I ran a web search for gumbo and found a newspaper article on Cajun food by area of greater Phoenix metro. Under east valley I found Pier de Orleans and reviews seemed favorable. Walking in things looked impressive as there's a large bar and multiple dining rooms. They were all closed which was totally understandable as it was mid week at lunch time. Once seated in the outdated main dining room with the blue hairs, I noticed not the smell of Cajun food in the air but that sour bathroom smell. The iced tea was gross, the gumbo tasted canned. With small pieces of processed chicken of consistency similar to a chicken nugget. Service was decent, although I didn't ask for much. It did take 10 minutes for server to return with change from the bill. Which was icing on the cake for me. Thanks for the try, I won't be back.
(1)
Dr G Y.
Just saw it driving by and decided to try it. Very, very good. Fresh half-shell oysters half the price of anyone else. Very reasonable prices. Etoufee and gumbo are excellent. Very pleasant atmosphere and decor. Wait staff was quick and courteous. Highly recommended.
(5)
Jessica E.
I drove from the North Valley to Mesa to have a birthday dinner with one of my girl friends. She picked Peir de Orleans and from what I saw the place didn't seem too bad. A couple bad reviews, but the prices seemed reasonable so I was 'all in'. When I arrived (I was a tad late) everyone was sitting and the complaints were already flying. The waitress was brand new and would only take a couple order at a time before leaving - taking care of the bar- and then taking down more of our orders. There were 2 different menus on the table, and one of which had lower prices on some of the meals. We asked our waitress if she would honor those lower prices and she went and asked the owner; wanna know what the answer was? NO. What a crock of $@*#!!! My individual beef with this place is the fact that I had to wait 5-10 minutes to get some ranch for my appetizer and after my 1st drink the waitress took her sweet time. THEN when I got my bill it was around $22. . .which wouldn't be too bad except I thought I had bought the appetizer and my 3 drinks under Happy Hour pricing. They then told us the pricing is only for patrons who sit at the bar. MAYBE you should put that on the website, or on the menu so we would know. But heck, what do I know? The food was so/so, the service was horrible AND oh when they brought out my girlfriends birthday cake (after all the checks were passed out and a couple people had already left) the waitress said "We made this special for you so you have to eat it or. . . " and then rolled her eyes. I seriously thought the world was going to go off it's axis she rolled her eyes so much. Turns out all the bad reviews on here speak the truth. I'll NEVER go here again or tell my friends to visit this place. I'm just sad that my friends birthday dinner wasn't the amazing dinner she deserved.
(1)
Thomas J.
Decent 3.5 on a 5.0 scale.
(3)
Shawn S.
I read the other reviews and thought I would be disappointed. I was anything but. I had the steak and oysters on a half shell. It was delicious. A big group of my family are there and everyone was impressed. The food was wonderful and the prices were great as well. I'm glad I went. We had wonderful service and I was never left wanting. My drink was promptly filled all the time. Give this place a try. You won't be sorry.
(5)
CN B.
We have enjoyed this restaurant for several years and have made it one of the places that we are always sure to visit when in AZ. However, last nights experience will change that as the food was not as good as in the past and portions were noticeably smaller.
(3)
Jasmine C.
The service here at lunch time was laughable horrible. It was so so bad and they didn't appear busy though there seemed to be a party going on in the other room. Drink refills were hard to come by - you had to ask and even then the waitress might not bring the right beverage. Tried the escargot (not a fan though I might not like snails anywhere) and the fried combination plate - that was okay. For lunch had the steak special. Worst steak ever.
(2)
Jett J.
Moved here from Louisiana. There aren't very many places in AZ that serve cajun food so my BF took me here. Food was ok. Gumbo and jambalaya was good. My guy liked the stuffed crab cakes. Over all food was ok. Atmosphere sucked. I've never seen such a large collection of seniors since church bingo. Luckily my family is hilariously entertaining. The building is pretty old. Service was mediocre. Not fast. Not slow. Not smiling or happy. It was kinda cute when the first waiter laid out the silver wear instead of putting down a rolled up napkin w silverwear. Then the actual server looked like she'd rather be doing calculus that work.
(3)
Andrew C.
Second time at this restaurant within three days and loved the experience each time! The service is amazing and prices are reasonable. Cheap and convenient it's near the Marriott hotel and a quick walk. Can't wait to be back again!!!
Eh. I've driven by here a million times but never tried it. A friend invited us here so I was sort of excited to finally try it. First impressions are everything and having to wait to be seated without even seeing the hostess for several minutes was the first clue that this wasn't going to be the best dinner. Next thing I noticed when we were being lead into the one of the dining areas was very old looking dark carpet. Call it a peave but I hate carpeted dining rooms. I just imagine all the stuff that has been spilled on it. Ew. We had to wait for drinks, wait for the food, wait for the check, all while being only one of two occupied tables in an otherwise empty dining room. I guess all the action was elsewhere because the waitress said they were very busy. To credit, my jambalaya was very good and the waitress was quite nice...we just didn't see her very often. I can't stand waiting though and so I doubt I will be coming back. Three are plenty of other good places to eat and actually get paid attention to.
(2)
Brianna P.
Don't let some of the bad reviews below fool you! Pier de Orleans is my absolute favorite restaurant. The food there is exquisite. My family and I go there any time we crave seafood or Cajun meals. Other places can be a bit expensive, but they are very reasonably priced. When you walk in, we're always seated right away. The waitresses are very sweet every time we come. They even have a dance floor for when you want to have a big party (which being the seafood lover that I am, I will be doing this soon!) I would definitely recommend this place to all of my family! We will be back soon!
(5)
Desa C.
