Can't recommend highly enough. Down home comfort foods rich in flavor and prepared with love! Can't go wrong breakfast lunch and dinner. Best breakfast in town! read more

The Food: FREAKING AMAZING. Husband had chicken jambalaya... no part of this was not delightful. So good it hurt. Andouille sausage slices, veggies, rice and just plain good stuff. I had the crawfish etoufee, with sides of dirty rice and the potatoes. So. Stinking. GOOD. Well seasoned potatoes that didn't argue with my etoufee but complimented it just right, the dirty rice was bright and peppy, and I asked for a 5/10 on the spice of my etoufee and it was just about right for me, enough heat at the end that I could taste it, but not enough to obliterate my palate. The crawfish were perfect, tender and you could actually TASTE them!!!! Perfectly made, and each entree was cooked to order. Takes a little longer but worth it, worth it, worth it!!! So cheap, stupid delicious. The jambalaya full order will feed one person for three meals easily, so consider this before going all out and ordering the full sized :). If you leave this place hungry it's because you weren't trying. And every bit of food I had was perfect. We will be coming back, often and with glee. This is seriously some of the best Creole I have eaten, including places in Louisiana. The sweet tea that is local that they serve here is great too!! The Staff: Super nice front of house staff, friendly to everyone, welcoming. They were crazy busy so he was a little rushed and curt at first, but it was understandable. The Chef chatted with us for a minute when he wasn't working 8 pans. :) Southern hospitality all the way. The Ambiance: This is designed as a take out place, so if you are looking for a sit down restaurant, move along. They do have some seats and we ate in. If you are a snob and feel uncomfortable in an ethnically and economically diverse neighborhood, also move along. You might be approached by a homeless person, but you're not going to get stabbed. People keep saying they wouldn't go there at night, and I guess I get that, it's not a 'nice' area in that there are empty buildings and some run down homes. It's not Easton Mall. But it's also not like it's in a war zone or there were muggings and drive by shootings occurring at lunch. It's not like folks were shooting up in the parking lot. Seemed like most urban areas that had a manufacturing base, a little run down, in need of some TLC and new opportunities. I'm super irritated when people confuse the terms "run down" and "dirty". the front counter is a little beat up, and the floors could use a coat of paint. But this place is clean! It's a KITCHEN. There should be the occasional bits of food or flour on the floor, cause folks are working. But I have worked in lots of kitchens and if you think this place is dirty, you'd heave your socks if you went to the back of the house at your local chain restaurant. But if you're missing this place you're missing out on some seriously great stuff. read more

This place is absolutely amazing! Without a doubt the best Cajun in Columbus and one of the best restaurant in town. Little sketchy neighborhood, so order ahead if you can but it's definitely worth it! read more

I've visited twice in the mornings for beignets. They place them in a styrofoam to go container with a little foil. This lets them travel well from one side of town to the other. I've got some Cafe du Monde brand coffee grounds at home. Brew up some Cafe au Lait, have some piping hot beignets, and I am mentally transported to Jackson Square, N.O., and I never left Columbus! read more

Started the day off with live Jazz and a Creole omelette. Everything was awesome. Service is great. If your lucky Chef will stop by your table to say hello. read more

Best value in Columbus. Stick to the specials on the whiteboard: 5 or 6 dollars out the door. The food is amazing, and the owner and his staff are very helpful and friendly. Impossible not to like a place so devoid of pretense. read more

We walked in as they were closing. Instead of turning us away, they gave us two servings of the gumbo and 2 sweet teas. Omg yummy

Totally inspiring restaurant. Walked a few miles to eat there last time I was in Columbus, and it was well worth it. Fun walk too, there are some cool houses around there. My favorite of the three meals I've had there so far was the Eggs Basin Street. I'm guessing that's the dish that almost made Cherie R. cry, I teared up a little myself. I also watched Chef Butcher lovingly instructing a trainee on the precise placement of the eggs on a bed of rice/beans/sausage in my to-go container. A beautiful metaphor for the insane amount of care that goes into the food at what may be the world's greatest take-out joint! read more

The chicken, crab, and andeiou gumbo was delicious. And the mac n cheese omg so good, tasted like there was a little hot sauce in it which is the best way to eat it. Definitely will be back to try some more items! read more

