Prejean's — Restaurant in Carencro

For the past 40 years I have been an ambassador for Prejean's. I have recommended them to everyone that I have known to drive through Louisiana, I live in Dallas and drive to Florida at minimum of 3 to 4 time a year. Planning my trips around being able to stop and enjoy their food. I have visited with Mom an Dad, watched them hand the reigns over to family members, and finally being sold to Tim Metcalf, who I had the pleasure of meeting and discussing his plans for the restaurants future menu. He told me that the Chicken / sausage gumbo and the duck / sausage gumbo were going to not be changed. That was music to my ears, since they were my favorite. Every time I stop there to eat I have always left with four to six tubs of the award winning gumbo for my customers and friends, That equates to about $150.00 each visit. Which the manager would always give me 10% off on.

Well times have definitely changed. On my last visit, on 10/03, , The only thing that stayed true to my past experiences was Jonathan, my server. He was excellent. Very attentive. Shared stories of the past years at Prejean's.

It wen down hill from there. The award winning gumbo, while still good, was changed. Just averaged. When I ask Jonathan if I was still getting 10% off on the 6 tubs I was buying for my customers and friends in Florida, he told me he had to check with the manager. He came back and said she told him "no". I asked to speak with her. She came over. I told her of my years of being a loyal customer and spreading the word about the restaurant and she repeated "No". It was now becoming "a point" to me. I asked her to call the owner or her supervisor, which she supposedly did. When she came back from the "supposed" call, the answer was still "No".

I have owned my own business for years and since when does a "manager" not have the authority to make a simple management decision like this for a good customer or for a customer dissatisfied with their food or service. With the quality of food going down and the poor management skills experienced on this visit, I hate to say "Its just another restaurant" on the highway that is not worth going out of the way...

My friend and I reserved a table here for 7.30pm on Wednesday 12 June 2024.

We arrived precisely on time and after reviewing the menu and taking advice from our waitress, Elise, just after 8.00pm we ordered two cups of gumbo, shrimp trilogy and the egg plant pirogue.

Due to bad experiences elsewhere in Lafayette we felt the need to stress that we wanted all our food hot; not lukewarm, not warm, but HOT. We particularly stressed that we wanted the soup to be very hot.

However when the soup came out in around 5 minutes, it wasn't even warm.

We looked around for our waitress but she was nowhere to be seen. After waiting about 5 minutes I asked another waitress if she could find our waitress, but Elise still did not appear.

The next table had been serviced three times while we were waiting. Their waitress realised that we had an issue and came over to enquire if she could help with anything. I asked her to get the manager but he didn't appear despite the fact that I could see him working on a computer every time the kitchen door opened.

We were then approached by a third person who confirmed that she was not the manager but was taking over service at our table. I told her that she was not; and again requested the manager but he still didn't appear.

Elise eventually reappeared. I told her that I had already twice asked to speak to the manager and that if he didn't want to speak to me, we would be leaving.

After waiting more than 10 minutes all told, we got up to leave. Just then the manager appeared and enquired about our "bad experience". I told him everything that had happened including the fact that I had had to ask for him three times. His excuse was that he had been dealing with his paperwork and had sent out his "lead waitress". Clearly dealing with his paperwork was more important to him than dealing with his customers.

I told him that no one would disrespect me in that way and we left...

If your hungry and serious about good authentic Cajun food and music (usually live Cajun bands on weekends). Then you need to check out Prejean's in Carencro. It's all about Cajun.here. I say that bc as soon as you walk in your welcomed by a very large alligator (fake of coarse) but very cool looking as you walk by it being led to your table. In fact, I was there today for lunch for my birthday with a few family members. From the huge beverage selection ( I'll just say the rye whiskey won me over), to the list of amazing appetizers and then led to the main entree. Personally, I'm born and raised Cajun myself,.. sooo... Honestly, this is not my first time here. As a kid, my Mom and Dad would bring my sister and I to Prejean's occasionally. I always remember hearing the French / Cajun bands playing, ppl dancing, that huge alligator 🐊 and munching down on some huge, fried, gulf shrimp 🍤 ! Prejean's has always been known as a tourist attractant here in Cajun country since established. You can expect Saturdays and Sundays as their busiest days of the week ( that I'm aware of). SO, From A - Z, Prejean's Restaurant in Carencro ended up with a 5 star ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ rating across the board from me. There's only one small complaint I could think of. That would be the parking . Let me just say this, If you want to go for lunch on a weekend, I'd suggest getting there early, or call for reservations.

Ps. Sorry for no photos. We (I) was having to good of a time, I forgot. I'll stop by next time I pass by on a weekend and take some pics an post them...