I love taking out-of-town guests to Sylvain. It has all the nice things you love about New Orleans restaurants- amazing food, cozy atmosphere, and good service. But it's also in French Quarter, so you can escape the madness for a little. I always try to sit in the outdoor patio area. There are about 5-6 small tables outside, it's shaded with trees and very relaxing. This most recent time, my boyfriend and I went to brunch and shared a small portion of the biscuits and gravy (comes with 3 small biscuits) and the pork shoulder with grits. The portions are large and we were already full from a weekend of gluttony, so we shared the two dishes and still couldn't finish. I was a little surprised the pork shoulder came out looking like a fried meat patty, but I guess that's what they meant by "crispy." But it was very good, especially with roasted tomato hollandaise sauce, which made the dish for me! The whole dish if very rich and I imagine would be difficult for one person to finish, especially with the grits and egg. The biscuits had a very nice texture, not too dense. Each biscuit is on the smaller size... or maybe normal size if you're not from New Orleans. The flavor of the gravy was really nice, though I would've liked a little more gravy on the biscuit. This past time, one of my biscuits was cold! I'm not sure if they make them frozen or take them out of the fridge, but it was pretty surprising. The other two were warm, so it must have been a quality control screw up. Side note: a bird pooped on my boyfriend, but I guess it's a risk you take when you sit underneath the trees outside. They say that's good luck, though! Other than the cold biscuit and the bird poop incident, Sylvain is pretty solid and I would still recommend it to others, mostly based on the atmosphere and flavor of the food. read more

Charming, dimly lit, little restaurant in the quarter with excellent plates that manage to be the right balance of hearty and creative. Listed on multiple sites as a top restaurant in New Orleans I snagged a reservation a few weeks in advance and looked forward to visiting. I wasn't disappointed! Excellent plates, delightful drinks, and attentive staff. Dining room has a quaint old world charm to it, with a romantic courtyard in the back. With moody blue/black walls, tea lights, and the old New Orleans windows opening to a dimly lit street, I'd happily pay them to let me sleep here because it's so dreamy. read more

Stumbled upon this place in a fit of hunger. I really have to do that more often if the results are as fantastic as this place. First you walk down this very intimidating alley to get to the hostess, don't be intimidated just keep walking! We got a seat at the bar, this is a very small place....reservations, reservations, reservations. Can't stress that enough. Cocktails. Very well made. My son had a Sazerac, mine the Ikebana. They were both good and well made. Dinner was good. My son ordered the hanger steak...couldn't figure out a way to get him to give it to me. Mine was no slouch but his was just that good. I had the pasta. It was made in house and good. Not as good as his though. Will return again. read more

Favorite restaurant we visited in New Orleans! We stumbled upon it as their courtyard looked so beautiful and we popped in to look. We made reservations for later that evening and we are SOOO glad we did! Every interaction was amazing regardless if it was hostess, server, or chef! We started with fries and aioli and their cornbread. Both are PHENOMENAL. For our entrees ordered the Bolognese and Fried Chicken sandwich. My hubby loved his pasta and it was made in house. I loved my sandwich and was sooo happy we found it. For dessert we had the best banana pudding complete with seared bananas and a homemade toasted whipped cream. Literally to die for. We loved it so much we came back the night before we left! They are so personable and a great atmosphere. A MUST for New Orleans! read more

Sylvain is a hidden gem for tourists surrounded by typical New Orleans tourist traps in the French Quarter. The restaurant inside is very cozy and it also has a beautiful outside patio. We opted for the outside patio and learned that the back wall is the second oldest wall in the city which was pretty cool. The food was delicious and the service was perfect. This is one of those restaurants I wish existed in my home town! read more

Phenomenal. One of the best restaurants I've ever experienced. We had the beef cheeks and the pork shoulder. Both were top notch. We shared the chocolate pot de creme for dessert and it was amazing. We made sure to order cocktails that were foreign to us with ingredients that challenged our perception of a typical drink. None disappointed. Our waiter's name might have been Adam? Either way he was very knowledgeable and gave recommendations that made our meal even more spectacular. This was one meal we did not want to end. We savored every bite and cannot wait to visit again. Oh yeah, use the house made hot sauce! read more

Great food great service especially Alex B. Celebrated my wife birthday everything was perfect. Hope to return soon.

