Sadly Chef Leah Chase died in 2019 at the age of 96. The lunch buffet here has always been amazing as it let you sample items such as the fried chicken, shrimp creole, jambalaya, red beans, mac 'n cheese, green beans, and dessert. The famous gumbo z'herbes is a dish that is usually just served once a year and that is a crowded and popular day at this venue that can be an interesting experience if you can get in. It was always a treat when Leah Chase was in the house as she usually made a point to come out and say a few words to folks so her absence is certainly notable these days. My video review of Dooky Chase's Restaurant is here: https://youtu.be/5izv0pZ00Vc read more

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The Mrs. and I had lunch yesterday at the venerable Dooky Chase's Restaurant. We arrived about 12:30 and didn't have a reservation. The hostess said it would be about an hour so we decided to wait in the bar. The bar is very small and was packed. The bartender seemed a bit overwhelmed so it took a while to get our drinks. As our drinks arrived the hostess let us know that our table was ready. I think we waited 20 minutes at the most. We were seated at a table in the main dining room. From what I can tell, the restaurant is made up of three dining rooms. All with a different color scheme. The wall decor is made up of paintings from various artists in different styles. I found the space to be comfortable. We looked over the menu while we enjoyed our drinks. It took a while for our server, Ricky, to show up but we didn't mind. The one thing I learned in New Orleans is that nothing moves quickly and you just have to embrace NOLA time. We started our meal off by sharing a bowl of the Creole Gumbo. We had some on a food tour the day before and were really disappointed. Dooky Chase's more than made up for it. It was seasoned perfectly and was what I was expecting to find in New Orleans. Not some hotel kitchen abomination. The Mrs. ordered the fried chicken. Three succulent pieces of beautifully crisp dark meat(you can choose dark, white, or mixed) perfectly seasoned with some of the Creole heat. For a side dish, she ordered the onion rings which were light, crispy and just so good. I was torn between the red beans and rice or the Shrimp Clemenceau. Ricky talked me into the shrimp which were sautéed in garlic sauce, peas, mushrooms and brabant potatoes. The flavor was incredible. I wasn't sure about the peas and potatoes together but they balanced really well together in the dish. For dessert we ordered the Peach Cobbler. I'm not really a cobbler kind of guy but it was really good. Very rich and buttery. Our meal at Dooky Chase's was one of the best we've had on our NOLA getaway. I wish we had places like it in Los Angeles. One thing I will say is that you need to be patient when it comes to service. I noticed a lot of tables would wait a while to have their order taken. Some diners appeared more frustrated than others. There were times where it seemed a bit chaotic being that some wait staff weren't sure if a table was assigned to them. read more

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What a special place. Tons of amazing history and great food, unbeatable 1-2 punch. Let's start with the food which was marvelous. Came early for lunch and so good!!! Started with rice and beans which I split with a buddy, Fried chicken obv which was stellar (moist and cooked to perfection). Shrimp clemenceau was the highlight for me... the nuances and flavors were amazing. Finished with bread pudding which didnt disappoint. Service was a bit slow but wonderful ambience and a real delight. Put it on the must list when visiting the city. read more

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Dooky Chase is a little bit away from the French Quarter but is definitely worth a short detour if you can get here. There is a small private parking lot along with residential street parking in the area. The formal dining room inside was very nice and proper and fortunately there is no dress code so just wear anything casual! They take reservations but they don't have an online system so you'll have to call them. CREOLE GUMBO CUP ($8.95) - out of all the gumbo we had in New Orleans this was my favorite cup. The flavors were on point and there was plenty of protein. 5/5 FRIED CHICKEN ($17.95) - this was SO juicy! Even the white meat was juicy and the skin was super crispy too. There was not a dry bite for any of the three pieces we had. We got a mix of dark and white but you can request all white or all dark meat if you prefer. This was definitely our favorite dish. 5/5 JAMBALAYA - we got this as our side to the fried chicken and was just okay. It didn't have as much flavor as we were hoping for. 3/5 BAKED MACARONI ($5.50) - the macaroni was creamy and I liked the finishing cheese on top although it was a little hard and dry by the time it got to our table. 4/5 All around the walls in the waiting room were pictures and articles about the legend Leah Chase herself. Many famous people have come through to eat here, including President Obama! I recommend you come here and no matter what you do, you must get the fried chicken. You'll thank me (and Obama) later. read more