Love the vibe here. Definitely a hole in the wall, but they're expanding. The shrimp creole is pretty good. You have options for dirty rice or creole rice. I chose creole rice, but next time I'd probably go for the dirty rice. You also have options for your spice level on a scale of 1-10. I picked a 5, which is comparable to a medium hot wing. I thought it was pretty good overall, the service was friendly, the food was definitely made to order, and not sitting on a hot plate. The downside is that a guy came in during lunchtime asking for spare change. I never felt unsafe at all, but that's just a weird lunchtime interruption inside of a restaurant. read more

With skill, passion, and experience Chef Butcher and his staff the use high-quality ingredients with precisely balanced seasoning in very well-executed recipes. The menu's fried items stand out and it's obvious the kitchen uses clean oil, proper temps, and careful cook times. Strong recommend on the po'boys and the etouffee. Chef Butcher has nurtured a wonderful vision in Creole Kitchen. I'm glad the dining area is finally open cause y'all gotta try this food. read more

Cajun feast, to be sure! Delighted to find this little place after reading so much about it on Yelp. Didn't disappoint! Plan on carry out. Only a couple of small tables and not real comfortable unless you're just having a quick bowl of gumbo or a beignet. Also no alcohol sales. Seafood jambalaya was primo, blackened chicken and sides were great. A real hole in the wall, but food is great and so is the friendly service. We will be going back for more. read more

Visited for the first time this past weekend. Food & Service was great! I had the Chicken & Shrimp Etoufee which was yummy. Antoine our server even brought me out an extra bit of spice :) read more

Went today for lunch. The Hostess, waitress, staff were all very friendly and helpful. The new dine in section is clean and moderately decorated, very nice atmosphere. We shared a cup of gumbo, wonderful, a lot of meat, just enough spice. We wanted Gator bites but they didn't have any today. I ordered blackened chicken pinot, my daughter had the fried shrimp poboy. The sandwiches were so big, we could have ordered one and shared. Yummy, both sandwiches were awesome. We will go back, trying breakfast next time. read more

I have lived in New Orleans, and wish I could find some authentic Creole food. Although this isn't the best I've had, it is the best I've had around town. To be fair though, I haven't tried much local Creole/Cajun. the crawfish etouffe was decent but the oyster po'boy was delicious.....HOWEVER, it did quickly send me to the bathroom... all night. To be fair (again), oysters can be the most volatile for the stomach no matter what location you get them at. Needless to say, I won't get oysters there for a while. read more

I ordered the shrimp po'boy. It was not good, and was not my idea of a po'boy. The shrimp were fried, but the coating was not seasoned and not crisp - it was really soggy. I tried one of the shrimp off of the sandwich just to see if it made a difference, and it did not - it was really bland. The sandwich was "fully dressed"; it had limp shredded lettuce, lots of spanish onions that really overpowered anything else (I took them off after the first bite), a ton of banana peppers and a transparently thin slice of tomato. Period. No sauce of any kind, not even mayo. The ratio of shrimp to bread was way off - I put all of the shrimp on 1/2 of the roll. Cost of the sandwich was $12. First time I have been here, and will be the last. read more

Just had it (AGAIN) last night. Delicious! The chips are a hit! Our routine is to get a bag of the Cajun chips with dinner so that on our way home the chips can be our appetizer. Crawfish etouffee, seafood jambalaya, red beans and rice, everything is great. And Chef Henry is open when he says he's going to be open. That's key. Only thing i haven't tried yet is breakfast. Surely next on our list. read more

Best food in town! The chef and staff are amazing. The crayfish are cooked so tenderly! I had the Toni this time. It has about 2 full pounded, fried chicken breasts, tons of shrimp and crayfish. The bread is so great, doesn't fall apart but very soft. I choose not to get muffaletta on it, not into olives. The lettuce and tomatoes with crisp pickles add a cool snap when you bite into the sandwich. Don't let price scare you, it's 2 meals! I love the hot chips with seasoning! I have tried a few other items and it's always been perfect! They are nationally known for their breakfasts too. I need to try to get over there for all their specials. They will have a dining area in Aug! Btw I was a chef for years and I highly recommend this place. read more

Food was absurdly good for the price. Portions are huge. This is a bright spot in a dull area that is improving.

