We found Parrain's Seafood while searching for authentic Louisiana food and a good po'boy/seafood…read morespot before making our drive back home to Houston. We were in Baton Rouge helping our grandson move into his dorm as an incoming freshman at LSU, and Parrain's kept coming up in our searches and reviews. We decided to give it a try, and I'm SO glad we did! We visited on a Sunday afternoon around 2:30 p.m., and when I tell you EVERYBODY and their family was there... I mean everybody! The parking lot was packed. There is plenty of parking, but there were so many people that we still had to hunt for a spot. Thankfully, we found one under a shade tree because it was HOT! When we walked up, we fully expected a long wait. There is plenty of outdoor seating for people waiting, and I also noticed they have both steps and an accessibility ramp leading to the entrance. My daughter and I sat down while my husband stood in line to put our name on the list. About five minutes later, he was waving for us to come inside! Apparently, many of the people waiting were large groups and families coming from church, but since there were only three of us, they were able to seat us almost immediately. HUGE plus! Once inside, it was BUSY, BUSY, BUSY. It took our server a little while to initially get to us, but considering how packed the restaurant was, it really wasn't bad at all. Our waitress was very nice, and I was actually impressed with how quickly our food came out. Now let's talk about the FOOD!! We first ordered the onion rings for an appetizer... super delicious I ordered the fried shrimp platter, and those shrimp were fried to PERFECTION! Crispy, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. The meal also came with salad, fries, hush puppies, and a side. The hush puppies were SO GOOD! They are shaped almost like little donut holes... crispy on the outside and soft and savory on the inside. Delicious! For my side, I chose the fresh green beans instead of the dirty rice. Unfortunately, those were the one thing I didn't enjoy. They didn't have much flavor to me and seemed a little undercooked. Next time, I'll definitely choose another side. My husband ordered the fried catfish platter with dirty rice, coleslaw, and fries, and he loved everything. I tasted his coleslaw, and OH MY GOODNESS! Get the coleslaw! It was different from any coleslaw I've had before. It has whole peanuts in it, which sounds unusual, but somehow it WORKS! The peanuts add this wonderful crunch and flavor. It was SO good. And the French fries!! I've never seen fries cut this way before. They're almost shaped like little Scoop Fritos, with a crispy outside and soft potato inside. So unique and really good! My daughter ordered the catfish strips and fries from the kids' menu. These weren't processed little nuggets... they were actual pieces of catfish cut into strips, and she really enjoyed them. She also ordered the crab fingers, and those were another 10/10! They were incredibly well-seasoned with a little spice and tons of flavor. I tasted one and wanted MORE! I'm watching my sodium intake, so I behaved myself, but they were absolutely delicious. Overall, Parrain's was a 10/10 for us. The only thing I wouldn't personally order again would be the green beans. Everything else, from the shrimp and catfish to those amazing hush puppies, unique fries, crab fingers, and especially that coleslaw, was DELICIOUS. Yes, it was crowded and lively, but we still received really good service and didn't have to wait nearly as long as we expected. With our grandson now attending LSU, we'll be making plenty of trips back to Baton Rouge, and Parrain's has officially made our list of places we will be visiting again!

I had really been looking forward to trying Parrain's Seafood, but unfortunately my experience was…read moredisappointing. Our waitress, Kate M., didn't have the best customer service. She came across as short, unfriendly, and overall not very pleasant. I first ordered a Banana Foster's Martini, but she came back and said they didn't have the ingredients. No problem--I asked for an Espresso Martini instead. A few minutes later, after bringing everyone else's drinks, she returned and simply said they couldn't make that either and asked if I wanted something else. At that point, I just declined. When it was time to order, our table had nine people. She took my husband's order, then went around the table taking everyone else's order. By the time she got back to me, she said, "Okay, is that it?" I had to remind her that she hadn't taken my order yet. I ordered the crab and corn bisque, a salad, and the stuffed catfish with creamed spinach. The salad came out quickly and was very good. Then everyone else at the table received their meals while I only received my bisque. After waiting, I was told my stuffed catfish "didn't come out right" and had to be remade. At that point, I honestly wondered if it was a joke. It wasn't. By the time my entrée arrived, everyone else was nearly finished eating. To the restaurant's credit, they did remove the stuffed catfish from my bill, and I appreciated that. However, the entire experience left me feeling overlooked from start to finish. My biggest suggestion would be for our waitress to work on her customer service. A smile goes a long way. Saying things like "Give me that plate," slamming cups onto the table, and appearing annoyed throughout the meal doesn't create a welcoming dining experience. Hospitality is just as important as the food, and I hope this feedback is taken constructively.

came on a tuesday night and thought there would be no wait - we were told 1 hour for 5 adults and 2…read morekids! it ended up being a 15 minute wait. super friendly and chatty waiter! got the natchitoches meat pie with the red beans and rice as my side. i honestly thought it would be a small pie but it's a hand held pie (similar to an empanada) it was very good - the crust was flakey and buttery and paired well with the meats inside! love the salad! it had such a unique dressing. would come back again!!

