Gumbo’s Downtown

Excellent, nice date spot and the foods where very good especially for a person like me that loves to critique New Orleans style restaurants will return.

I wanted some type of seafood in downtown and Unilocal as usual delivered. This is good NOLA-​style fare. The waiter was very friendly and had an excellent knowledge of his menu. He rattled off at least 8 dinner specials and than helped me narrow things down. I’ll hit Gumbo’s again on my next visit to Austin.

the good: The food is great, the fish is fresh and very well cooked. Great flavor. Go for the fish of the day, you wouldn’t regret it. The complementary bread and the butter is amazing, very fresh.
the bad: being extremely picky, I would say, the ambiance could be done a little better. The dessert we picked, the custard wasnt that good.
overall: very good value for your money. Excellent.

Some of the best fish I’ve had in a while. Had the redfish blackened. Dirty rice was solid. Salad was great too — had the almond goat cheese salad. Had half with the bacon dressing it comes with and half with the vinaigrette. Skip the bacon dressing — I thought it was way oily and bacon-​y for the salad. Order with vinaigrette instead. Must more tasty and complements the goat cheese better.
Fish was good. Service wasn’t bad but definitely wasn’t good. Location was spot on and ambiance wasn’t bad. Ordered a few black labels with the meal and thought the pours were a bit meager, but not bad.

I am a fan of Gumbo’s (downtown) mainly for the food. This would have been a 5 star if my review was entered last year haha! Food wise very delicious because I love seafood entrees and cajun spices! My favorite is blackened catfish combo with dirty rice and seafood gumbo. Also I love their salads, any of them! Side note: their butter spread is sooooo good :)
Pros:
tasty food
close to our office
elegant décor and set-​up of restaurant
Cons:
prices went up from last year
bread used to be complimentary but now it is «per request» so remember to request! lol
to-​go pick up orders can be irritating sometimes
receptionist is a little too confuse at times
Median:
Service — most of the time ok but a couple of times it wasn’t that good
overall, it is a good place to eat around dt area!

I went here for lunch, had the salmon based on the Unilocal reviews here and I was not disappointed. The side I ordered was Jambalaya and i could not get enough of it.
I am taking people who visit me to Austin to this place! Great atmosphere, great food, awesome service.

The calimari was delicious, some of the best I’ve eaten.
The atmosphere was beautiful. They worked hard to reproduce the french influences present in a New Orleans restaurant.
The service was the worst part. I waited quite a while to get food. By the time it got out, it wasn’t as hot as I was hoping. The steak was tasty, fish was better than average, but not worth the money.
There is better steak and seafood to be had in Austin for the dime.

I read Unilocal reviews before I went to this place and almost everyone said to get the salmon rockefeller… SO I DID! And it was great. The salmon was cooked to perfection with lots of cajun seasoning on top. It was place on top a bed of creamed spinach (YUM!) and herb sauce. You could pick your side and I chose sundried tomato mashed potatoes. It was really good. I heard the wild rice was good as well!
For appetizers, the calamari and fried green tomatoes are a must. They also have a special butter that goes with the table bread. It’s full of herbs and other spices.

Went down here with a couple of work colleagues this afternoon for lunch, and after a recent trip to New Orleans, decided to catch some cajun food. They had a bit of difficulty with drinks when we started, which wasn’t much of a problem… we just passed them around the table. When they started re-​filling them, it became more of an issue.
The food itself was actually pretty good. Nice warm bread when we started, with «fancy» butter (herbed)…nice. I had the fish of the day, which was actually a selection of about 8 or 9 kinds of fish. You can pick a number of preparations. I got the «Robert» prep, which was with sauteed shrimp and a cream sauce. Very nice.
Good sit-​down place, great selection. Overall, I’d definitely go back…

