Donnell W.
Yelp
TLDR: D'Juan's Bistro serves fantastic New Orleans-style food, particularly the oysters and wings, but the lackluster service detracts from the overall experience. Go for the food, but temper your expectations for the service.
D'Juan's Bistro is a New Orleans-style restaurant located off Cumberland Parkway near Cumberland Mall. The interior is cozy and inviting, though the seating options are somewhat limited--long tables with chairs and barstools at the bar.
My wife and I visited for the first time on a Friday night and decided to sit at the bar. We ordered drinks, chargrilled oysters, the Oyster Platter, Mardi Gras pasta, and whole wings with fries.
The oysters were the highlight of the meal. My wife, a chargrilled oyster enthusiast, was particularly impressed. We had considered going to C&S but decided to give D'Juan's a try--and we don't regret it. The Oyster Platter is a must-try. The lump crab oysters and jalapeño oysters were absolutely delectable and exceeded our expectations.
For entrees, my wife ordered the Mardi Gras pasta, and I had the whole wings. The pasta arrived fresh and hot, with a good mixture of seafood. However, the seasoning was heavily concentrated on the meat and left the roux a bit underwhelming. While the dish included a variety of seafood, it only came with three jumbo shrimp, which felt a bit sparse. A well-seasoned roux and a few more shrimp would elevate this dish to a new level. The wings were golden brown and cooked to perfection. No complaints there! The fries were tasty as well, though I'd recommend a broader selection of condiments available for those who don't use ketchup (honey mustard or BBQ sauce would've been a nice touch).
While the food was great, the service left much to be desired. At the end of the meal, we requested a to-go box three times before finally receiving one. On the second request, we noticed the bartender chatting and pouring drinks for her colleagues instead of attending to us. Waiting over 10 minutes for a box, especially after reminding her, was frustrating--particularly when gratuity was automatically added to the bill. This experience caused some hesitation about returning, particularly for my wife, who picks our go-to oyster spots. The service alone has us questioning whether D'Juan's will make the rotation, despite the excellent oysters and wings.
Honest rating - 3.5 (I rounded up)