The Big Easy New Orleans Cafe in Oklahoma City: Cajun Seafood and Po'Boys on Meridian
The Big Easy New Orleans Cafe is a casual sit-down seafood restaurant on Meridian Avenue that specializes in Louisiana Gulf Coast cooking, particularly fried seafood platters and po'boy sandwiches served in a relaxed, neighborhood setting.
What The Big Easy Actually Is
This is a neighborhood spot built around New Orleans-style seafood rather than a fine-dining establishment. The restaurant operates as a full-service cafe with booth and table seating, no bar counter, and a modest kitchen that focuses on fried items, gumbo, and traditional po'boy construction. It sits in a retail strip and draws a mix of regulars, families, and diners looking for Gulf seafood without high prices or table-cloth service.
Menu and Pricing
The menu centers on fried platters: fried shrimp, fried catfish, fried crab, and combination plates, all served with two sides (typically red beans and rice, coleslaw, hushpuppies, or french fries). Entree platters range from approximately $14 to $18. Po'boys are built to order on traditional hoagie rolls and cost $10 to $14 depending on filling; shrimp and oyster po'boys anchor the menu. Gumbo, crawfish etouffee, and jambalaya appear as smaller entrees or cups ($6 to $9). Iced tea and soft drinks are standard; no alcohol is served. Pricing reflects casual-dining positioning and can shift seasonally, particularly on gulf shrimp and oyster availability; verify current rates before visiting.
How It Compares to Other Oklahoma City Seafood Options
The Big Easy occupies a specific niche: informal Louisiana cooking at neighborhood prices. Pearl's Burger Bar on Classen Boulevard serves Gulf shrimp fried rice and seafood-forward sides but emphasizes burgers first and operates with a more modern, minimal-seating format. The Loaded Bowl on multiple locations offers seafood bowls and grain-based plates but in a fast-casual, build-your-own framework rather than cooked-to-order Gulf traditions. Cattlemen's Steakhouse in Anadarko and The Skirvin in nearby Guthrie both offer seafood, but steaks dominate their menus and pricing runs higher. The Big Easy is the closest option in Oklahoma City proper for straight Louisiana seafood cooking at accessible prices; choose it if you want fried Gulf staples and don't require craft cocktails or upscale plating.
Who This Place Suits and Who It Does Not
This works well for diners seeking affordable fried seafood, families with children, and anyone craving po'boy construction in a casual environment. It is not suited to vegetarians (limited non-seafood options), those with shellfish allergies (cross-contamination risk in a fried-seafood kitchen), or diners expecting alcohol service or contemporary plating. Those wanting shrimp and fish prepared outside the fryer will find the menu limiting.
What the First Visit Involves
Order at the counter or a server will approach your table shortly after you sit. Entrees arrive on compartmented plates with cornbread and your chosen sides. Po'boys come wrapped in paper. Expect 15 to 20 minutes from order to plate during lunch rush. Tables turn over quickly, so this is not a lingering-meal venue. Iced tea refills are standard.
Hours, Parking, and Logistics
The restaurant occupies a retail-strip location on Meridian Avenue with surface lot parking directly in front. Hours run 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, with Sunday hours typically 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Mondays (confirm hours, as restaurant operations can shift seasonally). Street address and exact parking availability can vary; verify via Google Maps or a direct call before traveling.
The Big Easy fills a straightforward role in Oklahoma City's dining landscape: it delivers Louisiana seafood cooking at working-person prices without pretense, making it a reliable choice when po'boys and fried platters are what you want.
