Nice, intimate and trendy location and venue. I attended a small SOBW Conference brunch during the kickoff of Essence Festival. I highly recommend it as a venue. The food was catered and on the menu there was BBQ Shrimp and grits, eggs, potatoes, quiche (small bites), bacon, sausage, a variety of fruit and pastries. There was as small band that was excellent! We had a custom bar with a few drinks. It was an excellent setting for a small/medium size group and I highly recommend it if you're hosting an event for no more than 75 people. read more

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Was in New Orleans for 3 nights and came here on the last night with my boyfriend. The manager was our waiter and he was very helpful, friendly, & attentive. He even hooked us up with a free chocolate cake dessert because I mentioned my boyfriend and I had been together for six months and that's why we were there celebrating. I ordered the Bouillabaisse Marseilles and it was yummy and full of great seafood but it could have used maybe a bit more of a kick to it and then it would have been perfect. read more

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This place is absolutely beautiful! Great place for a wedding or other events with lots of people. All the staff was very friendly. The food was so good but it was not enough. 3 courses and we all left hungry. Large group of us Had to go get more food down the road within an hour of leaving. The bar is over priced for beer and alcohols. read more

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We were visiting NOLA for my birthday and this was one of the places we had my birthday dinner. I had bought a Groupon a while back. Based on the reviews on Yelp, I had to try this place out. Boy was I pleasently surprised! It was a small walk from our hotel in the French Quarter. Our server, Stephen, was amazing! He was very attentive as well as helpful. He gave us tips on where to go check out live jazz music as well as where to eat on my actual birthday. We ordered the Jumbo Diver Scallops Grenobloise which was juicy and delicious. It came with 3 scallops- I wish there was more! I ordered the Roast Rack of Lamb and the hubby ordered the Veal Oscar. I enjoyed my lamb- it was cooked the way I like (medium-rare) and the sauce went well with the mashed potatoes. I got to try my husband's Oscar Veal and that was amazing! I've only had veal a couple of times in my life and the way Tomas prepared it was amazing. He loved it so much he wouldn't stop raving about it the next day. If I go back, I will have to order the veal for myself. If you get a chance, come check out Tomas Bistro- with or without a Groupon. It was worth it! I will have to go back next time I'm in NOLA. read more

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We had a good (but not great) experience at Tomas for dinner. We dined there on a Wednesday night and were the only patrons for about an hour. In such a large open restaurant it just was odd. Nothing the restaurant could have done but it was still awkward. We too had the Groupon and found the explanation confusing. It's essentially $80 off of your bill but they way it was explained sounded like the $80 had to be broken down by appetizer, entree, and dessert. The restaurant is pretty old school and I guess that means it has to be dark/dimly lit inside. They had the crab and brie soup as the soup of the day and we both started with that for our appetizer. It was one of the best soups I've ever had. Deliciously creamy and succulent. Yum! The downside? A cup of the soup was $14 which we didn't find out until the check came. Even for awesome soup, that seems a bit out of line. For my entree I got the rabbit. For what was described on the menu as a creole mustard chardonnay demi-glace, I though the sauce was really thick. It was very rich and seemed to over power the rabbit. The green beans were perfect and buttery. The spatzel seemed too wet and mushy. Didn't have much flavor. We ended with the White Chocolate Bread pudding. It seemed to be underdone as it wasn't standing up as well as some of the pictures posted here. Nevertheless, how can you go wrong? The bourbon sauce was just perfect. The service was good, but in an empty restaurant, it should be. I fine experience at Tomas but in a city full of culinary excellence, I would probably go elsewhere next time. read more

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I recently got married at Tomas Bistro and I cannot express how happy I am/was with the entire experience. The staff of Tomas is absolutely wonderful and I never once felt like I was not being taken care of. When we came for a dinner with my in-laws and my parents months before the wedding, they treated our table with such care and consideration that we left feelings like kings and queens. Never mind that the food was absolutely outstanding. Everyone at the table got something different and we all raved about how great the food was for the rest of the night. For the wedding, I am still getting compliments on how wonderful everything was (but I keep hearing that the shrimp and grits were a favorite among everyone). And, again, the staff went above and beyond to make sure we were catered to the entire night. No one was ever left without a beverage in hand and tables were cleaned in a prompt manner after guests were done eating. The romantic lighting and unique setting of The Gallery at Tomas really added on to making that night really great for us and our guests. I would recommend Tomas to anyone looking for a great meal or a wonderful event space. read more

