Beck's Cajun Cafe

This was delicious. My husband loves Cajun southern food so we walked all around reading terminal market and settled here when they offered us a free sample of gumbo and two seats opened at the bar to sit. We got the chicken and sausage gumbo over jambalaya and my husband got the blackened catfish Poboy sandwich. We also got lemonade and sweet tea. Everything was excellent. People next to us were raving about their food choices as well. We will be back to try the shrimp jalapeño hushpuppies.

While in the city for the PA Flower Show, we made a stop at Reading Terminal Market and stumbled upon Beck's Cajun Café. Honestly, the smell alone made it impossible to walk past. Lucky for us, two seats opened up at the counter just as we got there. The service was quick and friendly, and the food was just as delicious as it smelled while walking by. Everything came out fast, hot, and full of flavor. It was the perfect little taste of Cajun in the heart of the city. It ended up being the ideal lunch spot before heading over to the Flower Show festivities. If you're walking through Reading Terminal Market and catch that amazing aroma, do yourself a favor and stop, you won't regret it.

Found two seats here on a Saturday afternoon (during the auto show) and enjoyed the pleasant staff and delicious food. Could there have been more shrimp on my po boy? Yes. But it was delicious and definitely worth it!

Came here for breakfast. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was amazing I had the shrimp and jalapeno hush puppies and the gator omelette. One of the best omelettes I’ve ever had!

Pros: large quantities. They make the gumbo. My favorite part on the platter picture was the parboiled white rice. The red beans were lacking. The blackened chicken was dry and rubbery. The black and coating didn't feel creole or fresh. And then it appears that they sprinkle more seasoning after cutting it into slices. The waitress was kind enough to give me a little bit of gumbo to reconstitute the dryness of the blackened chicken after she informed me that blackened chicken tends to be dry. The cornbread is prepackaged and I saw them open the box and pull out each cornbread from wrappers. The gumbo did have a great thick consistency. It was on the medium light brown spectrum. It was overly seasoned with heat. But the consistency was great. Shrimp and mac and cheese balls we're being prepared fresh and fried there. Don't know how fresh the seafood would be.

Suppose you’re looking for a true Southern food in the heart of downtown Philadelphia. This is the spot! Excellent service in an awesome atmosphere, amidst a busy market. We went there for our lunch, I had a trainwreck sandwich, and my fiancée had chicken shrimp gumbo. The sandwich was on point with delicious sauce. The gumbo was perfectly seasoned. The prices were reasonable, with a satisfactory experience

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.

Had the chicken and sausage gumbo over rice…..on a freezing cold day, it hit the right spot. This is the best thing I’ve had in the US all trip. Just hit the spot.

Beck's is a must try! Located inside of the Reading Terminal, we ordered the gator gumbo, alligator sausage po'boy and the Mac and cheese balls. The alligator po'boy and Mac and cheese balls were so delicious! The alligator sausage had a good snap to it and the bread that came with it was the right texture, soft but not too soft like a hot dog bun. All of the flavors of the po'boy blended well together. The Mac and cheese balls were so yummy and cheesy. It's a must order! The gator gumbo was okay, I think it had too much of a smoky flavor for my liking. Service was excellent! They have seats around their counter and if you want to dine in, you would need to let them know that you're dining in instead of ordering the food for takeout. They don't allow customers who order takeout to sit at their counter, unfortunately. Would recommend!

Tried the beignets and they were delicious. Hot and fresh, I can tell they are made to order. Nice and pillowy with lots of powdered sugar. Service was quick and friendly but you can only sit down at the counter if you are "dining in" and not for takeout.

Found Beck's Cajun Cafe while searching for lunch at the market and also hearing wonderful reviews about it. It's situated close to the entrance so thankfully it wasn't hard to locate. I would give this place another try in the fact that maybe what I ordered wasn't the best dish for me. I ordered the chicken and shrimp gumbo with Jambalaya rice. My dish lacked flavor and also lacked chicken. The cornbread was great though! The staff were wonderful though and explained the options on the menu. They tried to move as quickly as they could with the lunch rush. It's super busy due to it being located in the market and they seem to get an influx of people.

