Mulate's | The Original Cajun Restaurant

John was an amazing waiter for our family of six! 🙌 He went above and beyond explaining menu items to our kids and recommending some of the best dishes we’ve ever had. 🍽️ The dinner — and dessert — were all SOOO tasty! 🍰✨

I visited during lunch on a Monday so I did not get to experience the live music as it was not busy at all. I ordered the taste of New Orleans which comes with gumbo, etouffee, red beans, and white rice. It was pretty good after a couple of dashes of their house hot sauce. The corn bread was wonderful though. The restaurant was pretty tidy and had beautiful restrooms. The staff were attentive and helpful as well.

I heard some music from the outside and came to check and I am glad I did. Big place, lots of people, live music and very happy vibe. The food was delicious with fair price. We shared everything and it was more than enough.

Hosting our group dinner event at Mulate's was super easy. Chantelle was a delight to work with - so sweet and very efficient. When we arrived, our space was beautiful and filled with a delicious aroma. John and Julia were cheery and made us feel right a home. The food was scrumptious and all our guests had a wonderful time. This restaurant is tops in my book and we will always remember our perfect evening at Mulate's.

I ordered the gumbo du jour and alligator. I really enjoyed everything. The gumbo had a good amount of shrimp and some other meat — very flavorful and comforting. It was my first time trying alligator, and I was surprised how much I liked it. Tender and well-seasoned. Definitely a great experience!

This is a casual restaurant with LOTS of seating. We walked in at the same time as a bus with about 50 passengers. We didn’t think we’d get a seat but there was ample room. We had Shrimp Cocktail to start. Unfortunately it was dry so we were disappointed. The we ordered a loaf of their bread which was fresh. As our main course we had Catfish Mulate and the Shrimp Po’ Boy. They were great portions and very tasty.

My son and I were excited to visit Mulate's, but were only met with one disappointment after another. The only reason our appetizer, the Mulate's fries, was palatable is because the queso and brisket were warm, the fries were cold and stale. My order, Catfish Mulate's, was ice cold. There was a film over the etouffee, the same film you find over gravy when it has been sitting out too long. If I didn't know better the potatoes were instant, as there was powdery lump the was not mixed well. I shudder to think of what the powdery lump may be if they are real potatoes. The server offered to take the meal off my bill without me asking, which gave me second thoughts about leaving a honest review of the food since he did the right thing, but no good deed goes unpunished. I paid the bill with a $100 bill and when I counted my change I found it was shorted $20. We were able to get the hosts to come over, we explained how we did not get the correct change. The host sorted everything out and brought us the correct change. Despite their outstanding advertisements that will draw you in like it did my son and I, please be guarded when you visit this establishment.

I was recommended to try here by a friend but it really was the worst food of our entire weekend in New Orleans. We only got apps we didn’t even eat all of and this food hurt our stomach. We were there too early for the music so there wasn’t any ambience except a bunch of young girls from some cheer competition at the convention center across the street running around the dance floor, screaming yelling, dancing, carrying on being loud. Our server was attentive and polite, and helped us with some suggestions on the menu. We ordered the Mardi Gras dippin’ shrimp. They do not come with the sauce on them. You have to dip them in the sauce so they aren’t tossed it. The breading on the shrimp was really light and crispy, but the shrimp were overcooked and the grease almost tasted old. We got the trio of red beans, crawfish, étouffée, and the gumbo. The red beans were thick and had a smokiness to them, but were very salty and just OK just nothing special. The étouffée was very light in color and really not very good. The gumbo was the best of the three things . I really enjoyed the okra in it. The okra part of it was delicious. The rice that was served with all three of those had absolutely no salt at all whatsoever and it needed salt. The food did come out of the kitchen very quickly, just as other reviewers have noted. The sweet tea is extra extra extra sweet tea, so be warned although it was very good. It will give you diabetes.

This place is wide open and plenty of fun images and seating. Large variety of food and drinks to choose from on their menu. Definitely on the pricey side for some casual foods but it is in a tourist area. Staff are very friendly and quick to serve. Overall worth stopping in for a meal but not an everyday treat

There is a lot of hype around food in New Orleans. I had high expectations and lots of disappointment. Having ordered a pasta the night before elsewhere that had barely any meat I went for the catfish, shrimp and fries platter. It was decent but nothing to rave about. It was fried and a little spicy but that was it. Mediocre food and as my mom would say it's edible.

