I used to work near this restaurant, and started going over there for lunch soon after it opened. I was enough of a regular that the proprietor knew me, and always greeted me by name and with a friendly conversation. But friendly or not, I certainly would not have kept coming back if they had not had some of the best cajun food I'd ever tasted. And the prices are very reasonable, too--unlike the overinflated prices of "Easy's," the Cajun place on South Glenstone. I have had a number of their sandwiches and they are all very enjoyable. I enjoy their sweet potato french fries, the potato chips they make themselves, and the fresh bread they get from an area bakery. But I think my favorite of their dishes is their gumbo--inexpensive, tasty, and very filling, by the cup or by the bowl. The gumbo is one of my favorite things to get when I pop in for lunch or dinner. Sometimes the wait can be a little long, but that just means it's not "fast" food--they make it to order when you ask for it, so it's good and fresh. If you are looking for Cajun food in Springfield, you can do no better than The Big Easy.
(5)
Jeff P.
Great food! This place is in a shopping plaza, in a remote part of town, with no fun interior, but the food....fantastic! The oyster po'boy and gumbo were fantastic. Made me miss NOLA.
(4)
C M.
Good cajun food. If you are use to true cajun food, ask them to spice it up a little. Normally that would be a death sentence, but in Spfd, MO the food here is ALL mild unless you ask for different. Jambalaya and etoufee are must-haves. I hear Po Boys are good, but have not had one as yet. Place needs wi-fi and a larger dining area (tables are jammed together).
(4)
Josh S.
This small place has a nice selection. I had the shrimp po'boy and it was great. I will definitely be back. The bread they use for the po'boys is awesome. Don't substitute the chips for fries the chips are fried on site and taste like kettle chips they are great.
(4)
Alyson O.
After reading all the very positive Yelp reviews and being on an endless hunt for a delicious po'boy in Springfield, I decided to try Big Easy for lunch today. I've driven by many times but always found the exterior slightly off-putting (it's in a small shopping center). Anyway. I had the fried shrimp po'boy and my boyfriend had the roast beef po'boy. I think we both really wanted the fried oyster, but were told that due to the oil spill, they haven't had oysters for a while. Understandable, I suppose. The bread was delicious; chewy and fresh tasting. The fried shrimp po'boy comes standard with remoulade sauce here, but I got the creole mustard sauce on mine instead. The roast beef was also good--suuuper messy and huge, dripping with au jus. The chips that come with the sandwiches were really good and obviously house made. Next time, I'd like to try the jambalaya. Another diner in the restaurant ordered it and it looked great, not to mention the portion size was gigantic. We will definitely be back .
(4)
Paula B.
Excellent authentic food. Service good. Gumbo was very good. Recommend highly.
(4)
Dr. Thomas B.
I have personally found the staff that works here surely want to be of service to their customers and is also found they are very personable and easy to talk to. I can truly say that the food that is here you would find the same quality of food in New Orleans the one thing that I would've liked was to hear Cajun music or zydeco playing over their speakers. But the type of music is a minor issue to the great food that they serve here with that taste of New Orleans.I will be bringing in my family to try their food out.
(4)
Ginger A.
This place is the real deal, delicious Cajun style food made fresh. It has an authentic vibe and is slightly dive-y but just the right side of clean. The dining room is small but cozy. The fries were above par though, especially with the added hot sauce and a shake of seasoning (maybe Old Bay?) on the table. There were 2 young guys working who were friendly and efficient. They seemed to be working hard to take care of everyone's order and doing a fabulous job of it. I was a little surprised at certain things that were not on the menu (no desserts for example - Cajun style restaurants are usually the one place I consider dessert a must) but there were still plenty of options. We were impressed and I am happy to see this place has been around for awhile and has other good reviews!
(4)
Zachary B.
Solid cajun food. Excellent gumbo, generous portions, inexpensive, what's not to love?
(5)
Curtis G.
Never had a bad meal here, the gumbo is made the way it is supposed to be.
(5)
April G.
I'm new to Springfield, so I use yelp for dinner-date ideas with my boyfriend. After reading there reviews I must say they were right! I went during lunch time, which Im glad bc it does seem like lunch time food, or take to go. I had the roast beef po'boy and side order of there sweet potatoe fries. Messy but so good! The boyfriend had the catfish. Let's just say he didn't say a word after he got his sandwich. Not bc it was bad but bc he wouldn't put it down! Haha. Next time we go I really want to try there jumbo.
(5)
Rich E.
Great food, great service and a great atmosphere! I have tried every item on the menu and have never once regretted it.
(5)
Jordan Z.
cajun done correctly! stop reading and drive there! unless you've had too many to drink then take a cab!
(5)
Brian K.
I haven't had many po'boys, but this was definately the best one I've had. I got the shrimp one. I liked the shrimp on it and the sauce was great. My wife had the oyster po'boy, it seemed good also. Their seemed to be lots of choices on the menu. I'd like to try the ettoufee next time. I enjoyed the cajun music playing in the background.
(4)
Napoleon P.
Pretty good stuff:) great hospitality.
(4)
Doug R.
Trip #2- I went here with my friend last night for a hearty meal. I talked him into the roast beef po'boy (see previous review) and I had my first ever Fried Shrimp Po'boy and added the sweet potato fries for $2. I immediately regretted my decision upon comparison of the two dishes. For some reason, being a shrimp lover-and gulf shrimp in particular, I thought that my sandwich would have some kind of shrimpy flair that went above and beyond the menu description. Nope. Its 6-8 butterflied shrimp, suspiciously similar to the grocery store fried shrimp, whole lotta shredded lettuce, maters, and remoulade sauce (which I honestly don't like. It seems like one of those love it/hate it things). Maybe I was expecting spicy shrimp, creole shrimp, I dunno. Whatever it was, it was lame. My plate ended up being a big mess of shredded lettuce and remoulade soaked bread, although I did eat all the shrimp. Oh my Yelp friends! How my heart yearned for that roast beef while my friend was sagaciously scarfing down his sandwich! And I finished mine with a bitter scowl...This happens. Not everything will be perfect on a menu. Everybody else in the restaurant had great looking food while I continued to die a little inside. I will NOT write about where I went later on in the evening to get food to fulfill the ever developing void in my stomach after Big Easy's, as that damn sandwich did not fill me up at all. I must say though, the sweet potato fries were delicious and would be amazing next to some etoufee or some gumbo. Will I go here again? Hell yeah. Will I not order that poor po'boy? Of course. FYI; That roast beef alone is worth keeping their 4-4.5 Star rating.
(4)
Nolan B.
Great Cajun food....pricey, but worth it for hard to find cuisine.
How this place got such high marks is beyond me... We walked in, and we're prompted to "sit where we pleased." They only had one highchair luckily no one else needed it. We also failed to realize we needed to get our own menu. I decided on the oyster half, and my wife on the half catfish po-boys. My wife's sandwich was a little skimpy, but not nearly as bad as mine. My sandwich consisted of 99% bread. It was about 4 inches long. Had "two" pieces of oyster on it! Yes only two; come on it's not lobster. Lettuce, and a tomato for $7!... The server also tried to overcharge us for frys. When he called over the manager. I said; it states right here at the top if you get a sandwich frys are $1.50.. The manager said well its only his second day! I said that's fine I'm not attacking him just showing him on the menu his mistake... Went to pay, and a big dude that's also the cook asked how things were. I expressed my disappointment in the lack of oysters. As in there were two.. His only reply was; sorry you weren't satisfied.... Never going back. Wasn't anything special, service was mediocre. And atmosphere was like being in a backyard dinner.. Oh did I mention the table filth when we wiped it with a wetwipe?... Ewwww.
(2)
Holly A.
Kinda disappointed. Very overpriced and I ordered a shrimp po boy and it was ok for $7 but you had to pay 1.50 for cheap regular fries instead of chips. It should come with fries. My husband ordered a oyster po boy and he had 2 tiny oysters on it. It was like 80% bread. We will probably never go back. We rate places on quality, quantity, and price and taking all that into consideration, it gets 2 stars.
(2)
Alycia H.
The service was amazing! Our server, Garrett, did such a good job explaining the menu to us first timers. My husband and I had the Jambalaya, Fried Shrimp Po'boy, and shrimp Gumbo and it was all fantastic! If you can't decide on just one item, you can get "halves" of most items on the menu and get a combination of a few things. Highly recommend Big Easy Grill.
(4)
Bradley R.
Have stopped here several times now and the lady and I both agree its pretty good. The spicy Cajun dishes are interesting and different. A real change of pace to the burger, taco, pasta, and pizza options that dot most parts of town. We really like the bread they bring in. Its nice and crispy on the outside and slightly chewy in the middle. Great for dipping in their dishes like the jambalaya or crawfish etouffee. The last time we went I got the ship po'boy and she got the andoulle sausage po'boy. Both put on that bread we like so much. They were both excellent. The decor of the palce is a bit hole in the wall but it works. I'd almost give this place a 5 star rating but I'm going to hold off until I can get down south and try the real deal and see how my local place stacks up. Either way, I'm still a fan.
(4)
Doug L.
We were visiting from out of town and had just left the big Bass Pro Shop and needed some food. Found this place on yelp and it was close by. Great service and we both really like our meal. The bread pudding was fantastic.
(4)
Mike M.
I decided to return here one year later while on a business trip. I enjoyed the 2013 visit and wanted to try more. This time I decided to try the roast beef po boy along with their chips along while tasting some of their jambalaya. And of course I had to have some more of that outstanding gumbo. First of all the repeat item...the gumbo. It was again very good. However my memory of last years was that it was crammed with seafood. This years version wasn't crammed. It was still good though with the seafood in it. I just missed that extra amount. I will give it a 4 how ever I gave it a 5 last year due to the content. Second, the po boy. Last year I thought it was a little small at 4". I still do. For $5.50 it is not much food. Also, I wasn't a fan of this roast beef. What I like is wet and a little runny with what is called "debris" on the sandwich. This was a little on the dry side with a light colored mayo type sauce on the meat. I give it a weak 3. The homemade chips were much better than the fries from last year. I really liked them and gave them a 4. Finally, the jambalaya. I asked for mine with medium spice which is exactly what I received. I thought it was a little dry but not bad. It had an adequate amount of meat content and flavor. I give it a 3. My table service was good. I am still going to give an overall 4 but with less enthusiasm than last year. My biggest criticism would be that the po boys should be a little bigger..at least an inch per half. One half is about three bites and that just isn't enough and I don't think this is a tapas restaurant. Second, I would want the roast beef to be a little more moist and finally French fries should be better perhaps hand cut and double fried. Don't get me wrong, if I lived here I would eat here from time to time. I would eat the gumbo, shrimp po boy (whole size) and the chips.
(4)
Troy P.
Tried the slaw dog today. The yelp menu states is made from a Polish sausage, but at the restaurant it is listed andouille sausage. Not sure there's a huge difference maybe the fat contents a little higher on the andouille. Comes with homemade chips, the dog is on a wonderful French bread lathered in (kc masterpiece like) bbq sauce and covered in a tasty slaw. I will be back to explore more of the menu. 1:30 on a weekday and had to wait for a seat is always a good sign. Continuing my quest to find a true polish in sgf land.
(4)
Larry R.
Visiting Branson for the first time and decided to head to Springfield for the day. We found Big Easy through Yelp and this place is great! There's not much to the restaurant but the food is outstanding! We had the jambalaya, the crawfish etoufee, some sandwiches and ended the meal with the bread pudding and a fried peach pie a la mode. Great meal, reasonably priced for the quality of the food, and we will definitely be coming back when we are in town!
(5)
Christina M.
We were out-of-towners looking for something different for dinner and my hubby came up with this place. We loved it! It is just a very small place...only 9 tables, I believe. It was what I call a "hole in the wall", in a little strip mall area, and totally surprised me! It has an open kitchen. When we were there, just one waitress, one cook, and someone in back for dishes, I believe. Waitress was friendly and quick. The cook (owner, I believe?) was also super friendly. Food was tasty and plentiful and reasonably priced. I LOVED the blues music they were piping in. They are moving soon and I think that's going to be great for them! We had fried oysters for starters and goodness they were good!!!! For the meal, I got gumbo and my hubby got jambalaya. I was able to finish my bowl of gumbo, but his jambalaya was so plentiful he was able to take half home for lunch the next day. The bread was nice and soft with a perfect crust. If we come through town again, we'll definitely be back to eat at this place!
(4)
Ashley D.
Very good Po'Boys! I highly recommend this place! Fresh food! Comes hot to the table!
(5)
Alan C.
The best Cajun food around! Everything at this place is not only authentic but amazing! Their fish or shrimp po boys are great choices. They have fantastic jumbalia as well. It is a little hard to get in here during lunch but that speaks to the quality. The seating area is a little cramped but that is also part of the experience. They cook out in the open so that also adds to the experience with all the aromas etc. Outside of Louisiana I've not had Cajun or creole food this good!
(5)
Paul B.
By far best cajun food around
(5)
Tabby B.
delicious food, great price, and friendly service! I got a lot more than I expected in portion size and authenticity
(5)
Thomas G.
The staff was friendly and courteous and the food was AMAZING. And part of my family is from Shreveport, LA (which is where the owner is from as well), so I am very familiar with quality Cajun/creole food and this was quality.
(5)
Kathy A.
Wow...I have lived so close for 10 years. Am just finishing up shrimp etufe... Best sauce I have probably ever had. Friendly service. About to dig into bread pudding for dessert. Definitely my new favorite place in town to eat!
(5)
Maya K.
We got the gumbo, hush puppies (not on the menu but get em!), rice and sausage (half size was plenty big), and a peach fried pie. This was exactly the kind of place we could only ever find with yelp... In a little strip mall, delicious food, friendly staff. Also, the place was incredibly kid friendly. They gave us a free kids plate that was super generous, had a very cool cookie jar, lots of alligator toys, and a high chair. Really enjoyed our lunch here!
(5)
Molly R.
I HAVE to review this place to compensate in some way for the amazing meal I had here a few days ago, mostly because I've been craving it ever since. Yes, this is going to be raving. I'm not sorry. Boyfriend and I came here a few nights ago for a painless weeknight dinner. I myself was not necessarily in the mood for Cajun (I really just wanted a funnel and some mashed potatoes) but I obliged because I've always wanted to eat here and Boyfriend kept telling me how awesome his meals have been previously. After taking in the deceivingly tiny but equally quaint inside, Boyfriend and I seated ourselves by the window and perused the menu while a ton of other people filed out, filed in, and picked up to-go orders - this place gets some serious business. After the agonizing decision to order water to drink, Boyfriend went with his meal from the day before (yes, the day before): a roast beef sandwich. I went with the catfish dinner, which promised to come with a gratuitous bit of lightly fried catfish, hush puppies, coleslaw, and sweet potato fries. I had already resigned myself to be only fairly satisfied with my meal. I'm not big on sweet potatoes, I hate coleslaw, and I previously had zero opinion of hush puppies. Even when my plate was sat down in front of me, I had already categorized each dish into "will devour," "will tolerate," and "will ignore" sections. I ate everything - well, except the coleslaw, which I didn't touch. Even if coleslaw was encrusted with edible gold I wouldn't give it the time of day. But the sweet potato fries were delectable and had an incredible texture; they didn't trip over into "too sweet" territory and were crazily addicting. The hush puppies tasted like a fluffy truffle of chicken broth (I don't know, this seems an accurate description) and the catfish was simply sublime. Perfectly flaky, perfectly not fishy, perfectly fried. I have the stomach of a field mouse and I. Ate. Everything. Our server was attentive, the wait wasn't depressingly long despite the number of patrons, and I though the price of my meal ($13-ish with tip) was well worth it. Bravo, Big Easy! Way to represent a famed cuisine so well and join the ranks (in my mind) as one of the best places to eat in Springfield.
(5)
Don F.
Incredible, is the only word that describes this place. It has been spectacular for years! One of my don't misses in Springfield. I actually came here because I am taking my son to Nola on Saturday and I had Cajun on the mind! It does not look like much from the curb. It is in a strip mall. But the owner does his food right! They have very good Cajun food. The food reminds me of New Orleans cuisine. The only complaint is the seafood is not quite as good, but the preparation and spice is dead on! The bread really is what brings me home. It is a light baguette like in the quarter. It comes with the gumbo. That combination proves to me that God exists. Omg is it delicious. Another suitable application of this bread is on the poor boys. The beef is messy but good. I really like the shrimp and catfish as well. Id tell you about the bread pudding but I do not want them to run out!
(5)
Mike C.
In town on business. Checked Yelp and saw 78 reviews (so we know it's legit). Shrimp PO boy was fantastic. Coleslaw perfect! Waiter was very cool, took the time to small talk and my sweet tea was always full. Great guy. I don't bs..., this place was great as promised. I'll be back! - mike
(4)
Terry C.
I've been a regular customer here since shortly after they opened. I have never had a bad meal and the service is always exceptional. My favorites are the roast beef po'boy, shrimp po'boy and the jambalaya. I also like the red beans and sausage, the slaw dog and my wife raves about the pork loin sandwich. Today I decided to try something different and had the catfish po'boy. Wow, the catfish was the best I have ever had. It has a mild flavor with a nicely seasoned coating and was perfectly cooked. It's rare these days for a restaurant to provide such a satisfying experience time and time again. The Big Easy Grill does that in spades.
(5)
Cori N.
I absolutely loved my experience here! I was just driving through on my way back home from a conference when I found this place on the Yelp app. Since I was essentially in the middle of nowhere I decided to take its tip and come here. And I definitely made the right choice! I had a fish sandwich and I loved every bite. It was crispy, fresh and perfect. The bread was soft and tasty, and the (I think homemade) hot sauce and remoulade-style sauce was perfect. I seriously wish I had asked about that hot sauce because it was great and I've not found anything like it since. On the plus side, the guy who was working there was really friendly! He answered all my questions and even brought me a couple food 'extras'. If I was back in town I would definitely come back again.
(5)
Stephanie V.
It is so freaking cold outside but it's warm and smells great in here! Only a huge steaming plate of food will suffice tonight, and as usual, the Big Easy delivered. I had a perfectly fried pork loin sandwich with a hot bowl of gumbo. The heat from that soup in my belly radiated through me. Delicious! My picky son had the pulled pork sandwich and my other son chose the creole pasta. Both ate til their bellies could hold no more. Stealing tastes from both plates, I have determined you can't go wrong here. All of the diners around us seemed to enjoy their meals as well (the seating is tight and you can't help but overhear conversations). Can't wait to go back!!!
(5)
Alicia B.
Food is awful. I had the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. I didn't even finish it. (It was the small side order.) I had Bread Pudding for dessert. It was ok if you can get past it being under cooked. It had apples in it which I found odd but all recipes are different. If you have any inkling of what authentic Cajun food should taste like then take a heads up and AVOID eating here.
(2)
Michaelle W.
After reading all the reviews for this business, I decided to try out their menu because I had been to New Orleans and loved the Jambalaya that I experienced there. Unfortunately, my food experience here was sub par. :( Jambalaya: I ordered a massive plate extremely excited to be having it, only to find that it was full of chunked up cayenne pepper. It was literally chunks. I literally was sitting with my fork mashing the chunks to mix it myself. I didn't want to embarrass my date by confronting the cook about my meal, but I left my plate almost full. I couldn't finish it. Then it also lacked a lot of flavor too. Very disappointed! I ended up ordering fries and requesting more and more water to try and just calm my mouth and get through my meal. The only delicious thing I had was the red beans and sausage from my date's plate. They were yummy and smooth in texture with the sausage being crisp with a slight crunch when you bit through the skin. Atmosphere: This was a small redeeming factor in the sense that it was quiet and comfy, but my table rocked and my date's knees wouldn't fit under the table. He was 6'7" and the tables were short and there weren't any other seating options. He ended up sitting so far out from the table that it made it difficult to eat. Overall my experience left me feeling stiffed. I went next door and had Andy's, and life was better. I'd consider trying again, but I'd want to see the food before I purchase and maybe even taste, because paying for that the first time was too much. :/ So disappointed. :(
(2)
Deb M.
Good overall, but not great. My husband ordered the Jambalaya. It was tasty, but the roux had too much flour, giving it a goopy starchy taste. It could have been meatier too. I had the shrimp po' boy with a side of gumbo. The gumbo was outstanding!! Don't miss out on it. The sandwich was just OK - the bread was kind of stale and too thick for the shrimp filling. The remoulade was bland but the accompanying house made potato chips were excellent. We ordered some gumbo to go, and a side of the potato chips. The chips were not put in the carry-out bag. The restaurant was really busy. I'm sure their uniqueness helps their popularity, and some menu items are much much better than others, but still, they've got a long way to go.
Yelp suggested as we were driving through from STL to Fayetteville AR. Very unpretentious - focus is on cooked to order food that was good all around. Our party had catfish dinner. Great filet breaded perfect with sweet tater fries. Other was club sandwich which sounds pedestrian but big chunk chicken and ham. Homemade chips rounded that out. I had the pork loin sandwich and it was sweet. Pounded out beyond the French bread slices and fried perfectly with a crust that was crispy and kept the cutlet juicy. I subbed coleslaw and again not the ordinary. Had a little horseradish combined with sweet and mayo-style. The sandwiches were around $8 and catfish $10. Good crowd for Monday night of families and locals. Small staff but never felt neglected and even though cooked fresh it came out quick to get us back on the road.
(4)
Stephanie H.
I love, love, love The Big Easy Grill. Me and my husband have taken tons of people here. The roast beef po boys are phenomenal. In fact, when we went to NOLA and had roast beef po boys, we did not like the NOLA versions as well. The andouille sausage with read beans and rice is my go to. I also like the gumbo for a light meal. When splurging, I love to get their bread pudding. Yum!
(5)
Melissa T.
Have eaten food from here multiple times since my first visit (still haven't eaten in though), and it's been delicious each time. The roast beef po boy is ridiculously good. The shrimp po boy...ridiculously good. The catfish po boy...good but I've had better. The catfish was a bit too soft to stand up to the chewiness of the bread. The dirty rice...insanely good. I could eat that and only that and be beyond satisfied. It's filled with roast beef (potentially my new favorite item from the Big Easy), sausage, grilled onion, peppers, and other goodness. It's so filling and oh so very tasty. And if I didn't say it before, the chips are great. They're great second day too. Worst thing about this place to me was that they were not busy at 6 on a Friday night. People, fellow yelpers, random lookers-on: PLEASE eat at the Big Easy if you're not. It's one of those restaurants that Springfield needs. And on that note, I'm going to go gnaw on my hand and pretend it's the Big Easy's roast beef.
(5)
Mike V.
I have not had very many creole dinning experiences but I have to say it was very good and the portion of jambalaya was more than I could finish!
(4)
Austin W.
Big Easy has the best catfish in town. Not to mention some of the best tasting food around. There Po boys are to die for, and they have classic jambalaya, boudin, and gumbo. Everything is fresh and delicious. Did I mention how good the catfish is?
(5)
Brittany Z.
I've had the jambalaya, po'boys, fried fish, shrimp, and more from here. It's always very tasty and flavorful. If you like lots of spice (like me!), they will adjust it to your liking. The only downside of eating here is the fact that it attracts a crowd. If you don't like a friendly atmosphere where your table is close to your fellow foodies, you should order ahead and pick-up for a Netlfix evening at home:)
Don't let the outside fool you! Great food! Great service! Great price!
(5)
Austin K.
Fantastic food and friendly staff. Stopped in on the road because someone in the car suggested Cajun if we could find a place. It's a small local establishment, but by no means will you leave with an empty belly. I had the boudin sausage balls, so tasty.
(5)
Jeff J.
Too expensive but good food. Really like the food but it's over priced for what you're getting. Quality is just okay, as is service.
This place really is a beautiful hidden gem of Springfield. My hubby and I brought the in-laws here...we had never been, we were all feeling adventurous, and we love cajun food! Big Easy did not disappoint! First off, just need to say, the staff was phenomenal. The sweetest most wonderful waitress I've ever met waited on us and really set the tone for the rest of the experience. She was happy, kind, helpful, and attentive. 5 stars, just for that! Good service goes a looooong way in my book. Now to the food! My hubby ordered the oyster po boy &I ordered the muffaletta sandwich (half!!!) both with the sweet potato fries. I'm a sucker for sweet potato fries, and theirs were hot, fresh, and scrumptious! The sandwich was huge. I mean, massively huge. I could not finish it. If you've never had muffaletta, and you love olives and onions, this is the sandwich for you. According to my hubby, the oyster po boy was delicious. Also enormous, and they did not skimp on the oysters! My father in law got the club sandwich and he inhaled it. This is his way of saying he loved it! My mother in law got the dirty jambalaya...again, HUGE portion!! She tried her best, but could barely finish 2/3 of her plate. They made for tasty leftovers. Everything had a very homecooked meal style and it was wonderful. Spicy, flavorful, and very very filling. We ordered hushpuppies after we had ordered our meal (because I'm a goof, and forgot that they were off menu, but someone on yelp had said to try em, and we just had to.) I have to say they were quite possibly the best hushpuppies we've ever had. You have got to order some. The prices were fantastic. Super reasonable, and that's before you see the portions of your meal. Then you feel like you just got a friends and family discount. ;) It was a lovely dining experience, and my hubby has expressed his anxiousness to get back there as soon as possible! I have only one suggestion for the lovely folks at Big Easy...any chance we will be seeing some beignets on the menu? Because then I'm never leaving!
(5)
Theresa L.
Very small place, but brimming politeness. Only 9 tables in the whole place. Waiters never let our tea get below half. Boyfriend had the catfish dinner, was excellent, fish was very moist. I had Shrimp Etoufe. We also ordered a small order of sweet potato fries and a bowl of seafood gumbo. Needs a bit more seasoning. Not the best I've ever had, but decent. Total bill was $33 with 2 teas.
(3)
Teri I.
Excellent food. The seafood Gumbo was best we've ever had - full of seafood in delicious broth. Also had catfish po boy (loved the fish & bun). Soooooo good that we got Gumbo to go. We'll come back if we're ever in area.
(5)
Bryan K.
Had lunch with the wife at big easy grill today was very good if you like Louisiana food its a great place to go, I had the oyster po'boy and the wife had the catfish one and we split them. Was yummy had lots of good stuff to try will definitely be back
(5)
Jason L.
The roast beef po boy was pretty good. I crave boudin. I have had authentic boudin plenty of times and I would have to say, the boundin balls here were not really good. If you're looking for good Cajun style food, then this isn't really the place to go, but I would say the roast beef po boy was one of the best I've had flavor wise. Service was very friendly and nice also. Overall better than average for a good sandwich but everything else was just ok.
(3)
Susie G.
Best fish sandwich in town. Bread pudding is divine! Love the gumbo. Eat there at least once a week.
(5)
Steven P.
