A group of family and friends visited Pappadeaux (with an advance reservation) this past Saturday, September 5, my mother's 93rd Birthday. With disappointment, I write a review that is for the first time less than stellar. Our family and friends have been guests of Pappadeaux for many years. And for the past several years, it has become her restaurant of choice to celebrate her birthday each year. She loves Pappadeaux. It is only because of her love for Pappadeaux that we continue to arrange dinner for our group that averages between 20-25, simply because Pappadeaux is not group friendly; does not extend itself to make efforts to accommodate. Let me qualify the review by saying I am very aware of Pappadeaux's policy to reserve space for a maximum of 10 in one party, though they do accept reservations for more without guaranteeing the private dining room but would endeavor to accommodate. What we are told each year and clearly understand is the use of the private room requires its own staff and logistical advance planning, which is why I make the reservation well in advance. Though they can't guarantee the room, they make a note of our request and advise us to check with the manager on duty, who would make the decision. On September 5th, we were told by the manager (Julio) that the private room was not available because they didn't have any staff that could cover that area. He said he would have to pull staff from other areas to accommodate us. And in order to assure us a good dining experience, he would seat us together with the public to guarantee us a better dining experience. Being a business owner, I clearly understood and graciously accepted the area he suggested which indeed could accommodate us all. UNTIL, I walked by the private dining room by coincidence soon thereafter and noticed a group of 10 that was not only seated in the private room but was being SERVED by a SERVER, who Julio (the manager on duty) told me minutes before was not available. On my way walking by the room sometime later (it was nearby), I noticed a different group of 10 was seated and being served in the private room that was not available to us. I do realize our group was larger (21) but however they assigned to serve the two groups of 10 (total 20) could have accommodated us. We waited hours for food anyway. Thus, my complaint is not that the room was not available; it appears that we were lied to, as the room in fact was available and STAFFED. Julio's reasoning for accommodating us in the public dining area was to ensure we'd have a wonderful dining experience. Well, that didn't work out so well either. We received less than quality service. The food was exceptional as always. We were assigned four tables and three servers. Patrick and Chey were phenomenal servers. However, 3 guests at the table to whom the third server was assigned, had not received their meal after two hours, while others at their table had eaten. I know the timing because I know what time we were seated and looked at my watch after noticing the guests still without food at 6:08pm. When I asked one of the guests what they ordered, it was simply gumbo and a salad. No one was preparing their food; there was little to prepare! They were forgotten! I asked another server for assistance, who went to the kitchen, got approval to serve us and immediately assisted until the entire group was finally served. But they unfortunately opted to take their food home by that time. The assigned server did not return until near check time. I could have lived with all of it, except BEING LIED TO. The private room was always available, was STAFFable and STAFFED. Whoever the space was given to came in after us. Though my mother loves Pappadeaux, coupled with the fact that we spent nearly $2k Saturday and each year before at this event, not including what we spend in visits during the year, we would need to be TREATED AS WELL AS THE OTHER GUESTS to return. We must not be made to feel UNWELCOME, UNDERAPPRECIATED and UNDERVALUED at any time. Otherwise, it would become necessary for us to explore other restaurant options that are more customer friendly to groups and would appreciate our business. Again, I don't mind the policy, but why not staff the room in advance when a reservation is made 1-2 weeks in advance, rather than having to check and see who is available or willing to stay in the moment, especially when you know we are coming! I believe that is a policy that needs to be revisited. I would hope that Pappadeaux's values our business enough to respond and contact us. Looking forward to hearing from you. Pastor Olivia Johnson read more

As a California girl If there's a Pappadeaux anywhere within an hour of where I'm staying, ima going to go. I loooove it and everything I've ever tried is delicious . My go to is the salmon Alexander with white rice but I did try the potatoes this time around and it might just be my new favorite aide . Pappadeaux please come to CA! read more

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

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Really enjoy Pappadeaux I was going to order Redfish Pounce-train which my wife ordered I ordered Catfish & Shrimp Etouffee off the lunch menu The lunch menu item about half the price and much better value Truthfully the Redfish would have looked larger on the smaller lunch plate Still love Pappadeaux but providing a heads up read more

