This place is fantastic! We wanted seafood with a Cajun flair...this definitely exceeded our expectations! Our server was Gerald and he was extremely helpful in helping us decide on our entrees and it was obvious he was knowledgable about the menu. We ended up getting the Shrimp Trawl and St. Charles shrimp. We loved everything in the Shrimp Trawl...amazing food and fresh. The servings were extremely generous as well. The happy hour Cosmos were great for 3.00! I will definitely come back next time we are in the area!
(5)
Stacie H.
I've been to this restaurant twice now and will probably come by every time I have an over night stay in the Shreveport area. First and foremost, Denise, our waitress, is the main reason we had such a great time the first time we came in March & why I brought my husband here on this trip. Even if the food was horrible, which it wasn't, we'd come back to sit in her section; she made ya feel like you were sitting around her table at home for a nice Sunday dinner. Ask for her section! Secondly, the mushrooms from the Chef's Features haven't disappointed either time I've been there. I really should just make that my meal! We also shared Ralph's Platter & still had leftovers. The crawfish is so good here even when it's not in season. Get anything with crawfish in it, you'll be happy you did!
(4)
J S.
Thanks for the raw shrimp! We had the breaded pickles which were delicious with the sauce, but not enough sauce. We both ordered the Shrimp St. Charles. At least 1 shrimp was completely raw & 3 others were only partially cooked, which we discovered after eating a few others and the sides of Cajun rice & mashed potatoes. We gave the raw shrimp to the waitress, who apologized several times and took it back to the kitchen. There was no offer to comp our appetizer or drinks or discount our dinner for the RAW shrimp that we were not able to eat. So, we paid our check, left a good tip for the waitress because she was good, and left. My dining partner was ill that night with symptoms of food poisoning. We will not be returning. Very disappointed, I have eaten here many times over the years but will never return.
(1)
Arthur W.
Not being from the south this place was recommended to me by several locals. My past 2 experiences with catfish tasted like dirt, but I decided to reach out again and the blackened catfish turned out great. For the appetizer I had blackened alligator which was juicy and tender, and the hollandaise dipping sauce complimented it nicely. I finished with some southern bread pudding and I'm mad I didn't save more room, it was scrumptious.
(4)
Jacobie D.
Stopped by on 8/3/15 around 7pm. Over all very solid place. I ordered crab cakes and oysters as an app (that never came out) which was probably for the best and they didn't charge for them. I did get the Tilapia Atchafalaya which was great. My man got the Fried Catfish Fillets which he also liked. The bread that they give out is very tasty as well. We were at the end of a vacation when we stopped here (so kinda tired) we'll be back to try again the next time we're in town.
(3)
Brenda H.
Stopped on way home from Houston. Husband loves seafood but not me, so was afraid I wouldn't find anything on the menu. He had the seafood gumbo and the rib eye, I tried the breaded pickles and sirloin. Food was very good and cooked to order. Our waitress was awesome. Would definitely go back if I am in the area.
(5)
Toni K.
No. Nope. NOPE. Came to this location for a birthday celebration for a friend's family member. We just came into town after driving from Dallas and were starving by the time we got to this restaurant. We already planned what we wanted to eat, after viewing the menu online. Everything sounded decent...but what we got was subpar. First of all, the service wait times were horrid. Our server was extremely nice -- loved her. But the wait time...no. If you placed an order, be it drink (alcoholic or non alcoholic) or food, you were destined to wait at least 20 minutes. And for the love of God, don't order any alcoholic beverages here. My friend and I ordered Long Island Iced Teas and what we got was basically colored water. There was nearly no liquor in it. And if I'm going to pay $15 for a drink, there better well be alcoholic in it. The food was messy, no matter what anyone ordered. The seafood was bland, if you asked for cheese on anything it came back with a cheese hat...have your Tums available. All in all, if someone recommends that you eat here, please do yourself a favor and fake illness and stay home.
What a great food. We from Los Angeles and you don't find food this quality. I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)
Yair V.
Food is great service is great and the price is reasonable I will recommend this place
(5)
Melissa T.
You get free bread and hush puppies. The bread was delicious. Ordered the jumbo shrimp grilled. It came with dirty rice and a side. I chose vegetables. The shrimp dish came with 10 shrimps which was delicious. I was full after eating just 3. Overall the food had lots of flavor, best dirty rice I've ever had!
(5)
Lena M.
Definitely not a place I suggest..... This is not really Cajun food. It's not really even good food plus it's way overpriced.
(2)
Kevin F.
The food here was great. Got the seafood platter and was not disappointed at all. More than enough food to share. The shrimp and stuffed crab were right on point. The fried crawfish tails and oysters were like a mini appetizer inside of the meal. Very nice place with great selection and good prices.
Loved it! We had gator as an appetizer - both blackened and fried - and it was perfect. Had steak and shrimp which was very good. The yeast rolls were hot and fresh, as were the hush puppies. Excellent service and comfortable atmosphere for dining and conversation.
(5)
Ebony M.
The fried catfish fillets and pickled green tomatoes are the kind of meal one remembers on their deathbed.
(5)
Annie B.
Went here back in October but forgot to post my review: Free bread pudding was the only redeeming part of this meal. Nice customer service but all of the food is frozen and then heated and re-served. Barely palatable but served hot!
(2)
Kimberly F.
As you can see if you check the picture my po'boy was thrown together and kinda skimpy. The rolls were awesome . My salad was mediocre at best. For these prices I was not impressed. To make matter worse service was slow. I will go back for rolls though
(2)
LaRue J.
Large space with comfortable seating. Went for an early dinner. Staff was pleasant. Started with a cup of gumbo. Generous serving for a cup. Nice seasoning. Then had the grilled jumbo shrimp with the cajun rice and cajun baked potato. Shrimp were excellent, potato was not real hot but warm enough. Rice was seasoned well and a good portion. Would rerurn.
(4)
Jeff S.
The food was edible, not great. The restaurant is old and seemed a bit neglected. They do have some interesting decor but in need of updating. There are several other better places to eat for the money.
(2)
Ashley T.
Oh my! I was sooooo happy we chose to eat at this place! Our server, Mario, was AMAZING! The food was great. My steak was cooked to perfection. The seafood was fresh. Grilled fish was great. And the drinks... WHOOO! I'm in love. Anytime I come to Shreveport I will be coming back!
Deep fried seafood heaven! You'll want to leave your calorie counter at home and enjoy a gluttonous feast. Don't worry, the guilt from dinner pairs incredibly with the bread pudding.
This place restored my faith in Shreveport/Bossier Louisiana food, and I'm from Los Angeles!! Great ambiance, great food, great service!!! We had appetizers, platters and dessert!! Amazing!!! Highly recommend!
(5)
Lorenzo S.
Nice restaurant tucked away in shopping center. Place was really nice inside with aquariums throughout. Waitress was great took my drink and appetizer quickly. Fresh bread and hush puppies served up front. I ordered the Blackened Alligator because I had never had any. It was good, but seemed a bit tough and overcooked. Vegetable side was good and fresh. Salad served up front was nothing special. This place was recommended by hotel staff and it was good place to eat at with good atmosphere. I sat in sports bar section so got to see some football. Overall, good place to eat at considering limited options in downtown Bossier City. Much more affordable and better food than rip-off Casino buffets.
(4)
Angela D.
Took my family here one evening while visiting family in town...not the yummy R&K from my youth. My husband ordered the King Louie shrimp salad, which was pretty OK. I ordered the Shrimp Trawl, which was disappointing. Other than the gratin (which was decent), the fried/stuffed shrimp were served lukewarm and tasted as if they'd been reheated and the shrimp stew was also served at a tepid temperature, which makes me question the freshness of their food. To their credit, our server was friendly and the environment was clean.
(3)
Marcinho S.
Took a family group of ten of us for dinner! SO glad I did! Service, "vibe", location... it worked well for all of us. All four generations! Everyone enjoyed their meals... One of my cousins enjoyed the blackened Alligator so well, that he ordered another one to take home! The bartender(s), which is not uncommon in this region, found it a challenge to make really common cocktails. I was SHOCKED when the request for a "Sapphire Martini, with three olives, stirred, NOT SHAKEN [bruises the Gin] required my instruction, but okay. Things happen. But me having to teach bartenders simple drinks has happened to me in this area at LEAST FOUR times since i moved here. R&C's is a comfortable, pleasant, accommodating restaurant, and the server(s) we had, were exceptional! I'll definitely be back! In fact, it has BEEN a while, but the experience STILL remains a pleasant memory! The family was VERY pleased!
(4)
Justin B.
Epic dining experience. Food was great, service was amazing, our server was named Shane he did an amazing job would recommend it to anyone.
(5)
Cari S.
I was expecting more from this "Famous" establishment. Everything was OK. Most of what we ordered was fried, maybe next time I would try food that is not fried and see if that makes a difference. The gumbo was good, but I have definitely had better. Was very bummed about the fried alligator appetizer... for what is costs you would think the portion would be larger and there would be less batter.
The Cedar Plank Salmon was to die for, The waitress was superb, the wait wasn't long at all, and there is an enjoyable atmosphere with a comedy show usually playing in the restroom, I loved it
(5)
Mark N.
Blackened Gator is yummers! The bar is laid back and a nice place to hang out and watch sports. Prices are reasonable - Staff is friendly and well trained - All in all it's always a good experience.
(3)
Avery T.
This was a great place to bring my mom when she checked out my new location. The food was exceeded expectations. Their steaks were well prepared, the fish cook beautifully and with wonderful, decadent sauces, and the crab was fantastic. This experience, however deserved only a 2.5 - 3.5. The first 0.5 comes off because of the chain nature. Any chain goes down a notch. The other down grade was for service. I know that muscato is sweet. But don't tell my family that it is a sweet red. I told them when she suggested it that it was a white so they weren't surprised, but know your wines, fill up our drinks as needed and re-check us after we receive our food. Not awful service, but we had better at cheddars!
(3)
Mark H.
Ugh. I had to resort to Ralph & Kacoo's after I learned that my standby for cajun seafood in Shreveport, Don's, had permanently closed. I should have known that R&K's would be a HUGE disappointment when I had to walk through a trove of tourist crap being sold as you enter the restaurant. "Made in China" Mardi Gras throw beads, tacky Cajun trinkets, etc. are all better buys than most of the grub sold in this place. R&K Positives: - Excellent FREE hush puppies; - "Cajun" stuffed potato was pretty decent; - Stuffed shrimp were delish; - Hurricane served in a frosty tall glass. R&K Negatives: - Service was marginal; - Shrimp Creole was a gloppy mass of rice and sauce. Shrimp MIA; - Shrimp au Gratin was cheesy nastiness. Again, shrimp MIA; - PRICEY for substandard food. This is a restaurant that evidently thrives on tourists coming to gamble at the casinos in the area. Probably would be a disappointment for the Yelpers I know. Dark, dreary exterior. Dreary interior with craptastic gift selection that you CAN'T AVOID. Stick with fried stuff and you'll do OK. A karma-sucking vortex doing a disservice to the world of Louisiana cuisine.
(2)
A S.
Consistently good Louisiana fare with focus on seafood. Love their salads, gumbo, and crawfish bisque. Great fried seafood as well and wonderful oysters on the half shell when in season.
(4)
Chad C.
Awesome service at the bar. Made me feel right at home. Jason has the gift of making out of towers feel like locals! Excellent service!
(4)
Lee S.
Cheap happy hour beer, friendly staff and comfortable surroundings. Shrimp cocktail - not fresh, over cooked and chewy. The gumbo was average. I gave it three stars because I was starving.
(3)
Sonny N.
Not awful, certainly not great. The hospitality was good and ambiance was unspectacular but clean, with a definite banquety feel. Service was very good, though. Waitstaff seems very knowledgeable, but if you're looking for Cajun food with a kick, pass Ralph's
(3)
Francisco R.
My wife and frequented the Ralph & Kacoo's in Allen (Texas), but that closed in the last year, which is too bad because it was one of our favorite seafood places in the Metroplex. On a recent visit to Shreveport, we opted to dine at this Ralph & Kacoos. Service was prompt at the get-go, and fairly efficient throughout, although my wife noticed other parties were served a bit slower. There was a surprise party at a separate dining area just next to us, and the closed door didn't allow us to see how much staff was working the party. We were used to freshly baked bread at the other location, but we got four hush puppies instead. We only ate two of them, but could have easily scarfed all of them and asked for seconds. But they were a meal all their own, and we didn't want to spoil our appetite. We're familiar with the menu, and I was about to order the Mahi-Mahi when our waiter told us about the specials, and I quickly changed my selection to the grilled Red Fish with the jumbo shrimp served over dirty rice. My wife ordered a more familiar dish, the Crawfish Special, which is fried crawfish tails and crawfish etouffee over rice. My selection was the catch of the day, so the price was more than $20. I got a generous serving and every bit of the fish was delicious. The shrimp could have been a meal all their own. The rice was tasty, and a good complement to the meal. My wife's dish was as she remembered it from our previous visits to the old Allen location. Had we been there for lunch, we might have made four meals out of the two plates. While the location is at a strip mall, it's not a trashy hole in the wall. The place is fairly large and houses a gift shop as well as the restaurant. Our only complaint is that after dark, it was a bit confusing to find the restaurant because of conflicting signs and poorly lit streets. We'll definitely stop again the next time we're in town.
(4)
Rico J.
First time to Shreveport. Went to this place based on good reviews and we were greatly satisfied! Amazing food. We got the fried platter. Everything was great. Oysters were huge! The gumbo was awesome! Amazing service too! Our server Amanda was great! Highly recommend for Cajun style food or just great seafood.
(5)
Thadd J.
I remember when R&K was in Dallas some time ago...the food was awesome and the place was packed during lunch and happy hour. So I was really looking forward to stopping here for a quick meal as I passed thru town. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon and not very busy. We sat in the bar area and watched the college football games on several TVs. The service was very good and and the waiter/bartender was helpful in recommending a couple items for the large menu. I had the Shrimp Po' Boy & house salad. She had the Lump Crab Cakes & house salad...I must admit the Po' Boy was one are the better ones that I've had in awhile, I ate the whole thing bread and all. There was tons of shrimp and they were fried near perfect. Then I tired the some of the crab cake...it was just ok...didn't not taste like fresh crab and not much seasoning or flavor happening. All and all three stars...the Po' Boy was greatness, but the Crab Cake and hush puppies were only so-so. The service was very good and the atmosphere was fun as more and more people came into the bar area. I'll be stopping again on other trips thru Shreveport, still beats any fast food place.
(3)
Brian L.
Loved the service. Also loved the alligator especially the blackened one. Etoufee was meh and sort of weird tasting but my first time tryin it. Bread pudding was yummy too. Overall a great meal
(4)
Susan P.
Our dance group was in Shreveport for a weekend. We met at Ralph & Kacoo's on Friday afternoon prior to the dance for a late lunch or early dinner. We were a crowd of about 20 or more, I don't know the exact count. Going to a restaurant with a large group is always a dicey proposition. Janice, our server, was wonderful. She took our drink orders and our food orders and got us served quickly. The hush puppies were to die for. Light and crispy and delicious and I love hushpuppies. The rolls were good too, but the hush puppies were my favorite. I had sausage and chicken gumbo and it was excellent. I'm not a seafood fan, but I do like chicken gumbo. We shared an order of Fried Green Tomatoes and they were very good (I don't generally like them). My husband had seafood gumbo. Then we each had the peanut butter satin pie. Oh my. Heavenly. I actually took my piece back to the hotel and ate it later. It amazed me that the service was so excellent for such a large group. I recommend Ralph & Kacoo's to anyone looking for cajun food.
(4)
Paul S.
This place is amazing. The meal left me with a full tummy and improved outlook on life. Get the blackened gator bites app. I really like the atchafalaya entree, which is a great sampling of different Cajun flavors. Last time I got a blackened fish and it was excellent as well. Do not leave here without getting the original BREAD PUDDING. It is absurdly good. Enjoy!
(5)
Bill D.
Well , I Thought by now that this place would have addressed some of its numerous problems. Couple of things, the food is average at best and would be much better served hot. I had the thin sliced catfish and it was pretty good Unlike the cold soggy French fries underneath . Our server, though was apparently overwhelmed at having to serve lunch around 200 pm. Hint! Pretty slow afternoon, and the free bead pudding offered on the yelp, not to be had, so scratch R & K off your list, definitely a venue to skip for pretty much anything else.
(1)
Chris E.
Looks like posts can bought off....posted a scathing review last month and now it is gone. Total tourist trap with horrible service from non- caring staff. By the way, had severe food poisoning the next day after complaining about cold food. Food the refused to do anything about!
(1)
Savannah R.
We liked the food we ordered :) crab cakes and hush puppies for me! My bro in law liked his fried alligator. Yikes! Cant remember my husband's order, but he liked it ok.
(3)
Sandy H.
First Cajun restaurant to try in the area and it's disappointing. Nothing special about the food, expected fresh oysters for the price but disappointed again. . .
(2)
Raffaal N.
Great place. I'm glad I stopped. Really good crab cakes and the drinks are worth the price. They have a great lounge/bar area, with tvs playing sports, great for lunch or dinner
(5)
Genieve D.
So I went TDY to Barksdale AFB, La., and the lovely folks at Global Strike Command PA took me to Ralph & Kacoo's for some authentic cuisine. I was super excited to delve into this yummo food. I even ran 2 miles so I wouldn't feel guilty being a food whore....everything i ate was superb. Here's what i ordered: The Louisiana trio-which consisted of fried shrimp, crawdads and alligator. Now yes, i did eat the alligator for the first time ever. It was rather good. The consistency was "chewy" but tasted like chicken. (Doesn't everything taste like chicken)? Crab cakes--wow these were to die for. It came on a platter with two large size cakes. It was very fluffy and just melted in your mouth. Gumbo--Well what can i say about this. This is authentic as it gets. Salmon platter on plank--I didn't order this but my collegue did. It came with fresh veggies (squash, zucchini), and the salmon was cooked to perfection on these large planks. I highly recommend this restaurant. And if your in the mood for some local gift shopping they have Mardi Gras stuff and then some.
(4)
Jim F.
Gumbo was pretty tasty, had a little kick to it but not too much. Crab cakes were ok, def not the best I've had. Oysters on the half shell were no good, taste was off and they weren't clean, wouldn't order them again. Overall the restaurant experience was good, service was also good.
(3)
Chris B.
The ribeye steak and fried gulf shrimp were pretty good. I would recommend this place. A lot of seafood choices on the menu. I cashed in the Yelp coupon for free bread pudding.
(4)
Andrew L.
I had blackened alligator and some kind of chicken covered in hollendase (spelling?) sauce. very tasty
(5)
New P.
The seafood is not fresh but the server is very nice.
(2)
Alicia B.
Alligator!
(3)
S P.
My boyfriend and I were back in Shreveport and craving some good seafood. The magazine in our hotel had an ad for Ralph and Kacoo's, saying it was the best seafood in Louisiana. So, of course, we couldn't pass that up! The restaurant is located in a run-down strip mall, which looks small from the outside but is actually spacious on the inside. When you first walk in, there's even a small souvenir shop with football and Mardi Gras themed items. After ordering our food, our server brought us hush puppies with tartar sauce and lemon wedges. They were very crumbly, but they tasted fine. As an appetizer, we had the marinated crab claws. Market price was $9.99. I really like steamed crab claws swimming in butter, so this was a little different, but it still tasted great. The crab claws were chilled and topped with a tart dressing. Yummy! For my entree, I was debating between the shrimp platter or sirloin steak, and I ended up going with the steak. Not an ideal choice at a seafood restaurant, but it was calling my name! The steak itself was decent, but I didn't enjoy either of the sides. I had the Cajun corn and the potato wedges, both of which had way too much seasoning. My boyfriend ordered the special of the day, tilapia with crawfish and crawfish stuffing on top. He thought the tilapia had a good flavor on its own, but the crawfish and stuffing on top just added too much. We both ordered drinks from the bar at $7 each. Not too bad, except there was barely any alcohol in mine! We asked if there were any happy hour specials ... there were, but according to their policy, we had to be sitting at the bar in order to get them. So, no happy hour for us! At the end of our meal, they tried to entice us with an array of plastic desserts (including cheesecake, key lime pie, and bread pudding), but we were full, so we skipped it. Our server did an excellent job, and we were happy with the service. No problems there. Not sure the food is really the best in Louisiana, though!
(3)
Jimi L.
Great place to get a taste of local flavor! Very professional staff and delicious food. The atmosphere really takes you there with their great new fish tank in the lobby. Seems as if they cut a chunk right out of Caddo Lake. Their banquet rooms are awesome too! Who knew they could handle up to 200 people in a private dinning room? Anyway, hands down the BEST cajun seafood anywhere! You have got to try this place!
(5)
Allison T.
Service was great as was the atmosphere, but the food was WAY to over priced and not at all worth it. My family took me here for Mother's Day because I had been DYING to try and I was so disappointed. The food wasn't bad, but the size of the portions was so not worth the money they charged for it. I also found the menu selection to be very lacking. I won't be going back anytime soon.
(2)
Niki L.
This was not the best of locations. The Lufkin, TX location is awesome. Bossier city location- Strange ambiance. Sub-par service. Decent food. I was so impressed at the other location so I was obviously dissapointed. They have really good complimentary hush puppies that I managed to spread all over the table. Got a caesar salad that was good. Crawfish platter was OK but the food was better at the other place. My bf got a overpriced steak. The cajun potatoes were not anything special. Overall good food but overpriced. Go to one of the many other cajun restaurants in the Shreveport/Bossier area.