I stayed at the neighboring Marriott and had three people, in my four day stay ,say this place was good. It's not bad but it surely isn't good and nothing I would recommend. It's like being time warped to 1984 and I was the only person under 60 in there for dinner. The servers were friendly but slow. The food wasn't really that great. It wasn't so bad that I would send it back but the red beans and rice had a good flavor but felt like it had been sitting. The rice was clumpy and tough and the beans had a skin over it. The all-you-can-eat ribs were dry, greasy and passable. I really hate putting up bad reviews but I feel like this place should come with a warning for someone that's interested in something better.
(2)
Brian F.
I used to eat here all the time in the late 90s and early 2000s. Loved this place! Then I took my girlfriend here for her birthday tonight. It took nearly 5 minutes to even track someone down to seat us. When asking about the beer selection the waitress didn't have a clue. We put in our order for just sodas and placed our appetizer order for the bacon wrapped shrimp. We also placed an order for our main dishes, the filet mignon and shrimp and the broiled fish, shrimp, and scallops. We got the bread, drinks, and bacon covered shrimp quickly. The shrimp was fine I suppose. Nothing fantastic but the bacon felt and tasted like it was some store brand el cheapo stuff. All was well until I spent about 20 or 30 minutes staring at an empty glass of soda and wondering where the heck our salad and soup were at. We hadn't even seen her. She brought a refill and promised the food would be coming soon. a total of 1 hour had passed since walking in and we finally got our salad and soup. The cesar salad was overloaded with dressing so much I couldn't stomach more than a couple bites. The vegetable beef soup was bland with nearly zero beef and was warm at best (she couldn't finish either). 15 minutes later our main course showed up. The filet mignon was bland, but a decent cut at least. I had to use salt and A1 which I hate doing... The shrimp scampi tasted like shrimp scampi. nothing more nothing less. The baked potato was fully loaded and cooked just right. Her fish shrimp and scallops were decent enough, but nothing to write home about. We finish up and discussed how it seemed like the server totally forgot about us for that initial time and eyeballed my soda again. We never saw her after getting our food so if we needed anything we would have been out of luck during our entire meal. She finally came back with the bill, where I got a surprise. Apparently I was being charged extra for my cesar salad and loaded potato. I requested to see the menu and sure enough, not one mention about up charges or subs. She then said she had to ask the owner and the only thing she was allowed to do was remove the cesar charge of $1.50. I honestly considered tipped her nothing. I left a very low tip as i am not THAT heartless but I hope its a lesson to her. I may never go back because in my opinion, horrible service and food that tasted like it was bought from a dollar store is definitely not worth my time. Nearly two hours worth. And there were only 5 tables when we arrived and 7 when we left between 3 servers and a manager in the front of the house.
The Really Good: Oysters Gumbo The Mediocre: Steaks Crabcakes Stuffed Mushrooms They have pretty reasonable prices, along with top notch oysters and gumbo, so that pushed it to four stars for us.
(4)
Rob A.
I've heard varied reviews about this place and finally made it over to see for myself. As far as seafood in Arizona, this is some of the best. As far as Cajun fare anywhere, it's very good! The pecan shrimp was a favorite, and the scampi was delicious as well. The wait staff was knowledgeable but not overbearing. Overall, thumbs up, we'll be back.
(4)
Missa K.
This place is amazing! There's no place in Arizona that has authentic New Orleans cuisine like Peir de Orleans. When I walk in I enjoy the friendliness of the employees. I have never been disappointed in the service I get and especially never with the food. If anyone who has actually been to New Orleans and had the food, this is the closest one will get to the real thing in Arizona. Have visited many of times and always live full and happy. Always a go-to place for me and the family!
(5)
Korina A.
Bleagh. Everything came from the freezer and was plunked into the fryer -- for way too long. Even the fake oak tree in the center of the dining room and the gift shop jam-packed with tacky knickknacks can't make me go back.
(1)
Mike H.
I found this place on the internet and went to get the 6.95 catfish - during lunch. when i get the order there was no coleslaw as the menu advertised. the server failed to offer a replacement dish so I had to suggest one. her answer was we are out. no water served or offered. wait, did mention that the place was damn near empty? so i get the bill and the total for the fish was 11.95, and it was scratched out to 9.95. i tell them it was 7.95 on the internet ( i wan't sure of the price). i guess they are still figuring out how to respond to that question. so i get back to job and look it up again and it's 6.95. I call them and the Owner tells me "too bad, you were looking at something old". this place is hurting for business so bad they can't honor the price advertised. in other words, for 3.00, they don't care if I come back. so guess what...I ain't gong back!
(1)
Jennifer A.
If it was possible to write a review and give the place zero stars, I would. I've only been to the place once, and it's been over a year, but the experience was so bad that I still get upset thinking about it. I could have forgiven the tchotchke gift shop on the way in, the huge fake tree in the middle of the room where we were seated, or the retirement home dining room decor if the service or food had been anywhere near decent. This place is close to our house, and we went for dinner on a weekend night (can't remember if it was Friday or Saturday). We didn't have to wait for a table, but that's about where the service stopped. A waitress was constantly checking in on the table behind us, refilling their drinks, taking their order, bringing more bread, but we waited around for a good 15 minutes before someone even came to take our drink order. It was the same waitress. Another 15 minutes before we could order our food (even though she kept visiting the table behind us). And a godawful time after that before it arrived. The food was warm, not hot, bland, not well plated, and, well, just plain unappetizing. I thought this was supposed to be Cajun food?! It looked and tasted like it should have been served in a retirement home dining room.
(1)
Rickey Lynn G.
