Deep sadness, and a word of thanks to Chef Wayne! Enjoy retirement, you've earned it. For many years this was our family go-to celebration restaurant. The best tribute I can think of was that during my son's graduation week from Tulane we went to one of the great restaurants in the New Orleans Garden District. After a few bits I was totally impressed, and told my son "wow, this is just as good as Big Mamou..." he laughed, agreed, and we said they must have copied Chef Wayne's recipes.
Numbers Madrid
After 25 years, Chef Wayne is shuttering his doors. Citing his age, hassles to return to a safe eating environment due to Covid-19, and a desire to try different things, the best darn restaurant is only open a few more days. Get yourself over to the place to order take-out and enjoy the best food around. Louisiana Lenny's Sausage-n-Chicken Ya'Ya is my favorite. Thanks Chef Wayne!
DARYL GALLANT
As a food connoisseur myself, I'm aware the only place to have a skilled chef whip you up some fresh cajun or creole cooking like this would be have to be straight in the bayou district where creole is a staple. Mardigras Bourbon street fresh and just as good if not better. Chef Wayne is the real deal
ciaotebaldi
restaurant will be closed I believe the end of the month. Big Mamou has been around a long time. Food was usually pretty good
Alisa Caroline
Entrees follow their apps counterpart as filling & bringing that Cajun/creole heat like you were actually down in the state of LA without leaving MA or giving you a burning desire to go to that dope state. Deserts are a few but pretty good for the place & what you'd expect in LA anyhow. Thus for all the reasons why the stars & ranking.
Lorenzo Nelson
Cane back after a long hiatous & dined at 12N or after & had a prime rib and shrimp BBQ (with a little blackened) and veggies, rice& of course you must have cornbread and still this spot hasn't missed a thing. Yes I did snap a pic of my meal so you'll see & this place still is one damn good spot for Louisiana cuisine and that's real.
Norco B.
So sad that the first review for Big Mamou's will no doubt be my last. I am 40 years old and have been coming here since they opened when I was 15. Up to that point I had been nowhere and survived on pretty boring food. Chef Wayne opened my mind and taste buds to an entirely new world. Thanks for that. In part you inspired me to travel the country and world and experience new things. Your restaurant remained a constant through my life. I've now lived in 4 states and I always came back. You will be missed and I hope that I get a chance to order at least one more time.
Philip J. H.
Less than three weeks from now the place will close because the main chef/owner due to his age & some health issues he's going to retire & live a retirement bus however though the place on Liberty Street will close I do have some good news because his place which does some cajun delivery will still be in play for those in the Springfield area. For Wayne Hooker (chef/owner) good run & though the restaurant will close what's been given by him for over 25 years will still continue even if not with himself at the chefs hat.
Joey J
The lady at the front was very helpful and nice, I would highly recommend eating here at this restaurant! Great service!
Jumail Hasim
Awesome food! Prices are fantastic and people is great! I love the Jambalaya. The food is fresh and delicious, service is quick and server and staff are very nice super friendly. We know the owner but he is never there but the place runs perfectly without him. Highly recommend
Awesome food! Prices are fantastic and people is great! I love the Jambalaya. The food is fresh and delicious, service is quick and server and staff are very nice super friendly. We know the owner but he is never there but the place runs perfectly without him. I really like this place. Highly recommend
Amie Clark
My husband and I got the thunder thighs jerked, crab cakes, corn bread, and bbq pulled pork to go today. As usual, everything was amazing and delicious! We’ve never had a bad meal here, and can’t recommend the jambalaya enough!
Amie C.
My husband and I got the thunder thighs jerked, crab cakes, corn bread, and bbq pulled pork to go today. As usual, everything was amazing and delicious! We've never had a bad meal here, and can't recommend the jambalaya enough!
salpal
Absolutely stunning food. The colors of the shrimp, sausage, veggies and rice were stunning. Aside from colors, the food was perfectly cooked - the rice was soft but not mushy, the shrimp plump (how did Chef Wayne make the shrimp taste so dang good I can't do it this way at home), the sausage was perfectly spicy but not too much. I ordered 5 corn muffin but Big Mamou kindly added an extra one. They were moist and perfectly cooked.Thank you Chef Wayne for being my first exploration into Cajun food - I think you've helped me develop a new obsession :)
Sally M
Absolutely stunning food. The colors of the shrimp, sausage, veggies and rice were stunning. Aside from colors, the food was perfectly cooked - the rice was soft but not mushy, the shrimp plump (how did Chef Wayne make the shrimp taste so dang good I can't do it this way at home), the sausage was perfectly spicy but not too much.
