Orlandeaux's Café

A fantastic place to have lunch. We were 10 minutes before opening time of 11AM. There were at least 20 people queuing before us. By the time we were seated a quick turn back showed there were 30-40 more. The food is classic, exquisite and flavorful. We greatly appreciated the fast and courteous service. We preferred grilled catfish and shrimp and grits. Both were delicious.

Waitress was amazing. I got the shrimp creole. They offered me toast or cornbread. I received both. The shrimp creole was ok. Got there before they opened had to waited for like 2 minutes. She got a shrimp entree. The shrimp was a great combination with the sauce. Seasoning on the fries had an interesting taste. We don’t really know what dishes to recommend but we will definitely be coming back.

Hands down this place is 10 out of 10. I was in Shreveport, LA on a business trip and someone from the area recommended Orlandeaux Café. From the time you walk in the door you're greeted by the friendly staff. Music filled the dining area. The music was loud enough to hear and enjoy but also you could have a conversation without screaming. The service was amazing. We ordered the alligator bites, buffalo style shrimp, Oyster Po Boy and a Seafood Platter. The seafood was seasoned and cooked to perfection. I travel a lot and this place is #1 on my seafood list. I will say bring an appetite because the portions are huge. Just plan to to ask for a to go box. The waitress was friendly and attentitive. There wasn't a long wait for our food or refills. There's a reason that they've been in business for so long. If you're ever in the area I highly recommend.

If you are in Shreveport, Louisiana or within a 30 mile radius— this is a MUST! We had the gumbo, stuffed shrimped, shrimp creole, corn bread and peach cobbler and the best sweet tea! Oh my goodness, we were blown away with the amount of flavor and perfection each dish was cooked to. We sat at the bar top, to be honest they were busy, and it took about 5ish minutes to be greeted and get drinks, but our server Coco, was amazing! She was welcoming and friendly, and prompt!

If you’re looking for Shreveport flavor, Orlandeaux’s Café is it! We waited about an hour and a half and YES, every single bite was worth it. We were hungry after my LSUS graduation and this was the only place I wanted to eat. Coming from VA my auntie said it’s a must eat. Our waitress, Raven, welcomed us like family. She broke down the menu, gave honest recommendations and made the whole experience feel personal, not rushed. We ordered the fried oysters, stuffed shrimp, gumbo and catfish—and not one miss on the table. Everything was seasoned perfectly and tasted like someone’s grandma/auntie was back there handling business. Good music, solid drinks and just an all around great atmosphere. Stop by and get the Swamp Water! Don’t debate it. Just do it.

when i say this is the best creole food i've ever had, i'm not exaggerating. served family style, meaning large portions bursting with flavour that taste like your grandma has been making it her entire life - that's exactly what this is. you get a scenic view of cross lake while eating your meal, too. definitely worth the drive if you're staying downtown. this place deserves to stay open until the fall of man.

I ordered take out. A lot of confusion when it came to ordering and picking up the food but the manager was nice. Food was good. Had the grits and catfish. Also had the fried alligator as an appetizer. I may come back to try other dishes.

They did a great job helping us pick the right seafood platters and the food reminded me of back home Mississippi... Fun, helpful staff, down home feel, great conversation with the owner / manager, Off-the-lake swankiness, highly recommended! WE WILL BE BACK!!!

Tried to go on 1/1/2026, but they were closed. Had read all the reviews so just moved our plans to 1/2/2026. We knew, from those reviews, there could be quite a wait if we went for lunch or dinner, so we arrived at 2:45. We were told 1-1.5 hours! No problem. We weren't extremely hungry and we figured that would allow plenty of time to work up an appetite. So we walked around outside and enjoyed the unseasonably warm temp of nearly 80 degrees in January. They seated us after only 45 minutes. * Service * EVERYONE was friendly, kind, quick to offer a genuine smile & eager to please. That ALWAYS goes a LONG way. They were all just so pleasant. * Food * Appetizer: Gator Bites - phenomenal! My husband had: Fonda's Platter w/rice & gravy and added a side of black-eyed peas. I had: 8 fried oysters w/rice & gravy and added a side of mustard greens. I cannot say enough about the quality of the food. Hands down the BEST greens I've ever eaten (sorry grandma). Oysters (my go-to at any seafood joint) were cooked perfectly and the batter was different from most I've had. Could've made a full meal on the rice and gravy. It had a smoky flavor. And oh my, the quantity. We came home with enough leftovers for another full meal. Husband shared one of his shrimp with me. Perfect! And that stuffed shrimp was amazing. He said he would've for sure eaten another one of those. He said the fish was GREAT! Talked about dessert, but we just couldn't stuff anymore in. So full! If you're anywhere near Orlandeaux's, GO! You will not regret it.