We went to dinner at 6:00 on a Saturday night. After cocktails at the bar, which were decent, we were seated at our table. I hate to make generalizations, but this place reminded me of someplace from back in the 60's. It seemed old, with music from the 50's and 60's playing in the background. I started out with 2 appetizers - the gulf oysters (5.95) and the escargot (5.95). Oysters were supposed to be 80 cents each, yet I was charged the $5.95 for a half dozen. I don't mind paying the price for a good oyster, but these were not plump or very tasty. I had to really doctor them up with a bunch of horseradish and Tabasco sauce. The escargot were nicely cooked and served with a nice piece of Parmesan bread, but here again, the menu calls them Large, Meaty Snails in Garlic Butter, but what I got were anything but large, though they were, to be fair, very tasty. One of my companions got the pecan shrimp (5.95) and said they were o.k. while another companion had the calamari, which she pronounced was pre-frozen and off tasting. To it's credit, the restaurant took it off the bill. I had the seafood gumbo supreme (13.95), which had shrimp, bay scallops, oysters and one small crab claw in it. For me, the gumbo did not have the kind of seasoning that one would expect to be in a real gumbo, and again, I ended up doctoring it up a lot to make it suit my tastes. After doctoring it, the taste was fine, though the crab claw was definitely not fresh and tasted off. I ended up placing it on a plate on the side and abandoning it there. The meal also came with a cup (they call it a bowl) of soup. I elected to have the clam chowder. To their credit, the clams were nice sized and not overcooked, but on the down side, the broth was a bit thin and watery. Other companions had seafood d'Orleans (12.95), Cajun sampler (11.95), and Cajun jambalaya (12.95). Comments made by our companion from New Orleans,was that it tasted exactly like Zatarains and they would be surprised if it wasn't. Other companions mentioned that the food lacked seasoning and seemed quite bland to them. Sanitation was, unfortunately, not up to quality standards. While the tableware and table were clean, none of the tables in the room were cleared while we were there. The dirty dishes were left on the tables from their "Early Bird" diners. While we were there, no other diners entered the restaurant, so I would have to assume the dirty dishes were there for at least and hour and a half or more, waiting to be cleared. The restroom was clean and mostly stocked. In all, I would say that this was a bit of a disappointment. Serving previously frozen food does nothing to help a restaurant gain customers, nor does serving food that is off do much. Two stars.
(2)
Bill R.
If you are looking for a nice little unpretentious family restaurant, you have found it. You come here for decent food, calm atmosphere, and nice service. I gave it an extra star just because it has been here for decades, and how many restaurants can you say that about?
(5)
Mary H.
Very boring, old fashioned menu, in my opinion. Small portions, and food seems bland to me. It was a dark, oppressing atmosphere. To be fair, I haven't been there for quite awhile, so maybe things could of changed, by now.
(2)
Kristin C.
I didn't pick this place. The Girlfriend's Aunt picked this place. She picked it because there was a good coupon in the paper for the kinds of foods she likes - seafood, southern food, bit of Cajun influence. As this was her birthday dinner - we didn't argue. Even after looking at their web site. Oh, what you'll do for family... The parking lot was packed, but the restaurant had only about 5 tables occupied on this Saturday night at 7pm. I meant to check out the bar as it must be the slamin' Mesa hot spot based on all those cars. The Aunt tells me that they were having all you can eat ribs in there from what she heard. We walk in and immediately the 4 of us under the age of 50 start either giggling or staring in open mouthed wonder. To your immediate left - case of lovely knives for sale. Forward and to your right - some inspirational cards. A few more steps and there are stuffed animals galore for your viewing and purchasing pleasure. To your left as you keep walking are some lovely sparkly mini-purses. View straight ahead and you'll see a shelved display of fairy figurines for sale. (Not until we were walking out did we see the hand painted Jesus or the hand painted Pope John Paul with Mother Theresa figurine. At only $45 bucks it was quite the bargain.) We were tempted to run until we heard The Aunt say, "Oh, this is nice". Reminder - why we are here... The hostess takes us into the room of our dreams - the one we'd seen on line and actually wanted to sit in for the pure giggle factor. They have a giant tree in the center of the room. Yes, ...yes they do. (See the picture to check it out in all it's glory.) You can sit under the tree's silk leaves and flowers - and even the bird house. We were led to the table in the corner with its own white weave walls. And a gigantic fish on the wall right above The Aunt's head. We couldn't have asked for more. The menu is varied. There is a wide variety. Their special that night actually inspired her to not use her coupon - Lobster tail, King crab leg and fried shrimp (with a soup or salad, baked potato and veggie) for just $16. Who isn't impressed at that price? I got one of their other specials - Fillet Mignon with shrimp (bacon wrapped, stuffed, fried, or scampi) with all the fixins for just $12. How can you screw that up too badly, right? Someone else branched out to try their frog legs with red beans and rice. None of us were waiting to be impressed, but we were just curious. During our 20 minute wait for salads and our most likely total 45 minute wait (ordering to plate) time for dinner we did a great job of keeping each other entertained. We're a bit of a lively group. We aren't shocked to be louder than your average table as our group of 5 is filled with loud laughers and generally funny folks. In this place though - it was shocking. No background music. No background noise. In a not too large room we hardly heard anyone else talking. Another waitress (whom we wish we'd had as she was a hoot, and actually stopped by several times to tell us a joke or comment about the good time we were having) joked about how we'd gotten far too quiet (as one does when telling dirty jokes in Mesa) and she was relying on us to put some sound in the place. And finally to the food. It wasn't good. It wasn't awful. My medium well fillet was super dry well and only about 1/2 to 3/4 an inch thick. A chewy hockey puck. The bacon wrapped shrimp weren't awful - but were far over cooked and dry. I was told the frog's legs weren't bad at all. The red beans and rice had only a theory of spice - but they are most likely well suited to the older Mesa crowd. The Aunt loved her food. This means nothing to most of you - but The Aunt has been in Arizona for a year, and we've taken her to many great spots and they've done nothing for her. This is the first one that she's really, really liked. Really. Service wasn't great. Wasn't awful, but we really got the slow server. One nice thing - for just $3 they brought out a individual sized cake (about 4 inch round) all frosted up nicely with a candle and we all sang Happy Birthday. They weren't super slick about it so she knew something was going down, and the cake had obviously been made long ago and defrosted (cracks in the side) - but it looked nice to her and that's all that mattered. If you have high culinary sensibilities - drive on by. It's not your kind of place. If you're looking for a cheap seafood alternative without too much focus on quality - it isn't too bad. If you're looking for a great spot to take pictures for your MySpace profile - it's totally worth it. 2.3 stars from me. But I'm letting The Aunt's interest bump it to a 3 star review. (Happy Birthday!)