Deep sadness, and a word of thanks to Chef Wayne! Enjoy retirement, you've earned it. For many years this was our family go-to celebration restaurant. The best tribute I can think of was that during my son's graduation week from Tulane we went to one of the great restaurants in the New Orleans Garden District. After a few bits I was totally impressed, and told my son "wow, this is just as good as Big Mamou..." he laughed, agreed, and we said they must have copied Chef Wayne's recipes.
After 25 years, Chef Wayne is shuttering his doors. Citing his age, hassles to return to a safe eating environment due to Covid-19, and a desire to try different things, the best darn restaurant is only open a few more days. Get yourself over to the place to order take-out and enjoy the best food around. Louisiana Lenny's Sausage-n-Chicken Ya'Ya is my favorite. Thanks Chef Wayne!
As a food connoisseur myself, I'm aware the only place to have a skilled chef whip you up some fresh cajun or creole cooking like this would be have to be straight in the bayou district where creole is a staple. Mardigras Bourbon street fresh and just as good if not better. Chef Wayne is the real deal
restaurant will be closed I believe the end of the month. Big Mamou has been around a long time. Food was usually pretty good
Entrees follow their apps counterpart as filling & bringing that Cajun/creole heat like you were actually down in the state of LA without leaving MA or giving you a burning desire to go to that dope state. Deserts are a few but pretty good for the place & what you'd expect in LA anyhow. Thus for all the reasons why the stars & ranking.
Cane back after a long hiatous & dined at 12N or after & had a prime rib and shrimp BBQ (with a little blackened) and veggies, rice& of course you must have cornbread and still this spot hasn't missed a thing. Yes I did snap a pic of my meal so you'll see & this place still is one damn good spot for Louisiana cuisine and that's real.
So sad that the first review for Big Mamou's will no doubt be my last. I am 40 years old and have been coming here since they opened when I was 15. Up to that point I had been nowhere and survived on pretty boring food. Chef Wayne opened my mind and taste buds to an entirely new world. Thanks for that. In part you inspired me to travel the country and world and experience new things. Your restaurant remained a constant through my life. I've now lived in 4 states and I always came back. You will be missed and I hope that I get a chance to order at least one more time.
Less than three weeks from now the place will close because the main chef/owner due to his age & some health issues he's going to retire & live a retirement bus however though the place on Liberty Street will close I do have some good news because his place which does some cajun delivery will still be in play for those in the Springfield area. For Wayne Hooker (chef/owner) good run & though the restaurant will close what's been given by him for over 25 years will still continue even if not with himself at the chefs hat.
The lady at the front was very helpful and nice, I would highly recommend eating here at this restaurant! Great service!
Awesome food! Prices are fantastic and people is great! I love the Jambalaya. The food is fresh and delicious, service is quick and server and staff are very nice super friendly. We know the owner but he is never there but the place runs perfectly without him. Highly recommend
Restaurantji Recommends
Awesome food! Prices are fantastic and people is great! I love the Jambalaya. The food is fresh and delicious, service is quick and server and staff are very nice super friendly. We know the owner but he is never there but the place runs perfectly without him. I really like this place. Highly recommend
My husband and I got the thunder thighs jerked, crab cakes, corn bread, and bbq pulled pork to go today. As usual, everything was amazing and delicious! We’ve never had a bad meal here, and can’t recommend the jambalaya enough!
My husband and I got the thunder thighs jerked, crab cakes, corn bread, and bbq pulled pork to go today. As usual, everything was amazing and delicious! We've never had a bad meal here, and can't recommend the jambalaya enough!
Absolutely stunning food. The colors of the shrimp, sausage, veggies and rice were stunning. Aside from colors, the food was perfectly cooked - the rice was soft but not mushy, the shrimp plump (how did Chef Wayne make the shrimp taste so dang good I can't do it this way at home), the sausage was perfectly spicy but not too much. I ordered 5 corn muffin but Big Mamou kindly added an extra one. They were moist and perfectly cooked.Thank you Chef Wayne for being my first exploration into Cajun food - I think you've helped me develop a new obsession :)
Absolutely stunning food. The colors of the shrimp, sausage, veggies and rice were stunning. Aside from colors, the food was perfectly cooked - the rice was soft but not mushy, the shrimp plump (how did Chef Wayne make the shrimp taste so dang good I can't do it this way at home), the sausage was perfectly spicy but not too much.