If you decide to go for the famous Hurricane at Pats and beignets at Cafe Du Monde......then you have better had a plate licking meal at Mulate's first. Best fish and best roast beef debris I've ever eaten. Plate licking clean!

This is a great spot for getting a taste of Cajun culture and cuisine. I'm an out of towner but I always work my way through the vast array of restaurant options when visiting and rarely do the same place twice and almost never do the touristy spots. But when I'm in charge of dinner plans and we have others joining us who have never been to Nola, Mulate's is one of our go-to's for food and fun atmosphere. I love the zydeco bands and have never had a bad meal. On this last trip showing friends around, our waitress was super friendly as she took our drink and entree orders. After that she completely forget we were there. Someone else brought out our plates and I had to get one of the busboys to ask her to come back as we had been dry on drinks since before our food came. This was the first time I've ever had an issue with service. All in all, service aside, everyone enjoyed the experience.

We had high hopes for this place but it just wasn't it. Service was relatively slow but the food came out extremely fast. The lady was working her tail off though so hat tilt. Ambiance was extremely family friendly with lots of big groups and kids so quite loud. Great for families but don't recommend for a couple looking for a more authentic feel. Chicken jambalaya (2/5) - not much meat, dry, not much flavor, not that hot. Dippin shrimp (4.5/5) - the hero of the night Catfish mulates (2.5/5) it was just off. I love catfish and i had super high hopes.

Every year I host an event here. And every year it goes by so great! The staff is amazing. The location, especially duration Essence fest is pretty much the best you can get! And lastly, the food is great as well. Everytime - delicious . We will be back next year and can't wait already :).

It's a bit off the beaten path from some of your other French Quarter offerings, but we were at the Convention Center and this was an easy walk right across the street. It's a large venue with some decent bar space to belly up if you prefer to eat at the bar. We were seated quickly and got our drink orders in within a couple minutes. Server was prompt and attentive. I ordered the Taste of New Orleans. It was a sampler that had gumbo, eťouffée, and red beans. It was pretty tasty, but a bit overly priced at $14. Overall, the restaurant served its purpose. Beers were cold and the food was hot. The flavor was there and the ambiance was New Orleansy. I wouldn't go out of my way to go back, but it will be my go to joint for lunch next time I'm at the convention center.

Went with a group of 10 to the restaurant. The music was charming and seeing the locals dance was uplifting. The table ordered many appetizers. The most memorable for me was the grilled oysters. I was craving catfish and wanted to also have some grits. The waitress was very helpful and substituted the fries for the grits. Three ordered the chicken sausage shrimp jimbalya and liked that it had chicken, something a little different. Desserts were also ordered that looked great and all said so too. The person next to me ordered the nuttella filled beignets and raved bout them.

If this could be lower than 1 star, that's what I would read it. It took us 45 minutes to be seated 20 minutes for our server to find us. And then another 40 minutes for our food. Then when we received the food, it was cold and flavorless. they also topped it off with an 18% gratuity for each check. I would not return. Save your time and try local spots

As a tourist this place was recommended by a local. The trio was portioned small but you got to taste all 3, gumbo, rice and beans and etoufe. House salad was good enough to share with 2 people. My favorite was the grilled oysters. They were busy and it took a while for our waitress to get to us. Honestly you pay for ambiance and the band.

The roast with mashed potatoes and corn was delicious! Perfectly tender; the gravy was yummy and the corn was well seasoned! Definitely recommend and will go back!

Fabulous atmosphere, superior and authentic Creole food, and a very professional wait staff. The gator bites and calamari are phenomenal appetizers. The stuffed Jumbo Shrimp are amazing! Actually, everyone in our party thought their food was exceptional. This place is a well-established business in the Warehouse District, and it's easy to get in and get seated. Be prepared to be impressed. Tom E.