At first we thought this place was nice but slowly me and my friends realized we made a terrible mistake coming here. We had multiple meals and we all hated it or thought it was mediocre. The only good thing there was the fries. They served us tap water. The last straw was when they weren't able to give us separate receipts for our food. I had two things that should've been 25 dollars and ended up spending over 70 dollars to help cover my friend who was paying for her meal in exact cash. Also, they had cornbread waffle which seems healthy but they taste terrible. ‍ read more

My husband and I dined here on a Monday night (nice that they are open!) I found them on yelp and was looking for a menu that was not heavily seafood focused. So glad we tried it. Get the much-photographed Brussel sprout salad- it was great! We got a glass of the Syrah (good) and the beef cheeks: excellent- could have used a small shot of salt or maybe acid (lemon!?) but was great. My husband ordered the hanger steak which was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. Would recommend for an intimate dining experience. The vibe in there was cute, dark and European feeling. read more

Sylvain - Their courtyard in the back - Southern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Pretty amazing, just have to do it. We order a bunch of stuff, everything was great! The pork shoulder Benedict was my favorite thing, the fried chicken sandwich was pretty awesome, the drinks!! If you're a little adventurous get the antipasto plate. You would not be disappointed. read more

Uhhh Brussel Sprouts you never forget?? Great ambience and service. Foodie haven and backyard alfresco dining read more

My wife and I had brunch here on Sunday 1-26-2020. When we arrived the wait was 20-30 minutes but, the bar was available and provided full service. We decided to dine at the bar. The bar staff was fantastic! We ordered Halloumi for an appetizer. For the main course, I had the fried fish sandwich. She had the burger. We waited quite awhile for our appetizer and meal. I realize this is a kitchen failure and not those who are serving your food. Still the food was very good. Despite the slow kitchen, we will be back. Next time for us, it will be Champagne and Fries. read more

Place was tight. Bloody Mary was REALLY good. Not too spicy, but particulate enough that you can tell they actually put some effort toward their mix. The food took awhile to come out, but that's okay. We had the short rib hash, Brussels sprouts salad, antipasto, and the salmon salad on special. I will be back next time I'm in New Orleans for sure! read more

Sylvain - Southern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

We made reservations for 5:30 and got seated at 5:50. We ordered our apps and dinner at the same time. We got our apps within 15 mins and they were delicious (oysters and the stuffed mirliton). We waited and waited and waited and finally got our mains about 7:15. We were starving by that point. We asked for our bill as our mains came out and $155 later we left underwhelmed and still hungry. Went to Felipes and got queso and a beer. But props to the bartenders for good Pimm's Cups. read more

Been coming here for decades and think the chef must have been replaced with someone new. The sweetbreads were grisly (not de-membraned properly) with some weird buffalo chicken wing batter, the pork belly was mostly fried fat, the salad was good, and the cornbread was crack it was that good. read more

We chose Sylvain from a recommendation when we asked "who makes the best bloody mary in New Orleans? We went for a brunch time visit on a Sunday morning. The Bloody Marys were - hands down - the best we've ever had. We had the burger and the Chicken Sylvain sandwich. The burger was big, and prepared exactly as ordered. The Chicken Sylvain was expertly battered and fried and very tasty. There are a lot of important personal touches that make this place stand out. The french fries are all hand cut and cooked in peanut oil, and seasoned with salt and herbs. Both sandwiches were served with homemade pickles. The bloody mary drinks are all made completely from scratch, including fresh squeezed tomato juice. Our server, Dawn is nothing short of amazing. Her fantastic mood and great disposition were contagious and we really enjoyed her. She found the perfect balance of attentive but never suffocating. The building itself is very old and beat up, which is the charm of so many of the best locations in the French Quarter. We would not allow a future visit to NOLA to fail to include a return trip to Sylvain. read more

Sylvain - Best Bloody Mary in NOLA! Sylvain - Southern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Awesome adventure. Enter down a dark alley. Low lighting by candle. Full bar. Outdoor area. Amazing wait staff. So chill and awesome. Amazing cocktails. read more

Sylvain - Southern Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Only the bar was open when I visited. Very cool ambiance and table set up. Bar drinks were very creative, boozy, and well made. Drinks aren't cheap but it is a quality drink compared to most of the stuff you get in the quarter. I would recommend trying this place out. read more

Bachelor party 100. I don't post and I don't because I can cook better than most of the among you but holy crap, this place is solid. Chicken is crust/moist, collard greens are buttery, and food is phenomenal a read more