They were offering samples of their gumbo that immediately drew us here. Got their fried shrimp poboy with fries that were very good. They were generous with the protein.

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.

Must try!!! This place is great. Sat up at the counter and ordered a catfish plate for lunch. The catfish is perfectly seasoned and cooked just right. I can't decide what my second favorite part of this dish was- buttery cornbread or red beans and rice. The found was amazingly delicious. The customer service was on point and the food came out so quickly which was perfect because I had to head back to a meeting. Definitely recommend stopping by this place.

Who said this place was good? Maybe I didn't get the right thing but this food was not good. The fried shrimp tasted like they were frozen and no seasoning. The red beans and rice are gross. They give you beans with little to no sausage. The corn bread tasted old. What a waste of my time and money

This is one of our go-to spots in reading terminal!! Sadly, it seemed they were having an "off" day today. The jambalaya and corn bread weren't great, and we've been here enough times to know the difference. Our waitress also forgot about our drinks until we reminded her. The crab fries made up for everything else, though. They were absolutely amazing! It's nice to be able to sit here and dine in reading terminal but if I come back I would definitely try the gumbo or one of the other signature dishes and avoid the jambalaya.

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.

Cute little spot in the market, the service was awesome. Our waiter was attentive and gave us good conversation. The food was stellar, we got the gumbo over white rice. The lemonade and iced tea were banging as well. We will be back next time we're in the city!

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!

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.

No complaints. Restaurants in the Resding Terminal are always great but I wasn't expecting much because I've had Creole food in Louisianna which I figured nothing could compare. Boy was I wrong. Everything was flavorful and tasted like it was cooked with care and authentic. The Shrimp Corn Fritters were moist, the Jambalaya was filling but not heavy, and the Red Beans and Rice had a great spicy kick to them. The green onions were very fresh as well. Nice spot to sit and we didnt feel rushed. Service was attentive and friendly. Will come again and I recommend.

This is so underrated when it comes to reading terminal market!! I HIGHLY recommend this place, their food is amazing

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!!!

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.

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!

got the trainwreck for dinner and it was delicious. they also gave me a free sample of the bread pudding which was yummy. the staff was super nice and friendly and the food took about 10 minutes to make

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!

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Love the gumbo here! Absolutely flavorful, bold and rich with the right amount of spices. I wasn't a fan of the jambalaya but the red beans and rice were nice. Definitely retuning for their gumbo!

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.

Really solid countertop dining spot at Redding Terminal Market. Had the jambalaya which was very good. Good mix of shrimp, chicken, sausage and rice all for a very reasonable lunch price. Staff and fellow patrons all made for a nice experience.

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.

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.

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

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 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.

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.

I tried Beck's Cajun and ordered the fried shrimp platter with red beans and rice. It was delicious! The shrimp were perfectly cooked and seasoned just right. The red beans and rice were flavorful without being too salty. The staff was also very friendly and attentive, even though it was busy.

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!

A great place!! Really glad I stopped here for lunch while at Reading Terminal Market. Staff knows how to handle the lunch rush with grace and efficiency. Watching them work while we sat at the bar was a treat. I got the blackened chicken po'boy with a side of fries and both were superb. Best fries I've had in a long time and the po'boy was perfect -- just spicy enough, with lots of chicken. I was also a fan of the house special "boo-yah sauce." My sister got the chicken and andouille gumbo and also loved it. We both had leftovers! I also thought it was neat that you could buy some of their spices for your own home use. I definitely recommend a visit.

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.

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!

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.

I'm a regular here. I enjoy the food and it reminds me much of the south where I'm originally from. Paying for bags is a new normal now, but Why do I have to request service for the cashier to bag my food? And why did I receive so much attitude from even asking for assistance. I received three trays and three bowls and asked that the least I do is use the counter as support to bag my own food, since that service isn't provided anymore, and the cashier tosses my food on the counter with an attitude. Let's not make it a norm provide below bare minimum service.

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.

1st time here , hush puppies were way over done , almost black, with a slight burnt taste , shrimp po boy lacked any flavor

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

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!

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!