Mulate's is a whole lot of fun! Great place to take anyone for some authentic Cajun fare and atmosphere. Always have a band that sounds great and putting on a good show--they even invite people up to join them and play the washboard. It's not just a place for tourists, but is definitely a great option to show your out of town guests a good time. Love their cornbread and you can't go wrong with anything on the menu.

Was in New Orleans for a conference, and someone on the team coordinated a dinner here. This is one of the few places in the area that can accommodate a large group, which was the primary reason this place was chosen. The service was very accommodating, even as more people showed up, some almost 45 minutes late. The drinks were strong and flowing, as you would expect in New Orleans. However, the food left much to be desired. In a place known for its good eats, there are much better places to go nearby. I will say one thing though - they do know how to fry up catfish and that definitely satisfied the fried catfish craving.

I recommend the jambalaya, po' boy, fried gator & frog legs, hushpuppies, keylime pie and bread pudding. You won't want to miss out on these desserts, some of the best part of dinner. Not too impressed with the gumbo. There was a band, which was a cool vibe, but honestly service was subpar, which might be attributed to the busy restaurant. If they get the customer service part down, this place could be pretty amazing.

The people and service was nice. Everyone was nice. The food was just average. Nothing exciting. Nice chill vibe inside though.

Mmmm good. The Gator Bites were the best I've had to-date. The obeisance felt authentic . All in all a place I'd visit anytime I'm in NOLA.

The food, as usual, was phenomenal! We had the crab beignets, shrimp, oysters and catfish platter...the seasoning was perfect, the oysters were fresh. Celina was our server and she was the BEST! Very personable, funny and took car of us like we were guests in her home....so sweet. No place feels like New Orleans more than Mulates...cozy and friendly

Stop in for dinner with the family. The building is large with plenty of room to seat with a Cajun ambiance. The service was spot on. The food was nice with a good selection.

Before leaving NOLA, my sister and I HAD to try authentic jambalaya. We totally yelped it because we didn't know where to look. We saw the hype for Mulate's so that's where we went for our "to-go" order! Inside was fun! Forgot to take pictures. Once our food came out the portions were totally huge. It may not seem like it in the picture, but it's big. Price: $24, which was steeeeppp. Taste: 8 out of 10! Wish it came with a side or something. Presentation: ehhh, not so appetizing/appealing. But good!

The charred oyster app was very tasty as was the alligator bites. Entrees were great- we had the fish of the day (sea bass) and taste of New Orleans. Great beer list and cocktail menu! Good band came in and played as the restaurant began to fill up. And our server was awesome!!

We stumbled upon the spot while staying at the Hilton riverside hotel. It was very convenient to walk to from there, and it ran parallel to the Riverwalk. When we walked in the space was huge and there was a side deco band, playing at the front of the space. There's a dancing area, and there are a few couples up. We had some amazing drinks. Both were beautiful and delicious. I think I still dream of that virgin island painkiller. We were advised to get the corn bread which was completely on point. The honey butter, and the texture of the cornbread made it a delicious starter. We also tried to brave a new food by getting blackened gator bites, and frog legs. To our surprise... We are now obsessed with frog legs. for dinner, we got a decent jambalaya, but I wouldn't go back to order just that. Desert consisted of a pretty fantastic bread pudding. Overall, this place definitely isn't a higher tourist area but I think it does give a pretty relevant snapshot of a New Orleans experience for someone with limited time or staying directly in that area.

Amazing food and great vibe. My husband and I were visiting the area and ate there twice! The service was great both times. The first time we visited it was just my husband and I. The second time we visited it was with a large group that was attending a conference. Great service great food both times. Five stars!

This place actually ended up being pretty good. It's right across from the convention center. So after popping by to pick up our badges, we meandered across the street and checked it out. It's really large inside and there's lots of seating but it's also very busy and it seemed like it was busy most of the time we were there through many days. They also had a live band which I think they do every evening. Anyway I had the taste of New Orleans food and it came with all of the staples like the red beans and the shrimp etoufee. It actually was really good! It was one of the cheaper things on the menu at $15.00 but it was enough food for me considering I had probably eaten enough that day already. They had bigger items though that were a bit more expensive. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed it. It is crazy busy and filled with many people and all the wait staff have to focus on many different people. But overall it was a great experience and would definitely return. It's not what I would say a locals kind of place but definitely for the tourists. You know what you're going to get. Not bad at all and I would definitely return!

