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Zesty Creole

4.5 (879 reviews)
Closed • 8:00 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 3 months ago

Zesty Creole Photos

Business Info

ZESTY CREOLE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Touristy
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Zesty Creole

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Menu
Odilia T.

Diner like atmosphere. A lot of options from breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was in a rush to eat, I was going to get take out but my food came out quickly. I ordered a cup of coffee & eggs sandwich. All very tasty. Excellent customer service!

Crab cake eggs Benedict
Valerie L.

This was our first time in NOLA and we were on day one just walking around and we were hungry!!! We couldn't think straight and just walked into zesty! We saw the menu they have posted on the window and were like crab cake eggs Benedict? Bet we're coming in here. I was surprised how fast we go sat down because how busy it was! Our waitress was sweet we didn't talk to her much though she was really busy so we just went with whatever called out to us the most on the menu. The only thing annoying was the people sitting behind us they sat there with finished plates and kept YAPPPPPINGGGGG gahhh it was so annoying. But other than that pretty good.

Gumbo
Gail U.

So much food we had to ask for take out containers. Our server was excellent. She knew we needed lots of water for the creole items we ordered and continuously refilled our cups. Such a popular place glad we got a table right away. There was a nice mural on the left wall and pretty light fixtures on the right side.

Jeff F.

Not a bad place to get breakfast. The location is great! And the prices aren't too terrible. The server was very nice but forgot to put our order in so we had to wait a very long time for our food. The food itself was decent, definitely not the best I've had but solid.

Shrimp and grits
Ellen K.

The Highlights Taste of NOLA: If you're indecisive like me or just want the full experience, get this. It's a great sampler of jambalaya, red beans and rice, and gumbo. Shrimp and Grits: Definitely lives up to the hype. Wasn't too greasy or grainy and paired really well with the tomato-like sauce lining the bottom of the plate. Gumbo: It wasn't over-salted like many tourist spots. It was packed with a generous amount of meat and deep, developed flavor. Will definitely be back!

Seafood gumbo
Chloe L.

Everything was so good we might be back tomorrow! Pretty busy for dinner but lots of seating, so we were seated right away. Amazing service and our food came out only a couple minutes after ordering! Would recommend everything we ordered: - Taste of NOLA: great tasting menu of jambalaya, beans, and gumbo. Really liked the fried green tomato and biscuit that came with it! Really filling, big fan. - Shrimp and grits: saw lots of good reviews and for good reason. Not too greasy like other grits I've tried, and really touches your soul. - Gumbo: generous amounts of meats in the gumbo, and isn't too salty like other spots. Enjoyed this a lot. Will definitely be back if I come to New Orleans again!

Shrimp creole (Gumbo in the back)
Anne L.

BL: shrimp creole must try. (I don't give 5 stars often) Place isn't ideal for large groups, lots of small tables, perfect for 2 and a few larger tables. Staff is friendly and prompt! The shrimp creole though... Wow! I haven't had something this tasty in a while - shrimp was good size, grilled to a little char and flavorful. The creole (never had before) is tomato based, saucey with a small kick and paired well with the rice and I used the biscuit to wipe the plate clean! Friend had gumbo and she said it was good. I tasted a small spoonful and thought it was good but I was too preoccupied with my dish.

Taste of NOLA
Payton H.

This is a great restaurant for hearty creole food. I walked in around 5:30pm on a Saturday without a reservation and was able to get seated right away. The inside is very casual and there's big TVs playing sports on. Our waiter was friendly and gave us recommendations on what to order. The crawfish étouffée was a standout entree. It had great flavor and lots of big, juicy pieces of crawfish tail. The taste of NOLA was perfect for getting to try a bit of all the popular creole dishes. The red beans and jambalaya were comforting with just a slight kick. I also loved the fried green tomatoes. The gumbo was just ok, in my opinion, and could have benefited from a bit more spice.

Jambalaya
Mandy T.

The Jambalaya was fantastic, not the best I've ever had but definitely worth trying. The homemade biscuit was amazing. We had a small wait but we went in on a Saturday around 8:30PM so it was warranted. The service was great and we loved the ambiance in the restaurant. Would recommend!

