Jude's is the hidden gem I didn't know I needed in my life! It gives small dive vibes. The staff is super friendly and attentive. The food is incredible. I love that each entire comes with choice of protein and a salad. The catfish was insanely crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The dirty rice was good. I could have used a little more flavor punch, but I haven't seen dirty rice on a menu in Seattle...so, I will not deduct points. Added bonus they are open late. I can't wait to go back for grits & greens!! read more

The Best Experience Hands Down In Rainer Beach 206 Seattle Wa! Come see this amazing establishment! For the Grits Plate! Catfish is smacking! Cornbread is a hit! Dirty Rice is something special :) Sabrina is Amazing! Service 10/10 Ambiance was really nice! Vibes on 10! read more

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Really friendly service and fantastic Cajun-inspired food. I had the catfish po boy, which was nice and crispy with a delicious remoulade. The catfish came in several breaded pieces, so it was easier to eat. And the lettuce/pickles were super fresh! read more

Small neighborhood spot! Parking on the street. Food is southern inspired. Space is relatively limited inside the restaurant. Not super kid friendly in terms of seating but they make it work. Staff was extremely nice and patient. Food was delicious and flavorful. read more

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Really enjoyed this spot! It's cozy inside with a few tables and overall really liked the experience, the food, vibes, and people were all good. We got the Cajun pasta, po boy, and gumbo and they were all solid. I think our universal favorite was the po boy but the others were good as well. Overall def one of the best Cajun spots I've had in Seattle so far. read more

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We went on a Saturday afternoon, no reservation but they were able to seat us. There is bar seating as well but since it was our first time we wanted a table so was very happy they were able to accommodate us. We ordered the Grits plate which comes with red beans, greens and cheesy grits and we chose catfish for the protein. The red beans had a tomato base and the beans were a lil crunchy. I didn't like the flavor but my wife said she didn't mind it. Greens were good. Grits were my fave perfectly creamy. Catfish excellently fried and seasoned. Next the parmesan Caesar brussels -interesting take but not bad. The gumbo was good as well. And the cocktails on point. Overall we really liked the spot and the atmosphere. It's cozy and you can tell neighborhood ppl frequent the place. Also love that its a co-op and employee owned. read more

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Went here on a date. Didn't realize there was a poetry reading that finished right as we got there! It was a bit loud as that crowd died down but would definitely like to check that out in the future. The food was delicious. Of course you have to get the beignets! read more

Jude's Old Town - Beignets - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I love Jude's. Since discovering it we have adopted this place as our favorite regular haunt. Great cocktails, unbelievably good food and the service is always friendly. The place feels like your next favorite neighborhood restaurant. Employee owned and operated, with perfect vibes. Pro tips -- everything on the menu is good, but the Poboy, the clams and the grits plate are all absolutely outstanding. read more

We had a delicious birthday meal at Jude's Old Town. The hubby loves creole and Cajun food, so this place fit the bill! We found Jude's Old Town through Seattle Restaurant Week. Since none of us drink, we opted to order ala carte. We started with the hush puppies which were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with a nice kick. For entrees, hubby got the grits plate with fried catfish, I got the House Ranch salad with fried catfish and daughter got the Jude's Burger. The catfish was seasoned well and fried up nice and crispy. We finished off with the seasonal bread pudding with caramel apple syrup. This place is great for dinner! The service was friendly and very attentive. read more

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Seen this place for years and finally stopped in one evening, wow what a neighborhood gem! Very intimate seating, less than 10 tables, small outside eating area for nice weather days but cozy atmosphere gives "old town" southern vibes with elevated plating. If you plan on dining in, I'd suggest going on a week night within a couple hours of opening. Ordered gumbo that was thick, rich, and full of flavor, grits plate with soft fried catfish, greens, and beans - scrapped my plate clean although the fish could use more salt. Also ordered some dirty rice that was well flavorful. Wonderful neighborhood restaurant & bar to grab a hearty southern dinner if you don't feel like cooking and don't want fast food. read more