First of all - parking was atrocious. The food - The flat-iron steak was tougher than an MMA…read morefighter, absolutely inedible....spit it out. (probably ordered the wrong thing). Redbeans "so-so"- canned??? Service- very friendly but just average, probably overwhelmed but the sheer number of people there. I won't be back.

The food was absolutely AMAZING! Legit the best place in this town. The Service was amazing…read moreeveryone was so friendly and helpful, they made the experience enjoyable and easy! It was my first time here and they truly were above and beyond the whole time, such amazing souls! I will definitely be coming back every-time I am in town.

Wow! Unbelievable food and efficient, friendly service…read more The portion sizes are very generous. Our young daughter ate all of her ribs. That's how we know the food is tasty. We loved the ambiance of the place. It felt like a barbecue joint.

Maybe because it's Friday night on a holiday weekend in a college town, but the atmosphere in theis…read moreBaton Rouge bistro is "kickin'"! Boudin balls and crawfish mac and cheese after 8 hours on I10...and the beers didn't hurt. Staff is friendly and enthusiastic, food and beers also top notch!

Don't make the trip to this place for anything but their selection of beers, which are so abundant…read morethat maybe just that makes it worth the journey. The food is mediocre at best. I was served a "large" gumbo, and I don't even want to know how small the lesser size serving might be. The Dungeness crab leg thrown into the gumbo was a nice touch -- something to crack it open so you can eat it would have been a really nice touch, too. They didn't have a nut cracker or anything, so I guess that crab leg was decorative? I ordered a house salad, and by dictionary definition I guess it was a salad. It had three ingredients: wilted iceberg lettuce, croutons, and a couple of fridge-aged cherry tomatoes of the flavorless variety. Bet the profit margin on that salad is HUGE! I don't go out to dinner because I want to heap more profit on someone's margins -- I want good food. I can't say enough about the great staff at this restaurant, and I truly mean that.. They're friendly, hard working and they really make you feel special as a customer. The service is nothing less than excellent, and I know what to look for in this regard -- you may have seen my long history of reviews on Yelp. I bet even the staff is bothered by the odor of urine wafting through the restaurant from the men's room. I certainly was. Bottom line: this place could be world-class if it had new management. Let's hope that happens soon.

Pictures do not do this food justice! It is so incredibly flavorful and clearly made to order…read more After I placed my order, I learned that it was cash only because their machine was down that day so definitely keep that in mind just in case. I was also told that it'd be 20 to 25 minutes, but it ended up being much closer to 40. Ordinarily that would bother me, but luckily on that day I had nothing else to do and everything was piping hot so I really couldn't complain. I do wish there was an easier way to find the menu online, I had to ask what all they had over the phone. For two plates my order came out to $38, and each plate comes with three sides and corn bread. I'd eat here again.

I ordered the smoked turkey wings. They were seasoned well, but I only received the flapper of a…read morewing. The white beans on Sunday were good and seasoned. I had the potato salad. They only accept cash. The service was typical wait, the order taker was not very friendly or helpful. Too much attitude. This is a hole in the wall place. Too expensive for a half wing. It filed me up, but a flapper is awful for a protein. I heard this place was good but stingy with the meat portion.

The food was fantastic. I had the fried green tomato BLT. I also tried the boudin balls, collard…read moregreens, and sweet potato soufflé of others at the table. The flavors were reminiscent of my family recipes. The batter on the fried green tomatoes was perfect. The service deserves its own paragraph. Our server was Mila (sp?). Her attention to detail and attentiveness to our experience was top 10 among all my international and domestic dining experiences. We had our 18 month old daughter with us and she made us feel welcomed and was attentive to the experience of our child as well. I highly recommend her table if you are fortunate enough to experience her excellent service. The atmosphere is true to its bistro title. Cozy, intimate and well designed. I highly recommend this restaurant if you are in Baton Rouge. I was here visiting family. San Francisco Bay Area is home.

