Filé Gumbo Bar — Best Louisiana-Inspired Restaurant for Authentic Cajun & Creole Cooking in Tribeca, NYC
Step through the door at 275 Church Street and the sound of Bourbon Street brass, the smell of a dark roux, and the low simmer gumbo will tell you everything you need to know: you’ve found the closest thing to New Orleans in New York City. Filé Gumbo Bar is a casual fine dining Cajun-Creole restaurant in the heart of Tribeca, built by Chef and Owner Eric McCree around family inspired recipes, a lot of Louisiana road miles, and a deep respect for a cuisine that doesn’t cut corners.
Whether you’re stopping in for a workday lunch, settling in for a lazy weekend brunch, or booking the table for a full-blown celebration dinner, Filé is built to meet you exactly where you are — and to send you home talking about the gumbo.
Where New Orleans Meets Manhattan – Authentic Cajun & Creole Dining in Tribeca
Filé Gumbo Bar is New York City’s premier destination for authentic Cajun and Creole cuisine, located in the heart of Tribeca at 275 Church Street. As recognized by The New York Times, Filé brings the soul of New Orleans to Manhattan — from slow-cooked gumbos simmered in steam kettles at the bar, to crispy chicken & beignets, char-grilled oysters, and rich bread pudding to finish. Whether you’re joining us for a weekday lunch, weekend brunch with bottomless cocktails, or a celebratory dinner, every meal at Filé is rooted in Louisiana culinary tradition and the memory of one man — Aubrey “Tiny” Gaines — whose love of shellfish and spice started it all.
What Makes Filé Different — Real Gumbo, Real Kettles, Real Louisiana
Most “Cajun” restaurants in New York treat gumbo as a side dish. At Filé, it’s the whole point. Every bowl starts with a roux cooked low and slow until it turns the color of a good cup of coffee — the step most kitchens skip because it takes patience nobody wants to pay for. Ours simmers right at the bar in steam kettles, so you can watch it happen and smell it happening. That’s not an accident. It’s the whole reason the restaurant exists.
The Filé Story
Chef Eric McCree didn’t come up through culinary school — he came up through the entertainment industry, touring as an audio engineer for years before a stretch of downtime during the pandemic sent him looking for something new. What he found was a road trip through the American South, and specifically through Lafayette, Louisiana — the heart of Cajun Country. There, he watched dishes get built the way they’d been built for generations: from scratch, with whatever the season and the water gave you, in pots that simmered all day for family and for company.
The name “Filé” comes from that trip too. Pronounced fee-lay, filé is dried, ground sassafras leaf — the ingredient Choctaw communities introduced to Cajun cooks in the 18th century to thicken and season gumbo. It’s a small word for a big idea: Cajun and Creole cooking is a living tradition, built from generations of hands and passed-down technique, not a trend.
And it’s personal. The restaurant is built around the memory of Eric’s grandfather, Aubrey “Tiny” Gaines, whose love of shellfish, spice, and a properly stocked pot is the reason Filé exists at all. You’ll see his name on the menu, and you’ll taste his influence in the gumbo.
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THE FINEST CUISINE
Lovingly Prepared For You
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Extensive drink menu
Delicious And Visually Stunning Drinks.
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Host your special event
At File Gumbo Bar.
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Chef’s supper club
Chef Eric McCree invites you to the Filé Chef’s Supper Club
We go beyond the kettle — exploring the deeper roots of Cajun cooking with dishes you won’t typically find in the restaurant. This is a chef-driven tasting menu designed for you to enjoy at home!
catering
Let Us Cater Your Special Occasion!
When it comes to your next event, let us take care of the food with our delicious and expertly crafted catering options featuring a wide range of Southern dishes that are sure to please any palate.
Group Reservations
Book your next party with us!
File Gumbo Bar has the perfect space for birthday bashes, holiday parties, corporate events, wedding festivities, and more!
Private Events, Group Reservations & Catering in Tribeca
Filé’s dining room and bar were built to host a crowd as comfortably as a two-top. The restaurant regularly hosts birthday parties, holiday parties, corporate events, and wedding-adjacent celebrations, with group reservation and buyout options for parties of nearly any size.
For events off-site, Filé’s catering program brings the same Louisiana menu — gumbo, fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and more — to your office, your home, or your venue, with a dedicated catering team available to build a menu around your event.