Wow! So impressed with decor, service, and food. All were awesome! We ordered drinks while we were outside. It didn't take long to get us seated. Our waiter was familiar with the menu. We ordered the antipasti and the sweet breads to start off. Antipasti had 3 different meats to include pork Belly, a cheese that resembled brie, and pickled veggies. All so tasty and good! The sweetbreads were also very delicious, the buffalo sauce was perfect. We shared the main entree which was the beef cheeks served worth black eyed peas and chard. Portion was perfect for two. No knife was needed to cut the meat, so tender. Oh, and currently listening to The Monkeys, Daydream Believer, love this place! If you're ever in New Orleans, you must come by! read more

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As quirky as the space is, as wonderful and good vibe it gives. The staff were super friendly. If the weather is nice, try to sit in the back courtyard they have, otherwise their dining area is wonderful. We sat by the window looking at the people traffic on the sidewalk. The food was amazing, we had a selection of plates and appetizers and everything was exceptional and creative. You can taste the freshness and the seasoning. French with NOLA flavors. Loved the place! Thanks read more

We were in New Orleans for a day after a cruise. We had our children with us. So we asked for recommendations for an outdoor place to get a bite to eat with our kids. Someone at the hotel recommended Sylvain's said they had a nice courtyard and it was kid friendly. When we walked in the host asked "drinking or eating?" We said eating she said "no food until 4" this was about 3:30. So we asked if we could sit in the back for a moment and let the kids go to the bathroom. So we sat down at the back table and no one came by to ask if we wanted drinks or anything. We figured all was good and we'd hang out until 4 to eat. Around 3:45 the rest of our family came in and the hostess asked them if she could help them. They said "oh our family is back there" and proceeded to walk toward us when The hostess said "oh let me guess your here to use the bathroom". They said "no we're here to meet our family." She said "oh you mean the ones sitting in the back not ordering anything? Can you please tell them to either order something or leave. You know this is a business". So we left. Ended up having a nice meal at Felix's instead. read more

Such an amazing place tucked away in New Orleans. If you're not looking you'll miss it. We stopped in for lunch and got to sit in the patio. This place is a gem. Service was excellent and the food amazing. Hubby enjoyed his Moscow mule. He soad it was refreshing. We tried the pork belly appetizer and it was amazing! Well seasoned with a great balance of meat and fat. The skin was crispy but wished it was a little bit crisper. Hubs had the baked chicken and it was so well seasoned and the sides complimented it very well. I had the braised pork that they batter coated and pan fried on top of collard greens. It was delicious. I dont like collard greens but I definitely ate these. We were so stuffed that we didnt have room for dessert. We really enjoyed dining here that I competed one of their little comment cards we received with our check. A couple of days after our visit to New Orleans, I received and email thanking us for visiting and responding to my comments letting me know they read my card. Now that's customer service. We will definitely be back when we visit NOLA again. read more

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Ok so I'm giving an extra three stars in addition to the five you can give because this place is amazing. The food was so beyond delicious. Beautiful setting and awesome wait staff. Darling manager who gave us the low down on several more amazing restaurants owned by the same group. This is our new Fav place in the whole of Nawlins. The braised pork shoulder with greens. The roasted Chile almonds. Seriously. Oh yea did I mention the broccoli and cauliflower Ceasar salad. read more

We made the last minute decision to dine here, medium sized group of 6, at an off hour. We were surprisingly accommodated! We were sat in the back patio, and despite being surrounded by AC compressors and the mugginess you'd expect from NOLA in August, it was lovely. The food certainly held its own. A head above the other places you might consider in the tourist dense parts of town. read more

The food was ok, nothing really bad but not great for the prices. We had two apps and three main courses.

If you are looking for a quiet and well lit place, keep looking. If you are looking for a restaurant with a cool atmosphere/vibe and eclectic crowd, look no further. Exposed brick. Low lighting. Quaint. Our server was knowledgeable and attentive. The Pork Milanese and Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad were fantastic. The French fries were superb. Make sure you save room for the Chocolate Pot de Creme. Rich, smooth and decadent. It will make it into your top 10 Best Dessert list. read more

Absolutely fantastic!! Would highly recommend. Everyone who took care of us was gracious and worked to not only create a lovely dining experience, but to genuinely make us feel so welcome and cared for. The server (Will?) was amazing, he was knowledgeable and entertaining and you could tell he really cared about his job. The chef is so talented, all the food was awesome especially the octopus I'll be dreaming of that for years to come. Plus the space is just beautiful, so romantic and lovely. Thank you Silvain for such a fantastic dinner! read more

We found this place by accident walking down Chartres. After a night of heavy drinking, the brunch menu was just what the doctor ordered. I had the pork shoulder eggs Benedict. It came on a fried green tomato and the eggs were poached perfectly. Alex, our server, was super friendly and gave us some helpful pointers about getting around the city. Great quiet atmosphere in a place where that is a rarity! read more

