This is the type of place you go if you enjoy jazz music, a colorful atmosphere, quality service, and AMAZING food. Many of the dishes have a kick to them, but if you are a creole/cajun fan, you are going to love this place. The Chicken a la Mer is a must have (if you're not a fan on spicy food this is probably a better choice for you), alligator bites are awesome (ask for the hazel sauce to dip them in if they don't bring it out), and the Voodoo Wings are a little different, but very good (they are a little more like a spicy BBQ wing than your standard buffalo wing). We like to primarily sample the specialty dishes and so far we haven't found anything we dislike. If you prefer a formal intimate location this place probably isn't for you. But if you love live music and amazing food, you definitely want to try this place at least once.
(5)
Lahaina A.
Came here before the Alton Brown Show, I was excited at first, however, their service lacked organization and took FOREVER. The waitress actually told us "Yeah, sorry for the wait guys,we were debating which one of us gets your table" I'm sorry, but we waited 15 MINUTES just because you guys couldn't make up your damn mind about who should help us? To top it off once she took our drink order some dude came up and asked us what we would like to drink....I'm Now to the food, it was good. I love creole southern food,and honestly it was what have this review three stars. The ambience was ok, the weird musky water smell when first entering threw me off...we're not in the bayou, no need for that smell, especially since you know, WE'RE IN DOORS away from any southern bayou water... All in all, I will be coming again, to try and see if the lack of organization and service might change. I do enjoy the food though, so good job.
(3)
Patsy K.
Just visited Jazz again with a group of 3 other friends. Sorry to say the service was HORRIBLE! Food was just OK. Fried oysters were tasteless; My dining partner's jambalaya was bland. Server took our order, served it...and we never saw her again. We all ran out of beverages and no one ever came to refill them. Feel like service and food has really gone downhill.
(2)
Moira R.
I love this place. The food is unique and everything I tried is tasty. Your meal comes with free bread with a yummy seasoned butter. There are lots of delicious options (the seafood alfredo is my favorite) and they offer either half or full portions. The half is basically a full-sized normal meal while the full is an insane amount of food (good for leftovers, though). They also offer a menu full of sugary alcoholic drinks such as hurricanes and margaritas that can be fun. They have live jazz music on some nights (there is no cover but there is a surcharge added to every item you order on these nights). It can get really loud so it probably is not best to go on one of these nights if you want to be able to converse normally with your fellow diners.
(4)
Sarah G.
Umm... I left Jazz recently with feelings a little less glowing than my previous review. The chicken a la mer was pretty tasty, but the veggies and rice on the side were very conventional and didn't include the spice or pizzazz I would have expected from Jazz. The highlights of this particular meal were the bread and butter, the stuffed mushrooms and the Beignets - hard to dislike fried dough piled with sugar. Ironic that in my last review I made it a point to mention that this place was cheap, while our last trip I felt like it was a little too expensive. Even with the "4 meals and 4 drinks" Groupon we pre-purchased - we somehow ended up with a tab in excess of $100. Strange. We'll perhaps eat here again, but I'm not really in a rush to. I guess ultimately I've been more impressed with their catering than dine-in experiences. Are things just hit or miss here? Was there something different about the last time I had dinner here? I just don't get it.
(3)
Veronica D.
Excellent! Brought my sons and family. Perfect for everyone! Brad was great! Best in Omaha!
What a horrible waitress! So far has gotten absolutely nothing right. Brought incomplete drink order followed by an incomplete food order. Yikes. By the time the last two members of our party were served, the rest of us were nearly done. The tables are close together so I noticed the table to our right was brought the wrong order twice before they actually got the correct food. Clearly lacking a service system. Food was ok. Not great but we would have rated 3 stars at least if it was not for the poor service.
(2)
Jessie R.
OK, so I love cajun food and I must say that this place really disappointed me. I tried it a couple of years ago and it was a bit better, but today took the cake. My server, while friendly, didn't know anything about the food so she couldn't answer our questions. I asked if the fried seafood platter came with fries and coleslaw, she said yes, but later when our food came when I asked about the fries she said, "we don't have those". I was a bit annoyed that she obviously wasn't actually listening to me. We asked for gumbo before our meal but it came out with my lunch. She didn't say anything about that mistake, and finally what got us was the fact that every single shrimp had a huge vein in the back. After pulling out 4 of my mother's platter, something told me to look closely at the soup. At this point, I had only ate a few bites of the soup and to my disappointment, I found the shrimp there all had veins and I had already eaten them. Our plates were never prebussed. We were the only table. My mother didn't want to say anything, but I really did.
(1)
Valerie B.
Out of so much drink options, strawberry and piña colada. Ordered a key lime martini which was expensive and decent but wasn't a great tasting drink. Food was good. Got the chicken al a mer in a half size, it was huge and couldn't finish it. Would come back to try other food, however will not order alcohol again.
(3)
Ali A.
This place is seriously gross. I ordered the $1 oysters on the half shell one day and when they came out they were dry and chewy which means they were pre shucked hours before hand and still took 30 mins to be put on ice and delivered. My drink was ok but the staff sits at the bar after their shift and the bartender paid more attention to them than her actual guests. Next time I want oysters or seafood I'll go to Plank!!!!
(1)
Kae F.
Ok, I've visited here 4x, and each time I try something different. The first 3x could not complain. The shrimp and grits, chicken etoufee, frog legs, and gator all delicious. My one star is for the Seafood St Charles and crawfish. The St Charles sounds delicious, but in actuality its not. They used imitation crab, like WTH!?. The shrimp were small. The oysters were not cleaned; tasted grainy. It comes with dirty rice. What I ate was some rice with no flavor at all. It didn't even look like dirty rice. The crawfish was overcooked, and were not seasoned. Yes I'd come back again, but I wouldn't order those 3 items ever again. No more jazz for me....I'll look up Cajun recipes on youtube.
(1)
Eddie H.
Just picked up a to-go order from Jazz. I live in walking distance and I've ordered a few things to-go from them. Tonight it was 2lbs of crawfish, beignets and some voodoo wings. The order was hot and ready when I arrived. I guess my only complaint is that when I asked the bartender, who you pick up your order from, if she gets the tip for packing it up she was indifferent and meh about it. I still left a $3 tip on the order but really? I grew up in the restaurant business and many places tip out differently. If she packed my order and was responsible for it, and I got everything I asked for, she should get the tip. Maybe she wasn't expecting it but now I have a bit of buyer's remorse about it. If you didn't care, why should I?
(2)
Ka'ili H.
How could I have gone to a New Orleans inspired restaurant and NOT get a beignet!??! Craziness. But...what I did try as actually pretty delicious. It was a rare day off from studying for me and two of my friends from school and we decided to have lunch here. It was my first time at this restaurant as well as my other friend and we were hungry! Now...I've been to New Orleans before so of course I had high expectations of this joint. Walking in it was a large place and definitely had the jazz and coziness feel you get from the restaurants down in the big easy. It was pretty busy with a lot of people who probably work in down town. We were seated promptly at pretty small table...but we made it work. I ended up deciding on the small order of the chicken a la mer (i think). My friend who brought us here had the cat fish, and my other friend got the fired alligator and a po boy. We also ordered a side of sweet potato fries and chicken wings. I LOVED the chicken and the chicken wings! The sauce was delish and the chicken wings were wonderful. I even tried a fried alligator, something I avoided in NOLA but felt adventurous on this day. It wasn't that bad...but it wasn't my favorite. Service was quit and our waitress was really informative as we were having a hard time deciding on what to get. The menu is pretty extensive and if you have any questions I recommend asking, because you want to avoid getting a plate you think is too spicy or different. The po boy looked really yummy, my friend enjoyed it a lot. I'll have to come back here to try their po boy and beignets! Oh beignets... it will be like I'm back at Cafe Du Monde =)
(4)
Laura K.
Short version: We won't be going back. Long version: My boyfriend and I wandered into Jazz for lunch. We were greeted with a basket of so-so breed accompanied by a margarine based spread. Not so good. I ordered the catfish bites and a side of sweet potato fries. I found the catfish bites bland, and the sweet potato fries were very limp and soggy, not crisp at all. Put it this way.. I found my way back to the bread I didn't much care for! My boyfriend had the catfish Po Boy sandwich. He wasn't impressed. Overall, rather disappointing. We'd rather eat at Popeye's....
(1)
Cyrus S.
The service was ok. I had what they called their specialty. The chicken a la mer and the stuffed beignet. It was disappointingly simple and low on flavor. Not a place I would recommend. I expected more.
(2)
Lianna N.
This place is definitely unique when it comes to food in Omaha. Although there are a lot of great southern style bbq places and places with fried yumminess, Jazz is one of the few places that has southern food from the gulf area (read: New Orleans) including lots of different seafood and spicy cajun not common in other restaurants. I had Crawfish Alfredo, which was very tasty! The crawfish was already shelled and the small pieces were mixed into the pasta. (i believe i posted a picture of this). The place is Huge and was filled with only a handful of people for lunch hour. I had ventured in here with a living social deal, which was $7 for $14 worth of food. it looked like a few other parties in there were using the living social deal too. Few notes on the place- I am not sure how long they have been established, but they are located on the brink of the old market (read: good location) and the "homeless hangout" (read: not always a great thing). Decor could be updated and revamped, but there is a certain feel to the place that reminds me of the south.There was little wait for the food and decently good service. The food was hot, fresh, and good portions. The price to me was a little steep, which was why I had not gone here before the living social deal (yet always intrigued)...BUT the food was quite delicious and definitely worth another visit. Do expect to be full when you leave, but dont expect the meal to be healthy. This is southern food people. One turn off was that when leaving the restaurant, there was a man outside asking for change, and he followed us to our car. I dont expect this happens all the time, but because of the area, be alert.
(3)
Deidre S.
Food was good, nothing amazing. I haven't seen a review regarding the lack of cleanliness. The bathrooms looked like they hadn't been cleaned in days. The floors in the restaurant looked like they hadn't been swept in days...umm...it's a restaurant, you're going to have to sweep and mop folks. Oh, and the HUGE wall with the Southern Comfort Banner was super dusty, the vents and the wood paneling, you could see the layers of dust. And this is a visual focal point of the restaurant. I won't be returning because it makes me wonder how clean the kitchen is. The service was good though, we had no problem with the service at all.
(2)
Yennie N.
I was really looking forward to trying this place... but over all I think I can say it was just meh-. from appetizer to entree... I felt like it was lacking a little something. Food wasn't horrible. It was just okay.. like something I would whip up in my kitchen with left over ingredients. There wasn't any one plate that really made me say... Wow this is good! I would definitely come back for more of this!... it was just.. okay been here.. tried it.. not coming back.
(2)
Stewart W.
Have eaten at Jazz several times. Generally thought it was OK, not really Cajun but would do in a pinch. There is a reason they don't have an outlet in Louisiana, though. Tonight I had BBQ shrimp. I had an unfortunate standard of what this dish should taste like set by Pascal's Manale in New Orleans. The dish at Jazz was not good. Can't describe what it was about the sauce that I didn't like, other than everything. My girlfriend had catfish, pretty good, along with small dry hushpuppies, also bad, and tasteless slaw. Bread accompanying dinner was chewy, came with faux butter. Excellent service from our waitperson. Did not complain to her because nothing specifically was wrong, but bottom line, not a good meal and it will be some time if ever before we return.
(2)
Chris C.
Had dinner at Jazz on Sunday night. Food & service were very good. I had a cup of gumbo and the crawfish etouffee. They have a good selection of draft beers, and it was good to learn they have live music Thursday - Saturday. I would enjoy going back.
(4)
Tim C.
Not even close to Louisiana food that I have been brought up to enjoy. The Boudin was too dry tasted like it was warmed in the microwave. The staff was outstanding and friendly. The New Castle Brown Ale was served at the right temp. I will try this place again for a full meal in the evening.
(3)
LeLynda B.
This place is a horrible representation of Louisiana food. Cheesy decor, less than helpful staff & has a weird smell. The seafood isn't fresh. I've tried the gator bites (overcooked & rubbery), catfish (greasy) & the crawfish (no flavor & they served it w/ butter!). I lived in New Orleans for a decade & I go back multiple times a year & this food is no where near as good. These people either need a new chef or to change their name.
(1)
Colleen L.
Awful. I've lived in Louisiana, so my expectations are high, but this was worse than bad. The boiled crawfish were baked - dry, smelled funky, and were sprinkled with spices. It also only came with one puny potato, not the potatoes and corn I had asked about before ordering. That is not how it is done folks! I sent mine back, but the woman mumbling complaints at the table next to me was not as brave! Service was awful despite a mostly empty restaurant, and the replacement food was edible, but nothing like what it should have been! I will not be going back, even though I long for my fix of cajun food!
(1)
Ron S.
We grabbed a groupon for Jazz last night. The place ROCKED! From the moment we opened the door the service was right on time. The portions were large and the food was great. The waiter conversed with us about more than just the order. He also made some great recommendations.We shared a bowl Jambalaya for a appetizer Chicken A La Mer and succotash was the bomb. I say you can't go wrong with this place. Let the complainers do their thing. I say JAZZ is just what they say they are "A Louisiana kitchen" with great food and service. The groupon was more than enough for food and drinks.
(5)
Trey M.
Hurricane drinks will make you think you can dance with glow sticks to Jazz music. SO SO SO well made here. The fried pickles are whole pickles, and freaking awesome. The Onion rings are good also. Staff is a tad slow, a little unresponsive at times, and any of the "Main Dinner Entrees" were horrid. So why 4 stars??? I had a freaking blast for happy hour here and the appetizers were very good. The main dish-gumbo was returned and credited.
(4)
Maddy G.