About Us
Filé Gumbo Bar
Filé Gumbo Bar is inspired by the iconic ingredient used to thicken and flavor our gumbo. Filé, pronounced fee-lay, means thread or string in French, and refers to the dried and ground leaves of the North American sassafras tree. This essential ingredient was introduced to the Cajuns by the Choctaw Indians in the 18th century.
Chef & Owner
Eric McCree has traveled extensively throughout the world working as an audio engineer with stage productions. During his travels, he had the privilege to explore authentic regional cuisines across the American South, which inspired his dishes and culinary vision.
While in New Orleans, Eric became enthralled with the food he sampled, but it was not until he reached Lafayette – the heart of “Cajun Country” – that he experienced the familial celebratory soul of Louisiana cooking.
Here, family recipes had been handed down for centuries. Every dish was prepared by hands groomed for generations. Dishes were made from scratch with fresh seasonal ingredients, and pots simmered slowly all day in preparation for family gatherings and parties.
The food he observed was not quick and easy cooking. It was bold food with cultural significance and time-honored techniques that reflected one of America’s most diverse cultures in both ritual and taste.
Cocktails & Bar Program
Filé’s bar takes the same approach as the kitchen: Louisiana ingredients, real technique, and a little bit of showmanship. The cocktail list leans into Gulf Coast flavors — think housemade syrups, local spirits, and classic New Orleans drinking culture — alongside seasonal specials that rotate with the menu. Café Brûlot, the flaming tableside coffee cocktail with roots in old New Orleans supper clubs, anchors the occasion side of the bar program and is one of the most requested experiences in the room.
Happy hour brings oysters and cocktails together at a price built for a weekday crowd, and weekend brunch pairs bottomless drink options with the same scratch-made kitchen you’d get at dinner.
Lunch, Brunch & Dinner in Tribeca
Filé is built to work for however you want to eat.
Weekday Lunch moves fast without cutting quality — a rotating Lunch Specials menu built for the Tribeca office crowd, alongside a full à la carte list for anyone with a little more time.
Weekend Brunch slows things back down, with New Orleans brunch staples, live music on select weekends, and bottomless cocktail options for the table that’s not in a hurry.
Dinner is where the full menu opens up — a multi-course Prix Fixe option for anyone who wants the tasting-menu experience, alongside full à la carte dining for a more casual night out.
Filé also runs occasional live music and jazz-brunch programming, and hosts partnerships with Louisiana spirits brands throughout the year — worth checking the Events page before you book if you want to catch one.
Why Diners Keep Coming Back to Filé Gumbo Bar
Filé has built a loyal following in Tribeca and beyond — guests come back for the gumbo, the char-grilled oysters, the bread from Leidenheimer, and a room that feels more like a New Orleans supper club than a New York restaurant. Regulars often mention the same things: honest technique, a menu that respects where it comes from, and a team that makes first-timers feel like locals by the time the check comes.
If you’ve never had real Cajun or Creole food, Filé Gumbo Bar is built to be your way in — start with a lil’ cup of gumbo, work your way through the menu, and you’ll understand why this corner of Tribeca has become one of the most talked-about tables in the neighborhood.
Reviews
Review by – Google
five star review by Rebecca I.:
Amazing service, delicious food and homey atmosphere 🙂 Would 100% recommend!
Review by – Google
five star review by Jollen W.:
Make your reservation immediately! If you've heard of Filé and haven't been here, what are you waiting for? If you haven't heard of it, don't add it to the list, just set a date now.
Review by – Google
five star review by Assel C.:
A Culinary Gem with Southern Soul and Personal Touch! We had an unforgettable dining experience at File Gumbo Bar! From the moment we walked in, the vibe was welcoming and full of Southern charm.
Review by – Google
five star review by Quintessa M.:
Delicious gumbo – I recommend the Chicken Andouille Gumbo. The crawfish toast was great. I love they get their bread from Leidenheimer! Pretty close to authentic Nola food in NYC 🙂 Omg and the bread pudding was so good!!!!
Review by – Google
five star review by Moochie:
What a gem! The food was amazing! Everyone in our party finished their entree. The presentation of the food, the flavor, the portions were all top tier. We met the chef and his wife.we enjoyed the live band and the playlist when the band was not playing. I can't wait to return.
LOCATION
275 Church St
New York City, NY
10013
Trains To Filé
Canal Street
Franklin Street
HOURS
Sunday – Thursday 11:30 am to Close
Friday – Saturday 11:30 am to Close
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