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Food was good solids southern cuisine. I had red beans and rice, with 2 pieces dark friend chicken. Red beans and rice were excellent perfectly balanced in flavor. I also had the greens, baked mac and cheese, and green beans. Mustards greens some of the best I have had and green beans were perfect! Mac and cheese was ok it fell a little flat for me. The temperature on all the sides were slightly less warm than I would like but the flavors were wonderful. The service is slow and I was waiting for my check for about 15 minutes longer than I feel is respectable wait time once you finished your meal. They were busy but other restaurants that are way busier operate more efficiently in regards to turning tables. read more

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Solid, would go back again. Top tier fried chicken and probably the best fried oysters I've ever had. Mac and cheese was great but you can probably get better red beans and rice in NOLA. It's hard to be around such a competitive food scene like NOLA and stay in business for so long which is a testament to its reputation. Worth going just for the historical value and storied history. read more

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Dooky Chase is a local institution. Love the atmosphere, the history of the building, and the local artwork. A great dining experience. The Shrimp Clemenceau was the highlight of our meal, and the bread pudding was incomparable. read more

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The food was top tier delicious. Everything we had was on point, cooked perfectly, seasoned perfectly (okay the chicken was just a tad bit salty but still very good), and satisfying. We all left very happy. It'd an upscale place with down home family touch. There is beautiful artwork all over and the staff were friendly. read more

Dooky Chase's Restaurant - Fried Chicken, Red Beans And Rice, fried catfish, creole chicken, jambalaya, okra, and mustard greens - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Yes, yes and yes!!!! You MUST add this historic, black owned restaurant to your list. The food is so good and reminds me of home. The Chase family does an awesome job at making you feel at home and the service is always great. Perfect for dining and special events. Dooky Chase's Restaurant opened its doors for business in 1941. What was initially a sandwich shop and lottery ticket outlet in 1939 blossomed into a thriving bar and later a respected family restaurant in Treme. Founded by Emily and Dooky Chase, Sr., Dooky Chase's Restaurant soon became the meeting place for music and entertainment, civil rights, and culture in New Orleans. Lunch: Tuesday - Friday 11am - 3pm Dinner: Fridays and Saturdays Only 5:30pm - 9:00pm read more

The fried chicken here is absolutely ridiculous. Not only is the crust super crispy and flavorful, but the meat is mega moist and bursting with flavor from marination. Sprinkle in a ton of history and art and this place is a must. I finally had the pleasure of eating here on my 5th trip to NO. The gumbo, jambalaya, and bread pudding were all good, but the fired chicken steals the show. read more

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Fried chicken yes all day! Everything else isn't worth it. The slowest and inhospitable place you can come to. There's no such thing as southern hospitality here. From the time you arrive at the host stand, bar, seated , order taken, served and check on table is about 3 hours of no eye contact, no refills on drinks, no one coming to your table, absolutely nothing. We started to wave which we hate doing and then just to be ignored. We loved this place and have been coming for years. That's the last time and would never recommend this place . If you do: MAKE RESERVATIONS- prepare to still wait another 45 min (sometimes) THEY DO NOT ANSWER THE PHONES FRIED CHICKEN IS ALL YOU SHOULD GET read more

Dooky Chase's Restaurant - No food for almost 1 hour and 6 min - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

This was one of the better meals we ate in NOLA. I got the fried chicken and red beans and rice and it was good. Not the best ever but really solid overall. The Bloody Mary was good also. Service was excellent also. The venue is historic and for that reason worth a visit. Check it out. read more

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Probably the best customer service I've had in a very long time. The staff was so pleasant from the minute I walked in with no reservation and a packed dining room. Went to the bar had an amazing conversation with the bartender while admiring her mixing skills before having my dinner. Omg the gumbo the catfish all of it was just sooooo good and perfectly seasoned. I had to bring some back for my husband and will definitely go back to try other dishes. Thank you for an amazing experience. read more

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Stick with the classics here. The gumbo is excellent and the fried chicken is outstanding. Jumbo stuffed shrimp have fantastic portion size, too. The toast service was mediocre and didn't quite fit the bill. The eggplant dip was decent, but I thought the oyster and garlic was a mild cheese sauce, and the tomato concasse did not have visible black olive or shrimp. I expected more of a seafood taste for a dish that has lump crab, shrimp, and oyster in the description. The sweet chili shrimp salad was a party for the taste buds with salty, sweet, and crunchy, all together on the dance floor, sweating pepper jelly vinaigrette. It wasn't very filling though, and I'd have liked a bit more blue cheese. read more

