We initially walked to the big name sports bar across the street from Ernst Cafe for dinner but then saw this cool place that looked like it had character. We were pleased with our choice. The waiter, Andre, was very nice and suggested ways to bundle our meal to save a few bucks with the soup, etc. The gumbo and egg rolls were delicious and the fish was good but I give it a 5 because of the personality of the staff. Every single one of them was nice to me. I can't say that about any other place I spent money at this weekend in New Orleans. They all seemed to just expect a good tip without putting in the effort. I appreciate their kindness. It makes all the difference. read more

I would give this place another 5 stars if at all possible. Wonderful experience all around! The Gumbo was the best I've had in NOLA! It's amazing! read more

Ernst Cafe - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Average to underwhelming. Decent location near conventions near Riverside. Food was typical, didn't taste especially fresh or well-prepared. Definitely not as good as other more established New Orleans places. This was more like what you might get from a Cajun food place not in New Orleans. Paper plates, plastic silverware. But prices were high enough you'd expect better. Overall disappointment. read more

Place has lost its charm since new management. Atmosphere is lame, totally different crowd now

Just dropped in for a drink and a snack. Wonderful bartender helped us with drinks and some of the best nachos on the planet. Nice old bar type atmosphere. read more

We stumbled upon this bar one morning around 7am on the way to a race. There were so many people walking by that they opened the bar (which is pretty cool). We got Bloody Marys and went on to the race, post race none of us could remember where the bar was or what the name was so we searched and searched online till we narrowed it down to a small area and started walking. We found it!! Then proceeded to drink many more Bloody Marys. We didn't eat there do I can't speak for the food but the staff were all really friendly. read more

Ernst Cafe - Zing Zang Bloody Mary! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Service wast fast. They do need more option on TV's for broadcasting multiple sporting events. Only have Birthday Drinks and a couple appetizers. Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Mmmmmm. The Fried alligator was perfection seasoned correctly, every bite tender. read more

Ernst Cafe - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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This place is ok . A little more upscale than bar food but nothing special. One of my friends got their red beans and rice and told my it was very smoky tasting . Fried pickles were good , big order so definitely share . read more

First time I visited Ernst Cafe was back in the early 90's after work at the World Trade Center... good times those were. Been back to Ernst every time I come by the city. Intend to continue doing so. 30 years of good memories !!! read more

Had the chicken and sausage gumbo and it was very tasty and would come back again, the restaurant is undiscovered little hole in the wall, we had a party of 8 and everyone enjoyed their food read more

This cool joint was recommended by my houseman at the hotel. His suggestion was on point. I had The Ernst - roast beef and fried oyster sandwich with a creole sauce. I could eat this everyday! My colleague got the crab cakes - they were delicious, light an airy, full of lump crab meat, and light on dressing. We also got the fried green tomatoes; they were topped with shrimp, great flavor, light coating, thick tomatoes. read more

The service SUCKS! Took our order fast, then after 10 minutes the waitress comes back to ask what we ordered again, so she can put in the order. First and last visit. read more

I've been going to Ernst Cafe for decades. I lived down the street and always recommended it to my friends. Saturday night, however, the bartender was beyond rude. He's so stuck on himself and wouldn't even engage in friendly conversation. I asked him what drink he recommended since we were bar hopping and seeing what each place had to offer. He looked at me and went to the next patron after a smug look. When he came back I asked again and he told me to leave. When I asked why he just said leave. I've ordered hundreds of drinks from this guy and we've always had a good repport. I always tip him well and we were not drunk or unruly. So goodbye Ernst Cafe. It's been a good twenty years plus but you can have your crappy attitude and your unfounded, pompous ego. There are a hundred bars in New Orleans where I can spend my money and tip bartenders who actually appreciate customer service. read more

Rude waitstaff. Bad Service. Waited 30 minutes before anyone acknowledged our presence. Had to ask for a menu and get our own silverware. Ordered "The Ernster" sandwich. It was strange and it took almost 30 minutes to get. Was definitely not worth the wait. Too many wonderful restaurants in New Orleans. Don't waste your money on this one. read more

This is by far my favorite bar. I've been coming here for years and the staff are always so knowledgeable, personable, and most importantly- consistent. (Local tip: the crawfish nachos are amazing) read more

Prompt service. The bartender acknowledged us upon entering and took our drink order. Food was delivered 15-20 minutes after ordering. We had the chicken wrap and chicken sandwich and ordered mimosas. Not overcrowded or loud. read more

Good Red Beans and Rice, decent Bloody Mary (I had a 2nd), great ambiance, decent service. No complaints, I would go back here in the future. read more

Did not enjoy our service here. We sat in the bar area where there was only the bartender to cover our table. Friend A asked for no pickles on her roast beef poboy. It had a bunch of pickles. Friend B no tomatoes on his burger. The burger still had tomatoes. We asked for a box and the check because we were in a hurry. 10 minutes later after asking for the box twice we gave up and left (after we paid of course). Last but not least friend A and B were over charged. On the bright side the food was still pretty good read more

