Papa Jack’s

I am crazy for gumbo, and when I saw a Louisiana Style restaurant opening in the Valley, I went as soon as could. The gumbo was delicious! Tastes as close to the USA as I’ve had yet in Australia.
Our taste ordered a dish each and some wings to share. When the food arrived we had a tiny freak out about the portion sizes, and panic ordered some ribs. We were WRONG. They knew what they were doing. Portions looked small but were, in actual fact, substantial; and enough for our group of eaters-who’s-biggest-fear-in-life-is-running-out-of-food. I have since been back (Gumbo again), and had the truffle mac n cheese. Best mac n cheese i have ever had. EVER. USA inclusive. Usually Mac n Cheese is just a boring stodgy mess. This was seasoned beautifully, you could taste the truffle, and it was texturally lovely.
Also the pie!!! I would come back 1 million times for the pie. I would order 4 pies and take them home. The first pie i had was Rhubarb Frangipan with a homemade marshmallow topping (lightly toasted). AMAZING. Pastry was short and thin. Really good stuff. The second I had, exactly the same but with cherries instead of rhubarb, ACTUALLY PERFECTION. This place is no joke. These guys can cook.
Service was a little slow first time (freshly opened, and a Friday night… more than forgiving). The second time, we came in quite late, and as the only waitress at the bar was busy, asked the kitchen (through the hatch, naughty) if they were still serving, the waitress did NOT like that at all and appeared to punish us by not serving us unless she had to (food delivery). lol. Points off for that.

Found this little gem on my way home from work and ordered a gumbo which took me right back to NOLA. Great flavors, I’ve found it near impossible to get Andouille in Australia but the friendly waitress explained they make their own. Definitely added to the flavour of the dish. Apparently won Australian Bar of the Year so will be back to try their cocktails next!

Pros: Ribs were amazing. Incredibly succulent and falling off the bone. Bottomless ice tea is amazing and great value. The grits are to die for. Highly recommend.
Cons: The fries chicken however was not great and a bit undercooked with no flavor. Service is very slow and it’s hard to get them to come our from behind the bar.

Before I get eaten alive, please let me lay out my background.
I’m an American. I’m from the south (Texas), and I’ve grown up eating Louisianian soul food basically all my life. Therefore, I have very high expectations for a place that attempts to channel NOLA and all of its culinary greatness.
Sadly, Papa Jack’s fails to deliver on some of cajun food’s key staples. I’m going to key on two in particular: boudin balls and gumbo.
Pulled pork boudin balls ($ 14 for 3)
The first thing that struck me was the dryness after the first bite. In the past, I’ve always had chewy, moist boudin balls made out of sausage (hence the name ‘boudin’). There was also a distinct lack of flavor. I seriously felt like i was eating pulled pork that had been rolled, lightly battered and deep fried.
Gumbo ($ 21)
Between the two items, this was the most disappointing. As Katie Z mentioned in her review, it was a tad on the small side and mostly just a thick soup made of roux and broth. There was a little mound of rice in the middle which wasn’t enough to balance out the exceedingly salty sauce. The sausage and shrimp were also overcooked and dry. In general, the dish did not have the vibrant breadth of flavors that you would expect out of a hearty bowl of gumbo in New Orleans.
Service was pretty good even though there was only one server to cover the tables. The floors and table tops did feel a bit sticky though but it could have been just an oversight. The prices for the quantity was also a bit on the high side. All in all, I probably won’t be coming back unless I can be convinced otherwise by the Unilocal community!

I came here for lunch expecting some authentic Louisana food. First impressions of the place was not bad and I imagine it would be quite a good atmosphere for evening drinks. Unfortunately the food was a big et down — very over priced and not very special. A small bowl of gumbo (mostly sausage, rice and a few pieces of prawn) came at $ 21. Two small crab cakes came at $ 14 (quite ridiculous to think that we paid $ 7 for one piece …). Would not come here for food again.
Should mention that I didn’t get to try any of there interesting sounding alcoholic concoctions though. This 2 star is purely for their food.