Whenever my father invites my brother and me to lunch, it means one of two things: 1.) He happens to be in a good mood, and just feels like sitting down to lunch; or, 2.) He’s pissed, and he’s going to possibly cut me off from paying all those inconvenient things I prefer to ignore like health insurance, cell phone bills, or those pesky student loans. Just for once, I wish he’d use these lunches to announce something more along the lines «I’m getting you a new Mercedes». In any event, just the other week he called us up and the familiar mixture of anticipation and dread descended upon me as I prepared to make my third trip to the Gumbo’s downtown.
I’m admittedly not much of a Louisiana/​Creole culture type of guy, but Gumbo’s has slowly but surely ingratiated the cuisine to my palette over the last year or so. Still, you’ll never hear me say «Who Dat?» Not even ironically.
My father, brother and I met outside of Gumbo’s around 1:00, and I was a little put off that the valet guy wanted payment right on the spot. Give me a second, honey; I’ll use the ATM inside and pay you on the way out. Simmer down.
We were seated by a thin, friendly hostess in a booth across from the front door. The atmosphere is an effortless combination of casual elegance, especially during lunchtime. I could see we were joined by the typical downtown lunch crowd: groups of employees from the surrounding businesses interspersed with the usual crop of blue hairs. We settled in, and our hostess said that our waiter So-​and-​So would be right with us. Oh, God. Not So-​and-​So. I *know* So-and-So…and So-​and-​So knows me.
It actually wasn’t as awkward as I expected. As long as neither of us said anything, my father wouldn’t know the difference. We began with a cup of the crawfish gumbo, which I absolutely adore. I’m giving serious thought to making an entire bowl of this my entrée when I return; it is always that delicious.
I almost ordered one of the featured «Fish of the Days», until the Cobb Remoulade salad (greens with remoulade, grilled jumbo shrimp, cheddar, tomatoes, and fried oysters) caught my eye. I hadn’t had fried oysters since Atlantic Fish in Boston. That put this dish over the top. Both dad and my brother opted for the catfish, as they usually do.
Lunch conversation consisted of my dad and brother discussing dad’s coworkers and the future of state agencies (boooring…), while my major contribution was unsuccessfully attempting to steer the conversation towards tidbits I had read on Perez Hilton, as well as avoiding eye contact with our waiter. The salad was excellent, although it could have used just a few more of the huge grilled shrimp on the side. The fried oysters were hot and crispy, and easily the star of the ensemble.
Oh, and So-​and-​So did me a favor and gave me cash for the valet, which I then could add onto his tip. I chuckled to myself that it would be off the charts on the dick-​o-​meter if I decided to leave like, a dollar. I’d never do that… just the thought amused me.
In summary, the food did not disappoint for a third time in a row, and other than a fleeting reference to servicing my car, I was largely off the hook. If Gumbo’s downtown had a softening effect on my father, then you better believe I’ll be requesting this place faster than I can spend my paychecks.

I took a pair of friends to have some interesting Creole here on a Monday night, and thought the website looked interesting. It was about 6pm, and the restaurant was fairly empty.
However, the hostess took six minutes to find us, and we sat at the table for more than ten with nothing but water brought by the hostess, and were ignored by the waiter. We decided to get up and walk out.
We were warned that the waiter was serving a large party upstairs, but that’s no excuse. For a restaurant that sells $ 30/​plate fish and $ 40 steaks, service should have been prompt. I’m guessing the waiter was the only one working that night, which is also unacceptable.
I might decide to give them another shot, but I’m seriously soured by the utter lack of service. Disappointing, and yet more proof that true fine dining does not exist in this otherwise wonderful city of ours.

I ate the crawfish etoufee. Let me preface this by saying that I am from Louisiana and crawfish etoufee may be my favorite hometown dish.
The etoufee was clearly prepared with care. It had chunks of vegetables (celery, peppers, onion) and an «honest» flavor (not mass produced or full of artificial junk). It was very good.
That being said, it was missing the rich roux-​based flavor that I most enjoy in an etoufee. Usually this comes from the butter in the roux, which gives it a thickness that is almost like a gravy. Gumbo’s etoufee was not like this, but it was good.
The rice was likely steamed and was very nice with a good dusting of paprika. Great presentation.
Since I ordered this dish while sitting in the Brown Bar next door, I can’t comment on the service at Gumbo’s.
I have ordered other things from Gumbo’s and it’s typically been very good and I plan to visit more — and Unilocal,of course.

If I lived in Austin, and cared (even) less about my weight, I would 100% eat here at least once a week. The food is incredible! We started off with crawfish eddy, crab cakes, calamari, and several salads. By far the best appetizer we ordered was the crawfish eddy. The sauce it comes with, while extremely rich, is heavenly. It tastes best with the toast it comes with, but you can also slather it on anything else as well. From what I’ve heard, the redfish here is the main event, but unfortunately they didn’t have it when we went. For an entrée, many of us went with the catfish with the same sauce the crawfish eddy came with, and continued to enjoy every last drop.
Took off one star because most of their dishes were just different types of seafood with the same sauces, seasoning, etc (i.e., not that creative). That’s not to say that they weren’t delicious, but think there could have been more novel approaches.