(3)
Daniel B.
Can you give less than one star? Walked in, looked around, walked out. Why? Dirty. This place is a Food Safety nightmare. And after leaving I walked past the rear kitchen door (which was open) and witnessed some obvious violations of food safety. Thank God for HACCP, that way if someone goes down, they won't have far to track it. I was staying at the Marriott right next door and I asked about the place and they said the cleanliness factor has been an issue for many guests. Sorry, didn't take a chance on the food.
(1)
Byoung Kyu S.
I stayed at the Marriot right next door so I decided to try this place for dinner. Prices were very reasonable and portions were fairly large. I ordered 1 LB of boiled crawfish, dozen oysters, and shrimp platter. Total damage including tip was $36. They had 50 cent oyster special. Food was good; not great. I'd probably try this place again if I stay at the same hotel and don't feel like venturing out too far.
(3)
Adam H.
The food was mediocre and the service was slow/clueless.
(1)
Frank M.
After reading the negative reviews on Pier de Orleans, I almost canceled our Father's Day reservation, but since this restaurant has been around for a long time we thought it deserved one more meal. To our surprise the food was delivered appropriately, not too soon and not too late. The Filet Mignon and Lobster Tail dinner was not bad at all. For $15.95 I didn't expect a fine dining meal but it was tasty and properly cooked. I suspect what turns people off is the decor. If you are younger than 50 this may not be the place for you. We felt transported back to the 1950's or earlier. And the furniture looked like it was brand new back then. We were particular grateful for the low, soft jazz background music so we could eat our meal in peace unlike more modern restaurants who delight in giving you a conversation drowning boom box accompaniment . All in all it is a satisfying experience at a reasonable price for more mature folks.
(4)
Bee S.
This family-run Cajun-style restaurant is a neighborhood gem. My friends and I have been coming here for several years and have never been disappointed in the quality of the food or the service. If you are a seafood fan, try the crawfish chowder, pecan shrimp, Cajun popcorn (crawfish tails), shrimp or crawfish etouffe, baked salmon or one of the many seafood combination platters. There's plenty on the menu for meat-eaters, too. Just last week two of us enjoyed a mid-week feast (large shared appetizer, salads, filet mignon with fried shrimp for my friend and baked salmon for me). Be sure to check the restaurant's website for terrific coupons: our excellent meal was enhanced by a 15% of f coupon! The portions are substantial so we usually end up with a "doggie bag" or two. There are two large pleasant dining rooms (tables and booths in both), an additional dining area for groups or parties, a separate dine-in bar and a cute gift shop in the entry area. Give the usual chain restaurants a pass and try locally-owned Pier de Orleans -- you won't be sorry!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Tony O.
I ran a web search for gumbo and found a newspaper article on Cajun food by area of greater Phoenix metro. Under east valley I found Pier de Orleans and reviews seemed favorable. Walking in things looked impressive as there's a large bar and multiple dining rooms. They were all closed which was totally understandable as it was mid week at lunch time. Once seated in the outdated main dining room with the blue hairs, I noticed not the smell of Cajun food in the air but that sour bathroom smell. The iced tea was gross, the gumbo tasted canned. With small pieces of processed chicken of consistency similar to a chicken nugget. Service was decent, although I didn't ask for much. It did take 10 minutes for server to return with change from the bill. Which was icing on the cake for me. Thanks for the try, I won't be back.
(1)Dr G Y.
Just saw it driving by and decided to try it. Very, very good. Fresh half-shell oysters half the price of anyone else. Very reasonable prices. Etoufee and gumbo are excellent. Very pleasant atmosphere and decor. Wait staff was quick and courteous. Highly recommended.
(5)Jessica E.
I drove from the North Valley to Mesa to have a birthday dinner with one of my girl friends. She picked Peir de Orleans and from what I saw the place didn't seem too bad. A couple bad reviews, but the prices seemed reasonable so I was 'all in'. When I arrived (I was a tad late) everyone was sitting and the complaints were already flying. The waitress was brand new and would only take a couple order at a time before leaving - taking care of the bar- and then taking down more of our orders. There were 2 different menus on the table, and one of which had lower prices on some of the meals. We asked our waitress if she would honor those lower prices and she went and asked the owner; wanna know what the answer was? NO. What a crock of $@*#!!! My individual beef with this place is the fact that I had to wait 5-10 minutes to get some ranch for my appetizer and after my 1st drink the waitress took her sweet time. THEN when I got my bill it was around $22. . .which wouldn't be too bad except I thought I had bought the appetizer and my 3 drinks under Happy Hour pricing. They then told us the pricing is only for patrons who sit at the bar. MAYBE you should put that on the website, or on the menu so we would know. But heck, what do I know? The food was so/so, the service was horrible AND oh when they brought out my girlfriends birthday cake (after all the checks were passed out and a couple people had already left) the waitress said "We made this special for you so you have to eat it or. . . " and then rolled her eyes. I seriously thought the world was going to go off it's axis she rolled her eyes so much. Turns out all the bad reviews on here speak the truth. I'll NEVER go here again or tell my friends to visit this place. I'm just sad that my friends birthday dinner wasn't the amazing dinner she deserved.
