Eaten here many times mostly in the French Quarter - tonight my family and I ate at the Lakeview location. Great service and food and drinks were amazing. Margaritas were off the charts good as always! BUT One dish that stood out was the Oaxaca Eggplant OMG - it was soooo delicious! Shrimp were huge and the whole dish is one of the best things I have ever eaten!!! read more

El Gato Negro is consistently a great experience. The atmosphere is inviting and the staff is friendly. The food is always high-quality and flavorful. Their queso, chips, and tortillas are some of my favorites. I usually order the chicken quesadilla, and it's always solid. The quesadilla comes with rice and beans and the portions are generous. Everything I have tried has been delicious. This is one of my go to Mexican spots and I will definitely be back to explore the menu. read more

My Husband and I went here for Cinco de Mayo. The Hostess was nice . Kelly the Manager was cool. Our Server/ Bartender Konor was amazing as always. Other Bartender Diana was nice too . Food was succulent. Drinks was good .But I can't handle Tequila. It Made me throw up and sick Awwww !!! read more

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Excellent food and service. Steak fajitas were next level. The specialty margs were fantastic! We will be back. read more

El Gato Negro - Lakeview - Chicken fajitas and all the side goodies. - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

This is hands down my favorite Mexican restaurant. The food is always fresh, flavorful, and authentic. Every dish tastes like it is made with love. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and the staff always make you feel at home with their friendly service. Whether it is tacos, enchiladas, or fajitas, everything I have tried has been amazing. Highly recommend to anyone craving great Mexican food. read more

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Once again the food and margaritas were excellent! I always get The Rack of lamb. I get mu Strawberry and Raspberry margarita mixed. read more

El Gato Negro - Lakeview - Rack of Lamb - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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The whole experience was kind of mediocre. The quesofundido was good, but that's about it. This is probably the smallest quesadilla I've ever had, including when I've ordered it as an appetizer. The beans weren't flavorful and the rice was dry. The margaritas left something to be desired, mainly tequila. The service was fine as our server was pretty attentive. For a Saturday evening, it wasn't as busy as I thought it would be. Not sure that I'll be back. read more

El Gato Negro - Lakeview - Steak quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

El Gato Negro is always such a great experience. The food is fresh, flavorful, and full of authentic taste--you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The queso is creamy and addictive, and the margaritas and mojitos are some of the best in the city, refreshing and perfectly made. Service is consistently friendly and attentive, which makes dining here feel effortless and enjoyable. The outside seating is super nice and has a completely different vibe--relaxed, fun, and perfect for enjoying good food and drinks in the open air. Whether you're out with friends, on a date, or just want to unwind with great food and drinks, El Gato Negro always delivers read more

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The lakeview location of El Gato Negro is probably the nicest one out of all their several locations. They have some pretty upscale Mexican food options and you can spend quite a bit of money here while at the same time they also have some more standard Mexican fare that is more value priced but still quite nice. The food here is a bit different than most of the other Mexican style restaurants in the area and overall this is probably one of the top quality Mexican joints in the area. The service here tends to be really good while I've found the service at their Gretna location to often be less adequate. The ambiance here is really unique and they have a very interesting patio that also has its own separate bar area. Overall this a pretty cool spot if you find yourself in the mood for some above average Mexican food. read more

The food is very good! Love ambience and lighting. Very attentive staff. Fresh guacamole made on the spot! Fair pricing as well. :) read more

El Gato Negro - Lakeview - Menu logo - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Outdoor seating nicely walled with azulejos and gas lanterns. Staff is polite and attentive. Better food than the alternative up Harrison, but less fun ambiance. Cocktails are ok. read more

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We stopped in last minute for an early dinner. We were greeted by our server and she was awesome. She gave us everything we needed and more, answering all our questions. We don't drink but she was able to make us feel fancy with non alcoholic drink, watermelon and lime. We started with the stuffed peppers 7/10. This dish was very good. I even used the sauce on my tacos. My husband had the lamb dish 10/10. This dish was hands down the best lamb dish I've had. So soft and moist. I had the crawfish,lobster and pulled pork tacos. 7/10 My favorite was the pulled pork, very soft and not fatty. You do have to add any side you like and or toppings for additional pricing. Over all I'll give our experience 9/10. read more

