Da Levee

Amazing Spicy Chicken Po Boy, it’s cool inside as well. We had a going away party for our co-​worker and they handled our big group (17) easily.

I wasn’t overly impressed with the food, my gumbo had 2 sausage bits in it and a few vegetables but was mostly rice. My husband got a spicy chicken sandwich but it was lacking in filling. The pickle was my favorite part, along with the rootbeer.

went back recently. I like that they have a patio now but i don’t like how they changed the interior. I like how it flowed before. I miss being able to sit at the window and look out. I miss the drink cooler too. I dunno why. recently went back and ordered my usual. My meal ended up being 2 or 3 buck more than it usually is. They raised the prices on me! I felt my portions were smaller too. Like i was mostly just eating rice and a soda cost me 13 or 14 bucks. I use to go because the price reflected the amount of food. I don’t think i like this new price increase. I don’t think it is justified. I doubt i’ll be back anytime soon.

Yes, I am a fan! Had the gumbo and it was excellent, and the chicken po boy I enjoyed too. I was surprised how tiny it was. It maybe fit 10 people? Regardless, looking forward to ordering again.

Came in on a Friday afternoon/​evening. The place was pretty empty and the staff was helpful. In understanding what everything was, they even allowed us to sample a few things. I love that the water is just on the counter for you to help yourself, there’s also an assortment of sauces for you to help yourself.
–crawfish etoufee bowl: good portion, but it was a bit fishy… It was a good portion, but due to the fishiness id probably try something else if I come back
–the bread: everything comes with lots of delicious bread! I don’t really like bread, but this stuff was great!
–side house salad: left a bit to be desired. Iceberg lettuce, two tomato slices, shredded cheddar cheese, and spicy ranch. It was okay– but is not order it again.
–my friend got some drink that was basically a huge hurricane, big red and delicious. really delicious!
Over all, it was good, nothing I’ll be itching to go back to but if I was walking by I would re-​visit.

The cuisine is truly New Orlean’s style. The servers were very friendly and helpful. Good choice on the menu. I had the Flight of New Orleans which is two or three of the classics. The Gumbo was very good and the Black Bean Maque Choux was great!
I’ll be back.

Recently I needed to find a spot that delivered and was reasonable on a Sunday and came across this place online and thought let me give it a try.
I was intrigued by the menu and had high hopes for what I’d get. Unfortunately I was disappointed.
Overall the food was average at best and the only reason the rating isn’t lower is because the price was very reasonable. With so many really delicious places to choose from in Columbus, don’t settle for this.

So I’ve been coming here since the placed opened. Probably one of my favorite restaurants in Columbus. Well today I had decided to try Yats instead. Big mistake Da Levee is far superior in regards to quality portion size and taste. if any of you are feeling the urge to take a risk or that maybe Yats may have something better to offer than Da Levee? Save yourself from total disappointment stick with Da Levee. Yats will leave you wishing for the Da Levee.

I love the atmosphere of this place! Awesome friendly staff. But be warned if you come down here on Gallery Hop Night! Parking is a nightmare! (First Saturday of every month). The menu is diverse enough but not overwhelming lots of options for people with food allergies. I had da Slob. A huge a** burrito with tons of stuff in it. Covered in crawfish etouffe. I got thru ¼ of it. But it was delicious. My friend had the pay day po-​boy with chorizo and andouille, and the jambalaya and a salad. All of it was good. And the peanut butter pie… Slammin!

I am going to be honest and say I was not sure I would like this place but after eating here I was pretty impressed. My family lived in southwestern Alabama so I know creole food. I actually was a server at a seafood restaurant that served the best gumbo I ever had. This being said I had high expectations.
I got the combo meal with the gumbo and cheesy crawfish étouffée. Let me say, the cheesey crawfish étouffée was delicious. I could eat that by the spoonful. Seriously though. They also served it with this delicious «magic bread». The cheesy crawfish is a special though so be on the look out! Anyways like I said above I know what the best gumbo ever tastes like and Da Levee may not have the best gumbo but its still good. Next time I would probably just get the cheesy crawfish étouffée platter. Mmm
My sister got the C.B.R, Chicken Bacon Ranch Po’boy. She also lived in Alabama and was use to good old fried oyster and shrimp Po’boys so when she saw this one she was confused and disagree but as soon as she got it she couldn’t put it down. She does wish they would have a fried shrimp or oyster one though! Just a thought :)
Next time I am going to get a big glass of sweet tea because being a southern inspired restaurant I’m sure its amazing! Try this place out if you have never had creole food because it is good eating!

