Beck's Cajun Cafe

We ordered gator gumbo and some pasta w fried Mac and cheese balls. Food was very filling and tasted great. Only critique is Mac n cheese in the balls needed more seasoning but they were creamy and crunchy perfect texture. Service was fast as well. Atmosphere was off because two of the workers in the back kept staring at me and my wife pointing at their phone then us even after I waved at them so we went ahead and left.

We tried two items from Beck’s and both were good. The train wreck sandwich was good and the spicy sauce completed it. We also tried the alligator gumbo. The texture was good, and the spice level was on point. It wasn’t the best place we tried at the market, but we enjoyed trying something new.

This place is located within the Reading Terminal Market. They offer some great options...I decided on the chicken/shrimp gumbo over jambalaya and a gator sausage. Most items are readily available in buffet-style containers behind the counter so my food was ready very quickly. With a drink this was just about $20...reasonable given the tourist-heavy market. The food was very good in my opinion. I really enjoyed the gumbo and jambalaya. Also, the gator sausage, was good...better than I expected. I would love to return to try some other items when I am in the area again. There are seated tables throughout the Market. Though i visited on a mid-Sunday afternoon, I was able to find some tables off to the side...not in the central area.

We decided to try Beck’s for breakfast while in town for a conference. Having lived many years down south, I’ve had my share of Cajun food… and Beck’s doesn’t disappoint! Our server was friendly and efficient. We got to watch the cooks prepping food, and I’ll tell you, they use the good stuff. I had the spicy ham breakfast po boy, and it was amazing topped with their hot sauce. My honey had the beignets. They were great as well. This place is good enough I’m stopping by to grab some shrimp and jalapenos Josh puppies on the way out.

I’ve come to realize Pennsylvanians have no tastebuds and/or never experienced food as it was intended to be made in their original localities. Looked up best beignets in Philly and this place topped every list… ouch. As a foodie who loves New Orleans beignets, this is less than a disappointment. Just looks and tastes like over-fried, small pieces of thick bread. Beignets are supposed to be light and airy. Maybe the food is better, but don’t come here for beignets.

I got the cornmeal crusted catfish po' boy, a miniature corn bread, and the Mac and cheese balls. The po'boy was disappointing, the catfish was under seasoned and tasted a bit stale for some reason and the sandwich needed more flavor all together. The cornbread was a bit more like a corn cake, very sweet and didn't have the corn bread crispiness or grainy-ness that I like. The mac and cheese balls were good though, crispy on the outside and tasty cheese in the middle and the noodles were cooked just right.

Decided to stop by Beck’s for some food. It was very few vegetarian options. Wish it was more ❤️. I really enjoyed the vegetarian po’boy & fries ~ it was seasoned good. The service & atmosphere was chill. I would definitely recommend & would come again.

One of the biggest hidden secrets of The Reading Terminal in Philly. Free samples and everything is good! This time we went with The Trainwreck and it was a great mixture of all kinds of meats that hit the spot. Try their gumbo and other Cajun goodness- you will not be disappointed

The food is amazing! I am 49 years old and lived almost all of my life in either the Texas gulf coast or Louisiana. Now I will say that what they call "gator gumbo" is absolutely not a gumbo - it is actually an etoufe. That being said, etoufe is my favorite and this was as good as I have had literally anywhere. I was shocked when I tasted it and literally texting my wife and family about how crazy it is to find Cajun food this good this far from the Gulf Coast. The corn bread is also outstanding. I'm coming back to have this again before I leave town.

People, I cannot express enough how much I love this place!!! A little touch of Cajun in Philly!!! Yes!!! There is nothing in this menu that is not tasty. And trust me. I tried it all!!! Service is friendly and they expanded so there are more seats to sit at. This is counter top service or take out. So be ready!!! Two thumbs up here!!! Yes!!!

