Jacques-Imo's Catering

(see explanation of ratings below) When we checked in with the hostess, we were told there was a 20 minute... more

I agree with sparklovesnola!!!!!! I love absolutly love this place and i am born and raised here too. The... more

You people are CRAZY! I'm from New Orleans and take EVERY ONE of my out of town guests here. I have for the... more

my boyfriend and I went to this nifty little house, the atmosphere was cool, playing good music and no wait time.... then our waiter came. from the second he saw us, and the fact that it took us a few extra minutes to decide what we wanted- we were not worthy of his time. Not only did he stiff us on the free cornbread (we each got one roll while others got 2-3), he barely came back to our table. the staff has people specifically designated as drink servers, so we only saw our waiter when he brought us our food. We ordered 2 appetizers (listed as $7.50 and $8.00 on the menu) which were delicious... and the panned rabbit (which was listed as $25.95), which was wonderful and served over a heaping amount of pasta with a seafood sauce. then without asking if we wanted desert, he sapped down two of the smallest free deserts i have ever seen and gave us the bill. HE HAD PADDED THE BILL. the appetizers were listed as $8 and $8.50, and the rabbit was $27.95. we were a little puzzled so when he came back to pick up the bill, we asked to see the menu. he was shocked and asked why? I stated that I thought that the rabbit was rung up wrong and i was trying to continue the sentence by also stating that the appetizers were wrong too, but he had walked away. he came back with $2 taken off the bill, we were a little upset and as to not make a scene in the now very crowded dining area, we barely tipped and left- since it seemed that he had already chosen his tip from us, that's what we gave him. now, we are not the richest couple- but when we decide to eat at a place that we already know is going to be semi-expensive... we know to tip accordingly, but being profiled as two tight wads left a bad taste in our mouths. its too bad that an exciting evening was ruined by such a crappy waiter. Pros: large amount of food on main course Cons: overpriced and service is lacking. more

There are many, many truly spectacular restaurants in New Orleans - Jacques-Imo's is definitely not one of them. The food is mediocre, the space is crappy and the service is awful. I'm a native New Orleanian and have experienced many much better places to eat in the area - please don't waste any precious time at this place. Pros: None, really Cons: Horrible service more

I was told I had to try this place, so while I was in New Orleans I headed up past the Garden District to give it a try. It's very popular with t... more

the only reason i believe so many people enjoy this place is the owner gets them drunk while they wait for their table. this man just creates a gr... more

The noise level at this place was so bad that it probably damaged my hearing for life. The cornbread was very very good the stuffed shrimp was out of this world. The carpetbagger was over cooked and the sauce was very greasy and had no flavor. They only have one bathroom for both men and women including well over 200 people. I think that if Jacque was cooking and supervising instead of walking around getting drunk and sticking white powder up his nose this place would run a whole lot better. It took us 2 hours after we sat down to get our food. By the way do not order there mixed drinks, they taste terrible. Pros: cornbread, stuffed shrimp Cons: steak, mixed drinks more

We had a party of 9 people on a Friday evening. Upon arriving at the restaurant and being re-directed to our dining area Jacques was walking among the crowd and cheerfully greeting everyone. We sat at our table, where well received by the waiter. All in our party enjoyed the appetizers we chose. Upon deciding on our main course we relaxed in the atmosphere of the room taking in the many pictures and murals, including the restroom. Each of us seemed to have ordered a different item. Upon finishing our meal none of us had any regrets. The wait staff took good care of us and Jacques walked through the dining area thanking each of us (and those around) for coming in and gave us suggestions for our next visit on what to order based on what we ordered that day. It was a busy night and the crowd outside was anxiuos to get in when we left. Pros: Good ambience, food Cons: crowed space more

unless you have a group reservation (i think 6 or more) be prepared to wait 2 hours for a table. luckily, we had a reservation, which was booked 30 days in advance to the day of the dinner. more

I've resisted writing a review on Jacques-Imo's figuring the reasonable, thoughtful approach was to give it another shot. . . and another. May 3, 2008 was the third trip, and the second visit to the restaurant during the busy JazzFest period. We'll be succinct: Jacques-Imo's proved average on the best outings and worse this past trip, and it's particularly frustrating to have such a disappointing experience in a city filled with outstanding dining options. The problem is that after the long, long wait the service is disinterested and then another extended wait for food that's not all that impressive. After a two-hour wait, our server met us with a dry, indifferent , unfriendly reaction. . . to people who they had to know had waited a long time to get in. Didn't even offer us drinks, just asked if we were ready to order. This has been our experience numerous times. Which would be alright if the food proved outstanding. It isn't. NOLA is littered with amazing restaurants -- we suggest skipping this one. Pros: Lively, energetic atmosphere Cons: Average food, spotty service more

