I'm Our server Jizelle was exceptional! She went above and beyond to ensure we had a fantastic dining experience. Ten stars isn't enough - they deserve even more! I wish I could give our server more than ten stars! They were phenomenal, making sure every need was met with a smile. Outstanding service! · read more

BONGOS! Came here a couple of nights ago, and very happy I did. Atmosphere - 5/5 - Located in Celina Square, they have 3 areas: Indoors, Outdoor covered, and Outdoor outdoor. We were outdoor outdoor since we had our pup with us. It is large and spacious and outgoing. Staff - 5/5 - Taylor (bartender) was GREAT. Friendly and attentive. Our waitress was nice and friendly as well. Food - 4/5 - What we ordered: Hush Puppies - $7 - 3/5 - Nothing special here. Ordered for the kiddos. Breaux Bread - $11 - 4/5 - Bread topped with Crab, meat and cheese and their special sauce. Recommend. David's Fries - $12 - 4/5 - I am usually not a fan of cheese fries, but if you top it with crawfish, beef and bacon, then I am in. I recommend. Red Beans & Rice - $12 - 4/5 - I enjoyed this dish, but I was hoping the red beans weren't as "pasty". It reminded me of refried beans, which I didn't expect. Pretty good dish, as it comes with a grilled sausage. Gumbo - $10 bowl - 3.5/5 - I am knocking it because it is HEAVILY salted. I think it is overall a good dish, but man was it salty. Overall, for the food and prices, this was a great place to eat and hang out. I recommend this place and will be coming back! Hi read more

Bongo Beaux's Bourre Palace & Cajun Kitchen - Red Beans n Rice - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Celina, Texas

I was exited to try this place as a Louisianan myself. The decor is eye-catching and unique and the atmosphere is fun! Workers are attentive, and service is standard but not distinguishing. Almost immediately after we were seated, they asked for our appetizer orders but luckily, we were ready. Main courses arrived around 20min after ordering. The cajun pasta wasn't too creamy and had a nice flavor to it. Crawfish pie only comes with 1 per serving and wasn't bad but not too flavorful. It had mostly rice in it. Seafood basket with catfish was satisfying and flavorful with the sauces, and we also enjoyed the fries. Shrimp tacos were loaded with pico de gallo, and tasted just like that. The flavor was good, but the tortillas fell apart really easily and we ended up having to eat it with a fork. Overall we had a nice experience at this very decorated and authentic restaurant. Prices were all reasonable especially for pretty large servings. Food wasn't anything out of this world but was enjoyable! read more

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The Crawfish Queso (tortilla chips made in-house) was the best I've had this side of Louisiana. Rich, creamy, spicy queso sauce, with bite-sized crawfish. Amazing!! The Cajun Pasta with blackened shrimp was excellent and a well thought out dish. The sauce was creamy with distinct flavors, generous portion of shrimp, and fresh linguine cooked perfectly. FYI: enough for two. They don't offer a birthday dessert, so we opted to buy a made-from-scratch bread pudding. That was delicious!! My daughter was just as surprised that they brought out a lovely card signed by everyone. What an incredible lovely gesture (we really appreciated it!!). Very cool place to celebrate Mardi Graws first class... read more

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10/10 always. The staff is always super welcoming, and the manager is as sweet as can be. It's Cajun good with a small town feel. Highly recommend the crawfish queso and the crawfish pies!! read more

Friendly host team, very trendy and electric environment in downtown Celina with decor from various artists and themes. There was also a live music artist which was very nice. Our server Megan was helpful with suggesting menu items and making us feel welcome. We ordered crawfish mud pies to start and entrees - blackened shrimp tacos, étouffée, Drowning Catfish and Shrimp Alfredo pasta. Overall our food was pretty good flavor wise, out of the 4 entrees all felt were a little on the salty side. We also had the top shelf margaritas which we're pretty good and fresh with the house squeezed lime juices. Parking is available right in front, behind or a short walk at neighboring venues. We did call in advance to make a reservation, but felt walk-ins did not have much of a wait either during the time we were there (Saturday @ 745pm). As a whole, we would return again if nearby to try additional menu items. read more

