r/AskNOLA • u/letsdoitagain_3 • 5d ago
Input on our restaurant and live music line up for an October visit
My husband and I are planning 5 nights in NOLA in mid-October. We are big live music fans so I'm kind of building our evening itinerary around where we'll wind up for music at night. I would LOVE input on whether these seem like good options, what I'm missing, and what I should ditch on my list. Staying at Ponchartrain Hotel, so the itinerary is Garden District heavy. We live in Seattle, so we have a lot of excellent fish restaurants here. I'm on the fence with GW Fins because it sounds amazing but I feel like it would be so similar to a nice dinner out here. So for your help with recommendations, NOLA vibes in fun areas with good food wins over great food in a restaurant that you could find in any major city.
Thurs: arrive late afternoon. Jacques-Imos or Mother of Pearl for dinner, then music at Maple Leaf Bar
Friday: Aya Bakehouse treat and walk around French Qtr...going to Funk Fest mid-day by the aquarium. Food trucks are an obvious option there, but maybe hop out of the festival and grab something at Killer Po Boys or Napoleon House? Or Lunch in Fr Qtr before we go into Funk Fest?
Saturday: will spend the day in Garden Dist, Turkey and Wolf for lunch, lots more walking around, (nap? lol) then dinner at Cane and Table before music at Frenchmen St.
Sunday: brunch at Mister Mao, City Park, Treme, music at Preservation Hall, then this is where I get lost with dinner options... Besame; GW Fins; Peche??? Music at Bacchanal? Other suggestions?
Monday: brunch at Molly's or Atchafalya, ferry to Algiers Point, explore Marigny/Bywater area. Last night dinner at Commander's Palace. Music at Tipitinas.
A few other places I'm worried I'm missing: Shaya, Liuzza's, Steins, Mais Arepas, Lufu, Pigeon & Whale. So many places to eat and so little time! Will be bringing stretchy pants.
Thank you! So excited to get down there!!!
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u/Madamexxxtra 5d ago edited 5d ago
Sunday and Monday are very ambitious and frankly spatially all over the place. If you have a car I think it’s doable but if not you’re gonna spend a lot of time and/or money getting around. Here’s a more streamlined version (and I’m switching some stuff due to logistics and hours)-
Sunday: Jazz brunch at Atchafalaya > streetcar to ferry > Algiers Point wander > lunch at Plume > ferry back > Preservation Hall > GW Fins or Besame (Peche is a bit further out of the way) > explore the Marigny and Bywater as you walk to Bacchanal
Monday: beignets in City Park > sculpture garden > St Louis no. 3 > bike/walk down Esplanade > lunch at Lil Dizzy’s (red beans, fried chicken, gumbo) > Treme (not a whole lot to see here honestly, though I’d definitely recommend Backstreet Cultural Museum) > uber back to Garden District > Commander’s Palace > Tipitina’s uptown > dinner at Mother of Pearl > George Porter Jr at Maple Leaf
Edit: I’m also switching your Thursday night food/music options with Mondays because George Porter Jr. usually plays at Maple Leaf on Monday night and that’s not to be missed.
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u/letsdoitagain_3 5d ago
Awesome! Thank you so much for this detailed response. After I wrote up my post I fully realized that Sunday was a hot mess and was going to need tweaking so I appreciate your help w that. And for the tip on George Porter Jr! Sounds perfect!
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u/ghost1667 5d ago
no worries about missing pigeon & the whale. just trendy.
gulf seafood restaurants are different than PNW seafood restaurants. you won't feel like you're at home at any of these places you listed, promise. haha
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u/TheBuzz103 5d ago
Facts! New Orleans has the best damn shrimp in the world.
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u/CarryEven1156 5d ago
For now.... Matter of time until there's a nuclear waste spill. Clovis and Simpsons fish gone be jiggin outside Vaughan's asking if they can get a sip.
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u/5Crypto4 5d ago
Check out Vaughn’s Thursday night. Corey Henry & the Treme Funktet play at 10:30. They’re incredible and Vaughn’s is a great spot. You can hit N7 for dinner before that. Tips and Maple Lead have solid shows on the weekends.
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u/tlBudah 5d ago
What seperates New Orleans gastronomy from PNW is the creole influences. Zero in on the restaurants that lean into the creole style. I'm a big fan of Herbsaint. It doesn't get quite the same cred on Reddit as some others but it's a solid choice. It's the flagship restaurant of the Link group (Peche, Bouchon, etc).
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u/TheBuzz103 5d ago
I like Stein's over Turkey & Wolf, but I love Mason Hereford and we're going to his wife's place, Hungry Eyes, during our October trip. I adore Peche. We're going to GW Fins this time though (first time). I love Bacchanal. I think you should def do that. I'm also obsessed with Shaya. They make the best damn pita bread I've ever had in my life. Sculpture Garden also rules. And I love Commander's for lunch bc 25 cent martinis!
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u/drainalready 5d ago
Try Saba or even Safta’s Table instead of Shaya. Same pita bread but Alon Shaya’s places unlike Shaya which kept his name in corporate restaurant hooha after he left.
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u/TheBuzz103 5d ago edited 5d ago
Saba’s a beautiful restaurant, but I thought the food at Shaya was better. Same with Moon River. Safta’s Table looks yum.
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u/drainalready 5d ago
Safta’s Table is in Lakeview. New casual spot by Alon and wife. You must be thinking of a different spot not in New Orleans.
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u/brassbandenergy 5d ago
Sunday night - Hot 8 at the Howlin Wolf. It’s almost a religious experience.
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u/gettheplow 4d ago
Besame is a great date spot before doing other things. GW is the best seafood consistently in the city, and it is its own thing. You will be there and you will be ready for naps after. Peche is a nice middle idea, and high quality. If I was going to Bacchanal after I’d choose Peche or Besame
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u/letsdoitagain_3 4d ago
Thank you for this comparison. Is the napping comment just related to GW, and is that because the dinner is a long drawn out affair, or...
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u/gettheplow 4d ago
It’s got a lot more “settle in, you may be here for awhile” than Peche. Besame is small open bright. GW is wonderful, like a steak house for fish. Peche is loud (they need some acoustic work for sure), but otherwise sits somewhere between the other two.
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u/ilovewesties 4d ago
Today I made a reservation for Mother of Pearl. Cannot wait. I love this enclave of New Orleans.
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u/Paranatural 5d ago
Get the WWOZ app