Went to Food truck Friday to catch up with Mr.Lavender aka The Gumbo Man. This wasn't my first visit for sure but it is my first yelp review. The Gumbo man serves many classic NOLA staples from Gumbo, Po Boys, Boudin balls, and much more. The service is always friendly and with a smile or joke. The upside is that the food is absolutely amazing, the downside, because the food is so good, you may have a bit of a wait if the line is long. Best bet is to check his Facebook page for his location and try to make it before everyone else does. Today, I ordered my favorite, a shrimp po boy and also a large pepper jack boudin ball. The po boy is classic, French bread, lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayo, and overly loaded with very fresh shrimp. I always eat a bunch of shrimp off the sandwich before I take a bite because it's that loaded! The boudin ball was a first for me. It was a crunchy outside, and a hot smooth inside packed with flavor and goodness. I will definitely be getting this again. He never disappoints from food, drinks, to deserts The Gumbo Man has you covered. Make sure you go find him. The food is more than worth the wait, if you have to. For that real deal NOLA cuisine look no further. Enjoy! PSA-This not a restaurant, but a food truck to stop any confusion. read more

See all

I've been wanting to try this food truck and could never catch it. I finally was able to try it and it was delicious! Everything was great, food and service. The only downside is it took 2 hours . Not sure if that's the norm due to this being first time, but definitely took a while, luckily I was able to sit in the car All the food was good. Gumbo was great, the brisket was flavorful and tender, the sides were great. The wings were really good, my least favorite was probably the mac and cheese. Oh! And I also got the black cherry lemonade, so good! read more

See all

The Gumbo Man food truck came out to our community tonight for food truck Friday. My husband and I headed to the park to grab a meal and we are glad we did! We looked over the menu and went to the window to order, we were greeted by and placed our order with the Gumbo Man himself who was very kind and engaging. I got the 5 piece shrimp and wings with fried okra for my side and my husband got a fried oyster po boy. Everything was hot and fresh, seasoned just right, and the batter on the wings and chicken was exceptional, very light and super crisp. My husband really enjoyed his po boy which was a good size with lots of fried oyster. We also got a container of gumbo which is delicious and loaded with all the yummy goodies! We ordered dessert also but haven't eaten those as we are stuffed! I willing to bet they're delicious as well! If you have the opportunity to visit this local, family owned and operated truck do it! You won't be disappointed! read more

The Gumbo Man - Food Trucks Near Me

See all

I feel like they could improve on the quality of the food and the service. the fries seem they bought them frozen from the store but they were seasoned well but the chicken tenders were fried with cornmeal which would've been fine if the breading wasn't slipping off. I ordered Mac and cheese aswell, it was cooked good and the cheese went in all together with it but it was bland. I had two orders and I had to wait over an hour, I wasn't expecting them to get my order to my quickly but I think it's absurd I had that long for okra and fish. And the crab balls too, I think it's pretty cheap to give out 6 extremely small crab balls for 6$ read more

The Gumbo Man - Chicken tenders with fries - Food Trucks Near Me

I been craving gumbo for a month now & the gumbo in the area just haven't been cutting it. Someone recommended The Gumbo Man to me & I been trying... like for real, I been stalking his Facebook every day but when my husband did try to go get me some, the line was crazy. But today was the day! The day the universe wanted me to finally get my gumbo. As soon as I saw him post the address, I told my husband we had to hurry! He was 18 minutes away and when we got there, there was maybe a line of 10 people. Not bad. It was so hot and the owner got out of his food truck to offer everyone free water. Great customer service is already a big plus for me. Line moved fairly quick, considering he is super personal & has a convo with each person. Sadly, no poboys today but he had smothered oxtail & whole catfish. For about $40, we got a large gumbo, a small etouffee, a catfish meal with Cajun fries and red beans & rice. Preggo wanted everything. The catfish batter was perfect & fried perfectly. And the red bean & rice was bomb and I don't even like beans. Gumbo & etouffee definitely hit the spot (don't let the price scare you away, they do not skimp out on the seafood!). Food was definitely worth the constant stalking & I could've gone to labor out there & it still would've been worth it. Hopefully I get to try their poboys one day but the people really don't play around with this food truck. Line got long really quick after we got our food. read more