When to Dooky chase with my workmates for a reward thing enjoy the excellent fried shrimp and stuff potatoes along with the wonderful staff in the restaurant and the best in town read more

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Food was phenomenal. IMO, the best fried chicken I've ever had. Thin, crispy batter and skin, well seasoned and juicy meat. Cooked to perfection! I don't like when my fried chicken is a ton of batter and grease, and this was definitely not that! Gumbo was delicious and homey. I just wish there was a tiny bit more rice and maybe a couple more shrimps. But as a starter, this was the perfect portion! Collard greens, were some of the best I've had! Red and beans and rice were nice. It's tough to beat my Mama's, but this was a good and different style. Sadly, the peach cobbler and banana bread were not my favorite. Just personal preference. I found them drowning in sauce, which is nice for some but just not me. Service was wonderful. Michael and Chase were very attentive, helpful, and friendly! Overall, AMAZING historical gem with some of the best fried chicken I've had. I wished I had a bigger stomach so that I could eat more!!! read more

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The restaurant requires a business casual attire, but on the inside it is very casual and has a cozy family ambiance. The hostess and servers were excellent and made the experience feel welcoming. I enjoyed their gumbo, which had more of a broth-y taste rather than the thick, rich taste. I ordered a pork chop, which was seasoned well, however was a little dry. I also liked how their menu had a variety of entrees, so I would come back to try a different dish. read more

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We loved this spot. We had an early reservation and felt it necessary to visit a historical icon in civil rights. Dining in the same place as many greats. We arrived and were immediately seated in dining area. The waitresses were all covering other tables so the hostess graciously came to take our drink order. We started with gumbo since when in NOLA eat what makes Nola famous. Perfectly seasoned and spiced. We also asked for onion rings as an appetizer which were lightly breaded and fried. There were many seafood options but all our reading led us to the fried chicken. We had to taste the famous fried chicken. They give you the option of dark , white or mixed. Each one comes with a side. We ordered the green beans which were even seasoned . The jambalaya was also an offered side dish. The chicken came out good and hot and was flavored so well a bit of a kick seasoned well , perfectly juicy. We enjoyed the restaurant and the vibe. This is not only a great affordable meal it's a landmark to civil rights and for that reason alone you should go. The service was good and the waitress even shared where former stars and presidents sat . All in all 99.00 for dinner for 2 . Definitely a spot we recommend as we traveled New Orleans and ate ourself through. read more

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Great lunch today. The Beet Salad had plenty of beets with salad greens and candied pecans. We also had Shrimp P'boy, ham and cheese and Chicken creole. The bread pudding and peach cobbler were awesome. The portions were pretty healthy. A good cocktail list especially for lunch. Make sure you have plenty of time to get your food. It took about 50 minutes before our food came. read more

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Ive been wanting to try Dooky Chase since moving to NOLA 2 years ago and was so excited to try it. Went tonight and had a terrible experience. Had a reservation for 4 at 5:30pm. Arrived at 5:31pm and the door was locked with a couple parties in front of us. We continued to wait 10 minutes outside in 91 degree weather (with my baby) until the hostess finally let everyone inside. I told the hostess the door was locked and she didn't even apologize. Just looked annoyed and then went to unlocked the door. By then it was 5:40pm and our party was a little frustrated but wasn't about to let that ruin our night. We then gave the hostess our name and she was able to pull up our reservation for 4 (3 adults and a baby who needed a high chair). She looked perplexed EVEN though there were about 15 square tables for 4 available in the restaurant. She then consulted someone else and they went back and forth on where to seat us for another 8 minutes. I asked what the problem was and they said I made the incorrect reservation since we only had 3 adults.. and it actually was very different than 3 adults and a baby... at that point I was fairly frustrated since my baby was hot and a little cranky. They FINALLY seat us after that snide comment about making an "incorrect" reservation. We then wait and wait but our server doesn't show up. When the tables next to us who were seated AFTER us were greeted by their servers we finally had enough and asked the hostess if they could have our waiter come take our order since we had no idea who it was. Our waiter was fine but it took forever for him to grab our check after dinner. We actually ended up walking to the cashier and giving them our card and had to go back and grab it since our waiter was so slow. Food was fine but overall an awful experience. I will never take visitors here again. 0/10 would recommend. read more

The restaurant had a nice ambiance and it was like sitting in a parlor. The service was okay, as I've heard many times before service tends to be slower and you must remain patient. I had the beet salad and Mac and cheese and the salad was okay and the Mac was delightful. All in all I'm glad to have tried the restauran. read more