Oh my. With so many choices in the Reading Terminal Market make this one of your stops, especially if you have ever visited Nawlins. Food and service good and good price for the amount of food. What did it for me was the gator gumbo and sausage. Gumbo comes over your choice of white rice or jambalaya rice. I also got a sweet tea. The gumbo has a nice little bite to it and the hot sauce they have is also good. I will say it was a little salty, but good none the less. I went back a second time for beignets and cafe du monde coffe and also got some jalapenos shrimp hushpuppies. Beignets OK. But you can't beat the Real ones from Cafe Du Monde. Hushpuppies good with the romolaude.

Anytime I'm out and I see crawfish étouffée I'm running to order. Then the gator gumbo sounded interesting to try. Crawfish could have used more meat. Had a lot of gravy and corn. Very 6/10 Gator gumbo was my first time trying it and it tasted like sausage. Great depth in the broth.

This Cajun cafe has flavor-packed dishes like gumbo and jambalaya, which are also light in the stomach and packed with nutrition: vegetables, fiber, and spices. The deep fried goodies also hit the mark-- see po boys and fries. Servers have been courteous and prompt. This is worth the trip for your Cajun fix.

I said I wanted to try the alligator they quickly grabbed me a sample. I ordered the gator po'boy and jambalaya and it was delicious. The market space is wonderful just nowhere to sit.

While there are many places to try in Redding Terminal, if you are looking for Cajun food, this is the place to go. They have Po' Boys, Gumbo and Jambalaya. If you have a sweet tooth they also have Beignets. Given that it is Redding Terminal and everything will have a wait, the food that came out was delicious as it is freshly made. While the place can feel hectic as there are people everywhere trying to figure out what they want, this place is a must.

This place is located within the Reading Terminal Market. They offer some great options...I decided on the chicken/shrimp gumbo over jambalaya and a gator sausage. Most items are readily available in buffet-style containers behind the counter so my food was ready very quickly. With a drink this was just about $20...reasonable given the tourist-heavy market. The food was very good in my opinion. I really enjoyed the gumbo and jambalaya. Also, the gator sausage, was good...better than I expected. I would love to return to try some other items when I am in the area again. There are seated tables throughout the Market. Though i visited on a mid-Sunday afternoon, I was able to find some tables off to the side...not in the central area.

Just wow. What started out as trying a free sample turned into one of the best meals I've had in a while! Beck's Cajun Cafe is situated in the middle of Reading Terminal Market. There is not a lot of seating so you either have to go when it's not busy, hover until a spot opens up, or just have really good luck. We ordered the Chicken and Shrimp Gumbalaya and Gumbo. The dishes are served over white rice and the portions are generous! The flavors are so savory and there was a small spicy kick to it that wasn't overwhelming. We will definitely be back!

Stopped in on the last day of my trip to the convention next-door. Seats looked full, and people were friendly across the counter. I got the sausage Poboy and beignets. The wait time was a bit dramatic and it seemed like they had many people, but slow service. The Poboy was very flavorful with the sausage melting into your mouth, but it did not seem like it had enough sausage within it for what you would expect. Bonus points for slicing the links the way they did though because it created a great flavor. The donuts were classic style, just with powdered sugar . A bit doughy but good overall. I think this is a great place to stop when they are not as busy as they were when I came with the flavors on point like they were

So to be fair I'm from the south a few hours from Louisiana. I have high high food expectations. While I love Reading Terminal this food is not good to me although they are always busy. If you didn't grow up with Cajun food it's probably excellent for the area. Also service was good.

Best cajun food in Philadelphia with good prices and it's a really nice Cafe. Great service!

Quick service, but great food. They have a counter to sit so you don't need to search for a seat. The staff was helpful and nice. We easily decided and didn't have to wait long

Beck's is located in the Reading Terminal Market. They have many delicious options for breakfast and lunch. They have Coke products. We split the Mac & Cheese balls (3 in the order) and the Alligator Sausage Po Boy which had onions, peppers, and homemade mustard on a soft delicious roll. Everything was great. We had parked in the garage across the street at 12th and Filbert. They offer reduced rates when you get your parking pass validated by buying more than $10 at the Reading Terminal Market. I prefer knowing where I will be able to sit while I am eating which is one of the reasons we chose Beck's because we could sit at the counter rather than wandering around the market looking for a table. It was great and I would definitely recommend!

