The atmosphere is great - Mismatched tables and chairs, with the menu written on chalk boards. I do think they could lose a table just to have a little more elbow room. I love the outdoor seating area and will definitely return when it gets warmer to sit outside. Waitress was very pleasant and happy to go over the menu and give suggestions. The Veggie Creole could have used more flavor. When I think Creole, I want a nice amount of heat. It's a little pricey so it won't be a regular spot, but I would go back and request a little more heat with my meal. read more

I read some unflattering reviews on this yelp page and thought i even the odds. I always eat at this place when i have a groupon or a coupon from restaurant.com since the meal prices are a bit higher than what i can afford. Having said that the food is delicious and fresh. Definitely the spiced roasted garlic as a starter is amazing. I also agree w others having gone to new orleans the ettouffe was different than what i had expected. The environment is quaint and the service top notch. Give this place a try and youll come back for more. Its a byob w no reservations. read more

Okay I love this place! It is small and cramped, a little old looking, and there is no bar, but I have always had an excellent meal here. The atmosphere has grown on me as part of the charm. I usually order the chicken jambalaya but last night I decided to try the red snapper creole special. It was just spicy enough, and the fish was both juicy and tender. I had to try the alligator sausage....a little rich but tasty. At first I was a little put off by the band playing (being that the place is so small and I can't stand when music is too loud in a restaurant) but the bluesy style music was great and not to obtrusive. I don't know if this place serves what would be considered "authentic" cajun food, but it's excellent! You get good portions and lots of spice. I don't really get why people would complain that it's not spicy enough....I guess it depends on what you order and your tolerance level. I personally don't like it when my food tortures me as I eat it. read more

Excellent food! The setting is small giving it an intimate feel. The rolls are the best along with the blackened shrimp and scallops.

Great spot. Loads of fun and fantastic food. It's wonderful to sit outside, enjoy a cocktail (it's BYO) and watch the sun set over the marina while enjoying the outstanding food. Definitely five stars. read more

Five stars for roasted garlic with warm bread and butter. 5 stars for service. 3 stars for highway 35 roaring nearby. 5 stars overall.

Never been disappointed ! I love the decor and coziness of this quaint little restaurant . Parking can be tricky but lucky for us we can hop on out bike and ride down . BYOB and live music tie everything together for a great night out . If you haven't tried the place before don't hesitate . read more

We always love coming here! The food is consistently delicious and the portions are very generous!

Food was very good n large portions. The staff was friendly. Service was quick. Overall great time would definitely go back.

If you want to sit and listen yo BYOB music, it is wonderful. But, woe unto you that orders actual food. This is not even remotely creole or cajun either in theory or more importantly, execution. Watery ORANGE gumbo with submerged overcooked rice. Bland, soggy pasta. Seafood and sausage devoid of flavor. Really a shame for Lousiana foodies lured in by the name. read more

First time at this restaurant and we had a Groupon for 4. I had called a few days prior to see if they took reservations. They don't but the young lady was very helpful. When I told her what time we were coming in she said she would have a table ready (we went around 5:30). You can't ask for better service than that. The place is well worth the Groupon! And even if I didn't have one I'd still eat here. The portions were enormous! I couldn't finish my Jambalaya. Very spicy. They can't reduce the heat in it so if you are not into spicy food, this might not be the place for you. Many of the dishes are quite spicy. Service was excellent and it is a BYOB. Felt just like I was sitting in someone's house to have a bite to eat. All food is made fresh to order, so you'll have to wait a little for your food but, it's so worth the wait. Also many of the items are gluten free which is a plus for one of our party who is gluten free. I would come back here again for the New Orleans flavor and delicious food. read more

Excellent food and atmosphere, absolutely will go back. Service was friendly, just a nice place to enjoy a real good meal at a reasonable price. read more

The place is very small. My bf and I went in the winter and we had to wait for a table. There is no waiting area so we were literally standing next to tables, which made us and other costumes feel very uncomfortable. We sat in the back room by the windows and the window seats were so cold from the cold air coming in. The food was okay and I like that the kitchen is quick so we didn't wait too long for our food. Also, theres no parking lot. good thing we went in the winter so there were spots on side streets...finding parking spots in the summer would be a pain. read more