I have been on assignment in New Orleans for the past 6 months and Jaques-Imo's Cafe is the best I have had while assigned here. The outside may scare some off but the food IMO is outstanding. I have not had a bad dinner yet. The atmosphere is pretty chaotic and if you are looking for a quiet dinning experience this is not it. Neither was Brennan's where they were letting in folks with flip flops and shorts the other day. I have yet to leave Jaques-Imo's without taking food home. Anyone that rates the place a 1 star has a grudge against the owner IMO. The locals I work with recommended this place immediately as their favorite place to eat. I concur, and I have been to the French Quarter and have sampled most of the resturaunts and Jaques-Imo's is my favorite so far. Pros: quality of food, price Cons: size, parking, bathroom more

This ""Cool""place is not worth the trouble. Pros: fried oyster, appetizers Cons: loud, dark, bad entrees more

OK, this is my first ever restaurant review, so be patient....I never knew that a meal could bring such bliss until I ate at Jacques! I was in grad school in NOLA for a few years in the mid/late 90's, and even we could afford it! I can only speak for the only meal I ever ordered [over and again]: pork-chop stuffed w/ massive amounts of shrimp and crab and topped w/ Portabello mushrooms; plus some heavenly mashed potatoes (rosemary? garlic? I forget); the best corn macquechoux [sp?] I've ever had the pleasure to ingest... Anybody new come into NOLA? We immediately dragged them to Jacque's; and they *always* loved it, as well. The one time our food was late, Jacques presented us w/free wine. Pros: Incredible food at sensible costs. Cons: Lately - the wait to get a table. more

Myself and 4 of my girlfriends were down in New Orleans last weekend for a 40th birthday party. We went to Jacques Imos the first night and it was hard to beat. I wanted something with a local flair to it with great food and we got exactly that. Bit of a cab ride if you are staying in the French Quarter but worth it (about 15 minutes away). Nice to get away from all the tourist traps. Pros: Food, Ambience Cons: Check in could be friendlier more

I've been to Jacques-Imo's several times, usually with out-of-towners so they can try out the local cuisine. While the wait for a table can be quite lengthy, it is worth it for the food (also, there is bar at which to wait and an extensive selection of drinks from which to choose). The decor is quite casual despite the slightly high prices. Thus far, the servers have all been quite knowledgeable about the food (delish salmon with mushrooms, delicately flavored mahi mahi, start with the alligator pie - a mix between quiche and cheesecake or the rabbit fingers - just like chicken fingers but with a better presentation and sauce) and the service has always been timely. I recommend this restaurant to locals and non-locals alike. Pros: great food Cons: a little pricey more

If any one place in New Orleans can encompass the essence of the ""Big Easy,"" it's Jacques-Imo's Cafe. Nothing high brow there. Everything about the restaurant puts you at ease. You'll enter the pastel colored front to arrive in an ecclectically decorated boisterous bar room filled with colorful art work by local artist Frenchy, among others. The music, if a little loud and not ""local"" was familiar and enjoyable. The customers seemed to range from conventioneers to college students to locals. I've eaten here pre- and post- Katrina now, and I was surprised to find the wait for my table was much shorter than I expected. I ate in the main dining area, through the kitchen to the rear of the building. The dining room remains materially unchanged from the first time I ate there, before the storm. Pros: Food Food Food Cons: Not a quiet place more

This used to be one of those cool ""discoveries"" you could take visitors for an uproarious good time. The menu was often innovative, if uneven, and the general atmosphere was good natured and genially chaotic. But today, the chaos has pretty much trumped any remnants of geniality. The mood at Jacques-Imo's has always depended on Jack Leonardi, the dipsomaniacal host. He was that cheerful sot who hovered over the proceedings, making sure every glass stayed full - so even the longest wait flew by quickly. What's changed is that Jack has become a mean drunk: unpredictable, abusive, and unpleasant to be around. A lot of the kitchen and front-of-house team that made the place fun have escaped to better jobs, while the remaining staff look around nervously for Jack. They know that he can show up suddenly and create a scene that ruins a table's evening (and any chance of a decent tip). Wish you could have been there a few years ago, but these days, stay away. more

Our experience at Jacques-Imo's was like stepping into the twilight zone. The staff was phenomenal and anticipated our every need. The food was outstanding: comfort food to leave you satisfied for days. It was our first experience and we would love to go back again and again except for the owner. I have never witnessed anything as horrific as his treatment toward his employees and drunken disregard for his customers. He was disrupting the entire bar with stumbling, yelling, and drinking. He was very inappropriate toward my date and clearly made the majority of his advances toward the young attractive women in the bar and restaurant. Then, while waiting for the bathroom (hidden away in the waiters station!), I saw him belittling and screaming at some of his staff members in the kitchen. We loved the food and staff so much, we can't decide whether to go back for them, or stay away because of the owner. more

You should definitely try this place. The food is great, the restaurant is very fun & lively. The owner is an infamous crazy and not nice man who scares off scores of employees, and we would like to never go back because of him, but we have to keep going back, because it's so great! All the service is great except for one guy who is always there and in your face and obnoxious. But you must go try this place. You must! Pros: Fantastic food and atmosphere Cons: Bad owner and one cheesy waiter more