Catfish Po'Boy vibes...not bad!! Ordered the bourbon bread pudding which was my fave compared to the mac n cheese balls and the catfish po-boy. The sandwich was OK...a tad dry and not much flavor as I expected, but solid. The customer service was so good tho! I would go back and try the gumbo because that gumbo sample I got was AMAZING.

If you've ever been to Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, you know how difficult it is to pick a place to eat at because there's so many great choices to choose from! This visit, I treated myself to Beck's Cajun Cafe because the newspaper write up on the Trainwreck sandwich, described as a Cajun cheesesteak, really called to me and it did not disappoint! My first time visiting Reading and ordering a Philly Cheesesteak was a major disappointment, so it was good to replace that negative experience with a positive one! The fries were delicious as well. Employees here are super welcoming and personable and in my opinion, the counter setup surrounding this Reading vendor is the most inviting out of every eatery there. It should be noted that I ordered a Muffaleta to eat later and it was ok, nothing to write home about.

Phenomenal Cajun gumbo! The stool seated counter in the Reading terminal is a cozy spot to enjoy Cajun food. All staff are friendly, but it's quite a wait for the food. Worth the wait!

If there is a 0 star I would rate it like that. I was with my wife trying out foods in Reading Terminal Market for the first time and Beck's Cajun is a disappointment. Ordered a pho boy with cajun fries and it took us 45 minutes to wait.. The staffs are rude and manage to talk sh*t about you while they work when we told them about our wait time and there were like 3 customers that got their order before us considering we ordered food before them. I'm not surprised while we were waiting for our order 2 customers cancelled their order and demanded refund. What a way to impress tourist with a NASTY CUSTOMER SERVICE. Period.

The jambalaya was so flavorful and yummy. I also got the cornbread alongside and it was a nice quick lunch to just grab.

I love everything about this place. Friendly service, great food, room at the counter to sit. Try their gumbo fries. Thank me later. PS which gumbo? I'm an alligator man, always.

Shrimp po' boy was awesome! Stools are nice to sit on and and people watch. Give it a try!

This is the best place in Reading Terminal, Authentic Cajun NOLA food, great service, very reasonable prices Red rice and beans and Chicory coffee a must order. I highly recommend and will definitely be back

Had a breakfast gumbo at the counter on Sunday morning. It was nice and buttery, not too spicy, and the amount of protein was just about right. I chose white rice because the jambalaya rice has shrimp in it. There was plenty of room, as many stalls in RTM are closed on Sundays. Service was mellow and friendly, and the oldies on the radio made for a relaxing breakfast.

Cute spot on Reading Terminal where you can sit and eat! Favorite thing was the Cajun fries and they had this sauce on the side... delicious! Also their lemonade was sooooo good!

This place is fantastic and authentic Cajun! I wish I could come visit here every week! I love their Gator Gumbo it is totally the best gumbo I've had (even my friend who's been to New Orleans said its on par). I loved to order the combo of blackened catfish and gator gumbo. For a big breakfast, the Po' Boy of 3 eggs with cheese on freshly baked French baguette is excellent. The egg yolks were runny just exactly how I like it but you gotta be careful eating it or it'll end up on your sleeve! LOL

The server, who was more interested in talking to her co-workers, brought the wrong order twice. which took 15 minutes. I left before they could get it wrong a third time.

I had a conference at the Convention Center next to Reading Terminal Market in mid-April. I had lunch at Beck's Cajun Cafe on one of the days. I ordered a blackened chicken sandwich. They prepared it reasonably quickly. It was a little more than $10 and was large. It was quite tasty---very flavorful. Overall, I was quite happy with the sandwich.

