After spending much of the morning in Jennings touring the VA Home and meeting with the staff we want to experience a piece of the local culture for lunch. Babineaux's Cafe definitely met the criteria, it's definitely a part of the local history and culture. The exterior looks a little worn and the parking well it's random to say the least I think the locals here park wherever they feel comfortable and that's okay there's plenty of options. We were greeted by the friendly staff as soon as we walked in and found a seat without a wait although the place had already began to fill for lunch service. There's a lot of standard fare on the printed menus but my eyes went directly to the daily specials handwritten on the chalkboard which changes daily. The staff here is so efficient and quick to describe the specials and grab your drink order and of course they have freshly brewed sweet tea. After looking over the board I could not resist the home cooking option, a perfectly fried pork-chop, green beans, corn and of course a healthy portion of rice and gravy, it was outstanding so much like my momma made, we also ordered a club sandwich on toast, no frills just down home deliciousness. This is definitely a gem in the community and a must try if you want a taste of the local culture and to experience the unmatched hospitality from the people in southwest Louisiana, this is what I miss and always look forward to when returning to the state I was born and raised in... read more

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If you live here you know. For those of us traveling through you need to know that this little restaurant is worth getting off the interstate for. It's not huge inside but we had no trouble getting a comfortable seat at lunchtime. There's a menu and there's a board of lunch specials. The friendly and attentive service couldn't be beat. If you see the grilled pork ribeye on the specials board you need to get it. The tastiest and most moist pork you may ever eat. The home cooked style vegetables will just make your meal a home run. We are already hoping that the timing on our next trip west coincides with lunchtime here and hopefully the grilled pork ribeye will be on the specials board. read more

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I went for breakfast this time and ordered the country ham with eggs, grits, and a biscuit. The grits were creamy, the biscuit was fresh from the oven, and the coffee was always topped off. It had the kind of welcoming, hometown atmosphere that makes you want to come back for another meal. read more

We are traveling from Texas to Alabama and after being stuck for over an hour following a bad wreck on I-10 we needed a lunch break. I found this little gem on a Yelp search. The outside of the cafe is a little rough around the edges but the interior was quaint and clean. Also, all of the ladies who worked there were all so sweet and the food was delicious! We both ordered the special which was pork chops, rice and gravy, green beans and carrots. Sooo dang good. Our waitress even brought us each a small piece of chocolate cake! I would highly recommend! read more

I love local diners. We had to stop for gas and to check out Chateaux Gator in Jennings. Purposefully avoided the many chains and fast food joints nearby and found this gem. Unassuming and no frills. The dining area and tables were very clean. Mainly locals eating here which we took as a good sign. Excellent wait staff. Our meals were really good with plentiful servings. And you can't beat the price. Our 4 meals without tip wasn't much more than we'd spend at a fast food joint. The menu was quite diverse, too. read more

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Staff friendly and helpful. Service was very fast. Food was delicious, hot, and fresh. Happy to find good vegetables while on the road. Both the peas and corn were perfect. Bonus free dessert was pleasant surprise. Definitely will return. read more

Great little Cajun cafe. My husband got the Friday special, catfish topped with etouffe over rice plus 2 sides, absolutely delicious. I was thrilled with my fresh gulf shrimp poboy on bread so delicious, found only in Louisiana, New York, and Paris. The staff and owner are so friendly, prices are super fair, this place will become a regular stop for us when traveling from Texas. read more

Fast, cheap, and good--here, you CAN get all 3! Whenever I'm in town for business, we end up eating lunch here 3 times a week. It's not that there are no other options. There are. It's just that the value can not be beat! The daily plate lunches are great tasting, and come with an unadvertised complimentary dessert (usually a small cake square). It is housed in an old gas station, so the parking situation out front can be chaotic. Park on the gravel and you'll have no problems. read more

Babineaux's Cafe - Lunch menu and logo - Cafes Near Me - Jennings, Louisiana

First and best home cooked meal in Louisiana! Owner and servers were the nicest Thanks for the good memories!

I found this place on a Maps search looking for highway food. Babineaux's was closing but stayed open long enough to prep a to-go order for us of a fried shrimp poboy, fried catfish, grilled cheese, and onion rings. My son's grilled cheese and fries were $3 in his kids meal, the hot poboy was fresh and tasty with a good value for price. The onion rings were hot and crunchy, with an excellent flavor. But it was my grilled catfish, with its huge portion and falling-apart tenderness, that was the cherry on top. EXCELLENT fish made me wish I lived in Jennings just to enjoy this meal every day. Staff had our to go order sitting at the drive through window for us in the 10 minutes it took us to arrive and was friendly. We will definitely be back to Babineaux's next time we're on I-10 in Jennings! read more

Babineaux's Cafe - a fork in a container with french fries - Cafes Near Me - Jennings, Louisiana

Random pull over as i was getting hungry on the way to Houston. I am a Yankee so i was a little confused at first. I decided to get the lunch plate. At first i was scared. I saw BEEF TONGUE, but then i saw Chops. I was not brave and took the chops with the everything potatoes( SUPER YUM), and the pudding... WOW! What an authentic lunch i had in Louisiana! Thank You! read more

Excellent local flavor. Service is fast and friendly. Susan explained each dish. I had meatball stew over rice and purple hulls. Mike had a tilapia PO Boy. Great prices for a great local flavor read more

Babineaux's Cafe - a plate of rice and meatballs - Cafes Near Me - Jennings, Louisiana

Always one of my favorite places to eat for lunch!! Chicken Fried Chicken in Thursday's is AMAZING!!!

No good but not horrible. I've eaten better. Hamburger steak was round & thick, dry with almost black gravy which started to congeal into a glob almost as soon as I took a bite. Portions were small, no bread or veg. Fish sandwich was sparse of fish. read more

The plate lunches are great! They have a different meal each day of the week. On Thursdays they do a Bar-B-Q plate lunch and it usually comes with rice dressing, beans and a very big pork steak. Would recommend this place for lunch. read more

We looked on our Exit app to find a good place to eat while passing through on I-10. Babineaux's was listed as a great place for lunch. We were pleasantly surprised. The food was delicious and very fresh and the service was excellent! We will make this our lunch stop on our next trip through Louisiana! read more

I had the fried shrimp salad and it was great...more shrimp than I could eat!! My husband had the chicken tenders... Thought they were good. We shared an order of fried pickles that were yummy. The service was very friendly and the restrooms were nice. Easy access to I-10, do it's a good travel stop. read more

Babineaux's Cafe - Chicken Tenders - Cafes Near Me - Jennings, Louisiana

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