There's construction out front right now, so getting in is a little tricky. We honestly didn't realize they were open until we got closer. The upside? They weren't charging a cover at the door like they normally do. Personally, I think that door charge needs to go away completely. The seating arrangement is also a little awkward. If you come with one other person and only take two seats at a shared table, someone else can end up sitting directly across from you. I understand it's a live music venue, but when you're trying to eat and carry on a conversation, sitting face-to-face with strangers can feel uncomfortable. I've been coming to The Free Man for years, and I always order the Cajun wings. They've always come tossed in the Cajun sauce. Last night, they came out dry with the sauce served on the side. I asked about it, and I was told, "That's how they do it now." Since when? It honestly felt like my order was made incorrectly and they just put the sauce on the side to fix it. If that really is a new policy, why is the kitchen deciding that for customers? At the very least, ask whether we want the sauce on the side or tossed. I also noticed the wings seemed overcooked--the meat near the bone had a very dark brown color that I wasn't a fan of. The Cajun fries were still excellent, as always. I also ordered the red beans and rice. They were okay. Someone definitely got a little heavy-handed with the hot sauce. The rice was cooked well, but overall it was just average. For drinks, I ordered a ginger beer. Mine came in the can, while the person I was with received theirs poured over a cup full of ice, which watered it down. I would rather have the can and decide how much ice I want. I've also been hearing from other reviews that a 20% gratuity is automatically added. I didn't notice that on my bill, which makes me wonder if it was already included because the suggested tip amounts seemed unusually low. If gratuity is included, just be transparent about it. Don't make customers feel like they should leave an additional tip because they weren't clearly informed. Now for the best part: the band was fantastic. They're the reason I continue coming back. The Free Man has always been one of my favorite places for live music, but it feels like some of the little details have started slipping. People come here for great food, great music, and a relaxed atmosphere with like-minded people. Don't make the experience more complicated than it needs to be. read more

Recently, I revisited the Free Man in Deep Ellum with my nephew and we had a great time. The staff has changed and were polite and sociable; , drinks/food was excellent; and the live entertainment was on point. Keep it up and I definitely will be back in the future...A+ read more

Stopped by The Free Man in Deep Ellum and had a great experience. Parking was surprisingly easy -- both paid and street parking were available nearby, which is always a win in this area. The drink prices were average for Deep Ellum, and the quality matched--nothing over the top, but definitely enjoyable. Unfortunately, the kitchen was closed by the time we arrived, so we didn't get to try the food this time around. We did get to enjoy some live music. I really appreciated that there was no cover charge, and the space itself was clean and comfortable. The bathrooms were well-kept, and there was plenty of seating the night we went, which made it easy to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Overall, it's a solid spot to grab drinks and hang out, and I'd definitely come back earlier next time to try the food! read more

The Free Man - Seating near stage - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Came here after a function with my business partners. Easy to located and convenient parking directly across from the establishment. They got a chance to dance to two different bands. Both were absolutely amazing. The customer service was great as well, soon as we entered the waiters were on it. By the way they serve real catfish ha ha. Definitely the Louisiana feel and taste without being home, I was looking for. The food was fresh and flavorful.... read more

The Free Man - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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This place was a recommendation from a local bouncer in the Deep Ellum area. Their service style is casual and pretty straightforward (open self seating). I went with Fried Catfish and fries while my bf had the Red Beans & Rice with blackened catfish on top. The fish was fried hard but was pretty slimy on the inside and lacked flavor. I wasn't a fan of their rémoulade due to the tartness and liquid texture. On the other hand, the blackened catfish was delicious and cooked perfectly. The red beans and rice were okay-- it seemed like the dish could've been cooked longer. The sausage in the dish was good though. We also shared a small cup of gumbo which was my favorite! Perfectly seasoned and served hot! The service started off great but our server disappeared towards the end when the restaurant got busier. It wasn't a bad experience just nothing special for the price! read more

The Free Man - Fried catfish - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Ri Ri and Leticia were amazing! Great bartenders, great conversation and a great vibe! Came in at 3 and stayed til 8 to catch the live music! Thank you all for making my experience great!!! Those fried pickles were the best I've ever had! read more

The Free Man - Live music - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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LET'S TALK ABOUT IT!!!!! In town viaiting family and we had reservations, was told with the arm band we can go in and out. And out table would be available. Two sides to this venue, and a patio area. We moved to the bar side came back our table was gone. Food: Cajun wings were salty (babe food) Kids meal, shrimp and fries (my food) everything was hot, but it was more breading than shrimp THE DRINKS: Wine (babe) Lemon Drop (me) No complaints that lemon drop was perfect Live band for entertainment, reason we were here. It was a good show on both sides. 3-Stars for my drink and entertainment had the food been better it would have been rated higher.....our waitress was good read more

The Free Man - My Lemon Drop - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