Cup etouffee
Jo-ann H.

The garlic bread was amazing! Overall, the food was well-seasoned and a great choice if you're looking for something consistent and satisfying. The service was attentive and friendly, and we were in and out at a reasonable time. The place was clean, though it does get pretty crowded since it's in the city.

Andy H.

Zesty Creole was... fine. And by fine, I mean technically edible. The atmosphere has a "hasn't been wiped down since the Obama administration" kind of energy. Less cozy Creole, more slightly dirty roadside diner that smells like it almost had character at one point. Service was adequate. Everyone was polite enough, but I was expecting some Cajun warmth or Southern charm. Instead, the staff all had strong Eastern European accents, which really added a fascinating "New Orleans by way of Ukraine" twist to the experience. The food was aggressively average. This is entry-level Creole cuisine with safe seasoning, dated presentation, and zero soul. Nothing bad, nothing memorable. It tasted like Creole food designed by a corporate focus group. If Ruby Tuesday's ever rolls out a "Bayou Night" menu, this is exactly what it would taste like. Bottom line: if you're starving and this is the closest place with an open door, you'll survive. If you're looking for a meal you'll talk about later, this ain't it.

Creole Omelette with a biscuit and grits
Christopher A.

I was in the south and was craving some good Cajun flavor so I decided to try this place! Overall if I could give this place a 4.5 I would. To start the ambience of the place is of a laid back mom and pop. The staff was very friendly with multiple people greeting me within minutes of coming inside. I sat down and told the lady I was feeling a bit of everything and she recommended the creole omelet with the biscuit and gravy as a side and I really wanted some red beans and rice as well so I ordered that. Overall all the food was really good, red beans and rice was fire. Worth 11$? I don't think so. That's the big thing that knocked down the star ranking all this food was $42. I think you could likely find some food that's better priced. I'd come back, but if they raised the prices likely wouldn't order much.

Shrimp & Grits

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1 month ago

Fast service, good food. Great option if you're headed to bourbon street right after.

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Ask the Community - Zesty Creole

What is the parking situation?

Just the road. Most people walk

Do you need to make a reservation?

No, seating is first come, seat yourself in the bar and dining space.

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Hot N Cajun - Oysters

Hot N Cajun

4.3(178 reviews)
0.1 mi•French Quarter

Hot N Cajun With no seated tables available when I arrived…read moreat Hot'n Cajun Boil House on Iberville Street in New Orleans, I happily accepted a seat at the bar. Behind the bar, Sandy mixed me a Summer Peach (Absolute Vodka, real peach, sweet tea, fresh lemon, $14) and provided the bib and gloves I likely would need if in fact I wanted to enjoy a crawfish boil. Of the dozens of restaurants I've visited in New Orleans, rare is the menu that includes a crawfish boil. Hot'n Cajun has it. I asked the barkeep Sandy B. if it was still crawfish season, and she assured me that it was. So I ordered 3 pounds of boiled crawfish (including potatoes and corn on the cob, $25.99), asked that the seasoning be "medium", and Sandy brought me a Model ($9) with a neat Maker's Mark ($12). The experience was pretty close to what I remember we'd find if invited to a neighbor's crawfish boil. Three pounds sounds like a lot, but the yield is more like half a pound, at most. So I put the gloves and bib on and started in on the crawfish. Nice presentation, and very good, fresh crawfish.

AMAZING 10/10 We got 1lb of crawfish for $10 and ordered…read moresome snow crab and corn as well. For the crawfish we chose the house cajun blend + mild spice, and for the crab we chose the Louisiana style dry rub + mild spice. It was absolutely delicious, and reasonably priced. Our server was even kind enough to demonstrate the proper way to eat the crawfish. I'd highly recommend this place.

Photos
Hot N Cajun - Bar area

Bar area

Hot N Cajun - Dungeness crab cajun

Dungeness crab cajun

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Fried Seafood Basket

Zesty Creole - cajun - Updated May 2026

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