(1)Thomas J.
Decent 3.5 on a 5.0 scale.
(3)Shawn S.
I read the other reviews and thought I would be disappointed. I was anything but. I had the steak and oysters on a half shell. It was delicious. A big group of my family are there and everyone was impressed. The food was wonderful and the prices were great as well. I'm glad I went. We had wonderful service and I was never left wanting. My drink was promptly filled all the time. Give this place a try. You won't be sorry.
(5)CN B.
We have enjoyed this restaurant for several years and have made it one of the places that we are always sure to visit when in AZ. However, last nights experience will change that as the food was not as good as in the past and portions were noticeably smaller.
(3)Jasmine C.
The service here at lunch time was laughable horrible. It was so so bad and they didn't appear busy though there seemed to be a party going on in the other room. Drink refills were hard to come by - you had to ask and even then the waitress might not bring the right beverage. Tried the escargot (not a fan though I might not like snails anywhere) and the fried combination plate - that was okay. For lunch had the steak special. Worst steak ever.
(2)Jett J.
Moved here from Louisiana. There aren't very many places in AZ that serve cajun food so my BF took me here. Food was ok. Gumbo and jambalaya was good. My guy liked the stuffed crab cakes. Over all food was ok. Atmosphere sucked. I've never seen such a large collection of seniors since church bingo. Luckily my family is hilariously entertaining. The building is pretty old. Service was mediocre. Not fast. Not slow. Not smiling or happy. It was kinda cute when the first waiter laid out the silver wear instead of putting down a rolled up napkin w silverwear. Then the actual server looked like she'd rather be doing calculus that work.
(3)Andrew C.
Second time at this restaurant within three days and loved the experience each time! The service is amazing and prices are reasonable. Cheap and convenient it's near the Marriott hotel and a quick walk. Can't wait to be back again!!!
(5)Vince F.
I must say it was quite the experience. I went with my wife and two children. It seemed like we were getting there right as the late lunch/early dinner crowd was leaving. We walked in and no one greeted us. Then a gentleman walked up and said "how many" from about 10 feet a way. He showed us to our seats and kept it moving. Then our waitress comes to the table, doesn't greet us or tell us her name she just says "what can I get y'all to drink"? She only takes my wife's drink order and walks off. The greeting and first fifteen minutes was very unwelcoming. Now I must add the chicken gumbo was ok. Tasted similar to what comes out of a progresso can. Now the red beans and rice was pretty good, so was the crawfish étouffée. My wife ordered the mariner platter...the catfish was probably the best thing on her plate. The vibe was not welcoming. We were the only black family in the restaurant and we could definitely feel that. Even to the point when I stood up a gentelman's jaw dropped as he stared. As we left no one said thanks for coming. I told the manager thank you and he looked at me with no response and smiled. All in all the food was average, service was ok, especially after I found out our server was only 3 days on. I did tip her quite well because she tried very hard amidst the unwelcoming attitude of the manager and the customers. I understand it's old Mesa, but geez its 2015...I felt like I went back 30 years in time while I ate there...I'll probably never go back...not one thank you coming or come again...there was also a photo of black people rowing across the bayou as a "stonewall Jackson" ship steered behind them...and being from East Texas close to the gulf I know what good Cajun food taste like...and this was about as commercial as it gets...
(2)Chantal-Lise M.
I went with a large group from a retirement community + though we were expected + sat at 3 tables, service was VERY slow. The food, on the other hand, was spectacular! I started with Oysters Bienville (which no-one was able to describe to me beforehand!) - 2 plump Oysters on their shells covered in a wonderful chunky seafood sauce and broiled. Plus I happily imbibed 2 Expresso Martinis. My friends each had a couple of Strawberry Daiquiris and a Hurricane.... We had a HAPPY table!They were followed by the best Lobster Chowder I've eaten anywhere - one of our group ordered a quart to take home for a mere $8 (I wish I'd thought of that)! I then had the Crawfish Étouffée - excellent! Served with 2 timbales of perfectly cooked white rice sitting in the middle of the delectable gravy laden with plump little crawfish tails, plenty enough for take-home leftovers! The meal was accompanied by delectable fresh hot rolls and butter. We ordered more baskets just so we could take some home!!! Even though I was full, I couldn't resist ordering the Cream Cheese Pecan Pie for dessert... AMAZING! I would go back just for that! It was not overly sweet: a lovely crispy, flaky crust; a nice layer of corn syrup; one of fluffy cream cheese; topped by crispy pecans ($2.95). Our entire group vowed to return sooner than later...
(4)Michele R.
Eh. I've driven by here a million times but never tried it. A friend invited us here so I was sort of excited to finally try it. First impressions are everything and having to wait to be seated without even seeing the hostess for several minutes was the first clue that this wasn't going to be the best dinner. Next thing I noticed when we were being lead into the one of the dining areas was very old looking dark carpet. Call it a peave but I hate carpeted dining rooms. I just imagine all the stuff that has been spilled on it. Ew. We had to wait for drinks, wait for the food, wait for the check, all while being only one of two occupied tables in an otherwise empty dining room. I guess all the action was elsewhere because the waitress said they were very busy. To credit, my jambalaya was very good and the waitress was quite nice...we just didn't see her very often. I can't stand waiting though and so I doubt I will be coming back. Three are plenty of other good places to eat and actually get paid attention to.
(2)Brianna P.