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My son insisted on going to eat here. We love the food! Everything is served hot and fresh. The service is always on point. The manager checked on us at our table, which I appreciate. We truly enjoyed our taco dishes. The pork and brisket tacos are so flavorful and tasty. read more

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We sometimes forget that this location, but what a great meal. We came in Saturday night and was seated right away. Our server was amazing. She was so attentive. She took care of anything we may have needed before we could even ask. I had a watermelon margarita from their seasonal menu. It was one of the best drinks I have ever had. The juices were so fresh and tasty. I also had an Acapulco salad with skirt steak and the ingredients were so fresh. It is a great spot with deliciousness! read more

El Gato Negro - Lakeview - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Ordered Take out. Food was delicious! The take out was busy that evening yet all staff courteous and respectful. read more

Overpriced food. Not real Mexican food. This is Tex mex at best Always get sick eating here unfortunately. Service is also poor read more

Food was great; service was super fast and they were attentive. The environment was great, cute little restaurant. highly recommend if you're looking for a quick eat! read more

Best Mexican restaurant in Lakeview, by far. Must try their pineapple cilantro margarita.

I'm amazed that some people are saying the food isn't good... the food was delicious! I had the surf and turf tacos and my friend had the enchiladas. It was hard to decide what to get because the menu looked amazing and they had options on there I hadn't seen at other restaurants. The drink menu is extensive! The chips and salsa are addictively good. I think they have my favorite restaurant salsa ever! (Contrary to what some have said, they do tell you only the first round is free... it says it on the menu!) Clearly everything is handmade. Even my corn tortillas were obviously freshly made. My 2 tacos were overloaded in classic street taco fashion and I had to eat pieces out of it before I could even pick them up lol. The shrimp are huuuge. I appreciated the unusual toppings: grilled zucchini and mushrooms! I tried my friend's enchiladas and they were to die for. Weekday lunch service was prompt and nice, and it honestly didn't end up costing me as much as I thought it would. Can't wait to come back! read more

They have the best lunch special and great drinks. This neighborhood restaurant is a perfect spot for lunch with a flare. Service is good and food is very delicious. Enjoyed the brisket fajitas and filet tacos are so yummy. The tamales are one of my favs. There is also an outdoor patio with a bar so nice when the weather is beautiful. Chicken Enchiladas Chicken Quesadillas Fajitas Filet Mignon Tacos Pulled Pork Tamales read more

The service is amazing. The food is fantastic as well. Cocktail's cocktails cocktails! Spacious seating with nice music.

We had a great experience! We arrived about 15 minutes before closing to see if they would still be able to see us, and the hostess was so kind and accommodating, and assured us they had just seated another couple. Our server was so helpful in guiding us to the best dishes for our palates. The food arrived so quickly we couldn't believe it. It was some of the best Mexican we have ever had. We felt like we were down in Mexico, eating freshly made authentic food. The manager came by to make sure we were having a pleasant experience. We ate outside and the decorations were beautiful. The service was top notch and the food is next level. Highly recommend this place. We will be back! We love tacos, but branched out and tried the mole burrito and shredded beef quesadillas. They were both amazing dishes. read more

Everytime i visit New Orleans I have to stop by El Gato Negro simply because they never do me wrong! After spending a few days eating gumbo, etouffee, char-grilled oysters and all the delicious food NOLA has to offer, I sometimes just want something different to eat and El Gato Negro always does it for me. As soon as you walk through the door you immediately feel like you're family. We were greeted by it seems like every employee that was working that day. We started with a margarita and a mojito because duh and we went with the Gulf shrimp quesadilla that is served with pinto beans and Mexican rice. Let me just say those beans tasted like they had been simmering on low for hours!! We also tried the Gulf shrimp burrito. Everything was so good let's just saw when our waitress came over and asked if we needed boxes, we didn't lol. Next time you're in New Orleans do yourself a favor and stop by El Gato Negro. I promise you won't be disappointed! read more

