Voodoo Stu’s & Black Magic Mael’s Gumbo Shack & Juke Joint

Living in Tijuana after living in Los Angeles, California all my life has had its excitement. Being adventurous in learning how to find my way around the neighborhood without being fluently bilingual has had some of its trials. But I didn’t let that scare me off! Discovering some of the city's best food it has to offer has been nothing short of rewarding. I am at the point now after living here for six months, I'll find myself searching for more there is to offer to tourists. After having quite a fill of Mexican cuisine and antojitos, I started actively looking around for different styles of food. That's when I discovered a place inside Pasaje Rodriquez, an art covered passageway nearby the border and Av Revolución called Voodoo Stu’s & Black Magic Mael’s Gumbo Shack & Juke Joint, a cozy and unique Cajun restaurant.

Cajun food is more than cayenne pepper on blackened fish! There is the "Holy Trinity" of Cajun food which is onions, celery, and bell pepper. Voodoo Stu's got this trinity down perfectly when I ordered their shrimp po'boy. Being in Tijuana, the trinity here is created by using poblanos. I have always been told when eating Lousiana-style dishes, "If you don’t see green onions and parsley on top of the pot, you don’t want to eat it." What makes Voodoo Stu's even more interesting is that they have different daily specials. I happened to come here on a Sunday and shrimp po'boys with a side of cucumber salad was the dish they were serving up that day. After getting my plate, it had a beautiful display of peppers, onion, and celery cooked in with the BBQ shrimp, all on a bed of cabbage and tomato in a perfectly toasted baguette. There was a good portion of shrimp which was highly seasoned—not just hot and spicy, leaving a pleasantly warm, stick to your ribs feeling.

Voodoo Stu's impressed me knowing their home-style plates change each weekend, which I highly appreciate and anticipate coming back over and over again. It makes each time coming here exciting and new, getting the opportunity to taste all the flavorful, southern dishes they can imagine in Tijuana. They get all their ingredients and produce locally available at Mercado Hidalgo, a farmer's market that one can also enjoy visiting in Tijuana! You can check out their Facebook page or Instagram to get more information on what they are serving for the day. They are open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM which gives the restaurant an exclusive feel. The decor, music, and atmosphere make you feel as if you have transported yourself into a little nook of Lousiana right in Tijuana. You 'll find it nestled in the alley full of murals, cafes, breweries, boutique clothing, and bookstores between Third and Fourth on Revolución in Centro. If looking for a variety of flavor while in Tijuana outside of the typical street food that you'll find all around Revolución come to Voodoo Stu's, Tijuana's best soul food restaurant.

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The Owners, Stuart Cardwell and Mael Vizcarra