New Orleans Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

[NYC Mike]

Hi All,

I am thinking about driving down for 3 days with the family.  I'm curious about lunch, dinner spots that would be interesting for me and the wife and ok to drag 2 10 yr olds and an insane 4 yr old tasmanian devil.  I was thinking Mother's for 1 lunch and some good fried chicken for another.

Also, would convention center area be ok to stay or should I stay french quarter?

Also, also, live music, the kids would just love the street bands and music at night on Bourbon St.  Anyone know of places where we could sit and eat at night and listen to music all together?

Thanks!

-Mike

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I don't know that I would take the kids to Bourbon Street at night. There is a very high drunk factor there and the music that wafts from the open doors is more of a too loud bar music type that is not reflective of the music of the area.

Maybe in the Marigny for the music. Mothers is good for a meal. Maybe do Cochon for the other lunch.

If your plans to be there happen the last weekend of April or the first weekend of May, then by all means get tickets for Jazzfest. Especially if you want to hear some music. The cubes are up with the times and stages, here are the dates, stages and times.

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Yea, unfortunatly, Spring Break is next week for them... so no jazz fest...

thanks for the other recs!

-Mike

[TAPrice]

Moderator note: After I suggested to NYC Mike that French Quarter Fest would be good for kids (and it would be!), this thread became mainly about the fest. It made more sense to make that a separate thread: French Quarter Fest

[NYC Mike]

Oh WoW! Lucky us!

Yes we are planning on coming down this Wed. night and staying until Sun.

I'll just need to plan a casual dinner Wed. and some activities for the fam on Thursday. I was thinking breakfast at Mothers and Lunch at Willie Maes Thurs.

Any ideas for casual dinners Wed and Thurs nights? I have a 4 yr old that breaks glass just by walking near it.

Thanks for all the help!

-Mike

Edited April 8, 2008 by NYC Mike (log)

[HungryC]

Casamento's on Thursday night. No glass to break, casual, laid-back place. Fried seafood, raw oysters, real people.

[NYC Mike]

Thanks Hungry C!

[Timh]

Throw in a streetcar ride and go uptown to Cooterbrowns, and Camelia Grill.

[joiei]

Throw in a streetcar ride and go uptown to Cooterbrowns, and Camelia Grill.

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Is the St Charles streetcar back on line and working? When I was there last summer it looked like it hadn't been touched.

[HungryC]

St. Charles streetcar has been running from Canal to Lee Circle for than 18 months, and down to Napoleon for a year at least. Most recently, the line was powered up back in December '07 all the way to Riverbend (the intersection of Carrollton & St. Charles). One just rolled by my office window as I'm typing this post. Latest progress report says the line will be fully operational all the way to the end of the St. Charles/Carrollton line (Carrollton at Claiborne) by the end of May. Yay!

[joiei]

St. Charles streetcar has been running from Canal to Lee Circle for than 18 months, and down to Napoleon for a year at least.  Most recently, the line was powered up back in December '07 all the way to Riverbend (the intersection of Carrollton & St. Charles).  One just rolled by my office window as I'm typing this post.  Latest progress report says the line will be fully operational all the way to the end of the St. Charles/Carrollton line (Carrollton at Claiborne) by the end of May.  Yay!

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THat is great news. When I lived on Lowerline and worked at the Le Pavillion I would commute home every night on the streetcar. One of my more incredible commutes in this lifetime.

[NYC Mike]

I can't possibly say enough about how wonderful a city New Orleans is. This latest trip marks my 3rd time to the city but my wife and kids (10, 10 and 4) first time. Everyone hands down had the time of their life and they already want to plan our next trip. (secrectly I'm estactic to have changed the conversation from Disney Orlando to New Orleans ).

I took pics of the food we ate but they just don't do it justice.

Cafe DuMonde was as you can imagine a huge hit with the kids, fried dough with tons of sugar and hot chocolate for breakfast. I gave up my eggs breakfasts for every day here in the name of family harmony!

The other new must have for the kids is Hubrigs pies...man those are good!! We took a dozen or two home with us, the kids are still working on them for snacks after school.

We did our non festival lunch Thursday at WillieMae's. This was some of the best fried chicken we've ever had and we have eaten a lot! Her granddaughter is cute and charming and spent some time talking about the reason for the place being only open for lunch. We never felt like we were taking any big risk by going there, cab dropped us off and picked us up no big deal. She also mentioned being close to a deal to open a place in the French Quarter by June-time so that was great news. The flocks will eat up that chicken.

Later at the festival we met a guy we saw at WilleMae's and he also recomended Dunbar's for fried chicken but we didn't get to try.

We did take the St Charles street car ride from Canal St and back. What a beautiful ride, what a different world. In a way its kind of sad that the contrast between St. Charles in the Garden District and the area where WillieMae's is so severe...but beauty can be found in every thing right?

We opted out of taking a "Katrina Tour". Being a born and raised NYer it made me feel similar to why I never took or liked the idea of a 9/11 WTC tour. Making $ on misery and all that.

Dinner at Casamento's was great. Raw oysters and beer for the adults fried everything for the kids. Perfect rec for a family of 5 that includes 1 tazmanian devil.

Then Bourbon St. I know, 3 kids, all very young, exposed to all that debauchery and drunkeness....That was exactly the point, especially for the twins. I qualified the walk with everyone waaaay ahead of time and it was a great time. My sons couldnt get over the ladies in the finer undergarments in the street. Highlight of that was was the "to be continued" brass band on the corner of Canal and Bourbon. Those guys are amazing and was a perfect pre-cursor to the music of the Festival.

