Cajun's Wharf in Little Rock, Arkansas: Restaurant Review

Cajun's Wharf has been a Little Rock, Arkansas landmark for over three decades. It has been known for the weekly live music as much as for its seafood, but for many years, Cajun's Wharf was the only place to go for an upscale casual seafood experience in Little Rock. Even now, after many national restaurant chains have come to Little Rock and gone, Cajun's Wharf remains a local favorite.

Located on the Arkansas River, Cajun's deck is perfect place to enjoy a meal and a few drinks on a pleasant evening. Unfortunately for my dining partner and me, it was cold and wet on our recent visit. Sitting inside was no hardship, though, as the interior of Cajun's Wharf is spacious without feeling overwhelming.

Rather than grab a table, we settled ourselves in at the bar. Cajun's Wharf has a full restaurant menu as well as a separate bar menu for people who are craving something a little different. The Appetizer selection of the bar menu was wider than most full service restaurants. It featured standard appetizers like boiled shrimp and oysters on the half shell, as well as items that are harder to find, like fried green tomatoes and catfish beignets.

For my selection, I played it safe and ordered Cajun's Cheese Dip. It was a creamy blend of white cheese with just enough herbs and peppers to give it a little bite. It was served with tri color tortilla strips. My companion was more adventurous and chose the Cajun Egg Roll, stuffed with crawfish and shrimp, onions and peppers. She pronounced it, "Deep Fried Heaven."

We almost ate enough of our appetizers to skip the entree, but for the good of this review, we solidered on. The entrees on the bar menu are not as varied or as upscale as the restaurant entrees. This is strictly bar food. I chose the Polish Sausage Sandwich. The sausage came grilled with onions and garlic. It was smothered with Creole mustard and topped with mozzarella cheese and served with chips. It was plump and juicy, and like most everything else on the menu, slightly spicy. My friend chose the Cajun's Mediterranean Pizza. It was big enough that we could have shared it, especially after we both gorged on our appetizers. Topped with shrimp, sausage, pepperoni, onions, tomatoes and two cheeses, it was a huge meal that had my friend asking for a doggy bag.

After eating way too much food and indulging in a drink or two, we begged off dessert, but the didn't feel that the meal lacked anything. As we were finishing out meal, a local house band took the stage and Cajun;s was transformed from an upscale casual restaurant to a local bar, and we never had to leave. You can spend your entire evening at Cajun's and have a great experience.