Went to Cecelia for Restaurant week…read more Been multiple times in the past. Food is ALWAYS good. Never disappointed. We even looked up the chef because of how good it is. The reason for 4 stars is because it can get a little noisy. It's an old building and if there's an event happening upstairs, you will hear all the foot steps. The bathroom wasn't exactly the cleanest either. No complaints on service.

Delicious food, friendly service (Thanks Addison!), so much food, creative combinations of…read moreingredients. We had pulled pork nachos, BBQ salmon salad, and a Cubano sandwich. Even the giant side salads were delicious. Everything going by to other tables looked amazing as well, especially the BBQ platter and Bacon Old Fashioned. Wish I could've tried one of everything on the menu. If I lived here, I'd be a regular.

City Pork on Jefferson has become my go-to restaurant whenever I can't decide what I'm in the mood…read morefor. The menu has something for everyone, and everything is consistently well prepared. The atmosphere is small, cozy, and inviting, making it just as good for a casual dinner as it is for a special night out. Our server, Addison, was outstanding--easily one of the best servers I've had in Baton Rouge. She was attentive, friendly, knowledgeable, and made the entire experience even better. If you get the chance, don't miss their Restaurant Week menu. They always go above and beyond, and this year was no exception. The quail, stuffed with boudin and served over red beans, was incredibly juicy and packed with flavor. It was one of the standout dishes I've had in quite a while. If you're in Baton Rouge and can't decide where to eat, City Pork on Jefferson is a place you can count on. Great food, excellent service, and a warm atmosphere keep me coming back.

We came to this amazing restaurant to celebrate our uncle on his day. The service was great and the…read moreambiance was very nice and gave a family vibe. This is a great place to come for Sunday brunch or dinner. We started off getting their crawfish which was just okay. It could have been spicier and more seasoned. It came with potatoes as well which were pretty bland. My entree made up for the crawfish, however. I ordered the fried chicken with waffles and it was fantastic. The chicken was fried to perfection, hot, and crispy and I loved the buttery, sweet waffles. I tried a lot of their other foods and entrees ( a creamy fish dish-very good) from my other family members and I will have to come back to try more!

Willie's definitely delivered where it mattered most: the crawfish. I started with 3 pounds and…read morebefore I knew it, ordered 2 more. That alone should tell you how good they were. The crawfish were flavorful, seasoned well, and priced right, which is honestly the perfect combination when you're sitting down ready to eat. They had that messy, not really spicy, addictive quality that keeps you reaching for "just one more" until the tray is empty. I also tried the buffalo wings. They weren't that great, if I'm being honest, but I was hungry so they got the job done. The crawfish are clearly the star of the show here anyway. The atmosphere felt relaxed and unpretentious, exactly the kind of place you want for seafood with friends, cold drinks, and a table full of shells piling up by the minute. If you're wondering whether I'll be back, I already have.

Oh my God! This place is wonderful! We were greeted in such a friendly manner as soon as we walk…read morethrough the door and told "sit anywhere you want to". Once we chose the seat, the server came to us immediately. Everyone in the restaurant was so friendly and helpful and we were treated like old, familiar friends. The server brought warm hush puppies with lots of buttery spread. This was their complementary "bread". The hush puppies were delicious - crunching on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. I couldn't stop eating them and almost forgot to take a picture before they were all eaten. After a couple of minutes we ordered and our food did not take long to come at all. My husband ordered the grilled chicken with fried sweet potato fries as his two sides, and I ordered a bowl of crawfish etouffee. Everything was flavorful and filling. We certainly enjoyed the food, down-home friendly service and relaxed atmosphere. We recommend it highly.

I enjoyed this place! I went about 15 minutes before close on a Friday, they were quite busy but…read morecustomer service was still good. We did have about a 30 minute wait for our to go order, but everything was freshly made when we got it. Nice portion sizes. There was an error with our order that they fixed with no questions asked which was greatly appreciated. Overall, everything was flavorful and worth the wait and value. I want to go again to eat inside, there's so much more I want to try on their menu. Would recommend!

Great experience. Reasonably priced. We enjoyed every dish…read moreput in front of us. We will eat there again

Had a late afternoon reservation for my friend and I to celebrate our birthdays We missed because…read moreof Father's Day weekend. We had a very pleasant lunch. I've never been here before, but have wanted to stop in. My employees have raved about the food here. We had a 3pm reservation, so we were sat in the bar area. It was a tight squeeze, but once the other tables cleared out, it was comfy. I will definitely be back, especially if they have strong wifi. This may become my new late afternoon chill and trade spot. My best advice is to make a reservation!