Jude's Old Town - Dirty Rice with catfish - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We stopped in while exploring the neighborhood. I am always a huge fan of vegetarian takes on normally meat dishes: Po Boy with NOLA fritters. This was one of the tastiest sandwiches I've ever had. The fries were great too. This is such a cute spot. It's very intimate and inviting. The service was friendly and efficient. It's a spot and I can't wait to try it again soon. read more

Jude's Old Town - Fo' Boy with NOLA Fritters - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The wait staff was very warm and welcoming. And the food was really, really good. I had the grits plate and it was tasty, well seasoned, cooked beautifully and filling. Highly recommend. read more

Loveee this place! Small cozy neighborhood spot. Everything was cooked to perfection! The eggplant dip with house made focaccia is amazinggggg. Wild rice is extremely flavorful with perfect crispy bits. Even the sides from the grits plate are top notch! Drinks are great too. I will have to come back for the beignets I was too full. read more

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great vibe, great service, amazing food. gumbo was on point! we celebrated an anniversary and felt celebrated Sincerely, a Louisiana girl read more

Jude's Old Town - French 75, yum - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Seattle, Washington

These guys catered an event i went to and the food was killer! SO flavorful!! Will def be heading to RB to try out the full menu. read more

The gumbo was trash and the prawns were undercooked and fishy. The drinks were good but small and overpriced. We won't be going back. The service was solid though. read more

Fat Tuesday was my first time here. My friend raves about this place so we had to go. I had also read a few articles about how they are employee-owned, which I love. Staff was super welcoming from jump. Of course we had to try the special - crab stuff beignets. The French 75 cocktails were amazing (I'm not normally a cocktail person!) I loved how it felt like we were just all at a friend's house eating together. read more

Jude's Old Town - Crab stuffed beignets (special), brussels sprouts, hush puppies, grits plate with catfish - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Omg, I've been driving by this place for years and finally tried it with a gf. Oh my stars, it's like being in NOLA w/o leaving town! Cute & intimate setting with delicious food. I will definitely be back with my honey in tow read more

Jude's Old Town - Menu - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Finally got to try Jude's out! This place has been on my list for years. From the moment you walk in, you really feel right at home. It's a small and charming restaurant with a full bar and a good amount of seating for the space. The service was very pleasant. I got their chipotle eggplant dip, the hush puppies, gumbo, grit plate and beignets. Overall, I give the food a 7.5/10. I will be back for sure. Sooner rather than later. read more

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Great gumbo, good Caesar where you can really taste the Tabasco in the dressing. The side cornbread/muffin was okay. I ordered take away and the process for pick up just isn't stellar, despite offering an easy online ordering system. It's a small restaurant so I felt like I was walking in on date nights immediately, but there isn't anywhere to stand or clearly walk up to for getting an order. The waitress who gave me my order seemed rushed (which makes sense if it's just her!). Given the great ambiance of the restaurant, I think they should have a better system for pick ups that isn't so intrusive and awkward. It would also be helpful to list what the seasonal/rotating dessert is and allow people to order it via the online system. read more

This place is freaking awesome. I have spent a fair amount of time in New Orleans and love creole cooking Jude's really nails it in a way that many places outside of the south don't. The dirty rice and cat fish? Crazy good. Brussels sprouts? Red beans? Heck yes! Plus it's owned by its employees, so everyone cares about quality. Oh the alcoholic slushy is fire read more

Soooooo good!! This place has been on my bookmarks for a ridiculously long time, but I'm usually in the area in the mornings while they don't open until 16:00. I was really looking for something different and decided that I'm just going to make a special trip to check out Jude's and enjoy the Japanese garden. If you haven't been in the area, this part of the neighborhood is street parking only. I've had challenges in the morning, but was able to park surprisingly close on this particular evening. I showed up a little bit after opening and there were already several people sitting outside - always a good sign! Inside was clean and had plenty of plants to help liven things up. We were greeted promptly by a lovely gentleman who was super awesome at his job; one of those people that their job really fits their personality and you can feel the passion. There were several beverages that I was interested in, but the special of the day really pulled me in - some sort of blended mango deliciousness with some heat and the alcohol of my choice. I went with rum...just seemed like the right thing to do. For dinner I went in knowing I wanted the mushroom étouffée, which was amazing. I originally wasn't going to get the NOLA fritters because they seemed a bit pricey, but I'm super glad that I did! They were fantastic and I want to figure out how to make them at home...which means I'm going to need to get more for research purposes. As a vegetarian I know that Cajun themed places are usually not very friendly, but Jude's has a lot of vegetarian and vegan options while having classic dishes that you'd expect to find. This place is a bit out of my way, but I'm definitely going to make it work so I can try all the things on the menu. read more