This was an experience that we were not expecting! IT WAS FANTASTIC!! My husband grew up in the deep south and I lived there for 5 years and this is authentic as if you were in New Orleans! The staff was friendly, welcoming, and treated everyone as if they were family. The restaurant gave New Orleans Creole comfort vibes. It was a laid back and relaxing environment. The food brought us to New Orleans with every flavorful and seasoned bite. All of the flavors were deep and well developed. To start, I had to have a cup of the Alligator Gumbo! Each bite brought on the food happy dance! I could have ate this all day! TIP: get some cornbread (grilled of course) to dip in it. For my main, I did the special Benedict's of the day (Hot Honey Fried Chicken Benedict and Salmon Benedict). The eggs on both were poached perfectly. My favorite was the Hot Honey Fried Chicken Benedict. IT WAS OFF THE CHARTS DELICIOUS!!!! I am not a chicken fan, and I couldn't get enough of this one! It was moist and crispy with the perfect balance of spice and sweetness. My husband had the Trainwreck omelette. This was their signature sandwich turned breakfast omelette. The omelette eggs were light and fluffy and the omelette was full of flavor. To finish the meal, we had the bread pudding with vanilla whiskey sauce and beignets. The bread pudding was richly spiced and the vanilla sauce complemented it nicely. I do wish the sauce would have been a bit warmer, but we ordered it right as they were making it so it might not have been to their preferred temperature when it was served. The beignets were as good as Café Du Monde! This place found its way into my heart and stomach. This place was so good, I am looking for ways to get back for another bite-ASAP!

Beck's is a must every time I visit Reading Terminal Market. One of the best places to get authentic Cajun food. I enjoy the chicken and shrimp gumbo with white rice, crawfish and shrimp étouffée, corn bread, and jambalaya. This last visit, I also tried the beignets, which are made to order. They had powered sugar on them and were nice and warm. They also have dishes with unique things like gumbo gator and turtle soup. They do have stools and tables where you can sit and/or stand to eat, as most of the other food places in RTM do. They also have breakfast options but I usually visit for lunch or dinner so I haven't tried any of those yet.

I sat at this counter, anticipating an oyster Poboy, and was quite disappointed that they were out of oysters. Our server was so pleasant that we decided to stay in order something else on the menu. Great decision! My partner in fun ordered blackened catfish platter, and I ordered the shrimp and crawfish etouffee. We had really good grilled cornbread, which accompanied our plates. The flavors were spot on and the spice was definitely there. we had an enjoyable lunch overall.

They have some reason great items here! The shrimp po boy and chicken/andouille gumbo are great if you're looking to try something for the first time! I would definitely suggest going when it's less busy if you want faster service and don't want to feel rushed/ get yelled at when ordering, but that goes for any place in the reading terminal. Overall a great place! Also there's one cashier and I don't know his name but he's tall and always very nice.

On this rainy Saturday , decided to grab some food to go from Reading terminal. Beck's Cajun cafe caught my eye so I ordered the shrimp platter with red beans and rice. I wish the Red beans and rice was placed in a different to go container from the fried shrimp. Some of the shrimp were soggy because sauce from the rice dripped onto them. The red beans and rice is flavorful but I prefer a little more heat ( spice ). The service was quick and friendly.

This place spontaneously taught my toddler the phrase "yummy cheese fries." She was right about that. It's all we've tried there but 10/10 would recommend. Edit: we just ate the train wreck Philly cheesesteak and it was STELLAR.

Back to Reading Terminal for a Cajun breakfast! Chicken shrimp gumbo topped with egg and cheese and brioche French toast with bacon and fries! Both delicious!

This really hit the spot! We had a day trip to Philly & stopped by the reading terminal market around lunch time to grab a bite to eat. I'm glad we found this Cajun place since I really enjoyed it! I was worried the po boy would come out with lots of sauce but thankfully it was the right amount of green, crisp, & flavor in my opinion. I definitely added some hot sauce though. As for beignets, those were ok, not amazing but it was nice to have something sweet!

