Reminds you of New Orleans style for sure. I love the voodoo bowl along with the buttered toast that comes with it. The best location is Clifton. read more

So nice to find good Cajun food in Cincy! Wish we had some in Dayton. I got there for a late lunch so business was a bit slow, which might explain the rather loud music playing. Look forward to coming back to introduce my family in the area to chicken & sausage gumbo! read more

Delicious and fairly priced. I came here with my mom. She got the bumblebee stew and I got the Bourbon chicken which were both delicious. We added sour cream cheese and jalapeños and got the peach cobbler for dessert. Service was fast and fussy and friendly and we were able to eat outside on the tables which was good because I have my our dog with us. read more

J Gumbo's - Bumblebee stew with cheese and sour cream - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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They are now putting hot dogs in their gumbo instead of sausage and like zero chicken. This location is nothing like is use to be. read more

J Gumbo's - Gumbo with hot dogs ‍ - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

If you like rice with a little entree then this your spot. Food is fine but portions are small. They fill most of the bowl with rice then heap a spoon of the good stuff as decoration. This is a pic with light rice. read more

J Gumbo's - a bowl of soup on a table - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

The husband has brought home J. Gumbo's take-out at my request several times, although I have yet to step foot inside the restaurant. i first tried the Black & Bleu Dip, which is the Bumblebee Stew sprinkled with bleu cheese & served with tortilla chips. Very yummy. I had been informed that their cornbread was amazing, so I had to give this a try as well. I don't think I'll ever be a cornbread lover, but this is probably the best cornbread I've ever had - very moist. Since then I've tried the White Chili, which I wasn't a huge fan of. A little spicy but not very flavorful. And most recently I had the Bumble Bee Queso Dip. It's a toss-up between the Black & Bleu and the Queso for me - the Bumble Bee Stew is a perfect blend of sweet, savory, and spicy. The husband reports that the staff are helpful and polite and the location was clean. The menu was clear as far as level of spiciness, vegetarian options, and prices. T'would be nice to see some more vegetarian options pop up, but I think I can be satisfied with the Bumble Bee Stew regardless. read more

J Gumbo's - White Chili - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Friendliest staff you will ever meet. Its been a few months since we have been there, but while Im on here I thought I should leave one for one of my favorite places. If you have never had Creole Cuisine it is ok.. they will talk with you about the different combinations and let you try a few out so that you know what spice level you like. My personal favorite is the vodoo bumblebee which is the voodoo (spicy) chicken with their bumble bee (a sweet stew). Sop up allllll those juices with a roll or some great cornbread. You will not be disappointed! read more

I've lived a block away from this location for the past 7 years and I can't believe I never tried this place until now. We went over for dinner after a friend suggested it and I wasn't too thrilled about it just because I wasn't sure if I would like the food, but when we got there we told them it was the first time and both of the people working there were so incredibly friendly and welcoming that it made you feel like you were a regular. The lady quickly asked what kind of flavor we liked and let us tried a bite of basically everything so we could decide I felt kind of bad but they said they always do that so they can ensure costumer satisfaction which is awesome. After trying a couple of this I chose the voodoo chicken and so did my friend, honestly it was extreme tasty and spicy but definitely a must try if you like spicy food. They served it in a bed of rice and the rice they have is soo good! I give this place a 4 because I only like one thing out of the whole menu but other than that it was a good experience. Lastly, the place is tiny but there are plenty of seats available. read more

I went into the restaurant at about 8 with a friend and was greeted by the staff there. We were asked if we wanted to sample some items so I decided to sample the honey sriracha good. So I decided to order the half and half ball with Voodoo chicken and honey Sriracha. I didn't get anything extra like cornbread but I know that their cornbread is really popular. They have a Rewards program at this location where you can earn spots. So I registered to get my points for this visit. This order was carry out and I received a nice portion of food. The food was very tasty and flavorful the two stews Blended had a really good taste to them and I was only able to get through about half of the bowl and had to save the rest for later. The meal comes with a slice of bread to eat with it probably the cool your mouth down if you're getting the hot items. Overall this was a positive visit and experience. Good customer service the ability to sample the items prior to purchase and a good portion for the amount that I paid for it. The food was very flavorful and feeling. I will be back again. They do have daily specials that you can order as well so I plan to look for their daily specials and give them a try as well. read more

J Gumbo's - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Very glad to add J. Gumbo's to the fast food chain rotation. One of the great things that came out of Hurricane Katrina was the fanning out of people from the area and a dissemination of Cajun food across the U.S. That includes J. Gumbo's---a chain. But a chain that is often run by a Cajun. I accept! The food is good and more than enough. There is a different deal everyday of the week, which has allowed me to try so many wonderfully great dishes. I've discovered new things like Bumblebee Stew, Drunken Chicken, and White Chili. Everything comes with a kick! read more

