This local spot hit the spot with its satisfying comfort food. The fried catfish was good and flaky. The crispy, airy onion rings were fried perfectly. The biscuit was delicious and paired well with the rich, flavorful red beans and rice. The freshly made beignets were a sweet and perfect finish. read more

Zesty Creole - Alligator bites - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I was in NOLA for Essence Festival and wanted authentic food and saw this restaurant had strong reviews. They weren't wrong! My shrimp po boy was so good and the bar tender was also very friendly. The po boy was so good, I decided to order alligator bites to go for a snack later. The bites weren't as good but I would definitely recommend trying out this spot! The restaurant was pretty full during the afternoon so I just sat at the bar. It was a nice experience. read more

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We were only in New Orleans for a short time but wanted to try a little bit of the things this city is known for in terms of food. So when I saw this place had a sampler plate for jambalaya and gumbo and red beans and rice I knew I had to try it. All of the food we got was really tasty and within walking distance of our hotel. The biscuit is homemade which I thought was a great touch!while we didn't try any desserts, our waitress also informed us the banana pudding is also made in house. Our server was super kind and had some great recommendations. Would highly recommend people come here to get all the classic Cajun/Creole foods. Plus no reservations required! read more

We enjoyed breakfast for lunch and both of us thought our orders were well prepared. Crab cake eggs Benedict tasted freshly-made. The English muffins were slightly over-toasted and the poached eggs were very nice. read more

Honestly this place was exactly what we needed to get a taste of New Orleans. It was so good. Gives diner vibes so it's pretty causal but they are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My favorite was the red bean gumbo. It had the most flavor although the jambalaya was not bad. The food was scorching so make sure to let it cool before chowing down. I also loved the fried green tomato. Who would have known that something like that would be so good. The sauce on the side was also good with everything. Service was ok. I wasn't impressed necessarily but it wasn't bad. We came a second time to get beignets and they were ok. Kinda small and double the price compared to cafe du monde. read more

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True rating: 4.5 The gumbo was great, given it was my first time having it. The gator bites were a curveball and surely exceeded my expectations. Docked for: Service was slow (for me). No true attention to customers. Sitting for over 20 minutes and no order taken. read more

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The food was great, well seasoned. The service was amazing. The restaurant was cool and clean. I would recommend going there if in the area. read more

Zesty Creole - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Was super disappointed by the food here. I saw so many reviews about the shrimp and grits and decided to check it out for myself and I was pretty taken back once trying. The marinara sauce on the perimeter was very odd and flavorless and in my opinion ruined the dish. The jambalaya was decent and had some flavor that did not totally disappoint. read more

Zesty Creole - Jambalaya - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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It's located right in the tourist trap section but has great reviews. Gumbo was terrific Biscuit was superb Jambalaya was good (not great) Etouffee was weak and flavorless The waitstaff was nice but it's not a place I will repeat. read more

Zesty Creole - Hurricane - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Wanna try Creole food, so we started here. Good reviews! Not disappointed to be here. Food is good here. I tried taste of NOLA, which is famous dish of the south. Gator bite is another one that we like. The services were nice and fast. Modern full bar as well. Good experience here. read more

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Hey friends! Short review here. The restaurant smelled like old mop water. The jambalaya tasted like Zatarans from a box. It lacked flavor and the meats did not taste fresh. I left feeling nauseous. I'm surprised this place got a Yelp reward. Customer service was okay. read more

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I had the Shrimp Creole. It was good. It came with a biscuit that all seems to rave about. The biscuit tasted like the ones they serve at Popeyes. I like theirs so this one was good too, just not amazing. Service was nonchalant and the smell in this place was off putting like a wet mop/musty smell but I was hungry. In a pinch i would revisit and try some other options, but it's not somewhere I would go out of my way to return to. read more

Zesty Creole - Shrimp Creole - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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One of the best places we ate at during our trip! The service was amazing -- all 3 servers we had were super friendly and attentive. We ordered the shrimp and grits and the étouffée, and both were sooo good. Honestly 10/10. Everything was full of flavor and absolutely hit the spot. Definitely one of our favorite meals from the trip and a place I'd totally come back to! read more