(2)
T. F.
After reading Captain D's review of the Baton Rouge Ralph & Kacoo's, I was hesitant to try this restaurant, but a few Shreveport natives convinced me to give it a try. Even though it is in a shopping center, it is a fairly large restaurant. My favorite so far is the Delta Double, a choice of two fried sides (I usually get the fried crawfish and gulf shrimp), plus your choice of a side (I often get the twice baked potato). The staff is very friendly and I have never had questionable service. I do wish the restaurant was a little less kitschy, it looks like all the decor from Red Lobster and TGI Friday's was thrown up on the walls. The gaudy gift shop is also quite nauseating, but I guess that's part of Ralph & Kacoo's quirky charm.
(3)
Jon W.
Went here on a Saturday night around 7 and had 1/2 hour wait. Not a big deal, they have a gift shop and menu posted outside so one can decide what they want before they sit down. Once we were seated, we were taken care of very well and very quickly. Hush puppies to start (Which arrived shortly after our drinks), and our appetizer came before we could finish the puppies. Food all came out within 15 minutes of ordering, and everyone enjoyed theirs. I ate the Seafood Platter, which is a good mix and very flavorful. Get the stuffed potato, you won't be disappointed. Price is reasonable for the style and speed (it is a bit higher than others in the area). A great place to take guests who are in town. We will be back.
(4)
Likes To E.
Cajun Red Lobster, at least that's what I'd call it. Always had consistent and professional service. The food has been good everytime. A great place to take out of town company for a local dining experience.
(4)
Kayce S.
I really want to love this place, especially since the in-laws are so gung-ho and insist on having dinner there at least once on our annual post-Christmas meetup in Shreveport. The service is always good, but sadly... the food just isn't that great. It would probably be better (and rate another star) if it weren't touted as "cajun" because I find myself doing the "wth IS this, cause it's sure not seafood gumbo" dance every time I order something that is (should be, ahem) a staple of cajun cuisine. The seafood gumbo I had on our visit last week was just wrong, on so many levels. Ridiculously thick, tomato based, big chunks of partially-cooked celery, too black-peppery WRONG. It had a flavor more like shrimp creole, which isn't that bad in the scheme of things, but man it was cold and I wanted a good bowl of gumbo so that's what I ordered. Kiddo's fried crawfish tails were pretty good, but I was a little nonplussed that they didn't offer a kids dish with the crawfish and wouldn't sub for the shrimp even with me offering to pay more for it. Meh. The fried green tomatoes I had as an app were good and the tomatoes were actually green and tangy instead of slightly pink and gross like sometimes happens, but sliced a little on the thick side for my liking. The etouffee my guy had was okay, but definitely nothing to write home about. If I had to guess, All in all, if you're looking for good "cajun" food and know what it's supposed to taste like -- you should probably keep looking or order something safe like deep-fried items and the like. Otherwise you will probably love this place like my Oklahoma in-laws do. :)
(2)
Rich B.
My wife and I have gotten take-out from here, which proved good enough to go back for lunch in person. I'm not sure if the previous two reviewers had bad luck but we enjoyed out lunch quite a bit. We're not from the area and so are not 'experts' at judging Cajun cooking but for what we had, I thought the food was quite good and the service was excellent. The tourist trap souvenir store with things made in China is accurate but look beyond that and you have a very nice dining experience. Everything was cooked nicely, we both got fish dishes, and the waitress was friendly and accommodating. The food was cooked nicely, not overly seasoned and quick. My talapia was nicely cooked and the sauce over it was quite good- wouldn't have minded if things were spicier. My wife's catfish was shockingly good- she couldn't believe it was catfish. The steamed veggies were all fresh and not limp from being over-cooked. The fries weren't great though. We will definitely go back.
(4)
Myla P.
I went to Ralph & Kacoo's for dinner at the reccomendation of my Sheveport-native boyfriend. I'm travelling on business so I went alone. Started with the fried alligator. This was not my first experience with alligator, but I'm pretty sure this was my first experience with it cooked correctly. The alligator was moist and just a little bit chewy, not overly fried and dry like my previous experience with it at a different restaurant. The free hush puppies they bring you are also excellent- crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I had the Crawfish Special- fried crawfish tails and etoufee served over rice, with cajun rice as my side. The portion size was gigantic. I had at least 50 tails on my plate. I also enjoyed the etouffee, but I wished they had used long grain rice instead of instant. I was not a fan of the Cajun Rice. It tasted exactly like Zatarain's (which I also like, but not in a restaurant!). I ended up taking most of the crawfish and the hush puppies back to my hotel with me, because I wanted to save room for the bread pudding. Unfortunately, the bread pudding was so over-laden with alcohol I could not eat the wholen thing. While I appreciate a slight liquor flavor in some dessert, I don't like it one bite burns like a shot of Jack. But hey, I'm sure some others don't mind! The atmosphere in this place is a little weird. Kind of dark, but I didn't mind it. Service was great. Friendly and very fast. I was there during the dinner rush, and my food consistently came out quickly.
(5)
Jerell S.
Start off with the Blackened Gator. Then order the Mahi-Mahi Bourbon Street. End it with some New Orleans Bread Pudding. And don't forget your R&K Voodoo Juice.
(5)
Kevin J.
Had dinner in the bar on a recent business trip. Service was good, and they have a big menu, but I thought the food was pretty average (and a little pricey). Kind of a tourist place. If you're looking for some authentic Cajun-style seafood in Shreveport there are probably better choices.
(3)
Carline S.
Horrible food. Out dated atmosphere. Slow service. Not really sure hash at the other reviewers were eating. We had the Shrimp Trawl. Best part was the fried shrimp.
(1)
Rogan M.
I went here on a suggestion from the front desk at a hotel I was staying at. I asked for a good seafood/cajun style place that the locals eat at. This was the recomendation and I think she must have misunderstood me or something because this is definately not a locals place. The restaurant is in a strip mall, never my favorite place to go, and you walk in the front and it's basically a gift shop full of touristy crap. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that no great restaurants have a gift shop as their entrance. With that said I got the crawfish etoufe, I'm in Louisiana and as they say... when in Rome. Everyone kept telling me I better like crawfish because that's all they eat down here. That's ok with me because crawfish etoufe is awesome... maybe not here but I like it. Really the food here wasnt' to bad, it was the atmosphere of the place that just sucked. The table I sat at was old, the seats were old and felt like way to many 400lb people had sat there. The place was dark, not dark as in dark and romantic with a touch of class dark, but dark as in the lights were crap, carpet was a dark dingy color and everything was just dark. So after walking in through the tourist shop you are treated to the same experience on the way out... as the two star saying goes... meh, i've experienced better.
(2)
Andrew B.
This place has always provided excellent meals with great service.
(4)
Lisa H.
The locals seem to love this place and it was recommended by the concierge at the hotel I stayed at. But...it was really mediocre. I ordered an appetizer that had fried popcorn shrimp, crawfish and alligator. It was decent, but it's hard not to mess up fried food. For my entree I ordered a bowl of gumbo thinking that I couldn't go to Louisiana and not leave without trying gumbo. It tasted like a half a cup of cornstarch was mixed in...and I actually had better gumbo the next day from CenturyTel Center catering. My colleague ordered a combo of fried catfish and stuffed shrimp. Catfish was decent, but something was off about the stuffing in the shrimp. The crab stuffing was mealy and a tad over seasoned. On the upside, the waitstaff was really nice and helpful, and there's a cute little gift shop in the front. I have a feeling that there are more legit seafood places in the area. Wish I did my research before coming to Shreveport! Unfortunately, I doubt there will be a next time.
(2)
Chance H.
This place has delicious seafood and our waiter was great! Blacked gator appetizer is delicious, the Hurricanes are strong an very very good.
(5)
Ward S.
I've been to this location in Shreveport a couple of times while passing through Louisiana on my way to Dallas. The service has always been good, as well as the food. I love fried seafood, so I get the fried seafood platter. The portion sizes are fairly large, so if you aren't extremely hungry, you'll probably leave with a doggie bag. I've also eaten at the Ralph & Kacoo's in the French Quarter in New Orleans, but the Shreveport location is every bit as authentic and good.
Went here for lunch. Very busy but fast seating and dining. The service is great. The food was great. Had Gumbo that was out of this world. The Atchafalaya platter was very good. Grillled fish with crawfish sauce, roasted potatos, and fried okra. Will certainly return.
(5)
Johnny T.
Visiting Shreveport for business, I was craving Cajun seafood. Ralph & Kacoo's hit the spot. It took a while to decide what I wanted from the diverse menu. The place may be a bit on the touristy side but that just means they make-out-of-towners feel welcome. I was very pleased with the meal (The Ruby) and found the service more than adequate. I'd give it a strong 3.5 stars.
(4)
Peter L.
A very large restaurant which advertises "buses welcome" so I was a bit nervous about trying it but it turned out fine. Mostly seafood menu, we did catfish done 2 different ways, one dish fried, the other stuffed and baked, both of which were very good. A mixed app of small shrimp, "bugs" and alligator, all fried was also very good. The extra charge side salad was very fresh with a decent blue cheese dressing. Service was good. Overall really more then 3 stars but not quite 4.
(3)
Frank J.
This place used to be so good but it has been on a steady decline. Ate here last night and was hoping I'd have a better meal and service than the previous visit. I (used to) love the blackened alligator, but it just tasted like it had Montreal steak seasoning on it. Didn't taste blackened at all. I also ordered the crawfish etouffee, and it was as bland and flat as can be. Very disappointed. I'm sure you can get decent fried shrimp or something easy, but my experience with Ralph and Kacoo's is that it is overpriced for the less than average food. Will not go to any of their locations again.
(2)
Bruce B.
Full Cajun menu and more. Excellent service and food. This is my second location to visit and full quality in both locations. Great for lunch and for evening meal.
(5)
J G.
My family and I have been coming here for years, I finally decided to give a review. The waitress was great, and the food came out at a good time. The food was good but I had some issues with what I had gotten. First my seafood gumbo was good but wasn't that hot it was just warm. My main course had really good charbroiled oysters, grilled shrimp, twice baked potato, with Cajun rice these things were the things that were good. Now for the stuff I didn't like, the crab cake was soft and doughy not a firm patty crispy top or bottom. The tilapia was like to soft, and like they didn't grill it long enough. But please keep in mind these are just my opinion on how I like them and I'm not in the restaurant business and maybe this is how the majority like crab cakes and tilapia soft so don't pass up this place it is good especially the deserts, my favorite in the world is the peanut butter satin pie.
(3)
Ashley C.
Food was ok, service was terrible. The bread we got was not cooked all the way through and they forgot my sons food. Nevertheless we will not be going back, ever....
(3)
Robby E.
I eat here several times (4-6) a month. Over the past few months, I have seen the service get worse and worse, as well as the food portions become less. Tonight I was seated for 10 minutes while three different waiters walked by, not saying one word, not even "I apologzize:for the delay, I'll be right with you". Needless to say, this will be my last visit to this restaurant. It's just not that good to have poor service.
(1)
D B.
If you like Cajun food, this is a good spot. My grilled catfish was perfect. Service is good as well. Nice restaurant. A tad expensive so beware
(5)
Tricia V.
We are here about 9pm on a Friday night in March. I had never ate here before an have to admit turning into the parking lot was skeptical. Got right in an seated. Our waitress was very friendly an knowledgable of the menu. We started off with the alligator bites which were awesome! I had the Cedar Plank Salmon an it was delicious. The hush puppies were the best I have ever had. We had a very pleasant experience here an will come here again!!
(5)
Steve K.
Terrible food, I hate the feeling of the place. It's dingy and cold atmosphere with a touristy feel. The food was some of the worst I've had in a long time.
(1)
Brian C.
One of the better southern seafood restaurants in the area. Has really good food and great service. Will definitely be back.
We drive from Oklahoma to Florida once or twice a year. We always plan to be in Shreveport/Bossier City at a meal time so we can eat at Ralph & Kacoo's. We love the Cajun food at R&K's. Their crawfish dishes are wonderful. The gumbo is the best. Their ettoufee is beyond delicious. We love eating here and will be back whenever we can.
(5)
Dan M.
First time coming here. Service was excellent and food was great! Ordered the blackened alligator on the recommendation of our waiter and it was excellent!
(4)
Brenda C.
Delicious! Tried the blackened catfish for our appetizer as recommended on yelp, tasty! The bread and hush puppies were delicious! Had the hurricane for my drink, very good! Had this delicious grilled chicken with shrimp, artichoke hearts and mushrooms on top in a lemon white cream sauce. Recommend it! Service was good and a nice over all eating experience.
(5)
Alesa H.
I was very disappointed with my trip here. I got the gumbo and I just felt like the flavor was really never there. then for dinner I had the shrimp trawl. again very disappointed. the fried shrimp was too breaded, the shrimp stew was basically the gumbo with grilled shrimp in it, the shrimp au gratin was lacking majorly in flavor and had this fatty texture that did not sit well on my tongue, and the stuffed shrimp was mysterious looking inside and again lacking in flavor. and the worst of it all was my dad got food poisoning from his seafood platter which had him up all night puking his guts out. if I could give this place NO stars I would. the only good thing that came out of this was our waiter was excellent. I feel bad that his talent was wasted at this establishment. don't risk it. they need major help here!!
(1)
Adrian R.
My GOD, the bread is absolutely the softest, chewiest, most divine piece of dough on the planet. The blackened alligator is must. as are the bananas foster. bring friends and share the wealth of food this place has to offer.
Stuffed mushrooms were excellent. Fish and shrimp combo was very good. Very good service and comfortable dining room.
(4)
Tarah M.
Very cute little gift shop in the front of the restaurant and the server was very friendly & efficient, however the food was not impressive. For the price, it is very bland and poorly seasoned. Not terrible, but you can get just as good of grub at your local red lobster!
(2)
Hung L.
My wife and I were at your restaurant last night on the 25th of November. The shrimp in the shrimp cocktail was tough and chewy as well as her lobster tail and my seasoned vegetables were cold as well as my shrimp stew and the waitress was a flake. I spent $162 before tip and felt like I definitely did not get my money's worth. Needless to say it was a very disappointing birthday dinner for my wife.
(1)
Mike A.
Summary: Decent service, giant screen in bar, but lacked flavor and taste. Food: I ordered the platter, which had plenty of food to sample: -Gumbo: Cold. Not sure that is how its supposed to be served. I tried a few spoon fulls, but it lacked any taste; so sending it back for a warm cup would be a waste of time. -Fried Oysters: Yuck, not freshly made -Fried Catfish: Ok, decent serving -Fried Shrimp: Decent portion and very well made. Top item on the plate -Fried Crawfish: Plenty of crawfish and if I wanted to consume large quantities of fried food, this portion would have been polished off the plate. I wish that the menu stated that everything on the plate would be fried. I know this is the South, but a plate full of entirely fried seafood is not that appetizing. I may try this place again, if Joe's on the Boardwalk does not work out.
(2)
Dave S.
The blackened alligator was amazing! I not that big on alligator but a friend told me to go here and try it. He was right it changed my mind on alligator. Also had the Steamed Shrimp and they were really good. Nice place!
(4)
Nadia G.
I had lunch here with the family while visiting Shreveport last weekend. We stayed down the street at Hilton and saw the sign. The restaurant is huge and has several dining rooms. We were seated quickly and our server was very prompt, checking on us often and never leaving our glasses empty. The complimentary bread was ok, a little dense, but nothing special. Hubby did not like the hush puppies, but the kids enjoyed them. Hubby and I both had a Hurricane ... It had good flavor and a good kick to it ... It was pricy at $11, but you get to keep the glass as a souvenir, hence the high price. For entrees, I had the Shrimp St. Charles with the Cajun stuffed potato and Hubby had the soup of the day, which was a vegetable beef stew. Hubby really enjoyed his soup ... He said it had a lot of beef, good flavor and was very hearty. He also had a Caesar salad, which had a thick Caesar dressing, but was not as cold as I would have liked for a salad ... My entree was just ok ... It came with 5 crab stuffed shrimp drizzled with hollandaise sauce with lump crab as a garnish ... The lump crab was good ... The sauce was thin and I would have preferred a thicker sauce, possibly made with the lump crab instead of separately ... The hollandaise added nothing to the dish, so I got a side of cocktail sauce ... I liked the Cajun stuffed potato ... It was very cheesy, which was melted and possibly had bacon in it ... I'm not sure what made it Cajun, but it was a "twist" on the standard baked potato and I liked it ... Overall, this was a decent dining experience and I would go back since the menu was pretty extensive and there were several other dishes that I would like to try. The service was also fast and friendly. The restaurant is obviously older, but it was clean and the manager even stopped by to check on us and help our server clear our table, which was a nice touch.
(3)
Mark M.
I found the food to be 'meh'. Wasn't great, wasn't bad. Just 'meh'. With the prices being what they were, which is too high for 'meh', two stars from me.
(2)
Lora C.
I gave Five Stars for the Hushpuppies. My husband don't like hushpuppies but he did like these. Best we have ever eaten, light (not dried out) and crispy.
(5)
Brian M.
Went there for lunch today. Ordered the gumbo and seafood salad. The gumbo came with a role and three hush puppies. The hush puppies were typical and the role was okay... Nothing special. I was expecting a little more punch and spicy kick with the gumbo. It was very bland. Maybe I should've tried the jambalaya. The seafood salad was very bland also. Nice chunks of crab and shrimp, but really there was no taste. The vegetables (tomatoes, red peppers, lettuce) were very fresh. Overall, I was rather disappointed. Maybe I was looking for more the New Orleans type of taste... didn't get it here. I had better gumbo at Disney World and at Heaven on Seven and Bob Chinn's in Chicago.
(2)
Amber P.
Efficient happy hour, nothing special! Drink of the day was weak, however the vodka pineapple you call it was good and strong!
(3)
Ashli S.
Great food and atmosphere, oddly push and surly waitress. Huge Portions, go there on an empty stomach!
(4)
Angelica S.
My family and I stopped by R & K for a nice sit down lunch. The atmosphere is very nice and I like the decorations They chose to stay true to the Louisiana theme and it works great! The ambiance is quiet and classy. Our waiter was very professional and personable. My favorite part of the dining experience is the small gift shop area located at the main entrance of the restaurant. They carry books, ceramics, key chains, pot holders, jewelry, etc. Depending on your selections the prices could get high quickly. I was able to purchase a coffee mug, pot holder, magnet, and bracelet for a little over $26. I don't think that was too outrageous however I was careful to skip out on most of the high priced souvenirs. The coffee mug was $10 alone. A little steep in my opinion. Prices for the food started at $12 and went up for lunch. I'm sure dinner is a little more. Overall, I really enjoyed the food and I'd go back.
(4)
Howard L.
This is an A-OK Cajun touristy restaurant. They have a lot of dining capacity, and a large menu, with a lot of the southern seafood classics. We also had their $9.99 alligator appetizer (1/2 fired, 1/2 blackened) - it was ok being moist but chewy, and not much natural flavor except from the blackening. Still it was a novelty and worthwhile to try. I had the crawfish festival and it was massive for $19.99, and decent meal with a lot of the servings being fried. Wife had the grilled mahi mahi, and son had the atchafalaya (talapia filet with crawfish etoufee). All ok, but nothing particularly exceptional. Overall, it's a place to try at least once as a tourist as it is a Bossier City institution.
(3)
Michael S.
I hadn't been here in twenty years and the food was as great as I remember. The crawfish dinner was excellent!!
(4)
B L.
We had the catfish (which was good), the jumbalya, and some other fish. I did not like the fish and my girlfriend did not like the jumbalya, so we switched. I liked the jumbalya and she liked the fish. The jumbalya was a little spicy though. For Louisiana cooking, we sure were disappointed. Service was average. The prices are too high as well.
(3)
Melissa G.
This place is fantastic! We wanted seafood with a Cajun flair...this definitely exceeded our expectations! Our server was Gerald and he was extremely helpful in helping us decide on our entrees and it was obvious he was knowledgable about the menu. We ended up getting the Shrimp Trawl and St. Charles shrimp. We loved everything in the Shrimp Trawl...amazing food and fresh. The servings were extremely generous as well. The happy hour Cosmos were great for 3.00! I will definitely come back next time we are in the area!
(5)
Stacie H.
I've been to this restaurant twice now and will probably come by every time I have an over night stay in the Shreveport area. First and foremost, Denise, our waitress, is the main reason we had such a great time the first time we came in March & why I brought my husband here on this trip. Even if the food was horrible, which it wasn't, we'd come back to sit in her section; she made ya feel like you were sitting around her table at home for a nice Sunday dinner. Ask for her section! Secondly, the mushrooms from the Chef's Features haven't disappointed either time I've been there. I really should just make that my meal! We also shared Ralph's Platter & still had leftovers. The crawfish is so good here even when it's not in season. Get anything with crawfish in it, you'll be happy you did!
(4)
J S.
Thanks for the raw shrimp! We had the breaded pickles which were delicious with the sauce, but not enough sauce. We both ordered the Shrimp St. Charles. At least 1 shrimp was completely raw & 3 others were only partially cooked, which we discovered after eating a few others and the sides of Cajun rice & mashed potatoes. We gave the raw shrimp to the waitress, who apologized several times and took it back to the kitchen. There was no offer to comp our appetizer or drinks or discount our dinner for the RAW shrimp that we were not able to eat. So, we paid our check, left a good tip for the waitress because she was good, and left. My dining partner was ill that night with symptoms of food poisoning. We will not be returning. Very disappointed, I have eaten here many times over the years but will never return.
(1)
Arthur W.
Not being from the south this place was recommended to me by several locals. My past 2 experiences with catfish tasted like dirt, but I decided to reach out again and the blackened catfish turned out great. For the appetizer I had blackened alligator which was juicy and tender, and the hollandaise dipping sauce complimented it nicely. I finished with some southern bread pudding and I'm mad I didn't save more room, it was scrumptious.