This place was everything the previous reviewers said it would be and more! Definitely a place/neighborhood I would never have gone to if the reviews hadn't been so good, but I am really happy I did because this place is awesome. read more

If I never in life get a chance to make it to New Orleans I have stepped there by going to this restaurant the chef puts his heart and soul into everything that comes off of the grill or out of the kitchen my all-time favorite is the crawfish etouffee love it love it love it read more

The 5 stars are for the food! My wife and I split a muffaletta which was just wonderful and I had a bowl of gumbo which made the trip more than worth the time and trouble. Cannot wait to try the red beans and rice with andouille. Then I can move on to the fried oysters. The location is suspect, however well worth the risk for outstanding creole food read more

This is a little hole in the wall, but don't let that keep you away. It's got its own parking and its cheap as all hell. Less the 10 bucks for a fish and grits breakfast! And its damn good food! read more

Creole Kitchen is tucked away in a neighborhood shopping center. If you're hungry, there's no time to waste. The "kitchen" hours are 8a.m. until early evening-every day of the week-take out ONLY. The Chef is from Louisiana so the food here, is Louisiana-inspired. No need to get comfy here. There are no fancy tables, chairs, flat ware, table cloths or menus. What you will see is a menu on the wall, an erase board, plastic ware, chairs and tables so that you can wait for your food. Some of the menu items are: beignets, blackened or fried fish (perch or whiting), chicken wings, hamburgers, omelette's, po-boys, eggs (any style), french toast, pancakes, biscuits, gravy, jambalaya, roasted red skin potatoes, grits, homemade potato chips, pasta, greens, just to name a few. Pictured below is fried whiting, grits, softly scrambled eggs and wheat toast. There's no need to season this food because it's already done for you. This could be a disadvantage for people with high-cholesterol or high blood pleasure because of the butter and the food being pre-salted. However, a little hot sauce shouldn't hurt. You can also follow me and become a fan on blogspot diningincolumbusandsurroundingareas. read more

I love getting my food here, best bbq chicken I swear. The area is iffy but I've been worse. Brave this place for some damn good food. I always get the bbq chicken po boy, looking forward to trying the gator soon. read more

Another one of my adventures travelling outside of the typical yuppie comfort zone. Walking in you feel like you're in New Orleans with smells of different spices thrown together in a bustling noisy kitchen (counter is right next to the kitchen). Staff was very nice and personable. She volunteers some days because she knows the family and loves the food. Right there I knew I made the right choice. Now, this is strictly carry out and not in the best of neighborhoods, but the food is very very good! I had the Shrimp & Chicken Etouffee with Dirty Rice and Mac & Cheese and finished off with Sweet Potato Pie. Simply fantastic. Best Mac & Cheese I've tasted I think and the shrimp was to die for. I little more spicy than I'm use to, but I'm usually a wimp. You'll like it! While I was eating at home, I was so pleasantly surprised and inspired, who is this chef I wondered. Answer: Chef Butcher who has been a behind the scenes genius for some time in Columbus at many restaurants. I think he is one of the most underrated chefs in town and I will be back soon enough. Another great discovery! Creole Kitchen is a take-out stop, no inside seating other than a special Chef's Table seating in the back of the kitchen for eight (advance reservations only). I think I might do that and bring some friends and meet this famous chef! Check it out, you won't be disappointed! I can't wait to try the gator and oysters. read more