Right on the lake. Wish we had come in daytime to enjoy the view Ordered fish and grits. Did not disappoint. Plating was beautiful and more importantly it was delicious. Came with toast. I can't believe I finished it. It's a big ol plate of food. The tea was good and for my refill she accidentally brought me sweet tea instead of unsweet. Both were good but I prefer the unsweet. I'm sure we could use the sweet tea as a syrup. It took them a few min to seat us but it was very busy. I highly recommend this place.

This visit was much better than my last. 5:45 - party of 2. The bar is still a full waiting area. This time seats were available. Plenty of seats. Our wait was about 1 h 30 minutes. We were seated at a window table, to my delight. (7:15) And made our dinner options. Starting with the Alligator Bites. (They never came out, and we had to ask for them when our dinner was delivered.) @ 7:30 Dinner was: For me- the ol' fashioned burger. Very well presented and delicious. For Dad: the Chicken fried steak. Everything was amazing and we both over indulged. Boxed up what we had to. And paid the ticket. Dinner for 2- $58 7:50pm

My husband loves Orlandeaux's! The food is great, the service is always quick, and the view from the dining room is amazing!

If you are in Shreveport, Louisiana or within a 30 mile radius-- this is a MUST! We had the gumbo, stuffed shrimped, shrimp creole, corn bread and peach cobbler and the best sweet tea! Oh my goodness, we were blown away with the amount of flavor and perfection each dish was cooked to. We sat at the bar top, to be honest they were busy, and it took about 5ish minutes to be greeted and get drinks, but our server Coco, was amazing! She was welcoming and friendly, and prompt!

The service was good and the staff was very friendly. Portion sizes were big. I do think the food was over hyped. Don't get me wrong it was good and well seasoned but all of the fried food taste the same and for me was a bit salty. The gumbo was really good. If I go back I would just get gumbo

Service was slow, our waitress forgot our drink order for a long time. They quoted us a 1:45 wait, we waited 1 hour 15min. - Boudin Balls 2.6/5 It's pretty thick. Rice and crab inside, moist but thick. Heavily battered. It was okay. - Stuffed Shrimp 5/5 YUM. The stuffed shrimp was delicious. Stuffed with crab and fried. [RECOMMEND] - Gumbo 5/5 BEST gumbo I've ever tasted. It was hearty and peppery. Pieces of sausage and crab, it was so delicious. [RECOMMEND] - Alligator Bites 1.9/5 Tasted like regular popcorn chicken. - Catfish Campti 2.7/5 Pieces of crawfish in the sauce, the catfish was okay. - Fried Oyster 1.3/5 Thick battered oysters. Oysters were super creamy inside. - Beignets 4.2/5 Three pieces of beignets with a lot of powdered sugar on top. The beignets are more on the cinnamony side, not as flakey. Packed free parking lot.

Ok ok. I tried again. Arrived for an early dinner on a Thursday. The wait was already long but I sat at an open seat at the bar. The bartender immediately greeted me and was attentive throughout. The place is a bit run down, old furniture and just an overall dinginess but I expected this. The food was good, not convinced that the fish was actually catfish but the flavor was ok. The gumbo was surprisingly good and I'm glad I ordered it, it was a thicker consistency than I prefer but the flavors were all there. The gravy and rice was a good side item and seasoned well. Fried shrimp was not good at all, overcooked and under seasoned.