Our favorite local place for GREAT food at reasonable pricing, BYOB. Lovely to eat outdoors on nicer days, and there is usually blues band there every Sunday, and possibly all weekend in summer. I don't like spicy, but they can tone anything down. I have even brought some of my Shirataki no calorie healthy noodles and they will cook with them in the dish if I request. Food is excellent, very friendly and casual service. I have been there a dozen times, and will go another dozen more. Inside is very basic/raw. They did basically no updates on this old house to turn it into a restaurant, but that almost gives it its charm. I usually get a shrimp/scallop dish with pasta and heavy vegetables, and we often start with a blackened mahi as an appy. My fiance gets Jumbalaya with alligator sausage plus plus, and he loves it every time. They allow you to stay and listen to music and finish your wine if you are done with your meal and no-one is waiting. Fun place to go with friends, too. read more

My husband and I managed to find this restaurant the first week the owner opened it. We had read in the newspaper about its grand opening and that she had a boyfriend down the street opening another restaurant but hubby and I decided to try Ragin Cajun and when we are down in Belmar that is the place we go. Since then we expanded our family and over the years have enjoyed the fact the wait staff and owner are consistently good with children. When our children were barely toddlers and did not want anything on the menu the wait staff and owner/cook offered to make them buttered noodles with some plain chicken or shrimp which my children ate happily while my husband and I got a chance to relax, listen to the music and enjoy as close to a Bayou dinner as we can find at the Jersey shore. Now both my children practically fight to have the last spoonful of the garlic shrimp which for us is a must have appetizer. Who can manage not to love the complementary warm, fresh rolls with real melted butter smeared with a a chunk of caramelized, baked garlic from the garlic head served on a plate? Any foodie would know the roasted head of garlic is love on a plate! My daughter whom is 14 ... forks into the Shrimp and Scallop Etouffee as fast as I do. Purists and tourists might argue that you don't get yellow squash in the dish when in New Orleans. Well heck all cajun type cooking was born of necessity with the pickings to be found in a swamped filled land and if there is an abundance of fresh, delicious squash in Jersey and it replaces the okra of the south then I say let the good times roll because my tongue likes it as much as the version with okra! Squeeze on that burst of fresh lime and my heart sings to my mouth that the cook knows good food. My husband digs into the jambalaya as quickly as my eleven year old son puts a bite of Shrimp Diane and pasta into his mouth. We always have left overs which reheat wonderfully in the microwave for a quick lunch later in the week and I dare anyone to go on a cold, windy, grey winter night and not come out after the dinner thanking goodness for spicy food which warms the soul and a female cook whom shows her own unique personality in her food. read more

I love the appetizers: the blackened tuna bites. I love the chocolate PB pie. The entrees are actually the least exciting part of the restaurant. I recommend going for all appetizers and just dessert. you'll find yourself much happier! BYOB. read more

Awesome place for a dinner out! Delicious food, perfect portions, comfy atmosphere and BYOB (they'll even ice up your bottled beer when you get seated)! The roasted garlic and bread that comes pre-meal is unique and very tasty. The jambalaya was 4/5, but the Shrimp (w/alligator) Daddy Pasta and Shrimp with vegetables and pasta are out of this world, highly recommended. Prices float just below $20 which is a great value. It is easy to miss, but parking along the side street adjacent to the 7-11 is close and plentiful. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Belmar. The food is not Cajun (spicy) they claim it is but far from.... The garlic cloves that come with bread are delicious. I highly recommend swamp daddy pasta. All food made fresh and you feel like you are sitting in your own house. BYOB. read more

We had an online groupon deal. After we left we realized we were overcharged a dollar on each meal. What are you a bunch of Carnies? Offer a deal and then steal it back. The old house is crowded and not great. There was dirt in every shrimp ruining the meal. The sauce was good but how lazy and wrong to not clean the dirty nasty shrimp. read more

First time eating here tonight and it was amazing! The food was so flavorful and the portions were good sized! I had the blackened sirloin tips and they were amazing! Can't wait to go again soon read more