Great Omaha restaurant- had the Chicken La Mer which was really tasty and filling. I also tried some of the Beef Stir Fry. Order something with dirty rice! My grandparents even liked it and said they'd be back! (there's baked chicken and veggies for picky eaters). Live saxophone later in the evening. When you're done the casinos are just across the river!
(5)
Paige T.
When I first walked inside I was greeted with the pungent oder coming from the dirty bleach water that probably hasn't been changed for days, which has been sloshed on every table in an attempt to clean them. The bathrooms smelled better than the restaurant itself. Luckily it was a nice night so we were able to sit outside. The server finally came by after ten minutes. Drinks came another 15 minutes later. Food was sub par. Didn't get our side order of hush puppies until we got our ticket. Eat here if you would like to wait, wait some more, eat almost ok food, and try to sit outside so you don't have to hold your breath inside. This was my first and last time here.
(1)
Kerry L.
Asked the waitperson at least 3 different ways if the "fresh" gulf shrimp was truly fresh and was told they were fresh and flown in daily. I was served frozen shrimp barely thawed out ... :(
(2)
Reid R.
I just ordered half pound of smelly ROTTEN shrimp!!!!! Have fun.....
(1)
Katrina H.
Well maybe I'm just partial to the Origional Jazz from my hometown in KC,MO ? Granted it was the day after Christmas but this place was empty. Our server got our order wrong and when I paid for our bill with Cash, she didn't even think enough to bring change so that I could tip her. Did she really think that I was going to give her $30 on a $70 bill? How about just making sure that our order was right after all we were your only table. The food was just like I rememberd .. The Cajun chicken Fetta was GREAT!
(3)
Amanda P.
Had their shrimp po boy sandwich with sweet potatoe fries. SOO DELICIOUS! i cant wait to go back here and try their other dishes!
(5)
Kyle T.
I have eaten here twice now and am ready to share with the Yelpverse my feelings on the joint. First off, MAD PROPS on carrying the Boulevard Smokestack Series beers. At 10 bucks a bottle (22oz) this is a fantastic deal. These beers are usually that much in stores, so that price in a bar. restaurant is OFF THE HOOK! The wait staff was very pleasant, efficient and accurate. What more could you ask for? Well, I guess you could ask for them to all be cute. CHECK! The decor, while obviously "chain" driven and a bit kitschy, is not distracting from the dining experience. Frankly, it doesn't enhance the experience either. Fortunately, once the food arrives, the decor dissolves into the void like cube of sugar in a pipping hot cuppa! I hear there is live music on some nights, which I'd like to scope out sometime. I bet its a riot. The food is excellent! I have spent alot of time in places where the cuisine served at Jazz is native, so I feel I have a fairly good point of reference from which to speak. The Fried Fish Po Boy was fair. Decent fish, not too greasy, just nothing exciting...appropriate for a Po Boy? The Craw-fish Etouffe was EXCELLENT. Savory and just the right amount of kick to keep your mouth alert. Generous portion and plenty of craw-fish to be found! The craw-fish fettuccine (sp? this whole review needs a spell check!) was also excellent! Another generous portion. Cheesy enough to let you know what is was, but peppery enough and spicy enough to remind you where it came from! All in all a great eating experience. The pre dinner rolls were awful, by the way, but that didn't deter my enjoyment of the joint!
(4)
Matt M.
Dined in here for the first time last night. The "to go" food has always been good but this dinner was exceptional. I had the blackened talapia with crawfish etouffee and it was great. My gf ordered the Boudin Ball Po Boy and loved it. The beignets with chantilly cream could not have been a better ending. Service and food were both perfect.
(5)
Hart P.
Great surprise on a business trip. Not what you expect to find in Omaha.
(4)
Mike M.
I ate here 6 years ago, moved to Phoenix, then came back hoping this place was still alive. It is. Had the catfish po' boy, a hurricane, dirty rice, hush puppies and a side of slaw. Um...yes. All were fantastic! I would have ordered the jambalaya or gumbo but my insides were a little swirly from too many gin and tonics the night before, but I would advise ordering one (not the swirly gin and tonics). Our service was fast and friendly, even though the place was busy the GM came by and touched base with us which was a great touch. Great ambiance and jazz band upstairs playing everything from Muddy Waters to MJ. Go here, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Anna O.
Honestly, I live in New Orleans right now and still haven't had food as good as at Jazz. The food is incredible and not too expensive here. Most of the staff are awesome. The patio seating (when available) is great. This is my favorite restaurant in Omaha. Some of the bartenders are not very knowledgeable about drinks, however, so make sure you specify what goes into a cocktail when you order one.
(5)
Reed N.
I had to try the fried pickles... always do. They are better here than down at the Twisted Fork. The voodoo wings were also on special. Crispy outside, tender inside. Soaked and slathered in an intense black pepper spiced sauce. I loved them as well. The half portion of pasta I had was the seafood little mamou. It was a spicy cream sauce with fettuccine, scallops, and shrimp. The seafood was not overcooked... so bravo to the Latino brothers in the kitchen cooking. The pasta was a little overcooked and the sauce was dominant instead of integral. They sauce was SO good I could not complain too much. This is a place that has BIG flavors. Think of northern Indian cuisine. Really good stuff.
(4)
Laura F.
When I took a bite of the Po Boy Oyster sandwich I wretched, I kid not. DISGUSTING! Also, I have not seen iceberg lettuce in ages, but it's here! Decor cute-ish Star for the beignets, which were tasty.
(1)
Yvette F.
This place is an insult to the Louisiana people. The food has no seasoning. The gumbo is not made fresh. Very disappointing for this Louisiana native.
(1)
Benjamin S.
This place has definetly gotten better with time. I lived in Omaha years ago and would frequent this place often. After spending time in the south prior, this was the best option for cajun food, although I was never that impressed. However, I spend time back in NE for work now and have noticed a VAST improvement since back in the day. Their etouffe is some of the best I have had outside of New Orleans. Their pastas, blacked dishes, and lemon pepper chicken is also top notch across the board. I'd give this place 5 stars, but their appetizers could definetly use some work. Other than that, fun atmosphere, good portions, and good drinks.
(4)
Mike W.
Ok, I am biased, as I have lived in New Orleans most of my life. Started off with the crawfish - dry and rubbery! Definitely overcooked. Not sure what method they used, as there was a good amount of a dry spice on the shells - doesn't happen in Louisiana. I should know better, but I gave them a shot - never again. The crawfish were of good size, would love to know the source and get a few pounds to take home and cook myself. Had the blackened catfish entree, not as bad as the crawfish, but overcooked and dry. Always looking for a little taste of home, guess my search continues.
The oysters were so terrible I could barely eat the rest of my food. Music was so loud we couldn't talk to each other at the table. Service was attentive, but couldn't make up for lousy food.
(2)
Sharon J.
Love the Shrimp Po Boy!! The sauce is to die for!! Great with the Sweet Potato Salad!
(4)
Christine B.
Jazz gives me two reasons to visit once a year (this coming from a girl who is not a fan of national chains - but they're only in a handful of states, so does it count?!): 1. Crawfish fettucini. It's the closest thing a girl can get to crawfish monica in the middle of the USA. If you've ever been to Jazzfest in LA, then you know what I'm talkin' about. 2. Beignets. Who doesn't love fried up dough covered in powdered sugar served with a side of chantilly cream?! Show me a place that fries up fresh beignets in Omaha and I'll consider defecting. Overall, the music can be too loud, the crowd can be a bit noisy (there are ALOT of tables in there) and the other items I've tried on the menu are so-so. All that aside, the crawfish and carbs in fatty cream sauce follow by fried up sweetened dough will get me every time.
(3)
Cindy C.
Too bad you can't give '0' stars. Just contacted the present manager to let them know of a bad experience we had last year on Fat Tuesday. It took them 40 minutes to split checks for 13 people. The new manager's response was that this is the only day they don't split checks because of the amount of time it takes to do this. Sorry, but I have been a waitress in my past life for years. It isn't that hard to split checks if told up front that this is what you want done. Why can it be done efficiently every day of the year and not on this day? Yes, I get that it is busier, but really? It shouldn't take 40 minutes to split a check. I think it was done this way to make a point. Point made...........avoid this place is the point I got. Stay clear of this restaurant.............it's dirty and divey. Food isn't that good anyway.
(1)
Nick B.
Good food. Good drinks. Good people. Actually, I'm quite surprised at how it stays open. I've never been here when it's busy. I had the blackened catfish. It came with seasonal veggies and dirty rice. It was a large portion of food, yet, delicious to where I didn't feel stuffed outta my gord. I'll go back.
(4)
Josh C.
From what I can tell, Jazz is the best place for Cajun food in the city, if not the state. I highly recommend the Tour of New Orleans appetizer: with gumbo, red beans, jambalaya and hush puppies, it's enough for a meal and gives a great sampling of some Cajun staples. I've also had the blackened chicken before, which I also enjoyed. Though it should go without saying, be warned: Jazz is not for those who can't take a little spice. And it is true what others have noted: it's not a clean, modern restaurant. It's an old, dingy hole in the wall. But that's authentic New Orleans, folks. The best Asian places don't have white servers, the best Mexican places don't use yellow cheese, and the best Cajun places look like they weathered hurricane Katrina. Reading other reviews of the place, I see some people have had bad experiences, which is very unfortunate, but sounds mostly like a few bad servers (or one recurring one) to me. Service has been a little hit-and-miss in my experience, but never what I would call bad. Oh, and Cindy C., being a server, maybe you should have been more empathetic than to ask for 13 separate checks on what is probably the restaurant's busiest day of the year -- if not for your server, then at least for the customers you kept her from helping by making her do that.
(4)
cody c.
Food is pricy here. I ordered the Cajun Shrimp and it was actually a cold shrimp with sprinkle of Cajun spice that you are to dip into the cocktail shrimp sauce on the side. It cost $11.99/lb. I think I can do that at home easily. I was expecting the Cajun sauce with garlic, butter, etc... I also orderd the gumbo, came out all dark green. Totaly different from the style in California. Now I wonder, which one is the real Louisana food.
(2)
Andy M.
Amazing southern-style food in downtown Omaha. From the outside, you might expect it to be a quick-service joint, but it is definitely sit down. Still, service is fast and efficient. I stopped in for lunch around 1 PM on a weekday. There were only a few other tables. I was very impressed with the service. My server was incredibly friendly and attentive to all of my requests. Sometimes when things get slow, service can waver, but this was not one of those times. Everything was spot-on. After carefully studying the inside of the menu, I realized there was an entire back panel with lunch specials. Not easy to find, but do be aware of this if you go for lunch. I had the combination fried shrimp and fried oysters. Everything was cooked perfectly and came out in short order. I upgraded my hush puppies to sweet potato fries, which were almost perfectly crisp with just the right balance of sweet and salty. I'm usually not a fan of battered fries, but these were the exception because they were done right. I will definitely be back to try this place for dinner or some live music. It's probably a blast when it's packed.
(5)
NEAL B.
Great Cajun Crawfish Fettuccine in a dark creol cream Alfredo sauce. Loved it!
(5)
Joseph G.
Whatever. I would say its Meh - OK. Somewhere different to go at least. I keep my food on my plate, so I rarely note how dirty a place is. Actually it's more authentic to Naw Lins then. Tried the jambalaya and it was good enough. How many places in Omaha have it? Reason for this write up it for the Voodoo Wings. Back to the Meh theme. Different, but back to the importance of some decent beer raises the enjoyment. Anyways Wednesday special makes the price digestible.
(3)
Dennis K.
I really liked Jazz.Had a cup of gumbo and a cod po'boy.Both were delish.My only complaint is we ordered a hurricane and it came in a plastic glass.Thats a pretty big no no in my book.Other than that it was damn good
(4)
K G.
I really, really did not enjoy the food, atmosphere or service here. The meal was okay, but salty, like it was marinated in the ocean. And the silverware and tabletop were dirty and service, crazy slow. Dislike.
(2)
Brent W.
We ate here because we saw it when we went for a walk. I have to say this is some of the best New Orleans food I have had outside of New Orleans. The sauces were perfect. Everything we ate was first rate. We were not disappointed. The bread pudding was awesome too. My son is going to law school at Creighton and when we come back to visit him and his family we are going to eat here again!
(5)
Nathan C.
Just not a good experience. We stopped by on a slow Tuesday night. They were out of oysters on the half shell. Super. I had the fried shrimp / oyster dinner. My gf had the chicken a la mer. My oysters were pretty good, but the shrimp were very average. The coleslaw was literally tasteless. My gf didn't believe me so she tried it and agreed -- there wasn't even the slightest taste of cabbage...or anything. It was just not good. The chicken a la mer (which the very nice waitress said is their most popular dis) was okay for the price. Seriously, though, for a NOLA experience this is not the place.
(2)
Kevin B.
I bought a Groupon to try them out. First thoughts, the whole place looks like it could use a good clean, particularly the floor. The floor looks like it hasn't been buffed in years. The woodwork on the walls looks dingy, it could use a polish too. The menu, a lot of things are clear, but there are also items that have no description leaving you guessing what they are. Sure "taste of new orleans", "seafood platter" I should just know what's in those by the name. I tried the crawfish cakes as an app, they came covered in a sauce that had lumps of crawfish. The plate wasn't pretty, looked like someone was sick on it, just a brown mess. The crawfish tasted off, the cakes weren't very good either. 3 bites and I was done. I also had the seafood platter, which is catfish (sea-food???), fried oysters, and beer battered shrimp, hush puppies, and cajun coleslaw. Fried oysters were ok, catfish ok, but the tartar to go with it was kind of bland. The beer battered shrimp really soaked up the grease, and when you picked them up the battering fell off. Hush puppies were dry and really sweet. The cajun coleslaw, was good, but there was nothing "cajun" about it, it was just coleslaw. Service was ok. Stood at the unattended host stand a couple minutes before someone noticed me. I take that back, 2 people noticed me, but even though it was dead and they didn't appear to be doing anything they didn't bother to greet me, one guy just walked near me and turned around. It was odd. Once seated and given a menu service was pretty normal.
