J. Gumbo's is a great value; you get a large plate of food for around $8, and because it's a fast-casual place where you order at the counter and the food is already prepared, you get your food fast. The vibe inside is cool, too; it has a funky, New Orleans feel with impressive decorations and woodwork, and there's a lot of space to accommodate a lot of people. I visited with a large group (taking my class on a field trip!), and everyone seemed pretty happy with their food for the most part. I tried a half-and-half bowl with etouffee and gumbo. The food was okay, but only okay: the gumbo tasted a bit bitter, which was odd, and the etoufee had a good flavor, but didn't appear to have much crawfish in it. Neither dish was spicy or super flavorful; I suspect that some of the other dishes on the menu might be better. Your food comes with a big plate of rice and a piece of garlic bread, and you can top off your meal with sour cream or cheese for 50 cents each. The service was great; they accommodated our big group, and were friendly and helpful. There appears to be street parking only, although I saw another customer validate a ticket for a parking lot nearby. read more

Pretty tasty and super cheap "Cajun style" fast food. Let me start by saying this is NOT authentic NOLA food. It's fast food done Cajun style. I think once you realize that its pretty good. The staff is friendly and helpful, as long as they aren't super busy they'll gladly let you sample whatever is on the menu. Dishes range from quite mild like the Bourbon St. Chicken up to the really spicy Voodoo Chicken so there is something for everyone. Each menu item has a number of hot sauce bottles next to it to let you know how spicy each meal is and they seem pretty accurate. Most meals are about $6 to $7 so you can't really complain about value as you get a good amount of food, and like I said it's not authentic, it's just tasty cheap food. read more

Jordan's review is right on, although their gumbo does have a darker roux than most places outside of Louisiana. It's flavorful and a good consistency. Their red beans and rice are good too. They recently muted the televisions and put blues music on the speakers. That was a huge improvement to the atmosphere! My only minor complaint is that every once in a while I happen to get somewhat lukewarm food. It's rare and I'm sure it's not easy to keep everything piping hot so I'll continue to be a regular. read more

Had lunch here for the first time. I loved the décor inside. didn't wait in line very long, it moves pretty quick. listening to other people ahead of me, I decided on the drunken chicken. Perfectly spiced, just the right amount of sauce. Next time I come back, I will ask for half as much rice, I couldn't eat it all and pretty much ate the chicken anyway. lol. I was very happy and cant wait to come back. read more

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This is a tough one to review. We arrived just as they were closing, but they were very friendly about welcoming us in and serving despite undoubtedly wanting to get home. We weren't expecting the semi-fast food style, but the quality of the food was really good (and I'm a big fan of eating--and cooking--cajun). I was actually shocked when the owner told us that the food is all shipped in, rather than being cooked on-site. Certainly not haute cuisine, but very tasty and a great value. The odd thing is that the owner has invested hugely in the bar, yet it wasn't even open the night we were there--because there wasn't enough business (and this was 8 pm on a Sunday night). Of course there's not going to be much business if the bar is closed and food service ends at 8--kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. The owner said he plans to have low-key live music, which again is kind of odd for a fast-foodish kind of place. I really wonder just what his vision for this place is--and if it will sell to the community. And that's the real rub. While the owner was friendly with our (Boomer) group, we got the real impression that he was a hard-ass with the employees and really looked down on college kids in general. Pretty strange for a place that ought to be a popular student hang-out, especially with ISU right across the street. If this review feels weird and disjointed, that's because J. Gumbos left that feeling with us. We were just visiting from out of town, but if I was a local, I'm not sure how I'd feel. The place certainly has potential, but I'm not sure I'd want to hang out there much. Hope I'm wrong. read more

What a pleasant surprise! I drove by, hungry, at 9:01pm. The "Open" sign was thus a welcome sight. But by the time I parked and walked to the door, the light was off and the workers were busily stacking chairs and cleaning up. J. Gumbo's earned the first star when, despite just closing, they let us in anyway. The proprietor and the staff couldn't have been nicer. Allowing us to sample the offerings provided a second star, deliciousness (of the Bourbon Street and Voodoo Chicken), star three, and affordability, star four. Long story short, J. Gumbo's was really fantastic. And the price was right. With darker lighting, fancy decor and table service, the food could have easily garnered two or three times the price and still made for a preiswert meal out. The bread was bland and lathered, much to generously, with fake butter. Nice staff, fantastic food, and good prices only take a place so far... read more

So disappointed, was looking forward to a great meal and was served steam table cafeteria food. I even eaten better MRE'S.