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My wife and ventured into this place and it was amazing. My wife is from South Louisiana and we tried the crawfish queso to start. Very big chunks of crawfish and suttle amounts of bell peppers and onions along with real cheese, not Velveeta, and house made tortilla chips. That alone was enough for us to come back but there was more. We crawfish pies packed into yummy buttery hand pries and served with a spicy sauce. What topped this off was the gumbo. Perhaps the best we've ever had! The Andouille sausage was plentiful along with shrimp and juicy chicken. The atmosphere says Cajun and not just New Orleans. They serve all the drinks you would expect in Louisiana, Abita beer, Hurricane and Cajun lemonade (be carful with this one!). We don't live close enough to come here all the time but I have no problem driving over to do this again. read more

We recently moved to the area and have been excited to try Bongo Beaux's. It's hard to find a good Cajun restaurant that is not a chain. This was some of the best Cajun food I've ever had. The service was outstanding. CJ was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu, able to offer us suggestions as it was our first time. Tabitha came over towards the end of our meal to see how everything went and really took an interest in our conversation and explaining the process of the restaurant. Even before she told us that everything was made in house you could tell. Everything we ordered was of the highest quality. We feel like we've found a place where we'll definitely become regulars and we can't wait to go back and see what else Bongo Beaux's has to offer. read more

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Definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Texas. The food is always excellent, the drinks are superb, and the service is always spot on. I love the environment and the atmosphere there. It's a great place to go and relax after a long day at work. The owner is always there when we've been there and is always a pleasure to talk to and really seems to care about her customers. I never have to worry about being disappointed with anything. Everyone is so friendly there and has a homey feel about it. I highly recommend checking this place out, you won't be disappointed! ‍ read more

Bongo Beaux's Bourre Palace & Cajun Kitchen - The best crawfish in Texas - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Celina, Texas

This is a long overdue review. Love this place because it checks all of the boxes. My daughters love to play and explore here. They have a friend (toad) they quickly named "toadly" ( yes they are witty 7 year olds) and there is plenty of room for them to play. The kids menu is right up their alley with chicken basket and crayons and kids menu to color. Now for the adults there is good food a patio , good drinks to include a hurricane and occasional live entertainment. Last and not least tv's to catch your favorite sporting event. Love this place downtown Celina and right across the train track, so you may get lucky and hear one cross ! read more

I have to start by saying this is a beloved Celina hot spot! They have a FANTASTIC yard for the kids to play and the service is delightful! If you love Cajun food, this is for you! I'm not the biggest Cajun food fan and I'm just beginning to discover this cuisine so I can't speak too much to the food but, I'd say they're on point given their fandom! read more

Bongo Beaux's Bourre Palace & Cajun Kitchen - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Celina, Texas

My friend and I had lunch today at Bongo Beaux's. It was a decent meal. Located in downtown Celina. The restaurant has that swamp decor vibe going on. The chairs and tables are mismatched and in desperate need for an upgrade. The designer in me was itching to fix it all. The racoons playing cards is not something I have ever seen before. Lol They have added to the outdoor space since I was here before. They have a stage and plenty of outdoor room. Our server was friendly and attentive. read more

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I was up till 5am with sever stomach pain after eating dinner here. I presume it was the raw oysters. They were a little milky and I stopped eating more after 4. I had the category-4 frozen drink which had some rancid syrup at the bottom of the glass. Pretty sure the syrup was bad and bartender didn't know. I could have got sick from that. My wife and I split the spicy live crawfish. It was decent. A little watery. Spicy means they dump dry powder on top of them after they are boiled. I would rather them again though. We were most excited and then let down by the Breaux Bread. Many problems. 1st we couldn't taste any bread. A sliver perhaps. That would be good of the stuffing was good. It wasn't. It touts crawfish, crab, and andouille but this is all blended together creating an unsatisfying texture with a blended flavor that ruins the taste of the ingredients. Lastly the famous sauce is inedible. We had to scrap it off. It is sour and doesn't compliment but overpowers the rest of the bread. Service was great. I wish this was my new favorite spot but because of the mediocre to bad food we won't be returning. read more

