dingy and rude. I walked in on a friday night at about 7:30 any you could hear crickets as my friends and I opened the door. All there was on other party of about 5 people seated and placing their orders. We ordered a bottle of wine and the hummus app and waited.... 45 minutes.... for HUMMUS.
Review Source:We go back here now and again. Today, after our brew adventure down the street, we hit up Jambalaya for a quick bite.
Yes, lots of tables available...but soon others came in. They have a big screen TV now and a pool table.
The waiter, was, disinterested, just serve and go. Oh well.
The hamburger hubby had was still good. Still yummy.
I had the Hummus appetizer. It was a lot of food. They make good tabuli salad,but the hummus had cayenne pepper on it and a bit spicy. I had to take the rest home. Too hot!
Food is always good, but the place kind of needs a make over. The bathrooms are atrocious. Â Needs a bit a bit of a facelift and needs painting and supplies need updating. Screens for the bathroom windows would be nice.
Otherwise, it still is ok.
When going to see a show don't expect the headliner to go on before 1:15am.  Went here for a show that "started" at 10 (doors at 9).  Around 11 the only listed opener started, around 12 we listened to almost an hour of a cd, at 1:15 we left when the new unlisted opener claimed to have a few more songs.  Still have no idea if/when the show actually happened, just know I paid 15 bucks to see a show that didn't happen before 1:15am.  Sure I know maybe it wasn't all their fault, but really that's a poor venue that can't put  on the show everyone paid for until 30 minutes before last call (that's assuming it even happened right after we left).  Last time I give them any of my business.
Review Source:I love Jambalaya! I came here for Valentine's Day one year and all of the food was fabulous and my favorite band (The Devil Makes Three) was playing. It's a small venue for a show, but it makes it intimate and people were still dancing. My date and I had a wonderful time and enjoyed everything we ordered!
Review Source:My girlfriend and I got into Arcata around 6pm on a Thursday night, and were ready for dinner. We had decided on Mexican, but when we could not find the place we were looking for (my bad for allowing my smartphone to make me dumb), we decided to head into Jambalaya. Â The place looked nice enough, with a standard American menu, so we thought to sit down. Â The place was not crowded, so even though they had only one cook, one bartender and one waitress, I figured we'd get our food promptly. Â My dreams were dashed once I met our server.
A college-aged girl wandered over through her purple haze, which was thick even for Humboldt county. Â This had me slightly worried, but I figure there are so many functional stoners in that area, it was going to be okay. Â We ordered a tuna melt with sweet potato fries and a mushroom burger with fries, the aioli sauce on the side. Â When she seemed to not understand the meaning of Aioli sauce (clearly stated on the menu) I think I knew we were in trouble. Â Nevertheless, I let her go away, and was not too worried that she would mess up our very simple order. Â
We waited far too long than we should have, and then she walked over with two burgers. Â I immediately told her that I had ordered a tuna melt, and not a burger. Â She seemed confused about this, and went back to explain to her manager (the bartender) what she had done. Â When I saw this happen, I thought I would also go over to let him know what the second part of the order was. Â 5+ minutes go by, and the bartender returns and tries to give us one of the original two burgers they brought over... which at this point was ice cold. Â I immediately tell him of this, and he begrudgingly takes it away without a word. Â We wait another 15 minutes (with no contact with the staff) and finally they return with our food. Â I ask our waitress for some hot sauce and she says they have Tapatio and something else. Â I tell her to bring me all options.
Famished, I scarfed down the food, and crappy service aside, the food was perfectly mediocre. Â The only redeeming quality were the sweet potato fires, which were pretty nice.
This seemed like it might be a cool place to go for a show and a drink, but do not eat here. Â I beg you, please don't waste your time.
Stopped by here to meet a friend (who was actually also performing!) during my recent road trip to Oregon. Jambalaya was the main stop for us in Arcata, and I feel that, despite its alleged creole theme, it and the crowd in it provided an accurate depiction of life in Humboldt county - cool, eclectic, rockin' to great live music, and surrounded by friends and great beers. The downtown and music scene in Arcata is more active than I imagined, and Jambalaya is a great part of that!
Review Source:I went back after 20 years. I can only recommend the live music, even though there wasn't any when I went.  Jambalaya has always been known for its live music, but if you want good food, decent TIMELY service or to have your bill calculated correctly(!), choose from the variety  of superior places within a stone's throw of Jambalaya.
Yuccky:
Tuscan Tomato Soup - took 40 minutes from order to table, when there was one other table of customers. Seriously. Â A cup for $3.95 and we paid the same for a little bit of plain old bread.
Clam Chowder - OK, no crackers? NOTE: Â chowder was loaded with bacon, if you don't eat pork, that's not mentioned on the menu.
The art on the walls--in a town full of cool art--was just slovenly and overtly perverted. Not the sorts of things you want to see when you're eating a meal.
Overpriced:
Bread $4.00 really? for BREAD? It took 20 minutes to get to the table and we had to ask twice--the ditzy waitress said, "Oh that's right, we talked about that and everything, I still forgot it!"
The owners meeting taking place near the stage was oblivious to the shitty service.
Again, don't be fooled by the menu, tables and chairs, or by that girl masquerading as a waitress--she's clueless. This is really only a MUSIC VENUE. Don't bother with the food, the stoned staff, or lazy cook (he spent his time at the bar on a stool--for real).
Bottom Line: EAT SOMEWHERE ELSE on the plaza in Arcata, practically every other eating establishment there serves good food.
Don't pay the cover charge -- Listen to music in the alley behind it, and eat somewhere else, anywhere!
This is a little pub/grill in Arcata in downtown. Â It doesn't look like too much from the outside or inside, but the food was quite good.