They load you up with a pound of rice and French bread. I paid $10 for Crawfish etoufee and I got 3 thumbnail pieces of crawfish swimming around in a bland brown sauce. Not worth it read more

A friend and I were passing by the storefront and decided to pop in just to read the menu. The owner was behind the counter and offered some samples of his food. I am a restaurant snob. I despise processed food, and I cannot stand artificial ingredients, overly salted, and overly preserved garbage. I avoid chain restaurants like the plague... to my surprise... We tried several things on the menu. Everything was fresh tasting, home made, flavorful, and down right amazing. The employees were very friendly. They let you try something before you buy it, just in case it's too spicy. They have amazing creole, rice dishes, home made bread, and excellent prices. Most meals are around $6-7 and they are huge! We will be going there a lot! It's clean, delicious, and friendly. I recommend for a fast affordable and amazing bite to eat! read more

I go to J.Gumbo's once a week on average. One of my favorite things about this place is that there's virtually no wait to get your food. There's a variety of dishes on their menu that cater to all kinds of palates. Everything I've had here so far has been pretty good. The food is usually hot, fresh and generously portioned. My personal favorite is the Drunken Chicken. I actually really like their new menu item, Chicken Zydeco, as well. Among other considerations, I think there's been a significant improvement in the ambiance of this place since their move from across the street. Overall, this place is relatively inexpensive and is a true standout among restaurants in Terre Haute. That's why I gave it five stars. read more

I love J. Gumbos! I went today for lunch with some friends and had excellent service and food as usual. I generally order the bourbon chicken with brown rice, green onions and sour cream. I highly recommend it. My friend had the honey Sriracha which is a special they are still selling and she loves it. I have never had a bad meal from here. The price is very reasonable and the customer service is always exceptional. They give a discount for ISU students and employees if you show your ISU ID. read more

Give this place a big shout out! We were in town 3 days and ate here twice. It was just that good! I suggest the honey saracha or drunken chicken!! read more

J. Gumbo's - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Terre Haute, Indiana

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Best food in the area! Highly recommend. Has some good spicy dishes as well! Mmmmmmm

Would definitely recommend this place. Great food for a cheaper price. Definitely has the New Orleans type feel when you walk in and has great New Orleans style food. Also not very busy most of the time so service is great. You can sample the food before you eat it so you don't eat something you don't enjoy. read more

J. Gumbo's - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Terre Haute, Indiana

Never been In here before but as I walked in at around 1:00pm on a Sunday afternoon there was a few people in here eating seems like a nice place so far the staff member seen I did not know what I wanted to eat she offered me samples and told me the specials as I was trying to see what I wanted she was very good at knowing what was what on the foods they severed. So paid for our lunch sat down and begun to eat. The food was hot tasty and over all very very good the place is very clean the staff member was out cleaning the tables and other stuff while she was walking around she asked us if what we had was good and of course we said yes so we got done eating and then she came by and got our plates and took them to be cleaned. This is a very nice place we will be coming back here again thank you for reading have a good day. read more

I have been here many times in the past and today was actually the worst experience I've ever had. The food always seems to be pricey for what you get a bunch of rice a little bit of meat, but mine today was the standard a bunch of rice a little meat and very very cold today. The condition of the restaurant is always very clean people are nice. I agree with other people and reviews, the quantity is going down in the prices keep going up and I don't know if I'll be back. read more

I am a current ISU student, and JGumbo is my favorite dining place since it is walkable from campus. However, I did not have any good experience today going to JGumbo. My boyfriend and I ordered a 2-entree (Bumblebea Stew and Bourbon Chicken) with cheese and green onion topping, and a Voodoo Chicken with cheese topping. We carried two coupons expecting to be able to save some money (one is a free drink with an entree, and the other is $1.5 off for a 1-entree dish). Yet, we ended up paying more than $11 for the 2-entree dish, and $8 for the Bourbon chicken dish; that was after the coupons were applied. I thought it was a ripped-off. How could a 2-entree dish with a slice of bread possibly cost $11? I am a college student, but I am willing to pay for food experience. However, this feeling of being ripped-off concerns me so much and made me lost my appetite. read more