I had the fresh grilled fish and sweet corn grits. Amazing.. Crab beignets, meat, pies, and frog legs were very unique and delicious. The cornbread was to share and we fought over it .

This restaurant was recommended by a friend who knows her food so I made reservations to eat there on my first trip to NOLA. I love having the local cuisine and wanted Cajun food. I liked the vibe inside the restaurant. It's a big, bright hall with a stage at one end that had a live band. We were on the other end of the hall and could hear the music but couldn't see the band. I wasn't terribly hungry and, after looking at the prices, opted to just order an entree, which is normally enough for me anyway. I ordered the stuffed shrimp and my BF got the catfish. I was pretty disappointed at the portions. I would equate mine to an appetizer portion-only 4 shrimp for $29. They were delicious and generously stuffed, but come on! They only came with a mound of garlic mashed potatoes (that were luke warm), too. The food was very tasty, I just wished they had given me a bit more. Maybe add some veggies? Or cornbread? The catfish was small, too, and had tiny sides of green beans and garlic mashed. The drinks were good. My BF had a rum punch and I had an amber beer, but the server forgot about it and finally brought it out when I was half done with dinner. She was a great server and super nice but had a huge number of tables and was doing her best. Overall, I did not feel I got value for my money but it still was a fun, very touristy experience.

I visited this restaurant a couple of days ago before I went to the Convention Center for Essence Fest 2023. My sister ordered the fish sticks and my cousin ordered the cornbread. Both of the appetizers were delicious. I enjoyed my Shrimp Po Boy and the fries. Everything was very tasty and the server Celina was very nice and attentive. She had excellent customer service skills. The restaurant wasn't noisy and the music that was playing was nice. I would definitely visit this restaurant again when I'm in New Orleans. Nice atmosphere!

In New Orleans for Essence Fest and needed a good bite to eat to start my day off. Mulates is near the Convention Center which is literally across the street. The ambience was great. Not a long line like most places. It was very spacious so there were plenty of seating. Staff took care of us right away. My waitress was a sweetheart. We ordered the oysters and they were so good! I got the stuffed shrimp and they were ok. Shrimp was a little over cooked but it wasn't too bad. All in all it was a good experience for my first time so I'll definitely be back.

My husband and I chose takeout, so what service we got was great!! The hostess was lovely and told us to order at the bar, and the bartender serviced us quickly. We were just there for the gumbo as it had some good reviews. Only waited about 5-10 minutes max before she handed us the bag. We got the bigger portion, which after tax was over $20. We aren't ones with large appetites whatsoever, but the portion size was a bit shockingly small for the price, a little under a pint. The quality wasn't bad but a bit bland if I'm honest, and the side of potato salad was also really small, and bland as well...

I arrived in a party of four, an hour or so prior to close on a Tuesday evening. We were greeted and seated promptly. Live music was playing, providing a very pleasant atmosphere. Service was well above average--no complaints there. I ordered the $26 grilled shrimp entree, offered with solely a side of street corn. This consisted of 10 medium shrimp and a smallish ear of roasted corn. I know it's downtown NOLA, but I though the portion size was lacking, considering the price. The flavor was adequate, but not outstanding to the degree that it compensated for the small portion size. My various table-mates had a cup of jambalaya; a Caesars salad; and a grilled seafood platter. Nobody else expressed any complaints.

Food was tasty, server was very friendly and checked up on us frequently to make sure everything at the table is good! Food was brought to our table pretty fast and there's live music when we w. Fried shrimp and catfish were nice and crispy, ingredients tasted fresh and cooked nicely. Gumbo tasted fantastic and we really enjoyed the overall experience!

We loved Mulate's! The catfish was amazing as well as the shrimp in both the poboy and fried. We tried as much as possible. Highly recommend the bread pudding or the pecan pie with a side of rum sauce. You have to try this true Cajun restaurant. Take it from a Cajun.