We also hit Mother's for one of our dinners. Ferdi special poboys, gumbo, red beans and rice, shrimp creole, fried fish and chicken I love going back to that place.

The French Quarter Festival was an amazing experience. We are going to try and make it an annual trip for our spring break. Too much good food to list but suffice to say we tried every poboy, gumbo, ettufee<sp>, tamale, cake, pudding, drink and dessert offered. We spent most of our time by the old mint stages and the brass band stage by the aquarium. The roast beef poboy and shrimp ettufee by the zydeco stage in the old mint were two of my personal favorites but there was nothing I tried that I wouldnt (or didnt) eat twice. All this with a constant fill of at least 3 beers in me made for a fun weekend.

The little guy had the best time out of us all! We don't call him Tommy Bananas for nuthin.

Thanks everyone for the recs!

-Mike

Edited April 18, 2008 by NYC Mike (log)

[saturnbar]

I am glad to see you enjoyed your trip. ch

[martha]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a restaurant to host 125 people for brunch?

[HungryC]

Calcasieu, which is the special events venue upstairs from Cochon.

http://www.calcasieurooms.com/

[heidih]

It looks like I will be solo in New Orleans over Thanksgiving. Probably staying in a B & B in the Garden District or hotel in French Quarter. I would love a poor boy sandwich rec as well as any other pubic transport accessible delights. I do not think I want to try the biggy restos like Galatoires by myself.

[MikeHartnett]

Ok. As far as po boys go, I think your best options [relatively] close to public transportation are Mahony's or Tracey's (which is where the kitchen staff from Parasol's moved). Both of these are on Magazine, which is a few blocks' walk from the St. Charles streetcar line, depending on how far down the line you are (the shape of the city means some of the main streets vary greatly in distance depending on where you're at). Tracey's is known for its roast beef po boy, while Mahony's does most things pretty well, including classics and a few non-classics, like fried chicken livers with cole slaw.

As far as other dining options, could you give a little more info on how long you'll be here/which meals you're looking to eat, etc.?

[kayb]

I'm personally quite fond of Acme Oyster House. Cafe du Monde, of course, is a must for breakfast, despite the lines. For dinner, try Mr. B's Bistro, on Royal; smallish, compared to some of the places, but a lovely place to enjoy some Crescent City favorites. Have a drink in the lobby bar of the Roosevelt Hotel on Canal, and an appetizer and a glass of wine at Restaurant August. (FWIW, I didn't care for the rabbit sausage there -- too fennel-y -- but the figs and fresh mozzarella were magnificent.)

[lights19]

In the French Quarter, I'm a big fan of Coop's for jambalaya, gumbo and red beans and rice. It's not fancy, but it's always my first stop after landing! Green Goddess is another great place. Interesting drinks, dishes based on cuisines from all over, and a funky vibe.

Grabbing a seat at Cochon's bar or the counter overlooking the kitchen would be perfect for a solo diner. It's in the Warehouse district, a short walk from the Quarter. You can't really miss with most of their small plates - rabbit livers, boudin, and any pork-based charcuterie.

Since the Parasol's people are now at Tracey's, it would be the go-to spot for a po'boy. In the Quarter, Johnny's is reliable (I preferred it to Mother's). Parkway is another good option for po'boys, but some would say it wouldn't be the best to walk by yourself. I've been there in the day time, with others, so I've always felt fine. You'd need to catch the Canal street car and it's about a 5/10 minute walk.

[HungryC]

Aforementioned Tracy's & Mahoney's are good, but I'd have to add Cochon Butcher in the Warehouse district if you're into sandwiches. Not poboys, but full of house-cured meats and great flavors. Also worth a stop: the fried seafood sandwiches at Casamento's: cornflour crusted, fried in lard, served on toasted pan bread. The trout sandwich or fried oyster loaf are classic.

[MikeHartnett]

Aforementioned Tracy's & Mahoney's are good, but I'd have to add Cochon Butcher in the Warehouse district if you're into sandwiches. Not poboys, but full of house-cured meats and great flavors. Also worth a stop: the fried seafood sandwiches at Casamento's: cornflour crusted, fried in lard, served on toasted pan bread. The trout sandwich or fried oyster loaf are classic.

As always, Celeste is on the money.

[KD1191]

In the French Quarter, I'm a big fan of Coop's for jambalaya, gumbo and red beans and rice. It's not fancy, but it's always my first stop after landing!

I loved Coop's, even preferred the fried chicken to Willie Mae's.

[sahmd]

A stop at The Praline Connection on Frenchman Street for ribs (or fried chicken) with mac and cheese and greens is a non-negotiable part of any trip I make to New Orleans.

[heidih]

Thanks for all the ideas. I will have 2 full days and a morning. Coop's and Casamento's are looking like musts. Cochon's bar sounds like a nice evening meal. The idea of fried chicken livers and coleslaw at Mahoney's rang a bell. I am going to map out the locations. Just booked a room in the French Quarter so that is "home base".

[MikeHartnett]

You've got it all right. Cochon, though, is a must if any of them are. Just didn't realize what you were looking for initially...

[heidih]

You've got it all right. Cochon, though, is a must if any of them are. Just didn't realize what you were looking for initially...

Neither did I until all the delicious ideas appeared

[heidih]

Unfortunately one of my full days is Thanksgiving so I will call before I leave to check on any closures for the holiday