(4)
Jacobie D.
Stopped by on 8/3/15 around 7pm. Over all very solid place. I ordered crab cakes and oysters as an app (that never came out) which was probably for the best and they didn't charge for them. I did get the Tilapia Atchafalaya which was great. My man got the Fried Catfish Fillets which he also liked. The bread that they give out is very tasty as well. We were at the end of a vacation when we stopped here (so kinda tired) we'll be back to try again the next time we're in town.
(3)
Toni K.
No. Nope. NOPE. Came to this location for a birthday celebration for a friend's family member. We just came into town after driving from Dallas and were starving by the time we got to this restaurant. We already planned what we wanted to eat, after viewing the menu online. Everything sounded decent...but what we got was subpar. First of all, the service wait times were horrid. Our server was extremely nice -- loved her. But the wait time...no. If you placed an order, be it drink (alcoholic or non alcoholic) or food, you were destined to wait at least 20 minutes. And for the love of God, don't order any alcoholic beverages here. My friend and I ordered Long Island Iced Teas and what we got was basically colored water. There was nearly no liquor in it. And if I'm going to pay $15 for a drink, there better well be alcoholic in it. The food was messy, no matter what anyone ordered. The seafood was bland, if you asked for cheese on anything it came back with a cheese hat...have your Tums available. All in all, if someone recommends that you eat here, please do yourself a favor and fake illness and stay home.
(2)
Brenda H.
Stopped on way home from Houston. Husband loves seafood but not me, so was afraid I wouldn't find anything on the menu. He had the seafood gumbo and the rib eye, I tried the breaded pickles and sirloin. Food was very good and cooked to order. Our waitress was awesome. Would definitely go back if I am in the area.
Food is great service is great and the price is reasonable I will recommend this place
(5)
Brigitte K.
What a great food. We from Los Angeles and you don't find food this quality. I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)
Melissa T.
You get free bread and hush puppies. The bread was delicious. Ordered the jumbo shrimp grilled. It came with dirty rice and a side. I chose vegetables. The shrimp dish came with 10 shrimps which was delicious. I was full after eating just 3. Overall the food had lots of flavor, best dirty rice I've ever had!
(5)
Lena M.
Definitely not a place I suggest..... This is not really Cajun food. It's not really even good food plus it's way overpriced.
(2)
Kevin F.
The food here was great. Got the seafood platter and was not disappointed at all. More than enough food to share. The shrimp and stuffed crab were right on point. The fried crawfish tails and oysters were like a mini appetizer inside of the meal. Very nice place with great selection and good prices.
Loved it! We had gator as an appetizer - both blackened and fried - and it was perfect. Had steak and shrimp which was very good. The yeast rolls were hot and fresh, as were the hush puppies. Excellent service and comfortable atmosphere for dining and conversation.
(5)
Ebony M.
The fried catfish fillets and pickled green tomatoes are the kind of meal one remembers on their deathbed.
(5)
Annie B.
Went here back in October but forgot to post my review: Free bread pudding was the only redeeming part of this meal. Nice customer service but all of the food is frozen and then heated and re-served. Barely palatable but served hot!
(2)
Kimberly F.
As you can see if you check the picture my po'boy was thrown together and kinda skimpy. The rolls were awesome . My salad was mediocre at best. For these prices I was not impressed. To make matter worse service was slow. I will go back for rolls though
(2)
LaRue J.
Large space with comfortable seating. Went for an early dinner. Staff was pleasant. Started with a cup of gumbo. Generous serving for a cup. Nice seasoning. Then had the grilled jumbo shrimp with the cajun rice and cajun baked potato. Shrimp were excellent, potato was not real hot but warm enough. Rice was seasoned well and a good portion. Would rerurn.
(4)
Ashley T.
Oh my! I was sooooo happy we chose to eat at this place! Our server, Mario, was AMAZING! The food was great. My steak was cooked to perfection. The seafood was fresh. Grilled fish was great. And the drinks... WHOOO! I'm in love. Anytime I come to Shreveport I will be coming back!
(5)
Jeff S.
The food was edible, not great. The restaurant is old and seemed a bit neglected. They do have some interesting decor but in need of updating. There are several other better places to eat for the money.
Deep fried seafood heaven! You'll want to leave your calorie counter at home and enjoy a gluttonous feast. Don't worry, the guilt from dinner pairs incredibly with the bread pudding.
This place restored my faith in Shreveport/Bossier Louisiana food, and I'm from Los Angeles!! Great ambiance, great food, great service!!! We had appetizers, platters and dessert!! Amazing!!! Highly recommend!
(5)
Lorenzo S.
Nice restaurant tucked away in shopping center. Place was really nice inside with aquariums throughout. Waitress was great took my drink and appetizer quickly. Fresh bread and hush puppies served up front. I ordered the Blackened Alligator because I had never had any. It was good, but seemed a bit tough and overcooked. Vegetable side was good and fresh. Salad served up front was nothing special. This place was recommended by hotel staff and it was good place to eat at with good atmosphere. I sat in sports bar section so got to see some football. Overall, good place to eat at considering limited options in downtown Bossier City. Much more affordable and better food than rip-off Casino buffets.
(4)
Angela D.
Took my family here one evening while visiting family in town...not the yummy R&K from my youth. My husband ordered the King Louie shrimp salad, which was pretty OK. I ordered the Shrimp Trawl, which was disappointing. Other than the gratin (which was decent), the fried/stuffed shrimp were served lukewarm and tasted as if they'd been reheated and the shrimp stew was also served at a tepid temperature, which makes me question the freshness of their food. To their credit, our server was friendly and the environment was clean.
(3)
Marcinho S.
Took a family group of ten of us for dinner! SO glad I did! Service, "vibe", location... it worked well for all of us. All four generations! Everyone enjoyed their meals... One of my cousins enjoyed the blackened Alligator so well, that he ordered another one to take home! The bartender(s), which is not uncommon in this region, found it a challenge to make really common cocktails. I was SHOCKED when the request for a "Sapphire Martini, with three olives, stirred, NOT SHAKEN [bruises the Gin] required my instruction, but okay. Things happen. But me having to teach bartenders simple drinks has happened to me in this area at LEAST FOUR times since i moved here. R&C's is a comfortable, pleasant, accommodating restaurant, and the server(s) we had, were exceptional! I'll definitely be back! In fact, it has BEEN a while, but the experience STILL remains a pleasant memory! The family was VERY pleased!
(4)
Cari S.
I was expecting more from this "Famous" establishment. Everything was OK. Most of what we ordered was fried, maybe next time I would try food that is not fried and see if that makes a difference. The gumbo was good, but I have definitely had better. Was very bummed about the fried alligator appetizer... for what is costs you would think the portion would be larger and there would be less batter.
(3)
Justin B.
Epic dining experience. Food was great, service was amazing, our server was named Shane he did an amazing job would recommend it to anyone.
The Cedar Plank Salmon was to die for, The waitress was superb, the wait wasn't long at all, and there is an enjoyable atmosphere with a comedy show usually playing in the restroom, I loved it
(5)
Bruce B.
Full Cajun menu and more. Excellent service and food. This is my second location to visit and full quality in both locations. Great for lunch and for evening meal.
(5)
Frank J.
This place used to be so good but it has been on a steady decline. Ate here last night and was hoping I'd have a better meal and service than the previous visit. I (used to) love the blackened alligator, but it just tasted like it had Montreal steak seasoning on it. Didn't taste blackened at all. I also ordered the crawfish etouffee, and it was as bland and flat as can be. Very disappointed. I'm sure you can get decent fried shrimp or something easy, but my experience with Ralph and Kacoo's is that it is overpriced for the less than average food. Will not go to any of their locations again.
(2)
J G.
My family and I have been coming here for years, I finally decided to give a review. The waitress was great, and the food came out at a good time. The food was good but I had some issues with what I had gotten. First my seafood gumbo was good but wasn't that hot it was just warm. My main course had really good charbroiled oysters, grilled shrimp, twice baked potato, with Cajun rice these things were the things that were good. Now for the stuff I didn't like, the crab cake was soft and doughy not a firm patty crispy top or bottom. The tilapia was like to soft, and like they didn't grill it long enough. But please keep in mind these are just my opinion on how I like them and I'm not in the restaurant business and maybe this is how the majority like crab cakes and tilapia soft so don't pass up this place it is good especially the deserts, my favorite in the world is the peanut butter satin pie.
(3)
Ashley C.
Food was ok, service was terrible. The bread we got was not cooked all the way through and they forgot my sons food. Nevertheless we will not be going back, ever....
(3)
Robby E.
I eat here several times (4-6) a month. Over the past few months, I have seen the service get worse and worse, as well as the food portions become less. Tonight I was seated for 10 minutes while three different waiters walked by, not saying one word, not even "I apologzize:for the delay, I'll be right with you". Needless to say, this will be my last visit to this restaurant. It's just not that good to have poor service.
(1)
D B.
If you like Cajun food, this is a good spot. My grilled catfish was perfect. Service is good as well. Nice restaurant. A tad expensive so beware
(5)
Tricia V.
We are here about 9pm on a Friday night in March. I had never ate here before an have to admit turning into the parking lot was skeptical. Got right in an seated. Our waitress was very friendly an knowledgable of the menu. We started off with the alligator bites which were awesome! I had the Cedar Plank Salmon an it was delicious. The hush puppies were the best I have ever had. We had a very pleasant experience here an will come here again!!
(5)
Steve K.
Terrible food, I hate the feeling of the place. It's dingy and cold atmosphere with a touristy feel. The food was some of the worst I've had in a long time.
(1)
Dan M.
First time coming here. Service was excellent and food was great! Ordered the blackened alligator on the recommendation of our waiter and it was excellent!
(4)
Alesa H.
I was very disappointed with my trip here. I got the gumbo and I just felt like the flavor was really never there. then for dinner I had the shrimp trawl. again very disappointed. the fried shrimp was too breaded, the shrimp stew was basically the gumbo with grilled shrimp in it, the shrimp au gratin was lacking majorly in flavor and had this fatty texture that did not sit well on my tongue, and the stuffed shrimp was mysterious looking inside and again lacking in flavor. and the worst of it all was my dad got food poisoning from his seafood platter which had him up all night puking his guts out. if I could give this place NO stars I would. the only good thing that came out of this was our waiter was excellent. I feel bad that his talent was wasted at this establishment. don't risk it. they need major help here!!
(1)
Adrian R.
My GOD, the bread is absolutely the softest, chewiest, most divine piece of dough on the planet. The blackened alligator is must. as are the bananas foster. bring friends and share the wealth of food this place has to offer.
Stuffed mushrooms were excellent. Fish and shrimp combo was very good. Very good service and comfortable dining room.
(4)
Tarah M.
Very cute little gift shop in the front of the restaurant and the server was very friendly & efficient, however the food was not impressive. For the price, it is very bland and poorly seasoned. Not terrible, but you can get just as good of grub at your local red lobster!
(2)
Hung L.
My wife and I were at your restaurant last night on the 25th of November. The shrimp in the shrimp cocktail was tough and chewy as well as her lobster tail and my seasoned vegetables were cold as well as my shrimp stew and the waitress was a flake. I spent $162 before tip and felt like I definitely did not get my money's worth. Needless to say it was a very disappointing birthday dinner for my wife.
(1)
Mike A.
Summary: Decent service, giant screen in bar, but lacked flavor and taste. Food: I ordered the platter, which had plenty of food to sample: -Gumbo: Cold. Not sure that is how its supposed to be served. I tried a few spoon fulls, but it lacked any taste; so sending it back for a warm cup would be a waste of time. -Fried Oysters: Yuck, not freshly made -Fried Catfish: Ok, decent serving -Fried Shrimp: Decent portion and very well made. Top item on the plate -Fried Crawfish: Plenty of crawfish and if I wanted to consume large quantities of fried food, this portion would have been polished off the plate. I wish that the menu stated that everything on the plate would be fried. I know this is the South, but a plate full of entirely fried seafood is not that appetizing. I may try this place again, if Joe's on the Boardwalk does not work out.
(2)
Dave S.
The blackened alligator was amazing! I not that big on alligator but a friend told me to go here and try it. He was right it changed my mind on alligator. Also had the Steamed Shrimp and they were really good. Nice place!
(4)
Nadia G.
I had lunch here with the family while visiting Shreveport last weekend. We stayed down the street at Hilton and saw the sign. The restaurant is huge and has several dining rooms. We were seated quickly and our server was very prompt, checking on us often and never leaving our glasses empty. The complimentary bread was ok, a little dense, but nothing special. Hubby did not like the hush puppies, but the kids enjoyed them. Hubby and I both had a Hurricane ... It had good flavor and a good kick to it ... It was pricy at $11, but you get to keep the glass as a souvenir, hence the high price. For entrees, I had the Shrimp St. Charles with the Cajun stuffed potato and Hubby had the soup of the day, which was a vegetable beef stew. Hubby really enjoyed his soup ... He said it had a lot of beef, good flavor and was very hearty. He also had a Caesar salad, which had a thick Caesar dressing, but was not as cold as I would have liked for a salad ... My entree was just ok ... It came with 5 crab stuffed shrimp drizzled with hollandaise sauce with lump crab as a garnish ... The lump crab was good ... The sauce was thin and I would have preferred a thicker sauce, possibly made with the lump crab instead of separately ... The hollandaise added nothing to the dish, so I got a side of cocktail sauce ... I liked the Cajun stuffed potato ... It was very cheesy, which was melted and possibly had bacon in it ... I'm not sure what made it Cajun, but it was a "twist" on the standard baked potato and I liked it ... Overall, this was a decent dining experience and I would go back since the menu was pretty extensive and there were several other dishes that I would like to try. The service was also fast and friendly. The restaurant is obviously older, but it was clean and the manager even stopped by to check on us and help our server clear our table, which was a nice touch.
(3)
Mark M.
I found the food to be 'meh'. Wasn't great, wasn't bad. Just 'meh'. With the prices being what they were, which is too high for 'meh', two stars from me.
(2)
Lora C.
I gave Five Stars for the Hushpuppies. My husband don't like hushpuppies but he did like these. Best we have ever eaten, light (not dried out) and crispy.
(5)
Brian C.
One of the better southern seafood restaurants in the area. Has really good food and great service. Will definitely be back.
Went there for lunch today. Ordered the gumbo and seafood salad. The gumbo came with a role and three hush puppies. The hush puppies were typical and the role was okay... Nothing special. I was expecting a little more punch and spicy kick with the gumbo. It was very bland. Maybe I should've tried the jambalaya. The seafood salad was very bland also. Nice chunks of crab and shrimp, but really there was no taste. The vegetables (tomatoes, red peppers, lettuce) were very fresh. Overall, I was rather disappointed. Maybe I was looking for more the New Orleans type of taste... didn't get it here. I had better gumbo at Disney World and at Heaven on Seven and Bob Chinn's in Chicago.
(2)
Amber P.
Efficient happy hour, nothing special! Drink of the day was weak, however the vodka pineapple you call it was good and strong!
(3)
Ashli S.
Great food and atmosphere, oddly push and surly waitress. Huge Portions, go there on an empty stomach!
(4)
Angelica S.
My family and I stopped by R & K for a nice sit down lunch. The atmosphere is very nice and I like the decorations They chose to stay true to the Louisiana theme and it works great! The ambiance is quiet and classy. Our waiter was very professional and personable. My favorite part of the dining experience is the small gift shop area located at the main entrance of the restaurant. They carry books, ceramics, key chains, pot holders, jewelry, etc. Depending on your selections the prices could get high quickly. I was able to purchase a coffee mug, pot holder, magnet, and bracelet for a little over $26. I don't think that was too outrageous however I was careful to skip out on most of the high priced souvenirs. The coffee mug was $10 alone. A little steep in my opinion. Prices for the food started at $12 and went up for lunch. I'm sure dinner is a little more. Overall, I really enjoyed the food and I'd go back.
(4)
Howard L.
This is an A-OK Cajun touristy restaurant. They have a lot of dining capacity, and a large menu, with a lot of the southern seafood classics. We also had their $9.99 alligator appetizer (1/2 fired, 1/2 blackened) - it was ok being moist but chewy, and not much natural flavor except from the blackening. Still it was a novelty and worthwhile to try. I had the crawfish festival and it was massive for $19.99, and decent meal with a lot of the servings being fried. Wife had the grilled mahi mahi, and son had the atchafalaya (talapia filet with crawfish etoufee). All ok, but nothing particularly exceptional. Overall, it's a place to try at least once as a tourist as it is a Bossier City institution.
(3)
Michael S.
I hadn't been here in twenty years and the food was as great as I remember. The crawfish dinner was excellent!!
(4)
B L.
We had the catfish (which was good), the jumbalya, and some other fish. I did not like the fish and my girlfriend did not like the jumbalya, so we switched. I liked the jumbalya and she liked the fish. The jumbalya was a little spicy though. For Louisiana cooking, we sure were disappointed. Service was average. The prices are too high as well.
(3)
Garen M.
We drive from Oklahoma to Florida once or twice a year. We always plan to be in Shreveport/Bossier City at a meal time so we can eat at Ralph & Kacoo's. We love the Cajun food at R&K's. Their crawfish dishes are wonderful. The gumbo is the best. Their ettoufee is beyond delicious. We love eating here and will be back whenever we can.
(5)
Brenda C.
Delicious! Tried the blackened catfish for our appetizer as recommended on yelp, tasty! The bread and hush puppies were delicious! Had the hurricane for my drink, very good! Had this delicious grilled chicken with shrimp, artichoke hearts and mushrooms on top in a lemon white cream sauce. Recommend it! Service was good and a nice over all eating experience.
(5)
Brian L.
Loved the service. Also loved the alligator especially the blackened one. Etoufee was meh and sort of weird tasting but my first time tryin it. Bread pudding was yummy too. Overall a great meal
(4)
Francisco R.
My wife and frequented the Ralph & Kacoo's in Allen (Texas), but that closed in the last year, which is too bad because it was one of our favorite seafood places in the Metroplex. On a recent visit to Shreveport, we opted to dine at this Ralph & Kacoos. Service was prompt at the get-go, and fairly efficient throughout, although my wife noticed other parties were served a bit slower. There was a surprise party at a separate dining area just next to us, and the closed door didn't allow us to see how much staff was working the party. We were used to freshly baked bread at the other location, but we got four hush puppies instead. We only ate two of them, but could have easily scarfed all of them and asked for seconds. But they were a meal all their own, and we didn't want to spoil our appetite. We're familiar with the menu, and I was about to order the Mahi-Mahi when our waiter told us about the specials, and I quickly changed my selection to the grilled Red Fish with the jumbo shrimp served over dirty rice. My wife ordered a more familiar dish, the Crawfish Special, which is fried crawfish tails and crawfish etouffee over rice. My selection was the catch of the day, so the price was more than $20. I got a generous serving and every bit of the fish was delicious. The shrimp could have been a meal all their own. The rice was tasty, and a good complement to the meal. My wife's dish was as she remembered it from our previous visits to the old Allen location. Had we been there for lunch, we might have made four meals out of the two plates. While the location is at a strip mall, it's not a trashy hole in the wall. The place is fairly large and houses a gift shop as well as the restaurant. Our only complaint is that after dark, it was a bit confusing to find the restaurant because of conflicting signs and poorly lit streets. We'll definitely stop again the next time we're in town.
(4)
Rico J.
First time to Shreveport. Went to this place based on good reviews and we were greatly satisfied! Amazing food. We got the fried platter. Everything was great. Oysters were huge! The gumbo was awesome! Amazing service too! Our server Amanda was great! Highly recommend for Cajun style food or just great seafood.
(5)
Thadd J.
I remember when R&K was in Dallas some time ago...the food was awesome and the place was packed during lunch and happy hour. So I was really looking forward to stopping here for a quick meal as I passed thru town. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon and not very busy. We sat in the bar area and watched the college football games on several TVs. The service was very good and and the waiter/bartender was helpful in recommending a couple items for the large menu. I had the Shrimp Po' Boy & house salad. She had the Lump Crab Cakes & house salad...I must admit the Po' Boy was one are the better ones that I've had in awhile, I ate the whole thing bread and all. There was tons of shrimp and they were fried near perfect. Then I tired the some of the crab cake...it was just ok...didn't not taste like fresh crab and not much seasoning or flavor happening. All and all three stars...the Po' Boy was greatness, but the Crab Cake and hush puppies were only so-so. The service was very good and the atmosphere was fun as more and more people came into the bar area. I'll be stopping again on other trips thru Shreveport, still beats any fast food place.
(3)
Susan P.
Our dance group was in Shreveport for a weekend. We met at Ralph & Kacoo's on Friday afternoon prior to the dance for a late lunch or early dinner. We were a crowd of about 20 or more, I don't know the exact count. Going to a restaurant with a large group is always a dicey proposition. Janice, our server, was wonderful. She took our drink orders and our food orders and got us served quickly. The hush puppies were to die for. Light and crispy and delicious and I love hushpuppies. The rolls were good too, but the hush puppies were my favorite. I had sausage and chicken gumbo and it was excellent. I'm not a seafood fan, but I do like chicken gumbo. We shared an order of Fried Green Tomatoes and they were very good (I don't generally like them). My husband had seafood gumbo. Then we each had the peanut butter satin pie. Oh my. Heavenly. I actually took my piece back to the hotel and ate it later. It amazed me that the service was so excellent for such a large group. I recommend Ralph & Kacoo's to anyone looking for cajun food.
(4)
Paul S.
This place is amazing. The meal left me with a full tummy and improved outlook on life. Get the blackened gator bites app. I really like the atchafalaya entree, which is a great sampling of different Cajun flavors. Last time I got a blackened fish and it was excellent as well. Do not leave here without getting the original BREAD PUDDING. It is absurdly good. Enjoy!