Some work colleagues and I decided to go to Papa Jacks’s for a going away celebration, and we walked away extremely satisfied with the food (if not entirely the service, but we’ll get to that).
The food was exquisite — a real taste of southern style comfort food — we ordered a mix of share plates and sides (the cornbread is TO DIE FOR). The share plates are of a reasonable size, but the sides are a little small (but packed with flavour).
The service was mixed, but not terrible. We had booked a table for 10 people at 8pm, and by 8.30pm when we’d yet to be seated the server suggested we «just drag some tables together», she was generally dismissive throughout the entire evening, slamming jugs of water on the table, and spilling horseradish cream on my clothing — a bit of a let down to an otherwise fantastic evening.
Will I be back? Hell yeah. I’m going to work my way through that menu (food & drink) item by item.

My friend and I stumbled across this place after the café we originally planned on going to was closed early.
I ordered the root beer braised wagyu beef brisket, my friend got the truffled mac and cheese and we also got the snail Rockefeller to share :)
The wagyu beef brisket was perfect with the lime jam and I liked how it was so tender! It came with a serve of crispy kale chips which I thought was a good combination.
This was my first time eating snail and I have to admit it was pretty damn good! The creamy spinach went well with the snail texture. I added in some vinegar chilli sauce and my taste buds just lit up! Delicious!
The smell and presentation of the served dishes was on point and simply mouth watering! I enjoyed my meal at this place, the staff gave great service and was very attentive. The only thing I was disappointed in was the serving sizes of our dishes, other than that, this place is a must try!

I’ve heard so much about this place that it was impossible not to check it out! I really like this place :) While the menu isn’t extensive, they do their dishes well. I had the Waygu burger for lunch which was super tender and delicious as well as a coffee which was made to perfection. Really well done. My sister’s ‘lemon, lime, bitters’ was divine as well so they seem to definitely know how to master their beverages.
In general, the whole vibe of the place is wicked and really up my alley. It’s a bit old school crossed with Indie with a hint of America thrown in. The staff were also super friendly and their ‘outfits’ were awesome! I could literally sit in that place for hours with some good company. It is definitely a place I’ll be back to, even just for a few drinks :)
In addition to the overall epicness of this place, if you eat there you can get your parking validated, meaning free parking next door as well! Overall it was a great experience, definitely worth it!

I hate to say it but it must be said. I really did expect, want and need just a little more from Papa Jacks. I was the driving force behind us trying this restaurant and I fear that I may have let the team down. I was really sprinting for the home plate but went ass over tit at second base with this one hence the two stars. For second base… geddit?
I decided we would try this place for a little pre show dinner and tipple. The place was damn near empty and maybe I should have taken this as a sign but as they say, hindsight is always ²⁰⁄₂₀. I’m not entirely sure whether the staff here just get bored at the thought of providing anything resembling good customer service. Our first waitress was a french women who’s service extended only to providing us menus and taking our drink order. Then we were left sitting for so long that I wondered out loud ‘where the actual hell are the staff?’ because we were sitting alone in the restaurant and could not lay our eyes on a single staff member. Eventually the food was ordered through a waiter who just couldn’t bring himself to care and we all had drinks.
Speaking of drinks, just stop right there. Stop before you order one and hurt yourself. They are terrible. There is no balance and mine was so intense in flavour (and not in a way that takes me to my happy place) that it took my breath away. The taste left in my mouth from siphoning petrol out of a parked car would be preferable. The other two were not much better.
The food was just okay. The best part of the meal was the cornbread that we ordered as a starter. To be fair, the duck looked really good and the diner at our table who had it seemed to enjoy it. The burgers are better nearly anywhere else in Brisbane that you can think of that sells them.
The highlight of the evening was the awkward encounter between the barman and a customer who took it upon himself to enter in through the window leading on to the street. After questioning his state of mind and sobriety the only other customers in the restaurant besides us vacated ‘to go to Mighty Mighty where they won’t be a**holes’. Make of that what you will. I made of it that you should probably follow the gentleman’s lead but try and use the front door wherever you end up.