Don't let some of the bad reviews below fool you! Pier de Orleans is my absolute favorite restaurant. The food there is exquisite. My family and I go there any time we crave seafood or Cajun meals. Other places can be a bit expensive, but they are very reasonably priced. When you walk in, we're always seated right away. The waitresses are very sweet every time we come. They even have a dance floor for when you want to have a big party (which being the seafood lover that I am, I will be doing this soon!) I would definitely recommend this place to all of my family! We will be back soon!
(5)Desa C.
I stayed at the neighboring Marriott and had three people, in my four day stay ,say this place was good. It's not bad but it surely isn't good and nothing I would recommend. It's like being time warped to 1984 and I was the only person under 60 in there for dinner. The servers were friendly but slow. The food wasn't really that great. It wasn't so bad that I would send it back but the red beans and rice had a good flavor but felt like it had been sitting. The rice was clumpy and tough and the beans had a skin over it. The all-you-can-eat ribs were dry, greasy and passable. I really hate putting up bad reviews but I feel like this place should come with a warning for someone that's interested in something better.
(2)Brian F.
I used to eat here all the time in the late 90s and early 2000s. Loved this place! Then I took my girlfriend here for her birthday tonight. It took nearly 5 minutes to even track someone down to seat us. When asking about the beer selection the waitress didn't have a clue. We put in our order for just sodas and placed our appetizer order for the bacon wrapped shrimp. We also placed an order for our main dishes, the filet mignon and shrimp and the broiled fish, shrimp, and scallops. We got the bread, drinks, and bacon covered shrimp quickly. The shrimp was fine I suppose. Nothing fantastic but the bacon felt and tasted like it was some store brand el cheapo stuff. All was well until I spent about 20 or 30 minutes staring at an empty glass of soda and wondering where the heck our salad and soup were at. We hadn't even seen her. She brought a refill and promised the food would be coming soon. a total of 1 hour had passed since walking in and we finally got our salad and soup. The cesar salad was overloaded with dressing so much I couldn't stomach more than a couple bites. The vegetable beef soup was bland with nearly zero beef and was warm at best (she couldn't finish either). 15 minutes later our main course showed up. The filet mignon was bland, but a decent cut at least. I had to use salt and A1 which I hate doing... The shrimp scampi tasted like shrimp scampi. nothing more nothing less. The baked potato was fully loaded and cooked just right. Her fish shrimp and scallops were decent enough, but nothing to write home about. We finish up and discussed how it seemed like the server totally forgot about us for that initial time and eyeballed my soda again. We never saw her after getting our food so if we needed anything we would have been out of luck during our entire meal. She finally came back with the bill, where I got a surprise. Apparently I was being charged extra for my cesar salad and loaded potato. I requested to see the menu and sure enough, not one mention about up charges or subs. She then said she had to ask the owner and the only thing she was allowed to do was remove the cesar charge of $1.50. I honestly considered tipped her nothing. I left a very low tip as i am not THAT heartless but I hope its a lesson to her. I may never go back because in my opinion, horrible service and food that tasted like it was bought from a dollar store is definitely not worth my time. Nearly two hours worth. And there were only 5 tables when we arrived and 7 when we left between 3 servers and a manager in the front of the house.
(2)Mary Ann C.
Ok, so my husband and I decided that we were going to try this place. We love Cajun food so we thought what the hay. I called first to see how late they were open since it was Christmas Eve and the nice lady on the phone told me 7pm. I asked her if reservations were recommended and she told me yes. I told her I would make them online and she told me she could take the reservation ( I called before they opened) now because sometimes they don't answer the phone. What? What do the Internet and phone have to do with each other but whatev! We get to the place at 4:15, reserve was for 4:30. We walk in and it smelled like a damp basement in a haunted house. Gross! A nice lady came out and said she would be right with us. Then a young man breezed by and said the same. Then the nice lady came back and said it again. Finally we were going to be seated and the lady crossed our name off the reserve list. The place was hopping, just kidding. We were 2 of the 8 people in the joint. I hate carpeted restaurants, and trees in the middle of the room. Where is Robert Irvine when I need him. I felt like I was in the dining room of a very sad retirement home. I wonder if our dinner came with an oxygen tank for two and a couple of walkers. Appetizer was stuffed mushrooms with some kind of hollandais sauce on it. All I can say is meh, those will never have a second chance. My hubs had the crawfish chowder which was a very large bowl of soup which came with a side of soup. Am I missing something here? I had the sampler which was a small dish of red beans and 4 grains of rice. A tiny soup bowl of gumbo and a dish of crawfish étouffée. I make better red beans and rice. The gumbo was most definately Zatarains, and the étouffée had some promise but again not on a reorder list. I don't think this place will get a second chance unless they lose the carpet and make it on Restaurant Impossible! And the final straw was the weird smelling ladies room, a cross between Mr. Clean, nursing home and the petting zoo. This was a first and a last for me. The only saving grace was the cheap prices which certainly reflected the ambiance and the food quality.
(1)Sean O.
The Really Good: Oysters Gumbo The Mediocre: Steaks Crabcakes Stuffed Mushrooms They have pretty reasonable prices, along with top notch oysters and gumbo, so that pushed it to four stars for us.
(4)Rob A.
I've heard varied reviews about this place and finally made it over to see for myself. As far as seafood in Arizona, this is some of the best. As far as Cajun fare anywhere, it's very good! The pecan shrimp was a favorite, and the scampi was delicious as well. The wait staff was knowledgeable but not overbearing. Overall, thumbs up, we'll be back.
(4)Missa K.
This place is amazing! There's no place in Arizona that has authentic New Orleans cuisine like Peir de Orleans. When I walk in I enjoy the friendliness of the employees. I have never been disappointed in the service I get and especially never with the food. If anyone who has actually been to New Orleans and had the food, this is the closest one will get to the real thing in Arizona. Have visited many of times and always live full and happy. Always a go-to place for me and the family!
