Schmidt's House of Jambalaya — Restaurant in California

What a lovely hidden gem. First let me tell you that we are well-traveled gourmands and have eaten in NOLA. I also am an excellent cook and have cooked NOLA-style. And we are muffuletta snobs. And generally try to eat our weight in crawfish when in NOLA. That said, we were so excited to give Schmidt’s a try. And we were not disappointed! From the start, our experience was so memorable. We had our dogs with us and they welcomed them through the restaurant to their sheltered outside seating area. Rob held the door open and was such a gentleman. I used the restroom first. It was not only clean and well-stocked.but as a handicapped person I am always aware of how accessible things are. Bathrooms are often not. But for such a small cafe they have a wheelchair-worthy restroom. Once seated I was pleased to see a cloth napkin, expertly wrapped around my flatware but was surprised to see that inside was a paper napkin, protecting my eating utensils. Again, such class for such a humble-looking restaurant. These little touches alone tell me that I am dining in an establishment owned by a world class restaurateur who cares about the details. The menu is impressive and it was difficult to make a decision but we settled on starting with crawfish fritters and Boudin balls. They were deep-fried to perfection and served beautifully with remoulade sauce artfully drizzled. Rob advised us to cut open the deep-fried morsels before eating to save us from burning our tongues, another sign of an attentive waiter. I had their mimosa, my hubby chose an organic ale from their extensive beer list and our son ordered a non-alcoholic beer. Rob apologized that they did not currently have them in stock so Kyle ordered a cappuccino. Rob came back shortly to apologize that he couldn’t get the espresso machine to pressurize. Kyle was happy to settle for a soda. But Rob insisted on persevering and soon he appeared with a lovely cappuccino that Kyle hailed as excellent. For our main courses the boys chose the muffuletta and muffuletta supreme and I chose the jambalaya. Rob pressed me to add garlic bread which I agreed to, planning not to eat it as it is usually a disappointment. But OMG! Even the garlic cheese bread is superb, perfectly crispy in the outside and tender in the inside. We all gobbled it up. The sandwiches, made with their homemade tapenade, were divine—Rob placing my hubby’s supreme appropriately in front of him to show how the sandwich with 2 olive eyes was looking at him!—and my jambalaya was superb. Rob let us know that the jambalaya is made fresh daily by the owner who comes in early to prepare it and it shows. Again, a restaurateur who cares. Even the dill pickles served with the sandwiches were excellent. I’d swear they were homemade. The meal done, our palates happy and tummies full we were actually sad to be leaving. So we ordered a lovely bottle of local rosé and an ice cream for our puppy and moved outside to enjoy the view even more. Rob went to the trouble to nestle our dog’s cup of ice cream into the rocks so his licking action didn’t flip it over and after we had a glass of wine he re-sealed the bottle so we could carry it in our car. So many special touches. Such wonderful service, even in a time when staffing is impossible and restaurants are struggling to recover. Please don’t come here and complain about the cost of the food or the time it might take to prepare it. If you want cheap, fast food go elsewhere. But if you want a memorable dining experience with fine food in the unlikeliest of locales, Schmidt’s is for you. They...

What a great experience! I can't believe I've lived in this area for a few years and am only now discovering this place! A friend of mine, a New Orleans transplant, recommended this place as their favorite for dinner. It being the House of Jambalaya, their approval was good enough for me. Located on the same pier as and just before the Charthouse, it's within walking distance of great views of the Battery Point Lighthouse and all the resident seals/sea lions. Be sure to treat yourself to a walk to see both. This place is small but charming. Warm tones, nice lighting and simple yet tasteful decor. The staff are friendly and welcoming, even though we accidentally showed up a half hour before closing. There is an outdoor patio, but it was one of those chilly, froggy Crescent City nights so we only peeked before deciding on a table inside. The view from the patio is awesome - I'll definitely go back on a warmer day. The menu is short, but I appreciate that. There are many appetizers, fish and chips, shrimp and chips, wings, Po Boys, muffalettas, etc. We both decided to go with the Jambalaya on this first visit. Side of corn bread and a salad to start. The salad was unique. A simple bed of greens, one round, sliced tomato and bits of tapenade sort of dropped all over it. It was really good. The cornbread was the kind of cornbread I love. Moist and sweet, almost like cake. It's a nice addition to balance the spice of the jambalaya; which, by the way, was also very good. Better than some I've tried in actual Louisiana! Our server, Ben, was helpful and kind. He and the rest of the staff were great to chat with and didn't make us feel rushed at closing (sorry about that, guys!). All around great food, atmosphere and service!...

House of Jambalaya offers an exceptional culinary experience that transports you straight to the heart of Louisiana. We recently dined here and were thoroughly impressed with each dish we tried.

Po Boy “Snapper” - This sandwich was a standout. The snapper was perfectly cooked, flaky, and full of flavor. The bread was fresh and had the perfect balance of crispness and chewiness. Combined with the house-made sauces and fresh toppings, this Po Boy was an absolute delight.

Dirty Fries - These fries are a must-try. They were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and generously topped with a savory mix of spices and toppings. Each bite was a flavor explosion, making it hard to stop eating them. I asked for the blue cheese on the side, but after dipping each bite I can assure you it’s an excellent combination.

Jambalaya - The jambalaya at House of Jambalaya is a testament to authentic Cajun cooking. It was hearty, with a perfect blend of spices, rice, and a generous amount of seafood and sausage. Every spoonful was rich and satisfying, leaving us wanting more.

Overall, our experience at House of Jambalaya was fantastic. The food was incredible, the atmosphere was inviting, and the service was top-notch. We highly recommend this place to anyone looking for an authentic taste of...