Fantastic little venue, run by a world champion flare bar tender (Marco Nunes). Amazing array of cocktails, drinks and shots.
Foods aight, chicken wings are boss as, but this place is renowned for it’s drinks.

Check this place out, seriously!
Ended up here on a whim when the restaurant we had planned to go to was closed, and it was fate! Great food, nice cozy ambiance, live music, and exceptionally skilled bartenders! The main staff there are also very friendly and make you feel right at home… that being said I’ve been to Papa Jack’s 3 times in one week, but still.
They have a po’boy of the day and specials on their board in the front. They also have a pie of the day, but only one flavor — being a sweet fiend I wish they had a couple of dessert options since pie isn’t always something I want… but that won’t stop me from going to Papa Jacks — they can whip me up a dessert cocktail instead ;)
I haven’t been for breakfast yet, but I definitely need to get in to try the po’ boy eggs benny!
Papa Jack’s is my home away from home in Brisbane!

Papa Jacks is a great place for casual group catch ups. Loved the drinks menu and the food was amazing. The staff were very friendly and were happy to help us choose drinks and food. After dinner we were able to enjoy the live music.
If you do go there make sure you get the buffalo wings to start! One thing I think they should change is get more desserts but this isn’t going to stop me from going back.
Thank you papa jacks for a wonderful evening.

I sauntered over to Papa Jack’s on a chill Sunday evening, interested to see how Brisbane does Creole /​Cajun. Having tasted the real deal in New Orleans, I was a bit disappointed with the chicken gumbo. It was more of a soup then a gumbo. However, my friends who had the burgers were quite satisfied with their selection and the corn bread and fries were not bad.
Papa Jack’s had live music, which was a nice touch to a casual night out!

Very creative drinks menu with price tags to match their confidence in mixology:) I was unable to indulge this time but I have my eye on the milk shake cocktail churning in the corner– looks delicious.
The high rating is for the atmosphere, partially because I really do appreciate the charm of New Orleans. The food looked great but I was not overly impressed with the flavor– just not an authentic as I hoped. Not bad for being on the opposite side of the world…
I will go back for the drinks might skip the grub. Though I hear brunch is nice…

Papa Jack’s has been on my bookmark list since the day it was listed here. And, in Super-​star Unilocaler style, I have now completed on of my 2014 Unilocalolutions & visited this venue promising Louisiana-​style creole. I’ve read all the reviews and social media tales of cornbread, bottomless iced tea and speak-​easy interior design and I have been chomping at the bit to go. A catch-​up with a friend (who claims Maritian Creole in her bloodline) for lunch seemed the perfect opportunity.
I have to admit, I was a little worried that I had built up my expectations too high for this place. But, that worry was totally wasted.
This place is my new favourite in Brisbane. I have to go back at least 2 more times — I have heard rumours of Grits being available. I have seen instagram photos of Louisiana Crystal Hot Sauce a plenty (a key, no VITAL ingredient in any decent buffalo chicken wing sauce). I also had a chat with the pleasant fella behind the bar who tells me not only will they be serving Blue Moon beer in the coming months, they will be releasing a new menu in 2 weeks and advised they WILL be serving a Jambalaya during winter. YESSSSS!!! New menu because in the short 6 weeks they have been open, they have already amassed regulars who have sampled everything on the menu and are asking for something new.
We booked a table for an 11:30am lunch, which was totally unnecessary. We had the joint to ourselves for about 15 minutes before a smattering of other guests popped in. Service was prompt and helpful with a thick French accent, which added to ambiance. And the iced tea (only ever so-​slightly sweet) was in fact bottomless. I arrived telling myself I was having Gumbo for lunch. Instead, I ordered the Croque Monsieur with Moreton Bay Bugs and a side of house-​made andouille sausage. I could not pass up cornbread with its Whipped Molasses butter.
The cheesy, crusty sandwich was indulgent. The bread is actually a brioche, with a subtly sweet flavour that ever so lightly cuts through the savoury cheese and salty meats. The sausage alone was worth the trip. Smokey, spicy, meaty heaven. I would like to buy a kilo of this stuff & take it home. The cornbread was crumbly, as cornbread should be and the molasses butter was unreal.
My friend chose the Herb-​crusted Macaroni & Cheese for her meal and I would be lying if I didn’t admit to a bit of food envy when seeing the crusty, bubbly cheesy goodness she was digging into.
I left a bit disappointed with myself for not choosing the Gumbo as it was what I really wanted. However, I left comforted and happy. True comfort food here. Extraordinary emotional eating experience as I recalled childhood memories with my PawPaw Billy Joe spent in Louisiana going digging for craydaddys and going shrimping so we could go to his home & boil them up for dinner.