(5)Korina A.
Bleagh. Everything came from the freezer and was plunked into the fryer -- for way too long. Even the fake oak tree in the center of the dining room and the gift shop jam-packed with tacky knickknacks can't make me go back.
(1)Mike H.
I found this place on the internet and went to get the 6.95 catfish - during lunch. when i get the order there was no coleslaw as the menu advertised. the server failed to offer a replacement dish so I had to suggest one. her answer was we are out. no water served or offered. wait, did mention that the place was damn near empty? so i get the bill and the total for the fish was 11.95, and it was scratched out to 9.95. i tell them it was 7.95 on the internet ( i wan't sure of the price). i guess they are still figuring out how to respond to that question. so i get back to job and look it up again and it's 6.95. I call them and the Owner tells me "too bad, you were looking at something old". this place is hurting for business so bad they can't honor the price advertised. in other words, for 3.00, they don't care if I come back. so guess what...I ain't gong back!
(1)Jennifer A.
If it was possible to write a review and give the place zero stars, I would. I've only been to the place once, and it's been over a year, but the experience was so bad that I still get upset thinking about it. I could have forgiven the tchotchke gift shop on the way in, the huge fake tree in the middle of the room where we were seated, or the retirement home dining room decor if the service or food had been anywhere near decent. This place is close to our house, and we went for dinner on a weekend night (can't remember if it was Friday or Saturday). We didn't have to wait for a table, but that's about where the service stopped. A waitress was constantly checking in on the table behind us, refilling their drinks, taking their order, bringing more bread, but we waited around for a good 15 minutes before someone even came to take our drink order. It was the same waitress. Another 15 minutes before we could order our food (even though she kept visiting the table behind us). And a godawful time after that before it arrived. The food was warm, not hot, bland, not well plated, and, well, just plain unappetizing. I thought this was supposed to be Cajun food?! It looked and tasted like it should have been served in a retirement home dining room.
(1)Rickey Lynn G.
We went to dinner at 6:00 on a Saturday night. After cocktails at the bar, which were decent, we were seated at our table. I hate to make generalizations, but this place reminded me of someplace from back in the 60's. It seemed old, with music from the 50's and 60's playing in the background. I started out with 2 appetizers - the gulf oysters (5.95) and the escargot (5.95). Oysters were supposed to be 80 cents each, yet I was charged the $5.95 for a half dozen. I don't mind paying the price for a good oyster, but these were not plump or very tasty. I had to really doctor them up with a bunch of horseradish and Tabasco sauce. The escargot were nicely cooked and served with a nice piece of Parmesan bread, but here again, the menu calls them Large, Meaty Snails in Garlic Butter, but what I got were anything but large, though they were, to be fair, very tasty. One of my companions got the pecan shrimp (5.95) and said they were o.k. while another companion had the calamari, which she pronounced was pre-frozen and off tasting. To it's credit, the restaurant took it off the bill. I had the seafood gumbo supreme (13.95), which had shrimp, bay scallops, oysters and one small crab claw in it. For me, the gumbo did not have the kind of seasoning that one would expect to be in a real gumbo, and again, I ended up doctoring it up a lot to make it suit my tastes. After doctoring it, the taste was fine, though the crab claw was definitely not fresh and tasted off. I ended up placing it on a plate on the side and abandoning it there. The meal also came with a cup (they call it a bowl) of soup. I elected to have the clam chowder. To their credit, the clams were nice sized and not overcooked, but on the down side, the broth was a bit thin and watery. Other companions had seafood d'Orleans (12.95), Cajun sampler (11.95), and Cajun jambalaya (12.95). Comments made by our companion from New Orleans,was that it tasted exactly like Zatarains and they would be surprised if it wasn't. Other companions mentioned that the food lacked seasoning and seemed quite bland to them. Sanitation was, unfortunately, not up to quality standards. While the tableware and table were clean, none of the tables in the room were cleared while we were there. The dirty dishes were left on the tables from their "Early Bird" diners. While we were there, no other diners entered the restaurant, so I would have to assume the dirty dishes were there for at least and hour and a half or more, waiting to be cleared. The restroom was clean and mostly stocked. In all, I would say that this was a bit of a disappointment. Serving previously frozen food does nothing to help a restaurant gain customers, nor does serving food that is off do much. Two stars.
(2)Bill R.
If you are looking for a nice little unpretentious family restaurant, you have found it. You come here for decent food, calm atmosphere, and nice service. I gave it an extra star just because it has been here for decades, and how many restaurants can you say that about?
(5)Mary H.
Very boring, old fashioned menu, in my opinion. Small portions, and food seems bland to me. It was a dark, oppressing atmosphere. To be fair, I haven't been there for quite awhile, so maybe things could of changed, by now.
(2)Kristin C.
