Just happened upon this place because it was close to my hotel. Incredible food - the gumbo and the bread are out of this world!

I love this Indiana-based chain that is famous for their Cajun foods. I had lunch, today, at this Yats in Carmel. The staff is super friendly and attentive. The place cute inside, with a New Orleans vibe. Mardi Gras beads hang from the lights. I ordered up front at the counter, paid and took a seat. My name was called after about five minutes. For $10, all entrees are generously portioned atop white rice and come with two pieces of delicious chewy French bread. I had my favorite entree, Chili Cheese Étouffée with Crawfish, today. The sauce is thick and tastes fabulous with bits of crawfish and celery. The rice is perfectly cooked and the bread is dang addictive. There is a row of tables that can be moved together or taken apart to suit your group. I can usually find parking in the lot behind the building and there is a rear entrance. They have a couple of tables on the sidewalk out front if you want to eat outside. read more

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This location is my fave! The staff is so nice, store is super clean and organized. The drink station is full of napkins and everything you'd need. Tons of seating and the food is always piping hot. I always get the chili cheese etouffee with crawfish. They have probably every hot sauce option you could imagine. I like to use the franks red hot on mine, with the bread it's so buttery and good. A full size is only $10, the portion is plenty! My husband likes to get the Chicken Maque Chou and the chili cheese since they have a half and half option. read more

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One of my favorite Yats locations. Dinning room is large, clean, and comfortable. Yats food is always to die for. And the staff here are the best anywhere. read more

Yats - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

Ya'll. Just go. Everything is so good. Drunken Chicken is amazing. I got Ettoufee the first time and Chicken Creole this time - half and half both times. THEY ARE ALL STUPID GOOD. Prices are great. Service is great. This location has a cleaner atmosphere than some of their other places. Order extra bread. Just do it. You will not regret it as you use it to shovel this goodness into your face as fast as possible. read more

Yats - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

I wanted to try some type of ethnic/different food while I was in Carmel/the surrounding area, and I came across Yats. Read some reviews and looked at some pictures, and it sounded and looked delicious and inexpensive yet worthwhile. I went there, explaining how I was an out-of-towner and the two guys that were working told me their suggestions, how authentic the food is, etc...and they even gave me extra bread on the house! Very good hospitality. I ended up ordering the 1/2 and 1/2 plate: The Chili Cheese and crawfish Étouffée and the Drunken Chicken. The restaurant was fairly empty since I went in between lunch and dinner time, but the vibes were chill and anyone seemed welcomed there. I would go back! read more

Yats - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

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1st time here. My son wanted Creole food today and likes this place. I was able to sample before I ordered. I went with the 1/2 & 1/2 plate. I had the Chili Cheese Etoufee w/ Crawfish and Chicken Maque Choux. Very tasty and it was served with 2 Pieces of bread. I will visit again when I am back in Indy. read more

Yats - Menu on June 2027 - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

I went to another location years ago and I'm not sure why it took so long (other than not living here) to return. Quick service and very reasonable prices. And of course, the food is delicious. Even the bread makes me want to go back, let alone the rest of the menu. I had the drunken chicken, which I thought about saving some for later. Nope - could not stop myself. I guess I'll just have to return instead read more

Yats - Drunken chicken - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

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Yats has been a favorite of mine for the last 20 years! I introduced my husband to it 5 years ago and there is no turning back. It's satisfying, affordable and feels like an instant vacation down to Louisiana. My best friends always request a trip to Yats when they are back in town. My daughter tried it for the first time yesterday and gave it 2 thumbs up. Highly recommend this magical, delicious restaurant who is consistently getting it right! read more

Yats - Half and half with spinach mushroom étouffée and white chicken chili. Also my custom hot sauce mixture. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

Always great food, always great people and always great atmosphere. Just very upset that, living in Alabama we can't go to Franklin, TN for a treat anymore. Have to wait to visit Indiana. read more