Dooky Chase's Restaurant - Side of restaurant - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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I wanted to love this place so bad! I heard so many great things about the restaurant and absolutely loved the history behind it. However, the food did not meet the mark. We had visited the day prior & there was an hour wait & the hostess advised us to make a reservation for the next day. The aesthetic of the restaurant is very charming & the art was absolutely beautiful! I will note that there is also a dress code. The staff was friendly. However, the hostess informed us as we walked in that we weren't allowed to have our water bottles visible . I ordered the Stuffed Shrimp with a side of Macaroni & Cheese & Fries. The Stuffed Shrimp & Macaroni were so disappointing in taste, but also lukewarm warm. The stuffed shrimp tasted like it had come straight from the freezer for some odd reason & had an off putting taste . The Macaroni tasted like something you would find in a school Cafeteria. My partner ordered the Fried Chicken with Jambalaya & Sweet potatoes. I really enjoyed the fried chicken & sweet potatoes but he was not a fan. Something that really threw us off though is that they charged us 50 cents for bringing our water bottle in . We're visiting New Orleans and traveling the city by Uber & it was especially hot this trip so we always brought water with us. So we were surprised that we were penalized for this even though we both ordered cocktails and did not take one sip of the water we brought. read more

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Ms Leah is smiling down at her beautiful legacy. Amazing service from genuinely great people who love what they do. Food so delicious you'll be dreaming about it for the rest of your life. read more

Dooky Chase's Restaurant - Champagne at the bar - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

A institution in New Orleans since 1941. It's a very nice and historic restaurant with lots of history including visits from US presidents and other big name folks and stars. It has classy interiors and the servers are very polite and well groomed in their button up shirts and ties. I felt bad I came in t shirt and shorts and should have been more well dressed. The gumbo was light and thin and bursting w/ flavor and the soup was not heavy like a lot of places that serve gumbo. The fried chicken was cooked just right but I personally prefer Willie Mae's down the block! What you are really here to eat is their " Shrimp Clemenceau" that had shrimps, potatoes and full of garlic flavor! The oil and sauce all over the shrimp! So delicious! I would go back to just eat this again! read more

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You kinda have to go here. But read the history first .. then order accordingly. I did not, and I wish we had stuck with him on or fried chicken as this place was established by that kind of good cooking. Instead we opted for shrimp dishes that were just ok. Our service was excellent both in the bar and dining room. We Sat in the back yellow room.. request this if you can...the art is amazing. Our bar drinks were perfect and my little piece of fried chicken on the side was so crispy and falling off the bone. Order that! read more

Dooky Chase's Restaurant - The Grnd D and a Dooky Rum punch. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I thought the food was pretty good. I ordered the chicken and shrimp creole and I really liked it. I didn't like the creole gumbo as much. I thought the peach cobbler was really good as well and we finished that so quickly. We had to get a reservation to come to the restaurant and the inside of the restaurant is pretty and lined with artwork. I thought the service wasn't the best. read more

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Hospitality was amazing! Loved the ambiance, decor and related history. The food was good. read more

Dooky Chase's Restaurant - Outside of establishment - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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The food is good and the service was ok. We ordered the seafood platter. My favorite food item was the crab cake. The decor was the best part, seeing pictures of the major figures that have eaten here and the inspiration for the Tiana character was amazing. read more

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After seeing Ms Chase on the Food Network a million times and after visiting New Orleans without eating at Dooky Chase's, I made it my business to be in line when the restaurant opened during my current visit. The restaurant opens at 11am, the line started building around 15 minutes prior to. It was sweltering out, so we waited in the air-conditioned car until 5 to. We were in line nearly about to pass out until the doors were opened actually at around a mere 6 minutes after 11, but with the sun oppressing us, it seemed like FOREVER! Anyway, we were greeted and welcomed into the beautiful, wonderfully air-conditioned restaurant. I immediately forgot about the heat as I looked around in wonderment at the gorgeously decorated entrance and dining room. The place was everything I wanted it to be and more. It's elegant, yet it feels comfy, like the dining room of a dear grandmother. The staff were amazing, they truly made us feel like we were family. The food was delicious, everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection. The gumbo was the yummiest that I've had. My entree, Shrimp Clemenceau was a simple dish of juicy shrimp, mushrooms, potatoes and peas however it was fantastic. Prices were surprisingly moderate and the service was impeccable. I will definitely visit each time I am in New Orleans. read more

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Amazing food. Wonderful service. Enjoyed dining at an iconic NOLA restaurant. Soak in the history!