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I decided to treat myself one day staying in New Orleans. I googled sweet breads and Tomas bistro popped on the radar. Benjamin was my server who was a former chef in another life which added greatly to the meal I started with the sweetbreads which were spectacular then into dove she into the duck which I still dream about and finished up with a wonderful chocolate tort I had a great cocktail from the bar and then Benjamin suggested a Margaux with my dinner It's very sophisticated wonderful spot to dine I'll be back read more

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I've been talking up Tomas Bistro seemingly since it opened. Now to put the money where my mouth is... uh, ie, a Yelp review. I'll be honest and say that the French cuisine is something I typically stay away from (and hello, French fries, that undeniably delicious vegetarian staple, are of course, Belgian). Simply put, it's traditionally the least vegetarian-friendly food out there. Quelle horreur! Let's just say if I have to face a pedestrian plate of plain grilled vegetables again, I will... write a negative Yelp review. But hey, I only blame myself when I don't do a little research and/or ask for what I want. I have this thing where I'll say to the waiter, "I really don't care, just surprise me." In the best of times, I've received something involving the best of seasonal offerings, artfully executed and mind-blowing, perhaps. Don't we all want that? The worst of times, it's been the aforementioned grilled vegetables (hello, 1990s wedding calling, they want their entree back). Christ, I'll even eat the ubiquitous butternut squash ravioli that another vegetarian Yelper has devoted a whole diatribe against (it's hilarious. I'll try and find it for you if you ask). Tomas Bistro clearly shines when it comes to dishes involving our furry and finned and feathered friends. Anyone that I've dined with here was extremely impressed with what they ordered, I can you that much. And an almost 5 star rating on Yelp... well those stars don't lie in this town, especially. Well, usually. I won't name names. See, most of my friends and loved ones are meat eaters. I don't mind this. I eat out a lot and I feel I would be pretty limited if I stuck only to vegetarian restaurants. Enter Tomas and Chef Guy. Months ago when I first dined here and described my dietary restrictions, I was not met with a hint of disgust, but an attitude of, "of course we can accommodate you." The menu changes here and there, but one thing that stays consistent is that tomato/avocado salad with a bit of goat cheese and some kind of dressing that has me wanting to give birth to a child in it and believe you me, childbirth is not something I ever really wish to contemplate, so there you have it. Yeah, it's good. Most recently, I had a pasta dish with artichokes, tomatoes and a hint of cream. What made the dish less of a simple carb blow-out, is that the pasta is buckwheat, so al dente, my teeth trembled in anticipation of the next bite. OH!! Gluten-free folks (Marisa B, I'm looking at you in a couple weeks): they have an entire menu devoted to you. In short, you can't go wrong here. The dining room is spacious and surrounded by windows, yet it feels intimate. There is a back dining room that seems to be perfect for an elegant affair. The side patio is idyllic. Service is genuine, attentive without being stuffy and forced. The waiter we had back in January was so full of information about food, I wonder if he left to pursue a career as a real food writer (read: not yelp reviewer, hello) or perhaps he was better suited to being a sommelier. Or tour guide. Or genius. I almost feel embarrassed now to talk or write about the food because my creative writing is limited to descriptions involving neurosis, pain and suffering. Not food. As you can see from this review. In short, Tomas is at the top of my dining list in New Orleans these days. Check them out and count on this being the case for you, too. read more

What a fantastic little spot! Fellow Yelper Jeff C. suggested that we try this place and since I had heard a lot of good things about it, I was down. This cozy little restaurant on Tchoupitoulas is the perfect spot for a date night or a celebration. We made reservations for 8, and although we were a few minutes late, we were seated immediately upon arrival. We were given our menus and we ordered some wine. Looking over the menu, I immediately knew what I wanted. I have been on quite the grits kick lately, so when I saw that they offered catfish and grits, I knew that was the dish for me. As a starter we decided to get the scallops, which were pan seared with butter, lemon, croutons and capers. I'm normally not a HUGE fan of scallops (it's a texture thing), but I am always willing to try food that I haven't liked before prepared in a different way. My experiment paid off because these scallops were delicious. They were flavorful and I really liked them a lot. The capers and butter created a nice sauce for them and I didn't think about the texture once! Next came the catfish and grits. Check out my picture- this dish was just beautiful. The catfish was crispy and fried to perfection and the grits were nice and firm and not watery at all. The smoothness of the grits was a perfect compliment to the fish and I was sure to get a little bit of both in every bite. I really can't say enough about this part of the meal and I was beside myself happy. Finally, we really decided to indulge and we treated ourselves to the chocolate mousse. This delicious concoction of whipped light chocolate came in a small chocolate shell bowl. The mousse was delectable and light and was the perfect conclusion to the meal. I also liked the presentation. I posted a picture- it really is a work of art. The staff was very attentive the entire time and was quick to refill the wine glasses and clear the plates when necessary. I was really very pleased with the entire experience and I think that Tomas Bistro might be one of my new favorite dinner spots in the city. I would absolutely go back and I am now hungry for more catfish and grits. read more

