wrong.
Uh... you can go to the kitchen and check, you know? Anyway, so the rest of the dishes came out and one was wrong. They had to take it back and make a new one. At this point, she didn't really want it anymore because she didn't have to wait again, but the waitress insisted.
There were no refills on our water until I asked. When I asked for more water, they brought out a jug of water and put it on the table in a hurry. I was so irritated and bit my tongue not to say anything. I hate bad service, but I didn't want to ruin the Mother's Day spirit.
Food: I ordered the crab salad - the greens were pretty good and the crab was ok, but the portion was like a side salad. For some $12 bux, I expected a little more. Actually, I added fried oysters on the side and that was additional $7 bux for 3 oysters. So, actually, my tiny little salad was $19. Waste of $. Don't order that.
Savory French Toast - it was pretty good. Soggy bread, but I think it's supposed to be soggy..... ?
Vegetarian omelette: the vegetables inside were no good, but the hash brown it came with was really good. It had cheese inside, I think~ that was yummy.
Fried Chicken: it was huuuuge. It looked like a turkey leg - it made me a little worried what kind of chicken they were cooking up back there. Hormone-infused giant chickens?
Cajun Fries: do not get it. It was just some big potato slices with cajun powder on it. Not worth it. We barely touched it. (btw, I asked for the fries to come as an appetizer, meaning BEFORE the meal, but it was the last one that got served). are you kidding me?
Pulled pork: I didn't try this one, but he said it was ok. He ate a few bites and got the rest to go. I don't think it was amaaazing.
Coffee: well, I liked that they gave us our little french press, but I'm not sure if this is what Louisiana coffee is supposed to taste? Or I don't even know if this was some Louisiana roast... but it was awful. $4 bux per person. Be careful if you ask for a refill. There's no such thing~ $12 bux we spent on bad coffee. French press usually tastes good, but this coffee just tasted like a day old coffee. I'm a coffee lover and I may be highly critical of such thing, but I wasn't the only one, who dissed on the coffee.
Their cornbread was pretty good - moist for cornbread.
Bottom line after my usual long review? Bad service. Ok food. Would I come back here? Hmm... that's tricky. I might give it one more try on the food because the food was ok, but I just can't stand bad service. Maybe we just got stuck with a bad waitress. Anyway, bad choice for a mother's day brunch, but we still had fun after we left Roux. I would give them 2.5 stars, if I could, but they were closer to a 2 than a 4. Oh well~
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For me, a solid three star. No menu on their website which is a huge pet peeve of mine, fooey.
Gumbo was pretty much burnt roux so I'm not going there again. Jambalaya was fine - lots of sausage in mine (another Yelper said she didn't see much in hers). I actually enjoyed the cornbread - warm and moist enough (though ice-cold butter was useless to spread). Bread pudding was also good but I would've expected the bananas to be caramelized with the bananas foster name on it.
Yes, there were many items in cones (we saw them on other tables), and the prices are kinda high (especially the cocktails). The portions were appropriate given the high prices, at least.
I'm still on my quest to find some great Cajun out here, and sadly this wasn't it.
I'm pretty surprised by all the low ratings and neg reviews. I didn't think it was bad at all however I am judging based on a spinach salad and mac and cheese. I love a place that serves mac and cheese.
We swung by the other day to Pretentious Row during lunch (we were in the area) and b/c the place was bustling with people we thought all the restaurants would have waits before being seated. It was when we were heading toward Plutos when I noticed Roux. I guess I haven't been in awhile b/c I don't remember Roux the last time I was here. We step in and the first thing we noticed was that it was pretty empty inside which I took as a bad sign. We decided to give it a try anyway. Can't knock it till we try it right?
The decor was festive and they even had a live band playing.
The portions were pretty big. The fiance ordered fried catfish and fries which ended up being too hearty of a portion as well as the mac and cheese. The m&c was actually decent. A bit on the oily side but pretty tasty nevertheless.
I'm not familiar with the cuisine but I thought it was better than my experience at Nola's in PA.
I shall be back.
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The decor of this resteraunt is an unique mardi gras theme! The food there is fairly priced with big portions of Lousiana cooking. Although I don't think it's truly the authentic lousiana food, I though it was quite good. I recommend the blacked fish! Very good and tasty!
I've been wanting to try this place out for awhile since I saw it during construction, but was a bit deterred due to the mixed reviews. I'm glad I gave it a try though. I had booked reservations on Opentable for 7:45 on a Saturday and we were still seated promptly. I would say the restaurant was about 80% full during that time. The service was decent but not spectacular; nothing to complain about though.
