Nothing is good… overpriced garbage. Avoid at all costs.
David S.
We attempted to have a late lunch, big mistake. Despite closing at 3, we showed up at 2:25 to discover the kitchen was already shutting down for the day. The limited menu was fine, but the manager cussing at everyone attempting to exit from any of the 3 "exit" doors she didn't want open was absolutely rude. I understand a manager wanting to empty out a closing restaurant, but cussing in front of a dozen kids crosses the line. We had to explain to the kids that adults are normally not that rude and to not repeat the harsh words the manager used to usher out those left in their indoor dining area.
Karen Gonzalez
Food was horrible.poboy saturated with like vinegar and I had to wipe shrimp in napkins to get off and ate a few .but I lost my appetite .threw bread away all saturated and disgusting .I usually take pics to share and recommend to friends but was totally grossing me out.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
Shari F.
Stopped here during Zoo walk due to rain. Had the Boudin balls and they were very tasty.
Greg Blake
The best food I've ever eaten inside of a zoo, between Smithsonian, Oakland, San Antonio, and here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michelle Amber
Explicitly explained to staff that we are Muslim and do not eat meat. Was told that they had a batch of red beans and rice made without meat. Halfway through the meal discovered they had simply removed the meat from the top of the dish and the bottom was full of some kind of mystery meat. They’re lack of honesty and respect is frankly unforgivable.
Nael
When I asked if the red beans and rice had meat as our son does not eat meat, they informed us it does, however they “have some in the back without meat”. They gave us the same dish after scooping out the meat. We only realized this after our son found meat in the dish while eating it.
Momma B.
Loved this cafe! We always looked forward to the zoo because of the swamp burgers and gator bites. I hope they bring it back! We want to get membership again. When they reopen the cafes and no longer require reservations, we'll get back to supporting our zoo. Just cant stomach all the restrictions--too depressing.
Kandis Aucoin
The vibe was great, it was very NOLA... BUT... The bathrooms were so gross that I could smell the urine in the hallway as soon as I walked up! The tables inside were ALL sticky and it was raining outside so we had to sit at a gross, sticky table. We wiped it off with napkins the best we could. The chili/cheese fries were basic, gas station fries. The jambalaya was bland, but the bread pudding with caramel sauce was SO GOOD!!!!
The Minista
GREAT FOOD! More authentic than the other cafe in the zoo which has typical stuff like burgers, chicken tenders, which isnt bad either.
If I could give zero stars, I would. The staff is UNPROFESSIONAL, unsanitary, and for the food to be basically reheated frozen French fries/frozen hamburgers, it was extremely below par. The young man taking our order handled our fries without gloves, and his “coworker” told him to do something incorrectly because “it’s faster.” I would never visit here again, even if we were offered the same food at low or no cost. Such a poor pathetic excuse for a “cafe.”
Joshua Richardson
Best spot to eat in zoo. May seem pricey but you get plenty of food. You can easily share with a family member. They also have local Cajun options. My favoritr is the fried alligator
Bess Thorne
Solid zoo food. The Cajun options make it a nice change of pace from the hamburger, cheeseburger, hotdog options at most of these places. The service is literally the absolute worst of any place on the planet. They will openly hate you. Just be emotionally prepared for that. We eat here every zoo trip (we are members) and not once has anyone smiled. To anyone. Not even their coworkers. It's baffling honestly.
Marielle S.
Color me SHOCKED. When you think of food at the zoo, what do you think of? I usually think of hot dogs, burgers and nachos. David and I were having a zoo day and we got a bite to eat here because it was right in the middle of things. There was a pretty good crowd for a Saturday, but the line was moving fast. They have a lot of food options here, but still, I wasn't expecting much. I got the chicken strips with fries and David got a shrimp po boy with cheese fries. Let me tell you- I couldn't have been more pleased with how good the food was here. First of all, you order and they have it ready to go for you right away. Second of all, my chicken strips were HUGE. The batter was nice and the chicken was tender and juicy. David's po boy was PACKED with shrimp, to the point that they were falling off of the bread. Here's the kicker: my chicken strips basket was $7.50 and David's sandwich was $8.50. That's a good deal, any way you want to look at it. As far as drinks go, they have all of the basic soft drinks and water and they have beer and daiquiris, if you've had enough of the kids and want to get liquored up. No judgement. If you want a souvenir cup, it's $6; again, not a bad price at all. On my next trip to the zoo, I won't even hesitate to eat here. The food is good and the service is fast. You can't ask for more than that.
Patricia R.
Cypress Knee is a counter service, fast food stop in the Swamp Exhibit at Audubon Zoo. The prices are high while the food is just O.K. On the plus side, you can sit and eat at the picnic tables outside and enjoy the view. When the weather is nice, it's so much fun to sit and chat with the rest of your party while watching the nutrias, gators and raccoons right nearby.