Our server Will went above and beyond to show us a great time on our first trip to New Orleans. He was so sweet, knowledgeable, and friendly that even if I hadn't enjoyed the food, I would have went home happy just with the experience and service we received. That being said, the jambalaya was excellent and the bread pudding was absolutely to die for. My husband loved the seafood gumbo and even convinced my notoriously picky self to try the fried gator bites for the first time. (Which were great!) Will didn't miss with his recommendations and really made a great visit spectacular and our last night in New Orleans so special because of him. He is an absolute gem and Mulate's is lucky to have him! The Zydeco band was the highlight of the night and so much fun to vibe to.

I liked it. Parking on street use an app and pay 6$. Food delicious- I only ordered fried things since it was FRYday in my book. No music but us four enjoyed dancing to the noise in our head... fun little video on my personal photo collection. Service friendly and huge glasses of water. Quick food. Lots of smiles. I walked around and then came back and they let me use their restroom. Nice people.

This place was very close to where I was staying in New Orleans recently so I decided to walk there and give it a try. I of course yelped it first so it looked like a great option for authentic Cajun food. The decor inside was very cool. It had a jazzy New Orleans vibe to it. The place was getting pretty busy so I went to the bar. There was a live band playing which made it even better. I put in my order for shrimp po boy entree. There were probably 4 other people at the bar so I didn't think it would take long. After waiting 25-30 mins I finally asked the server about my food. She blamed it on the kitchen but my food had been sitting at the bar/kitchen window for almost 15 mins before she even noticed! Luckily I wasn't planning on eating it there and had plans to go out so I didn't mind it likely being cold. However, we really enjoyed it. It was seasoned well and yummy!

We went on a Tuesday afternoon at 4pm- opening time. We didn't get let in until 4:20pm because of a disgruntled employee meeting (which we learned from one of the employees who came outside and stood with us.) We finally were let inside and the waiter took our drink orders. We were later informed 5 minutes later that he would not be our waiter because he had to put his dog down that day. Ok was all I could say. Another wait while a replacement waiter was being decided. I ordered the Tour of New Orleans, which was gumbo, shrimp etoufee, and red beans. The red beans were absolute perfection! Perfectly seasoned and thickened. The gumbo and etouffee, on the other hand- gross. Weird textures on both and the shrimp etoffe was an off color (looked like green curry and a skin had cooled on top of it.) The customer service of the replacement waiter was great. Oh well.

Great service and food and entertainment our server was wonderful and I really enjoyed my food

Good place for lunch; open on Monday. Ordered the grilled shrimp poboy. Restaurant had ample seating.

I was very pleasantly surprised how good the food was here. The jambalaya was delicious and the hush puppies were perfect! The service was good and the ambience was great. I especially loved the music, it felt like I was really in New Orleans, with some nice rustic calming music.

Food was bland and cold. The shrimp in the Cajun sampler was mushy. Drinks weren't refilled. It took almost 40 minutes to receive the check after the meal was cleared from the table. Over 50.00 for an inedible meal for two. Highly do not recommend.

This is a must to come here. The food here is beyond amazing and well priced. I was gunna take a pic of the food but we couldn't wait(our mouths were watering). The fish of the day plate was blacked sea bass and it was phenomenal. The service here is also awesome. Everyone here is so happy and in such an amazing mood. The bathrooms are also clean. The live band is the cherry on top. You will absolutely not regret coming here. Thank you Rachel!

Since it was down the street from my hotel I decided to give this place a try. Didn't look busy when I came and it was just me I decided I'll eat at the bar. Might have been a mistake. I ordered my drink and a Shrimp Po Boy. I got my drink and enjoyed the live music playing while I waited for my food. About 15-20 min later the couple that came after me received their food. (He also ordered a po boy but oyster.) I kinda waited and my food hasn't came. It did get a little busy but I noticed that people at the bar also got their food. Also the bartender was more attentive to them rather than me. My food finally came like 45min after I ordered. The shrimp po boy wasn't even that great honestly as I've had better at bubba gumps. Now asking for the check, that took another 15 min. Honestly, people get busy I get it. But like she totally ignored me unless I got her attention. Def not recommending this place.