The gumbo tasted exactly like new Orleans and the roast beef po boy was possibly the best sandwich I've ever tasted. A true mom and pop gem.
(5)
Sam E.
Don't let the small size or the strip mall fool you. And don't be put off by the lack of full service (you order at the counter). Friendly staff and great Cajun food. I had the half gumbo, half jambalaya plate. As good as any I've ever had. Chock full of sausage shrimp and crayfish (if you want them). My brother had the catfish and loved it. It was crispy on the outside with a filet that melts in your mouth. Finished with bread pudding. Great texture, great taste without being too heavy. Best of all were the prices. Less than $25 for the whole meal. If you like Cajun food, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Mister K.
We had a great group dinner here. Ordered etoufee with rice and it was wonderfully spicy and rich. Our friends also enjoyed the po'boy sandwiches. The service was great and very helpful. I really love local restaurants like this. I wish we had more places like Big Easy in Springfield!
(5)
Wendy O.
Excellent food and great service. Looking forward to going again real soon!!! I hade the creole pasta and bread it was the best!!!
(5)
Sherry L.
Haven't had a po'boy since I was in Louisiana, but Big Easy's shrimp po'boy will do to tide me over until my next trip to NOLA. (: It was the perfect (and quickest) way to ease into the 2PM lull...probably not the best for afternoon meetings - but A-Okay for what turned out to be an easy afternoon on-site. Only gripe, service was sluggish. For a sammich that doesn't look all that difficult to make (chopped lettuce/tomatoes/shrimp slapped onto a loaf of french bread), it took us 40 minutes to get our food.
(3)
Jim R.
My wife and I went to New Orleans for our honeymoon. There were numerous memorable events, both good and bad, but the food was (as expected) a high point. Now, a dozen years later, I rarely eat cajun/creole food. It's not that I don't like it; it's the fear of being disappointed yet again by greasy, poorly seasoned imitations. Therefore, I approached the rave reviews of the Big Easy with a degree of skepticism. When we arrived for lunch with my father-in-law in tow (we decided to treat him for his birthday), the venue itself was not impressive: a non-descript location in a mini strip mall, and no elaborate decor. Basic wooden tables and chairs, along with well-worn laminated menus. Believe it or not, this actually caused my hopes to rise. At least the ratings weren't due to wide-idea locals being wowed by shiny beads and the like. A friendly gent (I assume he was the owner) greeted us and made a couple of brief comments about how to order (at the counter, get your own drinks then sit where you like). The menu is basic, yet complete. There were numerous sandwiches including muffaletta, po boys, and pork loin, along with standard offerings like jambalaya, etouffe, red beans and rice, and gumbo. We ordered shrimp and oyster po boys, jambalaya, and fried shrimp with sweet potato fries. I was disappointed to discover they were out of boudin, so I settled on spicy shrimp etouffe (I was offered mild, medium or spicy on both that and the jambalaya). We got our drinks and sat down. There were probably four or five tables besides us on a Tuesday at Noon. A young lady was manning the stove largely by herself within our view. We hadn't been waiting long when our food started arriving from the gentleman at the counter. The po boys were half portions (by request) served with house made kettle-style potato chips. The jambalaya and etouffe were massive portions, and the fried shrimp were ample (especially considering the size of the young diner who ordered them). We began to eat. Damn. This was one of the better meals I've had in quite some time. I tend to favor spicy ethnic cuisines (Indian, Thai, Carribean), being the flavor hound that I am. The flavor was present at Big Easy in spades. The etouffe sauce was deep and luxurious, rich without being overbearing. There was just enough rice to allow me to capture almost all the sauce, and enough french bread to wipe up what was left. There were enough shrimp to fill me up, but not so many as to take the focus away from the sauce. Everyone was way satisfied. The shrimp and oyster po boys received excellent ratings (especially for the remoulade sauce and those hearty chips), the jambalaya was deemed perfectly seasoned (and likely enough for two more meals), and the fried shrimp (which were battered in a beer batter/tempura style, rather than a heavy breading or corn meal) were amazingly juicy and flavorful (a fine example of what fried shrimp CAN be as opposed to what one normally receives). Now, Big Easy listed bread pudding on the blackboard as we entered. I am not one to pass up bread pudding, but no one else seemed game. When I placed the order, the owner stated that he'd put it in a to-go container and give me a large portion so that people could share. That's exactly what he did, and he was a smart man for it. This was a fine bread pudding: the result of plenty of crusty bread, butter, brown sugar, and time. No whiskey sauce needed, no fancy add-ins. Needless to say, my dining companions found a little renewed food interest, and the extra spoons he brought were put to use. Locusts couldn't have cleaned that container better. I can't recommend this place highly enough. Don't go expecting a fancy experience; visually, it's plain (even a little rough around the edges). I hope that never changes; it's way too easy for cajun restaurants to become bad parodies when they focus on anything but the food. Big Easy absolutely NAILS their menu. As we say around our house, you can taste the love. It's abundantly obvious from the interactions with both the staff and the food: this place runs on love. Now, that's something of which we could ALL use second helpings. Support this place, people. I need it to be here when I come back for the boudin (and more). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
(5)
Frank G.
In town on business, found this restaurant online and went for supper. The good: Very good tasting food -- I had the shrimp po' boy, Idaho fries and fried okra. The staff was very friendly and attending to my needs. Very good service. The not so good: Small portions -- the shrimp were large but not enough of them to totally cover the bread (you've GOT to pile them on there guys!), and the serving of okra was way too small also ($3 for about a dozen pieces of okra). And the beer? Only 4 choices and two of them are Miller Light and Bud Light! Please! Get some real beer in there. I would definitely want to go back for lunch; too small a portion for supper though.
(3)
Mike W.
They bring the bread up from New Orleans for the Po'boys. It is not New Orleans but it sure is a great substitute when you can't be in "The Quarter". The olive relish on the Muffeleta is one of the best.I have had. I can say that this place is a great stop in Springfield.
I don't have the words to adequately describe the food. We ordered fried oysters to share; he had chicken/sausage gumbo; and I had a side of jambalaya and a side of seafood gumbo. Portions were generous and perfectly seasoned. Absolute star of the meal were the fried oysters!!!!! Too die for! Very fresh, perfectly breaded, and served with a very flavorful romalade sauce. We are already deciding what to order next time.
(5)
Pam F.
Gumbo was very good; the boudin was a too bland for me and the rice/meat/pepper ratio favored the rice a little too much, but the remoulade sauce with it was spicy and the combination was great. The oyster po-boy was yummy and I also wished it was a little bigger, mainly because I wanted more! I'll definitely go back for seconds.
(4)
Jason G.
Great food. Been around since 2006. We ordered po'boys and Jumbalaya. Both excellent. The shrimp po'boys had lightly fried shrimp and mayo sauce. Sweet potato fries are cut thin, fried crispy with cinnamon and salt. Mmm mmm good. Small eating area, cozy and friendly atmosphere. Owner was very nice and was the one taking orders, cooking and serving. It was fast and quality service even so. Con: decor could use a few tweaks. Maybe some more wood, lower lighting and some more trashy pictures on the wall. I dunno, wasn't enough to bother me. Still 5 stars on the food.
(5)
Patrick P.
Wow! What a meal! My nephew and I stopped in Springfield for the night while driving across the country. Not knowing where to eat dinner, we consulted our little friend Yelp and found The Big Easy. Thank you Yelp!!! We had three entrees between us: Oyster Po' Boy (with sweet potato fries), Crawfish etouffee, and Jambalaya (the classic Cajun style). Everything was incredible! The oysters tasted as fresh as any I've had along the coast. Juicy, just briny enough, and perfectly cooked...delicious. The crawfish etouffee was silky smooth, perfectly seasoned, and wonderfully flavorful...amazing. The jambalaya was a huge portion chock full of sausage, chicken, ham, and shrimp...again, all was perfectly seasoned. Spicy but not overly hot. Exactly what you hope for when you order jambalaya. The bread, served as a side with the entrees and used for for the Po' Boy, was notable too. I've no idea if they get it from another vendor or make it themselves but it was delicious. Several tables around our commented on this. Some were regulars and others were first timers like us. As other reviewers have pointed out, the sweet potato fries are also not to be missed. I've never met a sweet potato fry I didn't like but these were especially good. The proprietors are very friendly, the service was very fast (despite having a completely full house when we were there), and the other diners were all very friendly. The Big Easy definitely has a "neighborhood joint" feel to it (which I mean as nothing but a compliment). If you're in, near, or passing through Springfield, I highly recommend stopping by The Big Easy. You won't regret it!
(5)
Billie R.
Remember that this is not an authentic Cajun restaurant. Once you know that you will enjoy your food as it is. The food here is good and the place is really tiny so you are always catered to!
(4)
Jeremy M.
Been to the Big Easy three times over the last several months and have never been disappointed. Po'boy (oyster) sandwich with sweet potato fries is delicious and tastes very much like what you can get in New Orleans. The oysters weren't as big but the the veggies and sauce were delicious on an artisan bun. I've never had ettouffe from Louisiana before but I can tell you that the Big Easy makes a delicious version. The creamy, spicy (I ordered it spicy) sauce was full of shrimp and crawfish that were cooked perfectly before being ladled over a pile of white rice. The gumbo is good, I just wish the base was a little less watery. My wife loved the catfish and said that it was breaded lightly and didn't have the fishy taste that most catfish dishes can't seem to escape. Her only wish was that she ordered it with a little more spice instead of plain breading.
(4)
Deb C.
Food was great. It was our first time here and we live a few blocks away!!
(4)
Katie G.
Delicious, went there for dinner last night, considering going again tonight.
Awesome local restaurant with great food like home made. Catfish is well fried and marinated. The batter is not thick at all but it's crispy. Seafood gumbo is nice. Jambalaya is pretty great. Prefer the dirty style more. I've eaten here twice when I'm on businese trips already!
(4)
Kristin J.
Good basic creole/Cajun food reasonably priced and quick service made this a perfect stop on our road trip. Kids had chicken fingers. I had shrimp po boy and my husband had boudin. Shrimp was freshly breaded and perfectly fried. A touch on the large side - kept falling out of the sandwich. Great remoulade sauce. Husband said Boudin was great but he wished bigger (since so tasty). 2 kid meals, two adult meals with one glass of wine and $40 before tip. Best part for a long trip was how quick the service was. Kids liked the alligator decor. Basic wooden square tables, food served in baskets, real silverware and wine glass.
(4)
Melissa B.
We were on our way through Springfield and found The Big Easy on Yelp. It had great reviews so we thought we'd give it a try. The food is delicious and the service was fantastic. The portions are huge and we left absolutely satisfied. Save some room for dessert because the bread pudding is outstanding. This will be our new go to restaurant anytime we find ourselves in the area.
(5)
Jerome H.
Relative to what it is, this is the best place I've found in Springfield. The mufaletta is good, the po' boys have all been good (best is probably the shrimp), the red beans and sausage and fried oysters are good. I love cajun food. I've had the real thing, I've had lousy substitutes, and this is exactly what you want on the low-fi end of cajun food: greasy, fried, filling, bold flavors, etc. Plus, the staff is friendly and the alligator vibe is a nice touch.
(5)
Christopher T.
Was in Springfield visiting friends and family. Found The Big Easy on Yelp. Turned out to be a great find. The place is small and it was crowded. Service was still prompt and met all my needs. The menu has a lot of the typical New Orleans favorites - po'boys, jambalaya, etc.. I settled on a shrimp po'boy, french fries, and a side of jambalaya. The sandwich was really good. The bread was crunchy, but not hard, plenty of shrimp, and a good portion of remoulade. The fries were plentiful and crisp. The jambalaya was good, but not great. Still worth trying... N*joy...
(4)
Amy G.
I love this place!! Great food, great staff, kind of weird location, but you get used to it. Seriously though. Eat here. You'll like it. I've tried sandwiches, pastas and gumbo and they have all been marvelous. I appreciate the attention to flavor and the attention to the guest. They love their customers and they love their food and it shows in every bite. Yum.
(5)
Steve F.
This is an unsung gem of Springfield. A friend recommended it, and since both my partner and I had challenging work-days, I decided to surprise him with an adventure over here. I'm the more adventurous eater, and I had to go for shrimp etouffee' - The Guy went for the fried shrimp, which came with a side of gumbo, and he added a side of dirty rice. I decided to try the side-order of one ball of Boudin, which is loosely described as coated, fried pork-and-rice. The food arrived, and it was *stunning.* The roux for the etouffee was so good, you could smear it on a rusty bumper and make it taste good! The shrimp were plentiful, and we brought half of the etouffee home (next time, we will just split that, I think). The fried shrimp were hand-breaded, tender, and gently seasoned. The dirty rice was awesome, with big chunks of andouille sausage. The gumbo was meaty, but mild - since The Guy is a little hot-sauce-phobic, we left it out of that, but a bottle of their own hot sauce is on the table if you want to spice it up. If you look up Boudin recipes, you'll see "cajun sausage." Big Easy's is more finely chopped pulled pork shoulder with rice, seasonings, peppers, rolled into balls, coated with corn meal (I think) and fried. The dipping sauce they serve with it (and with the fried shrimp) is another rusty-bumper item. Lightly crusted outside, moist and good on the inside. I dunno if it's authentic, but it was good. We are two good sized guys, and we were full-to-the-stuffing point, even with setting half the etouffee in a carry-out container. The total, with two sodas, was $27 and change - not cheap, but *damn* was it worth it. I saw a shrimp po-boy and some kind of pasta go by that I really wish I could have tried, but our eyes were already much bigger than our stomachs. (Note that the po-boys come in half-and whole pricing.) This kind of food is not *fast food* - it's prepared fresh, and in the evening, they are staffed light, so don't come here if you're in a rush or your blood-sugar is bottoming out. But we didn't wait long for our food, and it was very much worth the wait. You know that feeling when you've found a great place, and you want them to succeed, so you want to really talk them up, but you love it, and don't want to let the cat out of the bag so you don't have to fight for a table? That's where I am with this place.
(5)
Kathleen A.
Seriously AMAZING! I live in Denver, where I can't even count one Cajun restaurant. I am sure they are out there, but after 3 years of living there I have still yet to find one. I'm visiting my brother for the Thanksgiving holiday, and he kept telling me about this place and how often he goes there since he works close by. They even have a "Chris Spicy" Jambalaya and Chicken Po' boy that they cater to make to his tastes. These guys are so friendly. They made a special batch of chicken fingers for the little ones too! I decided on the Jambalaya with chicken and sausage, spicy. I also shared a chicken po'boy with the brother. Both were SO delicious and SO flavorful. Absolutely loved the chicken po' boy- I'd say one of the best I've ever had. It can be a bit messy to eat but worth every bite. Also don't skip on the homemade potato chips and sweet potato fries!! Whoever said this place is pricey is out of their mind. A big portion of jambalaya is around $8 as well as the sandwiches (served with a side of chips or fries). I am now on a mission to find me some Cajun food when I get back to Denver.
(5)
Sean M.
It's been months since I was at The Big Easy, but I felt it necessary to make it one of my first reviews on Yelp. No need for a long drawn out story, but I'll tell you what you want to know. It is fantastic. The crawfish ettouffe, jambalaya, and red beans and rice are simply magnificent. Real deal... My experience was brightened by the fact that I sat under a King Biscuit Blues Festival poster from my home town in AR. Laissez lez bon ton roulette!
(5)
Kisha H.
Get the oyster po boy with sweet potato fries! Their crawfish ettouffee is good, too.
(5)
Laura B. R.
The food here is out of this world! We were just passing through on vacation and found out about this restaurant before we left town. I ordered the pasta dish and I am still wanting more to this day. If I lived in Springfield, I would be in trouble. Relaxing atmosphere and wonderful food.
(5)
Roy S.
BEST BEST BEST!!! Love this food but you gotta get there early for lunch. There's not much room in the place. The jambalaya is the best! The portions are enormous. You won't be sorry.
(5)
Kurt R.
We stopped by here on our trip with our kids to Fantastic Caverns. All of the Cajun food we ordered was delicious. The half Muffaleta had delicious olive tapenade on it. The seafood Gumbo had large portions of shrimp and crawfish. The sweet potato fries were the best that I have ever had. The only problems with the food was the super bland coleslaw. The kids menu is incredibly small as well and by incredibly small I mean they only have chicken fingers on it.
(4)
Lucas R.
Yikes, no idea how this is pretty much the most popular (highest rating on significant number of reviews) place to eat in Yelp. I kinda feel sorry for my fellow Springfieldians. Visiting for a few days, I figured I'd try out Yelp's finest. I got the Jambalaya, half a catfish poboy, and the gumbo. I found everything unimpressive. An absolutely massive heap of Jambalaya was promptly delivered to my table; I thought I was wearing Google glasses and seeing shit- but this was the real deal. Unfortunately it's about 85% rice by volume. Spices and taste was great, but not nearly enough meat! Same story with the gumbo... for $3.50, it was incredibly small and not nearly enough meat. The catfish poboy was solid, but not great. I really want to give this place a 2 star- don't waste your time!
(3)
Amanda C.
The fried catfish po'boy sandwich was crispy, warm, and very tasty...i loved it! Large portions, prompt service, and the great manager and staff members make your trip here worthwhile. It's hard to find a good place while driving cross country, and this place makes me want to come back to visit again.
Delicious and soo very inexpensive! We Tried the gumbo, jambalaya and boudin balls.......all unbelievable. We will return anytime we are in the area. Jealous of the locals!
(5)
Travis B.
Either I have alzhiemers or everytime I come here they keep getting better. The service and food are not to be matched. They care so much about you they go out of their way to make sure you have enough.to eat and good lord do I have enough to eat. This time I went for a half sausage po' boy and half catfish po' boy. It was like a letter to Penthouse in my mouth "I never thought this would happen to me but...." I mean it was an awesome culinary three way. Me and 2 smoking hot sandwiches what else do I need?
(5)
David S.
I had the catfish dinner. It is definitely one of the best catfish plates I have ever had. The location is a bit too small for big lunch crowds and the is the only reason I am giving this place 4 stars. We had a little bit of a wait for a seat, but it is well worth it.
(4)
Lacey M.
I walked in a critic and I walked out a serious fan. Amazing and wonderfully delicious food! Shrimp Po Boy and Seafood Gumbo is super great. Service was excellent and fast. Will definitely return!
(5)
Scott N.
One of my favorite places to eat in Springfield. Crawfish etouffee, red beans and sausage, Slawdogs, fried clams, bread pudding all delicious. When my wife ate meat she loved the steak po' boy, now she gets red beans and rice, fried okra, and / or sweet potato french fries. The owner is from Louisiana and you'll almost always see either him or his brother there. Cooking up a storm. Sometimes when he's bored the owner will experiment with something new and bring a sample out to anyone that's willing to try it. Once he made Chicken Cordon Bleu and it was fantastic. They'll also change the spice level from mild to hot enough that people cry when they watch you eat it. Being located in a strip mall, they're limited as to what they can do for ambiance, but the food more than makes up for it. Highly recommended.
(5)
Janet D.
Delighted! We were in a party of 4. Everyone loved their food. This must be one of those secrets that older people in Southern Hills keep to themselves! I had two boudin balls, YUM, plus a bowl of chicken gumbo. Devoured that gumbo and couldn't finish the fabulous boudin. Ordered fried okra for everyone to share. It was good. Not dripping with oil. The decor is simple. The food is extravagant. The prices are moderate. Sometimes you are in the mood for a restaurant that has fine china, elegant lighting, and servers wearing black and white. This is not that kind of place. Portions were so big that I brought home leftovers. Friends at lunch tomorrow will be envious.
(5)
Scott H.
Awesome jambalaya! Don't know how authentic it is but I like it!
(5)
Julee L.
This place is really perfect. Fried okra...yum, the gumbo, the Jumbalaya! I live in Los Angeles now and one reason I look forward to visiting Springfield is for the restaurants here. This is one of my stops while I am there, for sure!
(5)
Eric R.
First off, it's kind of weird that I've been outed... apparently a couple of people at work started using Yelp! and commented that they've seen some of my posts. Kind of weird when people from your "real life" comment on it... I feel like I'm held to some kind of higher standard now as if they'll look upon me with shame if I have poorly written reviews. Oh well, on with the show... So, having visited Louisiana a few times and lived there for awhile, I have a love for Cajun style cuisine. Being in Missouri now, I figured my hopes of having quality fare of this type were gone with the wind. I've known about the Big Easy Grill for awhile but mentally thought to myself... "Self, why bother? It's not gonna be legit..." and so I didn't go. Always willing to admit when I'm wrong... I was wrong. The service here is really friendly and attentive. My girlfriend ordered the gumbo and I, of course, weaseled my way into a bite. It was very good filled with good size shrimp, sausage, chicken, veggies, and rice in a very nice roux. I had the shrimp etoufee which was off the chain. The etoufees I've had in the past were a little darker sauce and this one seems like it had a different base. Despite the fact it's a slightly different interpretation from what I'm used to, it was still off the chain. The highlight of the meal was the roast beef po'boy (we ordered a small one to share to give it a sample). The bread was soft, the meat was tender and savory, and the sauce... well, let me put it like this. The gravy/sauce combined with the Cajun mustard on the sandwich mixed like Ike and Tina Turner (in the good days)... but when you take a bite, Ike gets jealous of your new relationship with Tina and decides to slap your taste buds around (in the tastiest way possible). The menu has a nice range of selections and virtually everything is under $10. I don't know of another restaurant in Springfield which offers this type of food... so if you're looking for something delicious and different... I highly recommend stopping in for a bite.
(5)
Melissa F.
One Word: Delicious. We are new to the area and had never eaten here before. I walked in and told the man at the counter that and he immediately started telling me about their menu. Great customer service! I had the shrimp po'boy with a side of red beans and rice. My husband had the Jambalaya. All of it was delicious. I'm not sure what they batter the shrimp with, but it was heavenly. I definitely recommend this place and can't wait to go back!
(5)
Nancy J.
My husband and I discovered the Big Easy over three years ago and have been eating there regularly ever since. We introduced our son and he has become a regular too. Everything we have eaten there has been wonderful. We love the crawfish ettouffe and red beans with rice so much that we have to have those on most of our visits. But the jambalaya and gumbo are very tasty options also. The muffaletta and tenderloin sandwiches are the best to be found in Springfield and I can't say too much about the in-house chips or sweet potato fries that accompany these sandwiches. The Big Easy has a friendly, easy going atmosphere, as many others have stated in their reviews. It is just casual dinning at it's best. After reading all the reviews and writing my own, my mouth is watering so much I think we will have to go there tonight for dinner.
(5)
Angela V.
Really, really, really good. Fun atmosphere. Fast service. Great food. Nice prices. Enough said :)
(5)
Zach N.
Spending a decent chunk of my childhood in Southeast Texas near the Louisiana border, I'd like to think I'm a pretty decent judge of Cajun food. Knowing how the Mexican food here mostly fails to achieve the same quality as the TexMex I grew up on, I entered the restaurant with guarded hopes. After I had finished, though, I had nearly all positive things to say about this place. Before I go gushing on about why I think I love this place, there are just a few drawbacks that keep me from awarding this place 5 stars. First off, the atmosphere. Upon first walking in, my date and I gave each other a sideways glance. It's certainly nothing special, it looks like a portion of a shopping center that's been converted to a restaurant... which it is. But still, there are ways to dress a space up so you don't feel like you don't think about the possibility that you're eating in a former beauty salon or something. On the other hand, that might be part of the endearment with Big Easy; many of the Cajun eateries I remember from Texas were like this, no frills. It's about the food. In all fairness, the collection of alligator heads sitting on the ledge between the kitchen is a fun, if not a little bit creepy, touch. My only other issue with this place was the gumbo. It was decent, better than anything I've had in Springfield by far, but it wasn't quite to snuff with what I was accustomed to in Texas. If anything, I might say it was just a bit on the bland side. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn't had real Cajun-style gumbo before, but there's room for improvement. On to the good stuff! I love family run restaurants. From everything I could see, I think our server was the son of our cook. I'm not sure if they're actually the proprietors, but it definitely gave the restaurant that mom-and-pop feel. The kitchen being open to the dining room is another small touch that I appreciate. It at least gives the illusion that you are monitoring the preparation of your food. I ordered the Shrimp Po' Boy and really I don't think it could have been better. Juicy, plump fried shrimp, crisp lettuce and tomatoes, and a Remoulade sauce tops it all off, the sandwiches come with delicious homemade (or at least homemade-style) potato chips. Personally, these were good enough I wouldn't spend the extra buck on fries unless you have to. My date's taste buds are a little more limited than mine, thus she ordered the BBQ Beef Brisket sandwich. I was skeptical; it's been my experience that less prominent items like this don't turn out as well, especially at a smaller establishment like this. But again I was surprised. I hesitate to say it, but that was comparable to Brisket I've had from some of the more prominent BBQ establishments in Springfield. Great sauce and tender meat, it was certainly a pleasant surprise. In the end, the two main dishes plus the gumbo ended up costing $16-17 with tip. This was with waters, but even with a couple cokes or beers you wouldn't be much over $20. Not bad for one of the best dining experiences I've had in quite some time.
(4)
Mary C.
Complete small diner feel, nothing fancy! But don't let that fool you! This is the real deal, welcome to flavor town! I had a oyster po boy and my husband had a shrimp po boy, we shared the fried okra....mmmmm I am a fried oyster freak, these were delish! Saw several other dishes being brought to other tables as well, it all looked good! Like I said its small and nothing fancy, but don't drive by....STOP! You'll be glad you did!
(5)
Tim H.
Great food and very authentic. Love their Jambalaya
(5)
Travis B.
Either I have alzhiemers or everytime I come here they keep getting better. The service and food are not to be matched. They care so much about you they go out of their way to make sure you have enough.to eat and good lord do I have enough to eat. This time I went for a half sausage po' boy and half catfish po' boy. It was like a letter to Penthouse in my mouth "I never thought this would happen to me but...." I mean it was an awesome culinary three way. Me and 2 smoking hot sandwiches what else do I need?
(5)
David S.
I had the catfish dinner. It is definitely one of the best catfish plates I have ever had. The location is a bit too small for big lunch crowds and the is the only reason I am giving this place 4 stars. We had a little bit of a wait for a seat, but it is well worth it.
(4)
Lacey M.
I walked in a critic and I walked out a serious fan. Amazing and wonderfully delicious food! Shrimp Po Boy and Seafood Gumbo is super great. Service was excellent and fast. Will definitely return!
(5)
Scott N.
One of my favorite places to eat in Springfield. Crawfish etouffee, red beans and sausage, Slawdogs, fried clams, bread pudding all delicious. When my wife ate meat she loved the steak po' boy, now she gets red beans and rice, fried okra, and / or sweet potato french fries. The owner is from Louisiana and you'll almost always see either him or his brother there. Cooking up a storm. Sometimes when he's bored the owner will experiment with something new and bring a sample out to anyone that's willing to try it. Once he made Chicken Cordon Bleu and it was fantastic. They'll also change the spice level from mild to hot enough that people cry when they watch you eat it. Being located in a strip mall, they're limited as to what they can do for ambiance, but the food more than makes up for it. Highly recommended.