When I read that one of my favorite holes in the wall was expanding I was both delighted and a tad frightened; delighted because Creole Kitchen deserves to be recognized and rewarded, frightened because I feared success might change its winning combination of the best NOLA food to be found in central Ohio. Creole Kitchen always maintained a laid-back, no-frills atmosphere full of friendly people of every size, shape and color who frequented it for the same reason: to celebrate the food. I loved it. I used to get take-out a lot, as did most people but every time I ate in, it was a gas. The staff was fun and friendly and patrons interacted with everyone. Servers talked to you about the food and their favorites. They'd even bring you a taste or a small bowl to your table so you could sample items. If you wanted a dish a special way, they'd prepare it to order...and suggest side sauces and the like to make it even better. It had no rival. I'm happy to report that after waiting far too long, my wife and I returned yesterday to find the expanded Creole Kitchen to be fantastic. The food is every bit as good, the atmosphere is less confining than its predecessor and kitchen noise is no longer part of the experience. Saturated, happy colors and contemporary paintings suggesting NOLA grace the walls of an otherwise utilitarian additional dining room (cement floors below, exposed duct work above), that now accommodates families. Funky Crescent City jazz tunes and Mardi-Gras masks set the mood. Flatware on paper napkins and china service have replaced the Styrofoam and plastic forks. Water glasses are tall and plastic. The menu is full of bayou favorites. Service is very good. Our waiter noticed that our table wobbling and shimmed up one leg to make it level. He checked on us repeatedly and topped off my water without being prompted. He was also very helpful in making our selections. The food's not cheap but it's a great value. Portions are generous. Ingredients are fresh; everything came to us hot and expertly prepared. This is Columbus, y'all. But if you aren't getting down to N`awlins any time soon, Creole Kitchen is more than up to the task of scratching that itch, better than anyone in Central Ohio. read more

Super Meh. This place left me appalled at the service and underwhelmed by the food. Customer service receives 0 stars. I don't want anyone to lose their job, but dude at the front? Beyond rude. He proceeded to do a stage whisper in which he told two other customers that the transient woman who just left the restaurant (and paid for a meal I might add) "stank". Um, ok. I swear people are just mean and rude for no reason at all. Maybe he's going through something and isn't just plain evil. But beyond that. The food? Many of the items on the menu were not available to order, chicken wings, meatloaf and seafood fettuccine to name a few. No chicken wings? Really? I ordered the catfish dinner for myself with a side of red beans and rice and macaroni and cheese. The mac and cheese smelled delicious but was tasteless. The fish smelled funny but tasted alright. But that's not too comforting...considering that it SMELLED! Red beans and rice had no flavor whatsoever, Popeye's is a better bet. I ordered the creole fettuccine for my husband who said it tasted "ok". I need to learn to lower my expectations. I can cook all of the above at home, so maybe my expectations were just too high. I'd love to support a small, black owned business but it's doubtful I'll be back. read more

So we came here based on all the online hype we kept reading and fueled by the fact that my boyfriend has been craving a po'boy like no other. It was mid afternoon on a Saturday, the line wasn't bad and the service was fine. I ordered the crawfish étouffée and my boyfriend ordered the oyster po'boy. We sat down inside while it was being prepared, I got nervous as soon as I noticed that my étouffée was being made with crawfish from a bag. I brushed it off and figured it could still be good. We got home and sat down to eat. My mac and cheese was bland and overcooked, kind of reminded me of cafeteria food. The red beans and rice were okay but that's all. And last the étouffée, gross. The crawfish tasted off, not bad, just not fresh. I was disappointed but decided to just pick them out and eat the rest, a few minutes later my stomach turned. I decided to force myself to throw up because the food hit my stomach wrong and tasted off and I didn't want to get sick later. My boyfriends po'boy was mediocre, the bread was too soft and the po'boy lacked flavor. The fries were just plain terrible. I'm not sure why people keep giving this place such high reviews. Da Levee is much better quality and although a bit pricier, the food is good and worth knowing you won't likely be getting sick from it. read more

Our first time here and we will be returning! With this being our first time we ordered a few things, which made it great they had half portions, and perfect is all I can say. We had the seafood jumbalaya, shrimp and chicken etouffee (sp?), mac and cheese, the steak po boy, and my husband had the oysters. Now even with the half sizes we fed three people! The sizes are incrediable for the price; my husband prefered the jumbalaya and I prefered the etouffee (sp again?). Not that the other stuff wasn't good but just preferance. If I had one complaint it would be the po boy, now I'm no foodie but I figured there was something different about it other than just being a sandwich but sadly that's all it was, good never the less. Oh and next time I wanna try the beniets (sp?), they only do them for breakfast so next time breakfast it is! So I recommend this place to everyone to try at least once! read more

Food was excellent for the price and the portions I received. They were very helpful at the counter. I definitely will be back sooner than later. Top notch read more