(1)
Phil P.
Wow - pretty disappointing. I had a shrimp po-boy. For being a Cajun restaurant the food was very bland and boring. I would continue to look for another place to eat. This restaurant would also benefit from a very deep cleaning. It is very dirty and dark.
(1)
Dan M.
Had a very underwhelming experience here. Service was slow. It took forever to get anything from the bar. The waitress was blaming them for the wait on simple tap beers. The food came out very quickly, so maybe she was right. Unfortunately, the food was not as good as the tap beer. I got the jambalaya. It was served with crackers on the side. Not sure why. It was the driest jambalaya I have ever had. There wasn't an ounce of liquid in the entire bowl! Ditto on the red beans and rice. This should be a simple staple side dish, but again, zero moisture. Made the wait between beers even worse. Also leads me to believe that both these items were made up days in advance of my visit. Don't think your visit will be improved by the ambiance. It won't be. Very tired and dirty versus New Orleans cool and retro.
(2)
Andrew G.
Pretty good. Spices were not overpowering, menu was huge, and definitely some authentic sounding things. I was with 3 others and we all liked what we got. Blackened catfish was very nice.
(4)
Erica J.
So I only stopped in here for dessert (beignets) and coffee with friends, but on a busy Saturday evening they were able to seat 6 of us very quickly. The beignets were fantastic - warm and fresh, and 4 of them with cream for $2! The band that was playing on the upper level was really good, although they do charge you $.50 additional on each menu item when the band is playing. That's pretty bogus, but at least the music was enjoyable. Service was average for a busy night - not too fast, but not terribly slow, either. I'm only docking them a star for trying too hard with the decorations. It's like somebody dumped a New Orleans gift shop in there, including the dirty t-shirts that the servers wear.
(4)
Christopher W.
After overpaying for drinks at Sullivan's, we opted to catch a meal at something more our speed -- our speed being cheaper and blue-collar. Jazz A does not disappoint, as it was overly-lit and spacious, friendly staff, and a great menu. I would recommend the Jambalaya to start, as it was excellent and rich. Avoid the reheated crawfish, a huge letdown for a cajun-inspired restaurant. The hot sauce made an attempt at heat, but fell a little short and settled for spicy. The Boulevard Wheat was a nice addition to my mental beer library as well. Get fed here, skip Sullivan's unless you have an expense account and don't mind $10 for an over-iced Stoli.
(4)
Matt J.
I love me some cajun food but this was not all that great.... First I have to say something about their "cover charge". It's clearly stated on the door that if they have a band, that they charge $.50 extra per item if there is a band instead of charging at the door. Not too bad right? Well apparently one guy with an electonic keyboard that sang for 10 minutes while we were there qualifies as a "band". Plus, it's not just each dinner... It's each and every drink, every side order, everything... Ok that said, on to the food. I had the boiled crawfish... I've had better.... Wasn't all that great. My girlfriend loves catfish, but she couldn't even eat her catfish diane. It was just a big pile of everything on the plate with the fish hidden in the middle. 0 stars for plating. It was a Thursday so they had $.50 oysters on the half shell. Those were really good and the beignet for dessert was good, but the rest I could have passed on. Dinners range about $10-14. They have daily specials so check out their online menu to see what they have going on. Just be prepared to pay that extra fee on every single item you order if they have a "band".
(2)
S F.
I love this place! We go there probably once a month and everything I've ever had has been really good.. I especially love the Gumbo and with the basket of bread and their special butter it's a very nice lunch. YUM! Not a fan of the pay for parking thing but it's only about $.75 for lunch so not horrible.
(5)
Carrie H.
Stopped in the other night ... conveniently the Chicken A La Mer (and what I was craving!) is the Tuesday night special - who doesn't like their dinner half price!?! Creamy parmesan deliciousness with crab and shrimp poured all over a Cajun battered chicken breast served on a bed of dirty rice and yummy veggie medley (which of course we sprinkled more of that scrumptious Cajun seasoning on - which by the way we love that is already on the table!!!) We started off with the fried okra. I am picky when it comes to okra - my dad was from the south and we grew our own on the farm (where else are you going to get okra in the middle of Nebraska 30 years ago!?!) and Jazz Kitchen did not disappoint. Crispy simple batter and seemingly fresh cut okra ... brought to our table quickly and piping hot! Dipped in ranch we were in heaven (why hadn't I discovered THAT when I was a kid???) - we wished we had ordered more.:) Dinner was great ... service was fine too (I ignored the girl that was in training who disappeared when we asked the simplest of questions and insisted my sweet tea wasn't sweet. Her trainer quickly stepped in a saved the night! Whew!) ... Jazz is a fun place to grab a bite when you have a hankering for Creole tastiness! My ONLY real complaint about Jazz Kitchen honestly ... please dust ... someone ... PLEASE! I was worried as the cobwebs and layers of dust loomed over our table as we ate. I am ALL about the ambiance and the knickknacks - don't get me wrong - they are lovely, but someone really needs to get out the step ladder and a feather duster. Things like that make me wonder what the kitchen is like ... just saying ... and thus the 4 stars and not 5. :)
(4)
Alexandria S.
Respectable spice levels, though the dude I was with complained that his sandwich was too spicy (it wasn't). The atmosphere felt like something out of The Princess and the Frog, not really that reminiscent of home cooked meals in the south, in my opinion. It is spaced out nicely and wasn't at all crowded when we dined there, which is always beneficial when dining with a toddler. The kids meals were fairly cheap and edible. The waitress was attentive and the overall bill wasn't too expensive. Not too shabby, but not a place I would frequent or request to dine at when with friends.
(3)
Phoebe R.
Ok, this is serious; I'm never letting my coworkers choose a dining establishment again. Every time I walk by Jazz with people new to town they are dazzled by the bright colors but I warn them! No! Don't even think about it. We went here at the earliest part of lunch hour with a table of 8 and the entire place was empty. By the time we got our food, 40 minutes later, the restaurant was full and everyone, literally everyone had their food before us. Then someone dropped a glass in the fish tank behind us and the water splashed on our table/shirts/food. Plus the food was not memorable at all.
(1)
Bill B.
1st time in Omaha. Traveling alone for business. Looking for a place to eat and saw the reviews for Jazz. I must say I was not disappointed! The atmosphere is so authentic, it almost feels touristy when you 1st walk in. But you quickly realize this is the real deal. Right down to the sax player walking the floor. I was in the mood for Cajun and was about to order the ettoufee (SP), when the appetizer caught my attention. I settled on the tour of New Orleans (enough for 2), and an oyster PO-Boy. Everything was prepared nicely and the service was great. I will definitely come back the next time I'm in Omaha. Next time I will have to try the Jambalya or Etoufee. I saw the earlier comment about the neighborhood. I was walking the street by myself and felt very comfortable. I did notice while driving that the area declines quickly a few blocks away.
(4)
Oscar G.
If you are looking for good Creole cuisine in Omaha, this is a good place to eat. I have never been here for dinner, so my review is based strictly on lunch visits. The atmosphere is reminiscent of just about any place in the French Quarter, but cleaner. The lunch menu is vast, and most of their offerings are reasonably priced. I usually don't mess with the traditional lunch items, and go straight to the $11 Shrimp Diane, which is my favorite on the menu. That, paired with a huge glass of Luzianne Iced Tea makes a great stomach-filler. As for the service, it is usually quick and friendly. They tend to hire either over-zealous staff that won't leave you alone, or more frequently, young adults who could care less about you and only stop by to take your order and bring your bill. Since everyone has their own observations, this is my take.
(3)
C P.
We ordered take out and it didn't disappoint. The blackened shrimp was served on rice that tasted just right! I thought it'd be fun to visit the actual restaurant some day but so far I haven't had much luck finding parking nearby...
(5)
AD H.
Being from Louisiana I know cajun, creole, down south cuisine, I've lived in NE for 8years now, I've never stepped into Jazz until 2011, thought the outside decor was nice, inside is another story, its dark, the customer service is horrible, you have no idea if you're suppose to seat yourself, or wait for some kid to seat you, the food was quite disgusting, everything taste like it was fried in the same grease, sweet tea isn't so sweet, but strawberry soda is great....OVERALL HORRIBLE FOOD AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.....greasy non-creole food....
(1)
Charles G.
Not bad, I guess, for a chain. It has a fun atmosphere and a good beer selection. The food is simply okay. I've had much, much better, but I've had much, much worse. The dishes I've had have been more fattening than necessary. Kids like the beads.
Awesome! I got the Seafood St.Charles outstanding flavor red sauce with a kick plus a hint of sweetness & coconut flavor. Only thing that would've made it better would've been a few more select chunks of seafood on my plate. Super yummy, so much so, that my hubs kept trying to steal it. I also had the frog legs & fried pickles which were light & crispy fried to perfection. Pricing was reasonable, portions were great, just right. Everything was spiced to perfection & packed heat no matter if it was marked spicy or not but to me that's expected with Cajun. Beignets were delicious with yummy Chantilly cream dipping sauce. Service was decent could've been more attentive ( my glass was empty half of dinner) but the food was so yummy I'll let it slide. I'm not an expert on Cajun food, but I do know good food & good flavors & that's what this place has.
(4)
Amy M.
I really wanted to like this place but the food was bland and cold by the time it arrived at our table. Not worth it - I doubt I'll be back - I'll just wait for my next trip to Nawlins and get the real thing.
If you've read any of my previous reviews, you know I travel to Louisiana a fair amount for work, and have had the opportunity to sample some fantastic Cajun restaurants. When I heard about a Cajun restaurant in downtown Omaha, I knew I had to check it out, but I had no idea what to expect. The atmosphere of this place is great. A lot of the decor could be stuff straight from the French Quarter after Hurricane Katrina. But I wasn't interested in how the place was decorated. This isn't HGTV. My food was excellent. I had the full order of the blackened shrimp with dirty rice. I also tried the Voodoo Wings as an appetizer, which probably means several chickens somewhere were feeling serious pain as I devoured this cursed dish. The wife had the fried catfish, which was prepared well and served with slaw and hush puppies. I didn't think the prices were bad considering the portion sizes, but we did have a server who incorrectly attempted to correct my grammar and was otherwise pretty lame. If you're itching for some bayou fixings, you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Matt J.
My first mistake is that I went here thinking it was a little more classy. It's not, more of a dive that want's to look like a dive. The food was not that great, had a po boy and well I could have made that. The service was slow and the atmosphere boring. Whatever, it's Omaha not LA.
(2)
Tyler R.
Stopped in here for the first time and had the special of the day, which was blackened catfish. While the other food that came on the plate was of no special mention, the catfish was cooked perfectly and was quite possibly one of the best seasoned meals i have eaten for a long time.
(4)
John H.
Probably the best Louisiana restaurant in Omaha, wait, it's the only one in Omaha. While the food is excellent (I would say a perfect 5/5) I had to deduct for the reasons below. First it is expensive. I normally spend about $18 when it is just me. Also it is way too dark, like lighting would set them back that much. Also when they have music it is simply too loud. When I leave my head is spinning and I feel like I have the flu. Lastly the building STINKS! It has always been that way. over the last 12 years something like 4-5 restaurants have taken a crack at that corner and none of them managed to cover the smell up. Lastly they are SLOW! Even a poboy can take 15 minutes. I suggest calling ahead and getting takeout. Then you avoid all the negatives that are not connected with their food. Quite a shame really, as I wanted to like the place. But I had a bad feeling when on the first day they opened they left me at a table with nothing to drink for nearly a half hour before getting a simple poboy to me (and I was the only customer in the place). lastly avoid the gumbo! It looks like mud water and tastes about the same. The Jambalaya however is simply the best I have ever had.
(3)
Ambri W.
I love this place! The Crawfish are fantastic and pretty much everything they serve is straight up authentic from what you would get down in New Orleans. I went to a local fish market in New Orleans and got a bag of cooked crawfish and thought to myself...Jazz's Crawfish are way better. Get the crawfish!
(5)
D C.
Best Cajun I've had in Omaha, good menu (po'boys, crawfish, jambalaya, etc) and good happy hour specials.
(4)
Christine S.
Really the only Cajun place in Omaha. Where else are you going to get 2lbs and 2 beers for 10 bucks on Wednesdays? Love the beignets, and they have good prices for oysters on Thursdays. A negative thing though is I have never had a good experience with the wait staff. They always seem to have too big of area, with too little of training and do not know how to refill water glasses, and maybe that is managements fault.
(4)
Celia C.
What a great place! Even at 17:00 on a Wednesday evening with 2 other patrons. The inside is so busy and decorated, and open. The food was great- I had jambalaya and the boudin balls- yum! It looked like some live music was getting set up when I left, and the stage was above the floor. It looked like it would have been a lot of fun. I'm in town on business and it was close to my hotel so it worked really well. I would definitely come back again!
(5)
Audrey F.
This is a awesome place. Best seafood I have ever had in Nebraska. This is my favorite place to go when I am in Omaha. I always make sure I eat before the band comes, otherwise they charge a extra 50 cents for each food item you order. I am not going so I can hear the band. I only go for the food. As far as the wait staff...Most of the time it is very good. I notice the hostess who seat's us is not always up front ready to seat people who come in. Sometimes we have to wait because the hostess is off socializing with the rest of the staff. over all, this is a awesome place. After all, we live in Nebraska.
(5)
J C.
Ate here after 11 pm on sunday night. We were only ones in restaurant but had great/ quick service. Usually not in a hurry when out to eat but was after concert and was brewed up and hungry so i appreciated the late night quick service. from what i remember i think it was called the louie armstrong burger and it was delicious.
(3)
charlene c.