Zesty Creole - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Have you ever gotten a food coma 20 min into your meal?! Yeah, the crab cakes and gumbo (not pictured) had me so stuffed. I was expecting tiny appetizer portions but they were not playing around here. Gumbo: A cup full of gumbo gave me a warm welcome to NoLa. This hearty stew has various protein: chicken, shrimp, and sausage! You can't forget the holy trinity too.. onion, celery, and bell peppers. Each spoonful was a delicious surprise. Crab cakes: These were my absolute FAV. Not greasy or too bread-y. The crab and breading made the perfect pair and the remoulade reminded me of a fancier version of In N Out animal style sauce. Don't get me started on the green tomatoes! Apparently they are more acidic than red tomatoes but I couldn't tell due to the fried breading and rich remoulade. read more

Zesty Creole - crab cakes with fried green tomatoes - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Diner like atmosphere. A lot of options from breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was in a rush to eat, I was going to get take out but my food came out quickly. I ordered a cup of coffee & eggs sandwich. All very tasty. Excellent customer service! read more

Zesty Creole - Menu - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

On a rainy night, not in Georgia, but in New Orleans, Louisiana, I was going to a private party in the French Quarter where I knew that I wouldn't be able to eat much of the wonderful food because I am gluten intolerant. I was hungry and had interacted before I went to New Orleans with a person connected to the Zesty Creole. This restaurant got good reviews, but I was a little skeptical because it was on Canal which generally caterers more to tourists. I sat at the bar and had a wonderful conversation. A gentleman who came in next to me told me he had eaten at this restaurant five consecutive nights. That was rather intense, but we shared a conversation about music and I ordered one of my favorite dishes in New Orleans, which is gluten-free: SHRIMP + GRITS cheese grits topped with grilled shrimp and creole sauce, but without the fresh buttermilk biscuit. I was apprehensive because I've always had the cheesy type grits and these came with the wonderful grilled shrimp resting comfortably atop a pillow of grits rimmed by a zesty marinara sauce. I really don't know how comfortably the shrimp were resting, but I was surprised at each bite by the zesty sauce combined with the grits. This was very tasty as each bite was somehow unexpected. One would think after eating half of this very large bowl that I would get used to this style of prep for the grits but my taste buds were startled at each bite, touched for the very first time by this combination of flavors. Startled or not by this flavor mashup, I enjoyed it and finished my bowl clean even without the buttermilk biscuit that I couldn't eat. My meal was Creole and zesty, so well done Zesty Creole. read more

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I didn't think anything of this restaurant when I walked by it (close to our hotel, non-descript from the exterior) but when I researched into the best jambalaya...Zesty Creole came up! So we decided to give it a try. We only had 30 minutes before our tour, but the food came out quick! The seafood jambalaya was well-seasoned (but not enough sausage, shrimp, and chicken) and the accompanying biscuit was perfectly buttery flaky goodness. The biscuits and gravy was flavorfully delicious (make sure to ask for sausage and extra gravy). Used a combination of Tabasco and Crystal hot sauce which is already on every table. The service was a little slow and very curt but the restaurant was full at 11:45am on a Thursday. Lively atmosphere. 2 big screen TVs. And a full bar with ample seating. I was torn between giving this place 3 or 4 stars, but at the end of the day, I'm always looking for amazing service. read more

Out of all the restaurants I visited in New Orléans, this one was probably the best overall in terms of service. Upon entering, we were greeted and sat right away. After a few moments of getting our bearings, we were greeted and able to get our order in. I'm glad we came when we did because the place was packed by the time we ordered. It is not a huge space and they definitely make full use of the what is afforded to them. Food came out quickly. I got a veggie omelette with bacon inside with grits and a side of French toast. The veggie omelette was very tasty, not super thick and fluffy like a Coney Island one but still stuffed with everything. The French toast wasn't my favorite, I don't like when its still soggy in the middle. Plus the syrup tasted like nothing to me. I came with three other people and they all enjoyed their food. I would come here again. read more

This was our first time in NOLA and we were on day one just walking around and we were hungry!!! We couldn't think straight and just walked into zesty! We saw the menu they have posted on the window and were like crab cake eggs Benedict? Bet we're coming in here. I was surprised how fast we go sat down because how busy it was! Our waitress was sweet we didn't talk to her much though she was really busy so we just went with whatever called out to us the most on the menu. The only thing annoying was the people sitting behind us they sat there with finished plates and kept YAPPPPPINGGGGG gahhh it was so annoying. But other than that pretty good. read more