See all

I arrived late so I had low expectations for catfish and yep, it was gone. I had to call and audible so I ordered a jumbo shrimp dinner with red beans and rice and it was excellent. The shrimp were plump and fried perfectly and the red beans and rice was legit. The shrimp had a little spicy seasoning which I really liked. I had some funny banter with the owner while ordering as he was wearing an lsu shirt #GoGators I hope to find this truck in our area again......and soon. I could literally order anything on that menu and I'm sure I'd be happy. read more

The Gumbo Man - Menu 5/27/21. Julington Creek Plantation - Food Trucks Near Me

As a cook, I am a very picky eater. I have to say that "The Gumbo Man" deserves accolades for the excellent customer service and the delicious food: catfish/buffalo fish, gumbo, boudin, red beans and rice and even the mac -n-cheese. My husband and I experienced a taste of being home again in LA. Thanks Jeff! read more

We were not a fan, unfortunately, and the crab meat tasted as if it was imitation krab and new oil was needed. Service could improve.

Omg. Let me tell you about this bowl of GUMBO!!!!!! Highly recommend putting this business on one of your once a month list! Their wings are soooo good! read more

See all

I had the smoked brisket plate w/dirty rice and collard greens. Also, I got some gator bites and a pint of gumbo..! The entire meal was "Swangin'!!!" For those who need me to translate, the meal was exceptionally delicious!!! The portions were huge enough for me to eat in two days! I definitely recommend you try them for yourself! read more

Ok, I consider myself a "foodie" and try food trucks and off the eaten path restaurants quite often. I've been eating Cajun/French cuisine since 1993. If I had 2 styles of food to eat for the rest of my life it would be Asian(all of it) and Cajun/French. If you are like me and have been searching for that TRUE NEW ORLEANS flavor, from the roux, boudin, crawfish, gumbo, étouffée, catfish, shrimp.......then get off your butt, like The Gumbo Man Facebook page, see where he's going to be, and then drive like you're a 16 year old late for curfew! I AM NOT KIDDING! The étouffée was in my TOP 3 of all time. Everything g has been amazing and nothing has even come close to making me rethink my order. I'm telling you to give The Gumbo Man a shot! If the line is long the just stand there and play a game or something on your phone. If you leave and go to fast food joint I stead of staying in the line then you should stop eating all together. GEAUX SEE THE GUMBO MAN!!!! And if you see my in line hit me up! The photo is from the last event our neighborhood out on and THE GUMBO MAN is the silver food truck on the far right. GEAUX NOW! read more

The Gumbo Man - Neighborhood food truck night The Gumbo Man - Food Trucks Near Me

I've planned entire vacations around Louisiana gumbo and let me tell you, folks, this is the best gumbo I've had outside the state. Owner is from Louisiana and the gumbo is just good down home gumbo- none of that fancy junk with corn or beans. Drove all the way from Savannah to hunt down The Gumbo Man and it was 100% worth the drive! read more

I've been stalking this man for 3 weeks. (dont judge)..I finally called him. He wasn't in the truck today. Im thinking..oohhh noooo...I have to get my husband and son some gumbo. We drove from St Marys Georgia to Jacksonville. GOT IT!! We got gumbo, mac n cheese and collards. Drove back home and threw down. That was the beginning of the end. I'm not sure I can go back. If I do...Im going to kill my husband and son. I have NEVER heard so much slurping and sucking and slurping...followed by..Dam this is good..(pardon my french). I would have to eat in another room...OK..we will be back...Unfortunately my husband saw the food on facebook. Now he wants just about everything... not sure if I should thank GUMBO MAN or be really mad at him....I'll decide after going back a few times.. PS...excellent customer service read more

The Gumbo Man has the best gumbo ever, but this turkey leg got me trying to catch the juice from running down my chin with my tongue. Omg! You weren't lying. This is soooo good! read more

The Gumbo Man - Wonderfully delicious turkey leg - Food Trucks Near Me

Delicious! We kept seeing great reviews on social media & decided to give him a try. Boy are we glad we tried it. Some of the best smothered pork chops we've had. Highly recommend this food truck. read more