Best cajun food I've had that wasn't prepared in the Louisiana region. It is definitely one of my favorites in Omaha. It's on the outskirts (I think)of the Old Market which is nice because parking isn't such a hassle. The atomsphere is fun. It can get noisy when they have live music playing at night which doesn't bother me, but my husband can hardly hear as it is. As far as the price, it can be a hit or miss (reason for 4/5 stars). Creoles and Etoufees tend be on the expensive and smaller portion side. But, at my last visit I got the "not full order" of Seafood Little Mamou and it was huge. Regardless, the food is always great and full of flavor.
(4)
Christy S.
Super yummy! I've had 2 diff meals there amazing. The muffuletta was NOT good. Bad meat or something. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff.
(4)
Matthew D.
We went here on Fat Tuesday for lunch. The atmosphere was pretty cool, very entertaining. The staff was very friendly, too. I went with the crawfish po boy, which was nothing too special, but good enough. It wasn't what you might get down south, but for Omaha, I was happy. I definitely plan to go back and try more of the menu.
(4)
Ravyn D.
I have been to this place when I was younger and did not care for it, however, I really enjoyed it this time. Now that I am no longer the picky eater from my childhood, I will try almost anything. The blackened tilapia with the shrimp Alfredo sauce to go on top was delicious, but be careful because it is rich. I actually ordered the sauce on the side because I knew it would be too rich and too much for me to handle if they put it on for me. We also started with fried crawfish tails. They were good but kind of made stomach do some flips. It must have been the spice in the sauce mixed with dipping it in ranch... Either way, it was cool to try something new. :) Overall, it is a great restaurant with a fun, New Orleans vibe. They play music and will even have a live band on certain nights. It is the closest you can get to true Louisiana kitchen cooking in Nebraska and you can explore the Old Market, which is only a few blocks away.
(4)
Shelby B.
I have eaten here on a few occasions for lunch with co-workers. The inside definitely has a cool atmosphere and the staff has been friendly and the service quick. With a lot of people walking in on their lunch hour, they know some people don't have a lot of time. The food has always been good. Not something I am going to brag about as amazing, but solid and quite a few of my coworkers do like their food. A good place to grab a lunch downtown.
(3)
Carter J.
The food was amazing and affordable!! Great people! It was my first time in Omaha. :)
(5)
Brandon H.
Two stars because we liked our waitress. I just Moved into town and a coworker recommended this place for a good bowl of pasta. My review will now officially begin. We had the fried shrimp, jambalaya and blackened chicken fettuccine. The shrimp was ok.. It definitely wasn't cleaned properly. I took of the batter and still saw some of that black fecal matter in the shrimp. Maybe it was a vein... They're tiny. The Jambalaya was over mush. It's taste like an over seasoned BBQ sauce. In fact the seasoning over powers the rice, vegetables, and sausage. You won't taste any of that so I recommend getting something else. The blackened chicken fettuccine was ok. It lacked flavor and needed salt and I hate adding salt to my food. It tasted like cream and some seasoning from the blackened chicken. It was ok, Nothing special about it. You can find something similar over at Olive Garden. I got a tap beer that was flat so my second drink was the tank 7 from the bottle of which can't fail. The women's bathrooms are gross. Two locked stalls with no one in it and the third stall was hard to lock my friend says. No I was not in the women's room. The beignets... Fried dough with powdered sugar and house made whip cream. Can't mess that up. Wait I did LOVE THE MUSIC they played!! Well done Jazz! Overall... I won't be coming back, not even for beignets. If Friday's made a Cajun restaurant, this would be it.
(2)
Marc D.
Louisiana kitchen has a close feeling to the south east gulf side. The decor is wonderful, the large open ceilings make the place seem very large. Stopped in for a lunch and the place was completely full with people waiting to sit. The wait was not too long. the service was stressed and slow. but very friendly even though it was slow the servers were running everywhere. They did not have enough staff to accommodate. Now for the food. I tried the cajun alfredo sauce. The noodles were some of the worst overcooked i have ever had. When i twirled my pasta it turned into mashed potatoes. was just off and horrible. The atmosphere was fun the food was poor. I went there to eat
(2)
Suzy W.
This is my second visit to Jazz. The service was very good and speedy. I ordered the shrimp Po boy, which was so filled with shrimp that it was difficult to eat. The shrimp were tasty and nicely breaded. It was served with hush puppies and coleslaw, which were also flavorful. I thought the $7.50 lunch price was reasonable.
(4)
Rayray J.
We arrived at an awkward time -- not too busy and there was only one cook in the kitchen who was "doing the best he can". We waited at the empty registration for 5 minutes and waited for another 20 minutes and finally got our -- Catfish Nuggets: 3 stars, pretty appetizing, we probably would have left already if not because of these little crunchy soft devils. Another 20 minutes later... Garlic Seafood on Tilapia: Indeed quite an amount of seafood, shrimp, scallops and a bit of crab sticks mixed perfectly on tilapia, and the tilapia itself was a little bit overcooked but seasoned very well, plus I enjoyed the chili powder. 2 lbs of Hot Boiled Crawfish: I don't know... people kept staring at my husband and I (actually basically just me) while we were peeling, cracking the big fat crawfish with our teeth, dipping, chewing, spitting... and sucking our fingers, one by one... until one of the two ladies sitting next to us said, "Excuse me, excuse me, are they good?" She gave me a thumb up and nodded twice, so I confirmed the nodding with a big smile and articulated, "GooOOoo~d!"
(4)
Dee Y.
Not ADA accessible at all. I called for someone to help an elderly lady through the doors for almost 5 minutes. One side of the door was locked and her wheelchair could not enter the frame. 2 bystanders came and assisted her and we both went into the restaurant. I called out 3 more tines for a hostess but they were all in the back laughing and talking. The lady in the wheelchair was disappointed and so was i. Once the waitress decided to come, I told her it was not ADA accessible and she shrugged it off. The lady in the wheelchair looked so uncomfortable with what she just went through to get in the restaurant. The food was just ok, but that 1st experience has given them a negative rating.
(1)
Jack B.
Had issue, management went out of way to correct, so I updated this review
(4)
Slash M.
Awesome taste of New Orleans in Omaha! I would have give five stars but our waiter was a little creep with attitude. Aside from that the food was great. Started off with oysters on the half shell then a shrimp po boy and finished with bread pudding. Been a couple years since I've been here, not waiting so long to come back again.
(4)
Karla V.
Very very good place to eat. I've been to Louisiana and this is as good as it gets being in Nebraska. So much good food. We have been here two times, the first time the help was good but not as good as the second time! Mike was our waiter the second time, and he was amazing he demonstrated how to eat craw fish and pored my ABITA right in front of me. He made this experience even better!
(5)
Megan H.
The two star Yelp review "Meh. I've experienced better" really fits in this situation. I love Cajun and Creole food and was really excited to try Jazz. I've been to NOLA and had some great dishes but I've had very good Cajun and Creole food in other locations like Dallas and Denver. I did not find Jazz to be one of those great places outside of Louisiana. We ordered 2 po boys (one shrimp, one oyster) and one beer. The meal totaled over $30 for a small (for po boy standards) sandwich with around five fried oysters or shrimp, 3 hushpuppies each (but they were done well), and some coleslaw. It was simply too expensive for the lack of flavor. The highest point of the meal was their hot sauce. I did love that. But overall, this place did not beat my craving for a po boy. Sad.
(2)
Mindy F.
Love this place. The food, service, and ambiance are all great. I love the shrimp creole and jambalaya. The bread is fabulous, the butter is special and really adds to the meal. The prices are great and the live bands are really entertaining and makes the place a little more special. Give it a try!
Eclectic environment but the food is sorely lacking in the most basic of creole flavors. I tried the Gumbo. A disappointment to all things culinary. I mean this is downtown Omaha. Where's the hotshot chef wanting to make a name for himself?? The food here is craptacular at best and I'm being nice here. I can hear Gordon Ramsey ever so gently yelling, you f***ing Donkey! What do you mean you didn't bloody taste it. The Gumbo was burned and beyond palatable I couldn't eat it. The crab cakes could have been an omage to Boyz in the Hood because they were full of Dough Boy!! I never tasted any crab. I think they use sauces to mask the horrible culinary nature of the food. Chef Robert Irvine needs to stage an intervention immediately.
(2)
Lacey L.
Ate here one time I was visiting Omaha and I must say the food is good, music is nice and the staff is very friendly. Definitely a place to try if you are ever in the area and are looking for a good Cajun place.
(5)
Timothy B.
Jazz was much more casual than I expected on the inside. I ordered their side salad, a half order of crawfish and andouille pasta and a half order of voodoo chicken strips. The salad was fresh and their homemade croutons were good but they should upgrade their Italian dressing from the premise stuff they served. The crawfish and andouille pasta was great. The portion size was perfect. I could of gotten by with just it and the salad. The voodoo chicken strips had a good flavor but were more than I could finish. Overall I would try Jazz again if I'm in Omaha.
(4)
Scott E.
It was a Saturday afternoon and not very busy which we liked. The space is large with Louisiana collectables on the walls. Waiter Bret was very efficient, friendly and helpful We appreciate him getting us a portion of their creole and shrimp sauce for dipping in the bread. The portions are large so we each ordered a lunch size meal which was more then enough. I had the Louisiana deep fried shrimp and he had the Louisiana deep fried chicken strips. Both served with hush puppies and coleslaw. The coleslaw was excellent. Both meals were delicious. Arrive fast and hot. We did not finish the lunch size portions. The beer was good. Located downtown with street parking everywhere.
(4)
Kira B.
I went here on Father's Day with my sister and dad, i ordered the gumbo and they ordered the seafood fettuccine. Before we got our mail course meals we ordered 2 dozen oysters on the half-shell and 2lbs of craw daddies. The oysters were very delicious, and I would come back just to have more of them. The craw daddies I would give a 3/5. They did hold a very powerful flavour and seasonings. The only issue I see when ordering these is, it didn't seem like 2lbs when I got the dish, and some didn't taste that well. It seems that some of their craw daddies were old or have been sitting out for to long. But everything out of the whole meal the seafood fettuccine was delicious and the shrimp was cooked perfectly. The gumbo was perfect on my opinion. And we did need doggie bags because it was such a large proportion of food.
(4)
Jeremy R.
Fun atmosphere with really good food! Service was excellent as well. wish we had something as good back home!
(4)
Jason G.
I'm glad the last couple of visits is allowing me to start upgrading them...I think from now on I'm sticking with the Louis Armstrong burger because the last few times I've gotten it it's been great...any burger with a big piece of Andouille sausage on it is awesome...plus I love their hush puppies and dirty rice...I also like that the service was really good the last two times I went...the most recent visit it was pretty dead inside, which for me was perfect since it meant I didn't have to be bothered by people and their annoying conversations and such...If things continue on the positive road they have been I will totally give these guys another 5 star review...
(4)
William T.
Very decorative inside and out! My wife had a gift card to eat here that we had for over 2 years and never used it. Id really like to travel to louisiana some day to try all of the great food. We first tried the Beans & Rice with Andouille, which i thought was very tastefull. I tried the Chicken A La Mer because it seemed to be the most popular. I was pretty impressed on taste and flavor. This item also came with rice and beans. My wife tried the Southwest Chicken Fettuccine. She's a huge fan of fettuccine but im not sure if she enjoyed this one. After leaving the restaurant she ended up get food poisoning :(... Not sure if will try it again in the future.
Jazz is definitely a unique dining experience. On the weekends, they have a live band that plays on the level above you, and the general ambiance and decor screams New Orleans. The prices are reasonable for what you get, but some of their seafood is overpriced IMO. The service was good, nothing outstanding. They have a full bar and their specialty drinks. The hurricane was delicious. I usually get the Chicken a La Mer, which is grilled chicken with an amazing Parmesan cream sauce over vegetables and rice. The dish is pretty dang good, but pricey for $15 for a full order and $9.50 for a half. My wife isn't a fan as her food has been brought out overcooked, under cooked, and even cold a time or two. The food is okay, but not worth the drive or the money to me.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Divey Noise Level : Loud Music : Live Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Wed, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Cara A.
This is the type of place you go if you enjoy jazz music, a colorful atmosphere, quality service, and AMAZING food. Many of the dishes have a kick to them, but if you are a creole/cajun fan, you are going to love this place. The Chicken a la Mer is a must have (if you're not a fan on spicy food this is probably a better choice for you), alligator bites are awesome (ask for the hazel sauce to dip them in if they don't bring it out), and the Voodoo Wings are a little different, but very good (they are a little more like a spicy BBQ wing than your standard buffalo wing). We like to primarily sample the specialty dishes and so far we haven't found anything we dislike. If you prefer a formal intimate location this place probably isn't for you. But if you love live music and amazing food, you definitely want to try this place at least once.
(5)Lahaina A.
Came here before the Alton Brown Show, I was excited at first, however, their service lacked organization and took FOREVER. The waitress actually told us "Yeah, sorry for the wait guys,we were debating which one of us gets your table" I'm sorry, but we waited 15 MINUTES just because you guys couldn't make up your damn mind about who should help us? To top it off once she took our drink order some dude came up and asked us what we would like to drink....I'm Now to the food, it was good. I love creole southern food,and honestly it was what have this review three stars. The ambience was ok, the weird musky water smell when first entering threw me off...we're not in the bayou, no need for that smell, especially since you know, WE'RE IN DOORS away from any southern bayou water... All in all, I will be coming again, to try and see if the lack of organization and service might change. I do enjoy the food though, so good job.
(3)Patsy K.
Just visited Jazz again with a group of 3 other friends. Sorry to say the service was HORRIBLE! Food was just OK. Fried oysters were tasteless; My dining partner's jambalaya was bland. Server took our order, served it...and we never saw her again. We all ran out of beverages and no one ever came to refill them. Feel like service and food has really gone downhill.
