By Jeanni Ritchie
Some of my favorite Louisiana memories have unfolded at Tunk’s Cypress Inn. From Friday night dinners with my childhood best friend Cindy’s family to teaching a backpacking visitor how to peel crawfish, this restaurant has been part of my story for decades. I’ve celebrated engagements here, joined end-of-year faculty gatherings, and enjoyed date nights at this Cenla mainstay. More recently, I’ve attended two of The Unusual Suspects’ murder mystery dinners, and just last month, I joined my Calvary Lifegroup for our monthly dinner out.
That evening we were seated in a private dining room overlooking Kincaid Lake. With barn doors for privacy and bay windows framing the water, the space felt set apart yet still open — perfect for a group of 30. Within half an hour, everyone had ordered and been served, no small feat for a party our size.
Tunk’s offers several private dining options, whether you want a catered buffet, a banquet, or simply the intimacy of ordering off the menu with dedicated servers. Our group leaned into the latter — many of us happily choosing from the senior menu. For $12–$17, diners 55 and older can enjoy steak, catfish, snapper, or pasta dishes featuring grilled chicken or shrimp.
The regular menu reads like a love letter to Louisiana seafood: prime rib, ribeyes, crawfish fettuccine, Snapper Sandy, seafood gumbo, quail, alligator, mahi mahi, burgers, and more. I ordered snapper with garlic mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables, though the plate that made me instantly reconsider was the Shrimp en Brochette — six jumbo shrimp, bacon-wrapped, seafood-stuffed, and layered with pepper jack cheese. Next time, that dish is mine.
I did try the Black Pepper Cane Butter Sauce add-on, a sweet and peppery gravy that elevated my meal. My friend David ordered fried alligator for the table — a nostalgic bite for me, since the first time I tried alligator was also at Tunk’s in the 1980s. The appetizer list rounds out with oysters, crab claws, onion strings, fried pickles, crab cakes, and more. Tunk’s sources many of its vegetables locally, so summer menus highlight eggplant and sweet corn while fall brings mustard and turnip greens alongside hearty seafood gumbos.
Around our table, catfish was the clear favorite — fried, grilled, or paired with oysters and shrimp. Another standout was the alligator Parmesan plate, while two friends chose the shrimp and chicken pasta. The verdict was unanimous: whatever you order, Tunk’s knows seafood.
Tunk’s is located at 9507 LA-28, Boyce. They are open Wednesday and Thursday from 4:30–9 PM and Friday and Saturday from 4:30–10 PM. They can be reached at 318-487-4014, or visit them online at www.tunkscypressinn.com.