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Currently here and sitting at the bar and had to ask for a menu and to get the area cleaned. This should be auto at a restaurant you'd thing! Made eye contact with several bar servers to no avail. Had to also literally stand up and ask a bar backs if I could order after staring for another 5 minutes . The food is great but They need to step the service up exponentially! read more

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"OhLawd" the meal, service and atmosphere was wonderful! The charbroiled oysters were the perfect start followed by a Caesar salad with anchovies. The Texas Redfish was juicy and layered with crabmeat and a side of dirty rice. Celebrating a birthday at Pappadeaux was like being in New Orleans. The only thing missing was the sound of jazz. read more

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I've always enjoyed going to Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, but like many places, it's evolved over time. I went on a Monday around 6:30 PM, and the vibe was super chill and calm. It did start to pick up around 8 PM, but by then we were wrapping up. If you've ever been here on a weekend, you already know...it gets crowded fast. So weekday evenings are definitely the move if you want a more relaxed experience. One thing I did notice is that the menu feels more condensed compared to pre-COVID days. The quality is still there, but some of the little details have changed. For example, the fried alligator now comes with a hot honey sauce instead of the original sauce...and I'm not sure why that changed. I get that restaurants have had to adjust over time, but I do wish they'd bring some of those original touches back. Also, don't be surprised if a few of your old favorites are gone or slightly different. Customer service has always been consistent for me...friendly, attentive, and welcoming. The atmosphere is more on the intimate side, nothing overly flashy, just a comfortable place to enjoy a good meal. Parking is pretty reasonable and the lot is spacious, but when it's busy, you'll definitely feel it. There were three of us, and we ordered the fondue, fried alligator, fried shrimp, three-piece stuffed crab, and blackened salmon with red beans and rice, plus a drink. After tax and tip, the bill came out to around $150-$160, which felt fair for what we ordered. Overall, this is still one of my go-to spots and I'll definitely be back. I just hope they consider bringing back some of the original menu items...or at least that original alligator sauce! read more

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We went during lunch hours but still made reservations. No wait when we arrived. Staff was decent not friendly but not rude. We ordered seafood platter, crab and spinach dip, Cobb salad, and kids tenders. Food came out room temp. Platters were good my favorite part were stuffed crab and shrimp. Catfish was cooked a little too hard. Salad was fresh and good I would suggest trying a different dressing than the Italian if you don't like a tang in dressing. Tater sauce was delicious could definitely tell it was made fresh. Dessert was a birthday addition to our party it was favorable but reminds you more of a cheesecake than Keylime pie. Crab dip was probably my favorite thing we ordered. 10/10. Large crabmeat on top. Fresh and cheesy. We added the soft garlic bread which was delicious. read more

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen - Keylime pie - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

Just go! You truly won't be disappointed by the food and drinks depending on day and time you go there will be a wait time for a table. If you're going there with a group you will have to phone ahead and make reservations read more

My recent dining experience at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Lombard was enjoyable. Our server, was very attentive and personable I started off with the Oysters Pappadeaux. One thing I noticed is that the recipe seems to have changed --they no longer use crab meat in the dish. It was a bit different from what I remembered, but it was still tasty. The oysters were cooked well and the topping had a nice balance of flavor. I ordered the seafood gumbo without sausage as my entree and it was still packed with flavor. The broth was rich and well-seasoned, and there was a good amount of seafood throughout. Even without the sausage, it felt hearty and satisfying. Overall, the food was good but a little pricey. Even with the slight change to the oyster recipe I still enjoyed the meal and would still come back. My recent dining experience at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Lombard was enjoyable. Our server, Byron, was very attentive and personable I started off with the Oysters Pappadeaux. One thing I noticed is that the recipe seems to have changed --they no longer use crab meat in the dish. It was a bit different from what I remembered, but it was still tasty. The oysters were cooked well and the topping had a nice balance of flavor. I ordered the seafood gumbo without sausage as my entree and it was still packed with flavor. The broth was rich and well-seasoned, and there was a good amount of seafood throughout. Even without the sausage, it felt hearty and satisfying. Overall, the food was good but a little pricey. Even with the slight change to the oyster recipe I still enjoyed the meal and would still come back. read more