When I say Mr. Lavender is the man!! Luckily for me there was nobody in line and I got to talk to him for a good 5-10 minutes before I even ordered. Regardless of what the food was going to taste like the customer service was spot on! As a small business owner it's so important to stand out above the rest. With so much competition from chains and brick and mortars good food and great service are what keeps food trucks going!! I got the catfish nuggets and fries and it did not disappoint! I debated about getting the whole catfish special but considering this was probably going to be a working lunch I went with what I thought would be easier to eat. Let me tell you... the flavor!! Best catfish I have had outside of my pawpaws. Fresh out the fryer these babies were piping hot! There's was no mistaking the crunch of the cornmeal either. Definitely worth a try if they are in your area. I love supporting the smaller food trucks that are delicious yet seem to have little to no following. The portions are big and the flavor is right! I will be back! read more

See all

So first thing off .... Dude is mean but he is straight up Honest. I was in a rush so that I can get to work but I rushed this man and I do apologize to his other customers... But I needed mine. Best quote ever and real talk "you can't rush greatness" is what he said. I got my food and rushed home and plated it. Not only do I love gumbo but damn I love a good gumbo. So when I seen his post for ribeye, I took the opportunity to get me some with Gumbo, I mean why go to a gumbo chef if you're not going to get gumbo. Ribeye is a beautiful size and the flavoring is out of this world. Read bean and rice is on point but the broccoli and cheese is so so.... Fresh broccoli would of been better so you still can get that crunch. And now the gumbo... Gawd damn so good makes you want to slap you family. All in all I give this a 9 out of 10 and this shouldn't be served in take out containers but plated like a restaurant. The quality and flavor is 100% there. Would I go back for more???? 1000%. Thank you again and now time to eat read more

The Gumbo Man - Food Trucks Near Me

See all

the following will be addressed: 1. food: delicious, fantastic taste, seasonings were unique. 2. service: words cannot describe the "service", it was wonderful. the gumbo man has the "best" personality, he was a total "joy" to talk too as well as introducing me to his wife. i also had the pleasure of meeting his son, who also is being "groomed" to a "outstanding black man, on that note i will "close" and "thank you" for being such a "role model for black men and fathers of all races. ambiance: very pleasant and inviting. i believe this quality has a lot to do with the "warmth", interaction and welcoming attitude of the owner and employees. thank you and my pleasure, bj read more

Gumbo Man!! This guy is the MAN. Finally a delicious shrimp po' boy that reminds me of when I used to live in Mississippi and bounce back and forth between there an New Orleans. I ordered the shrimp po' boy and the étouffée. The étouffée had both shrimp and crawfish! Finding that out made me extra excited because in some places I find it's either only shrimp and only crawfish. It's like winning the food lottery. The po' boy didn't come with a side and that's fine. Cause your side will be all those delicious shrimp falling off! I had so much shrimp left the next day I basically had another serving for myself. The batter was seasoned just right with a nice kick at the end that just made it 10x better. I still thinking about it now as I write this review. The étouffée warmed my soul. You can taste all of the ingredients that helped make the roux. Butter, celery, garlic, yum. Rice is at the bottom of the cup to, let your étouffée sit there and be absorbed into the rice. Its worth it, trust me! So so good and reminds me of my little home on the gulf coast of Mississippi. If I'm ever near The Gumbo Man food truck again, it will be my first stop! read more

See all

Decided to give Gumbo Man another shot today. I ordered 3 Boudin Balls and a side of Red Beans & Rice. The boudin were crispy on the outside, but slightly too wet in the middle for my liking. They were absolutely packed with flavor though. The red beans and rice was fantastic - chock full of sausage and veggies and really well seasoned. Delicious. The fact that the owner was decked out in LSU gear for March Madness added a bit to the authenticity. read more

The Gumbo Man - Food Trucks Near Me

Stop what you are doing and figure out where he is located! This has to be hands down the best gumbo I have tried in jacksonville. The gumbo was flavorful and the right hint of heat. I should of went with the xl flavor so I could have had leftovers lol. The shrimp poboy was delicious and overfilled with shrimp. The wings actually tasted like Hennessy. It was nice to try something different. I didn't get a picture of the boudin balls but these a must try! I was amazed at how delicious they were. read more