(5)
Bill D.
Well , I Thought by now that this place would have addressed some of its numerous problems. Couple of things, the food is average at best and would be much better served hot. I had the thin sliced catfish and it was pretty good Unlike the cold soggy French fries underneath . Our server, though was apparently overwhelmed at having to serve lunch around 200 pm. Hint! Pretty slow afternoon, and the free bead pudding offered on the yelp, not to be had, so scratch R & K off your list, definitely a venue to skip for pretty much anything else.
(1)
Chris E.
Looks like posts can bought off....posted a scathing review last month and now it is gone. Total tourist trap with horrible service from non- caring staff. By the way, had severe food poisoning the next day after complaining about cold food. Food the refused to do anything about!
(1)
Savannah R.
We liked the food we ordered :) crab cakes and hush puppies for me! My bro in law liked his fried alligator. Yikes! Cant remember my husband's order, but he liked it ok.
(3)
Sandy H.
First Cajun restaurant to try in the area and it's disappointing. Nothing special about the food, expected fresh oysters for the price but disappointed again. . .
(2)
Raffaal N.
Great place. I'm glad I stopped. Really good crab cakes and the drinks are worth the price. They have a great lounge/bar area, with tvs playing sports, great for lunch or dinner
(5)
Genieve D.
So I went TDY to Barksdale AFB, La., and the lovely folks at Global Strike Command PA took me to Ralph & Kacoo's for some authentic cuisine. I was super excited to delve into this yummo food. I even ran 2 miles so I wouldn't feel guilty being a food whore....everything i ate was superb. Here's what i ordered: The Louisiana trio-which consisted of fried shrimp, crawdads and alligator. Now yes, i did eat the alligator for the first time ever. It was rather good. The consistency was "chewy" but tasted like chicken. (Doesn't everything taste like chicken)? Crab cakes--wow these were to die for. It came on a platter with two large size cakes. It was very fluffy and just melted in your mouth. Gumbo--Well what can i say about this. This is authentic as it gets. Salmon platter on plank--I didn't order this but my collegue did. It came with fresh veggies (squash, zucchini), and the salmon was cooked to perfection on these large planks. I highly recommend this restaurant. And if your in the mood for some local gift shopping they have Mardi Gras stuff and then some.
(4)
Jim F.
Gumbo was pretty tasty, had a little kick to it but not too much. Crab cakes were ok, def not the best I've had. Oysters on the half shell were no good, taste was off and they weren't clean, wouldn't order them again. Overall the restaurant experience was good, service was also good.
(3)
Chris B.
The ribeye steak and fried gulf shrimp were pretty good. I would recommend this place. A lot of seafood choices on the menu. I cashed in the Yelp coupon for free bread pudding.
(4)
Andrew L.
I had blackened alligator and some kind of chicken covered in hollendase (spelling?) sauce. very tasty
(5)
New P.
The seafood is not fresh but the server is very nice.
(2)
Alicia B.
Alligator!
(3)
Sonny N.
Not awful, certainly not great. The hospitality was good and ambiance was unspectacular but clean, with a definite banquety feel. Service was very good, though. Waitstaff seems very knowledgeable, but if you're looking for Cajun food with a kick, pass Ralph's
(3)
Mark N.
Blackened Gator is yummers! The bar is laid back and a nice place to hang out and watch sports. Prices are reasonable - Staff is friendly and well trained - All in all it's always a good experience.
(3)
Avery T.
This was a great place to bring my mom when she checked out my new location. The food was exceeded expectations. Their steaks were well prepared, the fish cook beautifully and with wonderful, decadent sauces, and the crab was fantastic. This experience, however deserved only a 2.5 - 3.5. The first 0.5 comes off because of the chain nature. Any chain goes down a notch. The other down grade was for service. I know that muscato is sweet. But don't tell my family that it is a sweet red. I told them when she suggested it that it was a white so they weren't surprised, but know your wines, fill up our drinks as needed and re-check us after we receive our food. Not awful service, but we had better at cheddars!
(3)
Mark H.
Ugh. I had to resort to Ralph & Kacoo's after I learned that my standby for cajun seafood in Shreveport, Don's, had permanently closed. I should have known that R&K's would be a HUGE disappointment when I had to walk through a trove of tourist crap being sold as you enter the restaurant. "Made in China" Mardi Gras throw beads, tacky Cajun trinkets, etc. are all better buys than most of the grub sold in this place. R&K Positives: - Excellent FREE hush puppies; - "Cajun" stuffed potato was pretty decent; - Stuffed shrimp were delish; - Hurricane served in a frosty tall glass. R&K Negatives: - Service was marginal; - Shrimp Creole was a gloppy mass of rice and sauce. Shrimp MIA; - Shrimp au Gratin was cheesy nastiness. Again, shrimp MIA; - PRICEY for substandard food. This is a restaurant that evidently thrives on tourists coming to gamble at the casinos in the area. Probably would be a disappointment for the Yelpers I know. Dark, dreary exterior. Dreary interior with craptastic gift selection that you CAN'T AVOID. Stick with fried stuff and you'll do OK. A karma-sucking vortex doing a disservice to the world of Louisiana cuisine.
(2)
A S.
Consistently good Louisiana fare with focus on seafood. Love their salads, gumbo, and crawfish bisque. Great fried seafood as well and wonderful oysters on the half shell when in season.
(4)
Niki L.
This was not the best of locations. The Lufkin, TX location is awesome. Bossier city location- Strange ambiance. Sub-par service. Decent food. I was so impressed at the other location so I was obviously dissapointed. They have really good complimentary hush puppies that I managed to spread all over the table. Got a caesar salad that was good. Crawfish platter was OK but the food was better at the other place. My bf got a overpriced steak. The cajun potatoes were not anything special. Overall good food but overpriced. Go to one of the many other cajun restaurants in the Shreveport/Bossier area.
(2)
Chad C.
Awesome service at the bar. Made me feel right at home. Jason has the gift of making out of towers feel like locals! Excellent service!
(4)
Lee S.
Cheap happy hour beer, friendly staff and comfortable surroundings. Shrimp cocktail - not fresh, over cooked and chewy. The gumbo was average. I gave it three stars because I was starving.
(3)
S P.
My boyfriend and I were back in Shreveport and craving some good seafood. The magazine in our hotel had an ad for Ralph and Kacoo's, saying it was the best seafood in Louisiana. So, of course, we couldn't pass that up! The restaurant is located in a run-down strip mall, which looks small from the outside but is actually spacious on the inside. When you first walk in, there's even a small souvenir shop with football and Mardi Gras themed items. After ordering our food, our server brought us hush puppies with tartar sauce and lemon wedges. They were very crumbly, but they tasted fine. As an appetizer, we had the marinated crab claws. Market price was $9.99. I really like steamed crab claws swimming in butter, so this was a little different, but it still tasted great. The crab claws were chilled and topped with a tart dressing. Yummy! For my entree, I was debating between the shrimp platter or sirloin steak, and I ended up going with the steak. Not an ideal choice at a seafood restaurant, but it was calling my name! The steak itself was decent, but I didn't enjoy either of the sides. I had the Cajun corn and the potato wedges, both of which had way too much seasoning. My boyfriend ordered the special of the day, tilapia with crawfish and crawfish stuffing on top. He thought the tilapia had a good flavor on its own, but the crawfish and stuffing on top just added too much. We both ordered drinks from the bar at $7 each. Not too bad, except there was barely any alcohol in mine! We asked if there were any happy hour specials ... there were, but according to their policy, we had to be sitting at the bar in order to get them. So, no happy hour for us! At the end of our meal, they tried to entice us with an array of plastic desserts (including cheesecake, key lime pie, and bread pudding), but we were full, so we skipped it. Our server did an excellent job, and we were happy with the service. No problems there. Not sure the food is really the best in Louisiana, though!
(3)
Jimi L.
Great place to get a taste of local flavor! Very professional staff and delicious food. The atmosphere really takes you there with their great new fish tank in the lobby. Seems as if they cut a chunk right out of Caddo Lake. Their banquet rooms are awesome too! Who knew they could handle up to 200 people in a private dinning room? Anyway, hands down the BEST cajun seafood anywhere! You have got to try this place!
(5)
Allison T.
Service was great as was the atmosphere, but the food was WAY to over priced and not at all worth it. My family took me here for Mother's Day because I had been DYING to try and I was so disappointed. The food wasn't bad, but the size of the portions was so not worth the money they charged for it. I also found the menu selection to be very lacking. I won't be going back anytime soon.
(2)
T. F.
After reading Captain D's review of the Baton Rouge Ralph & Kacoo's, I was hesitant to try this restaurant, but a few Shreveport natives convinced me to give it a try. Even though it is in a shopping center, it is a fairly large restaurant. My favorite so far is the Delta Double, a choice of two fried sides (I usually get the fried crawfish and gulf shrimp), plus your choice of a side (I often get the twice baked potato). The staff is very friendly and I have never had questionable service. I do wish the restaurant was a little less kitschy, it looks like all the decor from Red Lobster and TGI Friday's was thrown up on the walls. The gaudy gift shop is also quite nauseating, but I guess that's part of Ralph & Kacoo's quirky charm.
(3)
Jon W.
Went here on a Saturday night around 7 and had 1/2 hour wait. Not a big deal, they have a gift shop and menu posted outside so one can decide what they want before they sit down. Once we were seated, we were taken care of very well and very quickly. Hush puppies to start (Which arrived shortly after our drinks), and our appetizer came before we could finish the puppies. Food all came out within 15 minutes of ordering, and everyone enjoyed theirs. I ate the Seafood Platter, which is a good mix and very flavorful. Get the stuffed potato, you won't be disappointed. Price is reasonable for the style and speed (it is a bit higher than others in the area). A great place to take guests who are in town. We will be back.
(4)
Likes To E.
Cajun Red Lobster, at least that's what I'd call it. Always had consistent and professional service. The food has been good everytime. A great place to take out of town company for a local dining experience.
(4)
Kayce S.
I really want to love this place, especially since the in-laws are so gung-ho and insist on having dinner there at least once on our annual post-Christmas meetup in Shreveport. The service is always good, but sadly... the food just isn't that great. It would probably be better (and rate another star) if it weren't touted as "cajun" because I find myself doing the "wth IS this, cause it's sure not seafood gumbo" dance every time I order something that is (should be, ahem) a staple of cajun cuisine. The seafood gumbo I had on our visit last week was just wrong, on so many levels. Ridiculously thick, tomato based, big chunks of partially-cooked celery, too black-peppery WRONG. It had a flavor more like shrimp creole, which isn't that bad in the scheme of things, but man it was cold and I wanted a good bowl of gumbo so that's what I ordered. Kiddo's fried crawfish tails were pretty good, but I was a little nonplussed that they didn't offer a kids dish with the crawfish and wouldn't sub for the shrimp even with me offering to pay more for it. Meh. The fried green tomatoes I had as an app were good and the tomatoes were actually green and tangy instead of slightly pink and gross like sometimes happens, but sliced a little on the thick side for my liking. The etouffee my guy had was okay, but definitely nothing to write home about. If I had to guess, All in all, if you're looking for good "cajun" food and know what it's supposed to taste like -- you should probably keep looking or order something safe like deep-fried items and the like. Otherwise you will probably love this place like my Oklahoma in-laws do. :)
(2)
Rich B.
My wife and I have gotten take-out from here, which proved good enough to go back for lunch in person. I'm not sure if the previous two reviewers had bad luck but we enjoyed out lunch quite a bit. We're not from the area and so are not 'experts' at judging Cajun cooking but for what we had, I thought the food was quite good and the service was excellent. The tourist trap souvenir store with things made in China is accurate but look beyond that and you have a very nice dining experience. Everything was cooked nicely, we both got fish dishes, and the waitress was friendly and accommodating. The food was cooked nicely, not overly seasoned and quick. My talapia was nicely cooked and the sauce over it was quite good- wouldn't have minded if things were spicier. My wife's catfish was shockingly good- she couldn't believe it was catfish. The steamed veggies were all fresh and not limp from being over-cooked. The fries weren't great though. We will definitely go back.
(4)
Myla P.
I went to Ralph & Kacoo's for dinner at the reccomendation of my Sheveport-native boyfriend. I'm travelling on business so I went alone. Started with the fried alligator. This was not my first experience with alligator, but I'm pretty sure this was my first experience with it cooked correctly. The alligator was moist and just a little bit chewy, not overly fried and dry like my previous experience with it at a different restaurant. The free hush puppies they bring you are also excellent- crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I had the Crawfish Special- fried crawfish tails and etoufee served over rice, with cajun rice as my side. The portion size was gigantic. I had at least 50 tails on my plate. I also enjoyed the etouffee, but I wished they had used long grain rice instead of instant. I was not a fan of the Cajun Rice. It tasted exactly like Zatarain's (which I also like, but not in a restaurant!). I ended up taking most of the crawfish and the hush puppies back to my hotel with me, because I wanted to save room for the bread pudding. Unfortunately, the bread pudding was so over-laden with alcohol I could not eat the wholen thing. While I appreciate a slight liquor flavor in some dessert, I don't like it one bite burns like a shot of Jack. But hey, I'm sure some others don't mind! The atmosphere in this place is a little weird. Kind of dark, but I didn't mind it. Service was great. Friendly and very fast. I was there during the dinner rush, and my food consistently came out quickly.
(5)
Jerell S.
Start off with the Blackened Gator. Then order the Mahi-Mahi Bourbon Street. End it with some New Orleans Bread Pudding. And don't forget your R&K Voodoo Juice.
(5)
Kevin J.
Had dinner in the bar on a recent business trip. Service was good, and they have a big menu, but I thought the food was pretty average (and a little pricey). Kind of a tourist place. If you're looking for some authentic Cajun-style seafood in Shreveport there are probably better choices.
(3)
Carline S.
Horrible food. Out dated atmosphere. Slow service. Not really sure hash at the other reviewers were eating. We had the Shrimp Trawl. Best part was the fried shrimp.
(1)
Rogan M.
I went here on a suggestion from the front desk at a hotel I was staying at. I asked for a good seafood/cajun style place that the locals eat at. This was the recomendation and I think she must have misunderstood me or something because this is definately not a locals place. The restaurant is in a strip mall, never my favorite place to go, and you walk in the front and it's basically a gift shop full of touristy crap. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that no great restaurants have a gift shop as their entrance. With that said I got the crawfish etoufe, I'm in Louisiana and as they say... when in Rome. Everyone kept telling me I better like crawfish because that's all they eat down here. That's ok with me because crawfish etoufe is awesome... maybe not here but I like it. Really the food here wasnt' to bad, it was the atmosphere of the place that just sucked. The table I sat at was old, the seats were old and felt like way to many 400lb people had sat there. The place was dark, not dark as in dark and romantic with a touch of class dark, but dark as in the lights were crap, carpet was a dark dingy color and everything was just dark. So after walking in through the tourist shop you are treated to the same experience on the way out... as the two star saying goes... meh, i've experienced better.
(2)
Andrew B.
This place has always provided excellent meals with great service.
(4)
Lisa H.
The locals seem to love this place and it was recommended by the concierge at the hotel I stayed at. But...it was really mediocre. I ordered an appetizer that had fried popcorn shrimp, crawfish and alligator. It was decent, but it's hard not to mess up fried food. For my entree I ordered a bowl of gumbo thinking that I couldn't go to Louisiana and not leave without trying gumbo. It tasted like a half a cup of cornstarch was mixed in...and I actually had better gumbo the next day from CenturyTel Center catering. My colleague ordered a combo of fried catfish and stuffed shrimp. Catfish was decent, but something was off about the stuffing in the shrimp. The crab stuffing was mealy and a tad over seasoned. On the upside, the waitstaff was really nice and helpful, and there's a cute little gift shop in the front. I have a feeling that there are more legit seafood places in the area. Wish I did my research before coming to Shreveport! Unfortunately, I doubt there will be a next time.
(2)
Chance H.
This place has delicious seafood and our waiter was great! Blacked gator appetizer is delicious, the Hurricanes are strong an very very good.
(5)
Ward S.
I've been to this location in Shreveport a couple of times while passing through Louisiana on my way to Dallas. The service has always been good, as well as the food. I love fried seafood, so I get the fried seafood platter. The portion sizes are fairly large, so if you aren't extremely hungry, you'll probably leave with a doggie bag. I've also eaten at the Ralph & Kacoo's in the French Quarter in New Orleans, but the Shreveport location is every bit as authentic and good.
Went here for lunch. Very busy but fast seating and dining. The service is great. The food was great. Had Gumbo that was out of this world. The Atchafalaya platter was very good. Grillled fish with crawfish sauce, roasted potatos, and fried okra. Will certainly return.
(5)
Johnny T.
Visiting Shreveport for business, I was craving Cajun seafood. Ralph & Kacoo's hit the spot. It took a while to decide what I wanted from the diverse menu. The place may be a bit on the touristy side but that just means they make-out-of-towners feel welcome. I was very pleased with the meal (The Ruby) and found the service more than adequate. I'd give it a strong 3.5 stars.
(4)
Peter L.
A very large restaurant which advertises "buses welcome" so I was a bit nervous about trying it but it turned out fine. Mostly seafood menu, we did catfish done 2 different ways, one dish fried, the other stuffed and baked, both of which were very good. A mixed app of small shrimp, "bugs" and alligator, all fried was also very good. The extra charge side salad was very fresh with a decent blue cheese dressing. Service was good. Overall really more then 3 stars but not quite 4.
(3)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
Address :1700 Old Minden Rd
Bossier City, LA, 71111
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Melissa G.
This place is fantastic! We wanted seafood with a Cajun flair...this definitely exceeded our expectations! Our server was Gerald and he was extremely helpful in helping us decide on our entrees and it was obvious he was knowledgable about the menu. We ended up getting the Shrimp Trawl and St. Charles shrimp. We loved everything in the Shrimp Trawl...amazing food and fresh. The servings were extremely generous as well. The happy hour Cosmos were great for 3.00! I will definitely come back next time we are in the area!
(5)Stacie H.
I've been to this restaurant twice now and will probably come by every time I have an over night stay in the Shreveport area. First and foremost, Denise, our waitress, is the main reason we had such a great time the first time we came in March & why I brought my husband here on this trip. Even if the food was horrible, which it wasn't, we'd come back to sit in her section; she made ya feel like you were sitting around her table at home for a nice Sunday dinner. Ask for her section! Secondly, the mushrooms from the Chef's Features haven't disappointed either time I've been there. I really should just make that my meal! We also shared Ralph's Platter & still had leftovers. The crawfish is so good here even when it's not in season. Get anything with crawfish in it, you'll be happy you did!
(4)J S.
Thanks for the raw shrimp! We had the breaded pickles which were delicious with the sauce, but not enough sauce. We both ordered the Shrimp St. Charles. At least 1 shrimp was completely raw & 3 others were only partially cooked, which we discovered after eating a few others and the sides of Cajun rice & mashed potatoes. We gave the raw shrimp to the waitress, who apologized several times and took it back to the kitchen. There was no offer to comp our appetizer or drinks or discount our dinner for the RAW shrimp that we were not able to eat. So, we paid our check, left a good tip for the waitress because she was good, and left. My dining partner was ill that night with symptoms of food poisoning. We will not be returning. Very disappointed, I have eaten here many times over the years but will never return.
(1)Arthur W.
Not being from the south this place was recommended to me by several locals. My past 2 experiences with catfish tasted like dirt, but I decided to reach out again and the blackened catfish turned out great. For the appetizer I had blackened alligator which was juicy and tender, and the hollandaise dipping sauce complimented it nicely. I finished with some southern bread pudding and I'm mad I didn't save more room, it was scrumptious.
(4)Jacobie D.
Stopped by on 8/3/15 around 7pm. Over all very solid place. I ordered crab cakes and oysters as an app (that never came out) which was probably for the best and they didn't charge for them. I did get the Tilapia Atchafalaya which was great. My man got the Fried Catfish Fillets which he also liked. The bread that they give out is very tasty as well. We were at the end of a vacation when we stopped here (so kinda tired) we'll be back to try again the next time we're in town.
(3)Brenda H.
Stopped on way home from Houston. Husband loves seafood but not me, so was afraid I wouldn't find anything on the menu. He had the seafood gumbo and the rib eye, I tried the breaded pickles and sirloin. Food was very good and cooked to order. Our waitress was awesome. Would definitely go back if I am in the area.
(5)Toni K.
No. Nope. NOPE. Came to this location for a birthday celebration for a friend's family member. We just came into town after driving from Dallas and were starving by the time we got to this restaurant. We already planned what we wanted to eat, after viewing the menu online. Everything sounded decent...but what we got was subpar. First of all, the service wait times were horrid. Our server was extremely nice -- loved her. But the wait time...no. If you placed an order, be it drink (alcoholic or non alcoholic) or food, you were destined to wait at least 20 minutes. And for the love of God, don't order any alcoholic beverages here. My friend and I ordered Long Island Iced Teas and what we got was basically colored water. There was nearly no liquor in it. And if I'm going to pay $15 for a drink, there better well be alcoholic in it. The food was messy, no matter what anyone ordered. The seafood was bland, if you asked for cheese on anything it came back with a cheese hat...have your Tums available. All in all, if someone recommends that you eat here, please do yourself a favor and fake illness and stay home.
(2)Molly B.
Visited this location driving through Shreveport. This place is definitely a tourist trap. The service and food were just ok. Nothing to write home about. The grits tasted like sawdust. However, their chocolate soufflé was absolutely delicious.
(3)Brigitte K.
What a great food. We from Los Angeles and you don't find food this quality. I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)Yair V.
Food is great service is great and the price is reasonable I will recommend this place
(5)Melissa T.