I didn't pick this place. The Girlfriend's Aunt picked this place. She picked it because there was a good coupon in the paper for the kinds of foods she likes - seafood, southern food, bit of Cajun influence. As this was her birthday dinner - we didn't argue. Even after looking at their web site. Oh, what you'll do for family... The parking lot was packed, but the restaurant had only about 5 tables occupied on this Saturday night at 7pm. I meant to check out the bar as it must be the slamin' Mesa hot spot based on all those cars. The Aunt tells me that they were having all you can eat ribs in there from what she heard. We walk in and immediately the 4 of us under the age of 50 start either giggling or staring in open mouthed wonder. To your immediate left - case of lovely knives for sale. Forward and to your right - some inspirational cards. A few more steps and there are stuffed animals galore for your viewing and purchasing pleasure. To your left as you keep walking are some lovely sparkly mini-purses. View straight ahead and you'll see a shelved display of fairy figurines for sale. (Not until we were walking out did we see the hand painted Jesus or the hand painted Pope John Paul with Mother Theresa figurine. At only $45 bucks it was quite the bargain.) We were tempted to run until we heard The Aunt say, "Oh, this is nice". Reminder - why we are here... The hostess takes us into the room of our dreams - the one we'd seen on line and actually wanted to sit in for the pure giggle factor. They have a giant tree in the center of the room. Yes, ...yes they do. (See the picture to check it out in all it's glory.) You can sit under the tree's silk leaves and flowers - and even the bird house. We were led to the table in the corner with its own white weave walls. And a gigantic fish on the wall right above The Aunt's head. We couldn't have asked for more. The menu is varied. There is a wide variety. Their special that night actually inspired her to not use her coupon - Lobster tail, King crab leg and fried shrimp (with a soup or salad, baked potato and veggie) for just $16. Who isn't impressed at that price? I got one of their other specials - Fillet Mignon with shrimp (bacon wrapped, stuffed, fried, or scampi) with all the fixins for just $12. How can you screw that up too badly, right? Someone else branched out to try their frog legs with red beans and rice. None of us were waiting to be impressed, but we were just curious. During our 20 minute wait for salads and our most likely total 45 minute wait (ordering to plate) time for dinner we did a great job of keeping each other entertained. We're a bit of a lively group. We aren't shocked to be louder than your average table as our group of 5 is filled with loud laughers and generally funny folks. In this place though - it was shocking. No background music. No background noise. In a not too large room we hardly heard anyone else talking. Another waitress (whom we wish we'd had as she was a hoot, and actually stopped by several times to tell us a joke or comment about the good time we were having) joked about how we'd gotten far too quiet (as one does when telling dirty jokes in Mesa) and she was relying on us to put some sound in the place. And finally to the food. It wasn't good. It wasn't awful. My medium well fillet was super dry well and only about 1/2 to 3/4 an inch thick. A chewy hockey puck. The bacon wrapped shrimp weren't awful - but were far over cooked and dry. I was told the frog's legs weren't bad at all. The red beans and rice had only a theory of spice - but they are most likely well suited to the older Mesa crowd. The Aunt loved her food. This means nothing to most of you - but The Aunt has been in Arizona for a year, and we've taken her to many great spots and they've done nothing for her. This is the first one that she's really, really liked. Really. Service wasn't great. Wasn't awful, but we really got the slow server. One nice thing - for just $3 they brought out a individual sized cake (about 4 inch round) all frosted up nicely with a candle and we all sang Happy Birthday. They weren't super slick about it so she knew something was going down, and the cake had obviously been made long ago and defrosted (cracks in the side) - but it looked nice to her and that's all that mattered. If you have high culinary sensibilities - drive on by. It's not your kind of place. If you're looking for a cheap seafood alternative without too much focus on quality - it isn't too bad. If you're looking for a great spot to take pictures for your MySpace profile - it's totally worth it. 2.3 stars from me. But I'm letting The Aunt's interest bump it to a 3 star review. (Happy Birthday!)
(3)Daniel B.
Can you give less than one star? Walked in, looked around, walked out. Why? Dirty. This place is a Food Safety nightmare. And after leaving I walked past the rear kitchen door (which was open) and witnessed some obvious violations of food safety. Thank God for HACCP, that way if someone goes down, they won't have far to track it. I was staying at the Marriott right next door and I asked about the place and they said the cleanliness factor has been an issue for many guests. Sorry, didn't take a chance on the food.
(1)Byoung Kyu S.
I stayed at the Marriot right next door so I decided to try this place for dinner. Prices were very reasonable and portions were fairly large. I ordered 1 LB of boiled crawfish, dozen oysters, and shrimp platter. Total damage including tip was $36. They had 50 cent oyster special. Food was good; not great. I'd probably try this place again if I stay at the same hotel and don't feel like venturing out too far.
(3)Adam H.
The food was mediocre and the service was slow/clueless.
(1)Frank M.
After reading the negative reviews on Pier de Orleans, I almost canceled our Father's Day reservation, but since this restaurant has been around for a long time we thought it deserved one more meal. To our surprise the food was delivered appropriately, not too soon and not too late. The Filet Mignon and Lobster Tail dinner was not bad at all. For $15.95 I didn't expect a fine dining meal but it was tasty and properly cooked. I suspect what turns people off is the decor. If you are younger than 50 this may not be the place for you. We felt transported back to the 1950's or earlier. And the furniture looked like it was brand new back then. We were particular grateful for the low, soft jazz background music so we could eat our meal in peace unlike more modern restaurants who delight in giving you a conversation drowning boom box accompaniment . All in all it is a satisfying experience at a reasonable price for more mature folks.
(4)Bee S.
This family-run Cajun-style restaurant is a neighborhood gem. My friends and I have been coming here for several years and have never been disappointed in the quality of the food or the service. If you are a seafood fan, try the crawfish chowder, pecan shrimp, Cajun popcorn (crawfish tails), shrimp or crawfish etouffe, baked salmon or one of the many seafood combination platters. There's plenty on the menu for meat-eaters, too. Just last week two of us enjoyed a mid-week feast (large shared appetizer, salads, filet mignon with fried shrimp for my friend and baked salmon for me). Be sure to check the restaurant's website for terrific coupons: our excellent meal was enhanced by a 15% of f coupon! The portions are substantial so we usually end up with a "doggie bag" or two. There are two large pleasant dining rooms (tables and booths in both), an additional dining area for groups or parties, a separate dine-in bar and a cute gift shop in the entry area. Give the usual chain restaurants a pass and try locally-owned Pier de Orleans -- you won't be sorry!
(5)