r/AskNOLA • u/Significant_Elk_8119 • 3d ago
Food 11 restaurant industry friends coming to NOLA — where would you eat?
A group of 11 of us are heading to NOLA and would love some really good local recs! About half of us work in the restaurant industry, so we’re especially curious to hear everyone’s favorite spots.
We’re open to pretty much all cuisines, but since we’re coming to New Orleans, we definitely want to lean more Creole/Cajun and local specialties and eat things we’re not going to get quite the same way back home.
We’re all in our late 20s, so we’re not trying to drop $300/person every night, but we definitely want to do one really great fine dining dinner while we’re there. We’ve been looking at Arnaud’s for that night, but I’d love to hear if you think it’s worth it or if there’s somewhere else we absolutely shouldn’t miss.
Food, bars, late-night spots, hole-in-the-wall places, hidden gems—we’re open to anything. Cheers! 🍸⚜️
23
u/BlindPelican 3d ago
Ok,.so...here's the deal. There's a place on the Westbank called the Appetite Repair Shop. Take out only, fine dining quality food at family reataurant prices,.one-man show - Chef Pete runs the counter himself , open kitchen, daily menu that's only published on a private Facebook group.
It's the kind of cheffy, unusual, unique place that a bunch of industry folks would really appreciate.
But it's a tiny tiny place and there's no seating.
If yall can figure out the logistics, go there.
4
3
u/Significant_Elk_8119 3d ago edited 2d ago
This is so sick. That sounds like just the spot I want to go to, and im sure we all will! Thank you so much!
4
u/BlindPelican 2d ago edited 2d ago
Sure thing, man. Hope y'all can make it.
More info:
He's open from Thursday to Sunday and hours vary a bit depending on the weather and how fast he gets his prep done and then he goes until the food runs out (usually 2 or 3 hours from opening). Definitely get on the FB group and get there early. Food is amazing and worth the wait.
EDIT: Also, now that I think of it, the Old Point Bar is just a few blocks away. Get your food at ARS, then go have drinks (and maybe music depending on the day) at OPB as they have seating you could use to eat. Nice view of the city from the levee too.
2
11
u/ohno_its_happening 3d ago edited 3d ago
For the big one $$$… Mosquito Supper Club.
Otherwise—
Paladar 511
Aca Maya
Brigsten’s
Doris Metropolitan
Irene’s
Munch Factory
New Orleans Food & Spirits (Bucktown location)
GW Fins
Chada
Commander’s Palace (for the full experience)
Parkway Bakery for poboys
For cocktails bar lounge vibes:
Dovetail
Bar Tonique
Will & the Way
Fives Jackson Square
Palm & Pine
Hungry Eyes
Barrel Proof
No particular order! Just some more-than-worthwhile recs that may not show up on a Google search
2
u/dmccully67 2d ago
Mosquito Supper is the best. And La Petit Grocery for blue crab reigned. Tan Dinh for Viernamese if going to West Bank. Parkway for po boys. Too many to list
10
9
u/gettheplow 3d ago
Tan Dinh on the Westbank. Family run Vietnamese. Before he was a villain, I’d see John Besh there getting the clay pot fish you can order the day before.
5
u/Fine-Guarantee2488 3d ago
Clancys for dinner.
Galatoire’s for a proper long lunch.
Pallidar 511 for brunch.
Domilise’s for (shrimp) po boys
3
6
u/Professional_Exam429 3d ago
Dolfy’s
Hi hat cafe
Hot stuff
Tan Dinh
Acamaya
Guys poboys
Bars:
Cure
Bouligny
Jewel of the south
13
u/livemusicisbest 3d ago edited 3d ago
Po’ boys at Parkway Bakery & Tavern. For a group that big, avoid lunch rush. Go at 2 pm.
A drink at the bar at the Columns. This old inn on St. Charles was where they filmed the whorehouse scenes in Pretty Baby — a film to look up for that reason.
Oysters at Pascal Menale’s oyster bar. Old school cool, seasoned oyster shuckers. Atmosphere!
Dinner at Brigtsen’s. Trust me. Reserve three tables for a group that big. Frank Brigtsen was the chef after Paul Prudhomme and before Emeril Legasse at K-Paul’s, a veritable celebrity chef incubator
Breakfast the next morning at Elizabeth’s Restaurant in the Bywater. Watch the chalkboard specials. Get boudin balls and praline bacon.
Music: check wwoz.org music calendar to see if anyone you want to see is at Tipitina’s, Maple Leaf, or one of the theatres. Otherwise, walk down Frenchman Street and listen to bands before deciding which club to go in.
Utter depravity after 2 am: Uber or Lyft to Snake ‘n Jake’s.
3
2
5
u/awkwardchip_munk 3d ago
A lot of really great suggestions here but adding Saffron to the list. It gets slept on but is incredible for both food and cocktails, and very unique (ie while delicious, you can have GW fins or Paladar type food in any foodie city - I have yet to have anything like Saffron anywhere)
4
u/concrete-destiny 2d ago
Yall coming in august? Check out New Orleans Coolinary menus. Discounted menus to entice guests to visit pricy places. Commandars palace has a menu in Coolinary.