Like many, we ended up at this place because of a Groupon. We were coming back from LBI earlier this year, and decided to stop in and try it. Website said nothing about being closed on Monday. Oh well. Finally got back to try it today. I have to say, the location leaves quite a bit to be desired, but we both enjoyed eating outside and getting to watch the sunset. We arrived shortly after 7:00 on a Tuesday evening. Most of the tables inside were full, but most of the outside tables were available. Good, as we enjoy eating outside. There was a steady stream of customers that arrived as the night progressed. Before we got desert, there were people waiting for tables. More than 1 group left because of the wait. I can echo a lot of what others have said. The bread and roasted garlic was a tasty start, and I hoped it was an indication that some of the other, less than kind, reviews may be off. Let me preface this by saying that I cook a lot, and Cajun / Creole is one of my specialties, and I've been doing it for well over 25 years now. I've gotten compliments on my dishes from NO locals. Anyway, we had the Groupon tasting menu (1 app., 2 entree, 1 desert from a limited menu). I had looked at the menu prior to getting here, and had narrowed the app. down to the alligator sausage and the entrees down to the Swamp Daddy Pasta or the Shrimp & Chicken Etoufee. My g/f concurred on the Pasta, but said that she loves my etoufee, so why not get something else. I agree, and went w/ the Shrimp Jambalaya. We got the alligator sausage for the app. App. came out not too long after the bread. It was tasty, but was a tad well done. The sauce was interesting, but a bit muddled. I expected something along the lines of a remoulade. This tasted like a bad hollandaise w/ Cajun seasoning. Still it was edible. Entrees were prompt, and as is usual, we share what we order. We both started w/ the pasta, which while not something I would consider Cajun, was pretty tasty. As another reviewer pointed out, the jambalaya was loaded w/ liquid. I figured that it was going to be ok, based on what we had had so far. Boy was I wrong. I'm not sure what it was, but it wasn't jambalaya. It had 2"-3" long hunks of celery, and was mushy, over-cooked rice. There were a decent number of jumbo shrimp, but they tasted like they were frozen, and not fresh. It had none of the depth and complexity that a decent jambalaya should have. My g/f commented that it was spicy, but that was about it. There was no other flavor. Fortunately, we were able to take some of the sauce from the pasta, and partially save it. I was very surprised that a supposed Cajun restaurant couldn't get this staple even close. We got the carrot cake for desert, and it was ok. Standard catering carrot cake, and I'm 100% positive that it wasn't made on the premises. I'll also echo the other comments about the 'fragmented' wait staff. Now I've been to plenty of restaurants where they have multiple people work a table. But this was beyond that.. Not bad, just fragmented. They seem to be under-staffed as well. I'm glad I didn't pay full price for this (~$55 + tax), I still don't think it was worth the $34 that I did pay. Oh well, live and learn. I've had good success w/ Groupon, and I've had some duds. This was a dud for sure. This chef would do themselves a HUGE favor if they bought a copy of Paul Prudhomme's first book. At least then, the jambalaya might actually taste like jambalaya. read more

My wife and I really enjoyed our meal. It was busy even though it was a bitterly cold night. There were two performers playing music which was nice. The loster bisque was different from the typical creamier one i was used to but very good. The ingredients to my chicken, shrimp etouffee was fresh and well done. The red velvet cake we had was a nice finish. Food service was a good speed although getting attention of the very young waitstaff could take some time. The restaurant is in a small house and is very cozy. Overall the food was excellent in a charming, cozy setting. My wife and I would definitely go back and she as a former new yorker is not impressed easily. Prices were very reasonable. read more

My husband and I noticed this cute and quirky little place one day when we were out and about. The interesting thing is that we must have passed it many times, but it is tucked back a bit from a pretty busy road so we hadn't noticed it. That feature ends up being a good thing in regards to the outdoor dining. The food here is deliciously prepared and very generously portioned. Very interesting offerings which all seem very typical for Cajun cuisine. We have never been to New Orleans or that area, so I don't know what authentic Cajun should be, but this was really delicious! I ordered the Craw Daddy Pasta which was bow tie pasta with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, shrimp and alligator sausage in a light pink cream sauce (outrageous!) and my husband being a bit less adventurous, ordered the Chicken Creole. His dish usually comes with rice, but he requested bow tie pasta, which was no problem. The Chicken Creole is boneless, skinless chicken chunks with tomatoes and peppers and onions in a tomato based sauce. He loved it! A little touch of spice, but not too much. All the meals coming out of the kitchen looked delicious. We were able to sit outside which was great as it was a perfect evening. As I mentioned earlier, the outdoor patio is at the front of the building right along RT 35, but it really wasn't an issue at all since it is tucked back. The building feels like a little southern country cabin including a restful and inviting front porch and generously sized patio. Inside, there is an adorable separate dining room like in a private home as well as a main area with tables. You do feel like you are walking into someone's house. There was live music the night we were there which I am sometimes not a fan of if it's too loud, but this was so enjoyable and smooth and totally added to the atmosphere and experience. I wish I knew the name of the band, sorry. A big plus at The Ragin Cajun is that it is BYOB! Always a fun thing. read more