Zesty Creole - Crab cake eggs Benedict - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Wanted some good Cajun food and this place didn't disappoint at all. I'm not a huge fan of fried green tomatoes but this was outstanding and very memorable. Got the appetizer sampler and the Nola sampler and both were great. There's not one thing I can even gripe about because it was all outstanding and our service was outstanding because the waitress was very kind and on very efficient read more

Zesty Creole - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Zesty Creole is a nice place to have a quick bite along Canal Street. I ordered the shrimp and grits, which came with a biscuit as well, the biscuit was relatively fresh, and the grits were decent once you mixed in the some of the spicy creole sauce. The shrimp were absolutely delicious and gave them a 5 star in my boat; grilled to perfection with a hint of garlic, I could eat a whole plate of them. Definitely recommend stopping by as they have a very diverse menu. read more

Zesty Creole - Biscuit - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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So much food we had to ask for take out containers. Our server was excellent. She knew we needed lots of water for the creole items we ordered and continuously refilled our cups. Such a popular place glad we got a table right away. There was a nice mural on the left wall and pretty light fixtures on the right side. read more

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The Highlights Taste of NOLA: If you're indecisive like me or just want the full experience, get this. It's a great sampler of jambalaya, red beans and rice, and gumbo. Shrimp and Grits: Definitely lives up to the hype. Wasn't too greasy or grainy and paired really well with the tomato-like sauce lining the bottom of the plate. Gumbo: It wasn't over-salted like many tourist spots. It was packed with a generous amount of meat and deep, developed flavor. Will definitely be back! read more

Zesty Creole - Shrimp and grits - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Everything was so good we might be back tomorrow! Pretty busy for dinner but lots of seating, so we were seated right away. Amazing service and our food came out only a couple minutes after ordering! Would recommend everything we ordered: - Taste of NOLA: great tasting menu of jambalaya, beans, and gumbo. Really liked the fried green tomato and biscuit that came with it! Really filling, big fan. - Shrimp and grits: saw lots of good reviews and for good reason. Not too greasy like other grits I've tried, and really touches your soul. - Gumbo: generous amounts of meats in the gumbo, and isn't too salty like other spots. Enjoyed this a lot. Will definitely be back if I come to New Orleans again! read more

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My expectations were a bit high based off yelp reviews but truthfully it was "just okay". Coffee was watered down (our first cup of the day) and they only had cheesy grits....so you had no other option but to have that if you're in the mood for grits. Place was not busy and seems great for big groups. It's your typical diner ambiance with a bit of a funky smell. If you can get past that, then you'll be fine. I had the breakfast platter (bacon) and my wife had catfish and grits (cheesy grits since that's all they had) read more

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BL: shrimp creole must try. (I don't give 5 stars often) Place isn't ideal for large groups, lots of small tables, perfect for 2 and a few larger tables. Staff is friendly and prompt! The shrimp creole though... Wow! I haven't had something this tasty in a while - shrimp was good size, grilled to a little char and flavorful. The creole (never had before) is tomato based, saucey with a small kick and paired well with the rice and I used the biscuit to wipe the plate clean! Friend had gumbo and she said it was good. I tasted a small spoonful and thought it was good but I was too preoccupied with my dish. read more

Zesty Creole - Shrimp creole (Gumbo in the back) - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

This is a great restaurant for hearty creole food. I walked in around 5:30pm on a Saturday without a reservation and was able to get seated right away. The inside is very casual and there's big TVs playing sports on. Our waiter was friendly and gave us recommendations on what to order. The crawfish étouffée was a standout entree. It had great flavor and lots of big, juicy pieces of crawfish tail. The taste of NOLA was perfect for getting to try a bit of all the popular creole dishes. The red beans and jambalaya were comforting with just a slight kick. I also loved the fried green tomatoes. The gumbo was just ok, in my opinion, and could have benefited from a bit more spice. read more

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Zesty's had some really good food, but the overall experience was a little mixed. The bread pudding was definitely the highlight of the meal--it was absolutely amazing! The fried alligator was also really good, and the dipping sauces made it even better. The fish was cooked perfectly, and the potatoes were delicious too. The restaurant itself is pretty small, but I liked the cozy booths. The only downside was the service. It felt a little confusing because it was slow at times, but then our food came out pretty quickly. Overall, the food was great, but the service and overall experience could have been a little more consistent. read more

