04/30/09

Great place for great bread

by SistahsSippinTea

I hosted my book club event here and everyone enjoyed themselves from the drinks to the main dish. Our waiter was awesome and very detailed with the specialities of the day. All eight of us really had a great time. They all said "WE WILL BE BACK," which I was glad to here since these women can be so harsh on their ratings. All in all it was two thumbs us.

• Pros: food, service, decor
• Cons: i found none

04/30/08

The best Mango Mojitos in the world!!!

by geshia

Mardi Gras is the best restaurant ever!!! The food is amazing and the drinks please you would have to go yourself and really try it. It's prompt seating but on some days like Friday nights or Saturday nights it tends to get busy so you might have to wait a bit. It doesn't matter the place is worth the wait. There mango mojito is delicious and their stuff crabmeat shrimp is the priceless!!! Go and see for yourself you won't be disappointed.

Geisha

• Pros: Great service, food and drinks!!!
• Cons: It might be pricey for some people!!!

02/14/08

Great Customer Service, Food and Atmosphere

by jrinac420

I have been going to Mardi Gras for about five years now and this is one of my favorite restaurants. I am always seated very quickly, and if i do not like that particular table they will move me if they have the space available. I always request my favorite waiter, of course most of the wait staff is good but i have a favorite. The food is always cooked very well, i recommend you try the jalapeno mashed potatoes with the voodoo chicken, and for desert the banana forster. You will love the atmosphere, the wait staff, and the food.

Jessica

Glendale, NY

• Pros: Ambience, service
• Cons: No parking, trying to stuff to many tables in a small space

09/03/07

Are u serious? This is the best new york has to offer in terms of Louisiana creole and cajun food! Get Lost!

by milahj

I am soooooo disappointed in this restauarant. Apparently, new yorkers do not know anything about cajun/creole food. Actually, there is a difference in the style of cooking between the two, but there is not enough space to discuss that fact. I am a direct decendant from Louisiana creoles, so I am extremely qualified to diss this restaurant because I was raised on the cooking and was taught how to perpare the food. I purposely tried the so-called commercial items, because I would that would be a indicator of chef's knowledge of the food. The gumbo was bland lacking file along with other spices (can't tell you what they were of else my grandma would disown me!). I also had the po-boy sandwich and red beans and rice. Word to the wise, red beans and rice should never be sweet period! Po boy sandwiches always have tarter sauce, the tomatos are thinly sliced, and the lettuce is never real lettuce (thinly sliced cabbage, or lettuce similar to what is used in coleslaw is normally used). The only thing that was maybe close to the real deal was the bread pudding, because it included a praline (which was yummy) , however there was no burbeon sauce to accompany this. Waitress was good/okay. People who are raised on louisiana creole/cajun food will not appreciate this restaurant at all, but new yorkers will because most of them have no idea what real deal is.

09/02/07

Stop by as a last resort

by kaalel

Went there on a Saturday night for a quick drink, the tables were relatively yet they would not let us sit because we only wanted appetizers. We had to try to squeeze into the crowded bar. The drinks were a bit week, food as ok at best. The only upside was the bartender was friendly.

• Pros: decent food
• Cons: no table seating if you're not eating a meal

08/22/07

Tasty Jambalaya, good brunch, great atmosphere

by agapitog

I love the Jambalaya here. This dish alone is worth coming here. But the attraction doesn't stop there. The Banana Foster is delicious, and the atmosphere can be as intimate as you want it to be. If you like jazz and live bands, then you should come here on Thursday. I prefer weekend brunch and walking thru the neighborhood. The waitstaff are friendly and they remember you and your preferences.

• Pros: Jambalaya and Banana Fosters
• Cons: The live jazz band can be loud for some.

08/10/07

AMAZING Food - GREAT Atmosphere - MY FAVORITE

by cmays84

Since moving to Forest Hills in March 2007, Mardi Gras has quickly become my favorite restaurant in the area. I have eaten there at least 5 times and I'm going tonight to make it 6. The food is incredible - the mussels are a must-have! Also worth trying off the appetizer menu is the shrimp bisque (regular special) and the calamari. Everything is a little spicy so if you do not like spicy, beware. The blackened chicken and shrimp special that they have quite often is one of the best entrees I've ever tasted. Also try the stuffed shrimp, Mardi Gras salmon and the seafood pasta. Obviously, you have to like seafood!

As for the service, it can be on and off. I've been there a few times and been seated promptly and had a great waiter. There have also been times I have encountered problems. The service can be slow sometimes and the waiters not very friendly. But on a good night, everything is perfect and I couldn't ask for a better dinner. It is worth the risk. The place is much less crowded on weekdays but even on weekends I have not had to wait long for a table. They do take reservations for dinner before 6pm (although you probably don't need them that early). From my experience, it does not get crowded until around 8pm on any night. But it can sometimes feel crowded even when it isn't because the tables are small and very close together.

All in all, even with my few negative comments, it is still my favorite restaurant in Forest Hills (maybe even ever) and it is always worth it just to eat those mussels!!!

• Pros: FOOD!!!! Everything I've eaten is amazing!!!
• Cons: Service can be good or bad depending on the night. Tables are sometimes too close together and very cramped.

04/27/07

Go Thursday nights for the live Jazz

by hrose

Jazz on Thursday nights only! The foold is good, desert is excellent, wait staff kinda slow. The bar is seriously crowded. Thursday's are best!!

01/05/07

Cajun Fried Chicken -- it's boneless and the best!

by janeann1976

If you want to cheat on your diet, go for the Cajun fried chicken or the gumbo. I like the food there, it's pretty good. The atmosphere is unique and fun, but the space is cramped and the tables are small. I've dined there a couple of times and every time I feel the wait staff is extremely friendly but the flow of their service is very slow. Most recently (New Year's Eve, with lots of open tables around us) the service was horrible and we were 'forgotten' about from the time our food arrived until we sat there, finished with our meals waiting for our server to come by so we could ask for the check -- it was pretty bad. As a former server, you should check back "three bites" into the meal to see if everyone is satisfied, if you can't make it back in three bites then you need to at least check back for refills on drinks (esp. at a CAJUN place), this was not our experience. We easily sat there for 1/2 hour with no one stopping by. Isolated incident, but it will keep us away for a while...good food though.

• Pros: great boneless fried chicken and friendly wait staff
• Cons: slow wait staff/service

Editorial Review

by Contributor

Serving gumbo, spicy chicken wings, fresh oysters on a half shell, coconut chicken fingers, blackened fillet mignon, ribeye steak, sirloin steak and pasta.