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

So I followed up the next day, to see if I could get the same carry-out order from Valentine's Day. The order came out on time. This was a plus, considering the major flop from the previous day...They didn't seem sympathetic about yesterday. The server ignored the commentary about yesterday altogether. Here is where it goes down hill: I wanted grilled chicken in a greek salad. They didn't ususally offer it as an add-on but opted to charge my an extra $13 for grilled chicken. No worries.......I agreed. Mind you, some how, grill chicken costed more than shrimp and crawfish add-ons combined. My order came out at the specified time. I was happy and started home. In my haste, I forgot the check the order. I pulled over and checked the order. No chicken. I immediately went back and called once I parked outside in curbside. The server comes back oustside, apologizing and tried to offer me something, but she didn't bring anything with her. This would've caused me to wait longer, so I declined. It will be a very long time, if ever, before patronizing this place again. read more

Food was very good and fresh. Enjoyed everything that I ordered. Drinks are pricey and not that great. Besides that it was a good lunch. read more

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen - Fried catfish, shrimp and chicken strips lunch combo. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

I had a wonderful meal with my Dad when he picked me up from the airport in O'Hare. This night was insane as it was a typical Wednesday and packed! We waited a while for our food, but the Mai-Tai was out of this world and so was the fish! I think I ordered the snapper. I felt like it filled me up for a week. Go there hungry - & call ahead for reservations! read more

I had the swordfish and it was amazing. The best thing I've had in a while. Everything else ordered at the table was good as well, but the service was a bit slow. read more

Hubby and I wanted to take my play mother out for a birthday dinner so on 5/25/25, we took her to her favorite restaurant. People always teased me when they found out I had never been to this restaurant. We had 3 p.m. reservations and were seated. It was so busy in there. I was impressed with our waitress - she was young but so friendly and attentive to whatever we needed and made our dinner wonderful. Okay, so here is a synopsis of what we had and how it tasted: Shrimp Gumbo - only okay, big shrimp, needed more flavor Ribeye Steak - was too salty Bread - Delicious Lobster - gotta work at it to really get to the meat Fried Alligator Bites - We were adventurous - they were delicious Grilled Octopus - Hubby loved it We enjoyed our visit but felt the food was overpriced. Our bill was a hefty one. I'm not sure hubby and I would return on our own - there are other restaurants in my opinion that could offer similar for less money but doesn't affect the value. Thanks Pappadeaux. read more

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I came in back in July for my birthday month for Happy Hour. The place was packed. But I was able to be seated at a nice table by the bar. My server Bella came over with a friendly hello and a pitcher of ice water. I was giving a menu and time to decide on what to order. I'm not a big seafood eater but I love Pappadeaux's baked catfish, rice and beans. The Swamp Thing Cocktail has always been my favorite cocktail. I was second guessing if I should order me one since the price has gone up. It was Birthday Month so why not treat myself. It was super strong. Everything was perfect. The food was delicious and cooked with perfection. I felt so special when my server came out with a birthday treat. If I was a seafood lover, this would be one of my favorite places. read more

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Food is above average but I remember coming here years ago & it was much better. I'm 99% sure the dirty rice is zatarins out of the box & the complimentary bread was horrific. Gator bites could also use some heavy handed seasoning. Those are the negatives my shrimp entree was good but years past I used to get a version of this dish along with a lobster tail which isn't available unless ordered separately & at an additional cost. Expensive but my mom loves so I spent Mother's Day here read more

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This review is solely on the food and service .... Food was delicious, service was outstanding, restaurants restroom was DISGUSTING . You would think how much the cost of food is these days they could run a mop or wipe down the counters and toilets. . It leaves me to imagine if the kitchen is clean. read more

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Great food, great service, great experience. My husband and my I stopped in an and were greeted warmly and brought to our table quickly. Waitress was friendly and accommodating. Our meals were fresh, delicious and ven better than described. Dessert was also amazing. Well keep coming back. read more