Cajun/​Creole cuisine really is a mystery to me. I frankly wouldn’t know an étouffée from a maque choux from a jambalaya. But thanks to this weeks lunch meet up with Mark K., at this little bayou themed dive-​eatery, I’ve found a great little restaurant and a new cuisine to explore.
I’ve got to give top kudos to their employees for their friendly greeting, their helpful suggestions and especially their offer to taste a few things before we ordered. Yeah, I just said free samples! Now how cool is that?. This fun little restaurant with its laid back NOLA vibe is tiny but they’ve made the most of their space which includes seating for about 30 or so, a bar and a counter where you order your food. It’s cozy but not cramped.
Now we all want to know about the food so let’s talk about that Po Boy Spicy Chicken Sandwich on a Butter Bun ($ 8) that hit the spot for me last Wednesday afternoon. I’m still thinking about that slow cooked spicy shredded chicken with the perfect amount of heat, fresh lettuce, sliced red tomato and some creamy mayo on a nicely toasted butter bun. The chilled sliced pickle and some crispy wavy chips that come with it rounded out the combination of flavors and textures for me. All this paired well with an Abita Mardi Gras Bock.
Now to sum this all up:
Friendly Employees
Great Food
Fun Ambiance
Free Samples
What else could I ask for?
This is a solid 5 stars eatery with a side of Mardi Gras beads.

Finally made it down to this location, to meet Mike G. for lunch. It was pretty quiet at 1 on a weekday, which is good because it is pretty small and I was afraid it would be crazy busy. Décor is over-​the-​top Mardi Gras chic. Service was very friendly, but minimal since you order at the counter and they bring it out. Definitely a better place to hang out than the Gahanna one, with a bit more room, a few more menu options, and of course a better location.
I had the combo, with a small chorizo sandwich, cup of spicy chicken, and salad. The sandwich was on good bread, with lots of crumbly sausage and fresh veggies. It was a bit messy to eat, but good. The chicken was spicier than the chorizo, surprisingly, and served over a bed of perfect rice. The salad dressing was zippy, and went well with fresh veggies. An Abita Purple Haze paired well.
Is it just like eating in NOLA? No. But it’s pretty good, and pretty cheap, and as close as I’m likely to get for awhile.

This is a great little casual Cajun place in the Short North. I was in town for a concert and we were walking around trying to figure out what we wanted to eat after the show. We initially walked by the place, but then came back once we realized other places were closed at 11 in the evening. Lucky for us that Da Levee is open late!
I was starving and everything on the menu looked great. I went to college in New Orleans so I’m always kind of picky with my Cajun food. This place isn’t completely authentic Cajun, but it lives up to the hype! I ordered the jambalaya and a side salad. The jambalaya was packed full of chicken and Andouille sausage. I sampled other people’s dishes and I have to say that mine was definitely the best. It comes with a side of magic bread. This wonderful garlic bread that is completely addicting. The side salad comes with a ranch dressing that packs a big kick in the spice area. It also came with it’s own order of magic bread. And, yes, I ate all of the magic bread that was provided to me.
The food is super cheap here! My jambalaya and side salad rang up at $ 8 and I couldn’t eat all of it. Not bad at all for this part of town.

Honestly, this should read 3 and a half stars.
Here’s the thing. Da Levee is one of the better places to eat in the overpriced yuppie wasteland of the Short North, in part because the prices are reasonable. And yeah, it’s not bad food, but it’s sort of Cajun-​fusion. Maybe I just had the Andouille on an off-​night, but it didn’t really taste anything like Andouille. Jalapenos are very tasty, but they’re not traditionally used in Cajun food. Chorizo is very tasty, but it’s not traditionally used in Cajun cuisine. And a lot of the fusion food isn’t bad, but it’s not as flavorful as you might expect.
So, just keep in mind that this is not «authentic» Cajun food. This is not inherently bad; experimentation is a good thing in food. It’s just not exactly traditional.