Delicious and soo very inexpensive! We Tried the gumbo, jambalaya and boudin balls.......all unbelievable. We will return anytime we are in the area. Jealous of the locals!
(5)
Jeff P.
Great food! This place is in a shopping plaza, in a remote part of town, with no fun interior, but the food....fantastic! The oyster po'boy and gumbo were fantastic. Made me miss NOLA.
(4)
C M.
Good cajun food. If you are use to true cajun food, ask them to spice it up a little. Normally that would be a death sentence, but in Spfd, MO the food here is ALL mild unless you ask for different. Jambalaya and etoufee are must-haves. I hear Po Boys are good, but have not had one as yet. Place needs wi-fi and a larger dining area (tables are jammed together).
(4)
Josh S.
This small place has a nice selection. I had the shrimp po'boy and it was great. I will definitely be back. The bread they use for the po'boys is awesome. Don't substitute the chips for fries the chips are fried on site and taste like kettle chips they are great.
(4)
Melissa F.
One Word: Delicious. We are new to the area and had never eaten here before. I walked in and told the man at the counter that and he immediately started telling me about their menu. Great customer service! I had the shrimp po'boy with a side of red beans and rice. My husband had the Jambalaya. All of it was delicious. I'm not sure what they batter the shrimp with, but it was heavenly. I definitely recommend this place and can't wait to go back!
(5)
Nancy J.
My husband and I discovered the Big Easy over three years ago and have been eating there regularly ever since. We introduced our son and he has become a regular too. Everything we have eaten there has been wonderful. We love the crawfish ettouffe and red beans with rice so much that we have to have those on most of our visits. But the jambalaya and gumbo are very tasty options also. The muffaletta and tenderloin sandwiches are the best to be found in Springfield and I can't say too much about the in-house chips or sweet potato fries that accompany these sandwiches. The Big Easy has a friendly, easy going atmosphere, as many others have stated in their reviews. It is just casual dinning at it's best. After reading all the reviews and writing my own, my mouth is watering so much I think we will have to go there tonight for dinner.
(5)
Angela V.
Really, really, really good. Fun atmosphere. Fast service. Great food. Nice prices. Enough said :)
(5)
Zach N.
Spending a decent chunk of my childhood in Southeast Texas near the Louisiana border, I'd like to think I'm a pretty decent judge of Cajun food. Knowing how the Mexican food here mostly fails to achieve the same quality as the TexMex I grew up on, I entered the restaurant with guarded hopes. After I had finished, though, I had nearly all positive things to say about this place. Before I go gushing on about why I think I love this place, there are just a few drawbacks that keep me from awarding this place 5 stars. First off, the atmosphere. Upon first walking in, my date and I gave each other a sideways glance. It's certainly nothing special, it looks like a portion of a shopping center that's been converted to a restaurant... which it is. But still, there are ways to dress a space up so you don't feel like you don't think about the possibility that you're eating in a former beauty salon or something. On the other hand, that might be part of the endearment with Big Easy; many of the Cajun eateries I remember from Texas were like this, no frills. It's about the food. In all fairness, the collection of alligator heads sitting on the ledge between the kitchen is a fun, if not a little bit creepy, touch. My only other issue with this place was the gumbo. It was decent, better than anything I've had in Springfield by far, but it wasn't quite to snuff with what I was accustomed to in Texas. If anything, I might say it was just a bit on the bland side. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn't had real Cajun-style gumbo before, but there's room for improvement. On to the good stuff! I love family run restaurants. From everything I could see, I think our server was the son of our cook. I'm not sure if they're actually the proprietors, but it definitely gave the restaurant that mom-and-pop feel. The kitchen being open to the dining room is another small touch that I appreciate. It at least gives the illusion that you are monitoring the preparation of your food. I ordered the Shrimp Po' Boy and really I don't think it could have been better. Juicy, plump fried shrimp, crisp lettuce and tomatoes, and a Remoulade sauce tops it all off, the sandwiches come with delicious homemade (or at least homemade-style) potato chips. Personally, these were good enough I wouldn't spend the extra buck on fries unless you have to. My date's taste buds are a little more limited than mine, thus she ordered the BBQ Beef Brisket sandwich. I was skeptical; it's been my experience that less prominent items like this don't turn out as well, especially at a smaller establishment like this. But again I was surprised. I hesitate to say it, but that was comparable to Brisket I've had from some of the more prominent BBQ establishments in Springfield. Great sauce and tender meat, it was certainly a pleasant surprise. In the end, the two main dishes plus the gumbo ended up costing $16-17 with tip. This was with waters, but even with a couple cokes or beers you wouldn't be much over $20. Not bad for one of the best dining experiences I've had in quite some time.
(4)
Paula B.
Excellent authentic food. Service good. Gumbo was very good. Recommend highly.
How this place got such high marks is beyond me... We walked in, and we're prompted to "sit where we pleased." They only had one highchair luckily no one else needed it. We also failed to realize we needed to get our own menu. I decided on the oyster half, and my wife on the half catfish po-boys. My wife's sandwich was a little skimpy, but not nearly as bad as mine. My sandwich consisted of 99% bread. It was about 4 inches long. Had "two" pieces of oyster on it! Yes only two; come on it's not lobster. Lettuce, and a tomato for $7!... The server also tried to overcharge us for frys. When he called over the manager. I said; it states right here at the top if you get a sandwich frys are $1.50.. The manager said well its only his second day! I said that's fine I'm not attacking him just showing him on the menu his mistake... Went to pay, and a big dude that's also the cook asked how things were. I expressed my disappointment in the lack of oysters. As in there were two.. His only reply was; sorry you weren't satisfied.... Never going back. Wasn't anything special, service was mediocre. And atmosphere was like being in a backyard dinner.. Oh did I mention the table filth when we wiped it with a wetwipe?... Ewwww.
(2)
Holly A.
Kinda disappointed. Very overpriced and I ordered a shrimp po boy and it was ok for $7 but you had to pay 1.50 for cheap regular fries instead of chips. It should come with fries. My husband ordered a oyster po boy and he had 2 tiny oysters on it. It was like 80% bread. We will probably never go back. We rate places on quality, quantity, and price and taking all that into consideration, it gets 2 stars.
(2)
Alycia H.
The service was amazing! Our server, Garrett, did such a good job explaining the menu to us first timers. My husband and I had the Jambalaya, Fried Shrimp Po'boy, and shrimp Gumbo and it was all fantastic! If you can't decide on just one item, you can get "halves" of most items on the menu and get a combination of a few things. Highly recommend Big Easy Grill.
(4)
Bradley R.
Have stopped here several times now and the lady and I both agree its pretty good. The spicy Cajun dishes are interesting and different. A real change of pace to the burger, taco, pasta, and pizza options that dot most parts of town. We really like the bread they bring in. Its nice and crispy on the outside and slightly chewy in the middle. Great for dipping in their dishes like the jambalaya or crawfish etouffee. The last time we went I got the ship po'boy and she got the andoulle sausage po'boy. Both put on that bread we like so much. They were both excellent. The decor of the palce is a bit hole in the wall but it works. I'd almost give this place a 5 star rating but I'm going to hold off until I can get down south and try the real deal and see how my local place stacks up. Either way, I'm still a fan.
(4)
Doug L.
We were visiting from out of town and had just left the big Bass Pro Shop and needed some food. Found this place on yelp and it was close by. Great service and we both really like our meal. The bread pudding was fantastic.
(4)
Mike M.
I decided to return here one year later while on a business trip. I enjoyed the 2013 visit and wanted to try more. This time I decided to try the roast beef po boy along with their chips along while tasting some of their jambalaya. And of course I had to have some more of that outstanding gumbo. First of all the repeat item...the gumbo. It was again very good. However my memory of last years was that it was crammed with seafood. This years version wasn't crammed. It was still good though with the seafood in it. I just missed that extra amount. I will give it a 4 how ever I gave it a 5 last year due to the content. Second, the po boy. Last year I thought it was a little small at 4". I still do. For $5.50 it is not much food. Also, I wasn't a fan of this roast beef. What I like is wet and a little runny with what is called "debris" on the sandwich. This was a little on the dry side with a light colored mayo type sauce on the meat. I give it a weak 3. The homemade chips were much better than the fries from last year. I really liked them and gave them a 4. Finally, the jambalaya. I asked for mine with medium spice which is exactly what I received. I thought it was a little dry but not bad. It had an adequate amount of meat content and flavor. I give it a 3. My table service was good. I am still going to give an overall 4 but with less enthusiasm than last year. My biggest criticism would be that the po boys should be a little bigger..at least an inch per half. One half is about three bites and that just isn't enough and I don't think this is a tapas restaurant. Second, I would want the roast beef to be a little more moist and finally French fries should be better perhaps hand cut and double fried. Don't get me wrong, if I lived here I would eat here from time to time. I would eat the gumbo, shrimp po boy (whole size) and the chips.
(4)
Troy P.
Tried the slaw dog today. The yelp menu states is made from a Polish sausage, but at the restaurant it is listed andouille sausage. Not sure there's a huge difference maybe the fat contents a little higher on the andouille. Comes with homemade chips, the dog is on a wonderful French bread lathered in (kc masterpiece like) bbq sauce and covered in a tasty slaw. I will be back to explore more of the menu. 1:30 on a weekday and had to wait for a seat is always a good sign. Continuing my quest to find a true polish in sgf land.
(4)
Larry R.
Visiting Branson for the first time and decided to head to Springfield for the day. We found Big Easy through Yelp and this place is great! There's not much to the restaurant but the food is outstanding! We had the jambalaya, the crawfish etoufee, some sandwiches and ended the meal with the bread pudding and a fried peach pie a la mode. Great meal, reasonably priced for the quality of the food, and we will definitely be coming back when we are in town!
(5)
Janet D.
Delighted! We were in a party of 4. Everyone loved their food. This must be one of those secrets that older people in Southern Hills keep to themselves! I had two boudin balls, YUM, plus a bowl of chicken gumbo. Devoured that gumbo and couldn't finish the fabulous boudin. Ordered fried okra for everyone to share. It was good. Not dripping with oil. The decor is simple. The food is extravagant. The prices are moderate. Sometimes you are in the mood for a restaurant that has fine china, elegant lighting, and servers wearing black and white. This is not that kind of place. Portions were so big that I brought home leftovers. Friends at lunch tomorrow will be envious.
(5)
Mary C.
Complete small diner feel, nothing fancy! But don't let that fool you! This is the real deal, welcome to flavor town! I had a oyster po boy and my husband had a shrimp po boy, we shared the fried okra....mmmmm I am a fried oyster freak, these were delish! Saw several other dishes being brought to other tables as well, it all looked good! Like I said its small and nothing fancy, but don't drive by....STOP! You'll be glad you did!
(5)
Tim H.
Great food and very authentic. Love their Jambalaya
(5)
Eric R.
First off, it's kind of weird that I've been outed... apparently a couple of people at work started using Yelp! and commented that they've seen some of my posts. Kind of weird when people from your "real life" comment on it... I feel like I'm held to some kind of higher standard now as if they'll look upon me with shame if I have poorly written reviews. Oh well, on with the show... So, having visited Louisiana a few times and lived there for awhile, I have a love for Cajun style cuisine. Being in Missouri now, I figured my hopes of having quality fare of this type were gone with the wind. I've known about the Big Easy Grill for awhile but mentally thought to myself... "Self, why bother? It's not gonna be legit..." and so I didn't go. Always willing to admit when I'm wrong... I was wrong. The service here is really friendly and attentive. My girlfriend ordered the gumbo and I, of course, weaseled my way into a bite. It was very good filled with good size shrimp, sausage, chicken, veggies, and rice in a very nice roux. I had the shrimp etoufee which was off the chain. The etoufees I've had in the past were a little darker sauce and this one seems like it had a different base. Despite the fact it's a slightly different interpretation from what I'm used to, it was still off the chain. The highlight of the meal was the roast beef po'boy (we ordered a small one to share to give it a sample). The bread was soft, the meat was tender and savory, and the sauce... well, let me put it like this. The gravy/sauce combined with the Cajun mustard on the sandwich mixed like Ike and Tina Turner (in the good days)... but when you take a bite, Ike gets jealous of your new relationship with Tina and decides to slap your taste buds around (in the tastiest way possible). The menu has a nice range of selections and virtually everything is under $10. I don't know of another restaurant in Springfield which offers this type of food... so if you're looking for something delicious and different... I highly recommend stopping in for a bite.
(5)
Laura B. R.
The food here is out of this world! We were just passing through on vacation and found out about this restaurant before we left town. I ordered the pasta dish and I am still wanting more to this day. If I lived in Springfield, I would be in trouble. Relaxing atmosphere and wonderful food.
(5)
Roy S.
BEST BEST BEST!!! Love this food but you gotta get there early for lunch. There's not much room in the place. The jambalaya is the best! The portions are enormous. You won't be sorry.
(5)
Christina M.
We were out-of-towners looking for something different for dinner and my hubby came up with this place. We loved it! It is just a very small place...only 9 tables, I believe. It was what I call a "hole in the wall", in a little strip mall area, and totally surprised me! It has an open kitchen. When we were there, just one waitress, one cook, and someone in back for dishes, I believe. Waitress was friendly and quick. The cook (owner, I believe?) was also super friendly. Food was tasty and plentiful and reasonably priced. I LOVED the blues music they were piping in. They are moving soon and I think that's going to be great for them! We had fried oysters for starters and goodness they were good!!!! For the meal, I got gumbo and my hubby got jambalaya. I was able to finish my bowl of gumbo, but his jambalaya was so plentiful he was able to take half home for lunch the next day. The bread was nice and soft with a perfect crust. If we come through town again, we'll definitely be back to eat at this place!
(4)
Ashley D.
Very good Po'Boys! I highly recommend this place! Fresh food! Comes hot to the table!
(5)
Alan C.
The best Cajun food around! Everything at this place is not only authentic but amazing! Their fish or shrimp po boys are great choices. They have fantastic jumbalia as well. It is a little hard to get in here during lunch but that speaks to the quality. The seating area is a little cramped but that is also part of the experience. They cook out in the open so that also adds to the experience with all the aromas etc. Outside of Louisiana I've not had Cajun or creole food this good!
(5)
Paul B.
By far best cajun food around
(5)
Tabby B.
delicious food, great price, and friendly service! I got a lot more than I expected in portion size and authenticity
(5)
Thomas G.
The staff was friendly and courteous and the food was AMAZING. And part of my family is from Shreveport, LA (which is where the owner is from as well), so I am very familiar with quality Cajun/creole food and this was quality.
(5)
Kathy A.
Wow...I have lived so close for 10 years. Am just finishing up shrimp etufe... Best sauce I have probably ever had. Friendly service. About to dig into bread pudding for dessert. Definitely my new favorite place in town to eat!
(5)
Maya K.
We got the gumbo, hush puppies (not on the menu but get em!), rice and sausage (half size was plenty big), and a peach fried pie. This was exactly the kind of place we could only ever find with yelp... In a little strip mall, delicious food, friendly staff. Also, the place was incredibly kid friendly. They gave us a free kids plate that was super generous, had a very cool cookie jar, lots of alligator toys, and a high chair. Really enjoyed our lunch here!
(5)
Kristin J.
Good basic creole/Cajun food reasonably priced and quick service made this a perfect stop on our road trip. Kids had chicken fingers. I had shrimp po boy and my husband had boudin. Shrimp was freshly breaded and perfectly fried. A touch on the large side - kept falling out of the sandwich. Great remoulade sauce. Husband said Boudin was great but he wished bigger (since so tasty). 2 kid meals, two adult meals with one glass of wine and $40 before tip. Best part for a long trip was how quick the service was. Kids liked the alligator decor. Basic wooden square tables, food served in baskets, real silverware and wine glass.
(4)
Melissa B.
We were on our way through Springfield and found The Big Easy on Yelp. It had great reviews so we thought we'd give it a try. The food is delicious and the service was fantastic. The portions are huge and we left absolutely satisfied. Save some room for dessert because the bread pudding is outstanding. This will be our new go to restaurant anytime we find ourselves in the area.
(5)
Jerome H.
Relative to what it is, this is the best place I've found in Springfield. The mufaletta is good, the po' boys have all been good (best is probably the shrimp), the red beans and sausage and fried oysters are good. I love cajun food. I've had the real thing, I've had lousy substitutes, and this is exactly what you want on the low-fi end of cajun food: greasy, fried, filling, bold flavors, etc. Plus, the staff is friendly and the alligator vibe is a nice touch.
(5)
Christopher T.
Was in Springfield visiting friends and family. Found The Big Easy on Yelp. Turned out to be a great find. The place is small and it was crowded. Service was still prompt and met all my needs. The menu has a lot of the typical New Orleans favorites - po'boys, jambalaya, etc.. I settled on a shrimp po'boy, french fries, and a side of jambalaya. The sandwich was really good. The bread was crunchy, but not hard, plenty of shrimp, and a good portion of remoulade. The fries were plentiful and crisp. The jambalaya was good, but not great. Still worth trying... N*joy...
(4)
Amy G.
I love this place!! Great food, great staff, kind of weird location, but you get used to it. Seriously though. Eat here. You'll like it. I've tried sandwiches, pastas and gumbo and they have all been marvelous. I appreciate the attention to flavor and the attention to the guest. They love their customers and they love their food and it shows in every bite. Yum.
(5)
Sean M.
It's been months since I was at The Big Easy, but I felt it necessary to make it one of my first reviews on Yelp. No need for a long drawn out story, but I'll tell you what you want to know. It is fantastic. The crawfish ettouffe, jambalaya, and red beans and rice are simply magnificent. Real deal... My experience was brightened by the fact that I sat under a King Biscuit Blues Festival poster from my home town in AR. Laissez lez bon ton roulette!
(5)
Kisha H.
Get the oyster po boy with sweet potato fries! Their crawfish ettouffee is good, too.
(5)
Kurt R.
We stopped by here on our trip with our kids to Fantastic Caverns. All of the Cajun food we ordered was delicious. The half Muffaleta had delicious olive tapenade on it. The seafood Gumbo had large portions of shrimp and crawfish. The sweet potato fries were the best that I have ever had. The only problems with the food was the super bland coleslaw. The kids menu is incredibly small as well and by incredibly small I mean they only have chicken fingers on it.
(4)
Terry C.
I've been a regular customer here since shortly after they opened. I have never had a bad meal and the service is always exceptional. My favorites are the roast beef po'boy, shrimp po'boy and the jambalaya. I also like the red beans and sausage, the slaw dog and my wife raves about the pork loin sandwich. Today I decided to try something different and had the catfish po'boy. Wow, the catfish was the best I have ever had. It has a mild flavor with a nicely seasoned coating and was perfectly cooked. It's rare these days for a restaurant to provide such a satisfying experience time and time again. The Big Easy Grill does that in spades.
(5)
Molly R.
I HAVE to review this place to compensate in some way for the amazing meal I had here a few days ago, mostly because I've been craving it ever since. Yes, this is going to be raving. I'm not sorry. Boyfriend and I came here a few nights ago for a painless weeknight dinner. I myself was not necessarily in the mood for Cajun (I really just wanted a funnel and some mashed potatoes) but I obliged because I've always wanted to eat here and Boyfriend kept telling me how awesome his meals have been previously. After taking in the deceivingly tiny but equally quaint inside, Boyfriend and I seated ourselves by the window and perused the menu while a ton of other people filed out, filed in, and picked up to-go orders - this place gets some serious business. After the agonizing decision to order water to drink, Boyfriend went with his meal from the day before (yes, the day before): a roast beef sandwich. I went with the catfish dinner, which promised to come with a gratuitous bit of lightly fried catfish, hush puppies, coleslaw, and sweet potato fries. I had already resigned myself to be only fairly satisfied with my meal. I'm not big on sweet potatoes, I hate coleslaw, and I previously had zero opinion of hush puppies. Even when my plate was sat down in front of me, I had already categorized each dish into "will devour," "will tolerate," and "will ignore" sections. I ate everything - well, except the coleslaw, which I didn't touch. Even if coleslaw was encrusted with edible gold I wouldn't give it the time of day. But the sweet potato fries were delectable and had an incredible texture; they didn't trip over into "too sweet" territory and were crazily addicting. The hush puppies tasted like a fluffy truffle of chicken broth (I don't know, this seems an accurate description) and the catfish was simply sublime. Perfectly flaky, perfectly not fishy, perfectly fried. I have the stomach of a field mouse and I. Ate. Everything. Our server was attentive, the wait wasn't depressingly long despite the number of patrons, and I though the price of my meal ($13-ish with tip) was well worth it. Bravo, Big Easy! Way to represent a famed cuisine so well and join the ranks (in my mind) as one of the best places to eat in Springfield.
(5)
Don F.
Incredible, is the only word that describes this place. It has been spectacular for years! One of my don't misses in Springfield. I actually came here because I am taking my son to Nola on Saturday and I had Cajun on the mind! It does not look like much from the curb. It is in a strip mall. But the owner does his food right! They have very good Cajun food. The food reminds me of New Orleans cuisine. The only complaint is the seafood is not quite as good, but the preparation and spice is dead on! The bread really is what brings me home. It is a light baguette like in the quarter. It comes with the gumbo. That combination proves to me that God exists. Omg is it delicious. Another suitable application of this bread is on the poor boys. The beef is messy but good. I really like the shrimp and catfish as well. Id tell you about the bread pudding but I do not want them to run out!
(5)
Mike C.
In town on business. Checked Yelp and saw 78 reviews (so we know it's legit). Shrimp PO boy was fantastic. Coleslaw perfect! Waiter was very cool, took the time to small talk and my sweet tea was always full. Great guy. I don't bs..., this place was great as promised. I'll be back! - mike
(4)
Cori N.
I absolutely loved my experience here! I was just driving through on my way back home from a conference when I found this place on the Yelp app. Since I was essentially in the middle of nowhere I decided to take its tip and come here. And I definitely made the right choice! I had a fish sandwich and I loved every bite. It was crispy, fresh and perfect. The bread was soft and tasty, and the (I think homemade) hot sauce and remoulade-style sauce was perfect. I seriously wish I had asked about that hot sauce because it was great and I've not found anything like it since. On the plus side, the guy who was working there was really friendly! He answered all my questions and even brought me a couple food 'extras'. If I was back in town I would definitely come back again.
(5)
Stephanie V.
It is so freaking cold outside but it's warm and smells great in here! Only a huge steaming plate of food will suffice tonight, and as usual, the Big Easy delivered. I had a perfectly fried pork loin sandwich with a hot bowl of gumbo. The heat from that soup in my belly radiated through me. Delicious! My picky son had the pulled pork sandwich and my other son chose the creole pasta. Both ate til their bellies could hold no more. Stealing tastes from both plates, I have determined you can't go wrong here. All of the diners around us seemed to enjoy their meals as well (the seating is tight and you can't help but overhear conversations). Can't wait to go back!!!
(5)
Alicia B.
Food is awful. I had the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. I didn't even finish it. (It was the small side order.) I had Bread Pudding for dessert. It was ok if you can get past it being under cooked. It had apples in it which I found odd but all recipes are different. If you have any inkling of what authentic Cajun food should taste like then take a heads up and AVOID eating here.
(2)
Stephanie H.
I love, love, love The Big Easy Grill. Me and my husband have taken tons of people here. The roast beef po boys are phenomenal. In fact, when we went to NOLA and had roast beef po boys, we did not like the NOLA versions as well. The andouille sausage with read beans and rice is my go to. I also like the gumbo for a light meal. When splurging, I love to get their bread pudding. Yum!
(5)
Michaelle W.
After reading all the reviews for this business, I decided to try out their menu because I had been to New Orleans and loved the Jambalaya that I experienced there. Unfortunately, my food experience here was sub par. :( Jambalaya: I ordered a massive plate extremely excited to be having it, only to find that it was full of chunked up cayenne pepper. It was literally chunks. I literally was sitting with my fork mashing the chunks to mix it myself. I didn't want to embarrass my date by confronting the cook about my meal, but I left my plate almost full. I couldn't finish it. Then it also lacked a lot of flavor too. Very disappointed! I ended up ordering fries and requesting more and more water to try and just calm my mouth and get through my meal. The only delicious thing I had was the red beans and sausage from my date's plate. They were yummy and smooth in texture with the sausage being crisp with a slight crunch when you bit through the skin. Atmosphere: This was a small redeeming factor in the sense that it was quiet and comfy, but my table rocked and my date's knees wouldn't fit under the table. He was 6'7" and the tables were short and there weren't any other seating options. He ended up sitting so far out from the table that it made it difficult to eat. Overall my experience left me feeling stiffed. I went next door and had Andy's, and life was better. I'd consider trying again, but I'd want to see the food before I purchase and maybe even taste, because paying for that the first time was too much. :/ So disappointed. :(
(2)
Deb M.
Good overall, but not great. My husband ordered the Jambalaya. It was tasty, but the roux had too much flour, giving it a goopy starchy taste. It could have been meatier too. I had the shrimp po' boy with a side of gumbo. The gumbo was outstanding!! Don't miss out on it. The sandwich was just OK - the bread was kind of stale and too thick for the shrimp filling. The remoulade was bland but the accompanying house made potato chips were excellent. We ordered some gumbo to go, and a side of the potato chips. The chips were not put in the carry-out bag. The restaurant was really busy. I'm sure their uniqueness helps their popularity, and some menu items are much much better than others, but still, they've got a long way to go.
Yelp suggested as we were driving through from STL to Fayetteville AR. Very unpretentious - focus is on cooked to order food that was good all around. Our party had catfish dinner. Great filet breaded perfect with sweet tater fries. Other was club sandwich which sounds pedestrian but big chunk chicken and ham. Homemade chips rounded that out. I had the pork loin sandwich and it was sweet. Pounded out beyond the French bread slices and fried perfectly with a crust that was crispy and kept the cutlet juicy. I subbed coleslaw and again not the ordinary. Had a little horseradish combined with sweet and mayo-style. The sandwiches were around $8 and catfish $10. Good crowd for Monday night of families and locals. Small staff but never felt neglected and even though cooked fresh it came out quick to get us back on the road.
(4)
Melissa T.
