jazz - a louisiana kitchen

the atmosphere: typical dark, dingy bar, feel free to write on walls, crowded, loud

the service: fair, nothing to write home about, not friendly or unfriendly, he was just there

drinks: ok, good selection of brews, beer on tap fine, wine was served in a tiny glass, margarita was flavorless

food: menu was obscure so you didn't know exactly what came with the meal, flavorless, on spicy side but it masked the true flavor, everything was fried and left you wanting more

in summary, it doesn't compare to authentic new orleans fare. we left full but disappointed.

going downhill. jazz used to be a staple of kc. used to love going there. we stopped by for dinner last night, very disappointed. the alligator bites were so chewy we had to spit them out and send the entire platter back to the kitchen. horrible! oysters on the half shell, well, i highly recommend not ordering them. wait staff was absent and did not seem to know anything about the menu. the food was mediocre at best - cold, tasteless and "fresh" would be a stretch. tomatoes were watery, lettuce was wilted, bread was stale, meat was so-so, sides were ice cold. the over-the-hill band members were obviously deaf...as they did their "sound check" we lost hearing due to the extreme volume. once they began playing, well, we were unimpressed. we used to compliment jazz and send friends their way. no longer the story. sorry, but i would highly recommend to go somewhere else. jazz has lost its "pizzaz".

titfortat. love the shrimp but service was bad..waiter was only worried bout flirting with my bff when im the one paying for the whole meal.my son had to eat his steak dry without any sauce because he would only ask if she was ok.and i do not do whole potatos-not a cave women..need more flavor.crab cakes you only get two..

love the red beans. great food although the staff always looks grungy and the place has a dirty look and feel, which is kind of creepy, i love the blackened chicken fettucine alfredo and the andoullie with red beans and rice!! bread with garlic butter to boot!!

this is a wonderful restaurant. great food and service. will come ba ck the next time i'm in town.

luv it... great prices. good atmosphere.

great cajun food, good prices. a cool little place with funky, fun decor. our waiter was attentive without being bothersome. his recommendations were perfect. we loved the band (grand marquis) and can't wait t go back and take our friends.

second best fried pickles in kc!!!

still the best. cajun restaurants have come and gone in kansas city over the years, but jazz down on the corner of 39th and state line has stood the test of time. the reasons for this are many. the live music and wonderful atmosphere are great, but it's the food that keep people coming back.

we went in for dinner recently and even with almost unreasonably high expectations i've placed on jazz over the years, they continue to meet them. there are a few favorites of mine that i gravitate towards (the crawfish creole and crawfish etouffee are both tremendous), but from time to time i like to try new things. on my most recent trip in i had the chicken a la mer. this chicken "of the sea" dish was highly recommended and so i gave it a whirl. boy was i not disappointed. the parmesan cream sauce had really good depth of flavor, and the sea food really stood out and complimented the chicken. now i've got 3 dishes i have on my favorites list, and now i can't just flip a coin. maybe i'll need to go back more often....

cajun stirfry. this is a blend of just... delicious. shrimp, beef, chicken, rice, every veggie in the frig... i really enjoyed it. it has a mild sweetness to it but it's still well-spiced and very savory. i loved it and it was huge!

n'awlins alive and well in kc. jazz is a kansas city staple and one of many great eateries in the 39th street district in midtown. it's reputation is well-deserved as the most authentic cajun/creole food in the metro. their menu includes many louisiana-style classics, as well as several menu items with their own twists. topping it all off, they have live music regularly and a bayou atmosphere that makes you feel like you've stepped right down into the heart of new orleans. one of the nicest parts is that their menu has a glossary of traditional cajun/creole cuisine terms, so diners won't be intimidated by the dishes with names to which they might not be accustomed.

mrs. audiophile and i recently visited on a tuesday night, and it was busy enough to feel inviting, but not so busy that it was hectic or crowded. we shared a plate of the catfish nuggets, which were prepared well. tasty, seasoned breading and moist, tender flaky catfish. it came with a sauce, and although i am a huge critic of the always-flavor-suffocating ranch sauce, this particular version was infused with spicy cajun flavors that complimented the nuggets perfectly.

any of the po' boys at jazz are worth a taste. my wife always gets sucked into getting the catfish po' boy, in spite of being curious about the rest of their extensive menu of classics, because it's so freaking good. it's also a nice, hearty portion--a sandwich that just as easily works for dinner as lunch. for myself, the scallops lafayette was beckoning. at jazz, the lafayette preparation is a creamy, cheesy bechamel sauce. smothered in that sauce are tons of freshwater scallops, chopped tomatoes and their wonderful dirty rice. this particular dish was not one of the ones marked as 'spicy' on the menu, but it had a nice undertone of heat, which should be expected of any cajun food worth it's salt. it was so delicious, but also so large that i was forced to take some home with me, and our waitress was kind enough to give me some extra dirty rice with my to-go box so that i could soak up all that extra cheesy goodness.

if you want to try a bit o' the bayou without having to drive to the gulf coast, or even leave kc, jazz is the place to do it. it's a little less refined than fellow kc-area cajun restaurant cafe roux, but at the end of the day, authentic cajun is about flavor and spice, not refinement. the flavors at jazz are more complex and enticing, which is why they get to carry the cajun food banner in the kc metro. to get the full-on experience, visiting the 39th street location (instead of the spot out in the legends) is an absolute must.

absolutely top notch if you're looking for good catering!!!

good experience. it was easy to get a seat on a friday for lunch around 11:30.
i love the voodoo wings. they're crispy, sweet, spicy and a just bit tangy. the shrimp etoufee with dirty rice was also very good, although i think a bit over priced.

although i didn't partake at lunch, they've got a decent beer selection.

favorite restaurant in kc! great food, great atmosphere, and great staff.

not really authentic, but a few bright spots. i love the house salad with hazel dressing and the best and only thing to order is the chicken a la mer