We had just heard about one of these franchises opening in our area but we had not made it there yet. We decided to give this one a try. When you walk in you feel transported to New Orleans. They have live music some nights but not the night we were there. A little live music would have been nice. I ordered the Red Beans and Rice. You can choose white or brown rice plus any entree can be made into a sandwich. I ordered brown rice but was given white. The beans and rice looked really good and I was excited to dig in. When I did I was greatly disappointed. The dish was overwhelmed by a certain spice. It wasn't spicy but the flavor of a spice. I didn't like it at all. I lived in New Orleans and I know what it is supposed to taste like. This wasn't it. I ate my bread and left my dish. My husband tried it and he didn't like it either. He also wasn't a big fan of his entree. It was such a disappointment. read more

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What a gem! Downtown Terre Haute is lucky to be home to this unique and spicy Cajun inspired restaurant. Since the location is within walking distance to ISU and countless other businesses, this is a great place to stop by for lunch or dinner! The menu is very unique and includes a helpful guide to the degree of spice for each option. I recently tried the gumbo and it was spicy (rated two chili peppers), but the flavor was worth it! The meals tend to run under 10$ and you can add or remove additional toppings for your meal. Each meal comes with buttered bread that I really enjoy. read more

We currently don't have a gumbo lunch concept in Chicago so this was a nice treat. There is a wide selection of gumbos available with a Tabasco sauce bottle symbol next to them to gauge the spice level. They also offer sample so you can be confident that you love your order. I ordered the voodoo. The chicken was soft and moist and it had just enough of a kick for me. Fountain coke machine goes great with the gumbo. read more

As good as its going to get in Terre Haute. The food taste authentic and it keeps me going back. I had the étouffée if you love cajun food one can appreciate this dish. The manager is very cool i ordered the gumbo and i didn't like it so i asked if i could swap it out for the étouffée, and it was free of charge read more

Have gone back a few times since initial review, as the food is tasty. We have had better experiences with subsequent orders, but I think we must've gotten really lucky the first time with the generous servings of "entree" over rice. read more

This place just downright sucks. I'd rather drive to Indy for Yats if I really want cajun food.

Passing through TH on business and discovered this gem, thanks to Yelp. Voodoo Chicken with brown rice is making my mouth VERY happy. They encourage you to taste before you buy. Nice spice to the dish; authentic Creole. Po Boys are not traditional but instead are their "bowls" served open face on bread instead of over rice. Highly recommend this place. Cute NOLA street feel inside. Blues on the speakers for background, not decibel heavy. read more

When I'm starving, which I often am, this place fills you up with great food for a decent price. The atmosphere is nice for a fast food establishment, and the decor is clever. Get your belly full and have a good time. read more

This was a great find! We were looking for something relatively quick that wasn't fast good, and this place fit the bill. We had the drunken chicken po' boy, honey siracha special (seasonal), and the bourbon chicken. All of it was very good. They make their bread fresh too. You can get just about anything served over rice or as a po' boy (served over 2 giant pieces of toasted buttered baguettes), and having it over rice does cut down on the spiciness some. They do have some items that aren't spicy too. If you're in the mood for something different and spicy, this place is definitely worth checking out. read more

Pretty lame Cajun food. I guess I was expecting more than basically a take out place but I though, what the hell, try it . The crawfish étouffée was mostly rice and gloppy sauce (roux made from corn starch?). Very few crawfish, no veggies,no onions and almost no flavor. You could fill up for $6 though. Obviously the cook has never been to Baton Rouge. I suppose college kids will eat anything that's cheap read more

I've only had real Cajan food once. So I can't compare this to the real thing. But I can say it was sooo delicious. Great pricing for a lot of food. The customer service was above and beyond. They gave us many samples as soon we walked in the door. Offered us many vegetarian options, and even checked in the back to see if the chips were gluten free. There was a small problem with one of our dishes and he immediately offered a refund, which we declined. The server then brought us a desert on the house. Ill be back here again when I'm in town! read more