What a dump. Service was garbage, so bad I didn't even sit down, just walked out. Tried to get a table for one, but apparently the manager and hostess required just over five minutes to set a table for three people so they just disappeared. So, wandered over to the bar to grab a seat and get a bite to eat, but no. Bartender was probably the rudest I've ever had, just gave me a sneer and said "the bar closed." I asked if I could just get a bite to eat or something to which grumpy replied "yes, but the bar is not open." That'd be a no, right? Anyway, got tired of waiting, place is a little dirty, didn't smell very good, took my business elsewhere. This place is a dump.

An inconspicuous and unassuming entrance; if you have trouble looking for it, the entrance is literally on the corner! It opens to a pretty large, high-ceiling interior however, and the restaurant really does seem to reflect the New Orleans vibe in appearance. I ordered: * Grilled Chicken Pasta - Alfredo pasta with slices of grilled chicken on top. I generally love Alfredo, but this dish was fairly disappointing. The chicken was dry, the Alfredo was watered down, and the pasta didn't have much taste. Granted, this isn't one of the restaurants specialties, so that's important to keep in mind. Perhaps there are other dishes more worthwhile! My friends ordered a fried chicken sandwich and fried shrimp, but they seemed to not enjoy their food much either, with most of us not finishing. The saving grace for this restaurant is its proximity to the convention center -- just across the street! If you're in a rush, these folks are fairly fast. However, I would recommend walking a bit further if you have the time.

Great for large groups and to try gator and frog legs. I've had good and bad frog before and this one is one of the best. We were all very impressed with the food. The service was great as we had such a large group taking many tables and they didn't make us wait forever and were able to split all of the checks. They had something for everyone whether you want seafood and spice or not. Also, great location as it is walking distance from the convention center. I would definitely recommend.

Horrible service. They first charged us for the wrong amounts of items but had the audacity to call us rude for simply asking for the right check amounts. I hope you dont get racheel she simply is a horrible server and shouldnt be in the food industry. they dont even deserve a star. and the food was sinply horribe werent even offered desserts and took 20 minutes to get a salad. a salad! and she barely came to our table three times and she didnt even deserve that forced 18% graduity.

Cool place but the serving sizes definitely don't match the prices. When you spend $150 and leave hungry it's not cool anymore, especially with 3 kids under 15.

I went here with some family for a late lunch one weekend. We were sat immediately and shared the Sweet Cornbread $14.00 as an appetizer. This was really good, nice crunch on the outside with a moist and soft inside. You can really tell the amount of sugar in it but it was still very tasty. For my entrée I got the Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya Bowl $16.00. This was pretty good taste wise, not spicy but a little pricey for what you get. I also got to try their French Muffaletta $20.00 which was good, they press it like a panini but again the price is quite high for what you get. The service was very good though, no empty drinks at all. Overall, it was just okay but I probably wouldn't go back.

Overrated for sure. I was in the mood for something Cajun and the jambalaya looked good. Nope. Disappointed. No chicken and only tiny bits of sausage. It's like it came out of an Uncle Ben's box.

According to their website, Mulate's is a "legendary restaurant located in New Orleans, Louisiana and is recognized throughout the world as the King of Cajun Dine and Dance halls. Mulate's features live Cajun music and dancing along with great home-cooked Cajun food seven days a week. Mulate's is a place where Cajuns come to celebrate their heritage and the world comes to join them in their celebration". I would definitely agree with New Orleans Yelper Shannon S that "this place provides some decent food and offers some nice Cajun music but unfortunately charges New York City/London/Zurich/Tokyo prices". The entrees, appetizers and beers are all pretty pricy. But it seems like higher prices are affecting lots of venues, and not just restaurants; particularly for those located uptown, in the French Quarter and in the Warehouse District. I'm not sure if I totally believe the website where it states that "this is where Cajuns come to celebrate their heritage and the world comes to join them in their celebration". I think it caters to tourists who have a certain notion of what a true Cajun restaurant is. I recently had family in from Arizona and they wanted to go to Mulate's, so I did not deter them. Our food was decent, but not what any of us had hoped for. The food was not bad, nor was our service, but in my opinion, it was average and a little overpriced.