I went for lunch, but that ends at 3pm. I ended up at happy hour and had a papalicious drink, very good! The food is good and if you get the grouper I would suggest substituting the grits for the rice. I also had the fondue which is always a hit (ask for a few extra pieces of bread). read more

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen - Shrimp & Crawfish Fondeaux - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

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The service here was top notch and the foods were good enough to enjoy. I ordered gumbo and a shrimp poboy that was a good try, and my wife tried the gumbo with andouilli sausage, she enjoyed her meal. You must order the garlic bread and it's worth the cost. Our server was Lisa and she was a diamond in the rough, a real gem. read more

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I haven't been here in a long time because it's far away- I think this is the only IL location. We went here for lunch as dinner can get really busy. It has a large parking lot with a ton of seating inside and outside. We were seated right away but in a table right by the serving station. It was in a high traffic area where people walked a lot. The servers also stood around the area and talked when they weren't busy. I wish we moved but I didn't ask. We started with the upgraded bread. You have the option between regular bread butter or upgrade to garlic bread (which is an additional cost). We started with the fried calamari and house salads with ranch. The calamari was okay- it was a bit too thick for my taste- I would have like the pieces cut thinner. The tomato dipping sauce was really good. The white sauce I didnt prefer it was sour tasting. The house salad was really good and fresh. The croutons were homemade. I ordered the Trout and shrimp and it came with a buttered white rice with crab meat. The food was good but it could have been seasoned more. Some parts were bland. The other dish was the fried catfish and red beans and rice. The catfish was really crispy- the whole dish was great. I think with a few adjustments this place could be really good, but I would come back to try additional things. Overall experience 3.5/5. read more

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can't ever cap on Pappadeaux, been coming here since high school. The food always a hit, drinks have you slapped every single time. Service always hella flavorful. Always loved the southern ambiance of the restaurant, it's always bussin all way around. I'm giving em 5 stars cause that's me read more

All 3 phased were exceptional!! Good was prepared well & delicious; service was impeccable and loved the ambiance!!

Lauren our server was great The shrimp and crayfish fondue is my all time favorite. No better way to spend my birthday. The brownie sundae was thick and tasty. read more

The Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen Westmont location is worth the drive if you're not in the area. They have a huge beautiful outdoor dining terrace that is great for any occasion in warm months. They have a large parking lot and also offer valet if you're running late. They have a nice dining area inside along with a full bar area too. Tables are large and spaced out so you're not on top of tables next to you. It's a perfect place to meet friends and enjoy a nice meal. My friend had the shrimp gumbo & Po-Boy which was packed with shrimp on a nice crusty bun. I had the mixed seafood grill (shrimp, scallops & salmon) on a long squewer with onions and zucchini. It was very well seasoned and was generously packed with seafood. They had a melted seasoned butter on the side which tasted so good on the items! I selected the sautéed garlic spinach which went very well with the entree. It does come with dirty rice (Cajun french style) but I don't eat pork hence the spinach. It was our birthdays and they treated us to a huge slice of their decadent cheesecake. Yum, that's all I can say! The service was excellent and not rushed. read more

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Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen is consistently fresh, flavorful, and cooked to your liking...everything from the seafood to the sides is done right. Portions are generous, and the menu has so many great options that it's hard to choose just one. The service is friendly, attentive, and keeps things moving without ever feeling rushed. The atmosphere is lively but comfortable, making it great for both special occasions and casual meals. If you're craving good seafood with bold flavors and great hospitality, read more

We've visited Pappadeaux in 3 different cities and, love the food, but, quite frankly, ... the service has always sucked. Until now. We visited this Pappadeaux outside of Chicago. As per usual, there was a long wait. Unless you dined from the bar. That's the secret! Dine at the bar for the best service. Having never eaten from a bar, I was amazed at how roomy it was. And clean. Two friends joined us. Nia, our server, was amazing. Not being a heavy drinker, I asked for a recommendation. I let her know I was diabetic. She recommended the "Ruby Slipper". She took the time to explain what the ingredients were, noting, particularly, how the ingredients might affect my blood sugar. Amazingly, my sugars handled it very well. We order the Pappadeaux Platter. It was served fast, and super duper hot. We had to wait for it to cool. While we waited, we had the most entertaining experience watching bartender D.H. mix cocktails. SHE WAS A WHOLE FREAKING SHOW!!! Overall, I'm so glad that we finally had a great experience at a Pappadeaux. They set the bar really high for our future visits, no matter which city we visit them in. read more

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Fantastic, excellent, so good. Will return, tell your friends, this is the best in the area for Sea and beef.