This was an awesome experience and the food was fabulous! We had reservations and arrived late due to parking and was seated immediately at a great table and waitress! The band was blues and a little RnB, and kept the audience involved. Love the style and ambiance and there is outside seating under the stars too!!! read more

The Free Man - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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This is a good place to stop in if you're in downtown Dallas and like to listen to live music and karaoke. They have a bar and food here as well. The prices are decent and the waitresses are attentive. read more

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The Free Man is a two sided bar with lots of space. They cater to music lovers with live bands. However the music is way too loud and I had to step further back to really enjoy it. I suggest sitting in the back and not up front (we were in the second row) The food was okay but way too salty. read more

The Free Man - Fried Pickles - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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One star for the very kind staff and bartenders and one for live music. Y'all... even the hot sauce is nasty. You can tell whoever owns this place has very little care for their guests and likely their employees. The band is great! This place should be packed. But, a late night kitchen serving bland, old food, feels like a waste of time and money. I'm passing through and in the future, I'll make sure I eat before I get here. Hard pass. read more

This spot is so fun and the food is delish! My hubby and I visited while visiting from Austin. We got to hear an amazing band that sang covers of all the R&B hits from the 90's -2k's. The food is Cajun inspired and also did not miss. Oh the drinks, heavy pours and the staff kept them coming. We'll definitely be back!!! read more

The Free Man - The band - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Had a great night here for the first time this weekend. Food was good - came out quickly and they had a decent drink selection. Performance was amazing!! Last for a few hours from 10 - 1 read more

We ordered the Boudin Balls, Crawfish Pasta, and the Blackened Catfish Plate. We modified the catfish plate and got the fish fried instead of grilled with a side of etoufee to smother the catfish. The food and service here is amazing. I will say we came here on a slow Saturday morning before any performers. The music was good as well. Would 100% come back! read more

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This was my first visit back in about 3-4 years, and we were very disappointed. The good first, our server Deja was very nice and the fried pickles were delicious. The drinks were horrible. I ordered a pink volcano and it was full of fruit juices, it was very sweet. We ordered 2 shrimp po-boys and they were disgusting. You cannot use popcorn shrimp in a po-boy. I didn't think a restaurant could mess up an easy dish. The band, Mr. Linn was loud and obnoxious. The drummer, sax, and bass player were great. In these times, paying for mediocre service is becoming the norm, but not in our household. If the service and quality is not up to standard, there's no need for us to visit again. read more

If you love music, you will love this spot. They always have great jazz. It never fails. Every time we come we discover something new. The food is traditional creole. The gumbo is amazing. The drinks are pretty classic bar drinks. Nothing too fancy here, but always really good. The staff is nice and helpful. You come for the music, and stay for the food. read more

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So I've been here a few times and the food & drinks are great. Service is always good...but ummmmm as we was enjoying our Gator bites and fried pickles appetizers, something fell on our table, we thought it was a bug. NOPE! It was dust & as we looked up in the ceiling it's cluttered/infested with dust/dirt. All of the ceiling fans, air filters, beams just covered in dirt. Please clean your place ASAP! read more

A standard three-star visit. The southern food options were okay, the staff was reasonable, and the overall process was typical. It's a fine option if you're looking to hang out, listen to a live band, and grab a quick bite, but the entire experience felt pretty average. read more

I've been asked to go here many times but it never happened, so finally I went! Nice live band, it's a bit hot mid July with the doors open. Service was great, and nice ambiance, which is the only reason I'm giving more than 1 star. I ordered the catfish basket, it definitely was not catfish and it was not good (I've never seen square catfish). Then I ordered the oyster basket, it was even worse! Hands down the worst food I've ever eaten at a restaurant. There was so much breading, they looked monstrous. I swear the oysters much have been canned. It was so bad, I filled up on the fries, best part of my meal. Very disappointed. read more

The Free Man - Fried Oysters - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

This was my first time visiting after hearing great things! I really came for the live music, but I arrived a little early and missed the band. That said, they had some great music playing in the meantime, which kept the vibe nice. We ordered the crab-stuffed jalapeños and fried pickles. Let me just say--those pickles were the best I've ever had! I loved how they were cut and perfectly fried. The crab-stuffed jalapeños had a great flavor, but I do wish they had a bit more crab. What I really appreciated was that the peppers seemed to be cooked before stuffing and frying--they were super tender, not raw or overly crunchy like some places serve them. I'll definitely be back--next time a little later to catch the live band and, of course, for more of those amazing pickles! read more

What a phenomenal spot. Great vibes, amazing food, and a nice selection of cocktails. I've been here a number of times and somehow each experience is better than the last. read more

The Free Man - Catfish plate with red beans & rice and gator poboy - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

I came for music and drinks this time, but I'm definitely coming back for the food! The service is exceptional and the vibes between the two stages is great in both rooms. Highly recommend ! read more

Live music so there's a cover at night but so worth it! I had gator bites and also the shrimp basket. seasoned well and was great for a late night bite. The vibes are un matched! Such a vibe for those who enjoy music and soul & a great relaxed night: grown ppl who know how to vibe. Computer love was being sung by a live soulful band as me and my date drank our drinks and ate. Service was nice and quick, at the time we went they were only doing their fried items. I'd definitely be back on a nice Saturday night for that live music and vibe! read more

The food was surprisingly good and plentiful. I overate, cause I love my Cajun. Very talented musicians too so the music was great.