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The food and service were excellent. My girlfriend and I have a Groupon which was still around $80. We stayed within the bounds of the Groupon but still ended up having a much higher bill than expected. I realize this isn't necessarily the kind of place you go to save money. But... The filet was perfectly cooked and although simple in the preparation, was fantastic. I feel a bit like we were cheated on our bill. It seemed that our drinks for double charged. I really couldn't say if it was an accident or if it was to make up for the reduced price of the Groupon. I left aggravated and if it weren't for the billing experience I would have added another star. read more

The Gallery Venue - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Complements to the chef!! Glad we found this gem on Groupon while visiting the New Orleans CBD area. We made our reservation a few days in advance and came in on a wet chilly Sunday night. We were seated immediately and our server Neel greeted us promptly. We told him about the groupon and he was happy to fill us in on the details. We stared with the Pecan Old Fashioned and a glass of Rock-Vine cab. The old fashioned was a nice tasty twist from the usual and my vino was delish! Our groupon deal was for an app, 2 entrees, and a dessert. We started with the Crawfish Crepes filled with light fluffy goat cheese and topped with an amazing crawfish sauce. No kidding around hands down best Eva!!! For the entrees, I chose the Duck Julia and my bf had the Rack of Lamb (additional $5.00 charge). Both were phenomenal!! Meats were cooked to perfection, tender and ohh so juicy! Both of us could not stop looking and each other with mouths full saying Mmmmm!!!! The dessert round, we had the Bread Pudding and an after dinner drink the Ciao Bella. They were both delightful!! Service was top notch! Ask for Neel! Ambiance is dark and romantic with a rustic feel. Parking looks limited to street parking and I didn't see valet but walked from our near by hotel so I wouldn't really know. I am glad we found this deal and would recommend to anyone! Happy Eating's! read more

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I was in New Orleans for a work conference. I needed to arrange a large dinner and lots of things were booked but I finally settled on this place without every going inside. Emily, the sales manager was extraordinary helpful in arranging all of this! First of all, the back room is just exquisite. It's beautifully decorated with comfortable couches and great lighting, wood work, etc. Everyone commented on the decor and were happy to enjoy their cocktails in the seating back there. The restaurant itself is also beautiful and although the bar is small, it's a spacious area. Before we all got seated, I sat at the bar and ordered a "Perfect Margarita." Can I tell you that this is the most dangerous thing I've ever had? It was literally PERFECT. Freshly squeezed EVERY single juice right in front of me and there was so much alcohol in there that I couldn't even taste any of it. Totally dangerous. I had 4................. lol. Anyway, make sure to order one (or 4)!!! There was a preset menu - I picked a chowder, a salad, either crabmeat over linguini or a chicken dish. Dessert was (from what I heard) a not-so-ordinary flan that was delicious. In fact, everyone kept complimenting me on my choices and the menu. Even the bread on the table was delicious. The menus were printed on card stock and set on each individual plate. Very fancy! Service was impeccable. They were very attentive, on point and kind. Glasses were always filled and, I swear, I think my napkin was still midair about to fall when one of them came and swooped it up! Now, what did I eat? Well, I mentioned to the booking agent that I was vegan and could the chef perhaps prepare something? She said she'd take care of it. When I got there, THEYD PRINTED MY VERY OWN SEPARATE MENU!!!! Omg!!!!! On it's own card stock!!! I had a completely different but equally delicious meal of marinated tomatos, salad, some kind of roasted vegetables and I'll take a picture when I get home. Everything was amazing. They were incredibly accommodating and we had such an amazing time thanks to them. I'd truly recommend booking a large party through them or just going there for dinner. The food and service were on point and my boss and the attendees couldn't have been happier. We had a fabulous time! read more

