Online foodie favorite announces Columbus location. Owner talks details
Columbus foodies won’t have to make a long drive to a popular Cajun food spot soon. The owner says she is gearing up to open a Columbus location.
USA Cajun Station has been an online foodie favorite for years. Now, Charon “Cha Cha” Austin, the owner of USA Cajun Station, confirmed to the Ledger-Enquirer that she will open a location in Banks Food Hall, 1002 Bay Ave., in March 2026.
Austin closed the Smiths Station, Alabama, location of her restaurant in 2024 after her three-year lease on the spot ended. After returning to the mobile business, she realized a brick-and-mortar restaurant fit better with her long-term goals. Austin told the Ledger-Enquirer that Columbus was the perfect place to start again.
“Columbus seems to capture a bit more of a larger target audience,” Austin said. “I feel as though in Alabama, sometimes our football seasons dictate our restaurant flow.”
Austin started her restaurant journey in 2018 by participating in events with a tent and table setup. In February 2019, she opened her restaurant in Union Springs, Alabama. The business was disrupted by the pandemic, so she returned to full-time work and scaled down to a food truck on weekends.
In 2021, she opened a location in Smiths Station for a three-year lease, which she kept until 2024. After the lease ended, she worked with her cousin’s business, focusing on seafood boils while deciding her next steps.
“The mobile food business is a lot more physically demanding than the brick and mortar,” Austin said. “That’s one reason that I decided to slow down and focus on the brick and mortar.”
The new space, set to be opposite Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, will mark a new beginning. Austin says she’s looking into franchising and will make her Columbus restaurant the flagship, or primary, location.
“This new location will be the first flagship location for our franchise model,” Austin said. “I signed a contract with a franchise creator about two years ago.”
The restaurant will also bring new employment opportunities, with hiring set to begin in early 2026. Austin plans to recruit staff experienced in food service or recently graduated from culinary programs. The restaurant will hire five to six employees, Austin said.
Customers can expect both the familiar and the new from the USA Cajun Station. The menu promises to balance classic Cajun tastes, drawing on Austin’s Alabama roots, with grab-and-go options for busy customers.
“You’re gonna have your signature favorites like seafood boils,” Austin said. “People love the seafood boils as well as fried fish or po’boys and things like that. But we’re also going to have a pleasant surprise of flavor stations for those that want to get in and out fast.”
USA Cajun Station has been a favorite among food enthusiasts for its generous portions, well-seasoned dishes, and good customer service.
One user, Kervin Alexandre, posted a review to the Columbus, GA Foodies Facebook page: “Last night, I finally got my hands on the famous wing boil from USA Cajun Station Charon, and boy, was it worth the wait! Wing and Oxtail boil that tasted as good as it looked! I’d give it a 10/10. I’m already planning my next order.”
Another user, Courtney Ray Jones, posted a photo of her empty takeout container from USA Cajun Station: “Yallllllll!!!!....this place is absolutely delicious!!! I’m sorry I didn’t take a picture of how beautiful the presentation was...do yourself a favor and get some!!! “
Bee Spurlock, another customer, also posted a video of her meal to the foodies group: “USA Cajun Station 10/10. The customer service was excellent, and she was able to accommodate my requests without any problems, responded to me in a timely manner, and in a very professional way. The food? Oh my God. So well seasoned and cooked perfectly, I couldn’t finish it, but I wish I could have, lol. Worth the drive from Columbus for sure!!!!”