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It was my first time and recommended by a friend as having great drinks. I won't go on and on but I will say this: If my usual preferred spots are closed, I would give El Gato Negro another try. They feel like they would be three stars on another night. The pros and cons come hand in hand here. The Yelp drink was weak, but yay me Yelp Elite drink discounts. Definitely not 1800 and way too much ice. Same with the frozen and the Cuervo ones my mates had. Comp chips and salsa were good. Easy street parking. Outside is lovely, but the mosquitos. Period. It's their place and they run it and you back to the super cold inside. Super salty beans that came with decent rice and 4 tapas crawfish quesadillas were my meal. The lamb chops my friend had nice presentation and she said were excellent. The potatoes were way too spicy. Also the meal has no vegetable or salad. The burrito has to be cut because the ends were open. Idk we just never ever had seen such a thing. It was the market catch of the day and was enjoyable. The uniforms seem kind of stereotypical but there is a lot to look at in spacious, busy decor and they have other locations. Unusual for New Orleans, El Gato Negro had no taco Tuesday specials. read more

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What do you say about a place that takes you far far away from the normal everyday ambiance to some far away island resort with the fancy fufu drinks and amazing Mexican cuisine. Love the name, "El Gato Negro"... Recommend this place for great libation, amazing food and bright ambiance. Remember to support your local eateries so we both don't starve. read more

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We came for lunch, party of 2. Sat on the patio. Order was not complicated. Him 2 tacos al la cart and a mojito, me, 2 tacos al la cart and a top self pineapple cilantro margarita. I'm not sure what the craze is. The flour tortillas were store bought, hard and over cooked and WHERE was the alcohol in our drinks!! Mine was all pineapple juice no hint of cilantro. It was flouting around in my drink but velvet cactus margarita is way better and I don't rave about that place either but drink wise hands down better. We both only drank half of our drinks and just ordered a water instead. Then they forgot about us on the patio. We had to go inside to pay our bill and they thought we were there to be seated. I think it's ridiculous that sour cream, cheese, guac, pico and all other toppings are at an extra cost. Don't those basic things go on a taco?! Save your money because I'm sure the tacos you make at home are better and if not, there are plenty of other places in the city you can get a taco. read more

I've been meaning to try this place for a while now, and unfortunately, I wasn't impressed. The gulf shrimp tacos were the best item we ordered. The taste of these tacos were phenomenal! Perfectly cooked and flavorful, with such juicy, jumbo shrimp too. The corn tortillas we tried were fantastic! However, they were regular sized (about the size of your hand), and not enormous as I might have expected for a $6 taco. It's pricey for a taco. The fresh catch burrito was also yum! The size of the burrito was decent, but I was disappointed in the amount of fish it contained. For $16 burrito, I didn't think they needed to skimp on the fish :( Sadly, the crawfish quesadilla was mediocre. There seemed to be no seasoning on the crawfish. It was almost like plainly sautéed crawfish and cheese stuck between tortillas. The refried beans were flavorless too, like it had come from a can. The Mexican rice was awesome in taste, but the portion was so small. Rice is such a cheap ingredient, I can't believe the tiny scoop that came with my quesadillas. For $17, this was absolutely not worth it. The worst part was that they charge an 18% "packaging fee" to pick up your order to-go. I think that's ridiculously high considering I'm driving to pick it up myself, and the food was not packaged especially beautifully or anything. If you can't tell from the rest of my review, I think the prices were too high for the amount of food served, and the "packaging fee" just to pick up your order is ludicrous. This was too over-priced for a casual Mexican restaurant. For $60 worth of Mexican food between two people, I would expect to be really full with possibly some leftovers. My boyfriend and I were dissatisfied. I won't be recommending this place. read more