We have not been to Orlandeaux's for a while because the potholes in the parking lot were outrageous and the water served there was so bad that you could taste it through the sweet tea and fountain drinks. We missed the delicious food so we went for dinner tonight and glad we did. The potholes are still very present, but we managed to get a good parking spot, we did not have to wait for a table, our server was fantastic, and I am so glad to say that their water is great now. Definitely filtered. Noticed it immediately and was so pleased that we said if we owned this place and had to choose between the fixing the potholes or installing a water filtration system we would choose the water, too. I ordered a Hurricane. It was served in a margarita glass, but was yummy. We ordered dirty rice because it is one of my faves and half a fried chicken w fries and gravy on the side. We shared it and it was so tasty that we did not need a take out container. Too full to order dessert. We were so full that we joked about how we were getting home. Thank you Orlandeaux's. Chefs kiss

Awesome creole food in LA. Gumbo was tasty and they convinced us to get a stuffed shrimp which was worth it. Peach cobbler was warm and sweet. Will come again

Took a bit of detour and serendipitously found Orlandeux's Café. Truth be told, our party thought we were going to a Quebedeauxs Cajun Café. Very happy to have found this restaurant instead. The staff was extremely courteous, friendly, and helpful. The actual site of the restaurant was very rustic and was on a beautiful waterfront. The facility itself is in a bit of disarray, but not so much that the service and food didn't easily overcome any of those shortcomings. Zydeceaux Shrimp - This appetizer appears to be their usual fried shrimp tossed in a Louisiana style hot sauce. The tang from the sauce is a party in your mouth, but was very well balanced when dipped into the ranch sauce that they serve with this dish. Dish is delicious and worth a try. Bergeron's Boudin Balls - This appetizer was absolutely amazing and I'd order it all day every single day. The ball is perfectly fried and not an overly battered exterior. The interior of the ball is a comforting gravy like stew. It came out piping hot and with a zesty Cajun sauce that really set this dish off. Gumbeaux - The gumbo had chicken, sausage, and tiny shrimps in it. The gumbo itself wasn't too watery at all and had a near stew like consistency, which really made it more comforting. The roux and whatever other seasonings they tossed into this dish all worked amazingly well together. The rice in the dish was perfectly cooked and was not mush nor was it raw in any way. This dish is that is better than I've had at most restaurants. The side of cornbread that came with the soup was delicious and had substance to contrast with the soup. A light crumble, but still held it's shape. Pete's Platter - This was a large order of food at a reasonable price considering all you get. The fried fish was perfectly cooked. A light outer exterior and soft flaky fish inside. The fish tasted very clean and fresh. Fried shrimp was properly cooked and not overcooked in any way. Stuffed shrimp was something I was unfamiliar with, but a very welcomed addition. Overall, this restaurants food was worth accidentally finding. Portions were very generous. It had history, excellent service, and amazing food. Space is somewhat limited, so many might expect a wait for seats. Worth the detour even if you're not quite close to it.

So glad we found this place. Everything was delicious and the portions were enormous! Started with boudin balls. I normally find these dry... not these... gobbled them up before a photo. We also had a spicy shrimp appetizer, gumbo, fried catfish and shrimp,red beans with sausage, stuffed shrimp and fish smothered in etouffee. There was bread and cornbread too! This was the best meal we had in our 6 days in Louisiana by far. We arrived in a Friday at 11:30 am and waited about 30 minutes. The wait was outside overlooking the lake so it was enjoyable. Our service was fast and friendly. Favorite-Gumbo Least Favorite-Stuffed Shrimp Cocktails on the weak side but still refreshing. Go here if you are anywhere close or make it your destination.

I came back to visit during lunch because that Catfish Campti was THAT good and my food was piping hot and out in 15 minutes!! I was shocked at how quickly I got my food to go considering how many people were in there ordering. Highly recommend 10000x !!!

Quick to go service, under 15 minutes. Ordered mashed potatoes but didn't know they come with gravy on them. The fried shrimp were huge and fried to perfection. The tartar sauce is always on point.

I asked someone at the hotel where I was staying for a few restaurant recommendations in the area. This restaurant was the first place she mentioned. I wanted to visit that evening, but she informed me that they weren't open on Sunday and wouldn't reopen until Wednesday. I ended up going on Thursday instead. Upon my arrival, I noticed that the restaurant was located right next to a beautiful lake. The parking lot was pretty packed, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to get in and out quickly, as I planned to place a to-go order. As soon as I entered the restaurant, I felt a great energy in the atmosphere. It was a vibe I hadn't experienced in a restaurant in a long time, with people laughing, talking, and enjoying themselves. It was a beautiful scene. I ordered the shrimp po'boy, which came with French fries to go. I expected my order to take at least 20 to 30 minutes, but it was ready in just 15 minutes. The total for my meal was $17, including taxes and tip. The catfish po'boy was delicious, the shrimp were well-seasoned and perfectly cooked. I only ate three or four of the French fries, not because they weren't good, but simply because I wasn't in the mood for them. If I'm ever in the area again, I will check this place out. The staff was fantastic! ( I hate here in 2023)