I hope I’m not jinxing it, but we’ve never had a bad experience at Gumbo’s. It’s always an amazing night when we go to this restaurant. I love the interior, and the food is delicious. I’ve never had a bad dish. The service is also impeccable. Servers are not overwhelmed and they take care of you start to finish.
This is one of the few places in Austin where I order fish over steak. Both are excellent at Gumbo’s. The other thing I love about Gumbos is the martinis. Yum!
Gumbo’s is our go-​to spot for special occasions. Love it!

The one thing that stands out the most to me from Gumbo’s are their martinis — they are LETHAL! It was so poignant and probably the strongest drink I’ve ever had. I got the Mexican Martini and my cousin got some fruity sweet one — but even that was hard to drink. It was quite a challenge for us to consume our martinis, so we ended up only finishing about half the glass.
But the food was great! Good-​looking and memorable dishes. I had the Salmon Rockefeller with Chef’s potatoes — delish! My cousin had the Chicken Dixie which was very good as well. I also tried some dirty rice and that was outstanding! I definitely will get that next time I return. The ambiance is dark and romantic, but doesn’t necessarily have to be for dates only, as they do have large tables to accommodate for families or a large group.
Overall a great place for solid Cajun food in a nice, semi-​fancy restaurant.

MMMmmm, Good.
I am a sucker for a great fish dish. Haven’t had one in a while until I got to Gumbo’s. I was about to settle for a crab cake and gumbo for an entrée, but I talked my self into «Fish of The Day, George Style» So it was pan friend Mahi Mahi topped with crab meat with a burre blanc cream sauce, and I got the mashed potatoes. Very good, seasoned nicely.
I went with a group of people, and we all managed to polish off some tasty appetizers too.
Very impressed, will return for a fish quench.

After consuming copious amounts of great martini’s over at The Brown Bar it was decided that we probably should have a meal to help with the… Ahem, digestion. So we simply Bee Bopped around the corner to Gumbo’s to give them a try. And in a word… It was golly gee, hot damn, frikin’ you gotta be kidding me good.
Simply had to start with the crab cake… Easily one of the best CC’s I’ve enjoyed in quite a while. I wish i could have had 10 of those.
Crab Cake Sautéed jumbo lump cake, served with jicama slaw and chipotle aioli…11.99
For dinner i went with the Fish of the day George. Exquisitely tender fish and the sauce was shockingly good. Poor thing didnt last long.
HERB-​CRUSTED MAHI — George
pan sautéed, topped with sautéed crabmeat, served over herb beurre blanc 21.99
Our other entrée was the Beef Tenderloin. unspeakably good. My friend proclaimed it the best steak they ever had although a bit pricey.
STEAK GEORGE 8oz. tenderloin Sterling Silver Certified Beef, aged for 21 days
blackened, topped with sautéed crabmeat & béarnaise sauce, served over red wine reduction 31.99
Overall a wonderful and tasty meal.

Summary: Great, flavorful Cajun food with a romantic atmosphere. This is one of the very few higher-​end restaurants in Austin that we actually enjoyed the food at. The steak is a bit of a let down for the class of restaurant that it is, but everything else is fantastic!
(8÷10) Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo (Appetizer)
A cup of gumbo with rice, beans, chicken, and sausage. The consistency is thick and hearty which makes it quite satisfying. If you can’t make it to New Orleans, try this instead. The gumbo is packed with flavor and addictive to eat!
(8÷10) Shrimp Eddy (Appetizer)
Jumbo shrimp sauteed in a creamy tarragon sauce served with toasted garlic bread. The buttery garlic bread and mouth watering sauce is what makes this dish a huge hit. We wish we could take this sauce home with us! The shrimps are large and plentiful, but slightly chewy. However, don’t let that deter you from ordering this dish!
(6÷10) Steak Robert
Blackened tenderloin, over red wine peppercorn sauce. Served with grilled six shrimp and mushroom, bacon, and garlic sauce. We ordered the tenderloin cooked medium based on the waiter’s recommendation but were disappointed on how unevenly cooked it was. The outside was firm and enjoyable, but the inside was quite mushy. The Cajun shrimp was a delicious addition and was not chewy like the Shrimp Eddy. For our side item, we chose the dirty rice which was mediocre.
(8÷10) Chicken Dixie
Chicken stuffed with mushrooms, bacon, and spinach. Served over fire roasted red pepper cream sauce with bacon (applewood smoked) wrapped asparagus. The stuffing and sauce complimented the tender chicken very well. It is not mentioned in the menu, but the dish comes with what seemed like half a head of broccoli. Our only complaint is that the bacon around the asparagus is soft and fatty. This dish is a must!
(8÷10) Louisiana Style Bread Pudding
The bread pudding was delicious and the ice-​cream on top complemented it perfectly. The whiskey in the bread pudding was subtle and added a hint of smokiness to the dish. If we could change one thing, we would have liked it to be a bit more moist and puddingy — but overall it was still a noteworthy dessert.
(7÷10) Chocolate Custard
This custard resembled a flan, and could easily have fed four because of its richness. It had a nice flavor, not too subtle and not too intense. It was tightly packed mousse of chocolate cream galore. This was one of the few times we were unable to finish a chocolate dessert… Wow!
Service (⁹⁄₁₀)
The service here is top-​notch. The hostess was professional and pleasant, and our waiter was very helpful. He was down to earth and friendly, not pretentious as waitstaff sometimes are at fancy restaurants. He spaced out our 3-​course meal and was attentive without being overbearing. He also boxed up our leftovers and never rushed us. The waitstaff here is experienced and friendly — a fabulous combination.
Ambiance (⁹⁄₁₀)
Gumbo’s occupies the first floor of the historic Brown building in downtown Austin. Valet is available, but we were able to find street parking. The restaurant has plenty of seating available in tables and booths. The ambiance is a mellow, upscale wood interior, with dim lighting, high ceilings and light jazz playing in the background. This Cajun restaurant is good for couples and groups because it has a nice intimate feel to it. Gumbo’s is slightly pricey but well worth it — especially if you enjoy large portions and rich, creamy sauces. Since we are pretty familiar with Creole cuisine, we can confidently recommend this restaurant… your taste-​buds will thank you later!