You get free bread and hush puppies. The bread was delicious. Ordered the jumbo shrimp grilled. It came with dirty rice and a side. I chose vegetables. The shrimp dish came with 10 shrimps which was delicious. I was full after eating just 3. Overall the food had lots of flavor, best dirty rice I've ever had!
(5)Lena M.
Definitely not a place I suggest..... This is not really Cajun food. It's not really even good food plus it's way overpriced.
(2)Kevin F.
The food here was great. Got the seafood platter and was not disappointed at all. More than enough food to share. The shrimp and stuffed crab were right on point. The fried crawfish tails and oysters were like a mini appetizer inside of the meal. Very nice place with great selection and good prices.
(5)Dr. Bill H.
First, let me say that I have been coming here for many years. I usually order the same crab au gratin. Always a pleaser. Tonight, I decided to switch it up a bit. I had the gumbo and a bowl of crawfish étouffée. The gumbo was sooooo salty. I couldn't get enough rice to cut the saltiness. The waiter said they have been "tweaking" the recipe with less oyster broth. Well, tell the chef that it was almost inedible. The étouffée was rather bland in comparison. Not bad, but not remarkable, either. Now for the best part of my dinner...dessert. The offered a free dessert with my meal on Yelp. It was the best bread pudding that I have ever had!! Covered with a creamy glaze, and served warm and delicious. Thanks for a great waiter who tells it like it is!! I'll be back, hoping for some less salt in my diet!!
(4)Doug B.
Loved it! We had gator as an appetizer - both blackened and fried - and it was perfect. Had steak and shrimp which was very good. The yeast rolls were hot and fresh, as were the hush puppies. Excellent service and comfortable atmosphere for dining and conversation.
(5)Ebony M.
The fried catfish fillets and pickled green tomatoes are the kind of meal one remembers on their deathbed.
(5)Annie B.
Went here back in October but forgot to post my review: Free bread pudding was the only redeeming part of this meal. Nice customer service but all of the food is frozen and then heated and re-served. Barely palatable but served hot!
(2)Kimberly F.
As you can see if you check the picture my po'boy was thrown together and kinda skimpy. The rolls were awesome . My salad was mediocre at best. For these prices I was not impressed. To make matter worse service was slow. I will go back for rolls though
(2)LaRue J.
Large space with comfortable seating. Went for an early dinner. Staff was pleasant. Started with a cup of gumbo. Generous serving for a cup. Nice seasoning. Then had the grilled jumbo shrimp with the cajun rice and cajun baked potato. Shrimp were excellent, potato was not real hot but warm enough. Rice was seasoned well and a good portion. Would rerurn.
(4)Jeff S.
The food was edible, not great. The restaurant is old and seemed a bit neglected. They do have some interesting decor but in need of updating. There are several other better places to eat for the money.
(2)Ashley T.
Oh my! I was sooooo happy we chose to eat at this place! Our server, Mario, was AMAZING! The food was great. My steak was cooked to perfection. The seafood was fresh. Grilled fish was great. And the drinks... WHOOO! I'm in love. Anytime I come to Shreveport I will be coming back!
(5)Kelly G.
So so. Cajun Lubys level. Good hush puppies, biscuit crawfish appetizer ok. Stick with fried shrimp, skip étouffée and NO gratin. Good side rolls... Luckily. Bla
(3)Daniel B.
Deep fried seafood heaven! You'll want to leave your calorie counter at home and enjoy a gluttonous feast. Don't worry, the guilt from dinner pairs incredibly with the bread pudding.
(4)Justin R.
Service was good. Food was good. Seemed clean. Just really boring food. After adding hot sauce to the étouffée it was pretty good. My friend said gumbo was eh.
(3)December B.
This place restored my faith in Shreveport/Bossier Louisiana food, and I'm from Los Angeles!! Great ambiance, great food, great service!!! We had appetizers, platters and dessert!! Amazing!!! Highly recommend!
(5)Lorenzo S.
Nice restaurant tucked away in shopping center. Place was really nice inside with aquariums throughout. Waitress was great took my drink and appetizer quickly. Fresh bread and hush puppies served up front. I ordered the Blackened Alligator because I had never had any. It was good, but seemed a bit tough and overcooked. Vegetable side was good and fresh. Salad served up front was nothing special. This place was recommended by hotel staff and it was good place to eat at with good atmosphere. I sat in sports bar section so got to see some football. Overall, good place to eat at considering limited options in downtown Bossier City. Much more affordable and better food than rip-off Casino buffets.
(4)Angela D.
Took my family here one evening while visiting family in town...not the yummy R&K from my youth. My husband ordered the King Louie shrimp salad, which was pretty OK. I ordered the Shrimp Trawl, which was disappointing. Other than the gratin (which was decent), the fried/stuffed shrimp were served lukewarm and tasted as if they'd been reheated and the shrimp stew was also served at a tepid temperature, which makes me question the freshness of their food. To their credit, our server was friendly and the environment was clean.
(3)Marcinho S.
Took a family group of ten of us for dinner! SO glad I did! Service, "vibe", location... it worked well for all of us. All four generations! Everyone enjoyed their meals... One of my cousins enjoyed the blackened Alligator so well, that he ordered another one to take home! The bartender(s), which is not uncommon in this region, found it a challenge to make really common cocktails. I was SHOCKED when the request for a "Sapphire Martini, with three olives, stirred, NOT SHAKEN [bruises the Gin] required my instruction, but okay. Things happen. But me having to teach bartenders simple drinks has happened to me in this area at LEAST FOUR times since i moved here. R&C's is a comfortable, pleasant, accommodating restaurant, and the server(s) we had, were exceptional! I'll definitely be back! In fact, it has BEEN a while, but the experience STILL remains a pleasant memory! The family was VERY pleased!
(4)Justin B.
Epic dining experience. Food was great, service was amazing, our server was named Shane he did an amazing job would recommend it to anyone.
(5)Cari S.
I was expecting more from this "Famous" establishment. Everything was OK. Most of what we ordered was fried, maybe next time I would try food that is not fried and see if that makes a difference. The gumbo was good, but I have definitely had better. Was very bummed about the fried alligator appetizer... for what is costs you would think the portion would be larger and there would be less batter.
(3)Darien G.
Total tourist trap... The food was absolutely horrible. The crawfish étouffée was the worst I've ever had. Ever!!! It had maybe 4 or 5 crawfish and the étouffée sauce was like thick orange gravy. Honestly the best thing was the fried hush puppies. We got the bayou mushrooms, the crab cakes, shrimp stew, the crawfish étouffée, and the bread pudding. Personally I don't like to go to chain restaurants but I would've chosen ANY chain over this. I can't believe this is rated this high. It is definitely not true Cajun/creole Louisiana food, but rather nasty bland tourist trap style food. On a positive note the server, Ashley, was super nice and one of the nicest servers I have ever had. That's the only reason it got two stars versus one. Stay away... I warned you.
(2)Connor D.
The Cedar Plank Salmon was to die for, The waitress was superb, the wait wasn't long at all, and there is an enjoyable atmosphere with a comedy show usually playing in the restroom, I loved it
(5)Mark N.
Blackened Gator is yummers! The bar is laid back and a nice place to hang out and watch sports. Prices are reasonable - Staff is friendly and well trained - All in all it's always a good experience.
(3)Avery T.
This was a great place to bring my mom when she checked out my new location. The food was exceeded expectations. Their steaks were well prepared, the fish cook beautifully and with wonderful, decadent sauces, and the crab was fantastic. This experience, however deserved only a 2.5 - 3.5. The first 0.5 comes off because of the chain nature. Any chain goes down a notch. The other down grade was for service. I know that muscato is sweet. But don't tell my family that it is a sweet red. I told them when she suggested it that it was a white so they weren't surprised, but know your wines, fill up our drinks as needed and re-check us after we receive our food. Not awful service, but we had better at cheddars!
(3)Mark H.
Ugh. I had to resort to Ralph & Kacoo's after I learned that my standby for cajun seafood in Shreveport, Don's, had permanently closed. I should have known that R&K's would be a HUGE disappointment when I had to walk through a trove of tourist crap being sold as you enter the restaurant. "Made in China" Mardi Gras throw beads, tacky Cajun trinkets, etc. are all better buys than most of the grub sold in this place. R&K Positives: - Excellent FREE hush puppies; - "Cajun" stuffed potato was pretty decent; - Stuffed shrimp were delish; - Hurricane served in a frosty tall glass. R&K Negatives: - Service was marginal; - Shrimp Creole was a gloppy mass of rice and sauce. Shrimp MIA; - Shrimp au Gratin was cheesy nastiness. Again, shrimp MIA; - PRICEY for substandard food. This is a restaurant that evidently thrives on tourists coming to gamble at the casinos in the area. Probably would be a disappointment for the Yelpers I know. Dark, dreary exterior. Dreary interior with craptastic gift selection that you CAN'T AVOID. Stick with fried stuff and you'll do OK. A karma-sucking vortex doing a disservice to the world of Louisiana cuisine.
(2)A S.
Consistently good Louisiana fare with focus on seafood. Love their salads, gumbo, and crawfish bisque. Great fried seafood as well and wonderful oysters on the half shell when in season.
(4)Chad C.
Awesome service at the bar. Made me feel right at home. Jason has the gift of making out of towers feel like locals! Excellent service!
(4)Lee S.
Cheap happy hour beer, friendly staff and comfortable surroundings. Shrimp cocktail - not fresh, over cooked and chewy. The gumbo was average. I gave it three stars because I was starving.
(3)Sonny N.
Not awful, certainly not great. The hospitality was good and ambiance was unspectacular but clean, with a definite banquety feel. Service was very good, though. Waitstaff seems very knowledgeable, but if you're looking for Cajun food with a kick, pass Ralph's
(3)Francisco R.
My wife and frequented the Ralph & Kacoo's in Allen (Texas), but that closed in the last year, which is too bad because it was one of our favorite seafood places in the Metroplex. On a recent visit to Shreveport, we opted to dine at this Ralph & Kacoos. Service was prompt at the get-go, and fairly efficient throughout, although my wife noticed other parties were served a bit slower. There was a surprise party at a separate dining area just next to us, and the closed door didn't allow us to see how much staff was working the party. We were used to freshly baked bread at the other location, but we got four hush puppies instead. We only ate two of them, but could have easily scarfed all of them and asked for seconds. But they were a meal all their own, and we didn't want to spoil our appetite. We're familiar with the menu, and I was about to order the Mahi-Mahi when our waiter told us about the specials, and I quickly changed my selection to the grilled Red Fish with the jumbo shrimp served over dirty rice. My wife ordered a more familiar dish, the Crawfish Special, which is fried crawfish tails and crawfish etouffee over rice. My selection was the catch of the day, so the price was more than $20. I got a generous serving and every bit of the fish was delicious. The shrimp could have been a meal all their own. The rice was tasty, and a good complement to the meal. My wife's dish was as she remembered it from our previous visits to the old Allen location. Had we been there for lunch, we might have made four meals out of the two plates. While the location is at a strip mall, it's not a trashy hole in the wall. The place is fairly large and houses a gift shop as well as the restaurant. Our only complaint is that after dark, it was a bit confusing to find the restaurant because of conflicting signs and poorly lit streets. We'll definitely stop again the next time we're in town.
(4)Rico J.
First time to Shreveport. Went to this place based on good reviews and we were greatly satisfied! Amazing food. We got the fried platter. Everything was great. Oysters were huge! The gumbo was awesome! Amazing service too! Our server Amanda was great! Highly recommend for Cajun style food or just great seafood.
(5)Thadd J.
I remember when R&K was in Dallas some time ago...the food was awesome and the place was packed during lunch and happy hour. So I was really looking forward to stopping here for a quick meal as I passed thru town. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon and not very busy. We sat in the bar area and watched the college football games on several TVs. The service was very good and and the waiter/bartender was helpful in recommending a couple items for the large menu. I had the Shrimp Po' Boy & house salad. She had the Lump Crab Cakes & house salad...I must admit the Po' Boy was one are the better ones that I've had in awhile, I ate the whole thing bread and all. There was tons of shrimp and they were fried near perfect. Then I tired the some of the crab cake...it was just ok...didn't not taste like fresh crab and not much seasoning or flavor happening. All and all three stars...the Po' Boy was greatness, but the Crab Cake and hush puppies were only so-so. The service was very good and the atmosphere was fun as more and more people came into the bar area. I'll be stopping again on other trips thru Shreveport, still beats any fast food place.
(3)Brian L.
Loved the service. Also loved the alligator especially the blackened one. Etoufee was meh and sort of weird tasting but my first time tryin it. Bread pudding was yummy too. Overall a great meal
(4)Susan P.
Our dance group was in Shreveport for a weekend. We met at Ralph & Kacoo's on Friday afternoon prior to the dance for a late lunch or early dinner. We were a crowd of about 20 or more, I don't know the exact count. Going to a restaurant with a large group is always a dicey proposition. Janice, our server, was wonderful. She took our drink orders and our food orders and got us served quickly. The hush puppies were to die for. Light and crispy and delicious and I love hushpuppies. The rolls were good too, but the hush puppies were my favorite. I had sausage and chicken gumbo and it was excellent. I'm not a seafood fan, but I do like chicken gumbo. We shared an order of Fried Green Tomatoes and they were very good (I don't generally like them). My husband had seafood gumbo. Then we each had the peanut butter satin pie. Oh my. Heavenly. I actually took my piece back to the hotel and ate it later. It amazed me that the service was so excellent for such a large group. I recommend Ralph & Kacoo's to anyone looking for cajun food.
(4)Paul S.
This place is amazing. The meal left me with a full tummy and improved outlook on life. Get the blackened gator bites app. I really like the atchafalaya entree, which is a great sampling of different Cajun flavors. Last time I got a blackened fish and it was excellent as well. Do not leave here without getting the original BREAD PUDDING. It is absurdly good. Enjoy!
(5)Bill D.
Well , I Thought by now that this place would have addressed some of its numerous problems. Couple of things, the food is average at best and would be much better served hot. I had the thin sliced catfish and it was pretty good Unlike the cold soggy French fries underneath . Our server, though was apparently overwhelmed at having to serve lunch around 200 pm. Hint! Pretty slow afternoon, and the free bead pudding offered on the yelp, not to be had, so scratch R & K off your list, definitely a venue to skip for pretty much anything else.
(1)Chris E.
Looks like posts can bought off....posted a scathing review last month and now it is gone. Total tourist trap with horrible service from non- caring staff. By the way, had severe food poisoning the next day after complaining about cold food. Food the refused to do anything about!
(1)Savannah R.
We liked the food we ordered :) crab cakes and hush puppies for me! My bro in law liked his fried alligator. Yikes! Cant remember my husband's order, but he liked it ok.
(3)Sandy H.
First Cajun restaurant to try in the area and it's disappointing. Nothing special about the food, expected fresh oysters for the price but disappointed again. . .
(2)Raffaal N.
Great place. I'm glad I stopped. Really good crab cakes and the drinks are worth the price. They have a great lounge/bar area, with tvs playing sports, great for lunch or dinner
(5)Genieve D.
So I went TDY to Barksdale AFB, La., and the lovely folks at Global Strike Command PA took me to Ralph & Kacoo's for some authentic cuisine. I was super excited to delve into this yummo food. I even ran 2 miles so I wouldn't feel guilty being a food whore....everything i ate was superb. Here's what i ordered: The Louisiana trio-which consisted of fried shrimp, crawdads and alligator. Now yes, i did eat the alligator for the first time ever. It was rather good. The consistency was "chewy" but tasted like chicken. (Doesn't everything taste like chicken)? Crab cakes--wow these were to die for. It came on a platter with two large size cakes. It was very fluffy and just melted in your mouth. Gumbo--Well what can i say about this. This is authentic as it gets. Salmon platter on plank--I didn't order this but my collegue did. It came with fresh veggies (squash, zucchini), and the salmon was cooked to perfection on these large planks. I highly recommend this restaurant. And if your in the mood for some local gift shopping they have Mardi Gras stuff and then some.
(4)Jim F.
Gumbo was pretty tasty, had a little kick to it but not too much. Crab cakes were ok, def not the best I've had. Oysters on the half shell were no good, taste was off and they weren't clean, wouldn't order them again. Overall the restaurant experience was good, service was also good.
(3)Chris B.
The ribeye steak and fried gulf shrimp were pretty good. I would recommend this place. A lot of seafood choices on the menu. I cashed in the Yelp coupon for free bread pudding.
(4)Andrew L.
I had blackened alligator and some kind of chicken covered in hollendase (spelling?) sauce. very tasty
(5)New P.
The seafood is not fresh but the server is very nice.
(2)Alicia B.
Alligator!
(3)S P.
My boyfriend and I were back in Shreveport and craving some good seafood. The magazine in our hotel had an ad for Ralph and Kacoo's, saying it was the best seafood in Louisiana. So, of course, we couldn't pass that up! The restaurant is located in a run-down strip mall, which looks small from the outside but is actually spacious on the inside. When you first walk in, there's even a small souvenir shop with football and Mardi Gras themed items. After ordering our food, our server brought us hush puppies with tartar sauce and lemon wedges. They were very crumbly, but they tasted fine. As an appetizer, we had the marinated crab claws. Market price was $9.99. I really like steamed crab claws swimming in butter, so this was a little different, but it still tasted great. The crab claws were chilled and topped with a tart dressing. Yummy! For my entree, I was debating between the shrimp platter or sirloin steak, and I ended up going with the steak. Not an ideal choice at a seafood restaurant, but it was calling my name! The steak itself was decent, but I didn't enjoy either of the sides. I had the Cajun corn and the potato wedges, both of which had way too much seasoning. My boyfriend ordered the special of the day, tilapia with crawfish and crawfish stuffing on top. He thought the tilapia had a good flavor on its own, but the crawfish and stuffing on top just added too much. We both ordered drinks from the bar at $7 each. Not too bad, except there was barely any alcohol in mine! We asked if there were any happy hour specials ... there were, but according to their policy, we had to be sitting at the bar in order to get them. So, no happy hour for us! At the end of our meal, they tried to entice us with an array of plastic desserts (including cheesecake, key lime pie, and bread pudding), but we were full, so we skipped it. Our server did an excellent job, and we were happy with the service. No problems there. Not sure the food is really the best in Louisiana, though!
(3)Jimi L.
Great place to get a taste of local flavor! Very professional staff and delicious food. The atmosphere really takes you there with their great new fish tank in the lobby. Seems as if they cut a chunk right out of Caddo Lake. Their banquet rooms are awesome too! Who knew they could handle up to 200 people in a private dinning room? Anyway, hands down the BEST cajun seafood anywhere! You have got to try this place!
(5)Allison T.
Service was great as was the atmosphere, but the food was WAY to over priced and not at all worth it. My family took me here for Mother's Day because I had been DYING to try and I was so disappointed. The food wasn't bad, but the size of the portions was so not worth the money they charged for it. I also found the menu selection to be very lacking. I won't be going back anytime soon.
(2)Niki L.
This was not the best of locations. The Lufkin, TX location is awesome. Bossier city location- Strange ambiance. Sub-par service. Decent food. I was so impressed at the other location so I was obviously dissapointed. They have really good complimentary hush puppies that I managed to spread all over the table. Got a caesar salad that was good. Crawfish platter was OK but the food was better at the other place. My bf got a overpriced steak. The cajun potatoes were not anything special. Overall good food but overpriced. Go to one of the many other cajun restaurants in the Shreveport/Bossier area.
(2)T. F.
After reading Captain D's review of the Baton Rouge Ralph & Kacoo's, I was hesitant to try this restaurant, but a few Shreveport natives convinced me to give it a try. Even though it is in a shopping center, it is a fairly large restaurant. My favorite so far is the Delta Double, a choice of two fried sides (I usually get the fried crawfish and gulf shrimp), plus your choice of a side (I often get the twice baked potato). The staff is very friendly and I have never had questionable service. I do wish the restaurant was a little less kitschy, it looks like all the decor from Red Lobster and TGI Friday's was thrown up on the walls. The gaudy gift shop is also quite nauseating, but I guess that's part of Ralph & Kacoo's quirky charm.
(3)Jon W.
Went here on a Saturday night around 7 and had 1/2 hour wait. Not a big deal, they have a gift shop and menu posted outside so one can decide what they want before they sit down. Once we were seated, we were taken care of very well and very quickly. Hush puppies to start (Which arrived shortly after our drinks), and our appetizer came before we could finish the puppies. Food all came out within 15 minutes of ordering, and everyone enjoyed theirs. I ate the Seafood Platter, which is a good mix and very flavorful. Get the stuffed potato, you won't be disappointed. Price is reasonable for the style and speed (it is a bit higher than others in the area). A great place to take guests who are in town. We will be back.
(4)Likes To E.
Cajun Red Lobster, at least that's what I'd call it. Always had consistent and professional service. The food has been good everytime. A great place to take out of town company for a local dining experience.
(4)Kayce S.
I really want to love this place, especially since the in-laws are so gung-ho and insist on having dinner there at least once on our annual post-Christmas meetup in Shreveport. The service is always good, but sadly... the food just isn't that great. It would probably be better (and rate another star) if it weren't touted as "cajun" because I find myself doing the "wth IS this, cause it's sure not seafood gumbo" dance every time I order something that is (should be, ahem) a staple of cajun cuisine. The seafood gumbo I had on our visit last week was just wrong, on so many levels. Ridiculously thick, tomato based, big chunks of partially-cooked celery, too black-peppery WRONG. It had a flavor more like shrimp creole, which isn't that bad in the scheme of things, but man it was cold and I wanted a good bowl of gumbo so that's what I ordered. Kiddo's fried crawfish tails were pretty good, but I was a little nonplussed that they didn't offer a kids dish with the crawfish and wouldn't sub for the shrimp even with me offering to pay more for it. Meh. The fried green tomatoes I had as an app were good and the tomatoes were actually green and tangy instead of slightly pink and gross like sometimes happens, but sliced a little on the thick side for my liking. The etouffee my guy had was okay, but definitely nothing to write home about. If I had to guess, All in all, if you're looking for good "cajun" food and know what it's supposed to taste like -- you should probably keep looking or order something safe like deep-fried items and the like. Otherwise you will probably love this place like my Oklahoma in-laws do. :)
(2)Rich B.