LOVED this place. I had the crawfish etouffee which is what I order at any chance. Best I've ever had. But SO DAMN HOT. When I ordered the guy behind the counter says how hot do you want it on a scale of 1-10 and before I answer he says you look about like a 4. Fine, I trust you. I absolutely can not imagine (if it was in fact a 4) anyone eating it at a 10. We had it to go, eating at home thank god b/c about 1/2 way through I had to bust out the sour cream to cut the heat. I'm sure that's not in any way authentic creole, but was necessary. Oh but so tasty. My husband ordered a po boy, not sure which one but it was LOADED with chicken, fish and shrimp and a whole sandwich FILLED two to-go containers (it was basically two sandwiches) and again TASTY as hell. If you need a nice atmosphere or cool setting, this is not the place for you. It is all about the food. There are a few tables to sit and eat but they were full the day we were there of people waiting on to-go orders. They also have a breakfast menu and I cannot wait to try it. read more

Excellent! We were there for dinner and ordered the Roasted Half Chicken, the Chicken Oliver and Seafood Jambalaya. All were prepared perfectly. The root vegetables in the accompaniment were all fresh along with the Creole Rice side dish ingredients. We had 1 order of Beignets to share among the 3 of us. I haven't had any this good since visiting New Orleans. Service and light jazz in the background just added to a delightful dining experience. I cannot wait to try both the lunch and the breakfast menus! read more

Great place to pick up food. The corner in front of the restaurant sells great heroin at least that's what the dealer told me. I probably wouldn't go back due to the neighborhood but the food was great. read more

Great family-run creole restaurant. Reasonable prices for above average food. Super friendly service. Food made with love, and you feel good supporting a local business. read more

Went here last night!!! Although I'm not too keen on the neighborhood, it's still a nice place to have dinner. Lots of beautiful African American art work on the walls. The restaurant itself was clean and inviting. Wait staff was attentive and helpful with the menu. The food was fabulous and plentiful. I recommend the fried gator as the starter. The entree I had gator, sausage etufee, catfish, scallops and clams. I wasn't to thrilled with the fries but the dirty rice more than made up for it. I only wish they could serve beer with all that good food. Unfortunately , they don't. Can't wait to try the breakfast menu!!! If you want a different place to eat besides the short north, try this place out!!! You won't be disappointed!! read more

Hard to get to, amazing food. I've eaten there a number of times and it always pleases. Authentic creole food and VERY friendly service. Definitely give this one a try. read more

I had the Creole kitchen shrimp po boy. It wasn't what I expected. The shrimp was cooked very good but other than that it was mediocre at best. Nothing wild me about the sandwich. I wouldn't see myself going back there. read more

Jambalaya, corn bread, Mac and cheese. All delicious! Cheap, huge portions. Great place.

My parents were both born and raised in south Louisiana, Cajuns through and through. I grew up eating cajun and creole food. I never imagined I'd find a little piece of home in Columbus, Ohio. Let's start with their beignets. They'd make Cafe du Monde proud. They're soft and light and served warm with plenty of powdered sugar. I had the shrimp po-boy for lunch today. The shrimp was plump, the breading perfectly seasoned and crisp. The sauce was delicious. The bread wasn't exactly like you'd get in New Orleans, but it was close enough. Large portion size. I got the house potato chips instead of the fries, and was happy with the choice. You don't get a chance to eat homemade potato chips often. They're a little spicy, but oh so good. The crawfish etoufee tastes like my dad's always did, dark and spicy and full of flavor. I got them to make it as spicy as they go and wasn't disappointed. This cajun girl RARELY sweats, but that etoufee certainly got my brow wet. I loved every bite. And you guys. The gumbo. Chef Butcher gets his roux JUST RIGHT and you can tell with every spoonful. Today's gumbo, chicken and andouille, made me want to cry happy tears. A lot of people make "gumbo", but it's never gumbo the way I know it. Creole Kitchen's gumbo brought me back to my childhood, with my dad cooking a big pot of gumbo on a cold, wet day. I can't promise that everyone will love Creole Kitchen as much as I do, but I can promise that Chef Butcher knows what he's doing when he's cooking cajun and creole fare. read more