First and last time at this restaurant. We waited 45 minutes for a table for 13 which was understandable since the restaurant was busy. We were seated and ordered appetizers within 20 minutes. Our appetizers came out promptly, but then we waited more than 2 hours plus for our entrees. And that was only for most of the table. The rest of the table had to wait another 45 minutes for food. When some of us got our food, it was cold and very bland for a Cajun restaurant. When the waitress dropped off some of our food she didn't come back to check to see if we needed anything. We could see her checking on other tables, but rarely came to ours in the more than 2 and a half hours there. We complained to the staff and manger multiple times while at the restaurant because we didn't have any idea what was going on or where they were in the process of making our food. The staff didn't seem to be concerned that we were waiting hours for food or care that we weren't happy. They also couldn't explain why several other tables coming in after us received their food before us. We were told by the waitress that we should have been informed by the hostess that the kitchen was behind by more than 45 minutes. We weren't told that. It was so late that the restaurant had been closed for more than an hour and a half and we were still waiting on food. The manger came out to talk to us and she just said what do you want us to do. Most restaurants would offer something upfront to try to make up for bad service. We just asked the manager to comp the last meals received since they were delivered so late. Truth be told the manager should have comped the whole table since the service, food, and wait time were all horrible. I won't be back to this restaurant. Good luck if you want to try this place. read more

This place is so good, great crawfish, great service. Love the ambiance, it has a Louisiana Mardi Gras vibe with indoor and outdoor seating, great music, and an eclectic style. Our server Meagan was fantastic she gave us recommendations for other good places around McKinney and Celina. Although we arrived close to closing and they still welcomed us in. We met Tabitha the GM who came by to check on us. The bar is huge and the bartender makes really good drinks and great prices! Highly recommend this place. read more

Bongo Beaux's Bourre Palace & Cajun Kitchen - Crawfish boil - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Celina, Texas

It was our 1st time here and Megan's was amazing, explained the menu and suggested a dish which was so good it put a brother to sleep . Definitely coming back!! read more

Bongo Beaux's Bourre Palace & Cajun Kitchen - Forgot to take a picture of the food so here are my shoes! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Celina, Texas

We are originally from south Louisiana and when we travel for sports, we usually try to find some "home cooking" in whatever town we are in. Found this place and tried it! Wish we could have tasted it all, but what we did order was the fried pickles, Cajun pasta and fried shrimp basket. All were delicious! Very friendly and attentive staff, great Cajun vibe, and comfortable seating. Hope to be back in the area again and bring the rest of the family! Thanks for a great visit, Tabitha! read more

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Honestly one of my most favorite restaurants near by to me. Bongo Beaux is this cute little establishment tucked in the heart of Celina. The atmosphere is just so vibrant and the decor is so fun to look at. I've also never been to an establishment with more down to earth staff members. They check on their customers frequently and it's not just the server that stops by!! not to mention, they open doors for you, what the heck! Food is also delicious, their salmon is definitely one of my most favorite things to order from the menu. It's not greasy and cooked perfectly. Everything on the menu is simple and no frills. You can't go wrong with this place! read more

Bongo Beaux's Bourre Palace & Cajun Kitchen - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Celina, Texas

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Been wanting to check this place out for so long, and it didn't disappoint. Portions are large and priced affordably. Our group of 5 had the salmon, gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice and the Greek salad. All were delicious. My son said his salmon was the best he has had out. Service was impeccable. Lucas was attentive and made sure our dishes were prepared exactly to our liking. He was attentive and quick to refill our drinks. The inside is quirky, and they have a heated outdoor patio. read more