My first time there. Crowded Sunday afternoon. While waiting for a table, we went to the bar and got some drinks. I have never heard of a martini being served in a water tumbler - no blue cheese olives - but regular ones thrown in a cup with no toothpicks. We were told by the waiter we couldn't go back to the bar on our own as he had to monitor the number of drinks his guests ordered. That bill for 3 drinks was $60.00. Martini (?), spritzer, and a vodka lemonade. We were celebrating a birthday but our server said there wasn't a notation on the reservation. We were WALK INS. Trout was very good. The bread?? Absolutely NO taste at all and not edible when cooled off. I realize how expensive food is these days - My fish ( with the Sr discount) was still $29.00. Extremely pricey visit but their food is excellent. Seeing an armed security guard at the door was a bit unsettling. GREAT people watching. read more

We had a fantastic lunch experience here! Even though we were told there would be a 35-minute wait, we were seated in just 5 minutes and finished our meal within an hour. Our waitress greeted us promptly and took great care of us throughout the meal. We started with the garlic bread ($3.99), which arrived quickly and was absolutely worth it--light, crispy, and packed with flavor. For our entrées, I had the Mardi Gras pasta, which was loaded with seafood and had a rich, flavorful sauce. My husband got the fried shrimp combo, and he loved it! The shrimp, fish, and chicken were all fried to perfection with a light, crispy batter, and the chicken was especially tender. We also appreciated their lunch menu, which offers more affordable options without skimping on portion sizes--we left completely stuffed! read more

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Pappadeaux is consistently delicious and this visit was no different. Bday lunch with my friends and we were so pleased. Our server was really nice and attentive. Had one small issue with our silverware being dirty but she fixed it right away. I enjoyed the seafood skewer over dirty rice. Simply delicious. Each seafood item was fresh, cooked perfectly and with the right amount of seasoning. I love that they don't actually keep the skewer on to eat easily. I've tried multiple items on the menu and have never been disappointed. I will forever be a patron. read more

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My oysters were bomb and fresh. Catfish well it's just fish. Food is plentiful, just over priced in my opinion. Don't ever have to go back. I can order 6 oyster at home for $14 here they are $26 why read more

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen - Catfish With Red Beans & Rice - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

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Dinner at Pappadeaux's was absolutely delicious and such a great experience. The food was fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly, and the atmosphere made the whole evening even more enjoyable. Everything I had was full of taste, and you can really tell they put a lot into both the quality of the food and the service. I left full, happy, and already looking forward to going back again. read more

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It's been a couple of years since I've been to Pappadeaux, but I will say they never disappoint! We had a lovely lunch couple date to celebrate my boyfriend birthday. The bartender was great. The swamp thing is great. We had the calamari for appetizers, I had the blackened catfish and shrimp, my friend had the Crawfish Etouffee and both our significant others had the seafood platter. Our waitress was wonderful and the service was amazing. read more

Visited on a Sunday at 5pm. Food was delicious but the wait time for drinks were ridiculous. We had a reservation and were seated quickly. Waited about 10 minutes for a server to come greet us and take drink orders. Took 30 minutes to receive our drink orders which arrived after appetizers. We had to take our refills in a to-go cup because we would have waited another 30 minutes after finishing dessert. Appetizers and food also took a very long time but were worth it. Overall, great Cajun/Creole seafood options. Delicious! The bar needs some support in getting drinks out faster. read more

The good: Food is amazing. You definitely get what you pay for here. Service is great too. Our waitress was quite the joker but was a bit slow with the drinks. Ambiance is serviceable, really busy here. Portion sizes are just right too The bad: Prices are insane. I don't know if I would come here if I was paying for everything. Also some of the portion sizes were big - I got a big Three Wheel Motion and it was definitely big. read more