This place is very nice and fancy. It says business casual but a lot of people were regular casual. If you don't have a reservation for dinner I advise you get there at least 15-20 mins before It opens for dinner. We were seated immediately with no reservation for a Friday night dinner. We started with the cup, which was decent, good flavor. The crawfish étouffée, redfish, and chicken creole were our dishes. All good flavor, and well seasoned. Our server was good and attentive. Overall I liked it. Not mind blowing or epic but good. read more

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AMAZING!!! If you are looking for some fried chicken - THIS IS YOUR SPOT! Everything was so delicious but the fried chicken was tender and so good! The sides were delicious as well. The prices are so reasonable. It's a beautiful location and has a business casual dress code. Highly recommend for out of towners! Our Uber driver recommend this spot to us and so glad we came! Shout out to our server Keyshawn - she was so attentive and amazing! The whole staff was so attentive but Keyshawn made us feel like family! read more

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Visiting Dooky Chase's is like going to your grandma's house for a holiday dinner. This place is an institution and one to NOT be missed should you find yourself in New Orleans. We had reservations (they were called in months in advance) so we were able to be seated immediately. Our waiter was kind and friendly. We asked him multiple questions about the menu. I was surprised to find out they don't serve sweet tea! However, I was able to get an Arnold Palmer so someone figure out that one. There were lots of groups celebrating milestones and couples on date night. The age range truly ran the gamut. Everyone loves good food! I went with the shrimp clemenceau and was overwhelmed by the portion. I had maybe six bites and had to have the rest boxed up. It was delicious and a different type of meal than what's normally served at soul food-style restaurants. This is a great place for celebrating an occasion with a group but I highly recommend reservations! read more

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Food was delicious, service was excellent. But it's the history of this place that filled me up and blessed me. Got to meet Stella Chase who was so gracious enough to take a photo with us. Book your reservation way in advance. Lots of parking. read more

We haves a fantastic experience at Dooky Chase. Food - wonderful. The service was outstanding. Friendly, informative, welcoming. The ambiance- fabulous. We sat in the stately dining room adorned with works of gorgeous art along the walls. I started with the lavender lemonade cocktail. Lovely color; terrific drink. For dinner, I ordered fried chicken with Mac-n-cheese; my husband got the chicken creole. We shared both peach cobbler and bread pudding. All devoured. My fried chicken was flavorful seasoned with a slight kick. Tender chicken inside. read more

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What an amazing cultural and culinary experience! You can feel the resonance of those who have gone before and the passion of those cooking and serving at such a high level. We will always make a stop at Dooky Chase when we visit NOLA! Bravo! Delicious and impeccable service and ambience! read more

Dooky Chase's Restaurant - Sign out front - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Everyone was kinda rude besides our waiter. Fried chicken was very under whelming 3 pcs for 20$ I rather go to Popeyes or churches. Other dishes were basically too salty like the bbq shrimp and the other dish we had was just green peas potato's and some shrimp very basic like salt and pepper would not recommend. Had to reach out to them to grab our bill and they included 20% tip read more

Let me start by saying that I really tried to go for the 3 stars but it just didn't reach my needs. We called in for our reservation 3 weeks before our trip, as the place is reservations only due to high traffic for the historic location. We were seated right away and the wait was not extensive for our food. However, the theme of our dinner seemed to be over or under... We were underwhelmed and the place sadly is overhyped. Food Review - Salad: overdressed and soggy - Baked Mac: undercooked with limited seasoning - Catfish: overcooked and salty - Seafood Platter: over-seasoned and extremely salty - Chicken: undercooked with areas of pink Now, my friend did say that he really enjoyed his gumbo and peach cobbler. Our waitress was also a bit confrontational when my friend pointed out that her fried shrimp never came, which ruined the vibes a little. Overall, I believe that this place has some charm, but we just weren't able to find it on our visit. read more

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The food is incredible! Fried chicken and macaroni and cheese best I've had! Beautiful atmosphere and great staff. Definitely a New Orleans landmark! read more

great historic place... NOLA gem loaded with art work Food was tasty ... real thing creole. Gumbo, beet salad, chicken creole, shrimp Clemenceau, bread pudding ... all delicious. Only one item on the negative side: the AC vent was leaking - directly above one us. Fortunately he was able to move ( we were two at a four top). I note it here because it was obvious from ceiling pattern this was not a new leak. Kind of Surprising but maybe not for hot and humid climate. Still and all - visit Dooky Chase's read more