Orlandeaux's Café is a true Shreveport treasure and a piece of American history. Open since 1921, it proudly holds the title of the oldest continuously operated African American, family-owned restaurant in the United States--and the legacy shines through in every detail. The menu is pure Louisiana comfort: stuffed shrimp, gumbo, boudin balls, shrimp & grits, and so much more. I tried the shrimp & grits and honestly--they were the best I've ever had. Perfectly cooked grits, a rich and creamy sauce, and generous, well-seasoned shrimp created a balance of flavors that was just unforgettable. I also have to rave about the fried oysters and alligator! Try them! Beyond the food, the experience itself is special. Nestled right on Cross Lake, the restaurant offers a picturesque lakeside view with a serene 360° look at the water. Pair that with the casual, cozy, and historic atmosphere, and it's the perfect spot for everything from a date night to a solo meal. The staff deserves a shoutout too--friendly, welcoming, and truly committed to customer satisfaction, which makes you feel right at home. If you're in Shreveport, this is a must-visit for authentic Creole and Southern cuisine in a setting you'll remember long after the meal.

This place has such a comforting vibe! It's a very southern hole in the wall type place. Food was amazing, service was phenomenal, no wait at 1:30 in the afternoon. Highly recommend!

Food and service is amazing. When first arrived we were told it would be a 3 hr. wait. No even close, they buzzed us 25 minutes later. Downside is the restaurant itself looks horrible and is definitely in need of a makeover. Dirty doors, floors and baseboards. Limited seating.

We had the best experience at Orlandeaux's cafe! Our service was also the bar tender, she was kind, attentive and the food was amazing! The seasoning on everything was perfect! The onion rings were the best I have had! Only thing that would make them best is a signature sauce.

Food & Service are Excellent! The ambiance and beautiful lake scenery only add the wonderful experience! Highly recommend!

The food was delicious, once we received it, but for me service is just as important and this experience failed in service. The server got our drinks then took our appetizer order. We were told, after placing order, they were out of alligato bites so we were suggested onion rings. After a few minutes she came back and said they were out of onion rings. Finally we settled on meat pies and boudin balls, which were tasty. We had finished our appetizers and kept waiting and waiting for the server to come back and take our dinner order. I was about to get up and look for her and she finally showed up. About 15 minutes the first plate arrived. Now mind you, we had 5 at our table but each plate came out at different times. I had ordered the grilled fish with grits and being last served it was fried fish. The lady took it back and I received my dinner after everyone else had finished their meals and so I had 4 people watching me eat. The server came by once and we had to ask for water and tea refills. We arrived at the Cafe at 4:30 and it was 2 hours to get out of there. As for the atmosphere it was very slick floors in the bathroom so I told my 82 yo mother not to go there. The concrete floors were covered in mats which are dangerous. The only positive side is the view of the lake. I would only suggest this place if you don't mind crummy service but good food.

Where do I even begin? I'll try to keep this short--but everything was truly perfect (except the wait, but that was expected). That's actually how we ended up at the bar--and I'm so glad we did. I ordered a drink while we waited, and the bartender was just incredible. Warm, kind, knowledgeable, and an absolute vibe. After chatting with her, we decided to stay at the bar instead of waiting for a table. Next time we go back, though, we're definitely aiming for a window seat--we love a good view! She shared the history of the restaurant, the owner, and the family behind it. Any question we asked, she had an answer for. She spoke so highly of the place that we ended up ordering so much food--and she was right about everything. Hands down, this was the BEST food I've ever had. We were only in town for the night and stopped by to enjoy one last meal before heading out--and now I honestly want to plan a trip just to come back. We're already talking about returning for brunch! If you're ever in town, please do yourself a favor and stop by. Try anything on the menu--you won't be disappointed. I wish I could give them 10 stars!

Very good food! Big portions! Coming back and always bringing someone with me so they can try it too!

