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    Mona Lisa Restaurant

    4.1 (652 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Pizza
    Closed Closed

    Mona Lisa Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    MONA LISA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Mona Lisa Restaurant

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    Classic Lasagna and creole red seafood pasta.
    Gable H.

    Mona Lisa is one of those rare places that manages to feel both distinct and comforting at the same time. The Cajun-Italian fusion is genuinely creative, but it never strays so far that it loses its sense of familiarity--and that balance is hard to pull off. The flavors were bold, well-layered, and unmistakably New Orleans, yet still rooted in classic Italian comfort. Nothing felt gimmicky; instead, it felt intentional, like the menu was built by people who truly understand both cuisines and how they speak to each other. The atmosphere adds to the experience--warm, lively, and full of personality without feeling overwhelming. It's the kind of spot that works just as well for a relaxed dinner as it does for introducing someone to something a little unexpected. If you're looking for a restaurant that offers something unique while still delivering deeply satisfying food, Mona Lisa absolutely delivers.

    Menus
    Kit G.

    Service was good, not great. Food was mid. Our table ordered stuffed mushrooms (which they loved), spinach artichoke dip (it was decent, very little artichoke & the bread was crispy yet soft, very confusing), a side salad (the lettuce tastes dirty, but was ok with salt & pepper) shrimp scampi (it was a lot of capers) & then came our similar yet very different dishes.. we ordered 1 eggplant parm & 1 chicken parm. The staff didn't know which dish was which, had 3 people tell us what it was & still was incorrect. But once our amazing waitress came around she sorted things right out. As for the eggplant, it's 90% breading & 10% eggplant. If no one told me what I was eating I'd be confused. The sauce was nice, eggplant tastes frozen & the noodles are broiled so it gets melty however the outer noodles become extremely hard & inedible. The chicken parm was around the same only the chicken was thicker than the eggplant. Atmosphere is nice though. Lots of art work of Mona Lisa done by customers & u can color on the table for added fun. With that said I'd come back but this time for the pizza, no pasta. 7/10

    Shrimp Fra Diavolo. Yum!
    Nikki B.

    4.5 stars Established in 1987, Mona Lisa is a cozy restaurant that serves up some delicious Italian American fare. The walls are lines with various rendition of da Vinci's iconic portrait, which adds to the charm. The red & white checkered tablecloths are lines with butcher paper and crayons are provided so you can create your own masterpiece. The locals love this place so much that they recently rallied together and saved the restaurant from being closed after the owner received a text message to vacate in 60 days. I dined here years ago and loved it. I often recommend it to others. It's also a favorite of my "brother" and he insisted we come here during our last visit. Our server Lindsey was darling. In fact, everyone here is friendly. We started with the Cheesy Bread, which is a must! Brother had the Authentico (Linguini tossed in olive oil with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, kalamata olives, & capers). My other "brother" and I ordered the Shrimp Fra Diavolo to share, which was linguini tossed with shrimp sauteed in brandy with a Creole marinara. It was so good I wanted to lick the plate. Mona Lisa is a true gem hidden in the French Quarter. The portions are generous, prices are reasonable, and the staff are hospitable. They don't take reservations, so expect to wait but it's worth it.

    Outside
    Tara K.

    We came in on Sat night, a 30min wait for 3 ppl. They took our number and called when our table was ready. I've seen this restaurant over the years and when my sister felt like Italian food for dinner, this place came up in my search. The man that sat us was hilarious, he was really funny dealing with other diners that he knew. Anyway, we liked our server, who seemed to be waiting on all of the tables in this room. I ordered chicken picata, which was good, my boyfriend ordered pasta ala Nonna, which was mostly sauce, not much pasta. My sister got shrimp scampi, she didn't like it much. All of our dishes were not hot. We assumed that they people that ordered after us, all got their food before us l, so we think our food sat there for a while. The server said he was sorry for not bringing our appetizer which was bruschetta, it was the strangest bruschetta ever. Cold thick chunky sauce, laced with balsamic vinegar. Weird The server said all of the food was up at the same time. He forgot all about our app. Not sure we would ever come back

    Robert C.

    December 9th 2024 went to Mona Lisa restaurant around the corner from our timeshare in New Orleans. Hole in the wall restaurant decorated in red and white colors everywhere stressing is Italian heritage. Lot of single locals eating pizza I had the Mardi gras pasta served with shrimp and sausage in a spicy Creole marinara sauce. wife didn't care for spicy sauce but I'm writing the review and loved it. relatively inexpensive for New Orleans. wife had the $18 spinach lasagna which she loved but I could do without. One of those few restaurants where wife and I were definitely not switching dishes. One of the least expensive meals and good value for New Orleans. Incidentally there is a Mona Lisa restaurant in France Indonesia Germany Caribbean among other places

    My family ate here 25 years ago. I remember it was a long walk but the atmosphere and food were both wonderful. We were excited to be able to eat here again on our first night in New Orleans this coming Friday April 3. Sadly, after reading a few Yelp reviews we had to change our plans. It looks like hate and rudeness live here now, particularily by the front door. I'm re-posting a couple of photos fron 10/19/25 showing signs posted in their front window. Hopefully this will inform some of you so you can decide whether this will be a positive experience for you. I'll close with an old Irish toast. "May God bless those who love us. For those who don't, may He turn their hearts. If He can't turn their hearts, may He at least turn their ankles, so we may know them by their limp". Happy trails.

    Charlene P.

    I've always had an amazing meal here. Always fast and friendly service. Tonight was no exception. The most delicious spinach lasagna I've ever had. Love this place so much!!!!!

    Menu as of 04.05.24
    Fuyme J.

