You know that feeling you get when you're so hungry that you'll eat just about anything? That's how my friend and I were after rallying with Bernie Sanders and waiting in line all day with little to eat the entire day. We were planning to grab some nearby pizza but drove passed this place and thought it would be quicker and cheaper and we were familiar with the branding (YATS in Indy). So we thought we'd give it a try. Wrong decision. It didn't satisfy either of our hangry cravings. Don't get me wrong, the service and atmosphere were great! The food is where it's lacking. I got the B&B and the succotash with a chocolate chip cookie. I opened up my to-go container, expecting it to be filled with juicy, buttery goodness, and instead, it was mostly dry with hardly any black beans. I was confused as to why it just didn't have that appeal that YATS does, considering the similar branding, etc. There was no flavor either. Luckily, they had the hot sauce bar cause I needed to add an insane amount to make it less dried out and more tasty. Sorry DATS, you just don't have the same YATS appeal. Come on up to Indy and take some notes! read more

Dat's is amazing. Some people have complained about the service, I've noticed. They're crazy. While yes, you do have to suffer through the nearly unbearable experience of picking up your food and carrying your own tray to your a table at which you seated yourself (it's a truly TERRIBLE experience), the owner is a great guy who would love to chat with you. More importantly, the food is outstanding. The menu is limited, but I still have trouble choosing because everything is delicious. It probably helps that many of the dishes are made with what I can only assume to be heart-attack-inducing amounts of heavy cream. The datwich is delicious as is the chili cheese etouffee. I highly recommend trying some of the Lousianne hot sauce. Please note: you will also have to get this yourself, but it is worth the strenuous effort. That stuff is amazing. I've tried to buy some from him, but I guess he can't sell. I almost wept. read more

Probably one of my favorite places in Bloomington since I've moved here from California for grad school. Excellent tasting food, huge servings (usually), and a nice chill atmosphere. What's sort of annoying is the portion servings tend to vary depending on your cook - sometimes I get copious meat that's tooo much to handle, and other times, I get barely enough for one serving. Would be nice if they streamlined the serving sizes. read more

I've been told "Go to dats it's awesome". These people are lunatics. Probably have never had any cajun food except for Dat's in Bloomington. Maybe lunatics is a strong word but they are definitely not mentally fastened people who probably will commit an act of violence later in life and these are precisely the kind of people who would say something like that. This place is not very awesome at all. I can't really remember what I had as it was years ago and I am writing a review now and it doesn't much matter because its all roughly the same. I've not been there since so it wasn't awesome.... at all... I guess I missed the awesome boat.... I do remember thinking something along the lines of "TV dinner rice and beans from a can". That's kind of how I would describe what I had. Very much a "out of the frozen isle at Kroger meal" feeling when I was eating it. More than likely they didn't buy a TV dinner because that would actually cost more but how they managed to capture that stale refrozen mushy taste is spot on. I'm probably going to get a comment from the owner or a message from someone saying "we prepare everything from scratch bla bla". My preemptive strike to that potential comment is this... "Maybe you should exclude vaseline as the main ingredient". read more

Well, I don't like giving less than three starts but I wasn't impressed. In fact I was a little disappointed. I am visiting Bloomington and when I saw Dats on Google, I immediately thought of Yats! (A creole restaurant up north, where I believe Dats got their idea from) I made this correlation due to the menu items and the advertising sign being exactly the same. However, the taste is not. The service is great and the atmosphere too but if you are use to Yats, do not expect the same quality. The food is much heavier and spicier. Which in most cases I like, in this case I don't. read more

DATS - The inside has a cute design. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Having just moved to Bloomington from Texas, I was ecstatic to find Dat's to get my Cajun fix. I invited a friend of mine who had never tried Cajun food before and still feel guilty for doing so. I wanted to give the staff the benefit of the doubt that maybe a large batch of something had been cooked a bit earlier and that's why it wasn't fresh, but we were there right after it opened so I can only wonder why it tasted reheated. Whatever the case, the food was far from anything that could ever be called Cajun and remains the single worst meal I've ever paid for in Bloomington. Unfortunately, the reputation of any "Cajun" restaurant Indiana might claim to have has been destroyed for me and I will not be returning. read more

Since I first moved to Bloomington in 2004 this place gone through different levels of quality. First great, then poor, now it seems to be back on track. Bottom line: cheap and delicious spicy food :-) read more