I cannot begin to put into words how delicious this Gator Gumbo was. The flavors were absolutely amazing and the portion for the price was reasonable. Everyone who worked there were non-stop, but super polite.

First time at reading terminal. Found this place inside. The staff let me taste a few things before making my selection. I had the brisket fries. So good! Cheesy! Everything stayed hot as I walked back to my hotel. They have a few seats at the bar if you want to eat there. It's a bit loud inside the terminal.

Absolutely incredible!!!! Sweet staff!!!! So much fun and a really cool place to eat. Great lemonade, too!

Good food. Terrible service. Rude and unhelpful. Act insulted if you ask them a question.

Decided to pop into the impressive Readington Market and seen Becks. Destiny was our server and she took great care of us. The food reminded me of New Orleans

It's been quite some time since I had good Cajun Food, so was really excited when I saw this place inside the Reading Terminal Market. I got some Shrimp Etouffe and Alligator Gumbo. Both of them tasted quite good but definitely less spicy. Service was pretty quick. Since they are located inside the Food Market, it might be difficult to get seating. Better to order Take Out

A free sample of the gumbo pulled me in. Plenty of counter space to sit at. Everyone working there really seems to care amount the quality of the food.

Ordered the train wreck and Mac and cheese side. Trainwreck is massive and is all meat. Ate half the sandwich. Mac and cheese were balls and interesting. Service was busy and can take a while.

Was strolling around reading terminal to look for interesting foods when i passed by becks. The lady at the front was very engaging and outward marketing the food, and the smell of the food really caught my attention. I ordered the shrimp and crawfish etouffee and the chicken and shrimp gumbo (half of each in one platter), mixed them together with the rice and i got a perfect creamy and spicy seafood and chicken meal. I also really appreciated that they list whether or not a dish has pork in it so people are aware. Very thoughtful.

Doing the tourist stuff and stooped at reading market. Food was DELICIOUS, guy behind the counter was very friendly. Service was quick. Most importantly, food was awesome

For being inside the market place this place knows what they're doing. The service was pleasant. The line was a bit confusing though. Food was one of the best meals I've had. The perfect amount of spice. The flavors were on point. A definite go to must have if you're ever in the area.

Sweet tea that's handmade. My coworker got one too and thought it was too sweet. I loved it. My coworker got gumbo because he wasn't too hungry. It was so good he couldn't stop eating it. I got the blackened cat fish Po' boy. It was absolutely delicious. My only complaint was the amount of stuff in the sandwich and then they just plopped a price of fish on top. It was filled with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and some sauce that was really good and had a kick to it. Again, the fish to veggies ratio was off but would I eat it again? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT.

Even though the Reading Terminal Market is huge and overwhelming, it's not all that hard to locate Beck's Cajun Cafe within it. It has big signs and a big line around it! And if your mind reads as your eyes scan like me, the word Cajun should automatically register as priority :) I've been to New Orleans before and boy do I miss all the unique cuisines from that region! Since I only have one stomach, I had to forego all the rest and go for the gumbo - what I miss the most. Well, the long line actually went relatively quick. I ordered "Chicken & Shrimp Gumbo". The lady who took my order asked, "Do you want white rice or jambalaya rice with it?" I asked which one does it come with? She replied that the Jambalaya rice would just be $1 more. OK, so gumbo and jambalaya, 2 birds with 1 stone. Why not?! So like other reviewers, while it's a good suggestion and a treat for my stomach, I don't appreciate the underhanded upselling that took place. I ended up paying $2.50 more than I intended. As far as the food, it's not as good as I remembered in New Orlean, nor as good as the gumbo at Ruth's Chris Steak House, those heavy Cajun flavors were still very satisfying. I hope to come back and try other menu items.

One of my favorite spots in Reading Terminal Market! Very authentic Cajun food. You can sit at the counter or take your meal to go. The staff will always offer you samples to help decide what to order. I definitely recommend the breakfast po boy with andouille sausage!