My cousin has a singing gig here tonight (and last month) and we had a great time. I never covered food, but the drinks and service were nice read more

The Louis is very good with noodles. Chicken fried chicken great! Pasta with the chicken and crawfish was okay. Fried gator amazing. Crab dip Bussin! Service changes every time you go in there. Sometimes it's freezing in there so bring your jacket. read more

The Free Man - Crawfish Pasta - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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I LOVEEEE this place everytime I come to Dallas it's a must the vibes are everything & the crowd is chill most people mind theirs :) good food & drinks read more

I've visited here 3-4 times. During my previous Wednesday & Thursday evening visits, the music, food, and service have always been great. Unfortunately, my most recent visit (Wednesday @ 8pm) not so much. I sat at the bar, ordered drinks & food. The drinks were strong but not good. I ordered the catfish basket & it was really bad (oil they used tasted old & burnt, and absolutely no flavor/seasoning). I couldn't even eat the catfish but the fries were good, as usual. Based on my previous experiences, I'd still recommend. I'm giving 4 stars based on my previous visits. read more

The Free Man - Catfish basket (oil was old & burnt and no flavor but the fries were yummy) - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

The vibes at Free Man are reminiscent of New Orleans- offbeat, unusual, soulful, loud and proud. The Jazz band was top notch, and the talent was legit. No rest breaks needed, they jammed for an hour straight. Pure lightning. The poetry slam was different as well. Really loved the energy and passion from each feisty, courageous , amateur poet to go up on stage. We didn't order food but the Cajun food being served around us looked legit. The bar itself had a limited local beer selection. The Tom Collins I ordered was also a little flavourless. read more

The Free Man - Poetry slam - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

The food must be good... but I'll never know. Made a reservation for 5 people and walk up greeted with a door man who talked down to me as if I was a nuisance. He informed me that a reservation wasn't necessary as there was absolutely no one in the restaurant. He did tell us that there was a $10 cover charge for dinner, to which I didn't mind as I was already prepared to spend a couple of hundred for our group. He did say we could go next door and not pay the cover. Both places you will also be greeted with a healthy dose of weed. The atmosphere is shady. Place was literally a joke. read more

The staff was amazing. The music was great, but being from Louisiana (New Orleans), if I'm honest, the food sucked. We barely ate anything that we ordered. I will say the waitress was nice enough to take the item I ordered off my tab. But overall, I will not be back for food, but I would gladly be back for the atmosphere, to listen to music and get cocktails with friends. read more

OUTSTANDING! These days it is rare to find good food and good service, but The Free Man knocks them both right out the park. We went to see our favorite local band, Ntense the Band, but the food and staff far outweighed our expectations. Storm was our server and I'm telling you she could teach a class on making sure customers feel welcome and very well taken care of. I think we ordered more food and drinks than we intended to, but we were just so happy to be in a place that we didn't feel like we were a bother to the staff. If it wasn't a shame, I'd get up and go there again today! read more

I went here on a Saturday night to see live music. The band that played was Knice 2 Know. They were great. I knew every song that they sang. I would say this band is for the 30 and up crowd. The place has two different bands on two different stages. The band was scheduled to play at 10pm, but didn't start until about 10:45. The waitress, Storm, was nice and attentive. She helped us get a table large enough for our party. There was no cover to get in. We parked at the parking garage across the street. read more