Gumbo’s is ridiculously good. It’s been a while since I’ve been, but I wanted to throw in my two cents.
Every time we’ve been there, we’ve seen the same waiter. He has to be the nicest waiter I’ve ever met at a restaurant, which is reason enough to go. The service overall there has been fantastic every time we’ve gone.
The seafood is what you want to get here. You can mix and match your meat and cooking style. For example, the menu says «Shrimp Victoria,» but you can get Shrimp with another style (like Robert), or get the Victoria style with a different meat (say Salmon). This makes for a wonderful tasting experience. Of course, I completely disregard this and get the same amazing dish every time I come: the Redfish Rockefeller. I’m almost positive that I’ve never eaten a better plate of fish than the Redfish Rockefeller.
If you go early enough, there’s plenty of free metered street parking.
I’d go on about the restaurant, but that’s really all I needed to 5 star this place. Truly a hidden gem in Austin.

First a disclaimer, I knew both Yoli and Michael, the original owners of Gumbo’s years back. But since they no longer own it, I guess that is a mute point. So, sorry about that. busy mind today.
Another great opportunity to eat off another person’s dime, so I choose Gumbo’s for lunch. It had been awhile since I have been, and needed some Unilocal love. We arrived around 11.45am, and had to valet the car. I hate valeting my car, God knows what they do with it when it is out of sight… We were seated at a nice table and our waiter arrived toute suite. (Quickly). We ordered a couple of Albita Ambers, and the Cajun Calamari. Patrick went through the specials. I choose the Tilapia George with Blue Crab Meat over a herb buerre blanc and Jambalaya rice. My friend had the Mahi Mahi special.
Calamari arrived, and it was a large portion! No tentacles, me likes to nibble on their legs, and some places serve them that way, others just the head sack. We got the head sack stack. It was very well seasoned, and I inquired about the remoulade sauce, and Patrick went and got us some. It was quite good. Ordered two more ambers and scarfed Calamari.
Entrée’s arrived and they looked marvelous. My tilapia was just a tad overcooked, I’m being picky here, and the buerre blanc sauce was meeh… I just remembered what buerre blanc sauce was when me fish arrived, and I am not a big fan of that sauce. so that was my bad. My friends Mahi Mahi sauce was awesome! I wish I could remember the name of it.
Patrick came back to check on us… he had an endearing quality to say thank you after we ordered anything. Could I have another round of Ambers please, I asked, «Yes… Thank you» came the reply. It gave one the feeling that he genuinely was glad he could get us something. Oh and a slice of the key lime pie. «Of course, Thank you» he said, as he scurried off to get our brews.
Key Lime Pie was excellent, wonderful limey flavors and fresh whipped cream and tartness… yummage
The best part arrived… the tab. It was $ 92 for 6 beers, appetizer, two entrée’s and one desert. my friend picked up the tab, I love it when that happens, and we were on our way, nicely filled up.