The Gallery Venue - The perfect margarita - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Let me start off by giving my review in 3 words. It's all you really need to know. 'This place sucks!!!!' We too had the groupon deal for 4. We, like others had 'Ken' who recommended the 'best in New Orleans veal oscar'. We started with the shrimp and fried green tomatoes. 'Blah'. Then we had the fried oysters which were ok, with a decent sauce that saved them. Out of our group the best meal was the fried catfish with grits. The veal oscar was absolutely terrible!!!! Three pounded breaded flat dry pieces of veal, small pieces of vegetables, and not a piece of crab to be found anywhere! This was the same on three separate orders! It was the worst 'cafeteria' food possible. I could go on but it's making me relieve the whole unpleasant experience all over. With so many other great places to eat do yourself a favor and recommend this place to somebody you don't like!!! If I could give this place minus stars I would! read more

The Gallery Venue - 'Best in New Orleans Veal Oscar' NOT!!! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Purchased the Groupon, and decided to take my Mother there for her Birthday. Even without the Groupon Tomas Bistro will be a place I will return. We ordered the Crabmeat Au gratin for our our appetizer which was delicious and a cup of Oyster and Articoke soup which was amazing that just thinking about it my mouth is watering. For our entrees my mother order the Pecan Crusted Fish, which was a Puppy Drum, my mom truly love it. I ordered the Rack of Lamb which was cooked perfectly, it melted in your mouth, the creamed potatoes where delicious and complimented the dish. For dessert we had the chantilly cream, fresh fruit stuffed Crepes they were good, not to sweet but truly we were so full that we couldn't have eaten a rich and heavy desert. Also, I want to say to the owner Mr. Tommy Andrade. Thank you for making my mothers birthday extra special. It was a pleasure meeting you and my mother was overly impressed especially when you showed us the entire restaurant and all your beautiful Christmas decorations. I plan to make this a regular dining experience. Love it!! :) read more

I admit it, I had a Groupon, or it wouldn't have been a place we'd normally try. It's more upscale and pricier than we typically like. But it was Valentines Day so we splurged. And I'm glad we did! The restaurant has intimate ambiance and is great for date night. The food was wonderful and dessert was the highlight. Please order the white chocolate bread pudding. I'll be dreaming about it for weeks! *drooling These factors alone would not have us coming back IF not for Neel, the most amazing server ever!! He was so friendly, knowledgeable about New Orleans and even gave us a tour of the restaurant! Actually the entire staff, from the hostess to the bus boys, were incredible!! We will be back based on customer service alone. If you want to really enjoy your experience at Tomas, ask for Neel! read more

The Gallery Venue - White chocolate bread pudding - to die for!! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Great for date night Date night for my wife's pre-birthday trip to New Orleans. Good ambience, superior service and superb food. Baked Rock bass followed a great crab cake appetizer. My wife had the lamb and was very satisfied. The location is convient to the hotel's on the French Quarter though they may actually be considered part of the warehouse district. Love it! read more

The Gallery Venue - Courtyard in the downpour... Would be nice otherwise - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Everything was Delicious! Scallops were unreal! Crab and Brie soup was delectable! Crab Au Gratin was out of this world! The service was superb and the drinks were refreshing! Don't skip this place! You will not regret it! read more

The Gallery Venue - Soft Shell Crab with spaghetti squash and heirloom potatoes. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

This place is decent, kinda pricey. Stopped in breifly for a cold beverage. Not sure I would want to eat here, there are too many other great options. read more

Tommy, We did not have the pleasure to meet you, but be aware that your employees know how to treat your guests. To start, our food/beverage runner was very kind. He was prompt, classy, and polite. He knows that consumers pay good money for good service and that is exactly what he provided. Unfortunately I cannot recall his name, but he's the tall gentleman with the slick hair. Cheers for taking care of us. Joseph, our server was very knowledgeable and has great taste in food. He gave us great information about your intimate warehouse-restaurant and even gave us a tour. Seriously, one would never understand the size and beauty of your restaurant without that tour. You have a gorgeous facility. Our crawfish crepe was uniquely amazing. I may not be the biggest fan of goat cheese because it was sour, but I thought the concept was great and the crawfish were large in size and tasted great with the sauce. My girlfriend ordered the veal. She said the asparagus was perfect, however the overall Bernaise sauce was a little on the strong/vinegary side. But the proportion of the meal was great, and that means a lot to her. I ordered the lamb chops. Sure, it was a perfect rare, and it went well with the sauce and creole potatoes, however I found the lamb to be a little on the chewier side. Maybe I got unlucky. We finished with the bread pudding. Oh man, by the end, we were stuffed, but Joseph recommended it. It was great. Everything is made from scratch in house and I really appreciate the quality of your dessert, especially that caramel sauce. Sure I gained a pound from eating it all by myself, but hey we were on vacation anyway. Overall, I would love the opportunity to eat here again if I am in the area. read more