(2)Moira R.
I love this place. The food is unique and everything I tried is tasty. Your meal comes with free bread with a yummy seasoned butter. There are lots of delicious options (the seafood alfredo is my favorite) and they offer either half or full portions. The half is basically a full-sized normal meal while the full is an insane amount of food (good for leftovers, though). They also offer a menu full of sugary alcoholic drinks such as hurricanes and margaritas that can be fun. They have live jazz music on some nights (there is no cover but there is a surcharge added to every item you order on these nights). It can get really loud so it probably is not best to go on one of these nights if you want to be able to converse normally with your fellow diners.
(4)Sarah G.
Umm... I left Jazz recently with feelings a little less glowing than my previous review. The chicken a la mer was pretty tasty, but the veggies and rice on the side were very conventional and didn't include the spice or pizzazz I would have expected from Jazz. The highlights of this particular meal were the bread and butter, the stuffed mushrooms and the Beignets - hard to dislike fried dough piled with sugar. Ironic that in my last review I made it a point to mention that this place was cheap, while our last trip I felt like it was a little too expensive. Even with the "4 meals and 4 drinks" Groupon we pre-purchased - we somehow ended up with a tab in excess of $100. Strange. We'll perhaps eat here again, but I'm not really in a rush to. I guess ultimately I've been more impressed with their catering than dine-in experiences. Are things just hit or miss here? Was there something different about the last time I had dinner here? I just don't get it.
(3)Veronica D.
Excellent! Brought my sons and family. Perfect for everyone! Brad was great! Best in Omaha!
(5)Jeff W.
Slow service, good food, overly loud music. Our waitress seemed always busy, but she only had three tables that we could see. When we arrived the band was just starting. They were good, but a bit loud and we had a hard time hearing each other. The food was outstanding. I had the crawfish étouffée. It was very good. I also ordered hush puppies that were good.
(3)Mike L.
What a horrible waitress! So far has gotten absolutely nothing right. Brought incomplete drink order followed by an incomplete food order. Yikes. By the time the last two members of our party were served, the rest of us were nearly done. The tables are close together so I noticed the table to our right was brought the wrong order twice before they actually got the correct food. Clearly lacking a service system. Food was ok. Not great but we would have rated 3 stars at least if it was not for the poor service.
(2)Jessie R.
OK, so I love cajun food and I must say that this place really disappointed me. I tried it a couple of years ago and it was a bit better, but today took the cake. My server, while friendly, didn't know anything about the food so she couldn't answer our questions. I asked if the fried seafood platter came with fries and coleslaw, she said yes, but later when our food came when I asked about the fries she said, "we don't have those". I was a bit annoyed that she obviously wasn't actually listening to me. We asked for gumbo before our meal but it came out with my lunch. She didn't say anything about that mistake, and finally what got us was the fact that every single shrimp had a huge vein in the back. After pulling out 4 of my mother's platter, something told me to look closely at the soup. At this point, I had only ate a few bites of the soup and to my disappointment, I found the shrimp there all had veins and I had already eaten them. Our plates were never prebussed. We were the only table. My mother didn't want to say anything, but I really did.
(1)Valerie B.
Out of so much drink options, strawberry and piña colada. Ordered a key lime martini which was expensive and decent but wasn't a great tasting drink. Food was good. Got the chicken al a mer in a half size, it was huge and couldn't finish it. Would come back to try other food, however will not order alcohol again.
(3)Ali A.
This place is seriously gross. I ordered the $1 oysters on the half shell one day and when they came out they were dry and chewy which means they were pre shucked hours before hand and still took 30 mins to be put on ice and delivered. My drink was ok but the staff sits at the bar after their shift and the bartender paid more attention to them than her actual guests. Next time I want oysters or seafood I'll go to Plank!!!!
(1)Kae F.
Ok, I've visited here 4x, and each time I try something different. The first 3x could not complain. The shrimp and grits, chicken etoufee, frog legs, and gator all delicious. My one star is for the Seafood St Charles and crawfish. The St Charles sounds delicious, but in actuality its not. They used imitation crab, like WTH!?. The shrimp were small. The oysters were not cleaned; tasted grainy. It comes with dirty rice. What I ate was some rice with no flavor at all. It didn't even look like dirty rice. The crawfish was overcooked, and were not seasoned. Yes I'd come back again, but I wouldn't order those 3 items ever again. No more jazz for me....I'll look up Cajun recipes on youtube.
(1)Eddie H.
Just picked up a to-go order from Jazz. I live in walking distance and I've ordered a few things to-go from them. Tonight it was 2lbs of crawfish, beignets and some voodoo wings. The order was hot and ready when I arrived. I guess my only complaint is that when I asked the bartender, who you pick up your order from, if she gets the tip for packing it up she was indifferent and meh about it. I still left a $3 tip on the order but really? I grew up in the restaurant business and many places tip out differently. If she packed my order and was responsible for it, and I got everything I asked for, she should get the tip. Maybe she wasn't expecting it but now I have a bit of buyer's remorse about it. If you didn't care, why should I?
(2)Ka'ili H.
How could I have gone to a New Orleans inspired restaurant and NOT get a beignet!??! Craziness. But...what I did try as actually pretty delicious. It was a rare day off from studying for me and two of my friends from school and we decided to have lunch here. It was my first time at this restaurant as well as my other friend and we were hungry! Now...I've been to New Orleans before so of course I had high expectations of this joint. Walking in it was a large place and definitely had the jazz and coziness feel you get from the restaurants down in the big easy. It was pretty busy with a lot of people who probably work in down town. We were seated promptly at pretty small table...but we made it work. I ended up deciding on the small order of the chicken a la mer (i think). My friend who brought us here had the cat fish, and my other friend got the fired alligator and a po boy. We also ordered a side of sweet potato fries and chicken wings. I LOVED the chicken and the chicken wings! The sauce was delish and the chicken wings were wonderful. I even tried a fried alligator, something I avoided in NOLA but felt adventurous on this day. It wasn't that bad...but it wasn't my favorite. Service was quit and our waitress was really informative as we were having a hard time deciding on what to get. The menu is pretty extensive and if you have any questions I recommend asking, because you want to avoid getting a plate you think is too spicy or different. The po boy looked really yummy, my friend enjoyed it a lot. I'll have to come back here to try their po boy and beignets! Oh beignets... it will be like I'm back at Cafe Du Monde =)
(4)Laura K.
Short version: We won't be going back. Long version: My boyfriend and I wandered into Jazz for lunch. We were greeted with a basket of so-so breed accompanied by a margarine based spread. Not so good. I ordered the catfish bites and a side of sweet potato fries. I found the catfish bites bland, and the sweet potato fries were very limp and soggy, not crisp at all. Put it this way.. I found my way back to the bread I didn't much care for! My boyfriend had the catfish Po Boy sandwich. He wasn't impressed. Overall, rather disappointing. We'd rather eat at Popeye's....
(1)Cyrus S.
The service was ok. I had what they called their specialty. The chicken a la mer and the stuffed beignet. It was disappointingly simple and low on flavor. Not a place I would recommend. I expected more.
(2)Lianna N.
This place is definitely unique when it comes to food in Omaha. Although there are a lot of great southern style bbq places and places with fried yumminess, Jazz is one of the few places that has southern food from the gulf area (read: New Orleans) including lots of different seafood and spicy cajun not common in other restaurants. I had Crawfish Alfredo, which was very tasty! The crawfish was already shelled and the small pieces were mixed into the pasta. (i believe i posted a picture of this). The place is Huge and was filled with only a handful of people for lunch hour. I had ventured in here with a living social deal, which was $7 for $14 worth of food. it looked like a few other parties in there were using the living social deal too. Few notes on the place- I am not sure how long they have been established, but they are located on the brink of the old market (read: good location) and the "homeless hangout" (read: not always a great thing). Decor could be updated and revamped, but there is a certain feel to the place that reminds me of the south.There was little wait for the food and decently good service. The food was hot, fresh, and good portions. The price to me was a little steep, which was why I had not gone here before the living social deal (yet always intrigued)...BUT the food was quite delicious and definitely worth another visit. Do expect to be full when you leave, but dont expect the meal to be healthy. This is southern food people. One turn off was that when leaving the restaurant, there was a man outside asking for change, and he followed us to our car. I dont expect this happens all the time, but because of the area, be alert.
(3)Deidre S.
Food was good, nothing amazing. I haven't seen a review regarding the lack of cleanliness. The bathrooms looked like they hadn't been cleaned in days. The floors in the restaurant looked like they hadn't been swept in days...umm...it's a restaurant, you're going to have to sweep and mop folks. Oh, and the HUGE wall with the Southern Comfort Banner was super dusty, the vents and the wood paneling, you could see the layers of dust. And this is a visual focal point of the restaurant. I won't be returning because it makes me wonder how clean the kitchen is. The service was good though, we had no problem with the service at all.
(2)Yennie N.
I was really looking forward to trying this place... but over all I think I can say it was just meh-. from appetizer to entree... I felt like it was lacking a little something. Food wasn't horrible. It was just okay.. like something I would whip up in my kitchen with left over ingredients. There wasn't any one plate that really made me say... Wow this is good! I would definitely come back for more of this!... it was just.. okay been here.. tried it.. not coming back.
(2)Stewart W.
Have eaten at Jazz several times. Generally thought it was OK, not really Cajun but would do in a pinch. There is a reason they don't have an outlet in Louisiana, though. Tonight I had BBQ shrimp. I had an unfortunate standard of what this dish should taste like set by Pascal's Manale in New Orleans. The dish at Jazz was not good. Can't describe what it was about the sauce that I didn't like, other than everything. My girlfriend had catfish, pretty good, along with small dry hushpuppies, also bad, and tasteless slaw. Bread accompanying dinner was chewy, came with faux butter. Excellent service from our waitperson. Did not complain to her because nothing specifically was wrong, but bottom line, not a good meal and it will be some time if ever before we return.
(2)Chris C.
Had dinner at Jazz on Sunday night. Food & service were very good. I had a cup of gumbo and the crawfish etouffee. They have a good selection of draft beers, and it was good to learn they have live music Thursday - Saturday. I would enjoy going back.
(4)Tim C.
Not even close to Louisiana food that I have been brought up to enjoy. The Boudin was too dry tasted like it was warmed in the microwave. The staff was outstanding and friendly. The New Castle Brown Ale was served at the right temp. I will try this place again for a full meal in the evening.
(3)LeLynda B.
This place is a horrible representation of Louisiana food. Cheesy decor, less than helpful staff & has a weird smell. The seafood isn't fresh. I've tried the gator bites (overcooked & rubbery), catfish (greasy) & the crawfish (no flavor & they served it w/ butter!). I lived in New Orleans for a decade & I go back multiple times a year & this food is no where near as good. These people either need a new chef or to change their name.
(1)Colleen L.
Awful. I've lived in Louisiana, so my expectations are high, but this was worse than bad. The boiled crawfish were baked - dry, smelled funky, and were sprinkled with spices. It also only came with one puny potato, not the potatoes and corn I had asked about before ordering. That is not how it is done folks! I sent mine back, but the woman mumbling complaints at the table next to me was not as brave! Service was awful despite a mostly empty restaurant, and the replacement food was edible, but nothing like what it should have been! I will not be going back, even though I long for my fix of cajun food!
(1)Ron S.
We grabbed a groupon for Jazz last night. The place ROCKED! From the moment we opened the door the service was right on time. The portions were large and the food was great. The waiter conversed with us about more than just the order. He also made some great recommendations.We shared a bowl Jambalaya for a appetizer Chicken A La Mer and succotash was the bomb. I say you can't go wrong with this place. Let the complainers do their thing. I say JAZZ is just what they say they are "A Louisiana kitchen" with great food and service. The groupon was more than enough for food and drinks.
(5)Trey M.
Hurricane drinks will make you think you can dance with glow sticks to Jazz music. SO SO SO well made here. The fried pickles are whole pickles, and freaking awesome. The Onion rings are good also. Staff is a tad slow, a little unresponsive at times, and any of the "Main Dinner Entrees" were horrid. So why 4 stars??? I had a freaking blast for happy hour here and the appetizers were very good. The main dish-gumbo was returned and credited.
(4)Maddy G.
Great Omaha restaurant- had the Chicken La Mer which was really tasty and filling. I also tried some of the Beef Stir Fry. Order something with dirty rice! My grandparents even liked it and said they'd be back! (there's baked chicken and veggies for picky eaters). Live saxophone later in the evening. When you're done the casinos are just across the river!
(5)Paige T.
When I first walked inside I was greeted with the pungent oder coming from the dirty bleach water that probably hasn't been changed for days, which has been sloshed on every table in an attempt to clean them. The bathrooms smelled better than the restaurant itself. Luckily it was a nice night so we were able to sit outside. The server finally came by after ten minutes. Drinks came another 15 minutes later. Food was sub par. Didn't get our side order of hush puppies until we got our ticket. Eat here if you would like to wait, wait some more, eat almost ok food, and try to sit outside so you don't have to hold your breath inside. This was my first and last time here.
(1)Kerry L.
Asked the waitperson at least 3 different ways if the "fresh" gulf shrimp was truly fresh and was told they were fresh and flown in daily. I was served frozen shrimp barely thawed out ... :(
(2)Reid R.
I just ordered half pound of smelly ROTTEN shrimp!!!!! Have fun.....
(1)Katrina H.
Well maybe I'm just partial to the Origional Jazz from my hometown in KC,MO ? Granted it was the day after Christmas but this place was empty. Our server got our order wrong and when I paid for our bill with Cash, she didn't even think enough to bring change so that I could tip her. Did she really think that I was going to give her $30 on a $70 bill? How about just making sure that our order was right after all we were your only table. The food was just like I rememberd .. The Cajun chicken Fetta was GREAT!