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Nice setup inside for a restaurant, friendly staff, I ordered the trio, the staff was friendly and the service was fast read more

Quaint little Cafe in the heart of the city. Every time I come to New Orleans, this restaurant is top on my list. Especially for breakfast. The food is always fresh and tastes amazing. The service is good as well. My only suggestion is that they pay attention to cleaning glass door and cabinet in wall. read more

First, the service was great and the beer nice and cold. I love shrimp and grits but Zesty's dish just didn't wow me. The shrimp had some nice seasoning but the dish overall just didn't have robust flavor. I'd come back to try other dishes but wouldn't order the shrimp and grits again. read more

Zesty Creole - Shrimp and Grits - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Not a bad place to get breakfast. The location is great! And the prices aren't too terrible. The server was very nice but forgot to put our order in so we had to wait a very long time for our food. The food itself was decent, definitely not the best I've had but solid. read more

Zesty Creole - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Zesty Creole was... fine. And by fine, I mean technically edible. The atmosphere has a "hasn't been wiped down since the Obama administration" kind of energy. Less cozy Creole, more slightly dirty roadside diner that smells like it almost had character at one point. Service was adequate. Everyone was polite enough, but I was expecting some Cajun warmth or Southern charm. Instead, the staff all had strong Eastern European accents, which really added a fascinating "New Orleans by way of Ukraine" twist to the experience. The food was aggressively average. This is entry-level Creole cuisine with safe seasoning, dated presentation, and zero soul. Nothing bad, nothing memorable. It tasted like Creole food designed by a corporate focus group. If Ruby Tuesday's ever rolls out a "Bayou Night" menu, this is exactly what it would taste like. Bottom line: if you're starving and this is the closest place with an open door, you'll survive. If you're looking for a meal you'll talk about later, this ain't it. read more

Zesty Creole - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I was in the south and was craving some good Cajun flavor so I decided to try this place! Overall if I could give this place a 4.5 I would. To start the ambience of the place is of a laid back mom and pop. The staff was very friendly with multiple people greeting me within minutes of coming inside. I sat down and told the lady I was feeling a bit of everything and she recommended the creole omelet with the biscuit and gravy as a side and I really wanted some red beans and rice as well so I ordered that. Overall all the food was really good, red beans and rice was fire. Worth 11$? I don't think so. That's the big thing that knocked down the star ranking all this food was $42. I think you could likely find some food that's better priced. I'd come back, but if they raised the prices likely wouldn't order much. read more

Zesty Creole - Creole Omelette with a biscuit and grits - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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I felt rush, but fast service, great atmosphere, server talks fast, but he gave me great options since I am in New Orleans. I got the alligator breakfast. And a hot and steamy, buttery biscuit- this is a totally OMG- and a great black REGULAR coffee- wow I am so happy. Come over to zesty creole read more

All the food service ambience was all amazing. We all liked the Cajun roasted oysters

The Jambalaya was fantastic, not the best I've ever had but definitely worth trying. The homemade biscuit was amazing. We had a small wait but we went in on a Saturday around 8:30PM so it was warranted. The service was great and we loved the ambiance in the restaurant. Would recommend! read more

Zesty Creole - Jambalaya - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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The garlic bread was amazing! Overall, the food was well-seasoned and a great choice if you're looking for something consistent and satisfying. The service was attentive and friendly, and we were in and out at a reasonable time. The place was clean, though it does get pretty crowded since it's in the city. read more

Zesty Creole - Cup etouffee - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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We stopped at this spot while on vacation after reading good reviews but were unfortunately disappointed with the overall experience. We ordered the Taste of NOLA but found it to be fairly bland. We suspect the fried green tomatoes were frozen as they did not have a fresh, made-in-house flavor. We also ordered onion rings and felt they were also previously frozen. The restaurant aesthetic and ambiance could use some help - cool but then in the back you can clearly see a brightly-lit industrial kitchen where they get drinks. It greatly contrasts the rest of the restaurant and kills the vibe. I think the place would look much better if they covered that up. The only redeeming factor was that the service was all-around good. That being said, would not come here again. read more

Came here for some gumbo to go. The bartender was friendly as I waited! The gumbo was good, but could definitely use more flavor and protein in it for the price point! Overall, a decent place if you are looking for dinner, but think there are better options out there. read more

Zesty Creole - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana