Jacques-Imo's Cafe
New Orleans, LA 70118-2044
Phone: (504) 861-0886
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- Dante Street
- Best of Citysearch:
- Group Dining 2007
- Hours:
- Mon-Thu 5:30pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 5:30pm-10:30pm
Editorial Review for Jacques-Imo's Cafe – by Pableaux Johnson
The Scene
Eat, drink and be patient. This pleasantly chaotic room packs early with locals and out-of-towners alike, especially during Jazz Fest. The borderline ramshackle space is comfortably downscale--packed with local folk art and colorful murals, a bustling walk-through kitchen and energetic waitstaff. Unfortunately, high volume makes quiet conversation nearly impossible.
The Food
Jack (Jacques) blends culinary styles with joyful abandon, resulting in creative yet homey cuisine with an emphasis on local seafood. Start with the earthy oyster-filled eggplant Jacques Imo (bathed in rich shitake mushroom cream) or a wonderfully excessive deep-fried roast beef po' boy. A tomato-based "Cajun bouillabaisse" is fragrant with herbs and heavy with oysters, shrimp, mussels and gulf shrimp. Crisp, tender and perfectly prepared fried chicken could make the Colonel weep.
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Insider Tips
When to GoA limited reservation policy (parties of five or better) gives larger groups an advantage: couples should arrive closer to opening (5:30pm).
Know Before You GoSmaller parties are in for long waits (one to two hours) most nights, but the staff accommodates with alternate waiting spaces: sidewalk seating and the nearby Maple Leaf Bar.
The ExtrasEach oversized entree comes with your choice of two huge side veggies and a complimentary spinach/oyster salad.
User Reviews for Jacques-Imo's Cafe
05/06/2008 Posted by pinays
unless you have a group reservation (i think 6 or more) be prepared to wait 2 hours for a table. luckily, we had a reservation, which was booked 30 days in advance to the day of the dinner. the place was packed and colorful and had interesting places where one sat diners (the bed of the truck, the balcony, anywhere they could fit people). where we were seated, we walked through the kitchen -- which i think was good in a way as it allowed transparency in terms of the cleanliness. we started off with jalapeno bread, which was like cornbread with its sweetness and consistency and had a slight hint of jalapeno. for the appetizer, we had crabcakes, which were not greasy and lightly breaded served on a bed of arugula salad. we also had calamari served over a slight tangy sweet sauce. we also had the alligator pie, which did not really strike me as exciting. for our entrees, i had the scallop braised in red wine sauce and pears. the scallops were so nice and tender and tasted a bit sweet due to the pears. the scallops were also pretty big. i did enjoy this dish. my mashed potato side and greens were also very good. i tried the quail, which was juicy and moist and quite flavorful. the service was very friendly and homey. the chef made his rounds later on with his jug of cosmopolitan where he proceeded to go up on tables and take pictures with the patrons. he was definitely a good chef and host. good times. if you have the chance to try this place, you really should make the effort.
05/04/2008 Posted by MusicCityDiner
I've resisted writing a review on Jacques-Imo's figuring the reasonable, thoughtful approach was to give it another shot. . . and another. May 3, 2008 was the third trip, and the second visit to the restaurant during the busy JazzFest period. We'll be succinct: Jacques-Imo's proved average on the best outings and worse this past trip, and it's particularly frustrating to have such a disappointing experience in a city filled with outstanding dining options. The problem is that after the long, long wait the service is disinterested and then another extended wait for food that's not all that impressive. After a two-hour wait, our server met us with a dry, indifferent , unfriendly reaction. . . to people who they had to know had waited a long time to get in. Didn't even offer us drinks, just asked if we were ready to order. This has been our experience numerous times. Which would be alright if the food proved outstanding. It isn't. NOLA is littered with amazing restaurants -- we suggest skipping this one.
Pros: Lively, energetic atmosphere
Cons: Average food, spotty service
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