Amazingly delicious food and drinks! There was a long wait to be seated for lunch, so we ordered to go in the bar. Everything was amazing, the staff, the food and drinks. I got the stuffed shrimp with rice and gravy. The dirty rice was good too! Highly recommend!

Wanted it to be awesome... Just missed the mark a bit on the shrimp and grits... The grits could have been creamier. The service EXCELLENT location was cool. Boudin balls were very good. Overall I'd go again sometime through the week when it is less busy and try again.

First of all, the food is absolutely awesome. The other comments about the condition of the building and apparent cleanliness may be an issue to some. But, the food was piping hot both the meat and the crust was delicious. Even the fries were still warm. We had the gator bites as an appetizer and had a generous portion of very tasty and flavorful gator bites. The stuffed shrimp truly is amazing. It has the familiar crab, stuffing and the large shrimp you would expect. The service was excellent Stephanie, our waitress was very attentive and took great care of us. we arrived Christmas week Monday at noon and the restaurant was full, but I was pleasantly surprised there was no wait. Our drinks were refilled without asking and we had everything we needed, condiments and to go package included. Overall, I'm very pleased with our meal and will certainly return.

A great spot right on Cross Lake with amazing views from the big windows overlooking the water. It's also the oldest continuously operating Black-owned restaurant in the U.S., dating back to 1921. The place is really spacious and great for big groups. The menu is full of Louisiana classics--crawfish, po'boys, all the good stuff. The food was super flavorful and well-seasoned. The service was super friendly, though it was a bit slow, but the vibe and views totally made up for it. I accidentally left my to-go box behind and when I came back to look for it, it had already been tossed. But the manager noticed and offered to make me a fresh one on the spot--such a nice gesture! Made my day! If you're in the area and want some good Louisiana food with a view, definitely check out Orlandeaux's!

We were very welcomed, we had Natchitoches Fried pies for our appetizer, full of deliciousness, my wife had shrimp and grits, I had the Fonda platter, we saved room for the peach cobbler. The portions were extremely generous. From the gentleman that was the hostess to everyone we came into contact with were so pleasant and welcoming. We were seated by the windows overlooking the lake and boat dock, I wish there was a restaurant close to Denton, Tx this good. All the foods were cooked to perfection.

Staff was very friendly, service was good and food was great! Our view of the lake was nice

Food is great! However, I can see why people rather take it 'To Go'. The location is beautiful. But once you walk through the doors, the beauty falls hard. Guess that's why the floor looks like it does. Taking pride of where you serve good food is important in order to attract the right staff and customer base. The place needs a huge facelift in order to make food appetizing.

Great food, service and ambiance! The water views and food are exceptional. The staff are friendly and have the true Louisiana spirit!

Outstanding soul food and great service. The gumbo may be the best I've ever had. Great view of the water, too

The review from Cinder sent us running to try. The review had me as black owned and continuous operation for the last 100 years. I am from Denver and in today's political climate I truly want to support locally owned and minority owned business. I'm from south Louisiana and was always told not to each southern food in the northern part of the state. Well lucky for me that bias is wrong as this creole cooking was amazing. I had the shrimp and grits and my wife had the shrimp creole. Both dishes were amazingly good. I loved the shrimp and grits as you could actually taste the grits and it wasn't lost in the sauce. The sauce as rich but light. I'm bummed I live so far away and probably will never be back in Shreveport. Well, might find myself back there just to eat here again!

Stopped her on a quick trip thru Louisiana and I'm glad I did. Right on the shore of the lake gives you an awesome view. Everyone I met here is beyond friendly and make me feel at home. And first time having Louisiana food...what have I been missing?!?! Just awesome.

An extraordinary destination where stunning views, food, and a charming setting come together for any occasion. A hidden gem that every visitor must experience--an unbeatable alternative to boring franchise restaurants.

Food was GREAT. Ambiance and waterfront dining was amazing. Service was a little slow and wait was LONG!!

This was the worst experience I have had here. The lemonade was served with a few ice cubes floating at the top & the rest was warm. My entree looked like gas station food served w/ instant potatoes and gravy w/ too much grease. Dinner tables had food caked in the folds. Parking lot will damage your vehicle from the potholes. I was so disappointed. The baseboards, doors, windows were filthy. There was a trash can w/ food waste next to our table & it smelled. It could be so much better.

