New Orleans Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

[chezcherie]

i call upon those kindly souls lucky enough to know the city. this will be my first, long overdue visit to new orleans. i've told my husband he can plan the entire trip, as long as his plans occur between meals. he has further been instructed not to whine about lunch-planning at breakfast, and dinner-dreaming at lunch....

now, where to stay? would like to be near, but not in the french quarter, and would like to keep it under $200 per night (the better to dine with, my dear..)

thanks in advance for your consideration!

[Comfort Me]

I couldn't recommend a hotel more enthusiastically that I can the Renaissance Arts Hotel in the Warehouse district (700 Tchoupitoulous). It is new, beautifully appointed, the staff is helpful, the rooms are large and lovely, with real art, not "fast food" art, and the hotel has made a huge commitment to art in the public spaces of the hotel. The chadeliers in the lobby, executed by the famous glass artist, Dale Chihuly, must be worth a half-million. The robes in the room were so soft and comfortable, I coveted them. The rooftop pool was beautiful. I never wanted to leave.

The Renaissance Arts is the newest luxury hotel, it opened just a few months ago, and you can have a lovely, large room for well under $200 a night. It is just a 5 minute walk to the riverside streetcar, which takes you to the Quarter, and a 1 minute walk to Emeril's, which takes you to heaven.

[chezcherie]

thanks for the ringing endorsement, comfort me. yours seems to be the final (well...only) word on the matter! much appreciated.

[annsyp]

My husband and I visited New Orleans in November (I grew up there, and he! had! never! been!) and we stayed in Le Pavillion Hotel. We got a sweet deal on it through hotels.com (it was about $100/night). The rooms were beautiful and comfortable. The staff was friendly and helpful. There is not much nearby, but it is only a few blocks to the French Quarter.

I hope this helps!

[Mayhaw Man]

I have kind of stayed out of this thread as 1) I have an apt. in New Orleans and don't stay in hotels very often and 2) my friend are divided into two groups and they aren't much help. They either stay in rediculously expensive places or they stay with me.

I know that if you don't mind a little mystery in your life that there are some fabulous deals online. Hotels.com, expedia, etc. can all get you a downtown room in a nice, perfectly adequate place for under a hundred bucks almost all of the time.

One more thing. You might want to try calling the front desk of somewhere that you want to stay instead of the reservations/800 number. We have too many hotel rooms currently and these people are usually willing to bite on a reasonable offer as they are more concerned with occupancy than price of the room.

Good luck and let us know what you did while you were here.

[sumac]

As a fellow tourist to New Orleans, my advice is to find a hotel in the French Quarter. We stayed at one in that ridiculousy expensive category, but we have also stayed at one of those ($$$$) just outside the French Quarter. No comparison to our experience. For us it is so nice to have the French Quarter right outside our door! The only taxis you will take are when you go to Upperline and Jacque's Imo, which I am sure you will! This advice from a tourist, not an insider, but then tourists often have different needs than the locals. Have a great time.

[chezcherie]

first visit to the city of my dreams 3/7-10. can NOT wait. could not find a thread on oysters in new orleans. so, please...is acme the acme? if not, where is the not-to-be-missed shucking to be found?

hoping to hit restaurant august and peristyle, with funk-wonderful lunches interspersed, but must have oysters.

many thanks.

[Mayhaw Man]

My Favorites (this a highly opinionated list-I hope that we can get you some more opinions than mine). THis is much like asking "Who is your favorite child?" You might have an answer, but you know that it is wrong to admit it or to tell anybody.

Oyster PoBoys- R and O Seafood

Casamento's

Mike Andersons Seafood

Baked Oysters-Mosca's-Oysters Mosca

Galitoire's - Rockefeller

Mr. B's-BBQ'd oyster poboy-Only at the Fairgrounds during Jazz

Fest

Raw Acme Oyster House (some prefer Felix's, across the street)

Fairgrounds Race Course (closed yesterday until Thanksgiving)

Grilled- Drago's (worth the tip just for this dish-simple and awesome-while

there knock it back with some Yugoslav Pear Brandy-they are the

actual importers for the stuff (although you can now get it at

Dorignac's) and it is amazingly good.

Fried- Bozo's

Uglesitch's

R and O Seafood

Hope this works for you. I am sure some more bi valve lovers will jump in here.

[chezcherie]

THis is much like asking "Who is your favorite child?" You might have an answer, but you know that it is wrong to admit it or to tell anybody. 

gotta laugh...i solve this by saying "insert child's name, (he's my favorite)", but making sure to use the same line, with each child's name, each time i refer to them! thank goodness, they appreciate the joke, all three of them.

happy to see several of our choices already on there---gotta try uglesich's (before they close the doors for the last time), and possibly galatoire's for friday lunch. we love raw oysters, so looks like acme (AND across the street, while we're in the neighborhood) will be on the list. thanks! (btw, we are staying at chateau sonesta...someone else made the res., and i'm sure it will be fine.)