Let's just a mice ran across the floor. the host said "it's ok! it ran into the trap" and then said "I open the door to let in some air and I guess that's how it got in." No No No if this was true you wouldn't have traps! They know they had a mice problem and that's not all the cook want to the restroom and didn't wash his hands! Ewwwwwwww! read more

My family and I were staying in NOLA for the night after getting off of acruise, and while everyone had different local delicacies they were searching for I was looking for a great shrimp po boy. We were staying at the Harrahs hotel and casino and I was looking for restaurants near by with good po boys. Ernst's was within walking distance so my Dad and I decided to give it a try. When we arrived we were greeted fairly quickly, and seated right after. It was loud inside- but that is to be expected from a bar. Our table was on the opposite end of the bar area so it wasn't too loud at all. Our server was friendly and fast. I ordered the shrimp po' boy and it was without a doubt the best po' boy I've had in my life! The shrimp were fried perfectly, the bread was fresh, the fries were to die for, and they had the best remoulade I've ever tasted! My dad ordered the chicken and andouille gumbo, and he was blown away! I tasted the gumbo too and it was wonderful! We had a very pleasant experience at Ernst's and if were ever back in town we will be sure to return! read more

Ernst Cafe - Fried Shrimp po' boy - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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The place seems understaffed. We were waiting quite a while to get seated, and started chatting with the party behind us in line. Eventually, we decided that we'd all sit together so that neither group would have to continue waiting. That turned out to be the highlight of the evening. The food was pretty mediocre. Your beer gets served to you in the bottle, and your wine comes in a water glass. The server was pretty friendly, but she had only tried a few of the beers on the menu, so she really couldn't offer any descriptions beyond the names. With so many other nearby choices in restaurants, I probably wouldn't go back to the Ernst Cafe. read more

Great oysters! Had a late-night fried-oyster platter on Saturday. They were big, hot, and arrived very quickly. They were also less expensive than Manning's OR Grand Isle on Fulton Street. Staff was friendly, and, even though busy, sat me right away! read more

Get the Ernster. One of the more unique po-boys in the city. The fried green tomatoes are also a great choice (the remoulade is outstanding!). This is a great place to sit on the patio for drinks in the shade. Slightly off the beaten path for tourists (a.k.a. the French Quarter), but definitely a gem in the heart of the CBD. Great for lunch, dinner, or just drinks. read more

My boyfriend and I were staying at the Lowes Hotel down the street for his birthday. We originally intended to go to Mannings, but considering the hour and a half wait, we opted across the street to Ernst Cafe. It was entirely too hot to sit outside, so we walked right in and found a seat at the bar. The bartender was nice and helpful, although a tiny bit uppity. We ordered beer and food. We waited the best part of 30 minutes for our food, but when it came, it was absolutely delicious. I got a chicken sandwich, which in most places is rather average, but it was cooked to perfection. My boyfriend got the chicken fingers and was borderline licking the plate after he'd finished. The atmosphere and the service was not to the highest of standards, but the food in comparison to other "bar food" was quite surprisingly delicious. We will definitely go back. read more

As a visitor to New Orleans, i wanted to try a local, non-chain, casual place to eat. The cafe is fairly small but it does have extra outdoor space to eat. On Thursday around 6pm, the cafe wasn't very crowded but the service was slow. The waitress said there were only 2 waitresses on duty. In fact, I saw several couples waiting at the door to be seated but they finally left after not getting helped. I ordered the roast beef po boy. It was very good although the waitress spilled my wife's order all over the floor when she brought it. They made her a new po boy very quickly and apologized several times. Overall, the food was good but service was slow. read more

$1 dollar beers and away from most of the hustle and bustle so it wasn't too crowded. Their burgers were also on point!

Went here to watch the Super Bowl game. Food was "ok", screens were fine, sound system was not good, but what was most frustrating was the service. Our waitress was aggressive right off the bat, not happy with my polite request to turn off the music and turn on the game audio so we could hear it. She constantly toggled between high agitation and apologizing for forgetting to bring our drinks. It was weird and unpleasant. The company of strangers at our table, and the KC win are the only two things that made this a 2 vs ZERO star experience. read more

The fried boudin balls were great!! The absolut mule was so good !! Arielle is a great hostess and bartender!! A great first stop on our vacation We went back Tuesday and tonight for happy hour. The food is great, the beer cold and the Margaritas are so good. Arielle makes the best Margaritas! The whole bar has a homey atmosphere and everyone is so friendly !! read more

Great local place, full bar with Cajun pub food. Don't pass this one up, you'll miss out. The bar is the original bar installed in 1902!