I am so, so sorry to have to say this, but no.. I didn't like the food at all. After reading all comments and having contemplated for a long time, I finally made it to DATS. I really want to love it, especially since the old man behind the counter was so nice and friendly. (I have a soft spot for men over 60 it seems). Went at 1:30 and there was no lunch crowd at all.. you could hear crickets in there. not a good sign. Whatevs. Opted for half gumbo, half chili cheese and crawfish etouffe. I had 2.5 tiny pieces of crawfish in what tasted like cheesy dip for cheese fries. Gumbo was soggy, mushy, and tasted like old rice in tomato paste. I tossed it. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this place is a no-go in my opinion. I can only hope the nice old owner-man will read this and consider improving the food. I mean, upland bar and restaurant has a better gumbo than this creole restaurant for crying out loud! read more

For those of you who are familiar with Yats, I've heard this place is just like it and, in fact, used to be a Yat's but broke off from the chain. For those of you who are unfamiliar (like I was before going here), read on. My experience with Dat's started at some friends' apartment, and the friends who lived there had gotten the chili cheese etouffe (sp?) to share. It smelled amazing, and they described the pieces of crawfish and other seafood in it as so good. In the next couple of weeks my mom came to town, and I suggested we go there, thinking that it was fancy (eh too fay, huh?) Dat's is not fancy. You order and pay. They call your name, and you get your food. I learned not to waste opportunities for nice meals with parents on Dat's. Once I got past all that, the food was actually really good. Something like $6-8 can get you at least one hearty or like two decently sized meals. All the meals are basically a bed of rice with some of what I'm going to call "cajun stew" on top and bread on the side. You have the option for a little bit more to get a half/half, which is where you get to pick two types of "stew". Like many people, I do recommend the chili cheese etouffe, but also maybe an option with more meat, like the bourbon chicken or jambalaya - sausage in the latter is so good! The few times I've had Dat's I've been disappointed with the amount of meat/seafood chunks in the chili cheese etouffe, but I've been happy making leftovers with the sauce and stretching them with chicken and vegetables at home. Dat's isn't very nutritious at all, but it's a reasonably priced, somewhat gluttonous indulgence, particularly appealing to my grad school budget. Go with your friends but not your parents! read more

I hate giving such low reviews, but this place really just wasn't good in my opinion. I live in Indianapolis and when I saw this place it reminded me of Yats. I LOVE Yats and so I thought I'd give this place a try. The menu looked extremely similar. I ordered the caramelized corn and black beans with extra bread. The bread had some time of spread on it, but not that much. My dish mainly consisted of corn and rice - barely any black beans at all. I honestly think I counted 3. So disappointing. read more

Eh...Dat's is alright I guess? I was expecting something better. Maybe I got an off day. My biggest complaint about Dat's was that the food was rather unmemorable. In fact, I can't remember what I got. It didn't taste great. I've had creole before in NoLa and elsewhere. It seemed that this was trying to be an imitation. I expected a wonderful homogenization of spice and flavor...but I didn't get any of that. The sweet tea was good. Food was out of the kitchen quickly. Price was a little much for a fairly simple dish IMO. I'm not sure I'll come here again. I miss the creole place I used to go to when I was in Cincy and Dat's fails to fill that void. read more

I love the spice in the food! The étouffée is the best. I tried them first at the Taste of Bloomington and promised to return since then. Chicken isn't my favorite, but I will absolutely eat it here. They dress it well! The chili cheese étoufée is also to die for and I love it so much. So affordable and delicious. read more

Don't go. The service was poor. One of those places that you feel as if you've inconvenienced the people working there when you walk in. I got jambalaya which should be good at a place like this, it wasn't. It tasted as if it had been sitting in a refrigerator for the past few days. At $8 for a plate, there is no way it should be a reheated plate of rice. My girlfriend got rice and beans and they had no flavor at all. None. It would be easier and cheaper to make it up at home. Bad food, bad service. It's a shame because from what I had heard the previous restaurant (Yat's?) sounded pretty good. read more

Upon 2nd review, I really like this place now. The food has much more flavor and the general quality was 10x better the past 2 times I have gone. I don't know if they got new management, but I am really impressed by the improvement. That being said, you should really try Yat's in Indianapolis. It is one of my top 5 favorite restaurants ever. Dat's isn't quite there, but is absolutely worth a stop. read more

Yum. Had it delivered. Creole was great, gumbo was awesome. Rice and beans delicious. You might drive right by this place, but don't. Bloomington gem. read more

