tipimaven
We had dinner here on Sunday. It was our first time in Lafayette and experiencing Louisiana cuisine. We were seated quickly by a friendly host. Our server was Cari. She was knowledgeable about the menu and answered questions we had about our choices. She was prompt with our drinks and dinners. We ordered the seafood platter and the Crab dinner. Both were excellent and delicious. The Crab gumbo was very nice and had a depth of flavors. Louisiana and Don's have their cuisine DOWN! We look forward to coming back if we ever find ourselves in Lafayette again. PS: The leftovers were as good as remembered the next day.
Angela Simon
The service was excellent. The server was helpful and polite. He was a very nice young man. The gumbo was the best I've eaten. The bread pudding with rum sauce was amazing! We were seated immediately. Our food came very quickly. We will go again.
Francis N. Mouillé
Courteous, accommodating service. Great beverages. Good fare. Friendly, homey atmosphere. Relaxed ambience. Adequate parking areas. After viewing some of the reviews I wonder if all went to the same place. If circumstances were as dire as described, why did the individual(s) not complain at the time. Guess it is easier to type out a message then it is to talk to someone.
XcluEzy 7
This place is like home for the heart of Cajun cuisine. Me and my group meet here every Wednesday and food is always hot, fresh, and the service is exceptional. The prices are about what I would expect from a similar business. It has a convenient place to park, and my recommendation for anyone is to go at lunch time so that you can get a good parking place. It's located in a good place downtown, so if your close stop by the staff is pleasant.
Jo El
My first visit was very pleasant & rewarding. I had the Seafood Gumbo which I thought was pretty good, featuring a bowl with plethora meat, making it well worth the relative cheap price ($10.95). I also had a cup of potato salad but it wasn't anything to rave about. I also was impressed with the service I was given by the bartender; prompt & friendly. Will come back!
Alisa Spellmann
Parking lot completely full and had to wait to get a place to park, but once inside was seated right away so place pretty spacious. Grilled oysters were awesome as appetizers. Crab étouffée with mash and green beans were amazingly tasty. Finished off meal with some of the best bread pudding and stout coffee I’ve ever had. Perfect meal! Thanks
Catarina B
Could be better if not with a large group. Not sure if lunch rush (though went around 1230 pm), or something else, but service was very poor. The waitress did not introduce herself, but also seemed to be preoccupied with other tables and customers. We had a group of 9, and waited until everyone was seated to order (food took about 40 mins). The waitress did try and get people's drink orders while we all made our way in.
The food is always great, but definitely on the expensive side. They have some lunch specials, M-F 12-4 pm. However, you save about $2/meal by getting the lunch option. Seems like they would just offer a free drink with purchase of meal during lunch, and it would be a much better deal. Parking and location are always fine.
Would recommend if you're looking for a long meal, and have time to sit. Great if you're trying to catch up with friends or coworkers, but not ideal if you're just looking for a nice place for an hour lunch break, unless you are alone.
Anita Bendy
I have not been there in awhile. But the food was good. To me it could have been a little more spicy. They have always had excellent gumbo. It a great place to go for older people who have to watch their diet. It was clean, great service and ample parking.
juanita waller
Ordered the seafood platter and states " clear the table" it was actually pretty small for the price but fresh and flavorful. Wait staff was wonderful with clearing our table, helping us order and dealing with refills. Beautiful interior.
David S
Very good customer service. Was there last for Mother's Day. Food was very good. It's one of the oldest restaurants in Lafayette. I'm in my 50s and have eaten there since my teenage years. I've always had a good experience.
Garrett Cantrell
A friend and I stopped at this place when driving through LA on our way back to TX because it was one of the only places open at that time of day on new years day. We were promptly seated by the friendly hostess and our waitress promptly took our drink order. We asked her recommendations on some of the menu items and she was nice and throughly explained a couple of choices. I had the shrimp dinner, which was good, but nothing special. All of our food was hot and fresh and brought to us in a timely manor. My friend got the Ashby special and found a HAIR in his salad, but he didn't like it anyways so he passed on eating it or getting another one. I tried it (pre-hair) and didn't care for it. Besides the Italian salad with the Ashby special, all the other food was good. I would recommend this place of there's no other places open, but I don't know the other options in this town. Our plates were about $25 each, but they were definitely big enough to ensure we didn't leave hungry.
Yvonne Simon
Atmosphere and food taste great! We had to wait a little long for our entrees but if we had appetizers & bloody Mary's we would have been fine. Unfortunately we didn't have time that day!
JJ
I particularly like the lunch menu. Good selection of reasonably priced entrees. Fried or grilled catfish or tilapia. Seafood (shrimp, crab, crawfish) or crawfish (both fried and boiled) salads. A Lafayette tradition downtown.
John
Dons claims to be one of Lafayette's original Cajun restaurants, operating since 1934. So to be in business that long there has to be things done right.<br/>The interior is clean but due a remodel. The service was attentive.<br/>My fried catfish was pedestrian, the strips were warm not hot,the seafood jambalaya was not for me and my fries came a few minutes later.<br/>The seafood salad was good and the homemade Italian dressing was superior.<br/>The cost of $61 after tip and 2 beers seems too much on the high side.
Diane Dugas Lantier
Was told we would be seated in 30 minutes and an hour later asked the hostess if she had any idea on how much longer and was told no idea. This response came from 2 different employees who did not even bother to check the tables to see how far along they were. So I party of 15 went elsewhere, where our patronage was appreciated. As a local business owner, I would not want my employees treating customers like this.