I was already in love with the food at Yats, but this location also has amazing staff. We've been here four or five times and the people at the counter are always SO friendly, conversational, and happy to explain any menu items. The menu is essentially different gumbos/stews that you get served on a bed of white rice and a side of garlic white bread. You can opt for one gumbo/stew over the entire bed of rice or do half and half. I always get half of the spinach mushroom etouffee and half of the drunken chicken. The spinach one is probably the most mild option on the menu and I mix it with the drunken chicken to tone down the spice level. I am such a baby with spice, so if I can eat it, you definitely can. There are always at least one or two GF and DF options for those with dietary restrictions. Your food will be ready in about one minute, as they have it cooked in big pots in the back and only have to scoop it onto rice before calling your name. Be sure to ask for extra garlic bread... it's only a few cents more and worth it every time. This is the ULTIMATE comfort food and I'll probably have to go in to get more this week now that I've written this love letter and made myself hungry. There are several locations around the state, but it's local to Indiana and just really popular. It's affordable and a great option for takeout or dine-in. There's free parking at this location both in front and out back (you can enter the front or back door too). Enjoy! read more

This place was delicious! The menu was unique and offered some great options. We tried the crawfish etoufee and the chorizo etoufee. The staff was very friendly. The food came out so quickly. And the food made me want to come back for more. It had a good amount of heat and that's coming from someone who loves spicy food. The garlic bread was amazing too. Everything had wonderful flavor. The portion size was good and the price was as well. We'd love to go back again. We need one of these in Louisville!!! read more

Yats - Chorizo and chicken etoufee - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

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Unique food. I missed Yats when I moved to FL 5 years ago. You can't copy their Chili Cheese Etouffee with Crawfish plus the bread smothered with seasoned butter. Cheap eats too! read more

So d*mn delicious!! I literally did a happy dance while eating the food!! Both guys working were great and answered questions about the menu. The drunken chicken is just--so freaking good! It has so much flavor to it. We also got the red beans w/ polish sausage(wish there was a tad bit more sausage in serving), chili cheese crawfish etouffee, spinach and mushroom etouffee and lotsa bread. Portion sizes are big- had to take ours home. Everything was just packed with flavor-even the bread. Just can't say enough! Def recommend. Hope we are in the area again because I'm going to be craving this place!! read more

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Love the food and the people who work there are awesome. Make sure you order extra bread.

Delicious food, friendly staff, solid meal for the cost! Skip the local fast food and come here! Just as fast, way more healthy for you and unique flavors for a change! Vegetarian and low carb eaters can find tasty options, too. This location prefers cash, but does offer card payment as well. Nothing fancy, just good. read more

Very nice, humble but genuine Cajun food. Quick service and who cares about the ambiance? We just want good, affordable food. Also loved the selection of fiery sauces. Ordered the 1/2 and 1/2 platter. The first platter was the chilli cheese ettoufee plus gumbo and the second platter was Chicken maque choux plus red beans and sausage. Good stuff. I especially loved the chicken maque choux, nothing that I've tasted before but the gumbo could have been heartier. read more

Simple, tasty, quick, and no frills, I like getting 50/50 of the Chicken Maque Choux and whatever else that's on the chalkboard menu that peaks my interest. The bread they give you goes excellent with the sauce that is part of the dish. It's certainly a place for quick eats, nothing fancy, usually can be in and out in 15-20 minutes! Definitely hits the spot however. Worth checking out! read more

The food is awesome! Came here for the first time and the cashier was super friendly! The surrounding area makes it seem retro. Best service ever! read more

I absolutely love Yats. I live in Chicago and it's hard to find good Cajun food. If you do find it, you pay out the a** for it. Yats is delicious and affordable. My Chicago friends that have had it always ask me to bring some up to Chicago for them...My favorite from them is the chili cheese crawfish. You know they're really f*cking good when I don't include pictures. I can't wait to eat it when I get it. I always get extra bread since their garlic bread is addicting. I usually do pick up but you can also eat inside. It's a no frills type place so I wouldn't recommend it for a romantic dinner unless your idea of a romantic dinner is falling in love with your food... If you want a quart of any of their dishes, it's not available on the menu but you can call and ask for it. Their food makes delicious leftovers too! read more