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This is a hidden gem. Wow!!! Great service and the food is beyond delicious~. Drinks are so on point amazing Highly recommend read more

Jude's Old Town - Best Po Boy I've ever had. Cesar Salad is - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I enjoyed a delicious po boy. I have driven past this place a million times but never checked it out until now. Everyone was friendly and it was beautifully decorated. Definitely brought NOLA to Seattle with this one! read more

Jude's Old Town - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Everything you would expect in a speakeasy, without the speakeasy prices. A fun, friendly and charming place. Will return.

This place is fantastic and a spot that I plan on revisiting and recommending moving forward. We came during Plate of Nations (an awesome 2 week event that features diverse South Seattle restaurants) and we split their Plate of Nations Meal. The meal cane with 2 proteins, 4 sides and beignets so how can you possibly go wrong with that?! For our proteins we got fried catfish and blackened chicken and both were excellent. The catfish had a nice crispy and light fry on the outside and it was simple and full of flavor. The chicken was moist and it had a great spicy blackened flavor. For our sides we got dirty rice, grits, sautéed greens and an apple salad. My favorite of the sides was shockingly the apple salad. It was light and well dressed and it had the perfect amount of crunch and texture for a salad. I like salads but I was not expecting to enjoy this salad as much as I did as it was a top tier salad. All of the sides were good but my second favorite was probably the dirty rice but the grits were no slouch as well! For dessert we had the beignets and they came with a chocolate ganache for dipping. It was a wonderful finishing touch. I honestly can't recommend this place enough as our server was fantastic too. Reasonable prices, delicious food and great service, what more can you ask for? Very excited to go back and try some of their other options like the Louisiana Stuff Chayote or the Hot Pimento Cheese Dip in the future. read more

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This is our neighborhood haunt. I always order blackened catfish and grits, served with greens. My wife orders the po'boy. Food is great. The service is always very engaged, it is employee owned so they are motivated. Love the small and warm feeling in the bar and restaurant. They have also created a beautiful outdoor eating area in front of the restaurant. The cocktails are epic. read more

We love this place! It has such a cozy vibe with excellent food and drinks. My partner and I are vegan and we LOVE that they always have solid vegan options, and it's not an afterthought. Their menu is seasonal with fun flavorful dishes. Everyone who works here is also so lovely and welcoming. This place is a true gem! read more

They catered a cooperative conference. Hands down best catering I have ever had. Highly recommend! Perfectly cooked steak (how do you do that as a caterer!) grits were amazing as was cajun chicken and I don't even like cajun chicken. Cornbread was just sweet enough. read more

Food was good also liked the ambiance, super cool bar with great cocktails Super small place. We ended up sitting at the window counter. Service was not accommodating, didn't feel welcome. read more

Went here on a whim to drown our Seahawks loss sorrows and boy did it do the trick. Fantastic food, service, and ambience. $70 date night meal - whaaat? Heck yeah! 2 cocktails, 2 entrees, and either dessert or an appetizer. No limited menu for this option, either. If it's on the menu, it's included in this deal. The food was superb - well flavored, balanced, with a great kick of spice. Not fake creole made for bland palates. Hubby had the grits with blackened catfish and I had the dirty rice with fried chicken. Appetizer was pineapple popcorn chicken, I could've drunk the remoulade. Dessert was beignets with a chocolate sauce. Chefs kiss. Top notch cocktails and more liquor choices than I've seen at the fanciest of spots in town. The Dreaming on a Cot in an Orchard was divine. I could've had at least 4, but then the husband would've had to carry my fat a** to the car. We will be back. read more