(3)Amanda P.
Had their shrimp po boy sandwich with sweet potatoe fries. SOO DELICIOUS! i cant wait to go back here and try their other dishes!
(5)Kyle T.
I have eaten here twice now and am ready to share with the Yelpverse my feelings on the joint. First off, MAD PROPS on carrying the Boulevard Smokestack Series beers. At 10 bucks a bottle (22oz) this is a fantastic deal. These beers are usually that much in stores, so that price in a bar. restaurant is OFF THE HOOK! The wait staff was very pleasant, efficient and accurate. What more could you ask for? Well, I guess you could ask for them to all be cute. CHECK! The decor, while obviously "chain" driven and a bit kitschy, is not distracting from the dining experience. Frankly, it doesn't enhance the experience either. Fortunately, once the food arrives, the decor dissolves into the void like cube of sugar in a pipping hot cuppa! I hear there is live music on some nights, which I'd like to scope out sometime. I bet its a riot. The food is excellent! I have spent alot of time in places where the cuisine served at Jazz is native, so I feel I have a fairly good point of reference from which to speak. The Fried Fish Po Boy was fair. Decent fish, not too greasy, just nothing exciting...appropriate for a Po Boy? The Craw-fish Etouffe was EXCELLENT. Savory and just the right amount of kick to keep your mouth alert. Generous portion and plenty of craw-fish to be found! The craw-fish fettuccine (sp? this whole review needs a spell check!) was also excellent! Another generous portion. Cheesy enough to let you know what is was, but peppery enough and spicy enough to remind you where it came from! All in all a great eating experience. The pre dinner rolls were awful, by the way, but that didn't deter my enjoyment of the joint!
(4)Matt M.
Dined in here for the first time last night. The "to go" food has always been good but this dinner was exceptional. I had the blackened talapia with crawfish etouffee and it was great. My gf ordered the Boudin Ball Po Boy and loved it. The beignets with chantilly cream could not have been a better ending. Service and food were both perfect.
(5)Hart P.
Great surprise on a business trip. Not what you expect to find in Omaha.
(4)Mike M.
I ate here 6 years ago, moved to Phoenix, then came back hoping this place was still alive. It is. Had the catfish po' boy, a hurricane, dirty rice, hush puppies and a side of slaw. Um...yes. All were fantastic! I would have ordered the jambalaya or gumbo but my insides were a little swirly from too many gin and tonics the night before, but I would advise ordering one (not the swirly gin and tonics). Our service was fast and friendly, even though the place was busy the GM came by and touched base with us which was a great touch. Great ambiance and jazz band upstairs playing everything from Muddy Waters to MJ. Go here, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Anna O.
Honestly, I live in New Orleans right now and still haven't had food as good as at Jazz. The food is incredible and not too expensive here. Most of the staff are awesome. The patio seating (when available) is great. This is my favorite restaurant in Omaha. Some of the bartenders are not very knowledgeable about drinks, however, so make sure you specify what goes into a cocktail when you order one.
(5)Reed N.
I had to try the fried pickles... always do. They are better here than down at the Twisted Fork. The voodoo wings were also on special. Crispy outside, tender inside. Soaked and slathered in an intense black pepper spiced sauce. I loved them as well. The half portion of pasta I had was the seafood little mamou. It was a spicy cream sauce with fettuccine, scallops, and shrimp. The seafood was not overcooked... so bravo to the Latino brothers in the kitchen cooking. The pasta was a little overcooked and the sauce was dominant instead of integral. They sauce was SO good I could not complain too much. This is a place that has BIG flavors. Think of northern Indian cuisine. Really good stuff.
(4)Laura F.
When I took a bite of the Po Boy Oyster sandwich I wretched, I kid not. DISGUSTING! Also, I have not seen iceberg lettuce in ages, but it's here! Decor cute-ish Star for the beignets, which were tasty.
(1)Yvette F.
This place is an insult to the Louisiana people. The food has no seasoning. The gumbo is not made fresh. Very disappointing for this Louisiana native.
(1)Benjamin S.
This place has definetly gotten better with time. I lived in Omaha years ago and would frequent this place often. After spending time in the south prior, this was the best option for cajun food, although I was never that impressed. However, I spend time back in NE for work now and have noticed a VAST improvement since back in the day. Their etouffe is some of the best I have had outside of New Orleans. Their pastas, blacked dishes, and lemon pepper chicken is also top notch across the board. I'd give this place 5 stars, but their appetizers could definetly use some work. Other than that, fun atmosphere, good portions, and good drinks.
(4)Mike W.
Ok, I am biased, as I have lived in New Orleans most of my life. Started off with the crawfish - dry and rubbery! Definitely overcooked. Not sure what method they used, as there was a good amount of a dry spice on the shells - doesn't happen in Louisiana. I should know better, but I gave them a shot - never again. The crawfish were of good size, would love to know the source and get a few pounds to take home and cook myself. Had the blackened catfish entree, not as bad as the crawfish, but overcooked and dry. Always looking for a little taste of home, guess my search continues.
(1)Andy J.
Service was bad. Waitress kept apologizing for the bad service but it never improved. Jambalaya was actually spicy and really good. Main entrée was the Monday night beer and bug special. 2 pounds of crawfish and 2 draft beers for $14.99. Overall food was good but I cannot rate higher due to the bad service.
(3)Jeffrey C.
The oysters were so terrible I could barely eat the rest of my food. Music was so loud we couldn't talk to each other at the table. Service was attentive, but couldn't make up for lousy food.
(2)Sharon J.
Love the Shrimp Po Boy!! The sauce is to die for!! Great with the Sweet Potato Salad!
(4)Christine B.
Jazz gives me two reasons to visit once a year (this coming from a girl who is not a fan of national chains - but they're only in a handful of states, so does it count?!): 1. Crawfish fettucini. It's the closest thing a girl can get to crawfish monica in the middle of the USA. If you've ever been to Jazzfest in LA, then you know what I'm talkin' about. 2. Beignets. Who doesn't love fried up dough covered in powdered sugar served with a side of chantilly cream?! Show me a place that fries up fresh beignets in Omaha and I'll consider defecting. Overall, the music can be too loud, the crowd can be a bit noisy (there are ALOT of tables in there) and the other items I've tried on the menu are so-so. All that aside, the crawfish and carbs in fatty cream sauce follow by fried up sweetened dough will get me every time.
(3)Cindy C.
Too bad you can't give '0' stars. Just contacted the present manager to let them know of a bad experience we had last year on Fat Tuesday. It took them 40 minutes to split checks for 13 people. The new manager's response was that this is the only day they don't split checks because of the amount of time it takes to do this. Sorry, but I have been a waitress in my past life for years. It isn't that hard to split checks if told up front that this is what you want done. Why can it be done efficiently every day of the year and not on this day? Yes, I get that it is busier, but really? It shouldn't take 40 minutes to split a check. I think it was done this way to make a point. Point made...........avoid this place is the point I got. Stay clear of this restaurant.............it's dirty and divey. Food isn't that good anyway.
(1)Nick B.
Good food. Good drinks. Good people. Actually, I'm quite surprised at how it stays open. I've never been here when it's busy. I had the blackened catfish. It came with seasonal veggies and dirty rice. It was a large portion of food, yet, delicious to where I didn't feel stuffed outta my gord. I'll go back.
(4)Josh C.
From what I can tell, Jazz is the best place for Cajun food in the city, if not the state. I highly recommend the Tour of New Orleans appetizer: with gumbo, red beans, jambalaya and hush puppies, it's enough for a meal and gives a great sampling of some Cajun staples. I've also had the blackened chicken before, which I also enjoyed. Though it should go without saying, be warned: Jazz is not for those who can't take a little spice. And it is true what others have noted: it's not a clean, modern restaurant. It's an old, dingy hole in the wall. But that's authentic New Orleans, folks. The best Asian places don't have white servers, the best Mexican places don't use yellow cheese, and the best Cajun places look like they weathered hurricane Katrina. Reading other reviews of the place, I see some people have had bad experiences, which is very unfortunate, but sounds mostly like a few bad servers (or one recurring one) to me. Service has been a little hit-and-miss in my experience, but never what I would call bad. Oh, and Cindy C., being a server, maybe you should have been more empathetic than to ask for 13 separate checks on what is probably the restaurant's busiest day of the year -- if not for your server, then at least for the customers you kept her from helping by making her do that.
(4)cody c.
Food is pricy here. I ordered the Cajun Shrimp and it was actually a cold shrimp with sprinkle of Cajun spice that you are to dip into the cocktail shrimp sauce on the side. It cost $11.99/lb. I think I can do that at home easily. I was expecting the Cajun sauce with garlic, butter, etc... I also orderd the gumbo, came out all dark green. Totaly different from the style in California. Now I wonder, which one is the real Louisana food.
(2)Andy M.
Amazing southern-style food in downtown Omaha. From the outside, you might expect it to be a quick-service joint, but it is definitely sit down. Still, service is fast and efficient. I stopped in for lunch around 1 PM on a weekday. There were only a few other tables. I was very impressed with the service. My server was incredibly friendly and attentive to all of my requests. Sometimes when things get slow, service can waver, but this was not one of those times. Everything was spot-on. After carefully studying the inside of the menu, I realized there was an entire back panel with lunch specials. Not easy to find, but do be aware of this if you go for lunch. I had the combination fried shrimp and fried oysters. Everything was cooked perfectly and came out in short order. I upgraded my hush puppies to sweet potato fries, which were almost perfectly crisp with just the right balance of sweet and salty. I'm usually not a fan of battered fries, but these were the exception because they were done right. I will definitely be back to try this place for dinner or some live music. It's probably a blast when it's packed.
(5)NEAL B.
Great Cajun Crawfish Fettuccine in a dark creol cream Alfredo sauce. Loved it!
(5)Joseph G.
Whatever. I would say its Meh - OK. Somewhere different to go at least. I keep my food on my plate, so I rarely note how dirty a place is. Actually it's more authentic to Naw Lins then. Tried the jambalaya and it was good enough. How many places in Omaha have it? Reason for this write up it for the Voodoo Wings. Back to the Meh theme. Different, but back to the importance of some decent beer raises the enjoyment. Anyways Wednesday special makes the price digestible.
(3)Dennis K.
I really liked Jazz.Had a cup of gumbo and a cod po'boy.Both were delish.My only complaint is we ordered a hurricane and it came in a plastic glass.Thats a pretty big no no in my book.Other than that it was damn good
(4)K G.
I really, really did not enjoy the food, atmosphere or service here. The meal was okay, but salty, like it was marinated in the ocean. And the silverware and tabletop were dirty and service, crazy slow. Dislike.
(2)Brent W.
We ate here because we saw it when we went for a walk. I have to say this is some of the best New Orleans food I have had outside of New Orleans. The sauces were perfect. Everything we ate was first rate. We were not disappointed. The bread pudding was awesome too. My son is going to law school at Creighton and when we come back to visit him and his family we are going to eat here again!
(5)Nathan C.
Just not a good experience. We stopped by on a slow Tuesday night. They were out of oysters on the half shell. Super. I had the fried shrimp / oyster dinner. My gf had the chicken a la mer. My oysters were pretty good, but the shrimp were very average. The coleslaw was literally tasteless. My gf didn't believe me so she tried it and agreed -- there wasn't even the slightest taste of cabbage...or anything. It was just not good. The chicken a la mer (which the very nice waitress said is their most popular dis) was okay for the price. Seriously, though, for a NOLA experience this is not the place.
(2)Kevin B.
I bought a Groupon to try them out. First thoughts, the whole place looks like it could use a good clean, particularly the floor. The floor looks like it hasn't been buffed in years. The woodwork on the walls looks dingy, it could use a polish too. The menu, a lot of things are clear, but there are also items that have no description leaving you guessing what they are. Sure "taste of new orleans", "seafood platter" I should just know what's in those by the name. I tried the crawfish cakes as an app, they came covered in a sauce that had lumps of crawfish. The plate wasn't pretty, looked like someone was sick on it, just a brown mess. The crawfish tasted off, the cakes weren't very good either. 3 bites and I was done. I also had the seafood platter, which is catfish (sea-food???), fried oysters, and beer battered shrimp, hush puppies, and cajun coleslaw. Fried oysters were ok, catfish ok, but the tartar to go with it was kind of bland. The beer battered shrimp really soaked up the grease, and when you picked them up the battering fell off. Hush puppies were dry and really sweet. The cajun coleslaw, was good, but there was nothing "cajun" about it, it was just coleslaw. Service was ok. Stood at the unattended host stand a couple minutes before someone noticed me. I take that back, 2 people noticed me, but even though it was dead and they didn't appear to be doing anything they didn't bother to greet me, one guy just walked near me and turned around. It was odd. Once seated and given a menu service was pretty normal.
(1)Phil P.
Wow - pretty disappointing. I had a shrimp po-boy. For being a Cajun restaurant the food was very bland and boring. I would continue to look for another place to eat. This restaurant would also benefit from a very deep cleaning. It is very dirty and dark.
(1)Dan M.
Had a very underwhelming experience here. Service was slow. It took forever to get anything from the bar. The waitress was blaming them for the wait on simple tap beers. The food came out very quickly, so maybe she was right. Unfortunately, the food was not as good as the tap beer. I got the jambalaya. It was served with crackers on the side. Not sure why. It was the driest jambalaya I have ever had. There wasn't an ounce of liquid in the entire bowl! Ditto on the red beans and rice. This should be a simple staple side dish, but again, zero moisture. Made the wait between beers even worse. Also leads me to believe that both these items were made up days in advance of my visit. Don't think your visit will be improved by the ambiance. It won't be. Very tired and dirty versus New Orleans cool and retro.
(2)Andrew G.