My boyfriend is a huge fan of Yats Drunken Chicken, while I'm a huge fan of the garlic bread. The servings are very generous and comforting! We always order extra garlic bread... because, well, just do it. You won't regret it. Pro tip: You can purchase a side of their cajun butter to put on your own bread at home read more

Yats - Drunken Chicken & Bread - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

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The food was delicious. But service was even better. Such a change from the service I had from somewhere else this morning. I recommend this place for a quick, cheap, delicious meal. read more

I went to yats for lunch today and it was great. I got the chorizo etouffee, which is my favorite dish there, but unfortunately it's not always on the menu. If you haven't been, make sure you get extra bread, it's incredible! The staff and service is great and they even have art from local artists you can buy! read more

Yats - Chorizo etouffee - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

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I ordered 5 different full orders. They are all fantastic but after a thorough taste test, in order of favorite to least favorite (I would order them all again, they are all great): 1. Chicken Maque Choux 2. Drunken Chicken 3. If anyone can tell me what this is, please do. It tastes like jerk or some kind of Caribbean. It is the spiciest of the 5 4. Chipotle Alexio 5. White Chili with Chicken The white chili was a little bland next to the very distinct spice flavors of the other 4. I ordered an extra slice of bread for each one. Next time I will ask for extra butter because a lot of the pieces didn't have any butter. Wait staff was super friendly and the sitting area has a hipster almost punk kind of vibe. There's another location downtown place to go to all the time. That was before they moved the location about five blocks north of the old location on Massachusetts Avenue. I still no idea why they moved a few blocks. read more

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Friendly, fast service. The food was pretty good locations is prime. The restaurant was clean, and my food came up extremely fast..

Fast and delicious. The place is clean and friendly staff. Awesome wall art for sale too.

The orange bread is so good! The food came out quickly so I would assume that they have fast workers! And it is not very crowded so it is very calm and not crazy or loud. read more

Yats is always a go to and a lazy day comforting meal. This location has friendly staff and service is always super speedy. Louisiana hot sauce and garlic sauce are a must. They always have veg or vegan options as well. For $10, u get two options and for that price, it's unbeatable. read more

Yats - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

The guy at the front was extremely nice and let us sample practically all the dishes we were interested in. It was homemade, hot, and delicious. Cool art on the walls! Would go back if local! read more

I ate there earlier today. I love their bread. But my vegan chili didn't have much flavor today.

My wife and I love coming to Yats from Kokomo, IN. We travel to this location pretty often. The staff is always friendly and the service is always quick. We love the food! read more

So I've never had authentic Cajun food. I know, I know: shocker. In my defense: I'm vegetarian. Not pescatarian, not even ovo-vegetarian. Just...vegetarian. Is that why Yats impressed me so much? I'll never know. But I DO know that I found the food impressive, the vibe even more so. That might be because for new entrants like me, Yats lets you taste different options so that you can understand what is offered. While Yats also has a spinach etouffee, I'm not really a rice person, which is why I avoid both the etouffee AND the standard white rice that comes with the order. Instead, Yats has the most mind-blowing garlic bread. I don't even know how to describe it: it's not the garlic bread you get at Italian restaurants usually, oh no. It's a creation of its own poison, designed to sop up whatever delicious gravy you get. Even if you're carnivore, you have to get the B&B: black beans and corn. It's pleasantly sweet with a kick of spice and is, well, brilliant. read more

Yats - B&B and vegan chili with the Yats gold standard: garlic bread! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

We used to eat at Yats all the time when I worked nearby, but it has been a few years. My wife wanted poke bowls, but it hadn't even been a week and I was crazing Yats. We pulled up just after 8pm and didn't realize the closed. The two guys outside heard my annoyance at myself for not looking up the hours and offered to run in real quick and they plated me up some drunken chicken. I know we can never expect such a nice offer. They were had just closed and were locking up. I just think it was super nice since I didn't want poke again so soon. The drunken chicken was very tasty, the perfect amount of spice! The chicken is tender and melts in your mouth. The sauce is plentiful and the bread is great to dip in the sauce. Thanks again for helping me out. I miss our office being just closely. read more