Food is good but last two times I got no crawfish in my dish. The meal is suppose to have crawfish and their was not a single piece either time. Probably won't be going back, not going to pay $7 for rice with sauce. read more

DATS - No crawfish. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I feel kinda bad rating the restaurant as a whole because I've only ever gotten the Thai Peanut Etoufee from here and it's delicious and spicy and I've kept coming back for more over the years. Guess I should branch out at some point. read more

Once upon a time, an individual with a dream declared that ALL food aficionados have an unalienable RIGHT to deliciousness! DATS fulfills that destiny and more. First, they hit you with that price...YEW like you're telling me I can get two meals for the price of one ($7-8)??? Easy. Next, after listening to some soulful tunes for a mere 73 seconds you already got your food?? EASY. Tell me a place outside of jimmy johns that's that speedy?Finally, you sink into some chili cheese etoufee and you're in the clouds. You literally feel like you're flying Boeing 757 just doing flips and tricks with the geese and doves and toucans just balling OUT. Now, I know you may think this is too much...which it's not...but you look over to see the moist, succulent, butter-soaked, season-sprinkled slab of bread that was so generously placed before you. After an epic slo-mo cinematic licking of the lips, you sink those pearly whites into that gluten. HOLY HEAVENS ON HIGH. If Louis Armstrong and Guy Fieri had a baby, it would be this bread cuz like dayum it's fine. Oh, and get the peanut butter pie if you're feeling boujee cuz that's pretty scrumptious. Yours truly, peace out my G's read more

Gumbo is good, Bourbon Chicken is okay and chili cheese etoufee is way too sour for me. It's cheap (pay and get your food from the counter type), it's fast and lots of places to sit on a Sunday afternoon. Gumbo is either $5 or $6, half and half is $7 totaling up $13 + for two people. read more

Cheap and filling. You can get a huge plate of good food for under $8. It's pretty close to campus and a good alternative to on-campus options. The service can be kinda spotty but because it's an order-at-the-register kind of place I don't see that as a huge issue. Definitely a casual place, and it never seems to be very crowded for some reason. Oh well, more for me! read more

I liked what I had because it was hot and spicy at the same time. That is something that really seems to be lacking in this area. The staff seemed fine when I was there, quite friendly in fact. If you've been to Yat's in Indy, this is pretty much the same thing. Wonder if they're related somehow? read more

Not a lot of vegetables in the dishes but definitely great for its price. Liked the bourbon chicken, with rich flavors. read more

DATS - Chicken with white beans - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Great service! The food was delicious. I had the drunken chicken it was so flavorful. I definitely will be ordering from here again I want to try everything off the menu! read more

Dats, previously Yats, is excellent if you want some spicy cajun/creole food for a very good price! You can get a full plate of the "entree" served over a healthy portion of rice for just $5.00, or a "half and half" plate served over the same portion of rice for just $6.00. Its cheap and quick, but filled with flavor like you cant even imagine. As your forehead lightly beads with sweat you are going to be saying I have NEVER had jambalaya/chicken creole/crawfish chili cheese etouffe that's this damn good! Everything is PUNCHED with flavor. If you want a big fancy restaurant, this isn't really the place, but if you just want some good food to fill you up at a price that's very nice and easily affordable for college kids--this is DEFINITELY the right place, and never to be regretted! read more

I have been to New Orleans for Jazz Fest and Voodoo. Not an expert on creole and roux based food but I can say I have had my fair share. I had 2 half and halfs. So basically 4 different dishes for about $16. Portion wise, you win as a customer, but here is the kicker...none of it is authentic cajun. I had the two etoufees. Both of the dishes were questionable. In concept a chili cheese crawfish & thai chicken etouffee could have been palatable if done well, they aren't. The consistency was sludgy and the tastes unrecognizable. I ended up putting that dish in the trash. The gumbo is great compared to those 2 etouffees so take that for what it's being compared to. Still not a convincing roux base by any means. The bourbon chicken is sweet teriyaki sauced pulled chicken. This dish wasn't bad but definitely not something you would find in an authentic creole restaurant. I would definitely recommend straying from here if you're looking for real creole, if you want cafeteria style food for cheap then here is your spot. read more

Love Dats. Super quick, delicious food. Staff is friendly. I love the variety for this restaurant they have a little bit of everything.