Pretty good. Spices were not overpowering, menu was huge, and definitely some authentic sounding things. I was with 3 others and we all liked what we got. Blackened catfish was very nice.
(4)Erica J.
So I only stopped in here for dessert (beignets) and coffee with friends, but on a busy Saturday evening they were able to seat 6 of us very quickly. The beignets were fantastic - warm and fresh, and 4 of them with cream for $2! The band that was playing on the upper level was really good, although they do charge you $.50 additional on each menu item when the band is playing. That's pretty bogus, but at least the music was enjoyable. Service was average for a busy night - not too fast, but not terribly slow, either. I'm only docking them a star for trying too hard with the decorations. It's like somebody dumped a New Orleans gift shop in there, including the dirty t-shirts that the servers wear.
(4)Christopher W.
After overpaying for drinks at Sullivan's, we opted to catch a meal at something more our speed -- our speed being cheaper and blue-collar. Jazz A does not disappoint, as it was overly-lit and spacious, friendly staff, and a great menu. I would recommend the Jambalaya to start, as it was excellent and rich. Avoid the reheated crawfish, a huge letdown for a cajun-inspired restaurant. The hot sauce made an attempt at heat, but fell a little short and settled for spicy. The Boulevard Wheat was a nice addition to my mental beer library as well. Get fed here, skip Sullivan's unless you have an expense account and don't mind $10 for an over-iced Stoli.
(4)Matt J.
I love me some cajun food but this was not all that great.... First I have to say something about their "cover charge". It's clearly stated on the door that if they have a band, that they charge $.50 extra per item if there is a band instead of charging at the door. Not too bad right? Well apparently one guy with an electonic keyboard that sang for 10 minutes while we were there qualifies as a "band". Plus, it's not just each dinner... It's each and every drink, every side order, everything... Ok that said, on to the food. I had the boiled crawfish... I've had better.... Wasn't all that great. My girlfriend loves catfish, but she couldn't even eat her catfish diane. It was just a big pile of everything on the plate with the fish hidden in the middle. 0 stars for plating. It was a Thursday so they had $.50 oysters on the half shell. Those were really good and the beignet for dessert was good, but the rest I could have passed on. Dinners range about $10-14. They have daily specials so check out their online menu to see what they have going on. Just be prepared to pay that extra fee on every single item you order if they have a "band".
(2)S F.
I love this place! We go there probably once a month and everything I've ever had has been really good.. I especially love the Gumbo and with the basket of bread and their special butter it's a very nice lunch. YUM! Not a fan of the pay for parking thing but it's only about $.75 for lunch so not horrible.
(5)Carrie H.
Stopped in the other night ... conveniently the Chicken A La Mer (and what I was craving!) is the Tuesday night special - who doesn't like their dinner half price!?! Creamy parmesan deliciousness with crab and shrimp poured all over a Cajun battered chicken breast served on a bed of dirty rice and yummy veggie medley (which of course we sprinkled more of that scrumptious Cajun seasoning on - which by the way we love that is already on the table!!!) We started off with the fried okra. I am picky when it comes to okra - my dad was from the south and we grew our own on the farm (where else are you going to get okra in the middle of Nebraska 30 years ago!?!) and Jazz Kitchen did not disappoint. Crispy simple batter and seemingly fresh cut okra ... brought to our table quickly and piping hot! Dipped in ranch we were in heaven (why hadn't I discovered THAT when I was a kid???) - we wished we had ordered more.:) Dinner was great ... service was fine too (I ignored the girl that was in training who disappeared when we asked the simplest of questions and insisted my sweet tea wasn't sweet. Her trainer quickly stepped in a saved the night! Whew!) ... Jazz is a fun place to grab a bite when you have a hankering for Creole tastiness! My ONLY real complaint about Jazz Kitchen honestly ... please dust ... someone ... PLEASE! I was worried as the cobwebs and layers of dust loomed over our table as we ate. I am ALL about the ambiance and the knickknacks - don't get me wrong - they are lovely, but someone really needs to get out the step ladder and a feather duster. Things like that make me wonder what the kitchen is like ... just saying ... and thus the 4 stars and not 5. :)
(4)Alexandria S.
Respectable spice levels, though the dude I was with complained that his sandwich was too spicy (it wasn't). The atmosphere felt like something out of The Princess and the Frog, not really that reminiscent of home cooked meals in the south, in my opinion. It is spaced out nicely and wasn't at all crowded when we dined there, which is always beneficial when dining with a toddler. The kids meals were fairly cheap and edible. The waitress was attentive and the overall bill wasn't too expensive. Not too shabby, but not a place I would frequent or request to dine at when with friends.
(3)Phoebe R.
Ok, this is serious; I'm never letting my coworkers choose a dining establishment again. Every time I walk by Jazz with people new to town they are dazzled by the bright colors but I warn them! No! Don't even think about it. We went here at the earliest part of lunch hour with a table of 8 and the entire place was empty. By the time we got our food, 40 minutes later, the restaurant was full and everyone, literally everyone had their food before us. Then someone dropped a glass in the fish tank behind us and the water splashed on our table/shirts/food. Plus the food was not memorable at all.
(1)Bill B.
1st time in Omaha. Traveling alone for business. Looking for a place to eat and saw the reviews for Jazz. I must say I was not disappointed! The atmosphere is so authentic, it almost feels touristy when you 1st walk in. But you quickly realize this is the real deal. Right down to the sax player walking the floor. I was in the mood for Cajun and was about to order the ettoufee (SP), when the appetizer caught my attention. I settled on the tour of New Orleans (enough for 2), and an oyster PO-Boy. Everything was prepared nicely and the service was great. I will definitely come back the next time I'm in Omaha. Next time I will have to try the Jambalya or Etoufee. I saw the earlier comment about the neighborhood. I was walking the street by myself and felt very comfortable. I did notice while driving that the area declines quickly a few blocks away.
(4)Oscar G.
If you are looking for good Creole cuisine in Omaha, this is a good place to eat. I have never been here for dinner, so my review is based strictly on lunch visits. The atmosphere is reminiscent of just about any place in the French Quarter, but cleaner. The lunch menu is vast, and most of their offerings are reasonably priced. I usually don't mess with the traditional lunch items, and go straight to the $11 Shrimp Diane, which is my favorite on the menu. That, paired with a huge glass of Luzianne Iced Tea makes a great stomach-filler. As for the service, it is usually quick and friendly. They tend to hire either over-zealous staff that won't leave you alone, or more frequently, young adults who could care less about you and only stop by to take your order and bring your bill. Since everyone has their own observations, this is my take.
(3)C P.
We ordered take out and it didn't disappoint. The blackened shrimp was served on rice that tasted just right! I thought it'd be fun to visit the actual restaurant some day but so far I haven't had much luck finding parking nearby...
(5)AD H.
Being from Louisiana I know cajun, creole, down south cuisine, I've lived in NE for 8years now, I've never stepped into Jazz until 2011, thought the outside decor was nice, inside is another story, its dark, the customer service is horrible, you have no idea if you're suppose to seat yourself, or wait for some kid to seat you, the food was quite disgusting, everything taste like it was fried in the same grease, sweet tea isn't so sweet, but strawberry soda is great....OVERALL HORRIBLE FOOD AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.....greasy non-creole food....
(1)Charles G.
Not bad, I guess, for a chain. It has a fun atmosphere and a good beer selection. The food is simply okay. I've had much, much better, but I've had much, much worse. The dishes I've had have been more fattening than necessary. Kids like the beads.
(3)David D.
Food is above average Cajun. (especially for Omaha) Fav: crawfish étouffée with jambalaya The establishment could use some work. Overall I like it.
(4)Lani R.
Awesome! I got the Seafood St.Charles outstanding flavor red sauce with a kick plus a hint of sweetness & coconut flavor. Only thing that would've made it better would've been a few more select chunks of seafood on my plate. Super yummy, so much so, that my hubs kept trying to steal it. I also had the frog legs & fried pickles which were light & crispy fried to perfection. Pricing was reasonable, portions were great, just right. Everything was spiced to perfection & packed heat no matter if it was marked spicy or not but to me that's expected with Cajun. Beignets were delicious with yummy Chantilly cream dipping sauce. Service was decent could've been more attentive ( my glass was empty half of dinner) but the food was so yummy I'll let it slide. I'm not an expert on Cajun food, but I do know good food & good flavors & that's what this place has.
(4)Amy M.
I really wanted to like this place but the food was bland and cold by the time it arrived at our table. Not worth it - I doubt I'll be back - I'll just wait for my next trip to Nawlins and get the real thing.
(1)Anna R.
My Husband and I have been there 4 times in six weeks! Love the jambalaya ,craw fish étouffée and to die for chicken la mer!
(5)Ryan t.
If you've read any of my previous reviews, you know I travel to Louisiana a fair amount for work, and have had the opportunity to sample some fantastic Cajun restaurants. When I heard about a Cajun restaurant in downtown Omaha, I knew I had to check it out, but I had no idea what to expect. The atmosphere of this place is great. A lot of the decor could be stuff straight from the French Quarter after Hurricane Katrina. But I wasn't interested in how the place was decorated. This isn't HGTV. My food was excellent. I had the full order of the blackened shrimp with dirty rice. I also tried the Voodoo Wings as an appetizer, which probably means several chickens somewhere were feeling serious pain as I devoured this cursed dish. The wife had the fried catfish, which was prepared well and served with slaw and hush puppies. I didn't think the prices were bad considering the portion sizes, but we did have a server who incorrectly attempted to correct my grammar and was otherwise pretty lame. If you're itching for some bayou fixings, you won't be disappointed.
(4)Matt J.
My first mistake is that I went here thinking it was a little more classy. It's not, more of a dive that want's to look like a dive. The food was not that great, had a po boy and well I could have made that. The service was slow and the atmosphere boring. Whatever, it's Omaha not LA.
(2)Tyler R.
Stopped in here for the first time and had the special of the day, which was blackened catfish. While the other food that came on the plate was of no special mention, the catfish was cooked perfectly and was quite possibly one of the best seasoned meals i have eaten for a long time.
(4)John H.
Probably the best Louisiana restaurant in Omaha, wait, it's the only one in Omaha. While the food is excellent (I would say a perfect 5/5) I had to deduct for the reasons below. First it is expensive. I normally spend about $18 when it is just me. Also it is way too dark, like lighting would set them back that much. Also when they have music it is simply too loud. When I leave my head is spinning and I feel like I have the flu. Lastly the building STINKS! It has always been that way. over the last 12 years something like 4-5 restaurants have taken a crack at that corner and none of them managed to cover the smell up. Lastly they are SLOW! Even a poboy can take 15 minutes. I suggest calling ahead and getting takeout. Then you avoid all the negatives that are not connected with their food. Quite a shame really, as I wanted to like the place. But I had a bad feeling when on the first day they opened they left me at a table with nothing to drink for nearly a half hour before getting a simple poboy to me (and I was the only customer in the place). lastly avoid the gumbo! It looks like mud water and tastes about the same. The Jambalaya however is simply the best I have ever had.
(3)Ambri W.
I love this place! The Crawfish are fantastic and pretty much everything they serve is straight up authentic from what you would get down in New Orleans. I went to a local fish market in New Orleans and got a bag of cooked crawfish and thought to myself...Jazz's Crawfish are way better. Get the crawfish!
(5)D C.
Best Cajun I've had in Omaha, good menu (po'boys, crawfish, jambalaya, etc) and good happy hour specials.
(4)Christine S.
Really the only Cajun place in Omaha. Where else are you going to get 2lbs and 2 beers for 10 bucks on Wednesdays? Love the beignets, and they have good prices for oysters on Thursdays. A negative thing though is I have never had a good experience with the wait staff. They always seem to have too big of area, with too little of training and do not know how to refill water glasses, and maybe that is managements fault.
(4)Celia C.
What a great place! Even at 17:00 on a Wednesday evening with 2 other patrons. The inside is so busy and decorated, and open. The food was great- I had jambalaya and the boudin balls- yum! It looked like some live music was getting set up when I left, and the stage was above the floor. It looked like it would have been a lot of fun. I'm in town on business and it was close to my hotel so it worked really well. I would definitely come back again!
(5)Audrey F.
This is a awesome place. Best seafood I have ever had in Nebraska. This is my favorite place to go when I am in Omaha. I always make sure I eat before the band comes, otherwise they charge a extra 50 cents for each food item you order. I am not going so I can hear the band. I only go for the food. As far as the wait staff...Most of the time it is very good. I notice the hostess who seat's us is not always up front ready to seat people who come in. Sometimes we have to wait because the hostess is off socializing with the rest of the staff. over all, this is a awesome place. After all, we live in Nebraska.
(5)J C.
Ate here after 11 pm on sunday night. We were only ones in restaurant but had great/ quick service. Usually not in a hurry when out to eat but was after concert and was brewed up and hungry so i appreciated the late night quick service. from what i remember i think it was called the louie armstrong burger and it was delicious.
(3)charlene c.
Best cajun food I've had that wasn't prepared in the Louisiana region. It is definitely one of my favorites in Omaha. It's on the outskirts (I think)of the Old Market which is nice because parking isn't such a hassle. The atomsphere is fun. It can get noisy when they have live music playing at night which doesn't bother me, but my husband can hardly hear as it is. As far as the price, it can be a hit or miss (reason for 4/5 stars). Creoles and Etoufees tend be on the expensive and smaller portion side. But, at my last visit I got the "not full order" of Seafood Little Mamou and it was huge. Regardless, the food is always great and full of flavor.
(4)Christy S.
Super yummy! I've had 2 diff meals there amazing. The muffuletta was NOT good. Bad meat or something. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff.
(4)Matthew D.
We went here on Fat Tuesday for lunch. The atmosphere was pretty cool, very entertaining. The staff was very friendly, too. I went with the crawfish po boy, which was nothing too special, but good enough. It wasn't what you might get down south, but for Omaha, I was happy. I definitely plan to go back and try more of the menu.
