Guidebook for Lake Charles
Food Scene
Calla is a great local restaurant, albeit a bit pricey. If you are able to go there for happy hour, I highly recommend it. Certain drinks are half off (like the old fashioned) and they have a burger and fries for about $8 which are awesome. I believe happy hour is from 4-6 M-F.
The dinner menu is, again, a bit pricey, but folks love it.
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Restaurant Calla
1400 Market StCalla is a great local restaurant, albeit a bit pricey. If you are able to go there for happy hour, I highly recommend it. Certain drinks are half off (like the old fashioned) and they have a burger and fries for about $8 which are awesome. I believe happy hour is from 4-6 M-F.
The dinner menu is, again, a bit pricey, but folks love it.
Great food, featuring a great shrimp poboy and other louisiana specialties.
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Nina-P's Cafe
1600 West McNeese StreetGreat food, featuring a great shrimp poboy and other louisiana specialties.
We've only been there for their Sunday brunch, but it's awesome, if not a bit pricey. Mimosas are included in the price, and the selection of foods ranges from omelets, to grits and pork grillades, to eggs benedict on crabcakes...smoked salmon, cream cheese, and more. If you're here on Sunday mornings, this is an awesome place to try.
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Blue Dog Cafe
609 Ryan StreetWe've only been there for their Sunday brunch, but it's awesome, if not a bit pricey. Mimosas are included in the price, and the selection of foods ranges from omelets, to grits and pork grillades, to eggs benedict on crabcakes...smoked salmon, cream cheese, and more. If you're here on Sunday mornings, this is an awesome place to try.
One of the few "must eat" places in Lake Charles, Darrel's is known for its poboys. Go there, and check out the menu and ask the waiter what they recommend. It's hard to go wrong with anything there.
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Darrell's
119 W College StOne of the few "must eat" places in Lake Charles, Darrel's is known for its poboys. Go there, and check out the menu and ask the waiter what they recommend. It's hard to go wrong with anything there.
It's a great place to take the family. It's relatively loud, there are TV's everywhere, but the food is very good. Great options for kids plates for reasonable prices (recommend the catfish), and for adults there are a lot of good dining options here from traditional burgers, to more louisiana specific foods.
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Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux - Lake Charles Restaurant
5313 Common StIt's a great place to take the family. It's relatively loud, there are TV's everywhere, but the food is very good. Great options for kids plates for reasonable prices (recommend the catfish), and for adults there are a lot of good dining options here from traditional burgers, to more louisiana specific foods.
Lots of seafood here. Many people really enjoy it and love their food.
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Steamboat Bill's on the Lake
1004 N Lakeshore DrLots of seafood here. Many people really enjoy it and love their food.
A great local mexican restaurant where, if you go there for lunch, you can spend less than $10 total for a meal (if you get water).
I recommend their fajita taco salad off the lunch menu. It's a regular place I go to eat during the week. It's a hole-in-the-wall type place, and it's not going to be anything fancy, but the chips and salsa are great, the lunch options are cheap, and the quality for price you get is hard to beat.
El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant
2624 Gerstner Memorial DrA great local mexican restaurant where, if you go there for lunch, you can spend less than $10 total for a meal (if you get water).
I recommend their fajita taco salad off the lunch menu. It's a regular place I go to eat during the week. It's a hole-in-the-wall type place, and it's not going to be anything fancy, but the chips and salsa are great, the lunch options are cheap, and the quality for price you get is hard to beat.
Lunda Bar and Grill has a number of good options, and there is a place called Luna Live across the street that focuses on live music.
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Luna Bar & Grill
719 Ryan StLunda Bar and Grill has a number of good options, and there is a place called Luna Live across the street that focuses on live music.
Kroger isn't normally a place you'd go to for prepared food, but they have quite a good selection if you're looking to eat.
They have a sushi bar with good options for a reasonable price. They have a lot of other diner-quality options, along with a starbucks inside.
It's not a regular stop for us, but it's a great option we take advantage of, especially for the sushi.
