Heeda Ali-Ababua

This place is a gem & it's easy to see why it's so popular. Great food, great service... some of the best coffee I've ever had...EVER! Can't wait to come back to try the beignets!

SteveandKi Dunn

Sat at the bar for lunch because there was a wait for tables. Happy we did because Leo took care of us. Food was delicious. Husband had shrimp and grits, I had the Croque Madam sandwich and an iced coffee. Pastry offerings looked fabulous, and we took some to go. Beautiful place with a historic and locals vibe to it. Definitely coming back and for breakfast next time!

Georj R

Who'd of thought we'd find incredible Cajun food in Santa Paula, CA. The chicory late was scrumptious. A chicory coffee with brown sugar syrup and milk. My daughter had the Croque-Monsieur; a ham and cheese open faced sandwich and a cup of seafood chowder that was delicious. I had a cup of shrimp 🍤 and grits with a side garden salad. The small garden salad was a generous portion and the balsamic dressing spot on. I absolutely loved the cup of shrimp and grits. Savory bacon, spinach and onions sautéed with the shrimp and creamy grits. I could have eaten a bowl, but wanted to save room for the luscious beignets for dessert. It was a very nice food experience for us. The service was good. Our table was wobbly and they fixed it right away. Our server was attentive and timely. We sat outside and just had an overall great experience. We went shopping afterwards. The cute boutiques and thrift shops on Main Street are lovely. Such great finds.

Lauren

Cute restaurant and good service here. Very crowded and could be a wait, indoor and outdoor seating available. Most enjoyed all of the bakery items, we ordered a variety and all were delicious. Big servings of food for the plated dishes for good prices. Coffees and chai latte here is just ok, large portions, non dairy milk available. One plate of food we ordered was forgotten about before they closed up so we didn’t get to try the shrimp and grits which was a bummer.

Angela Levy

There was something going on that made our coffee order late, but they did the absolute best to accommodate us. The food was excellent 👌 It's a great spot on main. We sat on the patio and enjoyed people watching.

+8

Emily

One of my go-to places in Santa Paula. The service is always great, they have an amazing coffee selection using locally sourced beans, and a bunch of homemade pastries/baked goods (and even beignets). All of their Po Boys and Croques are amazing. The serving sizes are huge and the prices are fair, definitely recommend stopping by if you’re in the area!

Stacia Bradfield

I can not give a good enough review for this Bistro. Every single item that we ordered from the menu was above and beyond. From the fried okra to the chicken fried steak it gives you a comforting taste of the south. We will definitely be back for the delicious food and the great service we received. Its only a matter of time til we've tried each item on the menu!

I was craving Shrimp and Grits and heard about this restaurant so I gave it a go. The shrimp and grits were good albeit a little sweet to me. My son opted for a pancake with strawberries and bananas which he devoured. We then had a chocolate chip cookie and an order of three beignets. The beignets were fresh out of the oven soft, moist, and just as delicious as I recall them being in New Orleans. The chocolate chip cookie, unfortunately, didn't receive a good review as it was dry. Last but not least the cappuccino was absolutely delicious. A little honey and I felt like I was back in Italy. Overall, we had a good meal and experience. The parking wasn't bad although we did go early and on a holiday. The restaurant pricing is reasonable for the amount of food, and the service is great.

Golden Girl

Tried this place based on reviews. The food was just OK, nothing was impressive. The blueberry lemon cheesecake was light and fluffy, and I liked the flavor a lot, but it wasn’t the rich type as most bakeries serve. Ordered coffee and had to return it and I was surprised being the place this a bakery but we ate at end of day maybe it wasn’t fresh and had been sitting a long time.

Dina Alexander

This was our first time here. We have been searching for a Cajun/Creole restaurant for some time. The place was bustling, but not too crowded. We were led to the worst table by the kitchen. Um, no. There were plenty of open tables, so we switched and were ignored for quite some time. Eventually, we were asked our order. We got a cappuccino, an espresso, an order of beignet; my husband got the short rib omelette and I got the Creole crab benedict. The coffees were over roasted, beignets were much larger than usual and great. The breakfasts were fairly good, yet lackluster with not enough gravy on the omelet or hollandaise on the Benedict. The flavor was weak, not savory for the most part. Water was not refilled even when the glass was set at the edge of the table, and we were handed an empty bottle of hot sauce when we requested it. Eventually. For the most part, the service was pretty non existent. We decided to give Rabalais one more chance, probably dinner, but my hopes aren't too high.

Maryann Pham

Came here based off reviews. Was excited to find Cajun food. Ordered some beignets. The beignets are crunchy and was very disappointing. Prob would not return

Heather Berry

The service here is wonderful. Everybody is so warm and friendly. The food is subpar. Desserts not including cookies are underbaked. I’ve eaten here half a dozen times and every time I have to doctor up my food to give it some flavor. Everything would benefit greatly from a little vinegar, spice or even some salt. Very bland.

The only restaurant I have been to where the staff allows the battery of customers. They cook with cheap cooking oils canola/olive oil blend. There's nothing special about their menu that stands out, they're just another restaurant. The music that's played in the restaurant is on a neverending repeat playlist that never changes, it's monotonous. If you're a traveler passing through there's way better restaurants in Ventura or Ojai. Don't waste your money here. The owner is shrewd, money hungry. Zero customer loyalty is shown.

Dolby Dharma

We ventured to the Santa Paula Vintage Fair, and on our return trip to Thousand Oaks, we found ourselves craving a hearty breakfast. As we were unfamiliar with the area, we turned to Google to find a nearby spot and stumbled upon Rabalais Bistro. Arriving just three minutes shy of noon, excitement filled us as we settled in and looked over the menu, opting for the enticing eggs crab benedict. To our dismay, our server returned with the disappointing news that breakfast service had officially ended. I requested some soda water with a slice of lemon, hoping for a refreshing drink to brighten our spirits, but instead, someone brought us a bottle of sparkling water. It seemed like an upsell that missed the mark. Throughout our visit, our server was noticeably absent, failing to check on us or offer assistance. After what felt like an eternity, she finally emerged, but by then, our stomachs were grumbling in protest. Despite the delay, we decided to indulge in the Beignets—deep-fried, New Orleans-style donuts generously dusted with powdered sugar. When they finally arrived, piping hot and golden, they were indeed delightful, but our initial hunger still lingered. We contemplated ordering a sandwich to share, but with our server still MIA, our enthusiasm waned. By the time she materialized again, we had lost all interest in further orders. We quickly finished our beignets and water, then asked for the check and prepared to leave. Regrettably, this experience was a letdown, and I concluded that I wouldn’t return. Yet, perhaps that’s the nature of exploring new places—you win some, you lose some, and this one felt like a definite loss for me.