Nothing is good… overpriced garbage. Avoid at all costs.
We attempted to have a late lunch, big mistake. Despite closing at 3, we showed up at 2:25 to discover the kitchen was already shutting down for the day. The limited menu was fine, but the manager cussing at everyone attempting to exit from any of the 3 "exit" doors she didn't want open was absolutely rude. I understand a manager wanting to empty out a closing restaurant, but cussing in front of a dozen kids crosses the line. We had to explain to the kids that adults are normally not that rude and to not repeat the harsh words the manager used to usher out those left in their indoor dining area.
Food was horrible.poboy saturated with like vinegar and I had to wipe shrimp in napkins to get off and ate a few .but I lost my appetite .threw bread away all saturated and disgusting .I usually take pics to share and recommend to friends but was totally grossing me out.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
Stopped here during Zoo walk due to rain. Had the Boudin balls and they were very tasty.
The best food I've ever eaten inside of a zoo, between Smithsonian, Oakland, San Antonio, and here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Explicitly explained to staff that we are Muslim and do not eat meat. Was told that they had a batch of red beans and rice made without meat. Halfway through the meal discovered they had simply removed the meat from the top of the dish and the bottom was full of some kind of mystery meat. They’re lack of honesty and respect is frankly unforgivable.
When I asked if the red beans and rice had meat as our son does not eat meat, they informed us it does, however they “have some in the back without meat”. They gave us the same dish after scooping out the meat. We only realized this after our son found meat in the dish while eating it.
Loved this cafe! We always looked forward to the zoo because of the swamp burgers and gator bites. I hope they bring it back! We want to get membership again. When they reopen the cafes and no longer require reservations, we'll get back to supporting our zoo. Just cant stomach all the restrictions--too depressing.
The vibe was great, it was very NOLA... BUT... The bathrooms were so gross that I could smell the urine in the hallway as soon as I walked up! The tables inside were ALL sticky and it was raining outside so we had to sit at a gross, sticky table. We wiped it off with napkins the best we could. The chili/cheese fries were basic, gas station fries. The jambalaya was bland, but the bread pudding with caramel sauce was SO GOOD!!!!
GREAT FOOD! More authentic than the other cafe in the zoo which has typical stuff like burgers, chicken tenders, which isnt bad either.
Restaurantji Recommends
If I could give zero stars, I would. The staff is UNPROFESSIONAL, unsanitary, and for the food to be basically reheated frozen French fries/frozen hamburgers, it was extremely below par. The young man taking our order handled our fries without gloves, and his “coworker” told him to do something incorrectly because “it’s faster.” I would never visit here again, even if we were offered the same food at low or no cost. Such a poor pathetic excuse for a “cafe.”
Best spot to eat in zoo. May seem pricey but you get plenty of food. You can easily share with a family member. They also have local Cajun options. My favoritr is the fried alligator
Solid zoo food. The Cajun options make it a nice change of pace from the hamburger, cheeseburger, hotdog options at most of these places. The service is literally the absolute worst of any place on the planet. They will openly hate you. Just be emotionally prepared for that. We eat here every zoo trip (we are members) and not once has anyone smiled. To anyone. Not even their coworkers. It's baffling honestly.
Color me SHOCKED. When you think of food at the zoo, what do you think of? I usually think of hot dogs, burgers and nachos. David and I were having a zoo day and we got a bite to eat here because it was right in the middle of things. There was a pretty good crowd for a Saturday, but the line was moving fast. They have a lot of food options here, but still, I wasn't expecting much. I got the chicken strips with fries and David got a shrimp po boy with cheese fries. Let me tell you- I couldn't have been more pleased with how good the food was here. First of all, you order and they have it ready to go for you right away. Second of all, my chicken strips were HUGE. The batter was nice and the chicken was tender and juicy. David's po boy was PACKED with shrimp, to the point that they were falling off of the bread. Here's the kicker: my chicken strips basket was $7.50 and David's sandwich was $8.50. That's a good deal, any way you want to look at it. As far as drinks go, they have all of the basic soft drinks and water and they have beer and daiquiris, if you've had enough of the kids and want to get liquored up. No judgement. If you want a souvenir cup, it's $6; again, not a bad price at all. On my next trip to the zoo, I won't even hesitate to eat here. The food is good and the service is fast. You can't ask for more than that.
Cypress Knee is a counter service, fast food stop in the Swamp Exhibit at Audubon Zoo. The prices are high while the food is just O.K. On the plus side, you can sit and eat at the picnic tables outside and enjoy the view. When the weather is nice, it's so much fun to sit and chat with the rest of your party while watching the nutrias, gators and raccoons right nearby.