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This lovely little bistro gets 5 stars from me for a few reasons: 1. Accommodation: This place has some space. We were in town for a bachelorette party with 13 ladies and they easily housed our party with room to spare. 2. Staff/Service: Our service was on point. I have no complaints about the timeliness of delivery or attentiveness. In addition, our server had no qualms about splitting the bills 13 WAYS! After working in the service industry, I know that can get a little confusing especially when you have special requests like "um can you split hers amongst the 12 of us? K thanks!" High Five to our waiter who handled that like a pro and never made us feel like we were doing him a disservice. Also, the bartender saved my evening and happily charged my phone for me while we enjoyed our meal. 3. FOOD: Oh the food. My girlfriend and I shared the oyster appetizer and it was the perfect portion, calming my appetite until our food arrived, lightly breaded, not heavy or greasy. We also elected to split the special that night which was sea bass, paired with spaghetti squash and some kind of magical mashed potato side that blew my mind. I was boozing all day so pardon my lack of detail in my description, but basically everything was moan worthy. Love it! Cheers. PS: If you're headed to this place on foot trying to use google maps, don't. read more

The Gallery Venue - Bbq oysters: yumz (don't worry they're not too heavy, split with a friend and you're golden) - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

We got the pleasure of finding this place through an incredible Groupon deal. We had a shrimp appetizer in the most creamy, delicious sauce! Then we had the red fish and veal as entrees, both incredible! We both literally cleaned our plates! The sauces were buttery and so well seasoned, they really brought the meats to a whole new level! Then we had a dessert of chocolate cake that was so soft and creamy in the middle! Delish!! The atmosphere in the restaurant is awesome. Low lighting and beautiful decor really add to the romantic feel of the place. It was heaven from start to finish! By far one of the best dining experiences I've had in a long time! If you can, stop in for a meal here. And if you see that Groupon deal, grab it!! read more

The Gallery Venue - Red fish with mashed potatoes. Amazing!! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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The entire experience was simply amazing. Veal sweetbreads are a must try... The sauce itself was delicious. The duck entree is also worthy of seconds. The staff very courteous and made our experience pleasant. The building itself is full of history Definitely a place I would visit again read more

The Gallery Venue - Duck was amazing - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I found myself at Tomas Bistro thanks to Groupon, I'm such a sucker. My friend and I ordered the crawfish and goat cheese crepes which were ok but nothing to write home about. Although I'd normally go for the vegetarian meal (which they have) I decided to go with the rack of lamb. It was made just right and the potatoes and sauce were tasty. We tried the chocolate dessert and the bread pudding. My vote goes with the bread pudding because it was very bready/thick/french toast like (which I looove). Although I thought the dessert was great I wasn't blown away by the meal. The service was excellent and I liked the romantic feel of the restaurant. read more

I was here last night for a friend's wedding. Gorgeous venue. Food and drinks were top notch and the staff was very attentive. Will definitely consider this venue for a large event in the future. read more

Great atmosphere. Wonderful meal, the chef came to the table and spoke to us and offered to show us the kitchen. Very confident and has every right to be. This food is well prepared with great flavors. Perfect bite over and over! Great staff, very friendly and on point for service. What a treasure! read more

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First of all, let me commend Tomas Bistro for their hospitality. I called ahead and explained that I was gluten free. When we were seated with our reservation, our waiter had a completely gluten free menu at my place. There were so many delicious options that I could have. I ended up having the sweat reads for my appetizer, the pecan crusted drum for my entree, and for dessert, creme brûlée- all gluten free! In addition to the food being delicious and the service outstanding, it was definitely a perfect location. My sister and I came on a Tuesday night and there were very few people dining. My sister explained that most nights are much busier, but she had still never had a bad meal after dining at Tomas more than four times. I will definitely be coming here again (and trying the gluten free chocolate torte!). read more