Look. I’m not saying anything anyone hasn’t already said, but I’ll add my «YES OMG DA LEVEEEE» to the pile.
Everything is delicious. I’ve had the chicken creole, the chorizo posole, and their chicken po’boy. All great. Whatever you get, get extra magic bread. You won’t regret it. Parking can be a little rough, but that’s the Short North for you. Cool decorations, decent bottle selection of beers. Great hot sauce arsenal.

We got a couple of fresh tasty meals, with tax and tip, for around $ 16. So for the price of a fast food meal, you can get food that can stand up against any meal in New Orleans.
We had the chicken étouffée and smoked sausage with red beans specials. Both were served over rice with a side of magic bread. That’s their version of the toast you get everywhere in NEw Orleans. A little on the dry side, but perfect for sopping up the tasty food that your fork misses.
The service was fast, and dare I say some of the friendliest I’ve experienced in Columbus. This will be added to the list of regulars. Can’t believe it took me this long to get here!

Stopped here for a quick lunch. No line so I was able to order immediately. Prices were reasonable. The Crawfish Étouffée was acceptable. The roux was on the light, less-​seasoned side vs a rich and deep roux.
It was a generous portion on top of rice with a side of buttered and toasted bread. The chalk menu on the wall was hip and can easily be changed to reflect changes to the menu.
Service was attentive and low-​key. I would recommend that the owners keep pushing to improve their offerings and take a few visits to LA to eat at a variety of restaurants to help them improve.

Love love love.
Things I love about Da Levee:
– the location. It’s a genuinely awesome spot in the Short North (I could have walked to it from my old apartment, sigh).
– THE. FOOD. OMG. I just haven’t had anything from Da Levee yet that doesn’t taste fantastic. My especial favs are the black bean maque choux and their smoked sausage. (Wait, I take that back – I’m not at all a fan of their magic bread, but I think that’s just me? They’re more than happy to leave it off of my order.)
They take really good care layering their flavors, and that’s one of the things I really dig about their food. I’ve had jambalaya made by people who don’t know how to make it; even though it’s fairly basic comfort food, it still takes care to build the flavors. Da Levee takes that care.
– The people there are always so super nice. Really nice, not fakey nice.
– The price points are beyond reasonable. Where can you get lunch for $ 5 anymore? (Granted, that’s without a non-​water beverage, but we probably all drink too much soda anyway, amirite? I do, anyway.) Though if you’re not eating bread, you’ll probably want to upsize to the $ 7 portion. Without bread, it’s a bit small. Still do-​able, but small.
– They carry Abita! Woohoo!
I think I need to have Da Levee again soon.

Who knew one’d find a NOLA themed restaurant in Columbus?! Not us! Plus, I havent had Cajun cuisine since visiting The Big Easy back in ’07. Our former CM’S rave review sealed the deal.
We stepped up to the register after another group, but as soon as we approached we were left hanging: the guy manning the register walked away to do other things.
Gah.
I understand maybe there were just two employees manning the place, but an «I’ll be right with you» would have been nicer than being ignored for upwards of 7 minutes (especially since we were clearly in view and both employees came right over to the register a few times).
I had a ½ and ½: Spinach Mushroom Étouffée and Black Bean Maque Choux. I preferred the Spinach Mushroom. Portion sizes were large and filling (rice). The food was alright, albeit lukewarm and heavy on the cumin. The «Magic Bread» is simply buttered and toasted french bread. It was fine, but not magical.
Needless to say, the food was just OK and service was a dud. It won’t be a place I go out of my way to visit a second time.

Sadly, this was my first time going to the Short North location, because I usually don’t like trying to find parking around there if I don’t have to. And I live pretty close too. Plus, I go to the Gahanna location all the time, so there really was no need. Right? Well, if you’re looking for just food, then yes, but this location has a great vibe that you just can’t get at the Gahanna one, which is mainly just for takeout.
The food is still great, and my girlfriend absolutely loved her black bean maque choux. I’d wanted to take her for so long, and I think we’ll definitely be back, especially since this location has a full service bar. My food was delicious as always. It’s hard to tell people what to get here, since they rotate the menu all the time. I suggest leaving it up to the guys working there, since he seemed to point us in the right direction.
I will say that it was extremely hot in there when we went, and I’m not sure if it was from the kitchen or what. All of the windows were fogging up, and they had to open the doors.
If you’re in the Short North, whether bar hopping or just looking for a great meal, Da Levee is solid, and the food comes out super quick. The staff is friendly, and they have some decent beers on tap.