My wife and I have gotten take-out from here, which proved good enough to go back for lunch in person. I'm not sure if the previous two reviewers had bad luck but we enjoyed out lunch quite a bit. We're not from the area and so are not 'experts' at judging Cajun cooking but for what we had, I thought the food was quite good and the service was excellent. The tourist trap souvenir store with things made in China is accurate but look beyond that and you have a very nice dining experience. Everything was cooked nicely, we both got fish dishes, and the waitress was friendly and accommodating. The food was cooked nicely, not overly seasoned and quick. My talapia was nicely cooked and the sauce over it was quite good- wouldn't have minded if things were spicier. My wife's catfish was shockingly good- she couldn't believe it was catfish. The steamed veggies were all fresh and not limp from being over-cooked. The fries weren't great though. We will definitely go back.
(4)Myla P.
I went to Ralph & Kacoo's for dinner at the reccomendation of my Sheveport-native boyfriend. I'm travelling on business so I went alone. Started with the fried alligator. This was not my first experience with alligator, but I'm pretty sure this was my first experience with it cooked correctly. The alligator was moist and just a little bit chewy, not overly fried and dry like my previous experience with it at a different restaurant. The free hush puppies they bring you are also excellent- crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I had the Crawfish Special- fried crawfish tails and etoufee served over rice, with cajun rice as my side. The portion size was gigantic. I had at least 50 tails on my plate. I also enjoyed the etouffee, but I wished they had used long grain rice instead of instant. I was not a fan of the Cajun Rice. It tasted exactly like Zatarain's (which I also like, but not in a restaurant!). I ended up taking most of the crawfish and the hush puppies back to my hotel with me, because I wanted to save room for the bread pudding. Unfortunately, the bread pudding was so over-laden with alcohol I could not eat the wholen thing. While I appreciate a slight liquor flavor in some dessert, I don't like it one bite burns like a shot of Jack. But hey, I'm sure some others don't mind! The atmosphere in this place is a little weird. Kind of dark, but I didn't mind it. Service was great. Friendly and very fast. I was there during the dinner rush, and my food consistently came out quickly.
(5)Jerell S.
Start off with the Blackened Gator. Then order the Mahi-Mahi Bourbon Street. End it with some New Orleans Bread Pudding. And don't forget your R&K Voodoo Juice.
(5)Kevin J.
Had dinner in the bar on a recent business trip. Service was good, and they have a big menu, but I thought the food was pretty average (and a little pricey). Kind of a tourist place. If you're looking for some authentic Cajun-style seafood in Shreveport there are probably better choices.
(3)Carline S.
Horrible food. Out dated atmosphere. Slow service. Not really sure hash at the other reviewers were eating. We had the Shrimp Trawl. Best part was the fried shrimp.
(1)Rogan M.
I went here on a suggestion from the front desk at a hotel I was staying at. I asked for a good seafood/cajun style place that the locals eat at. This was the recomendation and I think she must have misunderstood me or something because this is definately not a locals place. The restaurant is in a strip mall, never my favorite place to go, and you walk in the front and it's basically a gift shop full of touristy crap. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that no great restaurants have a gift shop as their entrance. With that said I got the crawfish etoufe, I'm in Louisiana and as they say... when in Rome. Everyone kept telling me I better like crawfish because that's all they eat down here. That's ok with me because crawfish etoufe is awesome... maybe not here but I like it. Really the food here wasnt' to bad, it was the atmosphere of the place that just sucked. The table I sat at was old, the seats were old and felt like way to many 400lb people had sat there. The place was dark, not dark as in dark and romantic with a touch of class dark, but dark as in the lights were crap, carpet was a dark dingy color and everything was just dark. So after walking in through the tourist shop you are treated to the same experience on the way out... as the two star saying goes... meh, i've experienced better.
(2)Andrew B.
This place has always provided excellent meals with great service.
(4)Lisa H.
The locals seem to love this place and it was recommended by the concierge at the hotel I stayed at. But...it was really mediocre. I ordered an appetizer that had fried popcorn shrimp, crawfish and alligator. It was decent, but it's hard not to mess up fried food. For my entree I ordered a bowl of gumbo thinking that I couldn't go to Louisiana and not leave without trying gumbo. It tasted like a half a cup of cornstarch was mixed in...and I actually had better gumbo the next day from CenturyTel Center catering. My colleague ordered a combo of fried catfish and stuffed shrimp. Catfish was decent, but something was off about the stuffing in the shrimp. The crab stuffing was mealy and a tad over seasoned. On the upside, the waitstaff was really nice and helpful, and there's a cute little gift shop in the front. I have a feeling that there are more legit seafood places in the area. Wish I did my research before coming to Shreveport! Unfortunately, I doubt there will be a next time.
(2)Chance H.
This place has delicious seafood and our waiter was great! Blacked gator appetizer is delicious, the Hurricanes are strong an very very good.
(5)Ward S.
I've been to this location in Shreveport a couple of times while passing through Louisiana on my way to Dallas. The service has always been good, as well as the food. I love fried seafood, so I get the fried seafood platter. The portion sizes are fairly large, so if you aren't extremely hungry, you'll probably leave with a doggie bag. I've also eaten at the Ralph & Kacoo's in the French Quarter in New Orleans, but the Shreveport location is every bit as authentic and good.
(4)Joe G.
I was surprised when I logged on to leave my review at the number of poor reviews on Yelp. This was our first trip into Shreveport/Bossier from Texas. Our experience was great. Our server big Ken was well informed, made great suggestions on the menu, and they were spot on. We had the Firercracker shrimp (which may have been a special since we didn't see it on the menu) as an appetizer. They ROCKED! MY entrée was the Crawfish Festival and my girl had the King Louis Salad with Jumbo Crab meat and an Avocado (ordered extra). I can say this about the Festival ... it's a party-waiting-to-happen for three people! If you order it ... come very hungry. The meal was excellent and I would definitely order it again. The King Louis was a very large salad. She was more than satisfied at the portion and quality. For desert I had the Bread Pudding. As Ken oh-so-correctly pointed out ... a lot of bread pudding looks and tastes like Malt-O-Meal. Not the puddin' here. Excellent stuff. We enjoyed our experience here. The food and service were more than acceptable for the price range. We would definitely come back for another meal.
(4)Bubba P.
Went here for lunch. Very busy but fast seating and dining. The service is great. The food was great. Had Gumbo that was out of this world. The Atchafalaya platter was very good. Grillled fish with crawfish sauce, roasted potatos, and fried okra. Will certainly return.
(5)Johnny T.
Visiting Shreveport for business, I was craving Cajun seafood. Ralph & Kacoo's hit the spot. It took a while to decide what I wanted from the diverse menu. The place may be a bit on the touristy side but that just means they make-out-of-towners feel welcome. I was very pleased with the meal (The Ruby) and found the service more than adequate. I'd give it a strong 3.5 stars.
(4)Peter L.
A very large restaurant which advertises "buses welcome" so I was a bit nervous about trying it but it turned out fine. Mostly seafood menu, we did catfish done 2 different ways, one dish fried, the other stuffed and baked, both of which were very good. A mixed app of small shrimp, "bugs" and alligator, all fried was also very good. The extra charge side salad was very fresh with a decent blue cheese dressing. Service was good. Overall really more then 3 stars but not quite 4.
(3)Frank J.
This place used to be so good but it has been on a steady decline. Ate here last night and was hoping I'd have a better meal and service than the previous visit. I (used to) love the blackened alligator, but it just tasted like it had Montreal steak seasoning on it. Didn't taste blackened at all. I also ordered the crawfish etouffee, and it was as bland and flat as can be. Very disappointed. I'm sure you can get decent fried shrimp or something easy, but my experience with Ralph and Kacoo's is that it is overpriced for the less than average food. Will not go to any of their locations again.
(2)Bruce B.
Full Cajun menu and more. Excellent service and food. This is my second location to visit and full quality in both locations. Great for lunch and for evening meal.
(5)J G.
My family and I have been coming here for years, I finally decided to give a review. The waitress was great, and the food came out at a good time. The food was good but I had some issues with what I had gotten. First my seafood gumbo was good but wasn't that hot it was just warm. My main course had really good charbroiled oysters, grilled shrimp, twice baked potato, with Cajun rice these things were the things that were good. Now for the stuff I didn't like, the crab cake was soft and doughy not a firm patty crispy top or bottom. The tilapia was like to soft, and like they didn't grill it long enough. But please keep in mind these are just my opinion on how I like them and I'm not in the restaurant business and maybe this is how the majority like crab cakes and tilapia soft so don't pass up this place it is good especially the deserts, my favorite in the world is the peanut butter satin pie.
(3)Ashley C.
Food was ok, service was terrible. The bread we got was not cooked all the way through and they forgot my sons food. Nevertheless we will not be going back, ever....
(3)Robby E.
I eat here several times (4-6) a month. Over the past few months, I have seen the service get worse and worse, as well as the food portions become less. Tonight I was seated for 10 minutes while three different waiters walked by, not saying one word, not even "I apologzize:for the delay, I'll be right with you". Needless to say, this will be my last visit to this restaurant. It's just not that good to have poor service.
(1)D B.
If you like Cajun food, this is a good spot. My grilled catfish was perfect. Service is good as well. Nice restaurant. A tad expensive so beware
(5)Tricia V.
We are here about 9pm on a Friday night in March. I had never ate here before an have to admit turning into the parking lot was skeptical. Got right in an seated. Our waitress was very friendly an knowledgable of the menu. We started off with the alligator bites which were awesome! I had the Cedar Plank Salmon an it was delicious. The hush puppies were the best I have ever had. We had a very pleasant experience here an will come here again!!
(5)Steve K.
Terrible food, I hate the feeling of the place. It's dingy and cold atmosphere with a touristy feel. The food was some of the worst I've had in a long time.
(1)Brian C.
One of the better southern seafood restaurants in the area. Has really good food and great service. Will definitely be back.
(4)Elizabeth Z.
We went looking for yummy Louisiana seafood in a down-home southern atmosphere, and we found both. We were served promptly and politely. I had my first taste of fried crawfish, and loved it. It was an easy introduction to that traditional Louisiana dish, perfect breading, meaty crawfish, and good flavor. We started with the fried ravioli, and I thought that was the real highlight of the night. The étouffée had great spice, and the crawfish stew was less spicy for those wanting a tamer experience. We finished with the bread pudding, which was fine, but nothing spectacular. I hope I have the chance to go again some day.
(4)Garen M.
We drive from Oklahoma to Florida once or twice a year. We always plan to be in Shreveport/Bossier City at a meal time so we can eat at Ralph & Kacoo's. We love the Cajun food at R&K's. Their crawfish dishes are wonderful. The gumbo is the best. Their ettoufee is beyond delicious. We love eating here and will be back whenever we can.
(5)Dan M.
First time coming here. Service was excellent and food was great! Ordered the blackened alligator on the recommendation of our waiter and it was excellent!
(4)Brenda C.
Delicious! Tried the blackened catfish for our appetizer as recommended on yelp, tasty! The bread and hush puppies were delicious! Had the hurricane for my drink, very good! Had this delicious grilled chicken with shrimp, artichoke hearts and mushrooms on top in a lemon white cream sauce. Recommend it! Service was good and a nice over all eating experience.
(5)Alesa H.
I was very disappointed with my trip here. I got the gumbo and I just felt like the flavor was really never there. then for dinner I had the shrimp trawl. again very disappointed. the fried shrimp was too breaded, the shrimp stew was basically the gumbo with grilled shrimp in it, the shrimp au gratin was lacking majorly in flavor and had this fatty texture that did not sit well on my tongue, and the stuffed shrimp was mysterious looking inside and again lacking in flavor. and the worst of it all was my dad got food poisoning from his seafood platter which had him up all night puking his guts out. if I could give this place NO stars I would. the only good thing that came out of this was our waiter was excellent. I feel bad that his talent was wasted at this establishment. don't risk it. they need major help here!!
(1)Adrian R.
My GOD, the bread is absolutely the softest, chewiest, most divine piece of dough on the planet. The blackened alligator is must. as are the bananas foster. bring friends and share the wealth of food this place has to offer.
(5)Tori M.
We dropped in for an early dinner on the way home from a long day of competition with our son. I had a craving for the gumbo; however, instead I chose the Bayou Mushrooms - which are stuffed with crab meat and topped with étouffée - and an old favorite of Mahi Mahi Bourbon Street. The waitress suggested the Bayou mushrooms over the regular stuffed mushrooms and they were delicious, but pricey! ($11.99 for 4). The Mahi Mahi was not quite as good as I think it has been in the past, but still good. My husband did get the seafood gumbo and shared some with me. It was just as tasty as always, but needed to be served much warmer than it was. I know some of this was a little negative, but I do love Ralph & Kacoos. It has such great memories and I always enjoy my food.
(4)Mike C.
Stuffed mushrooms were excellent. Fish and shrimp combo was very good. Very good service and comfortable dining room.
(4)Tarah M.
Very cute little gift shop in the front of the restaurant and the server was very friendly & efficient, however the food was not impressive. For the price, it is very bland and poorly seasoned. Not terrible, but you can get just as good of grub at your local red lobster!
(2)Hung L.
My wife and I were at your restaurant last night on the 25th of November. The shrimp in the shrimp cocktail was tough and chewy as well as her lobster tail and my seasoned vegetables were cold as well as my shrimp stew and the waitress was a flake. I spent $162 before tip and felt like I definitely did not get my money's worth. Needless to say it was a very disappointing birthday dinner for my wife.
(1)Mike A.
Summary: Decent service, giant screen in bar, but lacked flavor and taste. Food: I ordered the platter, which had plenty of food to sample: -Gumbo: Cold. Not sure that is how its supposed to be served. I tried a few spoon fulls, but it lacked any taste; so sending it back for a warm cup would be a waste of time. -Fried Oysters: Yuck, not freshly made -Fried Catfish: Ok, decent serving -Fried Shrimp: Decent portion and very well made. Top item on the plate -Fried Crawfish: Plenty of crawfish and if I wanted to consume large quantities of fried food, this portion would have been polished off the plate. I wish that the menu stated that everything on the plate would be fried. I know this is the South, but a plate full of entirely fried seafood is not that appetizing. I may try this place again, if Joe's on the Boardwalk does not work out.
(2)Dave S.
The blackened alligator was amazing! I not that big on alligator but a friend told me to go here and try it. He was right it changed my mind on alligator. Also had the Steamed Shrimp and they were really good. Nice place!
(4)Nadia G.
I had lunch here with the family while visiting Shreveport last weekend. We stayed down the street at Hilton and saw the sign. The restaurant is huge and has several dining rooms. We were seated quickly and our server was very prompt, checking on us often and never leaving our glasses empty. The complimentary bread was ok, a little dense, but nothing special. Hubby did not like the hush puppies, but the kids enjoyed them. Hubby and I both had a Hurricane ... It had good flavor and a good kick to it ... It was pricy at $11, but you get to keep the glass as a souvenir, hence the high price. For entrees, I had the Shrimp St. Charles with the Cajun stuffed potato and Hubby had the soup of the day, which was a vegetable beef stew. Hubby really enjoyed his soup ... He said it had a lot of beef, good flavor and was very hearty. He also had a Caesar salad, which had a thick Caesar dressing, but was not as cold as I would have liked for a salad ... My entree was just ok ... It came with 5 crab stuffed shrimp drizzled with hollandaise sauce with lump crab as a garnish ... The lump crab was good ... The sauce was thin and I would have preferred a thicker sauce, possibly made with the lump crab instead of separately ... The hollandaise added nothing to the dish, so I got a side of cocktail sauce ... I liked the Cajun stuffed potato ... It was very cheesy, which was melted and possibly had bacon in it ... I'm not sure what made it Cajun, but it was a "twist" on the standard baked potato and I liked it ... Overall, this was a decent dining experience and I would go back since the menu was pretty extensive and there were several other dishes that I would like to try. The service was also fast and friendly. The restaurant is obviously older, but it was clean and the manager even stopped by to check on us and help our server clear our table, which was a nice touch.
(3)Mark M.
I found the food to be 'meh'. Wasn't great, wasn't bad. Just 'meh'. With the prices being what they were, which is too high for 'meh', two stars from me.
(2)Lora C.
I gave Five Stars for the Hushpuppies. My husband don't like hushpuppies but he did like these. Best we have ever eaten, light (not dried out) and crispy.
(5)Brian M.
Went there for lunch today. Ordered the gumbo and seafood salad. The gumbo came with a role and three hush puppies. The hush puppies were typical and the role was okay... Nothing special. I was expecting a little more punch and spicy kick with the gumbo. It was very bland. Maybe I should've tried the jambalaya. The seafood salad was very bland also. Nice chunks of crab and shrimp, but really there was no taste. The vegetables (tomatoes, red peppers, lettuce) were very fresh. Overall, I was rather disappointed. Maybe I was looking for more the New Orleans type of taste... didn't get it here. I had better gumbo at Disney World and at Heaven on Seven and Bob Chinn's in Chicago.
(2)Amber P.
Efficient happy hour, nothing special! Drink of the day was weak, however the vodka pineapple you call it was good and strong!
(3)Ashli S.
Great food and atmosphere, oddly push and surly waitress. Huge Portions, go there on an empty stomach!
(4)Angelica S.
My family and I stopped by R & K for a nice sit down lunch. The atmosphere is very nice and I like the decorations They chose to stay true to the Louisiana theme and it works great! The ambiance is quiet and classy. Our waiter was very professional and personable. My favorite part of the dining experience is the small gift shop area located at the main entrance of the restaurant. They carry books, ceramics, key chains, pot holders, jewelry, etc. Depending on your selections the prices could get high quickly. I was able to purchase a coffee mug, pot holder, magnet, and bracelet for a little over $26. I don't think that was too outrageous however I was careful to skip out on most of the high priced souvenirs. The coffee mug was $10 alone. A little steep in my opinion. Prices for the food started at $12 and went up for lunch. I'm sure dinner is a little more. Overall, I really enjoyed the food and I'd go back.
(4)Howard L.
This is an A-OK Cajun touristy restaurant. They have a lot of dining capacity, and a large menu, with a lot of the southern seafood classics. We also had their $9.99 alligator appetizer (1/2 fired, 1/2 blackened) - it was ok being moist but chewy, and not much natural flavor except from the blackening. Still it was a novelty and worthwhile to try. I had the crawfish festival and it was massive for $19.99, and decent meal with a lot of the servings being fried. Wife had the grilled mahi mahi, and son had the atchafalaya (talapia filet with crawfish etoufee). All ok, but nothing particularly exceptional. Overall, it's a place to try at least once as a tourist as it is a Bossier City institution.
(3)Michael S.
I hadn't been here in twenty years and the food was as great as I remember. The crawfish dinner was excellent!!
(4)B L.
We had the catfish (which was good), the jumbalya, and some other fish. I did not like the fish and my girlfriend did not like the jumbalya, so we switched. I liked the jumbalya and she liked the fish. The jumbalya was a little spicy though. For Louisiana cooking, we sure were disappointed. Service was average. The prices are too high as well.
(3)Melissa G.
This place is fantastic! We wanted seafood with a Cajun flair...this definitely exceeded our expectations! Our server was Gerald and he was extremely helpful in helping us decide on our entrees and it was obvious he was knowledgable about the menu. We ended up getting the Shrimp Trawl and St. Charles shrimp. We loved everything in the Shrimp Trawl...amazing food and fresh. The servings were extremely generous as well. The happy hour Cosmos were great for 3.00! I will definitely come back next time we are in the area!
(5)Stacie H.
I've been to this restaurant twice now and will probably come by every time I have an over night stay in the Shreveport area. First and foremost, Denise, our waitress, is the main reason we had such a great time the first time we came in March & why I brought my husband here on this trip. Even if the food was horrible, which it wasn't, we'd come back to sit in her section; she made ya feel like you were sitting around her table at home for a nice Sunday dinner. Ask for her section! Secondly, the mushrooms from the Chef's Features haven't disappointed either time I've been there. I really should just make that my meal! We also shared Ralph's Platter & still had leftovers. The crawfish is so good here even when it's not in season. Get anything with crawfish in it, you'll be happy you did!
(4)J S.
Thanks for the raw shrimp! We had the breaded pickles which were delicious with the sauce, but not enough sauce. We both ordered the Shrimp St. Charles. At least 1 shrimp was completely raw & 3 others were only partially cooked, which we discovered after eating a few others and the sides of Cajun rice & mashed potatoes. We gave the raw shrimp to the waitress, who apologized several times and took it back to the kitchen. There was no offer to comp our appetizer or drinks or discount our dinner for the RAW shrimp that we were not able to eat. So, we paid our check, left a good tip for the waitress because she was good, and left. My dining partner was ill that night with symptoms of food poisoning. We will not be returning. Very disappointed, I have eaten here many times over the years but will never return.
(1)Arthur W.
Not being from the south this place was recommended to me by several locals. My past 2 experiences with catfish tasted like dirt, but I decided to reach out again and the blackened catfish turned out great. For the appetizer I had blackened alligator which was juicy and tender, and the hollandaise dipping sauce complimented it nicely. I finished with some southern bread pudding and I'm mad I didn't save more room, it was scrumptious.