Have eaten food from here multiple times since my first visit (still haven't eaten in though), and it's been delicious each time. The roast beef po boy is ridiculously good. The shrimp po boy...ridiculously good. The catfish po boy...good but I've had better. The catfish was a bit too soft to stand up to the chewiness of the bread. The dirty rice...insanely good. I could eat that and only that and be beyond satisfied. It's filled with roast beef (potentially my new favorite item from the Big Easy), sausage, grilled onion, peppers, and other goodness. It's so filling and oh so very tasty. And if I didn't say it before, the chips are great. They're great second day too. Worst thing about this place to me was that they were not busy at 6 on a Friday night. People, fellow yelpers, random lookers-on: PLEASE eat at the Big Easy if you're not. It's one of those restaurants that Springfield needs. And on that note, I'm going to go gnaw on my hand and pretend it's the Big Easy's roast beef.
(5)
Mike V.
I have not had very many creole dinning experiences but I have to say it was very good and the portion of jambalaya was more than I could finish!
(4)
Austin W.
Big Easy has the best catfish in town. Not to mention some of the best tasting food around. There Po boys are to die for, and they have classic jambalaya, boudin, and gumbo. Everything is fresh and delicious. Did I mention how good the catfish is?
(5)
Brittany Z.
I've had the jambalaya, po'boys, fried fish, shrimp, and more from here. It's always very tasty and flavorful. If you like lots of spice (like me!), they will adjust it to your liking. The only downside of eating here is the fact that it attracts a crowd. If you don't like a friendly atmosphere where your table is close to your fellow foodies, you should order ahead and pick-up for a Netlfix evening at home:)
Don't let the outside fool you! Great food! Great service! Great price!
(5)
Austin K.
Fantastic food and friendly staff. Stopped in on the road because someone in the car suggested Cajun if we could find a place. It's a small local establishment, but by no means will you leave with an empty belly. I had the boudin sausage balls, so tasty.
(5)
Jeff J.
Too expensive but good food. Really like the food but it's over priced for what you're getting. Quality is just okay, as is service.
This place really is a beautiful hidden gem of Springfield. My hubby and I brought the in-laws here...we had never been, we were all feeling adventurous, and we love cajun food! Big Easy did not disappoint! First off, just need to say, the staff was phenomenal. The sweetest most wonderful waitress I've ever met waited on us and really set the tone for the rest of the experience. She was happy, kind, helpful, and attentive. 5 stars, just for that! Good service goes a looooong way in my book. Now to the food! My hubby ordered the oyster po boy &I ordered the muffaletta sandwich (half!!!) both with the sweet potato fries. I'm a sucker for sweet potato fries, and theirs were hot, fresh, and scrumptious! The sandwich was huge. I mean, massively huge. I could not finish it. If you've never had muffaletta, and you love olives and onions, this is the sandwich for you. According to my hubby, the oyster po boy was delicious. Also enormous, and they did not skimp on the oysters! My father in law got the club sandwich and he inhaled it. This is his way of saying he loved it! My mother in law got the dirty jambalaya...again, HUGE portion!! She tried her best, but could barely finish 2/3 of her plate. They made for tasty leftovers. Everything had a very homecooked meal style and it was wonderful. Spicy, flavorful, and very very filling. We ordered hushpuppies after we had ordered our meal (because I'm a goof, and forgot that they were off menu, but someone on yelp had said to try em, and we just had to.) I have to say they were quite possibly the best hushpuppies we've ever had. You have got to order some. The prices were fantastic. Super reasonable, and that's before you see the portions of your meal. Then you feel like you just got a friends and family discount. ;) It was a lovely dining experience, and my hubby has expressed his anxiousness to get back there as soon as possible! I have only one suggestion for the lovely folks at Big Easy...any chance we will be seeing some beignets on the menu? Because then I'm never leaving!
(5)
Theresa L.
Very small place, but brimming politeness. Only 9 tables in the whole place. Waiters never let our tea get below half. Boyfriend had the catfish dinner, was excellent, fish was very moist. I had Shrimp Etoufe. We also ordered a small order of sweet potato fries and a bowl of seafood gumbo. Needs a bit more seasoning. Not the best I've ever had, but decent. Total bill was $33 with 2 teas.
(3)
Teri I.
Excellent food. The seafood Gumbo was best we've ever had - full of seafood in delicious broth. Also had catfish po boy (loved the fish & bun). Soooooo good that we got Gumbo to go. We'll come back if we're ever in area.
(5)
Bryan K.
Had lunch with the wife at big easy grill today was very good if you like Louisiana food its a great place to go, I had the oyster po'boy and the wife had the catfish one and we split them. Was yummy had lots of good stuff to try will definitely be back
(5)
Jason L.
The roast beef po boy was pretty good. I crave boudin. I have had authentic boudin plenty of times and I would have to say, the boundin balls here were not really good. If you're looking for good Cajun style food, then this isn't really the place to go, but I would say the roast beef po boy was one of the best I've had flavor wise. Service was very friendly and nice also. Overall better than average for a good sandwich but everything else was just ok.
(3)
Susie G.
Best fish sandwich in town. Bread pudding is divine! Love the gumbo. Eat there at least once a week.
(5)
Steven P.
The gumbo tasted exactly like new Orleans and the roast beef po boy was possibly the best sandwich I've ever tasted. A true mom and pop gem.
(5)
Sam E.
Don't let the small size or the strip mall fool you. And don't be put off by the lack of full service (you order at the counter). Friendly staff and great Cajun food. I had the half gumbo, half jambalaya plate. As good as any I've ever had. Chock full of sausage shrimp and crayfish (if you want them). My brother had the catfish and loved it. It was crispy on the outside with a filet that melts in your mouth. Finished with bread pudding. Great texture, great taste without being too heavy. Best of all were the prices. Less than $25 for the whole meal. If you like Cajun food, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Mister K.
We had a great group dinner here. Ordered etoufee with rice and it was wonderfully spicy and rich. Our friends also enjoyed the po'boy sandwiches. The service was great and very helpful. I really love local restaurants like this. I wish we had more places like Big Easy in Springfield!
(5)
Wendy O.
Excellent food and great service. Looking forward to going again real soon!!! I hade the creole pasta and bread it was the best!!!
(5)
Sherry L.
Haven't had a po'boy since I was in Louisiana, but Big Easy's shrimp po'boy will do to tide me over until my next trip to NOLA. (: It was the perfect (and quickest) way to ease into the 2PM lull...probably not the best for afternoon meetings - but A-Okay for what turned out to be an easy afternoon on-site. Only gripe, service was sluggish. For a sammich that doesn't look all that difficult to make (chopped lettuce/tomatoes/shrimp slapped onto a loaf of french bread), it took us 40 minutes to get our food.
(3)
Jim R.
My wife and I went to New Orleans for our honeymoon. There were numerous memorable events, both good and bad, but the food was (as expected) a high point. Now, a dozen years later, I rarely eat cajun/creole food. It's not that I don't like it; it's the fear of being disappointed yet again by greasy, poorly seasoned imitations. Therefore, I approached the rave reviews of the Big Easy with a degree of skepticism. When we arrived for lunch with my father-in-law in tow (we decided to treat him for his birthday), the venue itself was not impressive: a non-descript location in a mini strip mall, and no elaborate decor. Basic wooden tables and chairs, along with well-worn laminated menus. Believe it or not, this actually caused my hopes to rise. At least the ratings weren't due to wide-idea locals being wowed by shiny beads and the like. A friendly gent (I assume he was the owner) greeted us and made a couple of brief comments about how to order (at the counter, get your own drinks then sit where you like). The menu is basic, yet complete. There were numerous sandwiches including muffaletta, po boys, and pork loin, along with standard offerings like jambalaya, etouffe, red beans and rice, and gumbo. We ordered shrimp and oyster po boys, jambalaya, and fried shrimp with sweet potato fries. I was disappointed to discover they were out of boudin, so I settled on spicy shrimp etouffe (I was offered mild, medium or spicy on both that and the jambalaya). We got our drinks and sat down. There were probably four or five tables besides us on a Tuesday at Noon. A young lady was manning the stove largely by herself within our view. We hadn't been waiting long when our food started arriving from the gentleman at the counter. The po boys were half portions (by request) served with house made kettle-style potato chips. The jambalaya and etouffe were massive portions, and the fried shrimp were ample (especially considering the size of the young diner who ordered them). We began to eat. Damn. This was one of the better meals I've had in quite some time. I tend to favor spicy ethnic cuisines (Indian, Thai, Carribean), being the flavor hound that I am. The flavor was present at Big Easy in spades. The etouffe sauce was deep and luxurious, rich without being overbearing. There was just enough rice to allow me to capture almost all the sauce, and enough french bread to wipe up what was left. There were enough shrimp to fill me up, but not so many as to take the focus away from the sauce. Everyone was way satisfied. The shrimp and oyster po boys received excellent ratings (especially for the remoulade sauce and those hearty chips), the jambalaya was deemed perfectly seasoned (and likely enough for two more meals), and the fried shrimp (which were battered in a beer batter/tempura style, rather than a heavy breading or corn meal) were amazingly juicy and flavorful (a fine example of what fried shrimp CAN be as opposed to what one normally receives). Now, Big Easy listed bread pudding on the blackboard as we entered. I am not one to pass up bread pudding, but no one else seemed game. When I placed the order, the owner stated that he'd put it in a to-go container and give me a large portion so that people could share. That's exactly what he did, and he was a smart man for it. This was a fine bread pudding: the result of plenty of crusty bread, butter, brown sugar, and time. No whiskey sauce needed, no fancy add-ins. Needless to say, my dining companions found a little renewed food interest, and the extra spoons he brought were put to use. Locusts couldn't have cleaned that container better. I can't recommend this place highly enough. Don't go expecting a fancy experience; visually, it's plain (even a little rough around the edges). I hope that never changes; it's way too easy for cajun restaurants to become bad parodies when they focus on anything but the food. Big Easy absolutely NAILS their menu. As we say around our house, you can taste the love. It's abundantly obvious from the interactions with both the staff and the food: this place runs on love. Now, that's something of which we could ALL use second helpings. Support this place, people. I need it to be here when I come back for the boudin (and more). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
(5)
Frank G.
In town on business, found this restaurant online and went for supper. The good: Very good tasting food -- I had the shrimp po' boy, Idaho fries and fried okra. The staff was very friendly and attending to my needs. Very good service. The not so good: Small portions -- the shrimp were large but not enough of them to totally cover the bread (you've GOT to pile them on there guys!), and the serving of okra was way too small also ($3 for about a dozen pieces of okra). And the beer? Only 4 choices and two of them are Miller Light and Bud Light! Please! Get some real beer in there. I would definitely want to go back for lunch; too small a portion for supper though.
(3)
Mike W.
They bring the bread up from New Orleans for the Po'boys. It is not New Orleans but it sure is a great substitute when you can't be in "The Quarter". The olive relish on the Muffeleta is one of the best.I have had. I can say that this place is a great stop in Springfield.
I don't have the words to adequately describe the food. We ordered fried oysters to share; he had chicken/sausage gumbo; and I had a side of jambalaya and a side of seafood gumbo. Portions were generous and perfectly seasoned. Absolute star of the meal were the fried oysters!!!!! Too die for! Very fresh, perfectly breaded, and served with a very flavorful romalade sauce. We are already deciding what to order next time.
(5)
Patrick P.
Wow! What a meal! My nephew and I stopped in Springfield for the night while driving across the country. Not knowing where to eat dinner, we consulted our little friend Yelp and found The Big Easy. Thank you Yelp!!! We had three entrees between us: Oyster Po' Boy (with sweet potato fries), Crawfish etouffee, and Jambalaya (the classic Cajun style). Everything was incredible! The oysters tasted as fresh as any I've had along the coast. Juicy, just briny enough, and perfectly cooked...delicious. The crawfish etouffee was silky smooth, perfectly seasoned, and wonderfully flavorful...amazing. The jambalaya was a huge portion chock full of sausage, chicken, ham, and shrimp...again, all was perfectly seasoned. Spicy but not overly hot. Exactly what you hope for when you order jambalaya. The bread, served as a side with the entrees and used for for the Po' Boy, was notable too. I've no idea if they get it from another vendor or make it themselves but it was delicious. Several tables around our commented on this. Some were regulars and others were first timers like us. As other reviewers have pointed out, the sweet potato fries are also not to be missed. I've never met a sweet potato fry I didn't like but these were especially good. The proprietors are very friendly, the service was very fast (despite having a completely full house when we were there), and the other diners were all very friendly. The Big Easy definitely has a "neighborhood joint" feel to it (which I mean as nothing but a compliment). If you're in, near, or passing through Springfield, I highly recommend stopping by The Big Easy. You won't regret it!
(5)
Billie R.
Remember that this is not an authentic Cajun restaurant. Once you know that you will enjoy your food as it is. The food here is good and the place is really tiny so you are always catered to!
(4)
Jeremy M.
Been to the Big Easy three times over the last several months and have never been disappointed. Po'boy (oyster) sandwich with sweet potato fries is delicious and tastes very much like what you can get in New Orleans. The oysters weren't as big but the the veggies and sauce were delicious on an artisan bun. I've never had ettouffe from Louisiana before but I can tell you that the Big Easy makes a delicious version. The creamy, spicy (I ordered it spicy) sauce was full of shrimp and crawfish that were cooked perfectly before being ladled over a pile of white rice. The gumbo is good, I just wish the base was a little less watery. My wife loved the catfish and said that it was breaded lightly and didn't have the fishy taste that most catfish dishes can't seem to escape. Her only wish was that she ordered it with a little more spice instead of plain breading.
(4)
Deb C.
Food was great. It was our first time here and we live a few blocks away!!
(4)
Katie G.
Delicious, went there for dinner last night, considering going again tonight.
Gumbo was very good; the boudin was a too bland for me and the rice/meat/pepper ratio favored the rice a little too much, but the remoulade sauce with it was spicy and the combination was great. The oyster po-boy was yummy and I also wished it was a little bigger, mainly because I wanted more! I'll definitely go back for seconds.
(4)
Jason G.
Great food. Been around since 2006. We ordered po'boys and Jumbalaya. Both excellent. The shrimp po'boys had lightly fried shrimp and mayo sauce. Sweet potato fries are cut thin, fried crispy with cinnamon and salt. Mmm mmm good. Small eating area, cozy and friendly atmosphere. Owner was very nice and was the one taking orders, cooking and serving. It was fast and quality service even so. Con: decor could use a few tweaks. Maybe some more wood, lower lighting and some more trashy pictures on the wall. I dunno, wasn't enough to bother me. Still 5 stars on the food.
(5)
Ricki H.
Awesome local restaurant with great food like home made. Catfish is well fried and marinated. The batter is not thick at all but it's crispy. Seafood gumbo is nice. Jambalaya is pretty great. Prefer the dirty style more. I've eaten here twice when I'm on businese trips already!
(4)
Steve F.
This is an unsung gem of Springfield. A friend recommended it, and since both my partner and I had challenging work-days, I decided to surprise him with an adventure over here. I'm the more adventurous eater, and I had to go for shrimp etouffee' - The Guy went for the fried shrimp, which came with a side of gumbo, and he added a side of dirty rice. I decided to try the side-order of one ball of Boudin, which is loosely described as coated, fried pork-and-rice. The food arrived, and it was *stunning.* The roux for the etouffee was so good, you could smear it on a rusty bumper and make it taste good! The shrimp were plentiful, and we brought half of the etouffee home (next time, we will just split that, I think). The fried shrimp were hand-breaded, tender, and gently seasoned. The dirty rice was awesome, with big chunks of andouille sausage. The gumbo was meaty, but mild - since The Guy is a little hot-sauce-phobic, we left it out of that, but a bottle of their own hot sauce is on the table if you want to spice it up. If you look up Boudin recipes, you'll see "cajun sausage." Big Easy's is more finely chopped pulled pork shoulder with rice, seasonings, peppers, rolled into balls, coated with corn meal (I think) and fried. The dipping sauce they serve with it (and with the fried shrimp) is another rusty-bumper item. Lightly crusted outside, moist and good on the inside. I dunno if it's authentic, but it was good. We are two good sized guys, and we were full-to-the-stuffing point, even with setting half the etouffee in a carry-out container. The total, with two sodas, was $27 and change - not cheap, but *damn* was it worth it. I saw a shrimp po-boy and some kind of pasta go by that I really wish I could have tried, but our eyes were already much bigger than our stomachs. (Note that the po-boys come in half-and whole pricing.) This kind of food is not *fast food* - it's prepared fresh, and in the evening, they are staffed light, so don't come here if you're in a rush or your blood-sugar is bottoming out. But we didn't wait long for our food, and it was very much worth the wait. You know that feeling when you've found a great place, and you want them to succeed, so you want to really talk them up, but you love it, and don't want to let the cat out of the bag so you don't have to fight for a table? That's where I am with this place.
(5)
Kathleen A.
Seriously AMAZING! I live in Denver, where I can't even count one Cajun restaurant. I am sure they are out there, but after 3 years of living there I have still yet to find one. I'm visiting my brother for the Thanksgiving holiday, and he kept telling me about this place and how often he goes there since he works close by. They even have a "Chris Spicy" Jambalaya and Chicken Po' boy that they cater to make to his tastes. These guys are so friendly. They made a special batch of chicken fingers for the little ones too! I decided on the Jambalaya with chicken and sausage, spicy. I also shared a chicken po'boy with the brother. Both were SO delicious and SO flavorful. Absolutely loved the chicken po' boy- I'd say one of the best I've ever had. It can be a bit messy to eat but worth every bite. Also don't skip on the homemade potato chips and sweet potato fries!! Whoever said this place is pricey is out of their mind. A big portion of jambalaya is around $8 as well as the sandwiches (served with a side of chips or fries). I am now on a mission to find me some Cajun food when I get back to Denver.
(5)
Doug R.
Trip #2- I went here with my friend last night for a hearty meal. I talked him into the roast beef po'boy (see previous review) and I had my first ever Fried Shrimp Po'boy and added the sweet potato fries for $2. I immediately regretted my decision upon comparison of the two dishes. For some reason, being a shrimp lover-and gulf shrimp in particular, I thought that my sandwich would have some kind of shrimpy flair that went above and beyond the menu description. Nope. Its 6-8 butterflied shrimp, suspiciously similar to the grocery store fried shrimp, whole lotta shredded lettuce, maters, and remoulade sauce (which I honestly don't like. It seems like one of those love it/hate it things). Maybe I was expecting spicy shrimp, creole shrimp, I dunno. Whatever it was, it was lame. My plate ended up being a big mess of shredded lettuce and remoulade soaked bread, although I did eat all the shrimp. Oh my Yelp friends! How my heart yearned for that roast beef while my friend was sagaciously scarfing down his sandwich! And I finished mine with a bitter scowl...This happens. Not everything will be perfect on a menu. Everybody else in the restaurant had great looking food while I continued to die a little inside. I will NOT write about where I went later on in the evening to get food to fulfill the ever developing void in my stomach after Big Easy's, as that damn sandwich did not fill me up at all. I must say though, the sweet potato fries were delicious and would be amazing next to some etoufee or some gumbo. Will I go here again? Hell yeah. Will I not order that poor po'boy? Of course. FYI; That roast beef alone is worth keeping their 4-4.5 Star rating.
(4)
Alyson O.
After reading all the very positive Yelp reviews and being on an endless hunt for a delicious po'boy in Springfield, I decided to try Big Easy for lunch today. I've driven by many times but always found the exterior slightly off-putting (it's in a small shopping center). Anyway. I had the fried shrimp po'boy and my boyfriend had the roast beef po'boy. I think we both really wanted the fried oyster, but were told that due to the oil spill, they haven't had oysters for a while. Understandable, I suppose. The bread was delicious; chewy and fresh tasting. The fried shrimp po'boy comes standard with remoulade sauce here, but I got the creole mustard sauce on mine instead. The roast beef was also good--suuuper messy and huge, dripping with au jus. The chips that come with the sandwiches were really good and obviously house made. Next time, I'd like to try the jambalaya. Another diner in the restaurant ordered it and it looked great, not to mention the portion size was gigantic. We will definitely be back .
(4)
Dr. Thomas B.
I have personally found the staff that works here surely want to be of service to their customers and is also found they are very personable and easy to talk to. I can truly say that the food that is here you would find the same quality of food in New Orleans the one thing that I would've liked was to hear Cajun music or zydeco playing over their speakers. But the type of music is a minor issue to the great food that they serve here with that taste of New Orleans.I will be bringing in my family to try their food out.
(4)
Lucas R.
Yikes, no idea how this is pretty much the most popular (highest rating on significant number of reviews) place to eat in Yelp. I kinda feel sorry for my fellow Springfieldians. Visiting for a few days, I figured I'd try out Yelp's finest. I got the Jambalaya, half a catfish poboy, and the gumbo. I found everything unimpressive. An absolutely massive heap of Jambalaya was promptly delivered to my table; I thought I was wearing Google glasses and seeing shit- but this was the real deal. Unfortunately it's about 85% rice by volume. Spices and taste was great, but not nearly enough meat! Same story with the gumbo... for $3.50, it was incredibly small and not nearly enough meat. The catfish poboy was solid, but not great. I really want to give this place a 2 star- don't waste your time!
(3)
Amanda C.
The fried catfish po'boy sandwich was crispy, warm, and very tasty...i loved it! Large portions, prompt service, and the great manager and staff members make your trip here worthwhile. It's hard to find a good place while driving cross country, and this place makes me want to come back to visit again.
(5)
Chris M.
I used to work near this restaurant, and started going over there for lunch soon after it opened. I was enough of a regular that the proprietor knew me, and always greeted me by name and with a friendly conversation. But friendly or not, I certainly would not have kept coming back if they had not had some of the best cajun food I'd ever tasted. And the prices are very reasonable, too--unlike the overinflated prices of "Easy's," the Cajun place on South Glenstone. I have had a number of their sandwiches and they are all very enjoyable. I enjoy their sweet potato french fries, the potato chips they make themselves, and the fresh bread they get from an area bakery. But I think my favorite of their dishes is their gumbo--inexpensive, tasty, and very filling, by the cup or by the bowl. The gumbo is one of my favorite things to get when I pop in for lunch or dinner. Sometimes the wait can be a little long, but that just means it's not "fast" food--they make it to order when you ask for it, so it's good and fresh. If you are looking for Cajun food in Springfield, you can do no better than The Big Easy.
(5)
Ginger A.
This place is the real deal, delicious Cajun style food made fresh. It has an authentic vibe and is slightly dive-y but just the right side of clean. The dining room is small but cozy. The fries were above par though, especially with the added hot sauce and a shake of seasoning (maybe Old Bay?) on the table. There were 2 young guys working who were friendly and efficient. They seemed to be working hard to take care of everyone's order and doing a fabulous job of it. I was a little surprised at certain things that were not on the menu (no desserts for example - Cajun style restaurants are usually the one place I consider dessert a must) but there were still plenty of options. We were impressed and I am happy to see this place has been around for awhile and has other good reviews!
(4)
Zachary B.
Solid cajun food. Excellent gumbo, generous portions, inexpensive, what's not to love?
(5)
Curtis G.
Never had a bad meal here, the gumbo is made the way it is supposed to be.
(5)
April G.
I'm new to Springfield, so I use yelp for dinner-date ideas with my boyfriend. After reading there reviews I must say they were right! I went during lunch time, which Im glad bc it does seem like lunch time food, or take to go. I had the roast beef po'boy and side order of there sweet potatoe fries. Messy but so good! The boyfriend had the catfish. Let's just say he didn't say a word after he got his sandwich. Not bc it was bad but bc he wouldn't put it down! Haha. Next time we go I really want to try there jumbo.
(5)
Rich E.
Great food, great service and a great atmosphere! I have tried every item on the menu and have never once regretted it.
(5)
Jordan Z.
cajun done correctly! stop reading and drive there! unless you've had too many to drink then take a cab!
(5)
Brian K.
I haven't had many po'boys, but this was definately the best one I've had. I got the shrimp one. I liked the shrimp on it and the sauce was great. My wife had the oyster po'boy, it seemed good also. Their seemed to be lots of choices on the menu. I'd like to try the ettoufee next time. I enjoyed the cajun music playing in the background.
(4)
Napoleon P.
Pretty good stuff:) great hospitality.
(4)
Scott H.
Awesome jambalaya! Don't know how authentic it is but I like it!
(5)
Julee L.
This place is really perfect. Fried okra...yum, the gumbo, the Jumbalaya! I live in Los Angeles now and one reason I look forward to visiting Springfield is for the restaurants here. This is one of my stops while I am there, for sure!
(5)
Nolan B.
Great Cajun food....pricey, but worth it for hard to find cuisine.
(5)
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Address :3027 E Sunshine St
Springfield, MO, 65804
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Chris M.
I used to work near this restaurant, and started going over there for lunch soon after it opened. I was enough of a regular that the proprietor knew me, and always greeted me by name and with a friendly conversation. But friendly or not, I certainly would not have kept coming back if they had not had some of the best cajun food I'd ever tasted. And the prices are very reasonable, too--unlike the overinflated prices of "Easy's," the Cajun place on South Glenstone. I have had a number of their sandwiches and they are all very enjoyable. I enjoy their sweet potato french fries, the potato chips they make themselves, and the fresh bread they get from an area bakery. But I think my favorite of their dishes is their gumbo--inexpensive, tasty, and very filling, by the cup or by the bowl. The gumbo is one of my favorite things to get when I pop in for lunch or dinner. Sometimes the wait can be a little long, but that just means it's not "fast" food--they make it to order when you ask for it, so it's good and fresh. If you are looking for Cajun food in Springfield, you can do no better than The Big Easy.
(5)Jeff P.
Great food! This place is in a shopping plaza, in a remote part of town, with no fun interior, but the food....fantastic! The oyster po'boy and gumbo were fantastic. Made me miss NOLA.
(4)C M.
Good cajun food. If you are use to true cajun food, ask them to spice it up a little. Normally that would be a death sentence, but in Spfd, MO the food here is ALL mild unless you ask for different. Jambalaya and etoufee are must-haves. I hear Po Boys are good, but have not had one as yet. Place needs wi-fi and a larger dining area (tables are jammed together).
(4)Josh S.
This small place has a nice selection. I had the shrimp po'boy and it was great. I will definitely be back. The bread they use for the po'boys is awesome. Don't substitute the chips for fries the chips are fried on site and taste like kettle chips they are great.
(4)Alyson O.
After reading all the very positive Yelp reviews and being on an endless hunt for a delicious po'boy in Springfield, I decided to try Big Easy for lunch today. I've driven by many times but always found the exterior slightly off-putting (it's in a small shopping center). Anyway. I had the fried shrimp po'boy and my boyfriend had the roast beef po'boy. I think we both really wanted the fried oyster, but were told that due to the oil spill, they haven't had oysters for a while. Understandable, I suppose. The bread was delicious; chewy and fresh tasting. The fried shrimp po'boy comes standard with remoulade sauce here, but I got the creole mustard sauce on mine instead. The roast beef was also good--suuuper messy and huge, dripping with au jus. The chips that come with the sandwiches were really good and obviously house made. Next time, I'd like to try the jambalaya. Another diner in the restaurant ordered it and it looked great, not to mention the portion size was gigantic. We will definitely be back .