[Mayhaw Man]

I was at a conference yesterday being held in conjunction with the Tennessee Williams Festival (I am writing a long report about it, but briefly it was Sara Moulton and John Edge chatting about all kinds of stuff-including eGullet (briefly)-much more interesting that it sounds) and was told-by one of the three people that would know for sure if this is true about Uglesich's closing and was told that no, it was not. They are not closing. Anthony has a cookbook coming out and is going to be doing a fair amount of traveling-he will not be there very much but the place will be open.

[BeJam]

uglesich's (before they close the doors for the last time)

Is this really happening? Its been a couple of years since I've been down there. I especially liked the beer service while waiting in line to get in. Liked Casamento's

too.

[chezcherie]

uglesich's (before they close the doors for the last time)

Is this really happening? Its been a couple of years since I've been down there. I especially liked the beer service while waiting in line to get in. Liked Casamento's

too.

far be it from me to spread rumors, especially when i've only dreamed of visiting the place! mayhaw man says it ain't so---so it ain't. (my info came from "best of new orleans---clickety) good article, even if the bottom line---isn't.

now, about those oysters?

[Dana]

We liked Acme, but the best oysters are always the freshest.

[LJC]

the oyster bar in the waiting/bar area of Pascale Manales is great. While you wait to try their bbq shimp you can easily eat a dz or so.

[lala]

I've posted before, and was assured by you kind people that I wouldn't explode from the heat of the food. Now, here's my next question: When is the best time to visit? I understand that Crawfish are in season in the Spring, so I'm rethinking my fall plan to visit.

Are there any other reasons why I should consider one month over another? Along with an aversion to spicey heat in food, I'm not good with outdoor heat/humidity, so summer is out.

So, for someone looking at a blank calander next year, when's the best time to eat my way through NOLA, getting the best of seasonal foods, in comfortable temperatures?

[Mabelline]

Anytime you go, you will be sated and happy. MM will give specifics. Trust him, he will tell ya whose peppercorns are the freshest!

[Jason Perlow]

NOW is the best time to go. Anytime before it starts getting disgustingly hot and humid, which is before the June timeframe. September-October-November is not bad either.

[WineMiles]

April is the best. Crawfish are in-season, the weather is decent and if timed correctly, you can check out the Jazz Festival too.

Jazz fest has your typical for Louisiana fair food. Gator on a stick, Jambalaya, Red Beans and Rice, bbq shrimp, etc. The music is pretty cool. I spent a good amount of time in the Gospel music tent. There will typically be many artists performing throughout the festival. Check out: http://www.nojazzfest.com/ for more info.

When it comes to restaurant food. Don't worry about the spicy heat. There are plenty of items on every menu that are not hot and spicy. Most people tend to go to one of Emiril's high end joints. Skip them and go to his locals secret restaurant called NOLA. Excellent food and service. My wife and I always go to Brennan's for breakfast at least once during our freequent trips to N'awlins.

There is a great Charbrolied oyster place in Metarie. I can't remember the name. If I do I'll post it.

[Mabelline]

WineMiles, welcome! The second mouse may get the cheese,but carnivores go for anything!!!

[tanabutler]

Another vote here for Jazz and Heritage festival. Go to the fairgrounds, git you an oyster po boy, and then go visit the gospel tent. If you don't die and go to heaven, you'll think you have.

[WineMiles]

Found it! Drago's is the place. You'll need at least one dozen per person. They are that good! Check out this link: http://www.americascuisine.com/neworleans/dragosmenu.html

[Java-Joe]

Drago's flagship item IS their char-broiled oysters. It is considered (by some, like me) as THE BEST one bite of food in New Orleans.

My wife and I have made them at home. What a sight. I'm shucking the oysters, putting them on the grill. She puts the butter-garlic-parma. cheese, etc..mixture on the oysers. They cook, they bubble, they sizzle. I take them off and let them cool a bit and eat them on the spot. We get a little assembly line going and the fun never stops. We can't take them in the house for dinner, cuz they all get eaten at the grill!

I love living here!

Joe

[Mayhaw Man]

NOW is the best time to go. Anytime before it starts getting disgustingly hot and humid, which is before the June timeframe. September-October-November is not bad either.

The man from New Jersey hits it on the head again. Now is the time to come, or what you might think of as alte fall (end october early november). On the other hand, serious deals are to be had during the summer on accomodations. Hotels drop down to as cheap as they can get due to the lack of convention business in the summer. I like the heat, but it is not for everybody.

And wwinemiles seriously undersold the food at the Jazz Fest. Click the link below my name (best rest. in the world opens soon) to see what I mean.

Try the Louisiana Forum index to find out more about New Orleans.

[jess mebane]

On the other hand, serious deals are to be had during the summer on accomodations. Hotels drop down to as cheap as they can get due to the lack of convention business in the summer. I like the heat, but it is not for everybody.

I concur. The best week I had all year last year was a summer weekend spent at the Royal Sonesta. Just go. Doesn't matter when. And bring the big pants.

[lala]

Too bad I just spent a week in a beach cabin, or I'd just hop on a plane and come right down! But thanks for confirming my thoughts on when to visit. I shall continue to monitor this board for suggestions, then come down next April and eat my way from one end of town to the other (and Lafayette).