(4)Jacobie D.
Stopped by on 8/3/15 around 7pm. Over all very solid place. I ordered crab cakes and oysters as an app (that never came out) which was probably for the best and they didn't charge for them. I did get the Tilapia Atchafalaya which was great. My man got the Fried Catfish Fillets which he also liked. The bread that they give out is very tasty as well. We were at the end of a vacation when we stopped here (so kinda tired) we'll be back to try again the next time we're in town.
(3)Toni K.
No. Nope. NOPE. Came to this location for a birthday celebration for a friend's family member. We just came into town after driving from Dallas and were starving by the time we got to this restaurant. We already planned what we wanted to eat, after viewing the menu online. Everything sounded decent...but what we got was subpar. First of all, the service wait times were horrid. Our server was extremely nice -- loved her. But the wait time...no. If you placed an order, be it drink (alcoholic or non alcoholic) or food, you were destined to wait at least 20 minutes. And for the love of God, don't order any alcoholic beverages here. My friend and I ordered Long Island Iced Teas and what we got was basically colored water. There was nearly no liquor in it. And if I'm going to pay $15 for a drink, there better well be alcoholic in it. The food was messy, no matter what anyone ordered. The seafood was bland, if you asked for cheese on anything it came back with a cheese hat...have your Tums available. All in all, if someone recommends that you eat here, please do yourself a favor and fake illness and stay home.
(2)Brenda H.
Stopped on way home from Houston. Husband loves seafood but not me, so was afraid I wouldn't find anything on the menu. He had the seafood gumbo and the rib eye, I tried the breaded pickles and sirloin. Food was very good and cooked to order. Our waitress was awesome. Would definitely go back if I am in the area.
(5)Molly B.
Visited this location driving through Shreveport. This place is definitely a tourist trap. The service and food were just ok. Nothing to write home about. The grits tasted like sawdust. However, their chocolate soufflé was absolutely delicious.
(3)Yair V.
Food is great service is great and the price is reasonable I will recommend this place
(5)Brigitte K.
What a great food. We from Los Angeles and you don't find food this quality. I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)Melissa T.
You get free bread and hush puppies. The bread was delicious. Ordered the jumbo shrimp grilled. It came with dirty rice and a side. I chose vegetables. The shrimp dish came with 10 shrimps which was delicious. I was full after eating just 3. Overall the food had lots of flavor, best dirty rice I've ever had!
(5)Lena M.
Definitely not a place I suggest..... This is not really Cajun food. It's not really even good food plus it's way overpriced.
(2)Kevin F.
The food here was great. Got the seafood platter and was not disappointed at all. More than enough food to share. The shrimp and stuffed crab were right on point. The fried crawfish tails and oysters were like a mini appetizer inside of the meal. Very nice place with great selection and good prices.
(5)Dr. Bill H.
First, let me say that I have been coming here for many years. I usually order the same crab au gratin. Always a pleaser. Tonight, I decided to switch it up a bit. I had the gumbo and a bowl of crawfish étouffée. The gumbo was sooooo salty. I couldn't get enough rice to cut the saltiness. The waiter said they have been "tweaking" the recipe with less oyster broth. Well, tell the chef that it was almost inedible. The étouffée was rather bland in comparison. Not bad, but not remarkable, either. Now for the best part of my dinner...dessert. The offered a free dessert with my meal on Yelp. It was the best bread pudding that I have ever had!! Covered with a creamy glaze, and served warm and delicious. Thanks for a great waiter who tells it like it is!! I'll be back, hoping for some less salt in my diet!!
(4)Doug B.
Loved it! We had gator as an appetizer - both blackened and fried - and it was perfect. Had steak and shrimp which was very good. The yeast rolls were hot and fresh, as were the hush puppies. Excellent service and comfortable atmosphere for dining and conversation.
(5)Ebony M.
The fried catfish fillets and pickled green tomatoes are the kind of meal one remembers on their deathbed.
(5)Annie B.
Went here back in October but forgot to post my review: Free bread pudding was the only redeeming part of this meal. Nice customer service but all of the food is frozen and then heated and re-served. Barely palatable but served hot!
(2)Kimberly F.
As you can see if you check the picture my po'boy was thrown together and kinda skimpy. The rolls were awesome . My salad was mediocre at best. For these prices I was not impressed. To make matter worse service was slow. I will go back for rolls though
(2)LaRue J.
Large space with comfortable seating. Went for an early dinner. Staff was pleasant. Started with a cup of gumbo. Generous serving for a cup. Nice seasoning. Then had the grilled jumbo shrimp with the cajun rice and cajun baked potato. Shrimp were excellent, potato was not real hot but warm enough. Rice was seasoned well and a good portion. Would rerurn.
(4)Ashley T.
Oh my! I was sooooo happy we chose to eat at this place! Our server, Mario, was AMAZING! The food was great. My steak was cooked to perfection. The seafood was fresh. Grilled fish was great. And the drinks... WHOOO! I'm in love. Anytime I come to Shreveport I will be coming back!
(5)Jeff S.
The food was edible, not great. The restaurant is old and seemed a bit neglected. They do have some interesting decor but in need of updating. There are several other better places to eat for the money.
(2)Kelly G.
So so. Cajun Lubys level. Good hush puppies, biscuit crawfish appetizer ok. Stick with fried shrimp, skip étouffée and NO gratin. Good side rolls... Luckily. Bla
(3)Daniel B.
Deep fried seafood heaven! You'll want to leave your calorie counter at home and enjoy a gluttonous feast. Don't worry, the guilt from dinner pairs incredibly with the bread pudding.
(4)Justin R.
Service was good. Food was good. Seemed clean. Just really boring food. After adding hot sauce to the étouffée it was pretty good. My friend said gumbo was eh.
(3)December B.
This place restored my faith in Shreveport/Bossier Louisiana food, and I'm from Los Angeles!! Great ambiance, great food, great service!!! We had appetizers, platters and dessert!! Amazing!!! Highly recommend!
(5)Lorenzo S.
Nice restaurant tucked away in shopping center. Place was really nice inside with aquariums throughout. Waitress was great took my drink and appetizer quickly. Fresh bread and hush puppies served up front. I ordered the Blackened Alligator because I had never had any. It was good, but seemed a bit tough and overcooked. Vegetable side was good and fresh. Salad served up front was nothing special. This place was recommended by hotel staff and it was good place to eat at with good atmosphere. I sat in sports bar section so got to see some football. Overall, good place to eat at considering limited options in downtown Bossier City. Much more affordable and better food than rip-off Casino buffets.
(4)Angela D.
Took my family here one evening while visiting family in town...not the yummy R&K from my youth. My husband ordered the King Louie shrimp salad, which was pretty OK. I ordered the Shrimp Trawl, which was disappointing. Other than the gratin (which was decent), the fried/stuffed shrimp were served lukewarm and tasted as if they'd been reheated and the shrimp stew was also served at a tepid temperature, which makes me question the freshness of their food. To their credit, our server was friendly and the environment was clean.
(3)Marcinho S.
Took a family group of ten of us for dinner! SO glad I did! Service, "vibe", location... it worked well for all of us. All four generations! Everyone enjoyed their meals... One of my cousins enjoyed the blackened Alligator so well, that he ordered another one to take home! The bartender(s), which is not uncommon in this region, found it a challenge to make really common cocktails. I was SHOCKED when the request for a "Sapphire Martini, with three olives, stirred, NOT SHAKEN [bruises the Gin] required my instruction, but okay. Things happen. But me having to teach bartenders simple drinks has happened to me in this area at LEAST FOUR times since i moved here. R&C's is a comfortable, pleasant, accommodating restaurant, and the server(s) we had, were exceptional! I'll definitely be back! In fact, it has BEEN a while, but the experience STILL remains a pleasant memory! The family was VERY pleased!
(4)Cari S.
I was expecting more from this "Famous" establishment. Everything was OK. Most of what we ordered was fried, maybe next time I would try food that is not fried and see if that makes a difference. The gumbo was good, but I have definitely had better. Was very bummed about the fried alligator appetizer... for what is costs you would think the portion would be larger and there would be less batter.
(3)Justin B.
Epic dining experience. Food was great, service was amazing, our server was named Shane he did an amazing job would recommend it to anyone.
(5)Darien G.
Total tourist trap... The food was absolutely horrible. The crawfish étouffée was the worst I've ever had. Ever!!! It had maybe 4 or 5 crawfish and the étouffée sauce was like thick orange gravy. Honestly the best thing was the fried hush puppies. We got the bayou mushrooms, the crab cakes, shrimp stew, the crawfish étouffée, and the bread pudding. Personally I don't like to go to chain restaurants but I would've chosen ANY chain over this. I can't believe this is rated this high. It is definitely not true Cajun/creole Louisiana food, but rather nasty bland tourist trap style food. On a positive note the server, Ashley, was super nice and one of the nicest servers I have ever had. That's the only reason it got two stars versus one. Stay away... I warned you.
(2)Connor D.
The Cedar Plank Salmon was to die for, The waitress was superb, the wait wasn't long at all, and there is an enjoyable atmosphere with a comedy show usually playing in the restroom, I loved it
(5)Bruce B.
Full Cajun menu and more. Excellent service and food. This is my second location to visit and full quality in both locations. Great for lunch and for evening meal.
(5)Frank J.
This place used to be so good but it has been on a steady decline. Ate here last night and was hoping I'd have a better meal and service than the previous visit. I (used to) love the blackened alligator, but it just tasted like it had Montreal steak seasoning on it. Didn't taste blackened at all. I also ordered the crawfish etouffee, and it was as bland and flat as can be. Very disappointed. I'm sure you can get decent fried shrimp or something easy, but my experience with Ralph and Kacoo's is that it is overpriced for the less than average food. Will not go to any of their locations again.
(2)J G.
My family and I have been coming here for years, I finally decided to give a review. The waitress was great, and the food came out at a good time. The food was good but I had some issues with what I had gotten. First my seafood gumbo was good but wasn't that hot it was just warm. My main course had really good charbroiled oysters, grilled shrimp, twice baked potato, with Cajun rice these things were the things that were good. Now for the stuff I didn't like, the crab cake was soft and doughy not a firm patty crispy top or bottom. The tilapia was like to soft, and like they didn't grill it long enough. But please keep in mind these are just my opinion on how I like them and I'm not in the restaurant business and maybe this is how the majority like crab cakes and tilapia soft so don't pass up this place it is good especially the deserts, my favorite in the world is the peanut butter satin pie.
(3)Ashley C.
Food was ok, service was terrible. The bread we got was not cooked all the way through and they forgot my sons food. Nevertheless we will not be going back, ever....
(3)Robby E.
I eat here several times (4-6) a month. Over the past few months, I have seen the service get worse and worse, as well as the food portions become less. Tonight I was seated for 10 minutes while three different waiters walked by, not saying one word, not even "I apologzize:for the delay, I'll be right with you". Needless to say, this will be my last visit to this restaurant. It's just not that good to have poor service.
(1)D B.
If you like Cajun food, this is a good spot. My grilled catfish was perfect. Service is good as well. Nice restaurant. A tad expensive so beware
(5)Tricia V.
We are here about 9pm on a Friday night in March. I had never ate here before an have to admit turning into the parking lot was skeptical. Got right in an seated. Our waitress was very friendly an knowledgable of the menu. We started off with the alligator bites which were awesome! I had the Cedar Plank Salmon an it was delicious. The hush puppies were the best I have ever had. We had a very pleasant experience here an will come here again!!
(5)Steve K.
Terrible food, I hate the feeling of the place. It's dingy and cold atmosphere with a touristy feel. The food was some of the worst I've had in a long time.
(1)Dan M.
First time coming here. Service was excellent and food was great! Ordered the blackened alligator on the recommendation of our waiter and it was excellent!
(4)Alesa H.
I was very disappointed with my trip here. I got the gumbo and I just felt like the flavor was really never there. then for dinner I had the shrimp trawl. again very disappointed. the fried shrimp was too breaded, the shrimp stew was basically the gumbo with grilled shrimp in it, the shrimp au gratin was lacking majorly in flavor and had this fatty texture that did not sit well on my tongue, and the stuffed shrimp was mysterious looking inside and again lacking in flavor. and the worst of it all was my dad got food poisoning from his seafood platter which had him up all night puking his guts out. if I could give this place NO stars I would. the only good thing that came out of this was our waiter was excellent. I feel bad that his talent was wasted at this establishment. don't risk it. they need major help here!!
(1)Adrian R.
My GOD, the bread is absolutely the softest, chewiest, most divine piece of dough on the planet. The blackened alligator is must. as are the bananas foster. bring friends and share the wealth of food this place has to offer.
(5)Tori M.
We dropped in for an early dinner on the way home from a long day of competition with our son. I had a craving for the gumbo; however, instead I chose the Bayou Mushrooms - which are stuffed with crab meat and topped with étouffée - and an old favorite of Mahi Mahi Bourbon Street. The waitress suggested the Bayou mushrooms over the regular stuffed mushrooms and they were delicious, but pricey! ($11.99 for 4). The Mahi Mahi was not quite as good as I think it has been in the past, but still good. My husband did get the seafood gumbo and shared some with me. It was just as tasty as always, but needed to be served much warmer than it was. I know some of this was a little negative, but I do love Ralph & Kacoos. It has such great memories and I always enjoy my food.
(4)Mike C.
Stuffed mushrooms were excellent. Fish and shrimp combo was very good. Very good service and comfortable dining room.
(4)Tarah M.
Very cute little gift shop in the front of the restaurant and the server was very friendly & efficient, however the food was not impressive. For the price, it is very bland and poorly seasoned. Not terrible, but you can get just as good of grub at your local red lobster!
(2)Hung L.
My wife and I were at your restaurant last night on the 25th of November. The shrimp in the shrimp cocktail was tough and chewy as well as her lobster tail and my seasoned vegetables were cold as well as my shrimp stew and the waitress was a flake. I spent $162 before tip and felt like I definitely did not get my money's worth. Needless to say it was a very disappointing birthday dinner for my wife.
(1)Mike A.
Summary: Decent service, giant screen in bar, but lacked flavor and taste. Food: I ordered the platter, which had plenty of food to sample: -Gumbo: Cold. Not sure that is how its supposed to be served. I tried a few spoon fulls, but it lacked any taste; so sending it back for a warm cup would be a waste of time. -Fried Oysters: Yuck, not freshly made -Fried Catfish: Ok, decent serving -Fried Shrimp: Decent portion and very well made. Top item on the plate -Fried Crawfish: Plenty of crawfish and if I wanted to consume large quantities of fried food, this portion would have been polished off the plate. I wish that the menu stated that everything on the plate would be fried. I know this is the South, but a plate full of entirely fried seafood is not that appetizing. I may try this place again, if Joe's on the Boardwalk does not work out.
(2)Dave S.
The blackened alligator was amazing! I not that big on alligator but a friend told me to go here and try it. He was right it changed my mind on alligator. Also had the Steamed Shrimp and they were really good. Nice place!
(4)Nadia G.
I had lunch here with the family while visiting Shreveport last weekend. We stayed down the street at Hilton and saw the sign. The restaurant is huge and has several dining rooms. We were seated quickly and our server was very prompt, checking on us often and never leaving our glasses empty. The complimentary bread was ok, a little dense, but nothing special. Hubby did not like the hush puppies, but the kids enjoyed them. Hubby and I both had a Hurricane ... It had good flavor and a good kick to it ... It was pricy at $11, but you get to keep the glass as a souvenir, hence the high price. For entrees, I had the Shrimp St. Charles with the Cajun stuffed potato and Hubby had the soup of the day, which was a vegetable beef stew. Hubby really enjoyed his soup ... He said it had a lot of beef, good flavor and was very hearty. He also had a Caesar salad, which had a thick Caesar dressing, but was not as cold as I would have liked for a salad ... My entree was just ok ... It came with 5 crab stuffed shrimp drizzled with hollandaise sauce with lump crab as a garnish ... The lump crab was good ... The sauce was thin and I would have preferred a thicker sauce, possibly made with the lump crab instead of separately ... The hollandaise added nothing to the dish, so I got a side of cocktail sauce ... I liked the Cajun stuffed potato ... It was very cheesy, which was melted and possibly had bacon in it ... I'm not sure what made it Cajun, but it was a "twist" on the standard baked potato and I liked it ... Overall, this was a decent dining experience and I would go back since the menu was pretty extensive and there were several other dishes that I would like to try. The service was also fast and friendly. The restaurant is obviously older, but it was clean and the manager even stopped by to check on us and help our server clear our table, which was a nice touch.
(3)Mark M.
I found the food to be 'meh'. Wasn't great, wasn't bad. Just 'meh'. With the prices being what they were, which is too high for 'meh', two stars from me.
(2)Lora C.
I gave Five Stars for the Hushpuppies. My husband don't like hushpuppies but he did like these. Best we have ever eaten, light (not dried out) and crispy.
(5)Brian C.
One of the better southern seafood restaurants in the area. Has really good food and great service. Will definitely be back.
(4)Elizabeth Z.
We went looking for yummy Louisiana seafood in a down-home southern atmosphere, and we found both. We were served promptly and politely. I had my first taste of fried crawfish, and loved it. It was an easy introduction to that traditional Louisiana dish, perfect breading, meaty crawfish, and good flavor. We started with the fried ravioli, and I thought that was the real highlight of the night. The étouffée had great spice, and the crawfish stew was less spicy for those wanting a tamer experience. We finished with the bread pudding, which was fine, but nothing spectacular. I hope I have the chance to go again some day.
(4)Brian M.
Went there for lunch today. Ordered the gumbo and seafood salad. The gumbo came with a role and three hush puppies. The hush puppies were typical and the role was okay... Nothing special. I was expecting a little more punch and spicy kick with the gumbo. It was very bland. Maybe I should've tried the jambalaya. The seafood salad was very bland also. Nice chunks of crab and shrimp, but really there was no taste. The vegetables (tomatoes, red peppers, lettuce) were very fresh. Overall, I was rather disappointed. Maybe I was looking for more the New Orleans type of taste... didn't get it here. I had better gumbo at Disney World and at Heaven on Seven and Bob Chinn's in Chicago.
(2)Amber P.
Efficient happy hour, nothing special! Drink of the day was weak, however the vodka pineapple you call it was good and strong!
(3)Ashli S.
Great food and atmosphere, oddly push and surly waitress. Huge Portions, go there on an empty stomach!
(4)Angelica S.
My family and I stopped by R & K for a nice sit down lunch. The atmosphere is very nice and I like the decorations They chose to stay true to the Louisiana theme and it works great! The ambiance is quiet and classy. Our waiter was very professional and personable. My favorite part of the dining experience is the small gift shop area located at the main entrance of the restaurant. They carry books, ceramics, key chains, pot holders, jewelry, etc. Depending on your selections the prices could get high quickly. I was able to purchase a coffee mug, pot holder, magnet, and bracelet for a little over $26. I don't think that was too outrageous however I was careful to skip out on most of the high priced souvenirs. The coffee mug was $10 alone. A little steep in my opinion. Prices for the food started at $12 and went up for lunch. I'm sure dinner is a little more. Overall, I really enjoyed the food and I'd go back.
(4)Howard L.
This is an A-OK Cajun touristy restaurant. They have a lot of dining capacity, and a large menu, with a lot of the southern seafood classics. We also had their $9.99 alligator appetizer (1/2 fired, 1/2 blackened) - it was ok being moist but chewy, and not much natural flavor except from the blackening. Still it was a novelty and worthwhile to try. I had the crawfish festival and it was massive for $19.99, and decent meal with a lot of the servings being fried. Wife had the grilled mahi mahi, and son had the atchafalaya (talapia filet with crawfish etoufee). All ok, but nothing particularly exceptional. Overall, it's a place to try at least once as a tourist as it is a Bossier City institution.
(3)Michael S.
I hadn't been here in twenty years and the food was as great as I remember. The crawfish dinner was excellent!!
(4)B L.
We had the catfish (which was good), the jumbalya, and some other fish. I did not like the fish and my girlfriend did not like the jumbalya, so we switched. I liked the jumbalya and she liked the fish. The jumbalya was a little spicy though. For Louisiana cooking, we sure were disappointed. Service was average. The prices are too high as well.
(3)Garen M.
We drive from Oklahoma to Florida once or twice a year. We always plan to be in Shreveport/Bossier City at a meal time so we can eat at Ralph & Kacoo's. We love the Cajun food at R&K's. Their crawfish dishes are wonderful. The gumbo is the best. Their ettoufee is beyond delicious. We love eating here and will be back whenever we can.
(5)Brenda C.
Delicious! Tried the blackened catfish for our appetizer as recommended on yelp, tasty! The bread and hush puppies were delicious! Had the hurricane for my drink, very good! Had this delicious grilled chicken with shrimp, artichoke hearts and mushrooms on top in a lemon white cream sauce. Recommend it! Service was good and a nice over all eating experience.
(5)Brian L.
Loved the service. Also loved the alligator especially the blackened one. Etoufee was meh and sort of weird tasting but my first time tryin it. Bread pudding was yummy too. Overall a great meal
(4)Francisco R.