SO delicious! They give you a whole roasted garlic to spread on your rolls with butter... I can't wait to go back. We shared a paella-esque dish and that was very good too. Definitely worth a try! read more

We've been to this spot a few times now- and each time is better than the last. It's a really unique place with a great, comfortable, unstuffy atmosphere. One huge perk is that it's BYOB- they even have a liquor store who will deliver there for you. They do call ahead seating, but no reservations. Missing the dinner rush by going either earlier or later seems to be key. Great live music from some original "bayou" songs to decent Johnny Cash covers. That being said, music can get pretty loud so depending on what you're looking for, seat your party accordingly. (If you're looking for music, but to easily hear your company, I'd recommend the back room or the porch. Not into music? The patio is your best bet.) Friendly, fast service. Reasonable prices-especially for the amount of food you get. BIG recommendations for the blackened mahi mahi app, and the swamp daddy pasta entree (which is definitely enough for two people to split). On a nice night with good people, you'll enjoy a great relaxing evening read more

Wife and I decide to drive about an hour to this place and it was very disappointing. The seasoning taste so cheap and unoriginal. The only good thing was the hot rolls and the roasted garlic. read more

Tiny place but the food and service is always great plus it's a BYOB which is nice. Blackened Tuna for appetizer, Swamp Daddy for dinner and Bananas Foster for dessert. read more

Great food, reminded me of my trips to NO. I had Garlic Shrimp & angel hair, my SO had Swamp Daddy Pasta, both over the top. I'll try étouffée next time. read more

Love the "walk in someone's dining room" feel, and the food tastes like it just came from home. Menu has great choices to please everyone's spice level. Little bit of NOLA right there in Belmar. Yum! read more

Went with my husband on Sunday night who is from Beaumont, Texas (Cajun/creole country). We both enjoyed the food and thought it was authentic! The service was excellent and friendly. I would have given this place 4 stars but it was a little pricey. We liked that it was BYOB. Overall a good place read more

Very small place which doesn't take reservations, so be prepared to wait. We got there early and had to wait only a few minutes. Service is very good so the turnover is swift. As far as the food...we used to go here years ago and I'm sorry to say that the food didn't come up to the previous chef's standards. With a little tweaking, it could. I always loved the complimentary crusty rolls with carmelized elephant garlic. The garlic was wonderful but the rolls were positively anemic. Even when I asked for new rolls that had been baked long enough to brown, I still got what looked and tasted like frozen white bread dinner rolls taken out of the oven too soon. Lobster bisque at $9 a bowl should have more than 3 tiny tiny pieces of lobster. Put a claw in the middle and give us something to feel good about when spending nearly $10 on a bowl of soup. It was ok, flavor wise, nothing great. We also had shrimp jambalaya, shrimp and scallop etouffe, and blackened tuna. Portions were generous and clearly made with fresh ingredients; however, nothing was outstanding. Everyone said, "it's ok." My dining companions really liked their key lime pie. However, I chose the Bananas Foster - carmelized bananas in a brown sugar sauce with vanilla ice cream, one of my favorite desserts on the planet, and the sauce was inedible, it was so salty. When I complained I was told, "yeah, they use salted walnuts." Well, the walnuts were no longer salted, but the sauce was truly inedible, as if salt had been used instead of sugar. With a good Groupon, this is still a good deal, just make your choices carefully. Go with the standards, skip the soup, have key lime pie. read more

Terrific reasonably priced cajun fare near The Jersey Shore Best Gumbo I've ever had Very small intimate place No reservations Can get crowded on weekends and really no place to wait for tables to open up if the weather isnt good There is a porch with tables and a waiting area if it's nice out It's BYOB The food is well prepared and tasty and the service which can be hurried is very good Its definitely a "go to" place read more

Excellent food! Cozy inside. Have not had a bad meal there and have been there numerous times. Would definitely recommend it.