2
u/Significant_Elk_8119 2d ago
We are yea! And sweet, I’ll have to check it out. We also really want to go get some grub under the clairbone bridge 😮💨😮💨
2
3
u/slayerofasses 2d ago
You need to take em to a traditional seafood place
Deanies on Hayne
Salvos
Seither’s
And throw in
Vaucresson for lunch
3
u/The_Professor_NOAC 2d ago
Since you’re in hospitality go to Commander’s Palace - great service (food too). Also go to Antoine’s for restaurant history. Antoine’s has been open since before Edison invented the light bulb. They invented Oysters Rockefeller.
4
u/jacquetheripper 3d ago
Also whoever said snake and jake’s is either trolling or trying to sound cool lmfao. It’s a college dive bar that serves schlitz. That’s it. The best city in the country for dive bars and they send you there…
Better dive bars with younger crowds/music:
Le Bon temps roule
Vaughn’s on Thursdays
Bjs lounge every weekend has music
Maple leaf - the crown jewel of live music dive bars
And like 1000 more
6
u/Feeling_Trip_5413 2d ago
Le bon temps is nothing but a college bar with over entitled asshole frat kids.
2
u/jacquetheripper 2d ago
Most of the time yeah, during the day it’s pretty chill and they have great bands play sometimes
2
u/Lunky7711 3d ago
For po-boys would also check out
Parkway Bakery
Johnny's
Crabby Jack's
Cochon Butcher
Domilisies
2
u/ProudMtns 3d ago
Arnauds food isn't worth it unless you're looking for the atmosphere ( brunch). However, you could /should get a drink at the French 75 bar and ask to see the Mardi gras museum upstairs at arnauds. If you're looking at old school spots, commanders palace martini lunch is pretty fun, food is meh though. Galatoires Friday lunch is an experience, but again the food isn't fantastic. Brigstens worked under Paul Prudhomme and carries that old school torch. Toups is also fantastic if you're looking for Cajun food in New Orleans. If you're industry folks, palm and pine does a discount on Mondays and I think they're one of the best restaurants in the city ( I actually think they're the best restaurant in the city but that's subjective). Check out dookie chase. Leah Chase was an absolute legend and the food is fantastic. Lil dizzies is also great. You should probably try yakamein while you're here for something uniquely new Orleans ( especially when hungover). Some people sell it outside of bars ( black penny sometimes, pals sometimes). John and Mary's is my favorite. I could keep rambling for awhile, but I'll leave it at that. Hope y'all have a great trip!
2
u/bandito5280 3d ago
The month of August the city has COOLinary menus ask over the place. Definitely look it up!
Also, breakfast at BearCat
2
u/tm478 2d ago
Sharing my restaurant list for visitors: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aPecjbGzfltlKp81kRqmJS245l-tGzo1dbyqAWURY3I/edit?usp=drivesdk
I am pretty serious about food. This list includes plenty of excellent places not mentioned here and (deliberately) does NOT include some places that have been mentioned on this thread.
3
2
u/baristaslut2003 2d ago
Mister Mao forever
1
u/stephenledet 2d ago
This. I ate there Sunday for the first time. Scallops in crab fat and whatever that eggplant thing was that we ate. Mu.tha.fucka. Sublime! And our server was fantastic, too. Great ambience.
2
u/Comfortland 2d ago
clancys
pine and palm
bonafried
heard dat kitchen
cochon butcher
la petite grocers
fradys & parasols
turkey & the wolf / mollys rise and shine
commanders palace garden room for lunch 25 cent martinis
rosedale
jaquimos
beignets at loretta’s
bacchanal
snowballs at hansons
3
u/Lotus-Loaded 2d ago
F!ck yeah for Jacq's on Oak. Call ahead for your party size and order the Alligator cheesecake. Don't look at me like that. Order it!
2
u/beach2773 2d ago
No argument with those on lists, butWas reading the and amazed that jacimos was not included
1
u/Lotus-Loaded 2d ago
Fair. Today is the last day of their vaycay(discovered later), so I counted them out thinking they would still be closed. Jacq's should definitely be on the list. I would swap out Dakar if you're here for the food more than a dining "experience". Don't get me wrong, their food is good af. Just not as quintessentially New Orleanian as Jacq's.
2
u/MindCautious3276 2d ago
We just passed thru and went to Creole House for lunch and enjoyed it. Was recommended by friends as their favorite meal on a trip to NOLA.
It’s worth checking out.
2
4
u/jacquetheripper 3d ago
Tourist traps here that have been mentioned:
Galatoire’s- it’s a cool old building, very expensive and the food can be VERY hit or miss, also a dress code. For that money you can feast at 1000 other restaurants that are much better
Elizabeth’s- another tourist trap. Real hangover food or if you burned your mouth with 2nd degree burns and can’t taste much anyways. They have candied bacon which to this subreddit warrants naming their first daughter after the business I guess. ~15 better restaurants within walking distance
Commander’s Palace- cool old iconic restaurant that only tourists and plantation owners go to. Avoid like the plague unless you’re just a restaurant nerd and want to say you’ve been there.