So, I’ve made it my mission to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at Papa Jack’s. Dinner I’ve checked off the list and as of Saturday I can now also say they’re bringing the goods to a leisurely weekend breakfast that’s familiar but still doing something a little different to all the other players.
I’d made a reservation the day before as the reason for breakfast was our very first Unilocal Breakfast Club for 2014 and when we arrived a bit before 9:30am inside was already bustling with breakfast-​goers so our waitress let out a sigh of relief when we asked if we could sit outside.
Coffee orders (they’re pouring Fonzie Abbott) were taken as menus were laid before us and we were left to peruse the menu. The breakfast menu isn’t expansive (a good thing in my opinion) but it does pack a punch with something for everyone from a latte and a beignet to quite robust and hearty options like the Red Neck Eggs or the Breaux Bridges Benedict (pulled pork boudin, poached eggs, Swiss cheese and Creole Hollandaise sauce). I opted for the Breaux Bridges and loved every mouthful.
Also, after your coffee, order an Iced Tea. It’s old school Iced Tea that isn’t overly sweet or sugary.

Got to try Papa Jack’s last night. Great little spot for a Monday night dinner with some friends. We grabbed four different dishes between three of us so we could try them all. Really yummy.
Was a little disappointed when the waiter attempted to clear the plates without checking we were finished. There was still some of the delicious heirloom tomato salad left which we intended to devour. He quickly handed the plate back when I said we weren’t done yet.
Also tried the daily pie, cardamon and white choc. Also really yummy but was expecting a stronger cardamon flavour to it.
Would definitely you check out Papa Jack’s if you get the chance. Would love to go back to hit up the cocktail menu!

We walked in and asked for a table for two, and the waitress just pointed to a table in the corner, without as much as a hello.
After a strange start and a second aloof waitress, we sat down to a cold beer (glasses are apparently optional?) and refillable iced tea for my pregnant friend. The pulled pork tostada was the pick — with a delicious fresh mango salsa and freshly fried tortilla. I had the Moreton Bay Bug Croque Monsieur — it came on two thick slices of brioche. Nothing like cheese and sugar bread to get the arteries working. The chicken wings with horseradish cream were nice too.
The place was busy with artistic office worker types with large beards from surrounding James Street. The smiles from the leather apron-​clad bartenders made up for an earlier service faux pas.

Who doesn’t love an all-​American New Orleans bar and restaurant?
With recent upgrades to Fortitude Valley aka Chinatown, a new M&A Lane now exists. With funky new digs and places to share food and tapas with, this is one of the places I highly recommend. Located on the corner of McLachlan and Connor Streets, Marco and Emily have created a little bit of a gem.
Every detail has been worked on with an artistic eye and this place sure does get packed on the weekends and a Friday night even though it has just opened. I love a place that plays to its strengths and Papa Jacks does just that — Marco being the cocktail extraordinaire seem to make this place pump and jive and give it the subtle class every thriving place needs.
If you haven’t tried Po’boys, beignets or Creole food in general, this will be a great intro to the cuisine complete with awesome funky jazz live music depending on the night.
A good night out, great music and classy food and drink. Prices are not cheap, but you pay for what you expect and here… the expectations are met.

This is a. super cute space and while this was only a quick pre work visit, I’ll definitely be coming back. There is a alot of interesting dishes on the menu and it’s about time Brisbane had some creole style food! I had the moreton bay bug croque monsieur and while i would have liked it to be more golden on the outside and warmer on the inside it was still tasty. The free ice tea refills were a nice touch!