Had lunch here outside. Lazy summer lunch. Food OK. Nothing fancy but good. Reasonable. I had the jambalaya, kinda like NOLA pub grub I've had. Friendly staff helped me outside with my tray read more

Good stuff at a good price.... Fast, friendly service.... Clean place.... Owner-operator was on-site and in control. He actually cleared our table for us after we finished. Looks like they're building out a New Orleans-style bar in the back.... They just don't stop improving this place.... Good for J. Gumbo's and good for Terre Haute! read more

After spending the day at ISU, we decided to go out for dinner at J Gumbos as it was within walking distance from the university and highly recommended by friends. The interior is absolutely beautiful and extensively detailed to make you feel like you have just set foot into a warm New Orleans city scape with decor balconies from above and artwork throughout. When I say detailed, I mean detailed from floor to ceiling. The staff was extremely helpful as I don't eat cajun/creole food often and wasn't sure what to order. They provided samples to our tastes and were patient while we decided what to order. I highly recommend the Drunken Chicken if you enjoy medium heat and their bread is absolutely amazing! My brother isn't a huge fan of cajun/creole food however enjoyed the red beans and rice for a milder taste. Portions are served in 1/2 and full sizes, with additional toppings available based on your preferences. Food was very similar to my experience at Yats. According to the number of students eating while I was there, this seems to be a good local place of choice and is also very family friendly. If you are in the Terre Haute area and are craving gumbo this is your place! read more

J. Gumbo's - The Drunken Chicken!! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Terre Haute, Indiana

Great food and staff. We were allowed to sample all of the entrées before we actually ordered. The atmosphere was charming and added to the experience. Would highly recommend if you're in downtown Terre Haute and to stop and fine your favorite cajun meal. read more

I ordered the white chili and it was underwhelming. The flavor was good especially with the added green onions but the beans and rice were both under cooked. The beans are kind of the star of the show so that was quite unfortunate. I'll have to find another vegan friendly option next time I'm in town. Until then I'll stick with Yats in Indy...at least their beans are cooked all the way. ‍ read more

I really wanted to like this place more than I did, and I am hoping that from the good reviews that I just caught them on an off night and perhaps ordered the wrong thing. I did like that the had the menu broken up by level of spice - mild, medium, spicy. I went with my favorite Cajun dish, Crawfish Etouffee. I also found it to be gloppy with very few crawfish AND lukewarm. They did have some great sweet tea...if I made my way back here I would probably try one of the sandwiches or a chicken dish. read more

I love love love J.Gumbo's. I go frequently with a friend for lunch, and even when it's relatively busy, the line moves quickly. My favorite is the Drunken Chicken--a small bowl is plenty for lunch. Whenever I order a large bowl, I never eat the whole thing, so unless they're having a special it's not worth it for me. I recently tried the bourbon chicken because I wasn't feeling spicy; while it's pleasantly sweet, it's a little bland when compared to my usual. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere, and the unsweet tea is always very good! read more

The guy that owns this place is by far one of the nicest business owners in Terre Haute. I have only met him while eating at JGumbos but he is so nice to chat with. The bumblebee stew is my favorite option. They have a new bar in the back if you want some alcohol options. They will punch your parking for the garage if you cant find street parking and don't forget a dining card for visits. After 10 you get a free meal. Great food!! read more

I loved it :-). Red beans and rice with hot sauce. Four bucks for a big bowl with plenty of sausage and a piece of garlic bread. Hot, fresh and it was great! read more

This is one of my favorite places to eat. The variety of flavor gives you a lot of options. The recent ownership change has definitely made massive improvements in a short amount of time. The staff is kind, casual, and professional. The food tastes great!! I am a big fan of the "Popular This Week" sign. It helps a lot on those indecisive days. Their weekly specials are a great bonus as well. All over a great experience. read more

Fast Tasty Cajun food in the Midwest. Staff is friendly and helpful in finding the right flavor for you. Drunken Chicken and Bumblebee stew combined is a personal favorite. read more

Food was speedy and flavorful considering it was a fast-food joint. I'd definitely go again!