See all

The Gumbo Man food truck was at my apartment complex tonight. I ordered the Oyster Poboy, Gumbo, Porkchop w/fries, and chicken bites w/fries. The owner took my order and he was so friendly and nice to everyone that walked up. Truly a Louisiana welcome! Quick service from start to finish, clean food truck, and GREAT food! All I can say is that I'm from Southern Louisiana and, believe me, I know good Cajun food. This was it. Absolutely amazing and worth ordering. It was the kind of food you keep eating even though your full because it's just that good. Their gumbo had just the right amount of kick to it and full of flavor. Felt just like home! Ask for remoulade sauce on the side for your oyster poboy (or any poboy for that matter). You won't be disappointed! My eight year old, who is the world's pickiest eater loved the pork chops, gumbo, and chicken bites (we split everything except the poboy). You won't be disappointed with this food. Please come back to Integra River Run soon! read more

See all

My son and I came down from NY to Jacksonville to see the football game last night (which was a great game-go Bengals!!) and were looking on Yelp for some good food recommendations. We noticed The Gumbo Man had a lot of positive reviews. We called him to find out where he was located, but he wasn't working that day. We shared how we were only in the area for one more day, so he suggested we call back the next day and he'd make sure we got some gumbo then. This guy followed up with me the next afternoon and offered to let me pick up the gumbo FROM HIS HOUSE because the timing of our flight wouldn't allow us to get to his truck where he was working that night. Let me tell you, that gumbo was worth the wait!!! It was, as my son said, the best gumbo he'd ever had. Chock full of shrimp, sausage, chicken and crab-amazing!! Spicy and so filling we didn't even need to snack at the airport that evening. But don't just go for the gumbo...the gumbo man himself is so friendly and just the sweetest, nicest guy. He went out of his way to share his creation with us and truly loves his craft. Support this guy and fill your belly. You will be so glad you did. read more

See all

Really enjoyed everything. The gumbo was very good. The red beans and rice were very good. Wish the onions were cooked a bit longer though. The seafood Mac and cheese was good. It had crawfish in it which I love. The wings were good. I got garlic Parmesan and Cajun ranch. The fried whiting was good also. read more

See all

I can't say enough good things about the Gumbo Man and his staff and food. The whole crew is great. Efficient and make tasty food. The crab balls are so tasty. There is a perfect amount of crab in every bite! The spice in almost all the dishes is perfect. The pork chops are huge. Portions are well worth the money. I could probably eat there multiple times a week. Can't wait to have them again! read more

Wonderful food. Excellent customer service. You will not be disappointed. The ox tail rice is a must have. We ordered a variety of foods and they were all delicious. You can tell they prepare with love and should be proud. The only side effect was the food coma that came after. LoL you must make yourself stop eating... Good luck it's that good! Enjoy read more

Love whenever I'm able to get to the Gumbo man truck! Food is always good and the service is always awesome. Got their shrimp po'boy this time and it was great. Good amount of food for the price. read more

The Gumbo Man - Shrimp po boy - Food Trucks Near Me

Wow. Honestly these photos are about to be disrespectful because I couldn't stop myself from eating it before I took a photo. First, a pork chop the size of my face and the beat pork chop I've ever had. I also got a small gumbo, dirty rice, and Broccoli rice and cheese. read more

Food was good but lacking for the extremely high price. Paid $32 for a Shrimp Po' Boy and 10 wings + 10 fried shrimp + one 20oz Sprite. -Shrimp Po' Boy: Had a lot of shrimp but for almost $15, it was lacking. Not enough lettuce/pickles/condiments in general and the shrimp seemed to have been sitting for a little. And it doesn't come with a side, drink or anything. The flavor was good but for the price, I was not impressed. If it were $10 or $11, I wouldn't have felt as bad about it. -10 wings, 10 fried shrimp & Fries: Wings were pretty good, but were sitting in a pool of sauce so the exterior was not crunchy anymore and was kinda soggy. The 10 shrimp were extremely small, I was expecting medium-large sized and these were very very tiny. The fries were seasoned well but again, lacking on the portion (Maybe 20 fries at most). You can tell the flavor is there and the owners/employees are good people, I just can't recommend the place for the price. With reduced overhead of not having a brick and mortar, I would expect a little lower cost. At the price they're serving, I can go to a brick and mortar and pay the same, if not less and have drinks included and other items. I would love to try them again, but at the current prices, I cannot justify it. If you're looking for food with pretty good flavor and you're not worried about busting the bank, definitely give them a try! read more