Facebook User
My dad ate here years ago and raved about the gumbo. Passing through Lafayette, my mom and I decided to surprise my dad by picking up some to-go. We ordered a gallon which came vacuum sealed and frozen in two bags with the shrimp and crab (I guess it was crab? Maybe fish?) sealed separately. It also came with a 9x13 pan of rice and a loaf of french bread. Five hours later we prepared and served it and it was delicious! The roux is just divine! My dad thought it was a little too peppery, but I loved it. Makes me want to learn how to make a roux. Will stop by again if I ever have opportunity.
Cajundude50
Easter Sunday lunch special. Turkey was ok. Eggplant with shrimp we could not eat it, Sweet potatoe casserole could not eat it, Rice dressing was ok. Give it 1 star,
Beau Craig Montou
The food was just ok but very overpriced and the service was a joke. I would not recommend this restaurant and I will not be returning.
Dainecovey
Finally tried it. I am in the Lafayette/BR area frequently for work and have seen Don's Seafood restaurants but had never tried them until today. First, the restaurant is in dire need of a makeover, very dingy, except for the white tablecloths. I was excited about trying some of their Cajun seafood, so I ordered the étouffée and fried shrimp lunch. I am no chef of Louisiana cooking, but the étouffée tasted like it came out of a can, absolutely no flavor. I even had to pour on the hot sauce which I never do. The shrimp were ok. I definitely will be trying another place here for dinner.
Linda Marianos Goetze
Look at their sign says open til 930 but we got there at 845 and they said their kitchen had been closed for 30 minutes!
C'est Bon
Best old fashions in town. Cliff is an institution in his own right! Excellent gumbos and bisque!
Vickypgiles
Rude hostess. We love the food and service of this restaurant, but because the hostess was so rude to us today, we will not be back. She ignored us being there, seemed overly frustrated when we asked if it would be much longer. Empty tables in plain view, servers sitting in the lobby, and on the front curve outside the front door, but no one would take care of us! Then to " put us in our place" she seated a party that came in after us! We complained and she invited us to leave!! We did! We went to the other Don's were greeted, seated and had our entree in less time than we sat in the lobby at the downtown Don's!!! Rude, rude, rude hostess ruined Don's Downtown for us!!
Bdiner
An excellent candidate for a Gordon Ramsay Kitchen Nightmares show. Run down facility; nasty food obviously not made fresh. So many good memories of this place; soooo disappointed last visit!
Justin Leblanc
Service is very poor!!! 35 minute wait on waiting list thy said was 15 minutes. Scratch my name as if they sat me and then said they will not seat a half full dining room because the kitchen is backed up.
Misha
Didn't enjoy it. The seafood wasn't anything special and underseasoned. I had higher expectations but could have gone to Popeyes and got a shrimp platter for better quality...
Van Spinks
Service was really bad!!!! Food was non edible!!!!!!!!!! Would not let my dog eat at this place!!!!!
La Foodie
What to expect at Don's: alot of old people eating there. To me, that's not a bad thing. I don't like the paper on tables! Anywhere ever! The waitstaff is en pointe. The food is good, pretty good but a little expensive. The cheesecake is really good. The whole place needs to be remodeled though.
FoodCriticToo
Try the Crawfish Bisque in season. EXCELLENT!
E.Rock
An absolute joke.
Tuts
Still the best. Great seafood and steaks and they really know how to do the originals au gratin étouffée fried shrimp. Worth the trip downtown.
CajunRD
Always delicious. Generous portions. Attentive waitstaff. Sunday lunch always good choice. Of course their gumbos are best in town!
Eat Lafayette
Good place.. Such a good place. The cocktails are classic and so is the cajun and south Louisiana food. Last night the special was a giant seafood platter for $12.95. More than enough for three meals. In the heart of downtown Lafayette, the restaurant is over 75 years old. The service is 5 star and the staff is so honest. Dropped our credit cards on the way out and didn't even know it until they called this morning to say they had it. Go soon. Go often.
Travlee
A Lafayette Institution. Don's Downtown is a Lafayette institution and there is a reason why...the food is consistently good. They have basically the same food as Don's Seafood Hut and strangely the same problem with their bisque so my review is the same as for the Hut. A recommended stop for visitors in Lafayette!<br/><br/>Just thinking about the crawfish bisque at Don's makes my mouth water, it is just SO GOOD!! They still serve the stuffed crawfish heads with it and while they are messy the stuffing is just delicious! The only thing I don't like is that about half the time the bisque is served just over lukewarm instead of hot which is disappointing. Not sure why this happens but I wish they'd fix it. <br/><br/>Their seafood salad is also fantastic! Sauteed crawfish, shrimp and crab set over a salad, wish they used a better variety of greens and veggies in the salad but it is still very good. All in all Don's is definately worth trying.
Dynamic Diner
Come on!. Ive been hearing some bad things about this place lately but I didnt expect this!<br/>the food came out cold and service was even colder!<br/>not going back!
CajunKate
A Classic!. Don's in downtown Lafayette is consistently good. Today I had the seafood gumbo and crawfish half-and-half. Both were delicious. Service was great. As our meal ended, our waitress warned us of a sudden downpour and suggested we wait it out at our table. <br/> <br/>The crowd in here is totally geriatric, especially at lunch. Today two cute old men (70+) were sitting at the table next to us downing martinis with their lunch. Awesome!<br/> <br/>If you love seafood, Cajun food, and old people, you can;t go wrong at Don's!
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