AJ's Oyster House

I was looking forward to trying AJ’s but it fell a bit flat. We tried to boudin bites for appetizer; and though they were hot and fresh, the boudin was ground up more than I prefer, but otherwise, the taste was fine, though I wouldn’t order again. I ordered the shrimp and grits and my son ordered the chicken strip basket. Both entrees looked appetizing when they arrived; however, the shrimp were incredibly overcooked, rubbery, and over-seasoned. I quit a couple of bites in. My son’s chicken was overcooked as well, dry, and difficult to eat. The fries were hot, fresh, and tasty. I would order them with any meal and I’m not usually a fan of fries. The fries tasted batter dipped and were well seasoned. We didn’t try the slaw that came with the basket so can’t speak on that. The atmosphere is a bit dark but inviting. I think it would be a good place for date night and a few drinks. The service was great. We were seated immediately. The waitress noticed I hadn’t eaten and had pushed my plate away. She offered a different menu item or dessert but I kindly declined. She removed the entree from the ticket without me requesting, as I was going to go ahead and pay for it, but that was very thoughtful. Overall, I’m not sure if I’d return in the future but the service was great and maybe we just had an off experience.

What a great place with great food! We popped in for lunch and were not disappointed. The food is fresh, hot, and really tasty! The service was great:)

Just in fort Smith for the night and had dinner here. Wife had the crab and shrimp boil. I had the pecan crusted walleye and it was delicious! Highly recommend starting with the hush puppies.

This is the kind of place you know you are going to enjoy when you first open the door. I was greeted with wonderful aromas, sounds of laughter, and warm air (it was cold outside). I was also quickly seated. Another thing quickly noted about this place is the plentiful quantity of service staff and their presence. They were always on the move. The person taking my order was friendly, helpful, and had a smile on her face. I ordered the boudin balls and Arkansas gumbo. The boudin balls had a nice, crispy outer shell and a warm, soft interior. There was a tasty dipping sauce included with those. The gumbo was hearty. There were hunks of andouille sausage, chicken, and shrimp along with an assortment of vegetables in there. The gumbo was accompanied with a bread-like Mexican cornbread muffin. The selection of starters allowed me room for a slice of the seasonal pumpkin cheesecake. Such a wonderful presentation that I hated to spoon off a bite, but I overcame that quickly. It had such a smooth texture and good flavor. There’s an electric selection of art in the restaurant which fits perfect with the atmosphere. I really enjoyed my visit and will plan to return soon.

I was disappointed in the oysters I got. Didn't taste fresh. Also, the fish n chips were fried too long, and the fish was dry. Service was good, very fast, friendly, and attentive. Bloody mary was good. It's was very busy, and the crew on staff were working very hard and still remained friendly under pressure, which is impressive to me. I would return here, but I would probably order something different next time.