    First time visitors coming for a late night dinner Very busy place, expect a 45 min to hour wait Though everyone was friendly and upbeat! There is Mona Lisa decor everywhere whether it's mockery, something hand drawn, or history related. You are also able to draw on the table with crayons for amusement. Server was watching assisting multiple table but quite friendly and informative and checked up on us multiple times. Mainly Italian food but it was fresh, generous portions, reasonable pricing, and darn right tasty! I had the seafood pasta with extra garlic - so good and best part it did not leave you waddling like a penguin upon consumption. Flavorful, cooked perfectly, and not Overpowering. The calzone can easily be shared as an appetizer (well All dishes are very shareable!) Great spot for date night, friends outing, dine solo, and people walk watching galore!

    Penne Pasta
    Deanna C.

    Cool little discovery while walking the streets. It was worth the hour and a half wait time. We got a kick out of our spunky host and his quick wits. When we go back to New Orleans we will definately be making our way back here. Food was delicious, service was great and the atmosphere was perfect.

    Decor.
    Katherine P.

    I loved this restaurant! My boyfriend and I were in NOLA to celebrate my birthday and, honestly, we didn't have many great food moments. We came to Mona Lisa based on the recommendation of a bartender at a local bar; so happy we did! The vibe is fantastic, service was superb (shout out to Raven!) and the food was delish. If I lived in NOLA, I'd for sure be a regular. 5/5 highly recommend.

    Chicken Alfredo
    Craig N.

    The food is always amazing Service Is Always A+ Love Love Love This Place One Of My Favorites

    Pizza

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    2 months ago

    This place is so great. The food was delicious and the vibe was great. It was a nice change of pace for a trip to NOLA.

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    2 months ago

    Had a great meal here. Food and service were both excellent. Off the beaten path place with cool Mona Lisa vibe.

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    4 months ago

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    2 months ago

    What a gem..Delicious home made flavors. Cute restaurant. Lovely staff. Very reasonable for everything cooked from scratch

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    7 months ago

    Good food, great service, and a fun atmosphere! I had the chicken parm., and spinach dip!

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    4 months ago

    By far my favorite restaurant in New Orleans. It's a must visit everytime I'm in the city. Highly recommend

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    9 months ago

    Amazing. The food was so so good. The pasta, the pizza, the apps... all amazing. Loved the atmosphere and the staff was super friendly.

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    Zee’s Pizzeria

    Zee’s Pizzeria

    4.7
    (214 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$

    We've had a few people recommend this new pizza place to us in a week, so we had to go try…read more The service was great. Everyone seemed really nice and helpful. It was cool to see the pizza ovens right behind the register. The red top pizza was bomb. It was crispy but still saucy. They do a garlicky butter crust on their pizza which we thought was really nice. It had really good herbs in the crust. The buffalo pizza was pretty good too. Large chunks of chicken with a bit of cheese and a blue cheese sauce drizzled on top. I wish there was a bit more tomato sauce / buffalo sauce, but that's just my preference. Overall, the pizza did remind me of a thin, crispy NE style pizza. And I love that they do by the slice too. I would love to try their white pizza next

    We were recommended to this spot by our awesome AirBnB hostess. You can literally smell the dough…read moreand garlic from the street! Street parking only, but don't let that stop you from popping in! We were greeted right away by both the chef and the waitress. So nice and friendly! We ordered cheese pizza and some drinks. Totally easy to eat in the car while waiting for our rooms to be ready. The cheese pull on the first bite was absolutely gorgeous! Perfect warmth, perfect sauce to cheese ratio, delicious crust. This is a triple whammy! Definitely take the time to check them out. They have lots of indoor seating and it's cool inside!

    Photos
    Zee’s Pizzeria
    The dylan (red sauce fresh mozzarella, onion sausage) had slices last night and had to come back to try the pie
    The dylan (red sauce fresh mozzarella, onion sausage) had slices last night and had to come back to try the pie
    $5 peroni is good for me

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    $5 peroni is good for me
    Cochon Butcher

    Cochon Butcher

    4.5
    (4.8k reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    I'll never get tired of this heaven sent spot. I make it a point to introduce everyone I know to…read moreCochon Butcher, and even though I've reviewed it already, I'm updating my review because they continue to deserve the praise. Everything was disrespectfully delicious. Every bite had us questioning our life choices in the best way. By the end of the meal, we were all sleepy and completely defeated by how good the food was. The staff was on point, courteous, and polite. Our food came out hot, fast, and perfectly plated with consistency that never misses. My only small complaint is that the sweet potato habanero sauce isn't as thick as it used to be. I'm a little annoyed about that, but it still tastes exactly the same Cochon Butcher remains one of those must visit New Orleans spots that never disappoints. Great food, great service, and a place I'll always adore.

    If you're wondering if Cochon Butcher is worth the hype, it absolutely is. It's totally clear why…read morethey are Michelin-recommended. We ordered the black-eyed pea chili and the muffuletta, and the sandwich completely stole the show. The bread was perfectly soft, and you can really taste the difference in quality with their in-house meats. The olive salad tied the whole thing together, complementing the rich, savory flavors perfectly. That being said, the space gets extremely crowded on busy days. It's tight enough that you'll likely have people bumping into your chair or brushing past you while you eat and walk through the dining room. The biggest downside was the service at the counter. The line to the cashiers was very disorganized. Instead of calling the next person in line, one cashier was pulling people up at random, which made the ordering process frustrating. Overall, the food is fantastic, but be prepared for chaotic crowds and a messy ordering system during peak hours.

    Photos
    Seating at the chef's counter
    Seating at the chef's counter
    Moroccan spiced lamp Salmon belly Brussels sprouts
    Moroccan spiced lamp Salmon belly Brussels sprouts
    Cajun fried ribs

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    Cajun fried ribs

    Mona Lisa Restaurant - italian - Updated July 2026

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