(4)Ravyn D.
I have been to this place when I was younger and did not care for it, however, I really enjoyed it this time. Now that I am no longer the picky eater from my childhood, I will try almost anything. The blackened tilapia with the shrimp Alfredo sauce to go on top was delicious, but be careful because it is rich. I actually ordered the sauce on the side because I knew it would be too rich and too much for me to handle if they put it on for me. We also started with fried crawfish tails. They were good but kind of made stomach do some flips. It must have been the spice in the sauce mixed with dipping it in ranch... Either way, it was cool to try something new. :) Overall, it is a great restaurant with a fun, New Orleans vibe. They play music and will even have a live band on certain nights. It is the closest you can get to true Louisiana kitchen cooking in Nebraska and you can explore the Old Market, which is only a few blocks away.
(4)Shelby B.
I have eaten here on a few occasions for lunch with co-workers. The inside definitely has a cool atmosphere and the staff has been friendly and the service quick. With a lot of people walking in on their lunch hour, they know some people don't have a lot of time. The food has always been good. Not something I am going to brag about as amazing, but solid and quite a few of my coworkers do like their food. A good place to grab a lunch downtown.
(3)Carter J.
The food was amazing and affordable!! Great people! It was my first time in Omaha. :)
(5)Brandon H.
Two stars because we liked our waitress. I just Moved into town and a coworker recommended this place for a good bowl of pasta. My review will now officially begin. We had the fried shrimp, jambalaya and blackened chicken fettuccine. The shrimp was ok.. It definitely wasn't cleaned properly. I took of the batter and still saw some of that black fecal matter in the shrimp. Maybe it was a vein... They're tiny. The Jambalaya was over mush. It's taste like an over seasoned BBQ sauce. In fact the seasoning over powers the rice, vegetables, and sausage. You won't taste any of that so I recommend getting something else. The blackened chicken fettuccine was ok. It lacked flavor and needed salt and I hate adding salt to my food. It tasted like cream and some seasoning from the blackened chicken. It was ok, Nothing special about it. You can find something similar over at Olive Garden. I got a tap beer that was flat so my second drink was the tank 7 from the bottle of which can't fail. The women's bathrooms are gross. Two locked stalls with no one in it and the third stall was hard to lock my friend says. No I was not in the women's room. The beignets... Fried dough with powdered sugar and house made whip cream. Can't mess that up. Wait I did LOVE THE MUSIC they played!! Well done Jazz! Overall... I won't be coming back, not even for beignets. If Friday's made a Cajun restaurant, this would be it.
(2)Marc D.
Louisiana kitchen has a close feeling to the south east gulf side. The decor is wonderful, the large open ceilings make the place seem very large. Stopped in for a lunch and the place was completely full with people waiting to sit. The wait was not too long. the service was stressed and slow. but very friendly even though it was slow the servers were running everywhere. They did not have enough staff to accommodate. Now for the food. I tried the cajun alfredo sauce. The noodles were some of the worst overcooked i have ever had. When i twirled my pasta it turned into mashed potatoes. was just off and horrible. The atmosphere was fun the food was poor. I went there to eat
(2)Suzy W.
This is my second visit to Jazz. The service was very good and speedy. I ordered the shrimp Po boy, which was so filled with shrimp that it was difficult to eat. The shrimp were tasty and nicely breaded. It was served with hush puppies and coleslaw, which were also flavorful. I thought the $7.50 lunch price was reasonable.
(4)Rayray J.
We arrived at an awkward time -- not too busy and there was only one cook in the kitchen who was "doing the best he can". We waited at the empty registration for 5 minutes and waited for another 20 minutes and finally got our -- Catfish Nuggets: 3 stars, pretty appetizing, we probably would have left already if not because of these little crunchy soft devils. Another 20 minutes later... Garlic Seafood on Tilapia: Indeed quite an amount of seafood, shrimp, scallops and a bit of crab sticks mixed perfectly on tilapia, and the tilapia itself was a little bit overcooked but seasoned very well, plus I enjoyed the chili powder. 2 lbs of Hot Boiled Crawfish: I don't know... people kept staring at my husband and I (actually basically just me) while we were peeling, cracking the big fat crawfish with our teeth, dipping, chewing, spitting... and sucking our fingers, one by one... until one of the two ladies sitting next to us said, "Excuse me, excuse me, are they good?" She gave me a thumb up and nodded twice, so I confirmed the nodding with a big smile and articulated, "GooOOoo~d!"
(4)Dee Y.
Not ADA accessible at all. I called for someone to help an elderly lady through the doors for almost 5 minutes. One side of the door was locked and her wheelchair could not enter the frame. 2 bystanders came and assisted her and we both went into the restaurant. I called out 3 more tines for a hostess but they were all in the back laughing and talking. The lady in the wheelchair was disappointed and so was i. Once the waitress decided to come, I told her it was not ADA accessible and she shrugged it off. The lady in the wheelchair looked so uncomfortable with what she just went through to get in the restaurant. The food was just ok, but that 1st experience has given them a negative rating.
(1)Jack B.
Had issue, management went out of way to correct, so I updated this review
(4)Slash M.
Awesome taste of New Orleans in Omaha! I would have give five stars but our waiter was a little creep with attitude. Aside from that the food was great. Started off with oysters on the half shell then a shrimp po boy and finished with bread pudding. Been a couple years since I've been here, not waiting so long to come back again.
(4)Karla V.
Very very good place to eat. I've been to Louisiana and this is as good as it gets being in Nebraska. So much good food. We have been here two times, the first time the help was good but not as good as the second time! Mike was our waiter the second time, and he was amazing he demonstrated how to eat craw fish and pored my ABITA right in front of me. He made this experience even better!
(5)Megan H.
The two star Yelp review "Meh. I've experienced better" really fits in this situation. I love Cajun and Creole food and was really excited to try Jazz. I've been to NOLA and had some great dishes but I've had very good Cajun and Creole food in other locations like Dallas and Denver. I did not find Jazz to be one of those great places outside of Louisiana. We ordered 2 po boys (one shrimp, one oyster) and one beer. The meal totaled over $30 for a small (for po boy standards) sandwich with around five fried oysters or shrimp, 3 hushpuppies each (but they were done well), and some coleslaw. It was simply too expensive for the lack of flavor. The highest point of the meal was their hot sauce. I did love that. But overall, this place did not beat my craving for a po boy. Sad.
(2)Mindy F.
Love this place. The food, service, and ambiance are all great. I love the shrimp creole and jambalaya. The bread is fabulous, the butter is special and really adds to the meal. The prices are great and the live bands are really entertaining and makes the place a little more special. Give it a try!
(4)Chad K.
I've eaten here a few times over the last year. I enjoy it. The food isn't spectacular, but it is good. Also, it's one of the few places to get this type of cuisine in Omaha. It's located downtown so parking is street parking and thus comes with all of the annoyances associated with that. This place is actually a bit of a chain restaurant in that there are 5 other locations scattered across the western US. I've had their Gumbo, Crawfish Étoufée, Blackened Chicken Fettuccine, and Jambalaya. All were good. Nothing was over-spiced nor bland, over-cooked nor under-cooked. The food is all very tasty. I think people get a little too hung up on authenticity. It's mostly a silly concept. For example, if I ask a dozen people to make me potato salad I'll get a dozen different potato salads and who's to say which is "authentic" American cuisine? It varies by family, by taste, by region and subregion, by culture, and so on. Don't assume because you were served a certain type of cuisine in a certain way that you've had the only authoritative and authentic version of that cuisine. Just forget about authenticity for a moment and focus on taste. Does the food taste good? If so, then that's all that really matters. The service here could use some improvement. Servers are easily overwhelmed and they're inattentive and complacent. You'll spend a decent portion of your meal micromanaging your waitperson. Restaurant is supposed to have a bit of a Louisiana/swamp/rustic thing going on (if that what you call that) but that's not the vibe I get. To me it feels a little dirty inside. I didn't see anything that jumped out at me as being particularly dirty or of any real concern, but it's just an overall feel to the place. They really should class it up a little bit. I'm not "chomping at the bit" to come back here, but if someone suggested it then I would be totally in favor of it. Good food.
(4)Avonni H.
Eclectic environment but the food is sorely lacking in the most basic of creole flavors. I tried the Gumbo. A disappointment to all things culinary. I mean this is downtown Omaha. Where's the hotshot chef wanting to make a name for himself?? The food here is craptacular at best and I'm being nice here. I can hear Gordon Ramsey ever so gently yelling, you f***ing Donkey! What do you mean you didn't bloody taste it. The Gumbo was burned and beyond palatable I couldn't eat it. The crab cakes could have been an omage to Boyz in the Hood because they were full of Dough Boy!! I never tasted any crab. I think they use sauces to mask the horrible culinary nature of the food. Chef Robert Irvine needs to stage an intervention immediately.
(2)Lacey L.
Ate here one time I was visiting Omaha and I must say the food is good, music is nice and the staff is very friendly. Definitely a place to try if you are ever in the area and are looking for a good Cajun place.
(5)Timothy B.
Jazz was much more casual than I expected on the inside. I ordered their side salad, a half order of crawfish and andouille pasta and a half order of voodoo chicken strips. The salad was fresh and their homemade croutons were good but they should upgrade their Italian dressing from the premise stuff they served. The crawfish and andouille pasta was great. The portion size was perfect. I could of gotten by with just it and the salad. The voodoo chicken strips had a good flavor but were more than I could finish. Overall I would try Jazz again if I'm in Omaha.
(4)Scott E.
It was a Saturday afternoon and not very busy which we liked. The space is large with Louisiana collectables on the walls. Waiter Bret was very efficient, friendly and helpful We appreciate him getting us a portion of their creole and shrimp sauce for dipping in the bread. The portions are large so we each ordered a lunch size meal which was more then enough. I had the Louisiana deep fried shrimp and he had the Louisiana deep fried chicken strips. Both served with hush puppies and coleslaw. The coleslaw was excellent. Both meals were delicious. Arrive fast and hot. We did not finish the lunch size portions. The beer was good. Located downtown with street parking everywhere.
(4)Kira B.
I went here on Father's Day with my sister and dad, i ordered the gumbo and they ordered the seafood fettuccine. Before we got our mail course meals we ordered 2 dozen oysters on the half-shell and 2lbs of craw daddies. The oysters were very delicious, and I would come back just to have more of them. The craw daddies I would give a 3/5. They did hold a very powerful flavour and seasonings. The only issue I see when ordering these is, it didn't seem like 2lbs when I got the dish, and some didn't taste that well. It seems that some of their craw daddies were old or have been sitting out for to long. But everything out of the whole meal the seafood fettuccine was delicious and the shrimp was cooked perfectly. The gumbo was perfect on my opinion. And we did need doggie bags because it was such a large proportion of food.
(4)Jeremy R.
Fun atmosphere with really good food! Service was excellent as well. wish we had something as good back home!
(4)Jason G.
I'm glad the last couple of visits is allowing me to start upgrading them...I think from now on I'm sticking with the Louis Armstrong burger because the last few times I've gotten it it's been great...any burger with a big piece of Andouille sausage on it is awesome...plus I love their hush puppies and dirty rice...I also like that the service was really good the last two times I went...the most recent visit it was pretty dead inside, which for me was perfect since it meant I didn't have to be bothered by people and their annoying conversations and such...If things continue on the positive road they have been I will totally give these guys another 5 star review...
(4)William T.
Very decorative inside and out! My wife had a gift card to eat here that we had for over 2 years and never used it. Id really like to travel to louisiana some day to try all of the great food. We first tried the Beans & Rice with Andouille, which i thought was very tastefull. I tried the Chicken A La Mer because it seemed to be the most popular. I was pretty impressed on taste and flavor. This item also came with rice and beans. My wife tried the Southwest Chicken Fettuccine. She's a huge fan of fettuccine but im not sure if she enjoyed this one. After leaving the restaurant she ended up get food poisoning :(... Not sure if will try it again in the future.
(3)Dawn S.
What a great place! Fun atmosphere, great service and excellent food. I ordered the étouffée and it was outstanding. Friends ordered chicken a la mer and were not disappointed. The live jazz band was a great touch! I felt like if I walked out of the door I would have been on bourbon street!
(5)Kurt S.
Jazz is definitely a unique dining experience. On the weekends, they have a live band that plays on the level above you, and the general ambiance and decor screams New Orleans. The prices are reasonable for what you get, but some of their seafood is overpriced IMO. The service was good, nothing outstanding. They have a full bar and their specialty drinks. The hurricane was delicious. I usually get the Chicken a La Mer, which is grilled chicken with an amazing Parmesan cream sauce over vegetables and rice. The dish is pretty dang good, but pricey for $15 for a full order and $9.50 for a half. My wife isn't a fan as her food has been brought out overcooked, under cooked, and even cold a time or two. The food is okay, but not worth the drive or the money to me.
(3)Brenda B.
For a family of 5, it was expensive. The ambience was really loud. The music was jazzy and good quality, but extremely loud (my teen daughter left with a headache). We bought a Groupon, and found that unless we buy the full amount of what the Groupon offers (top notch drinks and most expensive meals), then it's not worth it. Now about the meals. Good food. Virgin drinks were good but small. The Gumbo was tasty. Étouffée was good, but tasted like a brown gravy with spices. The tequila lime sauce was very tasty, everyone at the table liked it. The bread at the table was perfect to wipe up the rest of the sauce from the plate. The po boy was not as fill as expected, and my 8 year old ate the whole thing. The seafood Alfredo was too spicy for my other child, and luckily, the cook made us a quick batch of plain sauce to mix in and mellow it out. That made the dish awesome! To end the meal, the beignets were amazing like New Orleans.
(4)