I have to agree with a lot of the other reviewers, if you're expecting Yats-level flavor and freshness, lower your expectations (Yats is a regional chain that's got a bunch of locations, and I've been to the Fishers location many times). I really appreciated the customer service and the fact that you're allowed to sample the menu, but all of the food was so bland. I sampled the bourbon chicken and black beans/corn, both of which were slightly sweet with very little other flavor. I decided to go with the Cajun ratatoille, which was a mix of vegetables in a tomato sauce that honestly tasted like canned tomato paste. I decided to get a cookie and drink, but unfortunately, even the cookie was stale. read more

My fiancé and I used to work for Mr. Delivery and would literally eat here every other day. We even bought two large containers to take with us when we moved because it was our favorite restaurant. The staff was absolutely wonderful and friendly, and as I sit here in Arizona, months after moving away, fantasizing about that caramelized corn and black bowl of love, I felt the need to write a good review. And if anyone I know is traveling through Bloomington I will tell them DATS. read more

This is my favorite place to eat at!!! My go-to is the drunken chicken with extra bread!!

The absolute worst jambalaya in existence. Rice has disintegrated, barely any sausage, dried chicken, and not worth the money.

A few of my friends have raved about this place for the longest time. First of all it is very cheap and delicious, which is always the best of both worlds! The drunken chicken was what was recommended and this is what I got, I was not disappointed. This was delicious. My friends rave about it to this day! read more

Good, warm, cozy, creamy, spicy, yummy. Ask for light butter on the bread, it's still too much. It's very fast, and very good.

Bourbon chicken and Buffalo chicken are my faves here! The may run out of your preference though so call before you brave downtown. The college guys working were friendly but not speedy when I ordered for a crowd at work delaying our schedule by nearly 45 minutes when I placed and order and it should have been a quick in and out. But hey, it's Bloomington so it comes with the territory, I would recommend this restaurant. read more

I definitely recommend visiting Dats. I stop by weekly for a cheap filling meal that is always above average. Have I had better cajun food? Absolutely. But I'm thrilled to have this establishment in my neighborhood. It is good, really good for cajun in Indiana. For the record I have eaten at Yats and yes it is good, but I have had so so meals there too so I'm a little confused about the amount of support for Yats on the Dats review page. Stop by and got some really good gumbo for $6. Great deal for a hungry grad student. read more

The food here is delicious don't get me wrong I love this place however the only reason that I have to lower the rating is because for people like I who don't eat pork or maybe people who have vegetarian beliefs there aren't very many options to choose from and there's also a lot of rice so I think with getting your money's worth there should be a little more meat give in then there is offered but other than that this is a pretty good place for Creole and Cajun food they're on the right track that's for sure read more

Just had the voodoo chicken, and wow... Spectacular. And for $7 I will start going there for lunch during the week!

Dats serves relatively good Cajun and creole dishes at reasonable prices. It's very quick and convenient, however the staff isn't very friendly and although the portions are large there is a lot of rice as filler rather than the entree itself. I love the caramelized corn and black beans, while my boyfriend goes wild for anything with crawfish. When I'm craving Cajun or creole, this is where I turn, but it is no where close to the best Cajun or creole food I've eaten. read more

I should have given zero stars. This place is not at all authentic. The "gumbo" would have been unrecognizable to anyone from the south. They don't even have fountain sodas. Avoid! read more

I'm a big fan of Dats. It's good, quick, filling food. Oddly enough I don't' really like their jambalaya. I can't really put my finger on it, but I've loved everything else I've tried, the chili cheese etouffee as well as the bourbon chicken. The Datwich and Voodoowhiches are excellent. Tasty and spicy. Meals come with rice and buttered toast. The wife and I like to do a bi ole feast where we get Datwiches and several etouffees and then share and revel in the leftovers the next day. We mostly eat to-go, but if you eat-in you get a nice assortment of hot sauces. Folks at the counter are always fast and friendly. The décor is very "New Orleansy" but not over the top. It's not a fancy sit-down place, but like the food it's simple and to the point. Parking can be a bit of an issue, but that's the state of all spots on or around "restaurant row" in B-town. read more

During my senior year of college this amazing, rustic place called Yat's moved into the neighborhood. 2 years later, I return to find the slow stepchild of that restaurant, Dat's. Dat's is a creole-cajun restaurant that is cheap and delicious but was never quite as good as Yats. Some people tell me that the only thing that changed was the name but I'm not buying it. Everything just seemed like watered-down Yats. Not a fan. read more