Being my first time here I definitely wanted to try out a few things on their menu. So I ordered the fried green tomatoes, jambalaya, red beans and rice, blackened fish, and braised greens with bacon. All the dishes were pretty good with the fried green tomatoes being the best and jambalaya the least( yeah kinda sad). The fried green tomatoes were crunchy and seasoned just right. The accompanying shrimp remoulade was different but very delicious. The jambalaya could've had more flavor and was a bit on the dry side so I probably wouldn't get it again.
On a side note, try not to sit by the band if you plan on talked because you won't be able to hear a damn thing.
I could have been fooled by the reviews here. Seriously. I almost didn't go because I thought it was going to be bad. Thank God I gave it a try. The food was so delicious and I didn't get one 'cone'! LOL This just goes to show you that not everyone has the same opinion about any restaurant. Try it out & keep an open mind! Oh and try the fried green tomatoes & filet mignon w/fried oysters! DELICIOUS!!! :)
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My girlfriends & I went here on a Thursday night. There was live music, and a very festive feel. We shared a massive lemonade in giant cup, and that made us feel a bit silly, but we were having fun with it.
We had the crab cakes- I haven't been impressed with cc's anywhere- including this place, but the salad was good.
The 1/2 slab of ribs were nothing special, they were very tough, and dry- nothing close to fork tender.
Our last plate was the halibut with crawfish fried rice. The pecan crusted fish was pretty good but the fried rice was a big cheesy mess with no flavor.
It's festive, there's live music, the service was a bit slow and the food is not very special in my opinion.
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Went here for the first time on Monday Night around 8pm to wind down and have drinks after Vegas.
I gave it 3 stars because of the ambience. It does look like a restaurant on Bourbon St.
Food was ok. Kinda of over-priced and bland. I had the salt & pepper shaker next to me the whole night. There was 8 of us, we each had an entree, 5 drinks total, and 3 appetizers. The bill was almost $400.
Our waitress was kind and knowledgeable, but it didn't seem like the staff was in sync. We had to ask for things several times. Service was slowwwwww.
They have a nice huge oval bar, so it could be a nice Santana Row drinking stop.
Would I come back?.... probably not.
I have no idea why this restaurant has received such horrible reviews. The food was AWESOME. The cornbread was moist and flavorful, not dry whatsoever. We started with the fried green tomatoes, it came with a small green salad with aoili and shrimp, VERY good. I wanted to go out and buy some green tomatoes and fry them up myself it was so good! I ordered the half rack of ribs with mashed potatoes. Also very good. The meat was tender and flavorful. My boyfriend got the filet mignon with fried oysters...another success! The meat was tender, the oysters were SO GOOD!! I got to try my friends' food too...cheesy grits mm mmm good and the friend chicken was moist and flavorful.
I also tried the hurricane...you definitely get your money's worth! $13 for a drink that was easily 2-3 $7 drinks, and I was tipsy for a good hour and a half after I finished.
My only complaint was our waitress service could've been better. She did not check on us that often, and when my friend asked to have a substitution on his order, she said NO substitutions. Then he asked if he could just not have it, she said "just don't eat it." That really bothered me. If I'm spending $20 on chicken, I should be able to get a substitution or not at all.
Overall, the food was worth the lackluster staff! I highly recommend!!
We went on a Wednesday, decided to eat at the bar. They were obviously understaffed and the experience we had showed it. After I ordered the Crabcakes appetizer, I ordered a 2nd beer, which took 10 minutes, and not even by our bartender. Later, I needed ketchup for my fries, which the bartender never delivered. I got sick of waiting and asked another patron from a booth for their unused bottle. Lastly, I ran out of sause for the pulled pork and had to ask 2 different people for it to finally get it.
As for the food, the pulled pork dish was great, (the sauce was excellent). Her tuna dish was good, and the crabcakes appetizer was good too.
I know they were busy and this place is fairly new, but taking awhile to get something is one thing, but completely forgetting it is another, (and twice by two different workers.) To be fair, there were only 2 bartenders and no barbacks, but that's not really my problem as a patron.
The limited menu does suck too.
Went here for a girls nite out dinner a few weeks ago (Thursday) and it was packed!
Ambiance was candle-lightish with lots of mardi gras spunk so that was a nice change from the typical row joints. Service was okay...you can tell the some were new and feeling the pressure of the crowds expectations.
As for the food it was okay too...a bit on the pricey side but stil worth trying just to know since everyone's taste bud is a bit different. If anything we enjoyed the bottle of Merlot better than the food! How funny is that...hahha
I would recommend trying the baby back ribs and the green tomatoe with shrimp appetizer as those were the only 2 dishes I enjoyed. As for the wine, our waiter recommended the 2004 Bocage Merlot and that was excellent with our food selections. Medium and went down pretty smooth and the price was surprisingly inexpensive ($28 for the bottle).
If you haven't tried out this place yet...you should give it a shot! Go for the taste exprience...