Went to Graeter's Ice Cream, but stopped for gumbo instead. The restaurant is stuffed betwixt a Subway and a Dollar store. Nothing fancy. Just a sign that reads: J. Gumbo's. But inside... It's the smells that hit you first: sweet, spicy, southern. The smells of a good home-cooked meal. The smells of Bourbon street and Louisiana. The smells, of something glorious. Then there's the inside. Nothing extraordinary or wildly chic. This place was designed for functionality. Chairs, tables, a soda fountain, and plenty of elbow room (which you'll need for your tummy to expand). So, now, the gumbo. Well, there were a ton of choices: Jambalaya, Bourbon Street Chicken, Zydeco Chicken, Gumbo, Etoufee, Bumblebee Stew, White Chili, Drunken Chicken, Voodoo Chicken, Chicken Red Hot, Jean Lafitte. It's overwhelming, I know. But that's okay. The staff will tell you what's what. And, and, they'll let you sample the entrees. All of them. For free. Plus they have vegetarian entrees. I've sampled all of them. Like one of those chocolate samplers you'd get during the holidays. And they're toe-curling great. But my favorite of all time is the Voodoo Chicken and Bumblebee Stew combo (aka the Jean Lafitte). To die for. Literally. And the portion size (the two entrees in one bowl) is humongous. You can eat it all in one sitting, but you'd be regretting it later. I know, I've done it before. Fell into a food coma. Took me a couple days to wake up. But once that taste hits your lips, there's no turning back. It's just that good. You have to try J. Gumbo's. Now. read more

J Gumbo's - Gumbo. - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Have you ever even had gumbo in Cincinnati? I hadn't until someone mentioned this place to me. After eating only half of my huge bowl, I'm glad that he took me here! As soon as we walked in the service provider greeted us with a wide smile and sunny eyes. He was quick to ask me if I was familiar with the place and as soon as I said "no" he began to dive into their menu. "Do you like sweet & mild, medium zesty, or hot & spicy?" I told him what I preferred and he started handing me samples. It's much easier to come to a conclusion of what you want to order when you get to actually taste the food. After I decided what I wanted I added some sour cream and jalapeños. At check out I grabbed a small piece of cornbread to enjoy with my gumbo. The gumbo was delicious! I chose white rice and the zydeco chicken and drunken chicken. The chicken was moist and filled with flavor and the rice soaked up every inch of the sauce. The cornbread was also moist and exactly what I wanted it to be. I give J. Gumbo's a big YUM! read more

J Gumbo's - Give me dat good good! - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Apparently the one in Clifton is better, or so I'm told. This was my first time here - and I have to say I like this place because it's different. There aren't a lot of reasonably priced fast-food-y style places that offer diverse food in these here parts, so I was excited to learn that J Gumbo's existed. Now, it's not authentic cajun food and it's not made to order, but it hits the spot and it's good food to money ratio. I got the Nola Nachos and decided that when I come back again, I want that only on rice - no chips. The voodoo chicken is good, too. read more

Yummy!! Easily customizable, fast, filling, and reasonably priced! We like this place for a no-fuss Cajun food fix!

This was my first time here, so they offered to let me taste whatever I wanted. I tried all the Hot & Spicy options and the were ALL delicious! Ended up going with the Red Hot Chicken. I added a deliciously moist and soft piece of cornbread to go with it! read more

J Gumbo's - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Went here for lunch yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. While the restaurant does not look like much the service was excellent, the food portions are large and the food had a lot of flavor. When I mentioned it was my first visit, the friendly woman behind the counter let me try a couple of different items. I settled on half Voodoo Chicken and half Red Hot Chicken. It is served in a bowl over brown or white rice. It comes with a piece of fresh bread. Toppings are extra, but reasonable at $0.25 per topping (i.e. jalapenos, cheese, sour cream) I thought the price was reasonable for the amount of food I got. I will definitely be back. read more

I love me some J gumbos but this was the first time where I got more rice than drunken chicken so I'm a bit disappointed but it still is so good. read more

Cajun/Creole is not too easy to find in Cincy, but this chain will get you your fix of chiles and peppers, which are technically not the same. My work group stopped by this location for lunch. It's nothing to look at, tucked into a strip mall at Galbraith and Winton, with maybe 50 seats inside. The counter was manned by a very accommodating woman who let us sample a half dozen gumbos, any of which could be served in a bowl over rice or rolled burrito-style. Heat levels ranged from mild and sweet to decently hot. They have their own hot sauce and a couple of bottled ones for kicking it up even more. Jambalaya is how I usually gauge a place like this, and theirs is pretty good, although it did need a kick. Prices are very reasonable. Good lunch option. read more