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The corn tortillas are fantastic! Highly recommend the corn over the flour. Just try it! I'd say these are my 2nd favorite vegetarian fajitas in the city. Solid fajitas and margaritas. I'd say it's a middle of the road text-mex kinda casual place. Both my friend and I very much enjoyed the satsuma margarita and a fajita plate. I was so impressed with the service last night. The waiter and buser were very attentive throughout the meal. The waiter gave a great margarita suggestion and was knowledgeable about the menu. He recognized that since I was ordering the veggie fajitas to mention that the rice is cooked with chicken broth, so gave me double beans. And as we were exiting the restaurant, my friend left the to-go box, the buser ran out to bring it to us. read more

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As much as I love tacos, I sometimes have to switch things up and get a little festive. I once had fajita nachos and absolutely loved them. Since then, I've tried to replicate that dish when I'm in the mood for something different. When I visited El Gato Negro, that was what I had a taste for. Now choosing a dish off their menu can be a little intimidating with so many options, and my mouth would not stop salivating. Of course, I started with a cocktail. The "Strawberry Vanilla Dream" was really good and smooth. It was a strawberry margarita made in house with infused Vanilla tequila. Yum!  For starters, we began with queso. Theirs is very creamy, with a hint of pablano peppers and a great balance of flavor. It was absolutely perfect to go with my fajitas. My main course was the "Skirt Steak Fajitas" and I added on a side of gulf shrimp. The portion size was great. The veggies were grilled beautifully, however the actual steak lacked flavor. My date had the "El Macho Man Combo". OMG! It came with tons of food! Enchiladas, tamales, quesadillas, and rice and beans. To finish things off, I ordered the Blueberry and pineapple margarita, which was the special of the day. It was quite refreshing! read more

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I visited El Gato Negro tonight 1/23/24 We had attended my daughter's art showing at the WW2 museum. This is the night that the water pressure dropped in Jefferson Parish. All of our usual places were closed and it was after 8. A friend recommended we give this place a try and I'm really glad we did!! They were SUPER busy earlier because everybody else from Metairie had hopped on over the Parish line like we had. They were more than happy to seat my party of 4 at 8:30 even though they closed at 9. I can't remember our server's name. I do remember practicing my Spanish with her. The food was excellent. I had the Tuesday special of 3 steak tacos. I had mine in the corn shell as opposed to the flour. They were hot and fresh and a flavor explosion. The char of the steak with the fresh cilantro made for a fantastic taco! It was good and good. My wife had these crazy large nachos with chicken and street corn. They put the chips on top so it doesn't end up a soggy mess. The food was on point as was the service. We genuinely appreciated being sat and served so late. I will be back soon. I'm putting them in my rotation. You should too!! read more

My mom and I went here for dinner on cinco de mayo, so it was of course packed, (hour and 15 min wait, so not the worst). They serve drinks outside that you can order while you wait. We both felt our margaritas were a bit too sweet and rather sour though. We were finally seated at around 9, our waiter was very friendly and polite, despite how late it was. He got our order correctly, and our food was brought to us in a somewhat timely manner, given the amount of customers there were and how tired I'm sure all the employees were! For appetizers, we got the Tableside Guacamole and Queso Fundido, along with the free chips and salsa. All were pretty tasty, the guacamole in particular was very fresh! I then ordered the aged skirt steak quesadillas with beans and rice, while my mom ordered the stuffed hass avocado. I enjoyed my quesadilla, the steak was good, and my mom really enjoyed her stuffed avocado. Pretty decent portions, we took home leftovers. We also ordered two flan cakes to-go. Flan is one of my favorite deserts, but I did not enjoy it. It was not disgusting - I ate it because we paid for it, but it was not very good. The reason I gave four stars is because of the flan (-.5 star) and because it is rather pricey (-1 star). I would give a 3.5 rating if I could. The food is good, but i'm not sure I would eat here often as it is not THAT good. I feel there are other mexican restaurants in the area with better or equal quality food at more reasonable prices. I had a good night though! :) read more

El Gato Negro - Lakeview - aged skirt steak quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

The most delicious food and really good margaritas. I recommend the cilantro pineapple margarita and the seared salmon. read more

El Gato Negro - Lakeview - Seared Salmon - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Food is ok. Way over priced and they charge you a huge to-go fee?!? I've never seen this before. Will not be back.