(4)Paula B.
Excellent authentic food. Service good. Gumbo was very good. Recommend highly.
(4)Dr. Thomas B.
I have personally found the staff that works here surely want to be of service to their customers and is also found they are very personable and easy to talk to. I can truly say that the food that is here you would find the same quality of food in New Orleans the one thing that I would've liked was to hear Cajun music or zydeco playing over their speakers. But the type of music is a minor issue to the great food that they serve here with that taste of New Orleans.I will be bringing in my family to try their food out.
(4)Ginger A.
This place is the real deal, delicious Cajun style food made fresh. It has an authentic vibe and is slightly dive-y but just the right side of clean. The dining room is small but cozy. The fries were above par though, especially with the added hot sauce and a shake of seasoning (maybe Old Bay?) on the table. There were 2 young guys working who were friendly and efficient. They seemed to be working hard to take care of everyone's order and doing a fabulous job of it. I was a little surprised at certain things that were not on the menu (no desserts for example - Cajun style restaurants are usually the one place I consider dessert a must) but there were still plenty of options. We were impressed and I am happy to see this place has been around for awhile and has other good reviews!
(4)Zachary B.
Solid cajun food. Excellent gumbo, generous portions, inexpensive, what's not to love?
(5)Curtis G.
Never had a bad meal here, the gumbo is made the way it is supposed to be.
(5)April G.
I'm new to Springfield, so I use yelp for dinner-date ideas with my boyfriend. After reading there reviews I must say they were right! I went during lunch time, which Im glad bc it does seem like lunch time food, or take to go. I had the roast beef po'boy and side order of there sweet potatoe fries. Messy but so good! The boyfriend had the catfish. Let's just say he didn't say a word after he got his sandwich. Not bc it was bad but bc he wouldn't put it down! Haha. Next time we go I really want to try there jumbo.
(5)Rich E.
Great food, great service and a great atmosphere! I have tried every item on the menu and have never once regretted it.
(5)Jordan Z.
cajun done correctly! stop reading and drive there! unless you've had too many to drink then take a cab!
(5)Brian K.
I haven't had many po'boys, but this was definately the best one I've had. I got the shrimp one. I liked the shrimp on it and the sauce was great. My wife had the oyster po'boy, it seemed good also. Their seemed to be lots of choices on the menu. I'd like to try the ettoufee next time. I enjoyed the cajun music playing in the background.
(4)Napoleon P.
Pretty good stuff:) great hospitality.
(4)Doug R.
Trip #2- I went here with my friend last night for a hearty meal. I talked him into the roast beef po'boy (see previous review) and I had my first ever Fried Shrimp Po'boy and added the sweet potato fries for $2. I immediately regretted my decision upon comparison of the two dishes. For some reason, being a shrimp lover-and gulf shrimp in particular, I thought that my sandwich would have some kind of shrimpy flair that went above and beyond the menu description. Nope. Its 6-8 butterflied shrimp, suspiciously similar to the grocery store fried shrimp, whole lotta shredded lettuce, maters, and remoulade sauce (which I honestly don't like. It seems like one of those love it/hate it things). Maybe I was expecting spicy shrimp, creole shrimp, I dunno. Whatever it was, it was lame. My plate ended up being a big mess of shredded lettuce and remoulade soaked bread, although I did eat all the shrimp. Oh my Yelp friends! How my heart yearned for that roast beef while my friend was sagaciously scarfing down his sandwich! And I finished mine with a bitter scowl...This happens. Not everything will be perfect on a menu. Everybody else in the restaurant had great looking food while I continued to die a little inside. I will NOT write about where I went later on in the evening to get food to fulfill the ever developing void in my stomach after Big Easy's, as that damn sandwich did not fill me up at all. I must say though, the sweet potato fries were delicious and would be amazing next to some etoufee or some gumbo. Will I go here again? Hell yeah. Will I not order that poor po'boy? Of course. FYI; That roast beef alone is worth keeping their 4-4.5 Star rating.
(4)Nolan B.
Great Cajun food....pricey, but worth it for hard to find cuisine.
(5)Thomas R.
I have always enjoyed spicy food and so when it comes to Cajun, I'm open to anything new that comes across my table. The Big Easy did a superb job of delivering a wonderful dish that to me was both delicious and expertly prepared. What surprised me initially was the food's appearance, seeming slightly different from how I had pictured it, but the taste was simply exquisite. Loaded with spices, but just the right amount to not overpower the entire dish. The lunch menu has probably the best selection of dishes, plus it's never too crowded and the service is prompt. The étouffée is absolutely wonderful and hands down the best in town. The shrimp and crawfish were cooked perfectly, the rice was just right, and the sauce was a great combination of spices and butter that brought out the entire dish. The serving size was also fairly generous for the price which was another bonus. My one regret is that I could probably never create that étouffée recipe for myself. But then again, it just means that I'll be going back to Big Easy for some great dishes.
(5)Shane A.
How this place got such high marks is beyond me... We walked in, and we're prompted to "sit where we pleased." They only had one highchair luckily no one else needed it. We also failed to realize we needed to get our own menu. I decided on the oyster half, and my wife on the half catfish po-boys. My wife's sandwich was a little skimpy, but not nearly as bad as mine. My sandwich consisted of 99% bread. It was about 4 inches long. Had "two" pieces of oyster on it! Yes only two; come on it's not lobster. Lettuce, and a tomato for $7!... The server also tried to overcharge us for frys. When he called over the manager. I said; it states right here at the top if you get a sandwich frys are $1.50.. The manager said well its only his second day! I said that's fine I'm not attacking him just showing him on the menu his mistake... Went to pay, and a big dude that's also the cook asked how things were. I expressed my disappointment in the lack of oysters. As in there were two.. His only reply was; sorry you weren't satisfied.... Never going back. Wasn't anything special, service was mediocre. And atmosphere was like being in a backyard dinner.. Oh did I mention the table filth when we wiped it with a wetwipe?... Ewwww.
(2)Holly A.
Kinda disappointed. Very overpriced and I ordered a shrimp po boy and it was ok for $7 but you had to pay 1.50 for cheap regular fries instead of chips. It should come with fries. My husband ordered a oyster po boy and he had 2 tiny oysters on it. It was like 80% bread. We will probably never go back. We rate places on quality, quantity, and price and taking all that into consideration, it gets 2 stars.
(2)Alycia H.
The service was amazing! Our server, Garrett, did such a good job explaining the menu to us first timers. My husband and I had the Jambalaya, Fried Shrimp Po'boy, and shrimp Gumbo and it was all fantastic! If you can't decide on just one item, you can get "halves" of most items on the menu and get a combination of a few things. Highly recommend Big Easy Grill.
(4)Bradley R.
Have stopped here several times now and the lady and I both agree its pretty good. The spicy Cajun dishes are interesting and different. A real change of pace to the burger, taco, pasta, and pizza options that dot most parts of town. We really like the bread they bring in. Its nice and crispy on the outside and slightly chewy in the middle. Great for dipping in their dishes like the jambalaya or crawfish etouffee. The last time we went I got the ship po'boy and she got the andoulle sausage po'boy. Both put on that bread we like so much. They were both excellent. The decor of the palce is a bit hole in the wall but it works. I'd almost give this place a 5 star rating but I'm going to hold off until I can get down south and try the real deal and see how my local place stacks up. Either way, I'm still a fan.
(4)Doug L.
We were visiting from out of town and had just left the big Bass Pro Shop and needed some food. Found this place on yelp and it was close by. Great service and we both really like our meal. The bread pudding was fantastic.
(4)Mike M.
I decided to return here one year later while on a business trip. I enjoyed the 2013 visit and wanted to try more. This time I decided to try the roast beef po boy along with their chips along while tasting some of their jambalaya. And of course I had to have some more of that outstanding gumbo. First of all the repeat item...the gumbo. It was again very good. However my memory of last years was that it was crammed with seafood. This years version wasn't crammed. It was still good though with the seafood in it. I just missed that extra amount. I will give it a 4 how ever I gave it a 5 last year due to the content. Second, the po boy. Last year I thought it was a little small at 4". I still do. For $5.50 it is not much food. Also, I wasn't a fan of this roast beef. What I like is wet and a little runny with what is called "debris" on the sandwich. This was a little on the dry side with a light colored mayo type sauce on the meat. I give it a weak 3. The homemade chips were much better than the fries from last year. I really liked them and gave them a 4. Finally, the jambalaya. I asked for mine with medium spice which is exactly what I received. I thought it was a little dry but not bad. It had an adequate amount of meat content and flavor. I give it a 3. My table service was good. I am still going to give an overall 4 but with less enthusiasm than last year. My biggest criticism would be that the po boys should be a little bigger..at least an inch per half. One half is about three bites and that just isn't enough and I don't think this is a tapas restaurant. Second, I would want the roast beef to be a little more moist and finally French fries should be better perhaps hand cut and double fried. Don't get me wrong, if I lived here I would eat here from time to time. I would eat the gumbo, shrimp po boy (whole size) and the chips.
(4)Troy P.
Tried the slaw dog today. The yelp menu states is made from a Polish sausage, but at the restaurant it is listed andouille sausage. Not sure there's a huge difference maybe the fat contents a little higher on the andouille. Comes with homemade chips, the dog is on a wonderful French bread lathered in (kc masterpiece like) bbq sauce and covered in a tasty slaw. I will be back to explore more of the menu. 1:30 on a weekday and had to wait for a seat is always a good sign. Continuing my quest to find a true polish in sgf land.
(4)Larry R.
Visiting Branson for the first time and decided to head to Springfield for the day. We found Big Easy through Yelp and this place is great! There's not much to the restaurant but the food is outstanding! We had the jambalaya, the crawfish etoufee, some sandwiches and ended the meal with the bread pudding and a fried peach pie a la mode. Great meal, reasonably priced for the quality of the food, and we will definitely be coming back when we are in town!
(5)Christina M.
We were out-of-towners looking for something different for dinner and my hubby came up with this place. We loved it! It is just a very small place...only 9 tables, I believe. It was what I call a "hole in the wall", in a little strip mall area, and totally surprised me! It has an open kitchen. When we were there, just one waitress, one cook, and someone in back for dishes, I believe. Waitress was friendly and quick. The cook (owner, I believe?) was also super friendly. Food was tasty and plentiful and reasonably priced. I LOVED the blues music they were piping in. They are moving soon and I think that's going to be great for them! We had fried oysters for starters and goodness they were good!!!! For the meal, I got gumbo and my hubby got jambalaya. I was able to finish my bowl of gumbo, but his jambalaya was so plentiful he was able to take half home for lunch the next day. The bread was nice and soft with a perfect crust. If we come through town again, we'll definitely be back to eat at this place!
(4)Ashley D.
Very good Po'Boys! I highly recommend this place! Fresh food! Comes hot to the table!
(5)Alan C.
The best Cajun food around! Everything at this place is not only authentic but amazing! Their fish or shrimp po boys are great choices. They have fantastic jumbalia as well. It is a little hard to get in here during lunch but that speaks to the quality. The seating area is a little cramped but that is also part of the experience. They cook out in the open so that also adds to the experience with all the aromas etc. Outside of Louisiana I've not had Cajun or creole food this good!
(5)Paul B.
By far best cajun food around
(5)Tabby B.
delicious food, great price, and friendly service! I got a lot more than I expected in portion size and authenticity
(5)Thomas G.
The staff was friendly and courteous and the food was AMAZING. And part of my family is from Shreveport, LA (which is where the owner is from as well), so I am very familiar with quality Cajun/creole food and this was quality.
(5)Kathy A.
Wow...I have lived so close for 10 years. Am just finishing up shrimp etufe... Best sauce I have probably ever had. Friendly service. About to dig into bread pudding for dessert. Definitely my new favorite place in town to eat!
(5)Maya K.
We got the gumbo, hush puppies (not on the menu but get em!), rice and sausage (half size was plenty big), and a peach fried pie. This was exactly the kind of place we could only ever find with yelp... In a little strip mall, delicious food, friendly staff. Also, the place was incredibly kid friendly. They gave us a free kids plate that was super generous, had a very cool cookie jar, lots of alligator toys, and a high chair. Really enjoyed our lunch here!
(5)Molly R.
I HAVE to review this place to compensate in some way for the amazing meal I had here a few days ago, mostly because I've been craving it ever since. Yes, this is going to be raving. I'm not sorry. Boyfriend and I came here a few nights ago for a painless weeknight dinner. I myself was not necessarily in the mood for Cajun (I really just wanted a funnel and some mashed potatoes) but I obliged because I've always wanted to eat here and Boyfriend kept telling me how awesome his meals have been previously. After taking in the deceivingly tiny but equally quaint inside, Boyfriend and I seated ourselves by the window and perused the menu while a ton of other people filed out, filed in, and picked up to-go orders - this place gets some serious business. After the agonizing decision to order water to drink, Boyfriend went with his meal from the day before (yes, the day before): a roast beef sandwich. I went with the catfish dinner, which promised to come with a gratuitous bit of lightly fried catfish, hush puppies, coleslaw, and sweet potato fries. I had already resigned myself to be only fairly satisfied with my meal. I'm not big on sweet potatoes, I hate coleslaw, and I previously had zero opinion of hush puppies. Even when my plate was sat down in front of me, I had already categorized each dish into "will devour," "will tolerate," and "will ignore" sections. I ate everything - well, except the coleslaw, which I didn't touch. Even if coleslaw was encrusted with edible gold I wouldn't give it the time of day. But the sweet potato fries were delectable and had an incredible texture; they didn't trip over into "too sweet" territory and were crazily addicting. The hush puppies tasted like a fluffy truffle of chicken broth (I don't know, this seems an accurate description) and the catfish was simply sublime. Perfectly flaky, perfectly not fishy, perfectly fried. I have the stomach of a field mouse and I. Ate. Everything. Our server was attentive, the wait wasn't depressingly long despite the number of patrons, and I though the price of my meal ($13-ish with tip) was well worth it. Bravo, Big Easy! Way to represent a famed cuisine so well and join the ranks (in my mind) as one of the best places to eat in Springfield.
(5)Don F.
Incredible, is the only word that describes this place. It has been spectacular for years! One of my don't misses in Springfield. I actually came here because I am taking my son to Nola on Saturday and I had Cajun on the mind! It does not look like much from the curb. It is in a strip mall. But the owner does his food right! They have very good Cajun food. The food reminds me of New Orleans cuisine. The only complaint is the seafood is not quite as good, but the preparation and spice is dead on! The bread really is what brings me home. It is a light baguette like in the quarter. It comes with the gumbo. That combination proves to me that God exists. Omg is it delicious. Another suitable application of this bread is on the poor boys. The beef is messy but good. I really like the shrimp and catfish as well. Id tell you about the bread pudding but I do not want them to run out!
(5)Mike C.
In town on business. Checked Yelp and saw 78 reviews (so we know it's legit). Shrimp PO boy was fantastic. Coleslaw perfect! Waiter was very cool, took the time to small talk and my sweet tea was always full. Great guy. I don't bs..., this place was great as promised. I'll be back! - mike
(4)Terry C.
I've been a regular customer here since shortly after they opened. I have never had a bad meal and the service is always exceptional. My favorites are the roast beef po'boy, shrimp po'boy and the jambalaya. I also like the red beans and sausage, the slaw dog and my wife raves about the pork loin sandwich. Today I decided to try something different and had the catfish po'boy. Wow, the catfish was the best I have ever had. It has a mild flavor with a nicely seasoned coating and was perfectly cooked. It's rare these days for a restaurant to provide such a satisfying experience time and time again. The Big Easy Grill does that in spades.
(5)Cori N.
I absolutely loved my experience here! I was just driving through on my way back home from a conference when I found this place on the Yelp app. Since I was essentially in the middle of nowhere I decided to take its tip and come here. And I definitely made the right choice! I had a fish sandwich and I loved every bite. It was crispy, fresh and perfect. The bread was soft and tasty, and the (I think homemade) hot sauce and remoulade-style sauce was perfect. I seriously wish I had asked about that hot sauce because it was great and I've not found anything like it since. On the plus side, the guy who was working there was really friendly! He answered all my questions and even brought me a couple food 'extras'. If I was back in town I would definitely come back again.
(5)Stephanie V.
It is so freaking cold outside but it's warm and smells great in here! Only a huge steaming plate of food will suffice tonight, and as usual, the Big Easy delivered. I had a perfectly fried pork loin sandwich with a hot bowl of gumbo. The heat from that soup in my belly radiated through me. Delicious! My picky son had the pulled pork sandwich and my other son chose the creole pasta. Both ate til their bellies could hold no more. Stealing tastes from both plates, I have determined you can't go wrong here. All of the diners around us seemed to enjoy their meals as well (the seating is tight and you can't help but overhear conversations). Can't wait to go back!!!
(5)Alicia B.
Food is awful. I had the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. I didn't even finish it. (It was the small side order.) I had Bread Pudding for dessert. It was ok if you can get past it being under cooked. It had apples in it which I found odd but all recipes are different. If you have any inkling of what authentic Cajun food should taste like then take a heads up and AVOID eating here.
(2)Michaelle W.
After reading all the reviews for this business, I decided to try out their menu because I had been to New Orleans and loved the Jambalaya that I experienced there. Unfortunately, my food experience here was sub par. :( Jambalaya: I ordered a massive plate extremely excited to be having it, only to find that it was full of chunked up cayenne pepper. It was literally chunks. I literally was sitting with my fork mashing the chunks to mix it myself. I didn't want to embarrass my date by confronting the cook about my meal, but I left my plate almost full. I couldn't finish it. Then it also lacked a lot of flavor too. Very disappointed! I ended up ordering fries and requesting more and more water to try and just calm my mouth and get through my meal. The only delicious thing I had was the red beans and sausage from my date's plate. They were yummy and smooth in texture with the sausage being crisp with a slight crunch when you bit through the skin. Atmosphere: This was a small redeeming factor in the sense that it was quiet and comfy, but my table rocked and my date's knees wouldn't fit under the table. He was 6'7" and the tables were short and there weren't any other seating options. He ended up sitting so far out from the table that it made it difficult to eat. Overall my experience left me feeling stiffed. I went next door and had Andy's, and life was better. I'd consider trying again, but I'd want to see the food before I purchase and maybe even taste, because paying for that the first time was too much. :/ So disappointed. :(
(2)Deb M.
Good overall, but not great. My husband ordered the Jambalaya. It was tasty, but the roux had too much flour, giving it a goopy starchy taste. It could have been meatier too. I had the shrimp po' boy with a side of gumbo. The gumbo was outstanding!! Don't miss out on it. The sandwich was just OK - the bread was kind of stale and too thick for the shrimp filling. The remoulade was bland but the accompanying house made potato chips were excellent. We ordered some gumbo to go, and a side of the potato chips. The chips were not put in the carry-out bag. The restaurant was really busy. I'm sure their uniqueness helps their popularity, and some menu items are much much better than others, but still, they've got a long way to go.
(3)Howard E.
This is easily the best Cajun food I've ever had! Dirty rice, étouffée, jambalaya, po' boys. Here for 3 days and had to get here twice. Guy I was with had it 2 days in a row and 3 times altogether. Reasonable prices, friendly folks.
(5)Jim L.
Yelp suggested as we were driving through from STL to Fayetteville AR. Very unpretentious - focus is on cooked to order food that was good all around. Our party had catfish dinner. Great filet breaded perfect with sweet tater fries. Other was club sandwich which sounds pedestrian but big chunk chicken and ham. Homemade chips rounded that out. I had the pork loin sandwich and it was sweet. Pounded out beyond the French bread slices and fried perfectly with a crust that was crispy and kept the cutlet juicy. I subbed coleslaw and again not the ordinary. Had a little horseradish combined with sweet and mayo-style. The sandwiches were around $8 and catfish $10. Good crowd for Monday night of families and locals. Small staff but never felt neglected and even though cooked fresh it came out quick to get us back on the road.
(4)Stephanie H.
I love, love, love The Big Easy Grill. Me and my husband have taken tons of people here. The roast beef po boys are phenomenal. In fact, when we went to NOLA and had roast beef po boys, we did not like the NOLA versions as well. The andouille sausage with read beans and rice is my go to. I also like the gumbo for a light meal. When splurging, I love to get their bread pudding. Yum!
(5)Melissa T.
Have eaten food from here multiple times since my first visit (still haven't eaten in though), and it's been delicious each time. The roast beef po boy is ridiculously good. The shrimp po boy...ridiculously good. The catfish po boy...good but I've had better. The catfish was a bit too soft to stand up to the chewiness of the bread. The dirty rice...insanely good. I could eat that and only that and be beyond satisfied. It's filled with roast beef (potentially my new favorite item from the Big Easy), sausage, grilled onion, peppers, and other goodness. It's so filling and oh so very tasty. And if I didn't say it before, the chips are great. They're great second day too. Worst thing about this place to me was that they were not busy at 6 on a Friday night. People, fellow yelpers, random lookers-on: PLEASE eat at the Big Easy if you're not. It's one of those restaurants that Springfield needs. And on that note, I'm going to go gnaw on my hand and pretend it's the Big Easy's roast beef.
(5)Mike V.
I have not had very many creole dinning experiences but I have to say it was very good and the portion of jambalaya was more than I could finish!
(4)Austin W.
Big Easy has the best catfish in town. Not to mention some of the best tasting food around. There Po boys are to die for, and they have classic jambalaya, boudin, and gumbo. Everything is fresh and delicious. Did I mention how good the catfish is?
(5)Brittany Z.
I've had the jambalaya, po'boys, fried fish, shrimp, and more from here. It's always very tasty and flavorful. If you like lots of spice (like me!), they will adjust it to your liking. The only downside of eating here is the fact that it attracts a crowd. If you don't like a friendly atmosphere where your table is close to your fellow foodies, you should order ahead and pick-up for a Netlfix evening at home:)
(4)Jon B.
This place is fantastic! The jambalaya, boudin, and gumbo are amazing, but the crawfish étouffée was the best I've ever had. The staff was very friendly as well, and the service was more than quick enough for a lunch break. I only wish I'd known about this place sooner.
(5)Karen E.
Don't let the outside fool you! Great food! Great service! Great price!
(5)Austin K.
Fantastic food and friendly staff. Stopped in on the road because someone in the car suggested Cajun if we could find a place. It's a small local establishment, but by no means will you leave with an empty belly. I had the boudin sausage balls, so tasty.
(5)Jeff J.
Too expensive but good food. Really like the food but it's over priced for what you're getting. Quality is just okay, as is service.
(4)Mildred C.
I love love love the étouffée!!! A coworker told me I had to eat here. And so I did. I got the shrimp étouffée the second time I went and I crave that sauce with rice all the time. For me, it was delicious. Not necessarily where I would want to eat everyday, but good enough for me to go during lunch since I work nearby. It can get pretty crowded during the lunch hour... But most places are crowded. It's yummy! I was a happy camper.
(5)Amber S.
This place really is a beautiful hidden gem of Springfield. My hubby and I brought the in-laws here...we had never been, we were all feeling adventurous, and we love cajun food! Big Easy did not disappoint! First off, just need to say, the staff was phenomenal. The sweetest most wonderful waitress I've ever met waited on us and really set the tone for the rest of the experience. She was happy, kind, helpful, and attentive. 5 stars, just for that! Good service goes a looooong way in my book. Now to the food! My hubby ordered the oyster po boy &I ordered the muffaletta sandwich (half!!!) both with the sweet potato fries. I'm a sucker for sweet potato fries, and theirs were hot, fresh, and scrumptious! The sandwich was huge. I mean, massively huge. I could not finish it. If you've never had muffaletta, and you love olives and onions, this is the sandwich for you. According to my hubby, the oyster po boy was delicious. Also enormous, and they did not skimp on the oysters! My father in law got the club sandwich and he inhaled it. This is his way of saying he loved it! My mother in law got the dirty jambalaya...again, HUGE portion!! She tried her best, but could barely finish 2/3 of her plate. They made for tasty leftovers. Everything had a very homecooked meal style and it was wonderful. Spicy, flavorful, and very very filling. We ordered hushpuppies after we had ordered our meal (because I'm a goof, and forgot that they were off menu, but someone on yelp had said to try em, and we just had to.) I have to say they were quite possibly the best hushpuppies we've ever had. You have got to order some. The prices were fantastic. Super reasonable, and that's before you see the portions of your meal. Then you feel like you just got a friends and family discount. ;) It was a lovely dining experience, and my hubby has expressed his anxiousness to get back there as soon as possible! I have only one suggestion for the lovely folks at Big Easy...any chance we will be seeing some beignets on the menu? Because then I'm never leaving!
(5)Theresa L.
Very small place, but brimming politeness. Only 9 tables in the whole place. Waiters never let our tea get below half. Boyfriend had the catfish dinner, was excellent, fish was very moist. I had Shrimp Etoufe. We also ordered a small order of sweet potato fries and a bowl of seafood gumbo. Needs a bit more seasoning. Not the best I've ever had, but decent. Total bill was $33 with 2 teas.
(3)Teri I.
Excellent food. The seafood Gumbo was best we've ever had - full of seafood in delicious broth. Also had catfish po boy (loved the fish & bun). Soooooo good that we got Gumbo to go. We'll come back if we're ever in area.
(5)Bryan K.
Had lunch with the wife at big easy grill today was very good if you like Louisiana food its a great place to go, I had the oyster po'boy and the wife had the catfish one and we split them. Was yummy had lots of good stuff to try will definitely be back
(5)Jason L.
The roast beef po boy was pretty good. I crave boudin. I have had authentic boudin plenty of times and I would have to say, the boundin balls here were not really good. If you're looking for good Cajun style food, then this isn't really the place to go, but I would say the roast beef po boy was one of the best I've had flavor wise. Service was very friendly and nice also. Overall better than average for a good sandwich but everything else was just ok.
(3)Susie G.
Best fish sandwich in town. Bread pudding is divine! Love the gumbo. Eat there at least once a week.
(5)Steven P.
The gumbo tasted exactly like new Orleans and the roast beef po boy was possibly the best sandwich I've ever tasted. A true mom and pop gem.
(5)Sam E.
Don't let the small size or the strip mall fool you. And don't be put off by the lack of full service (you order at the counter). Friendly staff and great Cajun food. I had the half gumbo, half jambalaya plate. As good as any I've ever had. Chock full of sausage shrimp and crayfish (if you want them). My brother had the catfish and loved it. It was crispy on the outside with a filet that melts in your mouth. Finished with bread pudding. Great texture, great taste without being too heavy. Best of all were the prices. Less than $25 for the whole meal. If you like Cajun food, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Mister K.
We had a great group dinner here. Ordered etoufee with rice and it was wonderfully spicy and rich. Our friends also enjoyed the po'boy sandwiches. The service was great and very helpful. I really love local restaurants like this. I wish we had more places like Big Easy in Springfield!