9/10. Very very good. Sweet and flavorful. Personally wasn't a huge fan of the bread but I understand the hype about it, just had too much butter/garlic on it for me. Nice bed of rice underneath, didn't skimp at all. read more

Yats - Maque Choux - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

Cajun comfort food. So glad to have a location close to home. The staff is nice as well, which is a plus. They still carry an array of hot sauces, which I am eternally grateful for. I like to mix: crystal, cajun power, and atomic together. My favorite is the chili cheese etoufee with crawfish, and I don't deviate often. But I have had the maque choux, mushroom and spinach etoufee, and white chicken chili. I used to always get extra bread, but now my stomach can't handle it. C'est la vie. read more

Food - I ordered the Drunken Chicken and Red Beans with Smoked Sausage to go. Since it was my first time visiting, I received extra bread free of charge. In addition, I went to Yats on Fat Tuesday, and they were giving away what I'm referring to as Mardi Gras Cinnamon Rolls (Sorry, I can't remember the exact name of it). I enjoyed everything I had here. It was my first time visiting. I wasn't sure if I would find this meal satiating, but I did. My favorite thing here was the Red Beans with Smoked Sausage. I love spicy food, but the Drunken Chicken was mild compared to the Red Beans with Smoked Sausage. I also really liked the Bread. It tasted like garlic bread, but the good kind! Garlic bread can be a hit or miss for me, but this garlic bread was incredibly soft but still slightly crunchy. I also really liked the cinnamon rolls. I think they should make it a part of the menu! Overall, the food tasted great. If you check it out, I highly recommend the Red Beans with Smoked Sausage and ordering the extra bread. Service - I ordered to-go, but since I came during lunchtime on a Tuesday, the line was very long. However, once I ordered my food, it was ready within 10 minutes. The person behind the register was also very kind. I forgot to ask his name, but he wore a crawfish suit. Even though I didn't dine in, I couldn't help but notice that the restaurant was fully seated. There were only about two tables available when I left. Ambiance - After placing my to-go order, I stood at an open window waiting to receive my food. When your order is ready, your name gets called. Although I chose not to dine in, I couldn't help but notice Yats' laid-back interior design, making it the perfect spot to have lunch or dinner with a friend or two. The only drawback to the layout is that the restaurant is narrow as you walk from the front to the back of the restaurant. If you use a wheelchair and come by this restaurant on a busy day, moving through this place would be a headache as there's not a lot of open space here. Overall - I highly recommend checking out Yats. I've been in Indy for almost two years, and I've never been to a place as unique as Yats. Thanks! read more

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Great for filling up on a budget. Got the drunken chicken and red beans with smoked sausage combo plate. Tons of food and awesome flavor. Nice quiet location with fast acting staff and management. Would definitely go back and try something else read more

Inexpensive, delicious, homey comfort food - to go! Wanted a follow up Cajun meal after a visit to New Orleans and this fit the bill... and more! Etouffe was delicious. Period. I'd get that every single time from now on. Gumbo was the perfect blend of hearty, spicy and flavorful. Tried a few vegetarian-dishes cuz my kiddo is. She was very happy. It's nice to go somewhere in Carmel that has more than one option for vegetarian dish in the menu. The staff was great offering tastes before we ordered since we were unfamiliar with the entire menu. Plus you can tell they love to work there and truly believe in the offerings! read more

Yats - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

Wow! My 17 yo heard about this place on a podcast.......Fantastic! Only reason not 5 starts, cheap plastic utensils to eat with. Everything else is 5+! (Sorry, just being honest) Things to love: Geat cajun food with SAMPLES! Try before you buy and you will want to eat them all! Food come out hot and fast so this is an excellent option for those in a hurry. SERVICE!! The gal behind the counter Anna, and Thor cooking and serving treated this place like it was their business and us as valued guests. If I had a place like this, they are the exact kind of people I would hope to find. read more

Yats - The top 3 from the menu.....names to long to type. Just come in and try! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Carmel, Indiana

The food is always good which ever location I'm at. But the thing that makes this location stand out is the excellent service! Staff are super friendly and ensure a good interaction from the get-go. Probably my favorite Yats in Indiana!!! Super great group that most restaurants would be jealous to have as employees. read more