We 100% enjoyed our experience here at Orlandeauxs. From the service to the food and the setting. I wish I had more pics, here is what I have... everything was delicious, must try the Boudin balls!!!

During a cross country trip, we saw this yelp rating, decided to stop and eat dinner, but upon arrival was treated poorly, and despite the end of the evening, not a lot of people was told an hour wait there was nothing inviting or welcoming, and it didn't matter if the food was going to be good, don't spend your money for the customer service is not also high quality.

Ya'll, get you some real good Creole food and come here! I had leftovers of my shrimp creole and cornbread and it still tastes Dee-licious. Service by Latoya was more than great. The ambiance-well do you like a lakefront view through picture windows? Yes ya'll! I am coming here anytime I am in Shreveport. Ps. i thought i didn't like boudin until I tried theirs!

The fried fish was good. The stuffed shrimp was fire- as in too hot for my taste buds. Shrimp was good too. The food comes out quick and hot. Service was great...very nice.

Been wanting to try it for ages. My team & I went in Dec. The parking lot doesn't have potholes, it has craters! Seriously need fixed. The restaurant is dark and dreary and needs updating badly. Very nice employees and terrific waitress. Food was ok, but really greasy. Alligator bites & boudin balls were delicious. Down home food was excellent, fish & shrimp were greasy but good. Food overall was ok. It wouldn't take much to make it top notch, just a little more effort. Prices are reasonable and waitress was prompt, knowledgeable, and friendly.

Passing through town and stopped here for early dinner. FOOD IS AMAZING IN EVERY WAY! Both super fresh and flavorful and also generous. Gorgeous views as well. Highly recommend:)

The food was amazing. We showed up early, like 4:45pm on a Friday afternoon. There was a 2 hour wait for the dining room, and an hour wait for the take out! Anything with this kind of business, I'm here for it! I had the fish and grits, and it was enough to feed a small army! 5 STARS

Today I stopped in at Orlandeaux's Cafe for a STUFFED SHRIMP PLATE with dirty rice & gravy today was a good day the food was amazing and it was plenty there is enough food on the plate to definitely share the cashier was very nice and informative of the menu I give today's meal a 5 star and will definitely return and I must say you absolutely get what you pay for so if you are in town or on that side of town looking for some good soul food/seafood don't hesitate to give them your thumbs up! Thanks Orlandeaux's for lunch!!

Orlandeaux's hands down have the best stuffed shrimp and tartar sauce I've ever had in my life. The food here is always perfect in flavor, hot out the grease and satisfies every taste bud! The new location is beautiful, right by the water front and the decor is very on theme with the NOLA style and music. The issues I have with this restaurant is always customer service based. It's been so off putting that it makes me not even want to go back for the food. The most recent incident included a friend and i who shared lunch and conversation together. There were Atleast 3-4 empty tables at the time that our waitress came up to us stating that we had to leave our table because they had a "big group" waiting. Of course we got up because almost always, there's a wait of people trying to get in. But we had lots of confusion as we left out and seen no one waiting inside or outside (we finished our conversation outside and seen no large group or a large influx of people show up). I completely understand if the table was actually needed but it didn't appear as if it was and if that was the case, that's extremely rude to treat customers that way. I feel torn on whether or not I want to return... do I have tasty food at the expense of not so great customer service or do I miss out on amazing seafood because of the customer service? Decisions, decisions.

everything was amazin plz come grab sumthin to eat!! food was hott n amazin...u cant beat ittt

Interesting location n the water with lots of good choice to eat! One of the Oldest Family Owned Black American restaurant is the nation! Gotta get some Boudin balls to go with the Huge.... I mean Huge bowl of shrimp and grits! Large shrimp, sautéd with smoke sausage then hit with the Holy Trinity of Shrimp Creole then drizzled with the Chef's Favorite Sauce! Make my mouth water just typing it out! Cooked to order and served with the love of the South! OMG! There's Shrimp & Grits then the Orlandeaux's Shrimp & Grits from another universe. Amazing F

The wait is long but it is worth THE WAIT ! The waitresses are all really nice , the hostess ! And the view is amazing ! I've been trying to eat here for months maybe even a year or more our food was so good and we will definitely be back !