It's been nearly 24 hours since my experience at Tomas Bistro and I'm honestly still in a state of euphoria. I would have to rocket this pleasure palace to the top of my list of "must try" in New Orleans. When choosing a restaurant to celebrate an important milestone birthday, one must choose wisely. Especially in the New Orleans CBD where there are an abundance of restaurants to pick from. Not only do you have to think about the food, what type of atmosphere you're looking for, and you've definitely got to consider parking. Tomas Bistro has it all! Amazing food, delightful atmosphere, and valet parking at an unbelievably reasonable price. My family and I arrived and were told we could choose where we would like to sit, and so we decided to sit near the front door. Our waiter arrives at the table and being the eccentric person that I can't help being I recognize a face from the past. Just so happens both my brother and I went to high school with this particular waiter, and believe me when I say that was a lifetime ago, but let's not go there. He was an excellent waiter and took very good care of us throughout our meal. And onto the meal.... To begin we were interested in a bottle of white wine, but not sure exactly which to order. The waiter recommended Macon-Villages which is a Chardonnay, and may I say it's excellent! He let us taste the wine before we purchased the bottle which was very helpful. A few of the notable items we ordered were lobster brie soup, goat cheese stuffed crepes topped with crawfish sauce, duck Julia, and a special entrée of the day which was trout topped with jumbo lump crab meat and paired with purple mashed potatoes and spaghetti squash. One item that really stood out for me was the lobster brie soup. I'm not exaggerating when I say it's a little bowl of pure bliss. It was a special soup for the evening, so they don't always have it. If your there, and it's available, don't pass it up. In between courses and conversation we asked the hostess about the restaurant and learned it's been open about two years and also learned the same owner also owns two of the restaurants directly across the street. Not too long after we asked the owner happened to walk in, and just so happens we were at "his" table. Apparently he usually comes in to eat and always sits where we happened to be dining. Low and behold he comes to our table! By this point we are already very content and have thoroughly enjoyed our meals. My mom goes on to tell him how much we have enjoyed everything, and we are there celebrating my birthday. With no hesitation he looks at me and asks me if I enjoy champagne. I say "Yes Sir I do". He had glasses of champagne sent over to us and took care to talk to the chef to prepare dessert for all of us to celebrate properly. It was such an unexpected and kind gesture. It really topped off a very memorable evening and a wonderful birthday celebration. read more

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Current holder of Larissa's best duck in NOLA award. The Duck Julia at Tomas Bistro reigns victorious, the dish comes with both a generous portion of breast meat and a confit duck leg completed with a rich raspberry sauce. The duck is served with swiss chard and wild rice, which balance out the meat nicely. At Tomas I've also tried the Beef Tournedo , the special dish of the evening, and the goat cheese and crawfish crepes. Both dishes were also amazing. The Beef Tournedo came out the perfect temperature, and I loved the creme sauce that covered the crepes. Along with the food, Tomas has a good service team. Both times I've come here the waiter described the dishes well, and answered all questions easily. On my most recent visit to Tomas, the bartender even made me a special mocktail even though there were none on the menu. Looking forward to my next fine dinning experience here, and *maybe* I'll try something other than the duck. read more