(5)Wendy O.
Excellent food and great service. Looking forward to going again real soon!!! I hade the creole pasta and bread it was the best!!!
(5)Sherry L.
Haven't had a po'boy since I was in Louisiana, but Big Easy's shrimp po'boy will do to tide me over until my next trip to NOLA. (: It was the perfect (and quickest) way to ease into the 2PM lull...probably not the best for afternoon meetings - but A-Okay for what turned out to be an easy afternoon on-site. Only gripe, service was sluggish. For a sammich that doesn't look all that difficult to make (chopped lettuce/tomatoes/shrimp slapped onto a loaf of french bread), it took us 40 minutes to get our food.
(3)Jim R.
My wife and I went to New Orleans for our honeymoon. There were numerous memorable events, both good and bad, but the food was (as expected) a high point. Now, a dozen years later, I rarely eat cajun/creole food. It's not that I don't like it; it's the fear of being disappointed yet again by greasy, poorly seasoned imitations. Therefore, I approached the rave reviews of the Big Easy with a degree of skepticism. When we arrived for lunch with my father-in-law in tow (we decided to treat him for his birthday), the venue itself was not impressive: a non-descript location in a mini strip mall, and no elaborate decor. Basic wooden tables and chairs, along with well-worn laminated menus. Believe it or not, this actually caused my hopes to rise. At least the ratings weren't due to wide-idea locals being wowed by shiny beads and the like. A friendly gent (I assume he was the owner) greeted us and made a couple of brief comments about how to order (at the counter, get your own drinks then sit where you like). The menu is basic, yet complete. There were numerous sandwiches including muffaletta, po boys, and pork loin, along with standard offerings like jambalaya, etouffe, red beans and rice, and gumbo. We ordered shrimp and oyster po boys, jambalaya, and fried shrimp with sweet potato fries. I was disappointed to discover they were out of boudin, so I settled on spicy shrimp etouffe (I was offered mild, medium or spicy on both that and the jambalaya). We got our drinks and sat down. There were probably four or five tables besides us on a Tuesday at Noon. A young lady was manning the stove largely by herself within our view. We hadn't been waiting long when our food started arriving from the gentleman at the counter. The po boys were half portions (by request) served with house made kettle-style potato chips. The jambalaya and etouffe were massive portions, and the fried shrimp were ample (especially considering the size of the young diner who ordered them). We began to eat. Damn. This was one of the better meals I've had in quite some time. I tend to favor spicy ethnic cuisines (Indian, Thai, Carribean), being the flavor hound that I am. The flavor was present at Big Easy in spades. The etouffe sauce was deep and luxurious, rich without being overbearing. There was just enough rice to allow me to capture almost all the sauce, and enough french bread to wipe up what was left. There were enough shrimp to fill me up, but not so many as to take the focus away from the sauce. Everyone was way satisfied. The shrimp and oyster po boys received excellent ratings (especially for the remoulade sauce and those hearty chips), the jambalaya was deemed perfectly seasoned (and likely enough for two more meals), and the fried shrimp (which were battered in a beer batter/tempura style, rather than a heavy breading or corn meal) were amazingly juicy and flavorful (a fine example of what fried shrimp CAN be as opposed to what one normally receives). Now, Big Easy listed bread pudding on the blackboard as we entered. I am not one to pass up bread pudding, but no one else seemed game. When I placed the order, the owner stated that he'd put it in a to-go container and give me a large portion so that people could share. That's exactly what he did, and he was a smart man for it. This was a fine bread pudding: the result of plenty of crusty bread, butter, brown sugar, and time. No whiskey sauce needed, no fancy add-ins. Needless to say, my dining companions found a little renewed food interest, and the extra spoons he brought were put to use. Locusts couldn't have cleaned that container better. I can't recommend this place highly enough. Don't go expecting a fancy experience; visually, it's plain (even a little rough around the edges). I hope that never changes; it's way too easy for cajun restaurants to become bad parodies when they focus on anything but the food. Big Easy absolutely NAILS their menu. As we say around our house, you can taste the love. It's abundantly obvious from the interactions with both the staff and the food: this place runs on love. Now, that's something of which we could ALL use second helpings. Support this place, people. I need it to be here when I come back for the boudin (and more). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
(5)Frank G.
In town on business, found this restaurant online and went for supper. The good: Very good tasting food -- I had the shrimp po' boy, Idaho fries and fried okra. The staff was very friendly and attending to my needs. Very good service. The not so good: Small portions -- the shrimp were large but not enough of them to totally cover the bread (you've GOT to pile them on there guys!), and the serving of okra was way too small also ($3 for about a dozen pieces of okra). And the beer? Only 4 choices and two of them are Miller Light and Bud Light! Please! Get some real beer in there. I would definitely want to go back for lunch; too small a portion for supper though.
(3)Mike W.
They bring the bread up from New Orleans for the Po'boys. It is not New Orleans but it sure is a great substitute when you can't be in "The Quarter". The olive relish on the Muffeleta is one of the best.I have had. I can say that this place is a great stop in Springfield.
(5)Jeremy D.
Superb roast beef po' boy, jambalaya, étouffée, and pulled pork! Highly recommended!
(5)Tommy H.
I don't have the words to adequately describe the food. We ordered fried oysters to share; he had chicken/sausage gumbo; and I had a side of jambalaya and a side of seafood gumbo. Portions were generous and perfectly seasoned. Absolute star of the meal were the fried oysters!!!!! Too die for! Very fresh, perfectly breaded, and served with a very flavorful romalade sauce. We are already deciding what to order next time.
(5)Pam F.
Gumbo was very good; the boudin was a too bland for me and the rice/meat/pepper ratio favored the rice a little too much, but the remoulade sauce with it was spicy and the combination was great. The oyster po-boy was yummy and I also wished it was a little bigger, mainly because I wanted more! I'll definitely go back for seconds.
(4)Jason G.
Great food. Been around since 2006. We ordered po'boys and Jumbalaya. Both excellent. The shrimp po'boys had lightly fried shrimp and mayo sauce. Sweet potato fries are cut thin, fried crispy with cinnamon and salt. Mmm mmm good. Small eating area, cozy and friendly atmosphere. Owner was very nice and was the one taking orders, cooking and serving. It was fast and quality service even so. Con: decor could use a few tweaks. Maybe some more wood, lower lighting and some more trashy pictures on the wall. I dunno, wasn't enough to bother me. Still 5 stars on the food.
(5)Patrick P.
Wow! What a meal! My nephew and I stopped in Springfield for the night while driving across the country. Not knowing where to eat dinner, we consulted our little friend Yelp and found The Big Easy. Thank you Yelp!!! We had three entrees between us: Oyster Po' Boy (with sweet potato fries), Crawfish etouffee, and Jambalaya (the classic Cajun style). Everything was incredible! The oysters tasted as fresh as any I've had along the coast. Juicy, just briny enough, and perfectly cooked...delicious. The crawfish etouffee was silky smooth, perfectly seasoned, and wonderfully flavorful...amazing. The jambalaya was a huge portion chock full of sausage, chicken, ham, and shrimp...again, all was perfectly seasoned. Spicy but not overly hot. Exactly what you hope for when you order jambalaya. The bread, served as a side with the entrees and used for for the Po' Boy, was notable too. I've no idea if they get it from another vendor or make it themselves but it was delicious. Several tables around our commented on this. Some were regulars and others were first timers like us. As other reviewers have pointed out, the sweet potato fries are also not to be missed. I've never met a sweet potato fry I didn't like but these were especially good. The proprietors are very friendly, the service was very fast (despite having a completely full house when we were there), and the other diners were all very friendly. The Big Easy definitely has a "neighborhood joint" feel to it (which I mean as nothing but a compliment). If you're in, near, or passing through Springfield, I highly recommend stopping by The Big Easy. You won't regret it!
(5)Billie R.
Remember that this is not an authentic Cajun restaurant. Once you know that you will enjoy your food as it is. The food here is good and the place is really tiny so you are always catered to!
(4)Jeremy M.
Been to the Big Easy three times over the last several months and have never been disappointed. Po'boy (oyster) sandwich with sweet potato fries is delicious and tastes very much like what you can get in New Orleans. The oysters weren't as big but the the veggies and sauce were delicious on an artisan bun. I've never had ettouffe from Louisiana before but I can tell you that the Big Easy makes a delicious version. The creamy, spicy (I ordered it spicy) sauce was full of shrimp and crawfish that were cooked perfectly before being ladled over a pile of white rice. The gumbo is good, I just wish the base was a little less watery. My wife loved the catfish and said that it was breaded lightly and didn't have the fishy taste that most catfish dishes can't seem to escape. Her only wish was that she ordered it with a little more spice instead of plain breading.
(4)Deb C.
Food was great. It was our first time here and we live a few blocks away!!
(4)Katie G.
Delicious, went there for dinner last night, considering going again tonight.
(5)Jan A.
What a wonderful find in Springfield, MO! The jambalaya was loaded with tender shrimp, juicy chicken and delicious andouille sausage. Shrimp Po'Boy was excellent. Shrimp/crawfish étouffée very good but our personal preference is a less tomatoey sauce. Everything was freshly prepared and ingredients were top notch.
(4)Ricki H.
Awesome local restaurant with great food like home made. Catfish is well fried and marinated. The batter is not thick at all but it's crispy. Seafood gumbo is nice. Jambalaya is pretty great. Prefer the dirty style more. I've eaten here twice when I'm on businese trips already!
(4)Kristin J.
Good basic creole/Cajun food reasonably priced and quick service made this a perfect stop on our road trip. Kids had chicken fingers. I had shrimp po boy and my husband had boudin. Shrimp was freshly breaded and perfectly fried. A touch on the large side - kept falling out of the sandwich. Great remoulade sauce. Husband said Boudin was great but he wished bigger (since so tasty). 2 kid meals, two adult meals with one glass of wine and $40 before tip. Best part for a long trip was how quick the service was. Kids liked the alligator decor. Basic wooden square tables, food served in baskets, real silverware and wine glass.
(4)Melissa B.
We were on our way through Springfield and found The Big Easy on Yelp. It had great reviews so we thought we'd give it a try. The food is delicious and the service was fantastic. The portions are huge and we left absolutely satisfied. Save some room for dessert because the bread pudding is outstanding. This will be our new go to restaurant anytime we find ourselves in the area.
(5)Jerome H.
Relative to what it is, this is the best place I've found in Springfield. The mufaletta is good, the po' boys have all been good (best is probably the shrimp), the red beans and sausage and fried oysters are good. I love cajun food. I've had the real thing, I've had lousy substitutes, and this is exactly what you want on the low-fi end of cajun food: greasy, fried, filling, bold flavors, etc. Plus, the staff is friendly and the alligator vibe is a nice touch.
(5)Christopher T.
Was in Springfield visiting friends and family. Found The Big Easy on Yelp. Turned out to be a great find. The place is small and it was crowded. Service was still prompt and met all my needs. The menu has a lot of the typical New Orleans favorites - po'boys, jambalaya, etc.. I settled on a shrimp po'boy, french fries, and a side of jambalaya. The sandwich was really good. The bread was crunchy, but not hard, plenty of shrimp, and a good portion of remoulade. The fries were plentiful and crisp. The jambalaya was good, but not great. Still worth trying... N*joy...
(4)Amy G.
I love this place!! Great food, great staff, kind of weird location, but you get used to it. Seriously though. Eat here. You'll like it. I've tried sandwiches, pastas and gumbo and they have all been marvelous. I appreciate the attention to flavor and the attention to the guest. They love their customers and they love their food and it shows in every bite. Yum.
(5)Steve F.
This is an unsung gem of Springfield. A friend recommended it, and since both my partner and I had challenging work-days, I decided to surprise him with an adventure over here. I'm the more adventurous eater, and I had to go for shrimp etouffee' - The Guy went for the fried shrimp, which came with a side of gumbo, and he added a side of dirty rice. I decided to try the side-order of one ball of Boudin, which is loosely described as coated, fried pork-and-rice. The food arrived, and it was *stunning.* The roux for the etouffee was so good, you could smear it on a rusty bumper and make it taste good! The shrimp were plentiful, and we brought half of the etouffee home (next time, we will just split that, I think). The fried shrimp were hand-breaded, tender, and gently seasoned. The dirty rice was awesome, with big chunks of andouille sausage. The gumbo was meaty, but mild - since The Guy is a little hot-sauce-phobic, we left it out of that, but a bottle of their own hot sauce is on the table if you want to spice it up. If you look up Boudin recipes, you'll see "cajun sausage." Big Easy's is more finely chopped pulled pork shoulder with rice, seasonings, peppers, rolled into balls, coated with corn meal (I think) and fried. The dipping sauce they serve with it (and with the fried shrimp) is another rusty-bumper item. Lightly crusted outside, moist and good on the inside. I dunno if it's authentic, but it was good. We are two good sized guys, and we were full-to-the-stuffing point, even with setting half the etouffee in a carry-out container. The total, with two sodas, was $27 and change - not cheap, but *damn* was it worth it. I saw a shrimp po-boy and some kind of pasta go by that I really wish I could have tried, but our eyes were already much bigger than our stomachs. (Note that the po-boys come in half-and whole pricing.) This kind of food is not *fast food* - it's prepared fresh, and in the evening, they are staffed light, so don't come here if you're in a rush or your blood-sugar is bottoming out. But we didn't wait long for our food, and it was very much worth the wait. You know that feeling when you've found a great place, and you want them to succeed, so you want to really talk them up, but you love it, and don't want to let the cat out of the bag so you don't have to fight for a table? That's where I am with this place.
(5)Kathleen A.
Seriously AMAZING! I live in Denver, where I can't even count one Cajun restaurant. I am sure they are out there, but after 3 years of living there I have still yet to find one. I'm visiting my brother for the Thanksgiving holiday, and he kept telling me about this place and how often he goes there since he works close by. They even have a "Chris Spicy" Jambalaya and Chicken Po' boy that they cater to make to his tastes. These guys are so friendly. They made a special batch of chicken fingers for the little ones too! I decided on the Jambalaya with chicken and sausage, spicy. I also shared a chicken po'boy with the brother. Both were SO delicious and SO flavorful. Absolutely loved the chicken po' boy- I'd say one of the best I've ever had. It can be a bit messy to eat but worth every bite. Also don't skip on the homemade potato chips and sweet potato fries!! Whoever said this place is pricey is out of their mind. A big portion of jambalaya is around $8 as well as the sandwiches (served with a side of chips or fries). I am now on a mission to find me some Cajun food when I get back to Denver.
(5)Sean M.
It's been months since I was at The Big Easy, but I felt it necessary to make it one of my first reviews on Yelp. No need for a long drawn out story, but I'll tell you what you want to know. It is fantastic. The crawfish ettouffe, jambalaya, and red beans and rice are simply magnificent. Real deal... My experience was brightened by the fact that I sat under a King Biscuit Blues Festival poster from my home town in AR. Laissez lez bon ton roulette!
(5)Kisha H.
Get the oyster po boy with sweet potato fries! Their crawfish ettouffee is good, too.
(5)Laura B. R.
The food here is out of this world! We were just passing through on vacation and found out about this restaurant before we left town. I ordered the pasta dish and I am still wanting more to this day. If I lived in Springfield, I would be in trouble. Relaxing atmosphere and wonderful food.
(5)Roy S.
BEST BEST BEST!!! Love this food but you gotta get there early for lunch. There's not much room in the place. The jambalaya is the best! The portions are enormous. You won't be sorry.
(5)Kurt R.
We stopped by here on our trip with our kids to Fantastic Caverns. All of the Cajun food we ordered was delicious. The half Muffaleta had delicious olive tapenade on it. The seafood Gumbo had large portions of shrimp and crawfish. The sweet potato fries were the best that I have ever had. The only problems with the food was the super bland coleslaw. The kids menu is incredibly small as well and by incredibly small I mean they only have chicken fingers on it.
(4)Lucas R.
Yikes, no idea how this is pretty much the most popular (highest rating on significant number of reviews) place to eat in Yelp. I kinda feel sorry for my fellow Springfieldians. Visiting for a few days, I figured I'd try out Yelp's finest. I got the Jambalaya, half a catfish poboy, and the gumbo. I found everything unimpressive. An absolutely massive heap of Jambalaya was promptly delivered to my table; I thought I was wearing Google glasses and seeing shit- but this was the real deal. Unfortunately it's about 85% rice by volume. Spices and taste was great, but not nearly enough meat! Same story with the gumbo... for $3.50, it was incredibly small and not nearly enough meat. The catfish poboy was solid, but not great. I really want to give this place a 2 star- don't waste your time!
(3)Amanda C.
The fried catfish po'boy sandwich was crispy, warm, and very tasty...i loved it! Large portions, prompt service, and the great manager and staff members make your trip here worthwhile. It's hard to find a good place while driving cross country, and this place makes me want to come back to visit again.
(5)Allison P.
Oh. My. Gosh! So incredibly delicious! We were in town for my husbands fathers surgery and were looking for something good to eat. So very glad we found this place. My in-laws have roots in Louisiana and know good Cajun food. I just know what I like. None of us were disappointed. We will visit The Big Easy the next time we come to Springfield. We had the crawfish étouffée, and fried catfish...and red beans and rice....delicious!
(5)Beth V.
Delicious and soo very inexpensive! We Tried the gumbo, jambalaya and boudin balls.......all unbelievable. We will return anytime we are in the area. Jealous of the locals!
(5)Travis B.
Either I have alzhiemers or everytime I come here they keep getting better. The service and food are not to be matched. They care so much about you they go out of their way to make sure you have enough.to eat and good lord do I have enough to eat. This time I went for a half sausage po' boy and half catfish po' boy. It was like a letter to Penthouse in my mouth "I never thought this would happen to me but...." I mean it was an awesome culinary three way. Me and 2 smoking hot sandwiches what else do I need?
(5)David S.
I had the catfish dinner. It is definitely one of the best catfish plates I have ever had. The location is a bit too small for big lunch crowds and the is the only reason I am giving this place 4 stars. We had a little bit of a wait for a seat, but it is well worth it.
(4)Lacey M.
I walked in a critic and I walked out a serious fan. Amazing and wonderfully delicious food! Shrimp Po Boy and Seafood Gumbo is super great. Service was excellent and fast. Will definitely return!
(5)Scott N.
One of my favorite places to eat in Springfield. Crawfish etouffee, red beans and sausage, Slawdogs, fried clams, bread pudding all delicious. When my wife ate meat she loved the steak po' boy, now she gets red beans and rice, fried okra, and / or sweet potato french fries. The owner is from Louisiana and you'll almost always see either him or his brother there. Cooking up a storm. Sometimes when he's bored the owner will experiment with something new and bring a sample out to anyone that's willing to try it. Once he made Chicken Cordon Bleu and it was fantastic. They'll also change the spice level from mild to hot enough that people cry when they watch you eat it. Being located in a strip mall, they're limited as to what they can do for ambiance, but the food more than makes up for it. Highly recommended.
(5)Janet D.
Delighted! We were in a party of 4. Everyone loved their food. This must be one of those secrets that older people in Southern Hills keep to themselves! I had two boudin balls, YUM, plus a bowl of chicken gumbo. Devoured that gumbo and couldn't finish the fabulous boudin. Ordered fried okra for everyone to share. It was good. Not dripping with oil. The decor is simple. The food is extravagant. The prices are moderate. Sometimes you are in the mood for a restaurant that has fine china, elegant lighting, and servers wearing black and white. This is not that kind of place. Portions were so big that I brought home leftovers. Friends at lunch tomorrow will be envious.
(5)Scott H.
Awesome jambalaya! Don't know how authentic it is but I like it!
(5)Julee L.
This place is really perfect. Fried okra...yum, the gumbo, the Jumbalaya! I live in Los Angeles now and one reason I look forward to visiting Springfield is for the restaurants here. This is one of my stops while I am there, for sure!
(5)Eric R.
First off, it's kind of weird that I've been outed... apparently a couple of people at work started using Yelp! and commented that they've seen some of my posts. Kind of weird when people from your "real life" comment on it... I feel like I'm held to some kind of higher standard now as if they'll look upon me with shame if I have poorly written reviews. Oh well, on with the show... So, having visited Louisiana a few times and lived there for awhile, I have a love for Cajun style cuisine. Being in Missouri now, I figured my hopes of having quality fare of this type were gone with the wind. I've known about the Big Easy Grill for awhile but mentally thought to myself... "Self, why bother? It's not gonna be legit..." and so I didn't go. Always willing to admit when I'm wrong... I was wrong. The service here is really friendly and attentive. My girlfriend ordered the gumbo and I, of course, weaseled my way into a bite. It was very good filled with good size shrimp, sausage, chicken, veggies, and rice in a very nice roux. I had the shrimp etoufee which was off the chain. The etoufees I've had in the past were a little darker sauce and this one seems like it had a different base. Despite the fact it's a slightly different interpretation from what I'm used to, it was still off the chain. The highlight of the meal was the roast beef po'boy (we ordered a small one to share to give it a sample). The bread was soft, the meat was tender and savory, and the sauce... well, let me put it like this. The gravy/sauce combined with the Cajun mustard on the sandwich mixed like Ike and Tina Turner (in the good days)... but when you take a bite, Ike gets jealous of your new relationship with Tina and decides to slap your taste buds around (in the tastiest way possible). The menu has a nice range of selections and virtually everything is under $10. I don't know of another restaurant in Springfield which offers this type of food... so if you're looking for something delicious and different... I highly recommend stopping in for a bite.
(5)Melissa F.
One Word: Delicious. We are new to the area and had never eaten here before. I walked in and told the man at the counter that and he immediately started telling me about their menu. Great customer service! I had the shrimp po'boy with a side of red beans and rice. My husband had the Jambalaya. All of it was delicious. I'm not sure what they batter the shrimp with, but it was heavenly. I definitely recommend this place and can't wait to go back!
(5)Nancy J.
My husband and I discovered the Big Easy over three years ago and have been eating there regularly ever since. We introduced our son and he has become a regular too. Everything we have eaten there has been wonderful. We love the crawfish ettouffe and red beans with rice so much that we have to have those on most of our visits. But the jambalaya and gumbo are very tasty options also. The muffaletta and tenderloin sandwiches are the best to be found in Springfield and I can't say too much about the in-house chips or sweet potato fries that accompany these sandwiches. The Big Easy has a friendly, easy going atmosphere, as many others have stated in their reviews. It is just casual dinning at it's best. After reading all the reviews and writing my own, my mouth is watering so much I think we will have to go there tonight for dinner.
(5)Angela V.
Really, really, really good. Fun atmosphere. Fast service. Great food. Nice prices. Enough said :)
(5)Zach N.
Spending a decent chunk of my childhood in Southeast Texas near the Louisiana border, I'd like to think I'm a pretty decent judge of Cajun food. Knowing how the Mexican food here mostly fails to achieve the same quality as the TexMex I grew up on, I entered the restaurant with guarded hopes. After I had finished, though, I had nearly all positive things to say about this place. Before I go gushing on about why I think I love this place, there are just a few drawbacks that keep me from awarding this place 5 stars. First off, the atmosphere. Upon first walking in, my date and I gave each other a sideways glance. It's certainly nothing special, it looks like a portion of a shopping center that's been converted to a restaurant... which it is. But still, there are ways to dress a space up so you don't feel like you don't think about the possibility that you're eating in a former beauty salon or something. On the other hand, that might be part of the endearment with Big Easy; many of the Cajun eateries I remember from Texas were like this, no frills. It's about the food. In all fairness, the collection of alligator heads sitting on the ledge between the kitchen is a fun, if not a little bit creepy, touch. My only other issue with this place was the gumbo. It was decent, better than anything I've had in Springfield by far, but it wasn't quite to snuff with what I was accustomed to in Texas. If anything, I might say it was just a bit on the bland side. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn't had real Cajun-style gumbo before, but there's room for improvement. On to the good stuff! I love family run restaurants. From everything I could see, I think our server was the son of our cook. I'm not sure if they're actually the proprietors, but it definitely gave the restaurant that mom-and-pop feel. The kitchen being open to the dining room is another small touch that I appreciate. It at least gives the illusion that you are monitoring the preparation of your food. I ordered the Shrimp Po' Boy and really I don't think it could have been better. Juicy, plump fried shrimp, crisp lettuce and tomatoes, and a Remoulade sauce tops it all off, the sandwiches come with delicious homemade (or at least homemade-style) potato chips. Personally, these were good enough I wouldn't spend the extra buck on fries unless you have to. My date's taste buds are a little more limited than mine, thus she ordered the BBQ Beef Brisket sandwich. I was skeptical; it's been my experience that less prominent items like this don't turn out as well, especially at a smaller establishment like this. But again I was surprised. I hesitate to say it, but that was comparable to Brisket I've had from some of the more prominent BBQ establishments in Springfield. Great sauce and tender meat, it was certainly a pleasant surprise. In the end, the two main dishes plus the gumbo ended up costing $16-17 with tip. This was with waters, but even with a couple cokes or beers you wouldn't be much over $20. Not bad for one of the best dining experiences I've had in quite some time.
(4)Mary C.
Complete small diner feel, nothing fancy! But don't let that fool you! This is the real deal, welcome to flavor town! I had a oyster po boy and my husband had a shrimp po boy, we shared the fried okra....mmmmm I am a fried oyster freak, these were delish! Saw several other dishes being brought to other tables as well, it all looked good! Like I said its small and nothing fancy, but don't drive by....STOP! You'll be glad you did!
(5)Tim H.
Great food and very authentic. Love their Jambalaya
(5)Travis B.
Either I have alzhiemers or everytime I come here they keep getting better. The service and food are not to be matched. They care so much about you they go out of their way to make sure you have enough.to eat and good lord do I have enough to eat. This time I went for a half sausage po' boy and half catfish po' boy. It was like a letter to Penthouse in my mouth "I never thought this would happen to me but...." I mean it was an awesome culinary three way. Me and 2 smoking hot sandwiches what else do I need?
(5)David S.
I had the catfish dinner. It is definitely one of the best catfish plates I have ever had. The location is a bit too small for big lunch crowds and the is the only reason I am giving this place 4 stars. We had a little bit of a wait for a seat, but it is well worth it.
(4)Lacey M.
I walked in a critic and I walked out a serious fan. Amazing and wonderfully delicious food! Shrimp Po Boy and Seafood Gumbo is super great. Service was excellent and fast. Will definitely return!
(5)Scott N.