I've been meaning to visit one of these restaurants since I first saw one pop up in Clifton. The place isn't too bad. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's similar to Chipotle, in that the food is all right in front of you to see, and they're pretty quick to put it together for you. They have alcohol too, but I wouldn't say that it's the highlight of the place. I'll admit that I've had better Cajun food, but it was good all things considered. There was only one guy working since it was a slow day, but he suggested the Jambalaya with a little bit of Gumbo to top it off - I wasn't sure why, but as I looked at the Jambalaya, I'd say it was a good call because it looked a little dry. It made for a nice combination. The hotness levels are a little misleading - I can handle some pretty hot food, but I usually steer away from the hottest on the menu. I found my combination to be less than what I expected and wanted. Overall, good place, and I imagine I will return!! read more

Probably 3.5 stars, realistically. As a resident of Finneytown for over four years, I can say that J Gumbo's is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Yes, it's another chain, but its offerings/flavors are very different from the rest of our dining options. Maybe the food isn't authentically Cajun, but it tastes good, and there's a lot of variety, all at a great price. (Especially since the portions are so large!) I'm not sure what more you could ask for. The menu is organized into 4 different spice levels. As a spice wuss, I really can't go past the first level, but the Bourbon Chicken is so good, I don't need to. The Red Beans and Rice has a *tiny* kick to it, thanks to the (black) pepper in it, but the sausage and beans themselves are not spicy. My boyfriend has had the Drunken Chicken and the Voodoo Chicken. I think the former is his favorite of the two. The latter was *almost* too spicy for him. All flavors are served on rice with a side of soft French bread. Some flavors can be put on a sandwich. Also, for a small up-charge, you can get half portions and thus mix 2 flavors. Unless you have a big appetite, you'll probably need a to-go box. I always do. The dining room itself is nothing special. Bright and colorful, with hand-painted tables, it's friendly and casual. There are only about 7 or so tables, but a lot of people take their food to go anyway. We usually eat there. The servers might *look* a little rough around the edges, but I'm always impressed by how friendly and respectful they are. They greet you as soon as you walk in, and offer free samples of anything you want to try. In short, we're very happy to have J Gumbo's as an option in our neighborhood. Now if only we could get a BBQ place too... read more

Wow what a cool place! From out of town and just swung by. They lady at the front was so friendly and nice, start handing us samples and custom made our meal! It was fun. A very unique experience. I had the jambalaya and the gumbo mix and it's fantastic. Cheap good comfort food! Gonna bring all my army buddies here for sure read more

Not Gonna make this mistake again... No value, my 10 year old would still be hungry...

At the behest of several coworkers, I finally made it out to J Gumbo's and it was an overall enjoyable experience. We went on a Wednesday at lunch time, so it was bustling, but not terribly busy. Not being familiar with the menu, I stood back and let the others order first. The guy working at the counter immediately started taking orders and was asking the third person in line their order before he'd finished plating the first person's. The rushing was a little unneccesary, but I guess he felt a sense of urgency. There was another gentleman that came from the back and let me try a couple of samples before I settled on my order of Voodoo Chicken (which is the spiciest thing on the menu, but delicious!), and it was also the daily special. So the service left a little to be desired, but the food was very tasty. The Voodoo chicken was very spicy, and served over the jambalaya because they'd run out of white rice. The flavors were on point. The jambalaya was a little soggy, as if the rice had been a little overcooked, but I was able to overlook that because it still tasted pretty good. It's worth a return visit, but at a less busy time. The daily specials are $5 for a giant bowl and a slice of soft french bread. read more

I had been looking forward to trying this, and I'm not sure what I expected, but I was disappointed. Cajun food is soupy stuff over white rice? On the plus side, the server was very friendly, and gave good suggestions based on my husband's likes. He and my daughter were pleased; my son and I, not so much. read more

The Etouffee was as delicious as when I was in New Orleans. And they're not kidding when say they have the biggest bowls in town. This place is awesome and is now a regular for me!!! read more

All I can say is very disappointed. I am a 30 + yr Louisiana resident and have been in cincy for 5 yrs. I saw this new restaurant open and thought why not try it. It has to be some of the worse " down home cajun cookin" I have ever tried to eat. Trust me there is nothing about this restaurant that is cajun, but if you like skyline chille you might like this place. read more