This has to be one of the oddest places we've eaten in a very long time..I'm not even really sure how to review them properly. We got a Groupon for 88$ which gave us 176$ worth of food- we read some reviews and checked out the menu and looked forward to a nice meal. We went for my husband's 30th birthday- I called ahead, made the reservation, and told them this. When we arrived we were seating by a gentleman..facing a TV so we could watch the Saint's game. This wasn't the type of atmosphere we expected. Initially, a woman (who we later found out was the bartender) came to us to tell us the specials. She then left, and another man (who was bald with glasses) came to the table. We explained we had a Groupon (which I told them when making the reservation). He then went back to to the bartender, and they had a 'private' conversation loud enough for us to hear about the fact we were using a Groupon and that we don't get to order any of the specials and why did she tell us about them. The man and her argued about if for a bit, then he came back to us and told us "You cannot order the specials today because with the Holiday season the price of meat is too high." What!? We said we needed a minute to look over the menu, and another man (younger, with black hair) comes to the table to take our order. He had NO idea we were using a Groupon, and didn't know what options were could select from based on the Groupon offer. Ok...so we order our meal. He then brings us bread. We notice we only have massive steak knives and forks, so we ask the waiter with glasses for a butter knife. He looks at us like we are nuts and says, "We discontinued the bread knives." WHAT!? He told us he could bring us a spoon. A spoon for buttering bread!? I didn't eat the bread anyways because it was beyond stale. Our appetizer comes out- brought by ANOTHER man (who was apparently the food runner). This was Shrimp Remoulade $11 with Fresh Louisiana Shrimp, Fried Green Tomatoes, Sauce Remoulade . This thing was THICK and without fried green tomatoes. When we finished the man with glasses asked how it was and we asked, "we're the shrimp supposed to be peeled?" He says, "You don't eat the tails!" Yah, no joke! We showed him that we literally had to peel some of the shrimp- they dumped them in the dish with legs and all, while others were completely peeled. Keep in mind we also had to use our steak knives or this dish! I have never used a steak knife in my life to eat shrimp. The server went to the kitchen, told us that the chef apologizes for the dish and that we would get an additional dessert. I then ordered a bottle of wine from the younger of the two men. I asked for the wine menu, looked it over, then made the order. This means when the bottle is opened you would pour ME the first pour and place the cork in front of me and the bottle label facing of me. They acted as if my husband had ordered the bottle, gave him the first taste and the cork. Didn't' even acknowledge me. For mains we had the Duck Julia $24 Medium-Rare Roasted Breast of Moulard Duck and Confit Leg, Traditional Wild Rice, Swiss Chard, Raspberry Fig Sauce and the Venison Short Loin $32 Roasted Loin of Venison, Juniper Berry Marinade, Potatoes Gratinée, Roasted Cipollini, Steamed Asparagus, Cherry Demi-Glace. The swiss chard was so salty that it was inedible, and I really like salt. The duck was cooked to perfect- really nicely paired with the raspberry fig sauce. The venison was just ok (overcooked in our opinion) which is a shame since it was my husband's birthday meal. He can't eat cheese and asked to substitute the Potatoes Gratinee with something else- they threw three boiled potatoes on the plate- they looked really out of place. What nice restaurant can't come up with something else to serve besides three sad little boiled potatoes?! When the server with glasses asked how my meal was, I told him that the duck was cooked amazingly well and to please let the chef know how much I liked it, so he says, "Coo Coo,, so sorry about that, sorry you didn't like it." Umm..?? Ok. Dessert was Burgundy Poached Pear $8 Slowly poached with Burgundy and topped with Crème Chantilly and Fresh Raspberries, and Praline cheesecake with Foster sauce. Both we excellent. Service was sooooo bad. Why did we have 4 different people serving us, none of who knew what the others were doing? During our entire meal, the staff stood in front of the TV and watched the Saint's game. The servers used slang and had no decorum whatsoever. They acted like we were eating in a fast food establishment. haha not at the prices on their menu! This is supposed to be fine dining, but apparently not. I was pretty upset that we selected this place as my husband's birthday meal. We left feeling awkward and confused about the meal- really not a pleasant experience. Do not come here expecting high class service or heaven forbid a butter knife to use with your bread ;) read more

Went here last night crossing my fingers that we could get seated because it was already 10pm by the time we got there. The restaurant was empty, but nobody seemed to mind that we would now be the only thing keeping them from going home. I walk by this place pretty frequently, and the menu on the door looks fantastic. The service was really great- the waiter knew the dishes inside and out and was able to answer all our questions. I had the rabbit, my friend had the duck special, and both were absolutely amazing. Sooo much better than a lot of the places I've tried so far. The prices were pretty reasonable; two high-end entrees and a bottle of wine, and we were looking at about 90 bucks. I really liked the atmosphere- very fine dining, but not so much so that us ordinary folk feel out of place. My very favorite thing was that they have both black and white napkins. Will definitely go back often. read more

