When it comes to dining out, one of the most popular types of restaurant today on Long Island are those that specialize in Cajun seafood, and when you ask anyone where the best eateries are to procure this tasty fare, one name keeps coming up: The Cajun Bucket in West Hempstead, NY.
The spacious and attractive establishment – which at 10,000 square feet and can accommodate up to approximately 250 guests – first opened its doors for business in late December of 2019, and immediately The Cajun Bucket began capturing the taste buds of residents across the Island with its one-of-a-kind Cajun/French hybrid menu, according to general manager Tommy Chen.
“At the time we opened up, there was this whole craze on Long Island over Cajun seafood restaurants…they were opening up all over and we decided to get in on that craze,” he said. “Our Executive Chef Chulkee Ko has a lot of experience with that type of cuisine, and he added a unique twist with French fusion to bring a greater and different variety into our Cajun menu.”
In addition to being an excellent location for dinner, The Cajun Bucket also can host a variety of different events, including birthday parties and more. The restaurant has two individual party rooms separated by a partition that can be opened up, effectively doubling the space for more significant affairs.
The Cajun Bucket also has a large and comfortable sports bar area, with a full array of beer and spirits in addition to multiple widescreen televisions to catch the big game on. The bar area is approximately 2,000 square feet in size, and up to 40 guests can be seated at the bar.
But the main draw to The Cajun Bucket, of course, is its menu, and Chen noted that they spared no expense to bring customers a delicious and varied menu that puts a unique spin on Louisianan and French cuisine that has to be seen – and tasted – to believe.
Initially, business at The Cajun Bucket was booming, with the restaurant doing record numbers and receiving rave reviews for its fine cuisine. All was great…until the COVID-19 pandemic hit, with Chen noting that the eatery faced the same uphill battle that all restaurants were forced to endure during that period of time.
“Business was really good when we first opened, because we were one of the biggest Cajun seafood restaurants on Long Island, and we had the most diversified menu when compared to everyone else,” he said. “When COVID hit, it impacted us greatly, just like the rest of the restaurant industry. We’re normally more focused on dine-in, but during the pandemic we basically had to turn into a takeout restaurant until things got better.”
“Things have improved greatly since then, and they’re continuing to improve every day,” Chen added.
In the end, The Cajun Bucket features a delectable, distinct and delicious menu full of variety and flavor, created by an experienced chef who’s not afraid to combine different elements to create something new and tasty.
“The quality of our food, especially our seafood and our sauces, is really, really good, and it really separates us from our competitors,” Chen said. “You should really come in and try our menu, because it’s something unique and different, and once you try it you’ll definitely want to come back again and again.”
To find out more and check out their menu, please visit Cajunbucket.com or call 516-344-5434.