Rajun Cajun best Cajun in no. Steak, pasta dishes, all good .been there many times. We keep going back. Bringing friends that have not been there. Always good food . and mostnights have live music, goodlive music?if you go. You will enjoy! read more

This wast last night to have dinner with my so before he returned to LA. Wanted it to be special. The entire experience was horrible from the parking to the food to the check. Waitresses were bored and very unfriendly. I could have made this food more tasty from an uncle bens box. Only spice was paprika and pepper. Two entrees and two apps was$75 which I could have made at home for $10. Horrible start to a Labor Day weekend. I am done. read more

This Restaurant is Terrible. The Owner is The Hostess & Waitress. She is very flippint with people and has a bad attitude. The picture of the restaurant doesn't look at all what it actually is. The picture is very very old. The restaurant is run down and very scary inside. I simply cannot understand the rave reviews. MY sister and I had the paella which did not have one piece of lobster. It was thick and had very little interest or flavor. All we tasted was spicy pepper. We sat in the back room with this big bright light shining in our face. The restuarant is very dirty, loud and bright. I wouldn't recommend using the bathroom as it was equally as unclean. I'm not sure what the draw is other then that people must be liking it because they get a discount from groupon. I personally in good faith do not recommend this place. There are a lot of other really cute, interesting and better places to eat. read more

Been coming here for 6 years and unfortunately last night was the final time. Staff was great as usual but cuisine has been in decline consistently, and sadly this was my daughters choice for her sweet sixteen dinner. Beginning with apps garlic shrimp had zero flavor, sauce tasted like tomato water, requested blackened tuna bites be rare they were so over cooked the tuna was dry as sawdust, lobster Mac and cheese was not cheesy at all, while somewhat flavorful it was so loose and watery it would better be classified as a creole pasta. The entire party of 5 hardly took 5 bites of their entrees and no one even asked what was wrong....the creole dishes literally had no flavor at all, my wife and I also requested 8 and 9 respectively on their spice meter of 1-10 and we still had to ask for hot sauce...as a result I didn't want to spend another $ on a dessert so the waitress brought out a roll with a candle and whispered in my daughters ear not to eat it making me wonder even at this moment what was wrong with that roll lol. Requested the food packaged and did it some justice at home but sad to say the Cajun is no longer ragin read more

I have to say we had high expectations since there are not many cajun restaurants around. Upon pulling up, it looked dingy & unkept. There was no parking nearby, you had to park around the corner in street parking to get to the restaurant. The door was dirty & gross to touch. I had decided to go to this restaurant so my kids can get to taste a flavor of the south. Upon entering, all that I noticed was the outside looked as bad at the inside. It looked very dirty, the carpets stained, the tablecloths faded, the tables crammed, the chairs unmatched, some tables crooked. I understand they were going to a home cooked, comfortable feel, but It was hard to get past what it looked like. The servers wore t-shirts, all of them stained, some wore cut off shorts. They have been open since 1992, so you would have thought it would have been somewhat updated or clean. We have been to NOLA many times & non of the restaurants looked like that, even the lower scale ones. For the prices, you would expect a better atmosphere. Our table was next to a window that looked like it can not been cleaned in a long time. There were dead bugs on the sill & the vent below us was covered in lint & dust. We were there, already seated & really thought that we should not always judge by the atmosphere. The food was NOTHING like Cajun food, except the seasoning on some of the items. They butchered authentic southern cuisine, put a name on it & tried to pass it off. The red beans tasted similar to a canned quality. The shrimp was overcooked, rubbery & the chicken was dry. The sauces tasted watered down! I normally would have not put a review in, but this was a major disappointment! This was by far one of the worst places I have eaten & I would not go back, even for free. A nice touch was the evening band that came on. It was nice to have music, I would have expected something more southern or authentic, like jazz, it was classic rock, but still ok. I didn't eat my food as it didn't have flavor & it was tough. I brought the entire plate home & dumped it out. Don't waste your time! It was really THAT bad.... :( read more