One of my favorite places to eat in Springfield. Crawfish etouffee, red beans and sausage, Slawdogs, fried clams, bread pudding all delicious. When my wife ate meat she loved the steak po' boy, now she gets red beans and rice, fried okra, and / or sweet potato french fries. The owner is from Louisiana and you'll almost always see either him or his brother there. Cooking up a storm. Sometimes when he's bored the owner will experiment with something new and bring a sample out to anyone that's willing to try it. Once he made Chicken Cordon Bleu and it was fantastic. They'll also change the spice level from mild to hot enough that people cry when they watch you eat it. Being located in a strip mall, they're limited as to what they can do for ambiance, but the food more than makes up for it. Highly recommended.
(5)Allison P.
Oh. My. Gosh! So incredibly delicious! We were in town for my husbands fathers surgery and were looking for something good to eat. So very glad we found this place. My in-laws have roots in Louisiana and know good Cajun food. I just know what I like. None of us were disappointed. We will visit The Big Easy the next time we come to Springfield. We had the crawfish étouffée, and fried catfish...and red beans and rice....delicious!
(5)Beth V.
Delicious and soo very inexpensive! We Tried the gumbo, jambalaya and boudin balls.......all unbelievable. We will return anytime we are in the area. Jealous of the locals!
(5)Jeff P.
Great food! This place is in a shopping plaza, in a remote part of town, with no fun interior, but the food....fantastic! The oyster po'boy and gumbo were fantastic. Made me miss NOLA.
(4)C M.
Good cajun food. If you are use to true cajun food, ask them to spice it up a little. Normally that would be a death sentence, but in Spfd, MO the food here is ALL mild unless you ask for different. Jambalaya and etoufee are must-haves. I hear Po Boys are good, but have not had one as yet. Place needs wi-fi and a larger dining area (tables are jammed together).
(4)Josh S.
This small place has a nice selection. I had the shrimp po'boy and it was great. I will definitely be back. The bread they use for the po'boys is awesome. Don't substitute the chips for fries the chips are fried on site and taste like kettle chips they are great.
(4)Melissa F.
One Word: Delicious. We are new to the area and had never eaten here before. I walked in and told the man at the counter that and he immediately started telling me about their menu. Great customer service! I had the shrimp po'boy with a side of red beans and rice. My husband had the Jambalaya. All of it was delicious. I'm not sure what they batter the shrimp with, but it was heavenly. I definitely recommend this place and can't wait to go back!
(5)Nancy J.
My husband and I discovered the Big Easy over three years ago and have been eating there regularly ever since. We introduced our son and he has become a regular too. Everything we have eaten there has been wonderful. We love the crawfish ettouffe and red beans with rice so much that we have to have those on most of our visits. But the jambalaya and gumbo are very tasty options also. The muffaletta and tenderloin sandwiches are the best to be found in Springfield and I can't say too much about the in-house chips or sweet potato fries that accompany these sandwiches. The Big Easy has a friendly, easy going atmosphere, as many others have stated in their reviews. It is just casual dinning at it's best. After reading all the reviews and writing my own, my mouth is watering so much I think we will have to go there tonight for dinner.
(5)Angela V.
Really, really, really good. Fun atmosphere. Fast service. Great food. Nice prices. Enough said :)
(5)Zach N.
Spending a decent chunk of my childhood in Southeast Texas near the Louisiana border, I'd like to think I'm a pretty decent judge of Cajun food. Knowing how the Mexican food here mostly fails to achieve the same quality as the TexMex I grew up on, I entered the restaurant with guarded hopes. After I had finished, though, I had nearly all positive things to say about this place. Before I go gushing on about why I think I love this place, there are just a few drawbacks that keep me from awarding this place 5 stars. First off, the atmosphere. Upon first walking in, my date and I gave each other a sideways glance. It's certainly nothing special, it looks like a portion of a shopping center that's been converted to a restaurant... which it is. But still, there are ways to dress a space up so you don't feel like you don't think about the possibility that you're eating in a former beauty salon or something. On the other hand, that might be part of the endearment with Big Easy; many of the Cajun eateries I remember from Texas were like this, no frills. It's about the food. In all fairness, the collection of alligator heads sitting on the ledge between the kitchen is a fun, if not a little bit creepy, touch. My only other issue with this place was the gumbo. It was decent, better than anything I've had in Springfield by far, but it wasn't quite to snuff with what I was accustomed to in Texas. If anything, I might say it was just a bit on the bland side. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn't had real Cajun-style gumbo before, but there's room for improvement. On to the good stuff! I love family run restaurants. From everything I could see, I think our server was the son of our cook. I'm not sure if they're actually the proprietors, but it definitely gave the restaurant that mom-and-pop feel. The kitchen being open to the dining room is another small touch that I appreciate. It at least gives the illusion that you are monitoring the preparation of your food. I ordered the Shrimp Po' Boy and really I don't think it could have been better. Juicy, plump fried shrimp, crisp lettuce and tomatoes, and a Remoulade sauce tops it all off, the sandwiches come with delicious homemade (or at least homemade-style) potato chips. Personally, these were good enough I wouldn't spend the extra buck on fries unless you have to. My date's taste buds are a little more limited than mine, thus she ordered the BBQ Beef Brisket sandwich. I was skeptical; it's been my experience that less prominent items like this don't turn out as well, especially at a smaller establishment like this. But again I was surprised. I hesitate to say it, but that was comparable to Brisket I've had from some of the more prominent BBQ establishments in Springfield. Great sauce and tender meat, it was certainly a pleasant surprise. In the end, the two main dishes plus the gumbo ended up costing $16-17 with tip. This was with waters, but even with a couple cokes or beers you wouldn't be much over $20. Not bad for one of the best dining experiences I've had in quite some time.
(4)Paula B.
Excellent authentic food. Service good. Gumbo was very good. Recommend highly.
(4)Thomas R.
I have always enjoyed spicy food and so when it comes to Cajun, I'm open to anything new that comes across my table. The Big Easy did a superb job of delivering a wonderful dish that to me was both delicious and expertly prepared. What surprised me initially was the food's appearance, seeming slightly different from how I had pictured it, but the taste was simply exquisite. Loaded with spices, but just the right amount to not overpower the entire dish. The lunch menu has probably the best selection of dishes, plus it's never too crowded and the service is prompt. The étouffée is absolutely wonderful and hands down the best in town. The shrimp and crawfish were cooked perfectly, the rice was just right, and the sauce was a great combination of spices and butter that brought out the entire dish. The serving size was also fairly generous for the price which was another bonus. My one regret is that I could probably never create that étouffée recipe for myself. But then again, it just means that I'll be going back to Big Easy for some great dishes.
(5)Shane A.
How this place got such high marks is beyond me... We walked in, and we're prompted to "sit where we pleased." They only had one highchair luckily no one else needed it. We also failed to realize we needed to get our own menu. I decided on the oyster half, and my wife on the half catfish po-boys. My wife's sandwich was a little skimpy, but not nearly as bad as mine. My sandwich consisted of 99% bread. It was about 4 inches long. Had "two" pieces of oyster on it! Yes only two; come on it's not lobster. Lettuce, and a tomato for $7!... The server also tried to overcharge us for frys. When he called over the manager. I said; it states right here at the top if you get a sandwich frys are $1.50.. The manager said well its only his second day! I said that's fine I'm not attacking him just showing him on the menu his mistake... Went to pay, and a big dude that's also the cook asked how things were. I expressed my disappointment in the lack of oysters. As in there were two.. His only reply was; sorry you weren't satisfied.... Never going back. Wasn't anything special, service was mediocre. And atmosphere was like being in a backyard dinner.. Oh did I mention the table filth when we wiped it with a wetwipe?... Ewwww.
(2)Holly A.
Kinda disappointed. Very overpriced and I ordered a shrimp po boy and it was ok for $7 but you had to pay 1.50 for cheap regular fries instead of chips. It should come with fries. My husband ordered a oyster po boy and he had 2 tiny oysters on it. It was like 80% bread. We will probably never go back. We rate places on quality, quantity, and price and taking all that into consideration, it gets 2 stars.
(2)Alycia H.
The service was amazing! Our server, Garrett, did such a good job explaining the menu to us first timers. My husband and I had the Jambalaya, Fried Shrimp Po'boy, and shrimp Gumbo and it was all fantastic! If you can't decide on just one item, you can get "halves" of most items on the menu and get a combination of a few things. Highly recommend Big Easy Grill.
(4)Bradley R.
Have stopped here several times now and the lady and I both agree its pretty good. The spicy Cajun dishes are interesting and different. A real change of pace to the burger, taco, pasta, and pizza options that dot most parts of town. We really like the bread they bring in. Its nice and crispy on the outside and slightly chewy in the middle. Great for dipping in their dishes like the jambalaya or crawfish etouffee. The last time we went I got the ship po'boy and she got the andoulle sausage po'boy. Both put on that bread we like so much. They were both excellent. The decor of the palce is a bit hole in the wall but it works. I'd almost give this place a 5 star rating but I'm going to hold off until I can get down south and try the real deal and see how my local place stacks up. Either way, I'm still a fan.
(4)Doug L.
We were visiting from out of town and had just left the big Bass Pro Shop and needed some food. Found this place on yelp and it was close by. Great service and we both really like our meal. The bread pudding was fantastic.
(4)Mike M.
I decided to return here one year later while on a business trip. I enjoyed the 2013 visit and wanted to try more. This time I decided to try the roast beef po boy along with their chips along while tasting some of their jambalaya. And of course I had to have some more of that outstanding gumbo. First of all the repeat item...the gumbo. It was again very good. However my memory of last years was that it was crammed with seafood. This years version wasn't crammed. It was still good though with the seafood in it. I just missed that extra amount. I will give it a 4 how ever I gave it a 5 last year due to the content. Second, the po boy. Last year I thought it was a little small at 4". I still do. For $5.50 it is not much food. Also, I wasn't a fan of this roast beef. What I like is wet and a little runny with what is called "debris" on the sandwich. This was a little on the dry side with a light colored mayo type sauce on the meat. I give it a weak 3. The homemade chips were much better than the fries from last year. I really liked them and gave them a 4. Finally, the jambalaya. I asked for mine with medium spice which is exactly what I received. I thought it was a little dry but not bad. It had an adequate amount of meat content and flavor. I give it a 3. My table service was good. I am still going to give an overall 4 but with less enthusiasm than last year. My biggest criticism would be that the po boys should be a little bigger..at least an inch per half. One half is about three bites and that just isn't enough and I don't think this is a tapas restaurant. Second, I would want the roast beef to be a little more moist and finally French fries should be better perhaps hand cut and double fried. Don't get me wrong, if I lived here I would eat here from time to time. I would eat the gumbo, shrimp po boy (whole size) and the chips.
(4)Troy P.
Tried the slaw dog today. The yelp menu states is made from a Polish sausage, but at the restaurant it is listed andouille sausage. Not sure there's a huge difference maybe the fat contents a little higher on the andouille. Comes with homemade chips, the dog is on a wonderful French bread lathered in (kc masterpiece like) bbq sauce and covered in a tasty slaw. I will be back to explore more of the menu. 1:30 on a weekday and had to wait for a seat is always a good sign. Continuing my quest to find a true polish in sgf land.
(4)Larry R.
Visiting Branson for the first time and decided to head to Springfield for the day. We found Big Easy through Yelp and this place is great! There's not much to the restaurant but the food is outstanding! We had the jambalaya, the crawfish etoufee, some sandwiches and ended the meal with the bread pudding and a fried peach pie a la mode. Great meal, reasonably priced for the quality of the food, and we will definitely be coming back when we are in town!
(5)Janet D.
Delighted! We were in a party of 4. Everyone loved their food. This must be one of those secrets that older people in Southern Hills keep to themselves! I had two boudin balls, YUM, plus a bowl of chicken gumbo. Devoured that gumbo and couldn't finish the fabulous boudin. Ordered fried okra for everyone to share. It was good. Not dripping with oil. The decor is simple. The food is extravagant. The prices are moderate. Sometimes you are in the mood for a restaurant that has fine china, elegant lighting, and servers wearing black and white. This is not that kind of place. Portions were so big that I brought home leftovers. Friends at lunch tomorrow will be envious.
(5)Mary C.
Complete small diner feel, nothing fancy! But don't let that fool you! This is the real deal, welcome to flavor town! I had a oyster po boy and my husband had a shrimp po boy, we shared the fried okra....mmmmm I am a fried oyster freak, these were delish! Saw several other dishes being brought to other tables as well, it all looked good! Like I said its small and nothing fancy, but don't drive by....STOP! You'll be glad you did!
(5)Tim H.
Great food and very authentic. Love their Jambalaya
(5)Eric R.
First off, it's kind of weird that I've been outed... apparently a couple of people at work started using Yelp! and commented that they've seen some of my posts. Kind of weird when people from your "real life" comment on it... I feel like I'm held to some kind of higher standard now as if they'll look upon me with shame if I have poorly written reviews. Oh well, on with the show... So, having visited Louisiana a few times and lived there for awhile, I have a love for Cajun style cuisine. Being in Missouri now, I figured my hopes of having quality fare of this type were gone with the wind. I've known about the Big Easy Grill for awhile but mentally thought to myself... "Self, why bother? It's not gonna be legit..." and so I didn't go. Always willing to admit when I'm wrong... I was wrong. The service here is really friendly and attentive. My girlfriend ordered the gumbo and I, of course, weaseled my way into a bite. It was very good filled with good size shrimp, sausage, chicken, veggies, and rice in a very nice roux. I had the shrimp etoufee which was off the chain. The etoufees I've had in the past were a little darker sauce and this one seems like it had a different base. Despite the fact it's a slightly different interpretation from what I'm used to, it was still off the chain. The highlight of the meal was the roast beef po'boy (we ordered a small one to share to give it a sample). The bread was soft, the meat was tender and savory, and the sauce... well, let me put it like this. The gravy/sauce combined with the Cajun mustard on the sandwich mixed like Ike and Tina Turner (in the good days)... but when you take a bite, Ike gets jealous of your new relationship with Tina and decides to slap your taste buds around (in the tastiest way possible). The menu has a nice range of selections and virtually everything is under $10. I don't know of another restaurant in Springfield which offers this type of food... so if you're looking for something delicious and different... I highly recommend stopping in for a bite.
(5)Laura B. R.
The food here is out of this world! We were just passing through on vacation and found out about this restaurant before we left town. I ordered the pasta dish and I am still wanting more to this day. If I lived in Springfield, I would be in trouble. Relaxing atmosphere and wonderful food.
(5)Roy S.
BEST BEST BEST!!! Love this food but you gotta get there early for lunch. There's not much room in the place. The jambalaya is the best! The portions are enormous. You won't be sorry.
(5)Christina M.
We were out-of-towners looking for something different for dinner and my hubby came up with this place. We loved it! It is just a very small place...only 9 tables, I believe. It was what I call a "hole in the wall", in a little strip mall area, and totally surprised me! It has an open kitchen. When we were there, just one waitress, one cook, and someone in back for dishes, I believe. Waitress was friendly and quick. The cook (owner, I believe?) was also super friendly. Food was tasty and plentiful and reasonably priced. I LOVED the blues music they were piping in. They are moving soon and I think that's going to be great for them! We had fried oysters for starters and goodness they were good!!!! For the meal, I got gumbo and my hubby got jambalaya. I was able to finish my bowl of gumbo, but his jambalaya was so plentiful he was able to take half home for lunch the next day. The bread was nice and soft with a perfect crust. If we come through town again, we'll definitely be back to eat at this place!
(4)Ashley D.
Very good Po'Boys! I highly recommend this place! Fresh food! Comes hot to the table!
(5)Alan C.
The best Cajun food around! Everything at this place is not only authentic but amazing! Their fish or shrimp po boys are great choices. They have fantastic jumbalia as well. It is a little hard to get in here during lunch but that speaks to the quality. The seating area is a little cramped but that is also part of the experience. They cook out in the open so that also adds to the experience with all the aromas etc. Outside of Louisiana I've not had Cajun or creole food this good!
(5)Paul B.
By far best cajun food around
(5)Tabby B.
delicious food, great price, and friendly service! I got a lot more than I expected in portion size and authenticity
(5)Thomas G.
The staff was friendly and courteous and the food was AMAZING. And part of my family is from Shreveport, LA (which is where the owner is from as well), so I am very familiar with quality Cajun/creole food and this was quality.
(5)Kathy A.
Wow...I have lived so close for 10 years. Am just finishing up shrimp etufe... Best sauce I have probably ever had. Friendly service. About to dig into bread pudding for dessert. Definitely my new favorite place in town to eat!
(5)Maya K.
We got the gumbo, hush puppies (not on the menu but get em!), rice and sausage (half size was plenty big), and a peach fried pie. This was exactly the kind of place we could only ever find with yelp... In a little strip mall, delicious food, friendly staff. Also, the place was incredibly kid friendly. They gave us a free kids plate that was super generous, had a very cool cookie jar, lots of alligator toys, and a high chair. Really enjoyed our lunch here!
(5)Kristin J.
Good basic creole/Cajun food reasonably priced and quick service made this a perfect stop on our road trip. Kids had chicken fingers. I had shrimp po boy and my husband had boudin. Shrimp was freshly breaded and perfectly fried. A touch on the large side - kept falling out of the sandwich. Great remoulade sauce. Husband said Boudin was great but he wished bigger (since so tasty). 2 kid meals, two adult meals with one glass of wine and $40 before tip. Best part for a long trip was how quick the service was. Kids liked the alligator decor. Basic wooden square tables, food served in baskets, real silverware and wine glass.
(4)Melissa B.
We were on our way through Springfield and found The Big Easy on Yelp. It had great reviews so we thought we'd give it a try. The food is delicious and the service was fantastic. The portions are huge and we left absolutely satisfied. Save some room for dessert because the bread pudding is outstanding. This will be our new go to restaurant anytime we find ourselves in the area.
(5)Jerome H.
Relative to what it is, this is the best place I've found in Springfield. The mufaletta is good, the po' boys have all been good (best is probably the shrimp), the red beans and sausage and fried oysters are good. I love cajun food. I've had the real thing, I've had lousy substitutes, and this is exactly what you want on the low-fi end of cajun food: greasy, fried, filling, bold flavors, etc. Plus, the staff is friendly and the alligator vibe is a nice touch.
(5)Christopher T.
Was in Springfield visiting friends and family. Found The Big Easy on Yelp. Turned out to be a great find. The place is small and it was crowded. Service was still prompt and met all my needs. The menu has a lot of the typical New Orleans favorites - po'boys, jambalaya, etc.. I settled on a shrimp po'boy, french fries, and a side of jambalaya. The sandwich was really good. The bread was crunchy, but not hard, plenty of shrimp, and a good portion of remoulade. The fries were plentiful and crisp. The jambalaya was good, but not great. Still worth trying... N*joy...
(4)Amy G.
I love this place!! Great food, great staff, kind of weird location, but you get used to it. Seriously though. Eat here. You'll like it. I've tried sandwiches, pastas and gumbo and they have all been marvelous. I appreciate the attention to flavor and the attention to the guest. They love their customers and they love their food and it shows in every bite. Yum.
(5)Sean M.
It's been months since I was at The Big Easy, but I felt it necessary to make it one of my first reviews on Yelp. No need for a long drawn out story, but I'll tell you what you want to know. It is fantastic. The crawfish ettouffe, jambalaya, and red beans and rice are simply magnificent. Real deal... My experience was brightened by the fact that I sat under a King Biscuit Blues Festival poster from my home town in AR. Laissez lez bon ton roulette!
(5)Kisha H.
Get the oyster po boy with sweet potato fries! Their crawfish ettouffee is good, too.
(5)Kurt R.
We stopped by here on our trip with our kids to Fantastic Caverns. All of the Cajun food we ordered was delicious. The half Muffaleta had delicious olive tapenade on it. The seafood Gumbo had large portions of shrimp and crawfish. The sweet potato fries were the best that I have ever had. The only problems with the food was the super bland coleslaw. The kids menu is incredibly small as well and by incredibly small I mean they only have chicken fingers on it.
(4)Terry C.
I've been a regular customer here since shortly after they opened. I have never had a bad meal and the service is always exceptional. My favorites are the roast beef po'boy, shrimp po'boy and the jambalaya. I also like the red beans and sausage, the slaw dog and my wife raves about the pork loin sandwich. Today I decided to try something different and had the catfish po'boy. Wow, the catfish was the best I have ever had. It has a mild flavor with a nicely seasoned coating and was perfectly cooked. It's rare these days for a restaurant to provide such a satisfying experience time and time again. The Big Easy Grill does that in spades.
(5)Molly R.
I HAVE to review this place to compensate in some way for the amazing meal I had here a few days ago, mostly because I've been craving it ever since. Yes, this is going to be raving. I'm not sorry. Boyfriend and I came here a few nights ago for a painless weeknight dinner. I myself was not necessarily in the mood for Cajun (I really just wanted a funnel and some mashed potatoes) but I obliged because I've always wanted to eat here and Boyfriend kept telling me how awesome his meals have been previously. After taking in the deceivingly tiny but equally quaint inside, Boyfriend and I seated ourselves by the window and perused the menu while a ton of other people filed out, filed in, and picked up to-go orders - this place gets some serious business. After the agonizing decision to order water to drink, Boyfriend went with his meal from the day before (yes, the day before): a roast beef sandwich. I went with the catfish dinner, which promised to come with a gratuitous bit of lightly fried catfish, hush puppies, coleslaw, and sweet potato fries. I had already resigned myself to be only fairly satisfied with my meal. I'm not big on sweet potatoes, I hate coleslaw, and I previously had zero opinion of hush puppies. Even when my plate was sat down in front of me, I had already categorized each dish into "will devour," "will tolerate," and "will ignore" sections. I ate everything - well, except the coleslaw, which I didn't touch. Even if coleslaw was encrusted with edible gold I wouldn't give it the time of day. But the sweet potato fries were delectable and had an incredible texture; they didn't trip over into "too sweet" territory and were crazily addicting. The hush puppies tasted like a fluffy truffle of chicken broth (I don't know, this seems an accurate description) and the catfish was simply sublime. Perfectly flaky, perfectly not fishy, perfectly fried. I have the stomach of a field mouse and I. Ate. Everything. Our server was attentive, the wait wasn't depressingly long despite the number of patrons, and I though the price of my meal ($13-ish with tip) was well worth it. Bravo, Big Easy! Way to represent a famed cuisine so well and join the ranks (in my mind) as one of the best places to eat in Springfield.
(5)Don F.
Incredible, is the only word that describes this place. It has been spectacular for years! One of my don't misses in Springfield. I actually came here because I am taking my son to Nola on Saturday and I had Cajun on the mind! It does not look like much from the curb. It is in a strip mall. But the owner does his food right! They have very good Cajun food. The food reminds me of New Orleans cuisine. The only complaint is the seafood is not quite as good, but the preparation and spice is dead on! The bread really is what brings me home. It is a light baguette like in the quarter. It comes with the gumbo. That combination proves to me that God exists. Omg is it delicious. Another suitable application of this bread is on the poor boys. The beef is messy but good. I really like the shrimp and catfish as well. Id tell you about the bread pudding but I do not want them to run out!
(5)Mike C.
In town on business. Checked Yelp and saw 78 reviews (so we know it's legit). Shrimp PO boy was fantastic. Coleslaw perfect! Waiter was very cool, took the time to small talk and my sweet tea was always full. Great guy. I don't bs..., this place was great as promised. I'll be back! - mike
(4)Cori N.
I absolutely loved my experience here! I was just driving through on my way back home from a conference when I found this place on the Yelp app. Since I was essentially in the middle of nowhere I decided to take its tip and come here. And I definitely made the right choice! I had a fish sandwich and I loved every bite. It was crispy, fresh and perfect. The bread was soft and tasty, and the (I think homemade) hot sauce and remoulade-style sauce was perfect. I seriously wish I had asked about that hot sauce because it was great and I've not found anything like it since. On the plus side, the guy who was working there was really friendly! He answered all my questions and even brought me a couple food 'extras'. If I was back in town I would definitely come back again.
(5)Stephanie V.
It is so freaking cold outside but it's warm and smells great in here! Only a huge steaming plate of food will suffice tonight, and as usual, the Big Easy delivered. I had a perfectly fried pork loin sandwich with a hot bowl of gumbo. The heat from that soup in my belly radiated through me. Delicious! My picky son had the pulled pork sandwich and my other son chose the creole pasta. Both ate til their bellies could hold no more. Stealing tastes from both plates, I have determined you can't go wrong here. All of the diners around us seemed to enjoy their meals as well (the seating is tight and you can't help but overhear conversations). Can't wait to go back!!!
(5)Alicia B.
Food is awful. I had the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. I didn't even finish it. (It was the small side order.) I had Bread Pudding for dessert. It was ok if you can get past it being under cooked. It had apples in it which I found odd but all recipes are different. If you have any inkling of what authentic Cajun food should taste like then take a heads up and AVOID eating here.
(2)Stephanie H.
I love, love, love The Big Easy Grill. Me and my husband have taken tons of people here. The roast beef po boys are phenomenal. In fact, when we went to NOLA and had roast beef po boys, we did not like the NOLA versions as well. The andouille sausage with read beans and rice is my go to. I also like the gumbo for a light meal. When splurging, I love to get their bread pudding. Yum!
(5)Michaelle W.
After reading all the reviews for this business, I decided to try out their menu because I had been to New Orleans and loved the Jambalaya that I experienced there. Unfortunately, my food experience here was sub par. :( Jambalaya: I ordered a massive plate extremely excited to be having it, only to find that it was full of chunked up cayenne pepper. It was literally chunks. I literally was sitting with my fork mashing the chunks to mix it myself. I didn't want to embarrass my date by confronting the cook about my meal, but I left my plate almost full. I couldn't finish it. Then it also lacked a lot of flavor too. Very disappointed! I ended up ordering fries and requesting more and more water to try and just calm my mouth and get through my meal. The only delicious thing I had was the red beans and sausage from my date's plate. They were yummy and smooth in texture with the sausage being crisp with a slight crunch when you bit through the skin. Atmosphere: This was a small redeeming factor in the sense that it was quiet and comfy, but my table rocked and my date's knees wouldn't fit under the table. He was 6'7" and the tables were short and there weren't any other seating options. He ended up sitting so far out from the table that it made it difficult to eat. Overall my experience left me feeling stiffed. I went next door and had Andy's, and life was better. I'd consider trying again, but I'd want to see the food before I purchase and maybe even taste, because paying for that the first time was too much. :/ So disappointed. :(
(2)Deb M.
Good overall, but not great. My husband ordered the Jambalaya. It was tasty, but the roux had too much flour, giving it a goopy starchy taste. It could have been meatier too. I had the shrimp po' boy with a side of gumbo. The gumbo was outstanding!! Don't miss out on it. The sandwich was just OK - the bread was kind of stale and too thick for the shrimp filling. The remoulade was bland but the accompanying house made potato chips were excellent. We ordered some gumbo to go, and a side of the potato chips. The chips were not put in the carry-out bag. The restaurant was really busy. I'm sure their uniqueness helps their popularity, and some menu items are much much better than others, but still, they've got a long way to go.