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Kroger
600 12th StKroger isn't normally a place you'd go to for prepared food, but they have quite a good selection if you're looking to eat.
They have a sushi bar with good options for a reasonable price. They have a lot of other diner-quality options, along with a starbucks inside.
It's not a regular stop for us, but it's a great option we take advantage of, especially for the sushi.
The pizza here is great, and I can easily recommend this place.
As a family with kids, we often get their family pasta option from the menu, as it comes with a bucket of pasta and meatballs, some bread, and if you ask nicely they'll give you some (small) plates. Very good option to feed the family with spaghetti and meatballs for a reasonable price.
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Tony's Pizza
335 E Prien Lake RdThe pizza here is great, and I can easily recommend this place.
As a family with kids, we often get their family pasta option from the menu, as it comes with a bucket of pasta and meatballs, some bread, and if you ask nicely they'll give you some (small) plates. Very good option to feed the family with spaghetti and meatballs for a reasonable price.
Relatively new great italian option in lake charles. Lunch prices are incredibly good and dinner prices are very reasonable. Hard to go wrong ordering just about anything from there, but as usual, if you're new to a place just ask the waiter what some good options are.
LaVoglia Ristorante Italiano
5656 Nelson RoadRelatively new great italian option in lake charles. Lunch prices are incredibly good and dinner prices are very reasonable. Hard to go wrong ordering just about anything from there, but as usual, if you're new to a place just ask the waiter what some good options are.
Good option for some interesting dishes in Lake Charles. One of the many local favorites.
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Pujo St Cafe
901 Ryan StGood option for some interesting dishes in Lake Charles. One of the many local favorites.
If you're in the mood for donuts, this is a great place. Especially recommend their blueberry donuts, but the glazed and other options are awesome too.
Delicious Donuts & Bakery
2283 Country Club RdIf you're in the mood for donuts, this is a great place. Especially recommend their blueberry donuts, but the glazed and other options are awesome too.
Nelson's Donuts
813 East McNeese StreetOne of the better glazed donuts in town.
I haven't gone here yet, but people we trust say that this is a great place to get seafood in lake charles. The name has turned me off initially, but they say the quality is awesome and some very experienced foodies swear by this place.
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Seafood Palace
2218 Enterprise BlvdI haven't gone here yet, but people we trust say that this is a great place to get seafood in lake charles. The name has turned me off initially, but they say the quality is awesome and some very experienced foodies swear by this place.
I don't recommend this blanketly, but if you're in town on a Tuesday, they have half-off wings. If you're in the mood for wings, and it's Tuesday, give them a shot...good price and good food, but obviously not local.
Buffalo Wild Wings
3136 W Prien Lake RdI don't recommend this blanketly, but if you're in town on a Tuesday, they have half-off wings. If you're in the mood for wings, and it's Tuesday, give them a shot...good price and good food, but obviously not local.
Harlequin Steaks & Seafood
501 W College StGreat place to eat, especially for lunch. Very good food.
The Sloppy Taco
2500 Kirkman StGood tacos, good ambiance.
Great taco place, right next door to albertsons. You order your taco and they give it to you with the meat on it, and then you add your own toppings. Tons of fresh ingredients, different cheeses, cilantro, limes, different sauces...if you love taco's, definitely try this place.
My favorite meat here is shrimp...very good with some of the other sauces.
Taco Mel
2740 Country Club RdGreat taco place, right next door to albertsons. You order your taco and they give it to you with the meat on it, and then you add your own toppings. Tons of fresh ingredients, different cheeses, cilantro, limes, different sauces...if you love taco's, definitely try this place.
My favorite meat here is shrimp...very good with some of the other sauces.
OK, now if you want to try a Lake Charles staple and you're adventurous, here goes:
Famous foods has been around for a long time, and they serve smoked foods, boudin, Cracklins, and more.
If you're wanting to sample some authentic Louisiana food, look no further. If you've never had cracklin's before, go here and try theirs. Their boudin is good too, and the smoked food is good. They have lunch plates as well which are great options.