The Gumbo Man - 10 wings + 10 fried Shrimp + fries - Food Trucks Near Me

See all

I got the gumbo today and it was . Whole crablegs that were so good I picked them all out for myself before anyone else got ahold of it. So packed full of seafood it was delicious. Best gumbo in Jacksonville thats for sure. read more

I visited The Gumbo Man when I was in Jacksonville, FL last week. I must say that I was not disappointed. I ordered a shrimp po'boy and a slice of lemon cake. The portions were good. And the flavor was superb. I'm going to start visiting food trucks more often. I never knew that you could get such good food and big flavor from a little truck! read more

The Gumbo Man - Food Trucks Near Me

The Gumbo Man came to my apartment complex. He was very friendly and the service was quick. I ordered the chicken tenders with a side of red beans and rice. The chicken was very juicy and the seasoning was well spiced. My boyfriend got the special which was the pulled pork po' boy with fries. It was so good! The pork melts in your mouth and it had a great flavor. It was also a great portion.The fries were cooked to perfection. Nice and firm but not too crunchy with good seasoning. I'll definitely try this food truck again. read more

I got the medium etouffee and was worried a bit about the $10 price point. I shouldn't have been! It was incredibly flavorful, chock full of shrimp and crawfish pieces, with a decent helping of spice. They were also very quick to get me my food which I appreciate as I was on my lunch hour. A medium is about the size of a 8 oz can of soda and they filled it to the BRIM! Definitely would go to this truck again. read more

THE BEST GUMBO I'VE EVER HAD . Wonder customer service and delicious fresh food! Will definitely go back!

Fried catfish and rice mac and broccoli are on point. Check out The Gumbo Man for good food. LaWanda ThompsonTaylor, Jax FL

Our first time trying out the Gumbo Man. It was late last night, we thought they were open, but they were actually closing up. These wonderful people did not turn us away and hooked us up with the remaining food they had; fried chicken, greens & chicken and dumplings it was so good! I hope they come bk to our neighborhood! read more

I tried them y'day when they were at my job and got Boudin Balls. Mine were frozen inside and only the outside fried crust was cooked. Very disappointed and because I was on my lunch break, I didnt have time to go back and replace them. Really wanted to love this place though. Ill try them again if they come back. read more

Fabulous staff and food! Ordered the Shrimp Po' Boy and could not finish! So many shrimp! The boudin balls are awesome. read more

The Gumbo Man - Shrimp Po' boy, Boudin Balls with Remoulade sauce, and fries with BBQ sauce and Ranch drizzle! Delicious! - Food Trucks Near Me

I usually don't give bad reviews and just don't go back to the place but....this was so bad yesterday. They get a star for their flavors. I ordered just shrimp with a separate side of jambalaya. I left 5 shrimp uneaten. They didn't devain the shrimp, gross! I removed the offensive stuff but got tired of doing this for each shrimp. Waste of money and bad experience. read more

Off. The. Chain!!! First let me say even if you THINK you don't like collard greens....get a bowl of The Gumbo Man's steaming hot deliciousness and just try them!!! I have been a non-believer in the goodness of the green my whole life but The Gumbo Man convinced me to try his and wow..... like nothing I've ever tried before! So good!! Next, if they have Crab Balls on the menu, go ahead and get a double order....this way you won't have to drive back to get a 2nd order like we did because 1 will make you wanting 2. They are just that good! I had the Fried Shrimp and it was seriously some of the best I have ever had!! My husband had THE GUMBO.... not just any GUMBO, but the holy grail of the gumbo world! I'm telling you all.... THE GUMBO MAN is legit!!! Find him and go there today!! read more