Bongo Beaux's Bourre Palace & Cajun Kitchen - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Celina, Texas

Let's start with service. Everyone was very nice and friendly, although there seemed to only be a single waitress with too many tables. Other than some minor issues with slow refills, she was fine. The food was a mixed bag: The fried pie was tiny, dry, and mostly filled with rice, not sure what the sauce was but was terrible... certainly not worth the $2.95 cost by a mile. Fried Pickles were good, ranch was good although served in what are best described as large thimbles. Apparently, if you request additional sides of sauces, you will be billed $0.49 for each... which isn't disclosed and pretty disappointing considering the avg plate is $16-$18 each. The Shrimp basket was meh, shrimp was bland but fries were very greasy. The Drowning Catfish was good, albeit the gumbo base was very spicy (more like too much black pepper), but the smothered Blacked catfish was flavorful and Crawfish Étouffée was solid. It could have used some french bread, which I asked about before I started eating it. She said she'd bring some out... 20 mins later, I received, what I found out to be $3 extra, side of bread too late just as I was finishing my plate. The overall experience wasn't worth the $60 price tag for two. Sorry, but we won't be back again. read more

Love the fried catfish here... but more than that, the service is amazing!!! Pierce is always on top of everything and checking in to make sure we are good! Highly recommend! read more

Cute decor but it ends there. If you nicely ask where the bar seating is, they snatch the silverware from the table and are snotty when you change your mind. I've never had such an alarming experience in a restaurant. I think the manager might be on drugs, she was raging at one of our party- calling her garbage and trash when we asked for a manager. The hostess was acting strangely and the server and manager were out right aggressive. Pretty scary around children and of course other patrons. read more

My husband and I went to Bongo Beaux's in quaint downtown Celina so he could get a taste of home as he is a Cajun boy. We got a table right away and our service was great. We loved the small town and Louisiana atmosphere. Felt welcome and comfortable. We had the Breaux Bread and the Drowning Catfish. The appetizer bread was nice and crispy, spicy and cheesy good, but didn't have as much meat as we would have liked for the price. The Drowning Catfish plate was totally clean by the time it was taken away so my husband really enjoyed it. His suggestion was that it could have used a piece of bread served with it but he had plenty of that from the Breaux bread . All in all a very enjoyable experience and I am sure we will be back. We would love to try the patio when the spring weather appears! read more

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Many people go to Bongo Beaux's to get some authentic New Orleans fare; but don't just stop at the crab cakes, gumbo and crawfish... but the smothered catfish with crawfish gravy made me consider licking my plate. Can't wait to go back at night and let me kids run around in the back outdoor area while we listen to live music. The service is great, just keep an eye out when it's slammed they are doing their best. read more

Morgan provided me and my friend with the best service for lunch. If you're ever in Celina and hit up Bongo make sure to ask for Morgan. read more

Bongo Beaux's Bourre Palace & Cajun Kitchen - Morgan provided me and my friend with the best service for lunch. If you're ever in Celina and hit up Bongo make sure to ask for Morgan. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Celina, Texas

We came to try this place having enjoyed New Orleans cuisine for some time now. This place is trying, but doesn't stack up to the level of Cajun cuisine we've come to fall in love with. The crab dip is recommended, but be prepared for it to be cold. It's intentionally meant to be a cold dip. I'm not sure if I missed that on the menu, but it took me for a surprise and was left wanting to enjoy it but disappointed. The jambalaya is dry. Too dry. My husband's po'boy was ok, but also dry and chewy, overcooked, bland shrimp. Service was good! The server was really trying to hype the menu and engage with us. I appreciate this. It almost feels like their chefs/cooks need to head east for an immersion in Cajun cooking and gain some influence. Potential is there, but it did not hit the mark. read more

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Food was fantastic and my server Cordale was so kind and attentive. I will definitely be back!

