Ragin' Cajun — Restaurant in Houston

My family and I visited this location on Saturday April 27,2024. I was beyond excited to try this location since I saw the signage when it was being built. After some convincing I finally got my husband to take the plunge and try them out. Parking was by far the best thing about our experience. We decided to sit outside. On the walk outside a guest grabbed her purse as my children passed by her ( no they were not going to knock it down nor was it in the way). As a person of color you are mindful of how you present yourself to the world and how the world reacts to your presence. Once we were seated outside there was another long wait for someone to actually to wait on us. The staff was not attentive at all. From the moment we walked in no one greeted us or even a slight smile in our direction. The waiter was not horrible. He was a young African American man with an afro ( I can’t remember his name to save my life) but for the most part he seemed nervous. We ordered our drinks, appetizers and food. The drinks were flat. The strawberry lemonade was horrible. It seems to be flavored using some kind of syrup that does not mix well with the lemonade. Food was bland. The dirty rice was delicious. No one in my party of 6 completed their meal. Mine was untouched outside of a bite of catfish and a fry. We did not receive silverware until midway through our dinner. No refills. The chef (guy with a white apron), went around the entire patio asking about the guests dining experience but my group was missed. Like he literally went to the table directly behind us and then around us to the next table. Multiple waitresses were outside tending to multiple tables but no one looked our way. There was a dog at one table eating at the table. Actually in the chair at the table eating off the table. We asked for the check which ended up being around 180. We tipped the waiter and left. I bagged up our food to bring to a lady that stays near us (majority of the food was untouched) but accidentally left it on the table and the guy cleaning the table did not alert us that it was left behind just threw it away. Overall my experience was horrible. I felt as if myself and my family were invisible and unwanted. I feel if you are a person of color then you may want to try other options in the area. This location was definitely not it. Which was a major let down because I was genuinely excited...

This was our first time here, so we wanted to have the full experience. We ordered the boudin balls and wings for appetizers. My husband ordered the fried catfish plate with hush puppies and french fries. And then he added an a side of onion rings because he wanted to try those as well. I ordered a half muffaletta sandwich with french fries since mine didn't come with any sides. We wanted to have the full experience, and we got it! The boudin balls and breaded wings were excellent! He said that they are the best boudin balls he's ever had. The fried catfish was wonderful and the onion rings were perfectly crisp. Unlike some of the other restaurants with their onion rings that are limp and flimsy when you dip them in ketchup, these onion rings were exactly crisp with the right amount of firmness for dipping. They weren't too hard where they were overly crunchy, and that's a difficult balance to reach! They really just had the right amount. The fries were seasoned so nicely that I enjoyed them without dipping them in anything. The half muffaletta was more than enough to share and bring some home. The prices were very fair (considering today's economy), and the proportions of food are good-sized. We will definitely be going back because it is great food, wonderful service, and a beautiful restaurant. On a nice day with pleasant weather, you could definitely enjoy sitting outside and dining on their patio. There is ample space on the patio for dining in large parties. That's part of the reason why we wanted to try this restaurant out: is it good for parties of 8 to 20 people. Yes, it will work for us that way. I'm glad they brought this jewel to Spring Branch, and it's a bonus that it's not off the freeway. That will make the patio so much...

3 out of 5 – Great Atmosphere, But the Food Lacked Flavor and Spice

Here’s the Good: The new Ragin’ Cajun location near 610 has a beautiful outdoor patio, cute seating, and a very clean restaurant. The raw oysters were excellent—fresh and flavorful—and the crawfish, while spicy, were decently done. If you're looking for a nice place to sit, relax, and enjoy a Louisiana-inspired vibe, the ambiance here delivers.

Here’s the Bad: The flavor was lacking across most of the food. As someone who used to love the Richmond location for their extremely spicy crawfish, I was disappointed to find that this new spot only offers one spice level—and it’s much milder in comparison. I tried the gumbo, chicken and shrimp pasta, and buffalo shrimp, and all of them were underwhelming. Nothing really stood out, and none of those dishes were enjoyable enough to reorder.

I gave this location two chances—once with my best friend, and another with family—and sadly, neither group said they’d return. We all left feeling unimpressed.

That said, I’m not saying the food is outright bad—it might suit someone who prefers milder, less seasoned dishes. But if you're a fan of bold, spicy, well-seasoned Cajun food, this might not be the spot for you.

It’s not the worst place by any means, but it’s definitely not somewhere I’m...