Terrible food, our first stop in NOLA after arriving. More of a bar than a restaurant. Even dessert wasn't great. It was a few steps away from our hotel and we were killing time till our rooms were ready for check in. Don't bother unless you are only interested in liquids. And I didn't see the review with the floor or I would have not stepped foot in here either. read more

A friend recommended this place and it was awesome! Our server Garald was funny, on top of everything, and was great! We asked for recommendations and he sat down and walked us through everything. All of the food and drinks we had were great - boudin balls, southwest egg rolls, po boys, chicken strips - all delicious. Definitely recommend it for out of towners! read more

The food could use some improvement. Although our waiter was really nice and helpful.

Low key no nonsense bar. Good jukebox, good drink and food pricing, and a nice outside seating area. (note: no smoking inside). Good place to meet with friends if a loud club or an overly trendy bar is not in your plans for the night. Ernst has my favorite chicken tenders in the city. Not the crappy breaded ones you feed little kids but decent meaty chunks of chicken. I wish I could praise the french fries but the creole seasoning is overkill. read more

We were in New Orleans for two nights before boarding the ship for our 7 day cruise. After enjoying the entire day of sight seeing good eating and shopping, we wanted something good to eat our last night, Saturday March 6th. The desk at the Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel suggested Ernst Cafe, after walking there and sitting is when our vacation in New Orleans hit a bad spot. After sitting at our table for 45 minute no employee gave us a menu, but another customer who noticed we weren't getting any service gave us there menu. I would like to think that, because we were the only African American couple there that night had nothing to do with it but I think it did, only because 4 other couples sat down at tables around us and they got waited on immediately. My next trip back to New Orleans I will not be stopping at this location nor do I suggest anyone else do. I have already let friends, family and co-workers know this who travel there regularly. read more

I wish I had a chance to try some of the food here as the menu looked great although our time here was basically meant to be a rallying point and first stop on what became a truly epic bar crawl that last far into the early hours of the next day. I did have one drink here and had a chance to admire the space and the decor for a bit while socializing with all my new friends. read more

Decent atmosphere in the Fulton CT area which is partially closed to vehicle traffic and narrow brick streets. We sat outside and took in the environment. Service was good and friendly. The fried green tomatoes were very good. I got the blackened fish, asparagus and a side of gumbo. All of that was excellent. Prices were pretty good too. read more

Let me begin by saying I don't think I've ever done a review on Yelp, and if I have, it's never long and probably just me hitting stars. That being said, I hope Ernst Cafe and those reading find this review helpful. It's long winded but hang in there with me. Update: after posting this, yelp confirmed this is my 1st review. I have heard many great things about Ernst Cafe for many years. My partner and I popped in on Saturday, April 21st around 3pm to grab a drink after touring a Navy Ship at Fleet Week. Let me be clear, we are locals, and I will give them props for the Magnolia Bloody Mary, it was one of the best I've had. The bartender, however, was so rude and I will never be back. My partner asked if he could have a draft beer and after giving us a strange look, then looking down the bar to her left, then her right, we realized they didn't have any draft beer. With a smirk on her face, my friend ordered an Anita Boot. Then there was my order, I ordered the Magnolia Bloody Mary. I had read the menu, it was a "special" of theirs but she asked me what kind of vodka I wanted. Puzzled, I asked "what kind of vodka comes in the one of the menu. She replied, "Magnolia", again with a wince on her face. Clearly having a bad day, I tried to make small talk about their food as I was a bit hungry and was considering sampling some small bites. Since I didn't see actual waiters or normal restaurant activity, I figured we order at the bar but her reply was..."that's a separate business!" I turned to look at the doors where a menu was posted and asked, "so the menu on the door (which had the previously mentioned Bloody Mary on it) is a separate business?" My partner asked, "what's the name?" With another strange look on her face, she replied "Ernst Cafe". Utterly confused at this point I asked, "is the restaurant upstairs?" She replied, "no, that's the separate business, it's an event space with a private party going on. That's the separate business!" At this point, I'm furious but out of respect for not embarrassing my partner, I kept my cool. She handed me my credit slip where I seriously considered giving her no tip at all but I've never stiffed someone on a tip, so instead and to prove a point to this awful person, I gave her a $4 tip our 2 drinks. I immediately told my partner to get a go cup for his bottle, which he did, and we immediately walked out. read more

Great food ! The red beans and rice are to die for ! Wish I could bring this place home with me. read more

Ernst Cafe - Cajun/Creole Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

The food here is AMAZING. We had gumbo, crawfish etouffee, and a po boy. They even had a pet mouse running around named George Leonard and he's adorable. I got the true New Orleans vibe!! read more

Wow. I'm not one to complain, but the chicken gumbo tasted like lumpy sewerage extract and had the consistency of a troll's saliva. Even the post mix soda was too watered down and had a hint of over-chlorinated pool water... rinsed from an old man's swimsuit. Everyone's experience is different, but I wish I could erase this one from my memory. read more