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    Dat Cajun Place Cafe

    4.3 (2.1k reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:45 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Waitlist - Dat Cajun Place Cafe

    Live Current wait: under 5 minutes

    Dat Cajun Place Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    DAT CAJUN PLACE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Dat Cajun Place Cafe

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    gumbo
    K S.

    Dat Cajun Place was founded in 2012 by Jan and Trudy White, who had evacuated to the Bay County area in 2005 after losing much of what they owned in Hurricane Katrina. Neither of them had any restaurant experience going in, but they set out to bring genuine Louisiana flavor and spice to Panama City, and it clearly worked. The restaurant started tiny, just 450 square feet, and has gone through several expansions since -- growing to 1,500 square feet, then 5,000, and eventually to its current 8,600-square-foot space at 2705 Navy Boulevard. That kind of steady growth from a couple with no industry background says a lot about how the food has been received over the years. The recognition backs that up. Dat Cajun Place holds a Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice award, and their chicken and andouille sausage gumbo in particular has picked up its own award-winning reputation as the signature dish people come back for. Having tried it, that reputation is earned -- it's rich, well-spiced, and has real depth rather than tasting like a shortcut version of the real thing. The chargrilled oysters were another highlight, with the char and butter working together exactly the way they should on a good chargrilled oyster. Beyond the gumbo and oysters, the boudin made for a great starter, authentic and well seasoned, and the blackened redfish creole was the standout main of the meal -- a well-executed blackening on the fish paired with a solid, flavorful creole sauce underneath. Desserts closed things out nicely, a good finish to a meal that felt like a genuine taste of Louisiana rather than a watered-down Gulf Coast interpretation of it. Between the Whites' story and the quality of the food across the board, this is one of the better Cajun spots in the Panama City area and well worth a visit.

    Cajun Rockafellar oysters
    Brandee H.

    We decided to give Dat Cajun Place a try for dinner, and we're so glad we did. After a couple of disappointing meals during our trip, this was exactly the kind of flavorful Cajun food we were hoping to find. Our waiter, Eric, was excellent. He was extremely attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed. Nothing about our service was disappointing. We started with the Cajun Rockefeller oysters and the Char-Grilled Oysters. The Rockefeller oysters were slightly salty for our taste, but the lemon that came with the Char-Grilled Oysters helped cut through the salt. The Char-Grilled Oysters were easily the highlight of the meal -- absolutely delicious and full of flavor. My girlfriend ordered the crawfish étouffée and a shrimp basket, and she was very happy with both. The crawfish étouffée was another standout, and the fries were so well seasoned that ketchup wasn't even necessary. I ordered the shrimp Pontchartrain. I wasn't completely sold on the sauce, but the shrimp itself was incredibly flavorful and cooked well. The Hurricanes were another pleasant surprise. At only around $8-$9, they were strong enough that one was definitely all we needed! Overall, Dat Cajun Place was one of our favorite meals of the trip. The Char-Grilled Oysters, crawfish étouffée, flavorful shrimp, well-seasoned fries, strong drinks, and excellent service from Eric made this a place we'd definitely recommend and visit again. 9/10/2026

    Jennifer G.

    Food was great but service was slow. Food came out quickly and was perfect. Took forever to get our check. It's loud but it's a big restaurant. We love this place but wished we hadn't have had to go to the host stand to get our check.

    Bread Pudding (my hand for size comparison)
    Yaz E.

    Overall, we had a really good meal at Dat Cajun Place Cafe. I had the Fish Orleans with snapper. The flavor was great and the Orleans cream sauce complemented the fish really well. The snapper itself was a little drier than I personally prefer, but it was still a good dish overall. We also ordered the wings crispy with Hot Buffalo sauce, and they were great. They definitely don't hold back on the sauce, so ordering them crispy was the right move. Even with all that sauce, the wings held up really well. The chargrilled oysters were good too. My only critique would be the Parmesan. They use a finely grated or powdered-style Parmesan, and I think using freshly shredded Parmesan would take them to another level and give the oysters a better texture and finish. The bread pudding with rum sauce was delicious and the portion is huge. It's easily enough for two adults to share and still feel like each person got a full serving, or enough for about four kids to split. Good Cajun flavors, generous portions, and an enjoyable meal overall. There were just a few small things I would tweak, but I'd definitely return.

    Gumbo
    Jayden D.

    I would highly highly highly recommend anyone to eat here. It has been one of the best meals I've had in quite a while. We were surprised that there was a way to check in for a table on the yelp app, but unfortunately didn't realize it until we were five minutes away. For a party of ten on a Wednesday night, we waited around one and a half hours. We were sat inside- we enjoyed the live music they had going on. Our server Richard was fantastic. One of my biggest pet peeves is having an empty drink cup. There wasn't a time throughout the night this happened. He checked on us multiple times, and was overall great at his job. The food was also fantastic. Would highly recommend the gumbo for everyone. It had a nice kick to it, but not super overpowering. I had the chicken fried chicken for my main. Tons of food for the price. The fries were crispy and had a nice seasoning on them. The chicken had a nice crunch, and the gravy was a nice addition. Overall, great vibes, great service, great food. Would highly recommend to anyone in the area. Would recommend signing up for the wait list earlier than later as wait times could be long (but totally worth the wait).

    Michelle K.

    The food was absolutely amazing. The bread pudding was the star of the show though. I got the crawfish étouffée and it was really good with the bread. Just the right amount of spices. Our server was on top of it as far as his service. This was a casual dinning experience. I'd come back to try more food.