This is not a "Cajun cafe". This is a straight up bar that happens to serve Cajun food, apparently as an afterthought. I went there with a work colleague November 5, 2024 around 10:00 PM after a work-related conference at The Westin Downtown Dallas at One Main Building. Parking is a nightmare. You're either going to go to the paid lot and spend $13+ for two hours, or park on the street. Either way, you're spending that just to get in the door, but wait... You won't get in the door because there's a cover charge for the band. $10 per person. So $20. We're up to $33 and we're not even seated at a table to eat yet, which is the only reason we even showed up. We ordered the Hot Crab Dip, Chicken Sandwich, and Crawfish Pasta. Reasonably priced, right? Around $63. Not too shabby for two entrees and an appetizer. The Hot Crab Dip is just crab mixed up with Philly cream cheese and some melted cheddar on top, served with some bread. It was totally pasasble and nothing at all to be impressed by. My friend's chicken sandwich was great though. She gave me a bite. The bread was delicious and soft and warm, the chicken was fried to perfection and had good flavor. Unfortunately, that bring us to the crawfish pasta. Awful. The sauce was broken like a Ming vase in a house full of five-year olds. Just a ton of visible oil. It had clearly separated and the cook - I refuse to use chef, because no chef would countanace that disaster - had no clue how to fix it. I probably could have dealt with all that, since the band that night was pretty good. ENTIRELY too loud, though. My friend and I had to yell at each other just to talk, and we mostly gave up and just ate in silence instead. Turn the damn volume down to 50% of whatever you guys have it at. People that want to hear the band will move closer to the tables. People that want to eat won't have to scream at each other, but... and here's the massive BUT: There's a "minimum gratuity" charge of 20.00%, which YOU CAN'T SEE, because the little portable card reader with display doesn't show that. So I ended up tipping our server 25% of our bill - $15 - ON TOP of the 20% they charge. And let me clue the management in something. "Gratuity" cannot be a "minimum" nor can it be a "requirement". That's called a "SERVICE CHARGE". A "required" tip isn't a tip, it's a fee. Couple all that together and you have a miserable experience that I caution everyone to avoid. The only reason to go here is if you want to listen to music and drink. That's it. Do not go here for food. Do not go here to hang out and talk - you *will not* be doing that at all, because no one will be able to hear you. If you want actually good Cajun food, get in your car, ride the hour to Boo Ray's of New Orleans. This ain't it, chief. read more

The food here is amazing! Queen was our server absolutely fantastic service checked on us frequently,greeted us the moment we walked in and brought our drinks immediately. Big crawfish the food was seasoned to perfection. Live music is a blast overall great experience. 5 stars!!! We will be back. read more

The Free Man - Had the crawfish, gator and po boy. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

I experienced this spot on a Saturday early evening (around 4pm) . They were pretty empty, and music was just being played through a speaker (live band scheduled to play 7pm). They only had one server, but that is fine with the amount of people in the establishment: Food: I thought the food was delicious! I started off with the crab stuffed jalapeños peppers and baby they were spicy, but ohhh so good. They were nicely sized and filled to capacity. The crunch on the outside was perfect, and I liked that it was served with a ranch for dipping. I would get those again for sure! For my entree I went with the classic shrimp po' boy and initially I thought the 4 shrimp was skimpy, but the sandwich did end up filling me up after eating only half of it! I will say the fries were great as well. Environment: Not the cleanest place by any means, but the space fit their vibe. The bathroom wasn't horrible and I appreciated that. Service: My table personally did not have an issue, but a couple of people did get up in leave around us... not sure what it was about. They do have some auto gratuity's, but it is mentioned on the menu. read more

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I ordered ubereats. And when the food was delivered it was still piping hot. Let me start with the red beans and rice. I personally wasn't a big fan there really wasn't any flavor to them at all. The catfish was nice and crispy and the sauce that came with it was pretty good. The gumbo came kinda weird. The soup was packed separately and the rice came with cornbread on top. The gumbo was alright wasn't the best I've ever had. I did add some hot sauce to all the items for a kick and it def did the gumbo and catfish justice. I couldn't even get the red beans down. I will def give this another try and try the pasta they have read more

The Free Man - Gumbo Bowl Red Beans and Rice Side Catfish Basket - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas

The food was undoubtedly good but the live music and drinks are the stars of the establishment!!

1 Star Not Worth It - Save Your Time & Money I decided to give this place a shot despite reading a lot of negative reviews. I wanted to see for myself... big mistake. The customer service was extremely mediocre. Our waitress was nice, but not attentive at all--especially frustrating considering they automatically tack on a 20% gratuity, no matter your party size. After she brought our food, she didn't return at a reasonable time. We needed basic things like salt and pepper, but she never came out from the back. By the time she finally showed up, we were already halfway through our salads and had eaten most of the other food. And keep in mind--we only ordered appetizers. The food? Just okay at best--and that's being generous. The Boudin balls were bland and forgettable. The catfish didn't even taste like catfish and was fried way too hard. The chicken wings were ridiculously salty. And the Hurricane (which was recommended) tasted like watered-down fruit punch. The drink had barely any alcohol in it, despite the waitress hyping it up as "very strong". The only thing I remotely liked was the sweet potato fries. That's it. And yet our bill was $80 for lunch... and I honestly can't figure out why. I won't be back. Maybe the vibe is better at night with the live bar, but I won't be sticking around to find out. Definitely not worth it!!! read more

Came here way from houston texas to see my girl Taylor once again! The ambiance and experience was so amazing and the food was delicious. We love this place and most of Taylor :) read more

The Free Man - Me and my favorite server at the freeman! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Dallas, Texas