Coosh’s Bayou Rouge Settles in New Location

Coosh’s Bayou Rouge settles into new location

In 2001, the husband and wife team of Coosh and Margaret Willis fulfilled a dream of bringing authentic Louisiana food to Tallahassee by opening Coosh’s Bayou Rouge in Northeast Tallahassee.

Their first location was in the old Winn Dixie shopping center off of Kerry Forest Parkway. The restaurant was tucked away in the corner of the shopping center and was home for almost 9 years.

But Coosh knew to be successful he had to get to a location that was more visible and offered access to more customers.

So Coosh and Margaret do what entrepreneurs do, they took a risk and made a move to a new location. “It was risky, but had to be done if we were going to grow the business,” said Coosh.

The move put them in a new development called Persimon Hill on Thomasville Road just North of Walmart. Over 50,000 cars pass by the location each day.

The new restaurant is twice as big than the old location at 4000 square feet and seats 150 patrons.

With the move complete, they can now focus on doing what they love to do, providing authentic Cajun food. And both Coosh and Margaret know Cajun.

Coosh was born in south Louisiana and grew up in Gonzales, the Jambalaya Capital of the Word and Margaret was born in Baton Rouge. Together they have put together a menu that provides a full range of exciting options.

Some of the Cajun staples on the menu include seafood gumbo, which brings together the holy trinity of cajun cuisine (bell peppers, onion, and celery), jambalaya, red beans and rice, crawfish etouffe, and chicken and sausage gumbo.
Coosh is quick to point out that Cajun is not all they do. The menu offers a number of traditional salads, custom made burgers, and barbecue.

Coosh’s also has a vibrant catering business and has an impressive catering menu on his website with pricing to accommodate small and large groups.

Taking advantage of the thousands of people passing by the new location each morning, Coosh’s recently began serving breakfast Wednesday through Sunday. The breakfast menu is full of favorites, but the beignet’s and the muffins are becoming quite popular.

Asked how he has managed the tough economic times, Coosh said, “we kept the restaurant vibrant and we stayed strongly connected with the local community.”

Hours of Operation:
Mon-Tue 11:00am – 10:00pm
Wed-Sat 7:00am – 10:00pm
Sun 8:00am – 9:00pm

Address:
6267 Old Water Oak Rd, Ste 101
Tallahassee, FL 32312
850-894-4110
www.cooshs.com