My main complaint about this place was that is was quite cold inside. Â I don't think they believe in heaters. Â
Anyways, the food was good. Â They don't have a huge selection, mainly burgers. Â I got the spicy burger which has jalapenos and some other spicy pepper on it. Â The burger itself was huge. Â I literally could not eat it all, and I love meat. Â It came on ciabatta bread, which was not hard as a hockey puck like most of the ciabatta I've had in the past. Â The burger was great.
My boyfriend also got a burger, the Blue Cheese Burger, (Black and Blue Burger) and he says that it was the best blue cheese burger he has ever had, and he loves him some blue cheese. Â And he also was not able to finish it all. Â So yeah, get some burgers, they're around $8, and they have a full bar, and apparently some entertainment here and there.
Oh, one more thing. Â There are pool tables in the middle of the restaurant, so don't sit too close unless you want some old drunk guys hitting you in the back of the head all night.
Im gonna give it another chance, I got really sick after eating here; completely unrelated though. Â I remember the sandwich and salad I got were pretty good. Â The jalapeno poppers they made were INTENSE! Â They really were hot, like I think they left the seeds in there or stuffed it with extra seeds. Â My TOUNGE! Â Get 'em if you wanna get risky.
Review Source:If you are over 25, in Arcata for any reason and staying in a downtown hotel (which I would advise), Jambalaya is the only place to eat that night.
Arcata is a small town, but this is not a small town restaurant. Â It could do well in any big coastal city. Â Arcata is also a college town, and Jambalaya is the only place in town where you will see more faculty than students. Â By which I mean it is a serious restaurant with serious food, the kind of place Michelin would give one star to -- worth the short detour. Â As we transit this coast often, Arcata is a destination and Jambalaya is the reason.
Cost: Â students may bitch, but on a cost/value ratio, a much better deal than eating anywhere in Portland, Â SF or LA.
I don't know how we ended up here. Â My bro just herded us all in here--I think he did the Jedi mind trick on the bouncer, and got a group discount on us: Â
"These cover charges don't apply to us", says Steve G.
"Cover charge doesn't apply to you all", replies the bouncer in a robotic voice.
"We'll move on in," Steve states.
"Move on in," says the bouncer.
So, we ordered a few drinks. Â We were all trying to be polite and thoughtful and tried buying drinks for others. Â I don't know how it happened, but I ended up with a beer and a glass of red wine. Â I sampled both, and then got to the business at hand: Â I hippie-fied myself.
There was a reggae band playing, and I like bouncin', so I got out on the dancefloor, and busted a move. Â The band was cool, and I didn't mind if people thought I was a crazy hippie (although I'm pretty sure that mistake could be made with me....well, atleast without my tie-dye shirt and dreads---I left them at home).
A fun time was had here, and it was a good way to work off the buzzzz.
I honestly shouldn't be writing a review for this place. My judgment was slightly impaired when I arrived at this establishment. I was with a big group of friends and Reggae music was blaring. I had a few beers but my better half was the man of the hour.
He had all kinds of things bought for him and he was tipsy! And all I can really say is: "Thank you, Jambalaya for getting my fiancee drunk! He NEEDED it!" My review is just 3 stars on account of not getting to know this place outside of just the booze. I would like to go to this place to try some food and really figure this place out. At a later date!
the food is delicious but way expensive (at least for a po' college student) but what is super awesome is the tuesday night cosmo night. i used to go here with past roommates when i lived in arcata and we would get super cheep (3 dollar? 2 dollar?) cosmos and get druuuunk. of course, we usually only did this during the summer. it's a good place to take people to when they are visiting, as they have some delicious meats.
Review Source:Good food, good  selection (even for vegetarians).  Like too many places in our community, however, you just can't plan on doing anything else that evening.  Service may be great, or it could take you 2+ hours from arrival to check.  This may or may not have anything to do with how crowded it is.  Still, I like the food and the atmosphere, so I keep going back.
Review Source:My favorite venue in Humboldt County, the acoustics are better than anywhere else I've sang at in Humboldt. Rico and Rose the owners are awesome, Adam is my favorite bartender also not to mention they're the only place in Humboldt that knows how to make a Singapore Sling the right way. Blues Night is my favorite night of the week, but  Deep Groove Society's Sundaze is the best house in Humboldt. Back in the day Etta James used to play here pretty consistently as well as other notable blues artists.  I have no complaints about the Jambalaya
Review Source:My friend and I came here for dinner on a Sat night and were happy that there was no wait. We had the Jambalaya (how could you not- the place is named after it) and split the stuffed chicken breast. The jambalaya was spicey and filling. The chicken was yummy- but nothing amazing.
I appreciate they they use local produce and meats and everything was organic!
Also, I must say that they make some good drinks.
Jambalaya is a great place for a higher quality meal in Arcata, with really creative dishes served by a talented chef. I have only been here twice, however I was very impressed both times. Menu can be pricey, as our bill for 2 salads, 2 entrees, 3 glasses of wine and a dessert ended up being over 100 bucks... But It's still Definitely worth a try, also a very good spot for a date.
Review Source:Got a "hot date" in Arcata? Want to impress the parents when they come up to visit, by not eating at your bong water laden, and cockroach infested house in Sunnybrae? Well sweep up all of those sticks and seeds on the coffee table, throw on your best Hemp-shirt, maybe put on that cool necklace that girl made you in the forest, and head out to Jambalaya... If your taking a girl there on a date, (first tell your little woodland muchkin to shave her legs and armpits.) they have some good vegan choices, and great seafood, and a stellar wine list. One of the best in Arcata. You can usually get a good table on short notice, unless its around graduation time, or the start of the school year, when everyones parents are helping them move in...Nice mellow atmosphere, great service, great food, all make Jambalaya a must for a nice dinner out in Arcata.
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