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen - Three-Wheel Motion - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

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We hadn't been to Pappadeaux in almost 30 years, and were so pleasantly surprised at how good the food and service were. We will be back soon! read more

My usual go to place for that "Cajun fix". However, it's been maybe ten months since my last visit. Anything you order here is a feast, so hope you're hungry. This is my first time dining during the lunch hour. Made reservations for three on their website, however somehow, they expected two, no big deal. At the table, our server paid more attention to my two female guests forgetting I was also at the table. Several occasions we needed a few "things" and was unable to locate our server. (One guest was short a knife, and we all wanted extra bread). We didn't get either. When it came time for payment, it's now on an iPad. What surprised me was how Pappadeaux (family owned), took the corporate route on how they calculate a tip for the customers convince. This tip calculation includes the sales tax. What a cheap stunt. I thought I was at Olive Garden and the tricks they pull over there. (I no longer visit Olive Garden) Between the server and the tip convince calculation, it took away that happy vive. I will think long and hard before I return. I give this restaurant three stars because the food was good. read more

Traveling from Chicago to Christmas shop, so of course we had to stop here for GRUB. It's like the place to go whenever you are in Westmont. Unfortunately, we didn't have a great experience. I booked up at 845pm reservation, called to make sure we were confirmed because I didn't get any notifications that our reservation was good to go. Once we got there we were hungry from all of the shopping. So we immediately ordered drinks, I ordered an old fashioned and I ordered Rockefeller style oysters. That drink was WEAK WEAK! Oh my god. 2 old fashioned will get you loose. But this tasted like straight juice. I didn't order another. I ordered gumbo and a side of blackened catfish. Whomp whomp flavorless. The gumbo which the waiter said was spicy was plain Jane. My catfish was not blackened, it looked sautéed without seasoning, that's it. They really missed the mark this day. Maybe our reservation was too late. Idk read more

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen - Roasted Oysters - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

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Never have we ever had a bad experience here & we love the food which is why we chose to come here for my wife's birthday yesterday. We made a reservation for 1:15pm on a Saturday & it was not busy, maybe half the tables were taken. When we arrived, we were promptly seated. I asked to be moved to a booth next to the table we were initially given & were allowed to switch without issue. Our waitress (Titianna) took more than 20mins to present herself. She took our drink & appetizer order & returned with drinks a few minutes later. Our appetizers arrived approximately 20 minutes after that, around 1:50-1:55. She then took our entree orders at that point. She returned 20 minutes later around 2:15pm to say our orders were coming right up. Mind you, my 4yr old son was starving because he didn't want the appetizers but would rather wait for his meal. He began to pick at the batter on the calamari we had ordered to satisfy his appetite, poor thing. At approximately 2:30pm I asked her when our food would be done as it was only two shrimp Po Boys, fried shrimp kids meal & a Caesar salad which should not have taken so long) & she responded with "Almost". At that point, we noticed a family that was seated at our initial table was already done, & packing their meals to take home. I proceeded to ask for a manager at 2:35pm. My wife went to the hostess to request for a manager after twice being ignored. At 2:45pm, the manager appeared(did not get his name) & we explained the situation. We advised him that we were expecting to depart the restaurant by 3pm as we had other plans & had still not been served our entrees. He apologized & stated they had quickly become busy & proceeded to mention two large parties & other new customers as if we did not matter. Shouldn't it be first come, first served?? I said if our meals were not ready, we wanted to cancel the orders & leave, as it should not have taken so long for such an order. He said he would remove the items from our bill so I asked if we were cleared to leave(I was expecting him to comp the appetizers & drinks due to the terrible service). He stated no, that we were still liable for the items we had been served. At that point, (an hour and a half after arriving) I got up & went to the hostess to request my bill. I was not willing to rely on Titianna to even do that! I was informed I could not pay up front, so Titianna presented me with the bill for $100 & I gave her my card. I asked for the General Manager's information & corporate number. Paid the bill & left the premises. Needless to say, we won't be returning. In retrospect, I believe Titianna did not put our order in for whatever reason thus ruining my wife's entire day when she should've had a great birthday. They need to get their priorities straight! read more

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