We came to Jude's on a calm Sunday for dinner. When we arrived, there was only one other couple there apart from us & the sunset light was hitting the restaurant just right. If you don't pay attention you might miss this place, but we are glad we found it! Eating here transported us to somewhere that wasn't Seattle, perhaps someone's home kitchen somewhere in the south. It feels very homey with all the decor on the walls & the excellent service. Food was just what we needed. The gumbo felt like a warm hug & the sides are very reasonably priced. My favorite was the Mac, but the beans also had a very unique smokey flavor that I hadn't tasted before. Overall, the food had a very nice depth to it. Soon after we arrived, the tables started filling up & we got to see another side of the restaurant, when it's busy and alive. We enjoyed experiencing both and since this place isn't too far away from us, we will be adding it to our rotation. read more

Jude's Old Town - Gumbo, Mini Mac, sautéed greens, red beans - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I love Jude's! Most Southern food in Seattle is objectively terrible but Jude's is genuinely delicious and always hits the spot. My personal favorite order is the grits plate with fried chicken, but the chicken sandwich and the dirty rice are also very very good. The drinks are fun and well thought out, I tried the "Tempest in a Teapot" for the first time recently and it was incredible! Definitely bring a friend so you can share things! I love that there are books that you can read and the staff are so friendly. It's a cute spot where I always feel welcome and know I can get a delicious meal! read more

I'm giving a five star review because we've been here multiple times and always refer our friends to try Jude's for excellent food and drinks. However I do want to bring to their attention an incident that happened last night 1/4/25. Our food was amazing as usual, the service however not so great. Our server was sweet, but never checked on us, never refilled waters and lost out on more alcohol sales as we would've ordered another round. We also waited 20 minutes for our check which we finally asked for. The biggest part of the disappointment was another couple came in and there was an issue to which the guy bartending (said he's an owner-I believe it's a co-op) didn't diffuse the situation, but made it worse and invited the confrontation. We were very uncomfortable and so were the two ladies next to us looking afraid. The ignorance of this bartender/owner was outrageous. As an owner I would think he would've noticed the lack of customer service we received and been smarter about how he handled the couple that he had an issue with. Just sad because we love Jude's, but won't be going back when we see him working. read more

Dined at Jude's before a class at the Rainier Beach Farm. What a great spot!! Ordered the hush puppies and fried chicken dinner, which came with collard greens, grits, red beans and a corn muffins. Everything was delicious, hush puppies were crisp and tasty, fried chicken was crisp and juicy (though could have used a little less salt) collard greens were flavorful and cooked perfectly, the beans were smoky buttery soft and delicious, as were the creamy butter grits. The other people I was with loved their dinners as well. Service was fast and friendly and I feel SO bad because I realized I miscalculated my tip by a couple of $. I'll definitely make up for this on my next visit. Seems like they might be in the middle of a refresh of their space and menu, so don't rely on the menu on Yelp as it will be a bit different than the one at the restaurant read more

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I usually don't write reviews, but after this experience, I have. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. I've been to this restaurant more than a few times, and every time I've been there, the service is always delightful and the waiters are so welcoming. As for the food, it's always tasty. This is a true hidden gem. I highly recommend it. read more

Jude's Old Town - Grits Plate - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Judes is an amazing jewel for our community. I always look forward to finding an excuse to stop by. Very friendly and comfortable with amazing drinks and yummy nosh. read more

Love this place. Great neighborhood spot. I recommend . I wish they'd bring back that delicious lentil soup.

Seattle is the Disneyland of restaurants. Shiny, pricey, designer-created themes that bear a superficial resemblance to this or that place or style. Is this because we are overrun with countless tech dudes with money burning holes in their pockets? Enter Jude's Old Town. Dive? Check Seedy neighborhood? Check Employee-owned? Check Flimsy speaker shelf that fell every time someone breezed past? Check Passable Creole and Cajun food? Check Cozy, friendly, and inviting? Check Fair prices? Check From what the current owner explained he bought it from the original owner, made it employee-owned and, ironically, they have never been to Louisiana. As a former Louisianian I can testify they are delivering on that front! Except for putting bbq sauce on the catfish poboy - no Jude's no! That faux pas aside, the food touches the soul and I'll take that any day of the week. read more

Jude's serves great drinks and food but what sets it apart are the people who work there. I'm always warmly welcomed, kinda like Norm at Cheers. Jude's is a South End gem. read more