This place is fantastic. I'm from Chicago visiting and my friend moved to New Orleans and highly recommended this place. We came in for drinks one night and enjoyed the outdoor seating. Cocktails were great and service was great considering most people were inside and only our table was in the back. Came back for brunch two days later and the short rib hash is unbeatable. Simple, not over complicated flavors blending perfectly. Would order this again anytime. Milk punch was good too. read more

This place has a cool atmosphere. Our server was fantastic. We had a sazerac cocktail to start that was so refreshing. For an appetizer we had the fish fritters which were a great balance of spicy and creamy. We had a fish special and the grits with it were phenomenal. One of the best meals we had by far on our visit to NOLA. read more

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Food and service were top notch. Wife had the drum and it was perfectly cooked. I had beef cheeks and they were awesome and tender. 95-year old mother in-law had shrimp and grits. Only complaint she had was "too many shrimp, not enough grits..." If you go there ask for Joe; one of the best waiters ever! read more

Small rustic restaurant in the French Quarter. Table of three got the following: 1. Shaved Brussel sprout salad- skip; there's way better Brussel sprout salad out there like RPM Italian 2. Salted cod fritters- eat with the pickled greens in the broth and it's a great combination of flavors 3. Eggplant burrata- skip; basic dish 4. Veal Milanese- dry; no flavor; mashed potatoes were the best part and that's kind of sad..... 5. Daily fish- drum for the day; solid Overall food was OK. Wasn't bad but wasn't great. I wouldn't come back. Also, service was awful. Server Dawn L was inattentive and slow. I almost wanted to give my tip to the other servers who were a lot more attentive. Dinner took 3 hours.... why?? Oh wait Dawn L.... read more

Absolutely phenomenal. I love the entire space, especially the beautiful courtyard. The pappardelle bolognese was one of the best things I've ever eaten. Great service. Nice drink menu and their food menu offers just enough options for everyone. read more

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What a beautiful and cozy restaurant. The ambience is wonderful and the servers enhance it even more! I recommend making reservations because the place does a good job at staying busy. However- walk ins are openly welcomed and their bar stands as a great waiting area- seating is first come first serve and they offer the full menu there as well! We started with the seasonal market salad- consisting of fresh greens, strawberries, radish, avocado, fennel, and cashews, all tossed in a light vinaigrette. The "Chick-Syl-vain" sandwich was crispy and tender, and the house pickles added a tart flavor that complimented the buttermilk battered chicken breast. Served with a side of fries, a girl couldn't be happier. We finished the meal with the chocolate pot de creme, a creamy and rich dessert consisting of chocolate ganache and studded caramel. Overall a wonderful spot and will definitely return. read more

Holy moly the food blew us away and the atmosphere was not too shabby. This spot in the quarter is a hidden gem down a corridor and into a courtyard with a funky aesthetic. The strawberry salad and beef cheek were some of the best things I ever put in my mouth. Go here! Just do it, you will be happy you did. Best of all they are not pretentious or Over the top fancy (like a lot of place here). read more

Chicken sandwich was pretty damn good, elegant atmosphere, and reasonably priced. Definitely recommend!

Okay, let's be honest. As a local, there are certain places that you hold for special occasions because quite simply they still are magical. Sylvain is one of those places. First, though it is in the quarter, it is quiet, hidden, and makes you feel a little secretive. Second, from the food to the cocktails - I dare you to find something that doesn't make your mouth sing and a smile cross your lips. Third, I've never been able to beat the ambiance for a group dinner or a date night. I'm tempted to share more about this great little authentic spot, but really - I want to keep that bit of magic it still holds. read more

Our dinner at Sylvain was really good. Dark restaurant, as everyone says. But nice atmosphere really. I had the pasta bolognese and it was delicious. Light pasta noodles and tasty meat sauce at its best. Nice portion size too--meaning not a bowl the size of your head. My husband had the pork shoulder which he loved, and my kids both liked their hamburgers. So a little something for everyone. read more

Cool looking place but weak food and service at brunch. The spilt pea cake was interesting, but not delicious. I would not order again. Crispy pork was actually a fried pulled pork patty. It was ok but not what I was expecting and I wouldn't order it again. The grits underneath were not hot. Fried eggs and a poached egg were slightly overcooked. Lots of employees working but food took a long time to come out, despite a half empty restaurant. Hmmm. Maybe they only deserve two stars but I'll keep it at three for ambiance. read more