My wife and frequented the Ralph & Kacoo's in Allen (Texas), but that closed in the last year, which is too bad because it was one of our favorite seafood places in the Metroplex. On a recent visit to Shreveport, we opted to dine at this Ralph & Kacoos. Service was prompt at the get-go, and fairly efficient throughout, although my wife noticed other parties were served a bit slower. There was a surprise party at a separate dining area just next to us, and the closed door didn't allow us to see how much staff was working the party. We were used to freshly baked bread at the other location, but we got four hush puppies instead. We only ate two of them, but could have easily scarfed all of them and asked for seconds. But they were a meal all their own, and we didn't want to spoil our appetite. We're familiar with the menu, and I was about to order the Mahi-Mahi when our waiter told us about the specials, and I quickly changed my selection to the grilled Red Fish with the jumbo shrimp served over dirty rice. My wife ordered a more familiar dish, the Crawfish Special, which is fried crawfish tails and crawfish etouffee over rice. My selection was the catch of the day, so the price was more than $20. I got a generous serving and every bit of the fish was delicious. The shrimp could have been a meal all their own. The rice was tasty, and a good complement to the meal. My wife's dish was as she remembered it from our previous visits to the old Allen location. Had we been there for lunch, we might have made four meals out of the two plates. While the location is at a strip mall, it's not a trashy hole in the wall. The place is fairly large and houses a gift shop as well as the restaurant. Our only complaint is that after dark, it was a bit confusing to find the restaurant because of conflicting signs and poorly lit streets. We'll definitely stop again the next time we're in town.
(4)Rico J.
First time to Shreveport. Went to this place based on good reviews and we were greatly satisfied! Amazing food. We got the fried platter. Everything was great. Oysters were huge! The gumbo was awesome! Amazing service too! Our server Amanda was great! Highly recommend for Cajun style food or just great seafood.
(5)Thadd J.
I remember when R&K was in Dallas some time ago...the food was awesome and the place was packed during lunch and happy hour. So I was really looking forward to stopping here for a quick meal as I passed thru town. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon and not very busy. We sat in the bar area and watched the college football games on several TVs. The service was very good and and the waiter/bartender was helpful in recommending a couple items for the large menu. I had the Shrimp Po' Boy & house salad. She had the Lump Crab Cakes & house salad...I must admit the Po' Boy was one are the better ones that I've had in awhile, I ate the whole thing bread and all. There was tons of shrimp and they were fried near perfect. Then I tired the some of the crab cake...it was just ok...didn't not taste like fresh crab and not much seasoning or flavor happening. All and all three stars...the Po' Boy was greatness, but the Crab Cake and hush puppies were only so-so. The service was very good and the atmosphere was fun as more and more people came into the bar area. I'll be stopping again on other trips thru Shreveport, still beats any fast food place.
(3)Susan P.
Our dance group was in Shreveport for a weekend. We met at Ralph & Kacoo's on Friday afternoon prior to the dance for a late lunch or early dinner. We were a crowd of about 20 or more, I don't know the exact count. Going to a restaurant with a large group is always a dicey proposition. Janice, our server, was wonderful. She took our drink orders and our food orders and got us served quickly. The hush puppies were to die for. Light and crispy and delicious and I love hushpuppies. The rolls were good too, but the hush puppies were my favorite. I had sausage and chicken gumbo and it was excellent. I'm not a seafood fan, but I do like chicken gumbo. We shared an order of Fried Green Tomatoes and they were very good (I don't generally like them). My husband had seafood gumbo. Then we each had the peanut butter satin pie. Oh my. Heavenly. I actually took my piece back to the hotel and ate it later. It amazed me that the service was so excellent for such a large group. I recommend Ralph & Kacoo's to anyone looking for cajun food.
(4)Paul S.
This place is amazing. The meal left me with a full tummy and improved outlook on life. Get the blackened gator bites app. I really like the atchafalaya entree, which is a great sampling of different Cajun flavors. Last time I got a blackened fish and it was excellent as well. Do not leave here without getting the original BREAD PUDDING. It is absurdly good. Enjoy!
(5)Bill D.
Well , I Thought by now that this place would have addressed some of its numerous problems. Couple of things, the food is average at best and would be much better served hot. I had the thin sliced catfish and it was pretty good Unlike the cold soggy French fries underneath . Our server, though was apparently overwhelmed at having to serve lunch around 200 pm. Hint! Pretty slow afternoon, and the free bead pudding offered on the yelp, not to be had, so scratch R & K off your list, definitely a venue to skip for pretty much anything else.
(1)Chris E.
Looks like posts can bought off....posted a scathing review last month and now it is gone. Total tourist trap with horrible service from non- caring staff. By the way, had severe food poisoning the next day after complaining about cold food. Food the refused to do anything about!
(1)Savannah R.
We liked the food we ordered :) crab cakes and hush puppies for me! My bro in law liked his fried alligator. Yikes! Cant remember my husband's order, but he liked it ok.
(3)Sandy H.
First Cajun restaurant to try in the area and it's disappointing. Nothing special about the food, expected fresh oysters for the price but disappointed again. . .
(2)Raffaal N.
Great place. I'm glad I stopped. Really good crab cakes and the drinks are worth the price. They have a great lounge/bar area, with tvs playing sports, great for lunch or dinner
(5)Genieve D.
So I went TDY to Barksdale AFB, La., and the lovely folks at Global Strike Command PA took me to Ralph & Kacoo's for some authentic cuisine. I was super excited to delve into this yummo food. I even ran 2 miles so I wouldn't feel guilty being a food whore....everything i ate was superb. Here's what i ordered: The Louisiana trio-which consisted of fried shrimp, crawdads and alligator. Now yes, i did eat the alligator for the first time ever. It was rather good. The consistency was "chewy" but tasted like chicken. (Doesn't everything taste like chicken)? Crab cakes--wow these were to die for. It came on a platter with two large size cakes. It was very fluffy and just melted in your mouth. Gumbo--Well what can i say about this. This is authentic as it gets. Salmon platter on plank--I didn't order this but my collegue did. It came with fresh veggies (squash, zucchini), and the salmon was cooked to perfection on these large planks. I highly recommend this restaurant. And if your in the mood for some local gift shopping they have Mardi Gras stuff and then some.
(4)Jim F.
Gumbo was pretty tasty, had a little kick to it but not too much. Crab cakes were ok, def not the best I've had. Oysters on the half shell were no good, taste was off and they weren't clean, wouldn't order them again. Overall the restaurant experience was good, service was also good.
(3)Chris B.
The ribeye steak and fried gulf shrimp were pretty good. I would recommend this place. A lot of seafood choices on the menu. I cashed in the Yelp coupon for free bread pudding.
(4)Andrew L.
I had blackened alligator and some kind of chicken covered in hollendase (spelling?) sauce. very tasty
(5)New P.
The seafood is not fresh but the server is very nice.
(2)Alicia B.
Alligator!
(3)Sonny N.
Not awful, certainly not great. The hospitality was good and ambiance was unspectacular but clean, with a definite banquety feel. Service was very good, though. Waitstaff seems very knowledgeable, but if you're looking for Cajun food with a kick, pass Ralph's
(3)Mark N.
Blackened Gator is yummers! The bar is laid back and a nice place to hang out and watch sports. Prices are reasonable - Staff is friendly and well trained - All in all it's always a good experience.
(3)Avery T.
This was a great place to bring my mom when she checked out my new location. The food was exceeded expectations. Their steaks were well prepared, the fish cook beautifully and with wonderful, decadent sauces, and the crab was fantastic. This experience, however deserved only a 2.5 - 3.5. The first 0.5 comes off because of the chain nature. Any chain goes down a notch. The other down grade was for service. I know that muscato is sweet. But don't tell my family that it is a sweet red. I told them when she suggested it that it was a white so they weren't surprised, but know your wines, fill up our drinks as needed and re-check us after we receive our food. Not awful service, but we had better at cheddars!
(3)Mark H.
Ugh. I had to resort to Ralph & Kacoo's after I learned that my standby for cajun seafood in Shreveport, Don's, had permanently closed. I should have known that R&K's would be a HUGE disappointment when I had to walk through a trove of tourist crap being sold as you enter the restaurant. "Made in China" Mardi Gras throw beads, tacky Cajun trinkets, etc. are all better buys than most of the grub sold in this place. R&K Positives: - Excellent FREE hush puppies; - "Cajun" stuffed potato was pretty decent; - Stuffed shrimp were delish; - Hurricane served in a frosty tall glass. R&K Negatives: - Service was marginal; - Shrimp Creole was a gloppy mass of rice and sauce. Shrimp MIA; - Shrimp au Gratin was cheesy nastiness. Again, shrimp MIA; - PRICEY for substandard food. This is a restaurant that evidently thrives on tourists coming to gamble at the casinos in the area. Probably would be a disappointment for the Yelpers I know. Dark, dreary exterior. Dreary interior with craptastic gift selection that you CAN'T AVOID. Stick with fried stuff and you'll do OK. A karma-sucking vortex doing a disservice to the world of Louisiana cuisine.
(2)A S.
Consistently good Louisiana fare with focus on seafood. Love their salads, gumbo, and crawfish bisque. Great fried seafood as well and wonderful oysters on the half shell when in season.
(4)Niki L.
This was not the best of locations. The Lufkin, TX location is awesome. Bossier city location- Strange ambiance. Sub-par service. Decent food. I was so impressed at the other location so I was obviously dissapointed. They have really good complimentary hush puppies that I managed to spread all over the table. Got a caesar salad that was good. Crawfish platter was OK but the food was better at the other place. My bf got a overpriced steak. The cajun potatoes were not anything special. Overall good food but overpriced. Go to one of the many other cajun restaurants in the Shreveport/Bossier area.
(2)Chad C.
Awesome service at the bar. Made me feel right at home. Jason has the gift of making out of towers feel like locals! Excellent service!
(4)Lee S.
Cheap happy hour beer, friendly staff and comfortable surroundings. Shrimp cocktail - not fresh, over cooked and chewy. The gumbo was average. I gave it three stars because I was starving.
(3)S P.
My boyfriend and I were back in Shreveport and craving some good seafood. The magazine in our hotel had an ad for Ralph and Kacoo's, saying it was the best seafood in Louisiana. So, of course, we couldn't pass that up! The restaurant is located in a run-down strip mall, which looks small from the outside but is actually spacious on the inside. When you first walk in, there's even a small souvenir shop with football and Mardi Gras themed items. After ordering our food, our server brought us hush puppies with tartar sauce and lemon wedges. They were very crumbly, but they tasted fine. As an appetizer, we had the marinated crab claws. Market price was $9.99. I really like steamed crab claws swimming in butter, so this was a little different, but it still tasted great. The crab claws were chilled and topped with a tart dressing. Yummy! For my entree, I was debating between the shrimp platter or sirloin steak, and I ended up going with the steak. Not an ideal choice at a seafood restaurant, but it was calling my name! The steak itself was decent, but I didn't enjoy either of the sides. I had the Cajun corn and the potato wedges, both of which had way too much seasoning. My boyfriend ordered the special of the day, tilapia with crawfish and crawfish stuffing on top. He thought the tilapia had a good flavor on its own, but the crawfish and stuffing on top just added too much. We both ordered drinks from the bar at $7 each. Not too bad, except there was barely any alcohol in mine! We asked if there were any happy hour specials ... there were, but according to their policy, we had to be sitting at the bar in order to get them. So, no happy hour for us! At the end of our meal, they tried to entice us with an array of plastic desserts (including cheesecake, key lime pie, and bread pudding), but we were full, so we skipped it. Our server did an excellent job, and we were happy with the service. No problems there. Not sure the food is really the best in Louisiana, though!
(3)Jimi L.
Great place to get a taste of local flavor! Very professional staff and delicious food. The atmosphere really takes you there with their great new fish tank in the lobby. Seems as if they cut a chunk right out of Caddo Lake. Their banquet rooms are awesome too! Who knew they could handle up to 200 people in a private dinning room? Anyway, hands down the BEST cajun seafood anywhere! You have got to try this place!
(5)Allison T.
Service was great as was the atmosphere, but the food was WAY to over priced and not at all worth it. My family took me here for Mother's Day because I had been DYING to try and I was so disappointed. The food wasn't bad, but the size of the portions was so not worth the money they charged for it. I also found the menu selection to be very lacking. I won't be going back anytime soon.
(2)T. F.
After reading Captain D's review of the Baton Rouge Ralph & Kacoo's, I was hesitant to try this restaurant, but a few Shreveport natives convinced me to give it a try. Even though it is in a shopping center, it is a fairly large restaurant. My favorite so far is the Delta Double, a choice of two fried sides (I usually get the fried crawfish and gulf shrimp), plus your choice of a side (I often get the twice baked potato). The staff is very friendly and I have never had questionable service. I do wish the restaurant was a little less kitschy, it looks like all the decor from Red Lobster and TGI Friday's was thrown up on the walls. The gaudy gift shop is also quite nauseating, but I guess that's part of Ralph & Kacoo's quirky charm.
(3)Jon W.
Went here on a Saturday night around 7 and had 1/2 hour wait. Not a big deal, they have a gift shop and menu posted outside so one can decide what they want before they sit down. Once we were seated, we were taken care of very well and very quickly. Hush puppies to start (Which arrived shortly after our drinks), and our appetizer came before we could finish the puppies. Food all came out within 15 minutes of ordering, and everyone enjoyed theirs. I ate the Seafood Platter, which is a good mix and very flavorful. Get the stuffed potato, you won't be disappointed. Price is reasonable for the style and speed (it is a bit higher than others in the area). A great place to take guests who are in town. We will be back.
(4)Likes To E.
Cajun Red Lobster, at least that's what I'd call it. Always had consistent and professional service. The food has been good everytime. A great place to take out of town company for a local dining experience.
(4)Kayce S.
I really want to love this place, especially since the in-laws are so gung-ho and insist on having dinner there at least once on our annual post-Christmas meetup in Shreveport. The service is always good, but sadly... the food just isn't that great. It would probably be better (and rate another star) if it weren't touted as "cajun" because I find myself doing the "wth IS this, cause it's sure not seafood gumbo" dance every time I order something that is (should be, ahem) a staple of cajun cuisine. The seafood gumbo I had on our visit last week was just wrong, on so many levels. Ridiculously thick, tomato based, big chunks of partially-cooked celery, too black-peppery WRONG. It had a flavor more like shrimp creole, which isn't that bad in the scheme of things, but man it was cold and I wanted a good bowl of gumbo so that's what I ordered. Kiddo's fried crawfish tails were pretty good, but I was a little nonplussed that they didn't offer a kids dish with the crawfish and wouldn't sub for the shrimp even with me offering to pay more for it. Meh. The fried green tomatoes I had as an app were good and the tomatoes were actually green and tangy instead of slightly pink and gross like sometimes happens, but sliced a little on the thick side for my liking. The etouffee my guy had was okay, but definitely nothing to write home about. If I had to guess, All in all, if you're looking for good "cajun" food and know what it's supposed to taste like -- you should probably keep looking or order something safe like deep-fried items and the like. Otherwise you will probably love this place like my Oklahoma in-laws do. :)
(2)Rich B.
My wife and I have gotten take-out from here, which proved good enough to go back for lunch in person. I'm not sure if the previous two reviewers had bad luck but we enjoyed out lunch quite a bit. We're not from the area and so are not 'experts' at judging Cajun cooking but for what we had, I thought the food was quite good and the service was excellent. The tourist trap souvenir store with things made in China is accurate but look beyond that and you have a very nice dining experience. Everything was cooked nicely, we both got fish dishes, and the waitress was friendly and accommodating. The food was cooked nicely, not overly seasoned and quick. My talapia was nicely cooked and the sauce over it was quite good- wouldn't have minded if things were spicier. My wife's catfish was shockingly good- she couldn't believe it was catfish. The steamed veggies were all fresh and not limp from being over-cooked. The fries weren't great though. We will definitely go back.
(4)Myla P.
I went to Ralph & Kacoo's for dinner at the reccomendation of my Sheveport-native boyfriend. I'm travelling on business so I went alone. Started with the fried alligator. This was not my first experience with alligator, but I'm pretty sure this was my first experience with it cooked correctly. The alligator was moist and just a little bit chewy, not overly fried and dry like my previous experience with it at a different restaurant. The free hush puppies they bring you are also excellent- crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I had the Crawfish Special- fried crawfish tails and etoufee served over rice, with cajun rice as my side. The portion size was gigantic. I had at least 50 tails on my plate. I also enjoyed the etouffee, but I wished they had used long grain rice instead of instant. I was not a fan of the Cajun Rice. It tasted exactly like Zatarain's (which I also like, but not in a restaurant!). I ended up taking most of the crawfish and the hush puppies back to my hotel with me, because I wanted to save room for the bread pudding. Unfortunately, the bread pudding was so over-laden with alcohol I could not eat the wholen thing. While I appreciate a slight liquor flavor in some dessert, I don't like it one bite burns like a shot of Jack. But hey, I'm sure some others don't mind! The atmosphere in this place is a little weird. Kind of dark, but I didn't mind it. Service was great. Friendly and very fast. I was there during the dinner rush, and my food consistently came out quickly.
(5)Jerell S.
Start off with the Blackened Gator. Then order the Mahi-Mahi Bourbon Street. End it with some New Orleans Bread Pudding. And don't forget your R&K Voodoo Juice.
(5)Kevin J.
Had dinner in the bar on a recent business trip. Service was good, and they have a big menu, but I thought the food was pretty average (and a little pricey). Kind of a tourist place. If you're looking for some authentic Cajun-style seafood in Shreveport there are probably better choices.
(3)Carline S.
Horrible food. Out dated atmosphere. Slow service. Not really sure hash at the other reviewers were eating. We had the Shrimp Trawl. Best part was the fried shrimp.
(1)Rogan M.
I went here on a suggestion from the front desk at a hotel I was staying at. I asked for a good seafood/cajun style place that the locals eat at. This was the recomendation and I think she must have misunderstood me or something because this is definately not a locals place. The restaurant is in a strip mall, never my favorite place to go, and you walk in the front and it's basically a gift shop full of touristy crap. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that no great restaurants have a gift shop as their entrance. With that said I got the crawfish etoufe, I'm in Louisiana and as they say... when in Rome. Everyone kept telling me I better like crawfish because that's all they eat down here. That's ok with me because crawfish etoufe is awesome... maybe not here but I like it. Really the food here wasnt' to bad, it was the atmosphere of the place that just sucked. The table I sat at was old, the seats were old and felt like way to many 400lb people had sat there. The place was dark, not dark as in dark and romantic with a touch of class dark, but dark as in the lights were crap, carpet was a dark dingy color and everything was just dark. So after walking in through the tourist shop you are treated to the same experience on the way out... as the two star saying goes... meh, i've experienced better.
(2)Andrew B.
This place has always provided excellent meals with great service.
(4)Lisa H.
The locals seem to love this place and it was recommended by the concierge at the hotel I stayed at. But...it was really mediocre. I ordered an appetizer that had fried popcorn shrimp, crawfish and alligator. It was decent, but it's hard not to mess up fried food. For my entree I ordered a bowl of gumbo thinking that I couldn't go to Louisiana and not leave without trying gumbo. It tasted like a half a cup of cornstarch was mixed in...and I actually had better gumbo the next day from CenturyTel Center catering. My colleague ordered a combo of fried catfish and stuffed shrimp. Catfish was decent, but something was off about the stuffing in the shrimp. The crab stuffing was mealy and a tad over seasoned. On the upside, the waitstaff was really nice and helpful, and there's a cute little gift shop in the front. I have a feeling that there are more legit seafood places in the area. Wish I did my research before coming to Shreveport! Unfortunately, I doubt there will be a next time.
(2)Chance H.
This place has delicious seafood and our waiter was great! Blacked gator appetizer is delicious, the Hurricanes are strong an very very good.
(5)Ward S.
I've been to this location in Shreveport a couple of times while passing through Louisiana on my way to Dallas. The service has always been good, as well as the food. I love fried seafood, so I get the fried seafood platter. The portion sizes are fairly large, so if you aren't extremely hungry, you'll probably leave with a doggie bag. I've also eaten at the Ralph & Kacoo's in the French Quarter in New Orleans, but the Shreveport location is every bit as authentic and good.
(4)Joe G.
I was surprised when I logged on to leave my review at the number of poor reviews on Yelp. This was our first trip into Shreveport/Bossier from Texas. Our experience was great. Our server big Ken was well informed, made great suggestions on the menu, and they were spot on. We had the Firercracker shrimp (which may have been a special since we didn't see it on the menu) as an appetizer. They ROCKED! MY entrée was the Crawfish Festival and my girl had the King Louis Salad with Jumbo Crab meat and an Avocado (ordered extra). I can say this about the Festival ... it's a party-waiting-to-happen for three people! If you order it ... come very hungry. The meal was excellent and I would definitely order it again. The King Louis was a very large salad. She was more than satisfied at the portion and quality. For desert I had the Bread Pudding. As Ken oh-so-correctly pointed out ... a lot of bread pudding looks and tastes like Malt-O-Meal. Not the puddin' here. Excellent stuff. We enjoyed our experience here. The food and service were more than acceptable for the price range. We would definitely come back for another meal.
(4)Bubba P.
Went here for lunch. Very busy but fast seating and dining. The service is great. The food was great. Had Gumbo that was out of this world. The Atchafalaya platter was very good. Grillled fish with crawfish sauce, roasted potatos, and fried okra. Will certainly return.
(5)Johnny T.
Visiting Shreveport for business, I was craving Cajun seafood. Ralph & Kacoo's hit the spot. It took a while to decide what I wanted from the diverse menu. The place may be a bit on the touristy side but that just means they make-out-of-towners feel welcome. I was very pleased with the meal (The Ruby) and found the service more than adequate. I'd give it a strong 3.5 stars.
(4)Peter L.
A very large restaurant which advertises "buses welcome" so I was a bit nervous about trying it but it turned out fine. Mostly seafood menu, we did catfish done 2 different ways, one dish fried, the other stuffed and baked, both of which were very good. A mixed app of small shrimp, "bugs" and alligator, all fried was also very good. The extra charge side salad was very fresh with a decent blue cheese dressing. Service was good. Overall really more then 3 stars but not quite 4.
(3)