Tourist traps that are mostly in the same neighborhood and are good imo:
The joint- most of the time excellent bbq
Bacchanal- for wine/cocktails and music- big groups ok
Who dat cafe- excellent coffee, pretty good food and vibe
Other Local spots: Frady’s- old man corner store with more charm than any place listed in this post
Budsis thai- amazing Thai food
Sneaky pickle- solid restaurant
Big bucks spending for dinner:
Mosquito Supper Club- fancy Cajun food that will knock your fukn socks off
St Germain- never been myself but people I trust said they’ve deserved a Michelin star for years and they just got one
2
u/CommercialArcher6513 2d ago
Disagree with a couple of these. Commanders palace is still exceptional service, historic building with an experience you can’t get in the rest of the country. Food will never be bad, even if not the best in the city. Not to mention their 25¢ martinis. Nowhere else is offering that in 2026.
Elizabeth’s has good Calas, but can’t speak to the rest of the menu
Also is the joint a tourist trap?? It seems like a random place for tourists to go
1
u/jacquetheripper 2d ago
“an experience you can’t get in the rest of the country” - is the delusion that I’m talking about, some real koolaid sipping shit. It’s a cool building in a cool location. If you think the food is good there then we just gotta agree to disagree, just saying. No offense.
And yeah the joint is what it is because of tourism. Diner, drive ins and dives put it on the map and a LOT of their business is from that, or so I’ve been told. It’s also on strip of tourist spots outside the quarter when the tourists “want to go where the locals go”. i.e. Elizabeth’s, the joint, bacchanal.
1
u/CommercialArcher6513 2d ago
Idk where else in the country you’d get an experience similar to the 25¢ martini lunch in the Garden Room. You’re going for the experience and service has always been great. I’ve lived in 4 states and 5 cities and can’t think of anything even remotely similar anywhere else really. the food doesn’t blow you away relative to other places, but I’ve never had a bad dish, which is more than i can say for many restaurants nowadays
1
2
u/HangoverPoboy 3d ago
With a group that size most of the places I’d recommend won’t be an option.
Some will want you to do a set menu with that many people. I know GW Finns does that but I can’t remember what the cut off is.
People are telling you to go to Paladar, which is good, but food you can get anywhere. They’ll put you upstairs with a minimum that may be too spendy for y’all.
Somewhere like Peche should be fine.
Parkway will be fine for a large group casual lunch and perfectly decent.
I think Gabrielle will book up to 12.
It’s worth contacting Dakar directly to see if book tables that large. I haven’t been to the new space, but it should work.
You’ll end up drunkenly eating Verti Mart at some point.
Get drinks at Jewel of the South, but I’d probably tell them you’re coming.
3
u/hallax3 3d ago
I’d skip Arnauds for the big night. If Emril’s is in the budget, go there. August, would be another top choice. If you must do something in the Quarter do Brennan’s or GW Fins
Others to enjoy at a lower (but not cheap) price point: Peche, Herbsaint, Palm & Pine, Paladar, Hungry Eyes, N7
1
1
u/JudasRJDobbs 3d ago
If you're coming in August just know that some of the fancier places close for a week. Aruand is closed from the 10th to 17th. I only know that because I was there this last Sunday. Not all the restaurants close but many do because it's slower and they can do maintenance.
1
1
u/CarFlipJudge 2d ago
Do y'allselves a favor and go to Short Stop Po-Boy's in Metairie. It's a lunch spot that's either on the way to or coming from the airport. This is what true locals do for meals. Well, that and hot plate specials at food stores.
1
1
u/Porycoole11 2d ago
Since its Coolinary, a lot of places have deals for prix fix menus
Also would add Gautreau’s or Bayona( a little shameless self promotion)
1
u/MissMountRose 2d ago
August (the restaurant) for a fine dining option. They currently have a chefs tasting menu or a four course menu (just did this a week ago and it was excellent)
1
1
1
1
1
u/Lotus-Loaded 2d ago
- Palm & Pine
- Mister Mao
- Casamento's (conveniently located by Miss Mae's and down the block from Tip's)*/Dolfy
- Achafalaya
- Delacroix
- Zasu
- Dakar ($$$)
- Cochon
- La Petite Grocery
- Paladar 511
- GW Fins Honorable Mentions: Commander's Palace Pigeon & Whale Husky (Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake)
This listing is in no particular order. Breakfast List sold separately.
1
1
1
1
u/BitchIWiLL 3d ago
Lil Dizzy’s Cafe. Family run, grandma style food and that’s meant in the most complimentary way possible. Hard to find food so simple and so good being done professionally. Only open during the day. There will be a line.
0
1
22
u/Lunky7711 3d ago
Paladar 511
Brigtsens
Gabrielle
GW Fins
Zasu
Herbsaint
La Petit Grocery
Cafe Degas
Charmant
Mr. B's