Great food, laid back vibes, and good music. Love that they have a dog-friendly patio, both covered and open areas. Been here many times and never disappointed. read more

First time being here and I was pleasantly surprised with how welcoming and friendly the bartender Cordale was. She took the time to introduce me to her manager Nicole and I can see why the atmosphere here is so fun. Will absolutely be back and bring a few friends to check it out. read more

I honestly don't where to begin. I'm currently sitting here after waiting 15 minutes for a hurricane. The employees and cooks are outside when they could be cleaning or cooking. Managers are helping themselves to food at other tables, bartenders are sitting at the bar not cleaning just watching tv. The servers are to worried about their personal phones and putting stickers on each other. There are no other customers in the restaurant, but already 25 minutes for food. After getting our food: the jambalaya is completely disappointing, it's more like dirty rice with sausage and chicken(which was $4 for two tiny dry tenders). The gumbo is watery and over salted. The chicken basket is completely oily, and over fried. After leaving and paying, We just made it home and both of us have gotten sick. The only redeeming thing: they were playing good music and the food was hot. read more

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Great spot in downtown Celina! We came to watch the LSU game and grab lunch. Food was great and they had Abita! IYKYK :) Megan our server was super friendly and very attentive, deff coming back! read more

Bongo Beaux's Bourre Palace & Cajun Kitchen - Gumbo - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Celina, Texas

Great place with an awesome patio and ambiance! The food is amazing and the service is always great! We always enjoy going there!

Flavorful Cajun food in the heart of the Celina square. So glad we have this place near us as the further north you live, food options get sparse. Bongo Beaux's is such a fun place with an outdoor area and bar. We've tried the drowning catfish (super tasty and good portion size) with jambalaya and crawfish etouffee, shrimp po'boy, and crawfish pies (live these!). All were delicious, food comes out pretty fast, and service has always been good. read more

Great food from such a kind staff! The scenery is absolutely perfect for the area and one of the gems of this city! Tabatha, CJ, and Mitchell are apart of this amazing staff that hopefully are here for years to come! read more

Cool vibe, good food, great service. Came in for dinner and was delicious as usual. Our server Michael, was attentive, polite and friendly. Have never had a bad experience at Bongo's. Will be back for sure! read more

Food is great!! Amy and Morgan took excellent care of us!! The drowning catfish is on point!

Jacob was an amazing server! Great food and great environment!! The bread pudding was amazing!!!!!!!!!! read more

Bongo Beaux's Bourre Palace & Cajun Kitchen - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Celina, Texas

This is our second visit to Bongo Beaux's and it was so good that I forgot to take pictures of everything because I just dove in. The gumbo was delicious and filled with sausage, chicken, and okra. We met up with friends to enjoy drinks and appetizers (crawfish queso and crawfish pies), all were delicious. Dayson took great care of us and the live music was the icing on the cake. We found our happy place. A time was had by all. Did I mention I'm from Louisiana read more

Bongo Beaux's Bourre Palace & Cajun Kitchen - Gumbo - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Celina, Texas

I just love this place so much! It's fun, the food is delicious and the sweet hostess, Giana, always greets you with the biggest smile. Ask for Michael as your server! He is energetic, friendly and always makes our visits great! read more

I'm always on the lookout for good Cajun, and Bongo Beaux's was pretty good. We were seated immediately on a Saturday at 5pm, and the staff was very friendly and attentive. I enjoyed their Drowning Catfish, although based on previous reviews the portion size was a little smaller than I expected. The Crawfish Queso was flavorful, but could have used a tad more crawfish. It was a thinner queso, so we expected that our tortilla chips would run out before the queso, but our waitress thoughtfully plussed us up with more chips. Their menu is somewhat limited, but covers the Cajun basics - gumbo, jambalaya, etouffee, etc. People spoke well of the Breaux Bread in prior reviews. We thought it was ok, but again a little lean on the crab, crawfish, and andouille stuffing. Down sides..... the place has limited parking, and is a bit of a trek from McKinney, in the old part of Celina. We might return sometime. read more

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