First time visiting this place as residents of the neighborhood. The restaurant is clean and efficient. All of the staff was industrious and helping each other. The ambiance was pleasant without being over the top. At first glance, I thought the prices were a bit high until I saw the portions. I was WILDLY Impressed with my mega burrito. It certainly lived up to its name. My girlfriend's enchiladas looked and smelled amazing as well! read more

El Gato Negro - Lakeview - Mega burrito definitely lived up to its name! Sooo delicious! - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I love to come here for the Watermelon Margaritas and tableside Guacamole. Both are excellent! They make the Watermelon Margaritas in house during the Summer. If the weather is good and not too terrible hot, I recommend eating on the patio if they have it open. It's really nice out there for weekend lunch/brunch. We generally split their veggie or chicken fajitas. I highly recommend the Corn Tortillas when ordering. They make them in house and they are awesome. We tried the Flour ones once and they don't compare at all. Be prepared to pay more here, but the quality and service is very good. read more

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Absolutely amazing. My husband and I are constantly choosing here for our dinner dates. He raves to everyone about their spicy margaritas. Guacamole is so fresh and delicious. But the best is their steak fajitas. It's aged and you can request how it's cooked. They also have mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, and some sauce on it which I think makes it stand out from other Mexican places. read more

I went with a co-worker for lunch. Did not have to wait and was seated immediately. Casual atmosphere with nice decor. The server was nice and he was attentive. We had chips and salsa. The salsa was really fresh. I had the chicken quesadilla which was really tasty. I love Mexican food, so everything was excellent to me! read more

El Gato Negro - Lakeview - Chicken Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I stopped by here on a Sunday evening, after my neighborhood Mexican joint was closed for a holiday party... What a pleasant surprise! It was pretty busy but we were still able to get seated right away. We were given warm tortilla chips and a pretty solid red salsa to start. I know, chips and salsa are pretty much the norm, but *good* salsa and *warm* chips?! Definite bonus points from me! The menu feels more limited than your average Mexican stop with 8000 choice and pictures on the menu. This place has a bigger drink menu than food one, and I think that's absolutely the right call. We ordered the guac (made at the table) and three different burritos. When they brought the guacamole to make, they also asked if we wanted our Serrano salsa mixed in. We said sure, because how delish, and even though I'm pretty much a weenie when it comes to spice, it didn't kill the dish, which was a super bonus. All three burritos, although the standard size for the restaurant, were quite filling. I had left overs, but the boys finished theirs. They have macho man sized burritos, too, but that would definitely have been too much for any of us. We all left full, and couldn't even stop to get ice cream on the way home as planned. Overall, great quality service, and a well rounded palate for the food. It's a little bit of a drive compared to my local joint, but the price and quantity would definitely pull me in again! read more

Ive been to this location twice, and my second time here was an even better experience than the first time. My niece has celiac disease, so having gluten-free options is a must. We were so relieved to know that she had quite a few gluten-free items to choose from which includes cheese enchiladas, quesadillas, and their chips are corn chips so they are also gluten-free. You don't have to worry about cross contamination because the chips are made off-site. I ordered a shrimp burrito which was delicious. I'm not sure I would say it was better than the burritos I get at Juan's, but it was definitely a solid burrito. The complimentary chips and salsa were amazing. The salsa had so much flavor and is better than most places that give you these two items complimentary. Our waiter was very accommodating with the dietary restrictions our table had, and the food was all delicious. read more

El Gato Negro - Lakeview - Shrimp Burrito - Mexican Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I really enjoyed my crawfish and snapper tacos. The chips, guac and salsa were delicious. My husband loved his crawfish burrito. My kid was happy with his quesadillas. read more