For a restaurant that's named after gumbo, I couldn't believe how bland and poorly executed their namesake dish was. The gumbo was little more than 4 small pieces of sausage and a few onion pieces in a flavorless roux (brown stew base). Not a single other element you expect to find/taste in gumbo was detectable, no peppers, celery, garlic, okra, chicken, nothing. I had to sprinkle it with Creole seasoning at home just to make it palatable. The peach cobbler tasted like canned peaches straight out of said can, wrapped in an undercooked, massive, doughy biscuit. It was not like any cobbler I've ever had, nor worth a 2nd bite. If these are accurate representations of the owner's family recipes, then I'm shocked he ever thought they were tasty enough to base a restaurant on. Perhaps I experienced an off day for the cook, but between my two items and my husband's supremely disappointing red beans and rice, I will not be tempted to ever waste my money here again. I've had better Cajun food out of a box, and better cobbler out of the frozen food aisle. It was just truly bad cooking. read more

We just tried this for the first time a couple weeks ago. Overall it's a nice place for takeout and the food is good. I've tried the Bourbon Street Chicken & the Sloppy Joe dishes. I've also tasted the Bumblestew & Jumbalaya and thought they were both tasty as well. They definitely have hot, spicy dishes as well. I'm a fan of spicy but not so hot it burns your lips=) The portion size is good, we always have leftovers. read more

J Gumbos Finneytown is a great change of pace if you're looking for something different to eat. Great music and a great environment, not to mention awesome food. The people who work here are helpful and friendly. And now you can even enjoy a cold beer to wash down the food. It may not be "authentic" Cajun food but it does a great job and it's spices are just right and available for anyone's taste buds. Take a minute to come in and try anything with their availability of free samples and I suggest getting the Drunken Chicken! Great food, great music, great people. read more

This place was great! The gumbo was top notch. I had a mix of the bumble bee and voodoo chicken and it is comparable to the gumbo you will gwt in New Orleans. Also the staff were super friendly. read more

I stop in here for carry out on occasion..not nearly often enough. Have never gotten anything that wasn't delicious. If you're not sure if you'll like something they will give you a sample before your order it. Be careful with the heat. Believe them...when they hot--they mean hot. But it's oh, so good. Love their rewards program. Next visit will get me a free entree. The people who work there are so friendly and accommodating. Hope they are there for a long, long time. read more

Stopped by for lunch break. Super clean place. Great service. Awesome recommendations by Kenya. She guided me through tons of gumbo. And all tasted amazing. She said she made the Honey Sriracha. And it was so delicious. I had a combo of that and the voodoo chicken over white rice. And the sweet cornbread! Yum!!! Glad she talked me into that. Can't wait to come back again. Wonderful place. Highly recommended. Thanks for the great lunch!!! read more

Let me preface this review by saying that I am a native Louisianan, born and raised. J. Gumbo's is good, but it's not exactly authentic. Don't get me wrong, it's delicious, and the spice is pretty dang close, but it's not the same as the food back home. The people who work here are super nice and give generous portions, and the atmosphere is awesome. This is probably as close as you'll get to authentic Cajun food this far from the Mississippi delta. If you eat here, you have to get the cornbread or the Zapp's potato chips. They're classic Louisiana foods, and you won't go wrong with them. read more

To say that this was a very unsatisfying meal would be an understatement. I went for the gumbo I should have left when a place called J Gumbo's had none. Etouffee look greasy and slimy so I didn't even purchase it. Instead we got the voodoo chicken bourbon chicken drunken chicken red beans and rice and jambalaya. And out of all of them the only thing that tastes of different was the bourbon chicken. Literally all it was was nasty bits of boiled chicken poured over the top of rice. Literally $40 wasted don't be a dummy like me listen to the reviews they suck. read more

My first time here as this place was unknown to me. The service is amazingly friendly and more than helpful. The food was absolutely amazing! Very clean. Look forward to returning soon. read more

The jambalaya and gumbo were great. The service was not the friendliest.

Absolutely great, authentic Cajun food! If you've never been here before, don't worry- the staff will help you find the menu item(s) just right for your taste, even giving you samples first. You can choose items from mild to very hot. And you have to try the Bumblebee Stew, especially in the Black and Bleu dip! The only "issue" I've ever had here is that it seems like some dishes get made differently every time I come in. It's almost like they're making it up as they go. But with food this good and portion sizes so large, that really isn't a major issue at all! read more

This place is excellent. I had the voodoo chicken and it was perfect amount of spice and heat. This might be my new underrated gem. Will have to explore the menu next time. read more

I love this place! There are many different types of gumbo, ranging from mild to super spicy. One of the great things about this place is that you can sample anything you want, so you don't have to find out later that your food is too spicy! The portions are generous, and the people at this location are super friendly. They have white and brown rice, which I also love. Try it! read more

My office mates have raved about this place, and I decided to give it a try. The decor is nice, reminds me of several smaller places I've been in New Orleans. I had the Voodoo Chicken, it was a good portion, and was fairly tasty. Not as good as some down home Cajun, but for Cincy, it's the best I've had. read more