Famous Foods
1475 Gerstner Memorial DrOK, now if you want to try a Lake Charles staple and you're adventurous, here goes:
Famous foods has been around for a long time, and they serve smoked foods, boudin, Cracklins, and more.
If you're wanting to sample some authentic Louisiana food, look no further. If you've never had cracklin's before, go here and try theirs. Their boudin is good too, and the smoked food is good. They have lunch plates as well which are great options.
Chez Caffe
127 W College StIf you're looking for a small diner to have breakfast, this is a great option.
This is a gas station/corner store, but they're also known for their food.
If you like bread pudding, they have an excellent bread pudding here you can buy in a little package and bring back to the house. It's very good.
Cormie's Grocery
4907 Big Lake RoadThis is a gas station/corner store, but they're also known for their food.
If you like bread pudding, they have an excellent bread pudding here you can buy in a little package and bring back to the house. It's very good.
A great place to have lunch or dinner. Don't let the name fool you, it's a more traditional restaurant than a purely lebanese restaurant.
They have a good shrimp poboy here too...one of my favorites in town.
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Cousins Lebanese Cuisine
2612 Kirkman StA great place to have lunch or dinner. Don't let the name fool you, it's a more traditional restaurant than a purely lebanese restaurant.
They have a good shrimp poboy here too...one of my favorites in town.
Cotten's is a Lake Charles staple. It's a diner, so that's the kind of food you can expect to get here, but it's good and reasonably priced.
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Cotten's Downtown
110 Broad StCotten's is a Lake Charles staple. It's a diner, so that's the kind of food you can expect to get here, but it's good and reasonably priced.
Drinks & Nightlife
A Daiquiri shop right around the corner. Good quality, close, and has a drive-thru.
Paradise Daiquiris
2021 Country Club RdA Daiquiri shop right around the corner. Good quality, close, and has a drive-thru.
Parks & Nature
This is a great park . There's a walking trail, a place for kids to play, and a splash pad that our kids absolutely love (not open all year). It is right up against Prien Lake, and the view is gorgeous if you want to get out and just walk. Very close to house too.
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Prien Lake Park
3700 W Prien Lake RdThis is a great park . There's a walking trail, a place for kids to play, and a splash pad that our kids absolutely love (not open all year). It is right up against Prien Lake, and the view is gorgeous if you want to get out and just walk. Very close to house too.
Great park, great view, right up against Lake Charles (the lake). Has a ton of things for kids to do/climb on. Has a splash pad, a place for older kids to play, and for very young kids (young kids have their own section). It's a great area of town to go see, right by the civic center and right along the waterfront.
Even if you don't have kids, going out to this area would be fun for walking and taking in the great view.
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Parque del Milenio
900 Lakeshore DrGreat park, great view, right up against Lake Charles (the lake). Has a ton of things for kids to do/climb on. Has a splash pad, a place for older kids to play, and for very young kids (young kids have their own section). It's a great area of town to go see, right by the civic center and right along the waterfront.
Even if you don't have kids, going out to this area would be fun for walking and taking in the great view.
Essentials
It's albertsons, you know what you're getting. Good quality groceries at a higher price than Walmart. Still shop there regularly.
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Albertsons
2750 Country Club RdIt's albertsons, you know what you're getting. Good quality groceries at a higher price than Walmart. Still shop there regularly.
About 50% of shopping is done here due to lower prices. It's close, and they have everything you need. I typically go to Kroger or Albertsons for produce/meat, however.
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Walmart Supercenter
525 N Cities Service HwyAbout 50% of shopping is done here due to lower prices. It's close, and they have everything you need. I typically go to Kroger or Albertsons for produce/meat, however.
Sam's Club
2025 Sam's WyI do the remainder of my shopping at sams club here.
Shopping
Lots of options to pick from here at the lake charles shopping mall.
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Prien Lake Mall
496 W Prien Lake RdLots of options to pick from here at the lake charles shopping mall.