    Amber D.

    GUMBO IS AMAZING it definitelya must try...The 3 cheese Oysters were great, raw oysters fresh and delicious. Staff is very friendly this is my 2nd visit back to this restaurant in 2 months I live in Phoenix wish we had one there.So now on my visits to PCB its a must.

    Patty melt and fries
    Jennifer M.

    I'm a foodie, so I kinda knew what I was walking into with a touristy Cajun spot in Florida. I was excited because the reviews were so good. But for me, it just didn't hit. I started with a hurricane and I couldn't even finish it... it tasted off. For food, I got the shrimp skewers with Cajun rice and coleslaw. The shrimp had decent flavor, but nothing that made me go "wow." The Cajun rice was the biggest letdown. It was dry and almost tasted like it had been sitting awhile? The coleslaw was actually the best part of my plate. Service was great. Everyone was super friendly, attentive, and welcoming. You can tell they hustle, especially because the place was packed. And the vibe is cute. Very classic tourist Cajun spot, fun decor, and a covered patio which is nice if you want to sit outside without melting. To the owner: you're clearly doing something right because people love this place and it stays busy. I think tightening up consistency on the food (especially sides like the rice) and maybe revisiting the drink recipes could take it up a notch. For me, it just wasn't my taste, but I can see why others enjoy it.

    Cajun Rockefeller oysters

    Alil salty this time but usually very good food, we will be back!!!! I spoke to the manger she was very understanding and took it off the bill

    Frank H.

    Came in for lunch today. I wanted to see what the burger special was about. The place is decked out nice for the sports enthusiast. The decor is real nice and the TV's are placed in a great area. I had a cup of gumbo which had just the right amount of seasoning and kick. The chicken and sausage were all through. I also had the burger which was seasoned and not overcooked. The fried pickles took it over the top. On Sunday's, they have live music during brunch. This is definitely on the list to revisit!!!

    Cajun fire wings
    Gabriela Z.

    Came back for breakfast this time and it was just as good as ever! The Bloody Marys and mimosas were such a great deal, and our server Amanda was wonderful. Consistently great food, drinks, and service. Still one of my favorite spots in PCB

    D R.

    Great place on Navy Rd. Came into town and the locals pointed this place out. This was not a let down. I ordered the chicken tenders with the house sauce. It was four whole breasts tenderized and hand battered with fries. Enough for two. Everything on the menu was very reasonable in price. Menu had a very large selection of choices. The service was great. You know it's good when you have to tell them you have had enough to drink as they are refilling your glass. The place had a great decor. Great experience

    Side salad
    Lynnsie S.

    This restaurant's cuisine was worth the wait. It was served hot and fresh. We enjoyed the shrimp, fish, and jambalaya. The prices were reasonable. The service was decent but unremarkable. The live music added a nice touch to the ambiance.

    Margarita

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    1 month ago

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    1 month ago

    Great food great service. Wasn't a super long wait. Bread pudding was really good. First time trying crab legs they were super good.

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    1 month ago

    Food and drinks were great! Yelp was a timesaver we arrived right on time. Our food was amazing.

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    3 days ago

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    10 months ago

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    2 days ago

    Love love love this place. Awesome drinks, great food and service annnnd the music!!!!!

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    2 days ago

    Everything is great at DCP love the oyster and cocktails. Great atmosphere love the music indoors and outdaoors

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    11 months ago

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    16 days ago

    Food is amazing!! Service is good as well , I had raw oysters and they were huge! The soup was just as good as well

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    15 days ago

    Great food and friendly staff are essential for success and this place has both. The ambiance is natural Florida, well worth a wait.

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    Page 1 of 52

    Ask the Community - Dat Cajun Place Cafe

    I'm new to town, plan to be frequent guest, but struggling w/your website, understand you do not accept reservations?

    No they don't take or make reservations.

    Are the chicken tenders spicy? are there other things that aren't spicy?

    No they are not.

    Do you have music nightly?

    Yes, they usually have live music inside and outside Live Football games may take over some nights inside

    Do they accept/allow outside cakes to celebrate a birthday?

    Yes just tell them a little in advance

    What are the Gluten intolerant options?

    Is this place handicap accessible?

    I don't think it would be a problem. It's a newer building (last few years) so I'm pretty sure it's ADA.

    Do they have a brunch menu?

    Yes, they have a good brunch and even bottomless mimosas. I think it's on Sundays only though.

    Do they have a first responder discount?

    They do have a military discount though!

    Do they have a discount for active duty military?

    Yes, 10%

    I have a party of 20 for in about an hour?

    You can get on the waitlist online

    Dog friendly for the outside seating?

    I saw a few puppers on leashes outside the deck area.

    Could you please put our names down under Fischer for a table of 12? How long will the wait be?

    They have a electronic waitlist that you could try.

    Do they have a kids menu?

    Yes. I think the have hamburger but my daughter had the chicken strips. It was very good. Very fresh and delicious.

    Does anyone know the price range of the crawfish this season? Per pound of course.

    11.95 and they are great with sausage and mushrooms corn and potatoes

    How's the crawfish pie? If this really is a cajun place, surely they have crawfish pie. Is it good?

    They have ettoufe and a crawfish stack with fried green tomatoes and best redfish with sauce in the beach

    View All 17 Questions

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    Paparazzi Pizza - The front counter where you order.

    The front counter where you order.

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    Paparazzi Pizza

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    Dat Cajun Place Cafe - cajun - Updated September 2026

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