(3)Howard E.
This is easily the best Cajun food I've ever had! Dirty rice, étouffée, jambalaya, po' boys. Here for 3 days and had to get here twice. Guy I was with had it 2 days in a row and 3 times altogether. Reasonable prices, friendly folks.
(5)Jim L.
Yelp suggested as we were driving through from STL to Fayetteville AR. Very unpretentious - focus is on cooked to order food that was good all around. Our party had catfish dinner. Great filet breaded perfect with sweet tater fries. Other was club sandwich which sounds pedestrian but big chunk chicken and ham. Homemade chips rounded that out. I had the pork loin sandwich and it was sweet. Pounded out beyond the French bread slices and fried perfectly with a crust that was crispy and kept the cutlet juicy. I subbed coleslaw and again not the ordinary. Had a little horseradish combined with sweet and mayo-style. The sandwiches were around $8 and catfish $10. Good crowd for Monday night of families and locals. Small staff but never felt neglected and even though cooked fresh it came out quick to get us back on the road.
(4)Melissa T.
Have eaten food from here multiple times since my first visit (still haven't eaten in though), and it's been delicious each time. The roast beef po boy is ridiculously good. The shrimp po boy...ridiculously good. The catfish po boy...good but I've had better. The catfish was a bit too soft to stand up to the chewiness of the bread. The dirty rice...insanely good. I could eat that and only that and be beyond satisfied. It's filled with roast beef (potentially my new favorite item from the Big Easy), sausage, grilled onion, peppers, and other goodness. It's so filling and oh so very tasty. And if I didn't say it before, the chips are great. They're great second day too. Worst thing about this place to me was that they were not busy at 6 on a Friday night. People, fellow yelpers, random lookers-on: PLEASE eat at the Big Easy if you're not. It's one of those restaurants that Springfield needs. And on that note, I'm going to go gnaw on my hand and pretend it's the Big Easy's roast beef.
(5)Mike V.
I have not had very many creole dinning experiences but I have to say it was very good and the portion of jambalaya was more than I could finish!
(4)Austin W.
Big Easy has the best catfish in town. Not to mention some of the best tasting food around. There Po boys are to die for, and they have classic jambalaya, boudin, and gumbo. Everything is fresh and delicious. Did I mention how good the catfish is?
(5)Brittany Z.
I've had the jambalaya, po'boys, fried fish, shrimp, and more from here. It's always very tasty and flavorful. If you like lots of spice (like me!), they will adjust it to your liking. The only downside of eating here is the fact that it attracts a crowd. If you don't like a friendly atmosphere where your table is close to your fellow foodies, you should order ahead and pick-up for a Netlfix evening at home:)
(4)Jon B.
This place is fantastic! The jambalaya, boudin, and gumbo are amazing, but the crawfish étouffée was the best I've ever had. The staff was very friendly as well, and the service was more than quick enough for a lunch break. I only wish I'd known about this place sooner.
(5)Karen E.
Don't let the outside fool you! Great food! Great service! Great price!
(5)Austin K.
Fantastic food and friendly staff. Stopped in on the road because someone in the car suggested Cajun if we could find a place. It's a small local establishment, but by no means will you leave with an empty belly. I had the boudin sausage balls, so tasty.
(5)Jeff J.
Too expensive but good food. Really like the food but it's over priced for what you're getting. Quality is just okay, as is service.
(4)Mildred C.
I love love love the étouffée!!! A coworker told me I had to eat here. And so I did. I got the shrimp étouffée the second time I went and I crave that sauce with rice all the time. For me, it was delicious. Not necessarily where I would want to eat everyday, but good enough for me to go during lunch since I work nearby. It can get pretty crowded during the lunch hour... But most places are crowded. It's yummy! I was a happy camper.
(5)Amber S.
This place really is a beautiful hidden gem of Springfield. My hubby and I brought the in-laws here...we had never been, we were all feeling adventurous, and we love cajun food! Big Easy did not disappoint! First off, just need to say, the staff was phenomenal. The sweetest most wonderful waitress I've ever met waited on us and really set the tone for the rest of the experience. She was happy, kind, helpful, and attentive. 5 stars, just for that! Good service goes a looooong way in my book. Now to the food! My hubby ordered the oyster po boy &I ordered the muffaletta sandwich (half!!!) both with the sweet potato fries. I'm a sucker for sweet potato fries, and theirs were hot, fresh, and scrumptious! The sandwich was huge. I mean, massively huge. I could not finish it. If you've never had muffaletta, and you love olives and onions, this is the sandwich for you. According to my hubby, the oyster po boy was delicious. Also enormous, and they did not skimp on the oysters! My father in law got the club sandwich and he inhaled it. This is his way of saying he loved it! My mother in law got the dirty jambalaya...again, HUGE portion!! She tried her best, but could barely finish 2/3 of her plate. They made for tasty leftovers. Everything had a very homecooked meal style and it was wonderful. Spicy, flavorful, and very very filling. We ordered hushpuppies after we had ordered our meal (because I'm a goof, and forgot that they were off menu, but someone on yelp had said to try em, and we just had to.) I have to say they were quite possibly the best hushpuppies we've ever had. You have got to order some. The prices were fantastic. Super reasonable, and that's before you see the portions of your meal. Then you feel like you just got a friends and family discount. ;) It was a lovely dining experience, and my hubby has expressed his anxiousness to get back there as soon as possible! I have only one suggestion for the lovely folks at Big Easy...any chance we will be seeing some beignets on the menu? Because then I'm never leaving!
(5)Theresa L.
Very small place, but brimming politeness. Only 9 tables in the whole place. Waiters never let our tea get below half. Boyfriend had the catfish dinner, was excellent, fish was very moist. I had Shrimp Etoufe. We also ordered a small order of sweet potato fries and a bowl of seafood gumbo. Needs a bit more seasoning. Not the best I've ever had, but decent. Total bill was $33 with 2 teas.
(3)Teri I.
Excellent food. The seafood Gumbo was best we've ever had - full of seafood in delicious broth. Also had catfish po boy (loved the fish & bun). Soooooo good that we got Gumbo to go. We'll come back if we're ever in area.
(5)Bryan K.
Had lunch with the wife at big easy grill today was very good if you like Louisiana food its a great place to go, I had the oyster po'boy and the wife had the catfish one and we split them. Was yummy had lots of good stuff to try will definitely be back
(5)Jason L.
The roast beef po boy was pretty good. I crave boudin. I have had authentic boudin plenty of times and I would have to say, the boundin balls here were not really good. If you're looking for good Cajun style food, then this isn't really the place to go, but I would say the roast beef po boy was one of the best I've had flavor wise. Service was very friendly and nice also. Overall better than average for a good sandwich but everything else was just ok.
(3)Susie G.
Best fish sandwich in town. Bread pudding is divine! Love the gumbo. Eat there at least once a week.
(5)Steven P.
The gumbo tasted exactly like new Orleans and the roast beef po boy was possibly the best sandwich I've ever tasted. A true mom and pop gem.
(5)Sam E.
Don't let the small size or the strip mall fool you. And don't be put off by the lack of full service (you order at the counter). Friendly staff and great Cajun food. I had the half gumbo, half jambalaya plate. As good as any I've ever had. Chock full of sausage shrimp and crayfish (if you want them). My brother had the catfish and loved it. It was crispy on the outside with a filet that melts in your mouth. Finished with bread pudding. Great texture, great taste without being too heavy. Best of all were the prices. Less than $25 for the whole meal. If you like Cajun food, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Mister K.
We had a great group dinner here. Ordered etoufee with rice and it was wonderfully spicy and rich. Our friends also enjoyed the po'boy sandwiches. The service was great and very helpful. I really love local restaurants like this. I wish we had more places like Big Easy in Springfield!
(5)Wendy O.
Excellent food and great service. Looking forward to going again real soon!!! I hade the creole pasta and bread it was the best!!!
(5)Sherry L.
Haven't had a po'boy since I was in Louisiana, but Big Easy's shrimp po'boy will do to tide me over until my next trip to NOLA. (: It was the perfect (and quickest) way to ease into the 2PM lull...probably not the best for afternoon meetings - but A-Okay for what turned out to be an easy afternoon on-site. Only gripe, service was sluggish. For a sammich that doesn't look all that difficult to make (chopped lettuce/tomatoes/shrimp slapped onto a loaf of french bread), it took us 40 minutes to get our food.
(3)Jim R.
My wife and I went to New Orleans for our honeymoon. There were numerous memorable events, both good and bad, but the food was (as expected) a high point. Now, a dozen years later, I rarely eat cajun/creole food. It's not that I don't like it; it's the fear of being disappointed yet again by greasy, poorly seasoned imitations. Therefore, I approached the rave reviews of the Big Easy with a degree of skepticism. When we arrived for lunch with my father-in-law in tow (we decided to treat him for his birthday), the venue itself was not impressive: a non-descript location in a mini strip mall, and no elaborate decor. Basic wooden tables and chairs, along with well-worn laminated menus. Believe it or not, this actually caused my hopes to rise. At least the ratings weren't due to wide-idea locals being wowed by shiny beads and the like. A friendly gent (I assume he was the owner) greeted us and made a couple of brief comments about how to order (at the counter, get your own drinks then sit where you like). The menu is basic, yet complete. There were numerous sandwiches including muffaletta, po boys, and pork loin, along with standard offerings like jambalaya, etouffe, red beans and rice, and gumbo. We ordered shrimp and oyster po boys, jambalaya, and fried shrimp with sweet potato fries. I was disappointed to discover they were out of boudin, so I settled on spicy shrimp etouffe (I was offered mild, medium or spicy on both that and the jambalaya). We got our drinks and sat down. There were probably four or five tables besides us on a Tuesday at Noon. A young lady was manning the stove largely by herself within our view. We hadn't been waiting long when our food started arriving from the gentleman at the counter. The po boys were half portions (by request) served with house made kettle-style potato chips. The jambalaya and etouffe were massive portions, and the fried shrimp were ample (especially considering the size of the young diner who ordered them). We began to eat. Damn. This was one of the better meals I've had in quite some time. I tend to favor spicy ethnic cuisines (Indian, Thai, Carribean), being the flavor hound that I am. The flavor was present at Big Easy in spades. The etouffe sauce was deep and luxurious, rich without being overbearing. There was just enough rice to allow me to capture almost all the sauce, and enough french bread to wipe up what was left. There were enough shrimp to fill me up, but not so many as to take the focus away from the sauce. Everyone was way satisfied. The shrimp and oyster po boys received excellent ratings (especially for the remoulade sauce and those hearty chips), the jambalaya was deemed perfectly seasoned (and likely enough for two more meals), and the fried shrimp (which were battered in a beer batter/tempura style, rather than a heavy breading or corn meal) were amazingly juicy and flavorful (a fine example of what fried shrimp CAN be as opposed to what one normally receives). Now, Big Easy listed bread pudding on the blackboard as we entered. I am not one to pass up bread pudding, but no one else seemed game. When I placed the order, the owner stated that he'd put it in a to-go container and give me a large portion so that people could share. That's exactly what he did, and he was a smart man for it. This was a fine bread pudding: the result of plenty of crusty bread, butter, brown sugar, and time. No whiskey sauce needed, no fancy add-ins. Needless to say, my dining companions found a little renewed food interest, and the extra spoons he brought were put to use. Locusts couldn't have cleaned that container better. I can't recommend this place highly enough. Don't go expecting a fancy experience; visually, it's plain (even a little rough around the edges). I hope that never changes; it's way too easy for cajun restaurants to become bad parodies when they focus on anything but the food. Big Easy absolutely NAILS their menu. As we say around our house, you can taste the love. It's abundantly obvious from the interactions with both the staff and the food: this place runs on love. Now, that's something of which we could ALL use second helpings. Support this place, people. I need it to be here when I come back for the boudin (and more). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
(5)Frank G.
In town on business, found this restaurant online and went for supper. The good: Very good tasting food -- I had the shrimp po' boy, Idaho fries and fried okra. The staff was very friendly and attending to my needs. Very good service. The not so good: Small portions -- the shrimp were large but not enough of them to totally cover the bread (you've GOT to pile them on there guys!), and the serving of okra was way too small also ($3 for about a dozen pieces of okra). And the beer? Only 4 choices and two of them are Miller Light and Bud Light! Please! Get some real beer in there. I would definitely want to go back for lunch; too small a portion for supper though.
(3)Mike W.
They bring the bread up from New Orleans for the Po'boys. It is not New Orleans but it sure is a great substitute when you can't be in "The Quarter". The olive relish on the Muffeleta is one of the best.I have had. I can say that this place is a great stop in Springfield.
(5)Jeremy D.
Superb roast beef po' boy, jambalaya, étouffée, and pulled pork! Highly recommended!
(5)Tommy H.
I don't have the words to adequately describe the food. We ordered fried oysters to share; he had chicken/sausage gumbo; and I had a side of jambalaya and a side of seafood gumbo. Portions were generous and perfectly seasoned. Absolute star of the meal were the fried oysters!!!!! Too die for! Very fresh, perfectly breaded, and served with a very flavorful romalade sauce. We are already deciding what to order next time.
(5)Patrick P.
Wow! What a meal! My nephew and I stopped in Springfield for the night while driving across the country. Not knowing where to eat dinner, we consulted our little friend Yelp and found The Big Easy. Thank you Yelp!!! We had three entrees between us: Oyster Po' Boy (with sweet potato fries), Crawfish etouffee, and Jambalaya (the classic Cajun style). Everything was incredible! The oysters tasted as fresh as any I've had along the coast. Juicy, just briny enough, and perfectly cooked...delicious. The crawfish etouffee was silky smooth, perfectly seasoned, and wonderfully flavorful...amazing. The jambalaya was a huge portion chock full of sausage, chicken, ham, and shrimp...again, all was perfectly seasoned. Spicy but not overly hot. Exactly what you hope for when you order jambalaya. The bread, served as a side with the entrees and used for for the Po' Boy, was notable too. I've no idea if they get it from another vendor or make it themselves but it was delicious. Several tables around our commented on this. Some were regulars and others were first timers like us. As other reviewers have pointed out, the sweet potato fries are also not to be missed. I've never met a sweet potato fry I didn't like but these were especially good. The proprietors are very friendly, the service was very fast (despite having a completely full house when we were there), and the other diners were all very friendly. The Big Easy definitely has a "neighborhood joint" feel to it (which I mean as nothing but a compliment). If you're in, near, or passing through Springfield, I highly recommend stopping by The Big Easy. You won't regret it!
(5)Billie R.
Remember that this is not an authentic Cajun restaurant. Once you know that you will enjoy your food as it is. The food here is good and the place is really tiny so you are always catered to!
(4)Jeremy M.
Been to the Big Easy three times over the last several months and have never been disappointed. Po'boy (oyster) sandwich with sweet potato fries is delicious and tastes very much like what you can get in New Orleans. The oysters weren't as big but the the veggies and sauce were delicious on an artisan bun. I've never had ettouffe from Louisiana before but I can tell you that the Big Easy makes a delicious version. The creamy, spicy (I ordered it spicy) sauce was full of shrimp and crawfish that were cooked perfectly before being ladled over a pile of white rice. The gumbo is good, I just wish the base was a little less watery. My wife loved the catfish and said that it was breaded lightly and didn't have the fishy taste that most catfish dishes can't seem to escape. Her only wish was that she ordered it with a little more spice instead of plain breading.
(4)Deb C.
Food was great. It was our first time here and we live a few blocks away!!
(4)Katie G.
Delicious, went there for dinner last night, considering going again tonight.
(5)Jan A.
What a wonderful find in Springfield, MO! The jambalaya was loaded with tender shrimp, juicy chicken and delicious andouille sausage. Shrimp Po'Boy was excellent. Shrimp/crawfish étouffée very good but our personal preference is a less tomatoey sauce. Everything was freshly prepared and ingredients were top notch.
(4)Pam F.
Gumbo was very good; the boudin was a too bland for me and the rice/meat/pepper ratio favored the rice a little too much, but the remoulade sauce with it was spicy and the combination was great. The oyster po-boy was yummy and I also wished it was a little bigger, mainly because I wanted more! I'll definitely go back for seconds.
(4)Jason G.
Great food. Been around since 2006. We ordered po'boys and Jumbalaya. Both excellent. The shrimp po'boys had lightly fried shrimp and mayo sauce. Sweet potato fries are cut thin, fried crispy with cinnamon and salt. Mmm mmm good. Small eating area, cozy and friendly atmosphere. Owner was very nice and was the one taking orders, cooking and serving. It was fast and quality service even so. Con: decor could use a few tweaks. Maybe some more wood, lower lighting and some more trashy pictures on the wall. I dunno, wasn't enough to bother me. Still 5 stars on the food.
(5)Ricki H.
Awesome local restaurant with great food like home made. Catfish is well fried and marinated. The batter is not thick at all but it's crispy. Seafood gumbo is nice. Jambalaya is pretty great. Prefer the dirty style more. I've eaten here twice when I'm on businese trips already!
(4)Steve F.
This is an unsung gem of Springfield. A friend recommended it, and since both my partner and I had challenging work-days, I decided to surprise him with an adventure over here. I'm the more adventurous eater, and I had to go for shrimp etouffee' - The Guy went for the fried shrimp, which came with a side of gumbo, and he added a side of dirty rice. I decided to try the side-order of one ball of Boudin, which is loosely described as coated, fried pork-and-rice. The food arrived, and it was *stunning.* The roux for the etouffee was so good, you could smear it on a rusty bumper and make it taste good! The shrimp were plentiful, and we brought half of the etouffee home (next time, we will just split that, I think). The fried shrimp were hand-breaded, tender, and gently seasoned. The dirty rice was awesome, with big chunks of andouille sausage. The gumbo was meaty, but mild - since The Guy is a little hot-sauce-phobic, we left it out of that, but a bottle of their own hot sauce is on the table if you want to spice it up. If you look up Boudin recipes, you'll see "cajun sausage." Big Easy's is more finely chopped pulled pork shoulder with rice, seasonings, peppers, rolled into balls, coated with corn meal (I think) and fried. The dipping sauce they serve with it (and with the fried shrimp) is another rusty-bumper item. Lightly crusted outside, moist and good on the inside. I dunno if it's authentic, but it was good. We are two good sized guys, and we were full-to-the-stuffing point, even with setting half the etouffee in a carry-out container. The total, with two sodas, was $27 and change - not cheap, but *damn* was it worth it. I saw a shrimp po-boy and some kind of pasta go by that I really wish I could have tried, but our eyes were already much bigger than our stomachs. (Note that the po-boys come in half-and whole pricing.) This kind of food is not *fast food* - it's prepared fresh, and in the evening, they are staffed light, so don't come here if you're in a rush or your blood-sugar is bottoming out. But we didn't wait long for our food, and it was very much worth the wait. You know that feeling when you've found a great place, and you want them to succeed, so you want to really talk them up, but you love it, and don't want to let the cat out of the bag so you don't have to fight for a table? That's where I am with this place.
(5)Kathleen A.
Seriously AMAZING! I live in Denver, where I can't even count one Cajun restaurant. I am sure they are out there, but after 3 years of living there I have still yet to find one. I'm visiting my brother for the Thanksgiving holiday, and he kept telling me about this place and how often he goes there since he works close by. They even have a "Chris Spicy" Jambalaya and Chicken Po' boy that they cater to make to his tastes. These guys are so friendly. They made a special batch of chicken fingers for the little ones too! I decided on the Jambalaya with chicken and sausage, spicy. I also shared a chicken po'boy with the brother. Both were SO delicious and SO flavorful. Absolutely loved the chicken po' boy- I'd say one of the best I've ever had. It can be a bit messy to eat but worth every bite. Also don't skip on the homemade potato chips and sweet potato fries!! Whoever said this place is pricey is out of their mind. A big portion of jambalaya is around $8 as well as the sandwiches (served with a side of chips or fries). I am now on a mission to find me some Cajun food when I get back to Denver.
(5)Doug R.
Trip #2- I went here with my friend last night for a hearty meal. I talked him into the roast beef po'boy (see previous review) and I had my first ever Fried Shrimp Po'boy and added the sweet potato fries for $2. I immediately regretted my decision upon comparison of the two dishes. For some reason, being a shrimp lover-and gulf shrimp in particular, I thought that my sandwich would have some kind of shrimpy flair that went above and beyond the menu description. Nope. Its 6-8 butterflied shrimp, suspiciously similar to the grocery store fried shrimp, whole lotta shredded lettuce, maters, and remoulade sauce (which I honestly don't like. It seems like one of those love it/hate it things). Maybe I was expecting spicy shrimp, creole shrimp, I dunno. Whatever it was, it was lame. My plate ended up being a big mess of shredded lettuce and remoulade soaked bread, although I did eat all the shrimp. Oh my Yelp friends! How my heart yearned for that roast beef while my friend was sagaciously scarfing down his sandwich! And I finished mine with a bitter scowl...This happens. Not everything will be perfect on a menu. Everybody else in the restaurant had great looking food while I continued to die a little inside. I will NOT write about where I went later on in the evening to get food to fulfill the ever developing void in my stomach after Big Easy's, as that damn sandwich did not fill me up at all. I must say though, the sweet potato fries were delicious and would be amazing next to some etoufee or some gumbo. Will I go here again? Hell yeah. Will I not order that poor po'boy? Of course. FYI; That roast beef alone is worth keeping their 4-4.5 Star rating.
(4)Alyson O.
After reading all the very positive Yelp reviews and being on an endless hunt for a delicious po'boy in Springfield, I decided to try Big Easy for lunch today. I've driven by many times but always found the exterior slightly off-putting (it's in a small shopping center). Anyway. I had the fried shrimp po'boy and my boyfriend had the roast beef po'boy. I think we both really wanted the fried oyster, but were told that due to the oil spill, they haven't had oysters for a while. Understandable, I suppose. The bread was delicious; chewy and fresh tasting. The fried shrimp po'boy comes standard with remoulade sauce here, but I got the creole mustard sauce on mine instead. The roast beef was also good--suuuper messy and huge, dripping with au jus. The chips that come with the sandwiches were really good and obviously house made. Next time, I'd like to try the jambalaya. Another diner in the restaurant ordered it and it looked great, not to mention the portion size was gigantic. We will definitely be back .
(4)Dr. Thomas B.
I have personally found the staff that works here surely want to be of service to their customers and is also found they are very personable and easy to talk to. I can truly say that the food that is here you would find the same quality of food in New Orleans the one thing that I would've liked was to hear Cajun music or zydeco playing over their speakers. But the type of music is a minor issue to the great food that they serve here with that taste of New Orleans.I will be bringing in my family to try their food out.
(4)Lucas R.
Yikes, no idea how this is pretty much the most popular (highest rating on significant number of reviews) place to eat in Yelp. I kinda feel sorry for my fellow Springfieldians. Visiting for a few days, I figured I'd try out Yelp's finest. I got the Jambalaya, half a catfish poboy, and the gumbo. I found everything unimpressive. An absolutely massive heap of Jambalaya was promptly delivered to my table; I thought I was wearing Google glasses and seeing shit- but this was the real deal. Unfortunately it's about 85% rice by volume. Spices and taste was great, but not nearly enough meat! Same story with the gumbo... for $3.50, it was incredibly small and not nearly enough meat. The catfish poboy was solid, but not great. I really want to give this place a 2 star- don't waste your time!
(3)Amanda C.
The fried catfish po'boy sandwich was crispy, warm, and very tasty...i loved it! Large portions, prompt service, and the great manager and staff members make your trip here worthwhile. It's hard to find a good place while driving cross country, and this place makes me want to come back to visit again.
(5)Chris M.
I used to work near this restaurant, and started going over there for lunch soon after it opened. I was enough of a regular that the proprietor knew me, and always greeted me by name and with a friendly conversation. But friendly or not, I certainly would not have kept coming back if they had not had some of the best cajun food I'd ever tasted. And the prices are very reasonable, too--unlike the overinflated prices of "Easy's," the Cajun place on South Glenstone. I have had a number of their sandwiches and they are all very enjoyable. I enjoy their sweet potato french fries, the potato chips they make themselves, and the fresh bread they get from an area bakery. But I think my favorite of their dishes is their gumbo--inexpensive, tasty, and very filling, by the cup or by the bowl. The gumbo is one of my favorite things to get when I pop in for lunch or dinner. Sometimes the wait can be a little long, but that just means it's not "fast" food--they make it to order when you ask for it, so it's good and fresh. If you are looking for Cajun food in Springfield, you can do no better than The Big Easy.
(5)Ginger A.
This place is the real deal, delicious Cajun style food made fresh. It has an authentic vibe and is slightly dive-y but just the right side of clean. The dining room is small but cozy. The fries were above par though, especially with the added hot sauce and a shake of seasoning (maybe Old Bay?) on the table. There were 2 young guys working who were friendly and efficient. They seemed to be working hard to take care of everyone's order and doing a fabulous job of it. I was a little surprised at certain things that were not on the menu (no desserts for example - Cajun style restaurants are usually the one place I consider dessert a must) but there were still plenty of options. We were impressed and I am happy to see this place has been around for awhile and has other good reviews!
(4)Zachary B.
Solid cajun food. Excellent gumbo, generous portions, inexpensive, what's not to love?
(5)Curtis G.
Never had a bad meal here, the gumbo is made the way it is supposed to be.
(5)April G.
I'm new to Springfield, so I use yelp for dinner-date ideas with my boyfriend. After reading there reviews I must say they were right! I went during lunch time, which Im glad bc it does seem like lunch time food, or take to go. I had the roast beef po'boy and side order of there sweet potatoe fries. Messy but so good! The boyfriend had the catfish. Let's just say he didn't say a word after he got his sandwich. Not bc it was bad but bc he wouldn't put it down! Haha. Next time we go I really want to try there jumbo.
(5)Rich E.
Great food, great service and a great atmosphere! I have tried every item on the menu and have never once regretted it.
(5)Jordan Z.
cajun done correctly! stop reading and drive there! unless you've had too many to drink then take a cab!
(5)Brian K.
I haven't had many po'boys, but this was definately the best one I've had. I got the shrimp one. I liked the shrimp on it and the sauce was great. My wife had the oyster po'boy, it seemed good also. Their seemed to be lots of choices on the menu. I'd like to try the ettoufee next time. I enjoyed the cajun music playing in the background.
(4)Napoleon P.
Pretty good stuff:) great hospitality.
(4)Scott H.
Awesome jambalaya! Don't know how authentic it is but I like it!
(5)Julee L.
This place is really perfect. Fried okra...yum, the gumbo, the Jumbalaya! I live in Los Angeles now and one reason I look forward to visiting Springfield is for the restaurants here. This is one of my stops while I am there, for sure!
(5)Nolan B.
Great Cajun food....pricey, but worth it for hard to find cuisine.
(5)