My compliments to the chef. The food was delightful. Roast rack of lamb was tasty, the mashed potatoes were perfectly seasoned. That's where my thumbs up on this restaurant ends. The staff was awful and completely unprepared. Chef Ramsey would have had a lot of colorful language on this experience. I'll start from the beginning. I made a reservation for a bachelorette party of 8. I called ahead to ask if the restaurant would chill two bottles of champagne for us so that we could enjoy them cold when our limo picked us up from dinner. They said "Sure, for $25 per bottle." I didn't even pay that much for each bottle. I mean, I understand the corking fee if we were going to drink it, but we were just asking for a bucket of ice to prevent wasting limo time driving back to the hotel. Oh well. Moving on.. Owen, our server, was extremely passive aggressive. He gave us a White Linen Night Cocktail Special menu upon arrival. When we ordered from it, the bartender just about lost it because he didn't have a bottle at his bar and would need to go to the kitchen to get one. Mind you, my party was the only party in the room and there were maybe 4 in the rest of the restaurant. After everyone in my party placed the same, he said "fine, I will go get one since no one wants the prosecco instead." Our cocktail special menu also disappeared from our table after this. Maybe it was just Owen's personality, but everyone at the table felt his mannerism was extremely rude. "Oh, by all means.. Sip on your cocktails and eat the bread. But feel free to order appetizers while you wait for the rest of your party." He said this with a very condescending tone only about 5 minutes into the 6:30 res. This was one of many snarky comments throughout this night. This guy was rude and unpleasant. He brought the wrong order to two of our party, but it came quickly and everyone was hungry, so we dealt with it. He didn't bother coming to check on us or ask how the meals were. And about 20 min after everyone finished, we had to hunt him down to get the bill. Once we got the bill, that was another 45 min process. When someone asked him when he would bring our cards back, he snapped, "Can't you see there are like 500 people in here? I haven't run them yet." You're a restaurant right in the middle of the White Linen Night event. This happens every year. Get with it or go serve at a restaurant in Metairie where volume isn't high. This is New Orleans. Events like this shouldn't catch you off guard. Get prepared for the 500 person crowd. Also, thank you for wasting an hour of our limo service for us. We had to find a manager to get us checked out so we could get out of there. None of us will be back. read more

Good fine dining menu options. They offer crawfish and goat cheese crepes like Muriel's, but they are not quite as good, but overall tasty. I had a filet with lump crabmeat and crawfish potatoes for the main entree. I would have given this place 4 stars if only my meal was HOT! I sent my plate back asking it to be re-heated to only get a reallllly hot plate with the same temperature food. I was really disappointed. The food was flavorful and would have been so good had it been the right temperature. I would like to give this place another try. The ambiance is nice and the prices are high like fine dining, but it's missing that fine dining service. The wait staff was fine, but you don't get the whole fine dining feel from this place. read more

We ate here on a Saturday evening. After cruising the block for a parking place, we used the public valet parking across the street. The restaurant was not very busy, so we were seated right away at a nice two topper table. The atmosphere and decorations were nice. It gave a cozy, intimate feeling to the place. We ordered a bottle of wine from their decent wine list and looked over the menu while nibbling on the fresh bread. We ordered the crab au gratin as an appetizer. We are used an au gratin made from cheddar and was surprised at how runny the Bechamel sauce was. No toast or anything came with it, so we had to ask for more bread. Based on the server's recommendation, my wife ordered the Veal Tomas (supposedly the best veal dish in New Orleans) while I was intrigued by the Crawfish risotto. As we waited for the main course, we saw the staff bring the wrong order to the table next to us. Omens of things to come. After what seemed like a long wait, our meal finally appeared. The waiter warned us the plates were extremely hot, which is probably what warmed up my wife's veal. To say the meat was lukewarm would be an understatement. My risotto was hot, but I suspect it had been simmering in a pot. The risotto was alright, nothing exceptional, but my wife was upset with the veal dish. For dessert we shared the mirliton tarte-tatin with vanilla bean ice cream. Interesting, but nothing I would order again. And it wasn't just the food. We've had better service from neighborhood restaurants. In a restaurant like this where the staff should be aware on what is going on, my wife had to repeatedly ask for her water to be refilled. All in all, just a disappointing evening. read more

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Steamy night in New Orleans and walked over to Tomas Bistro from Canal the night after White Linen. Has a certificate in hand from Restaurant.com and had confirmed the hours on web site before heading out...I had not counted on Summer hours..Sunday night only open until 8..it was 817..crap...Matr'de sees wife and I standing outside flummoxed and pulls us inside..oh dont worry about the summer hours come in have a glass of champagne and stay for dinner..well if you insist! We turned ourselves over to out waiter, who with 25 years in the industry was informative and fun, the entire staff was very to talk too and by coming in later we were the "center of attention". Started with broiled sea scallops, delicious flavor (I am sure no butter was harmed during the prep ;P) and the aforementioned glass of champagne. Split a heirloom tomato and arugula salad with a glass of pinot noir and then the wife and my paths diverged. Wife when redfish with a spicy rub while i went line caught seabass with a black bean, ginger and saki side (this was incredibly good!!). Desert was a glass of port/glass of scotch and a flourless tort. A great dinner, fantastic service and price point was very reasonable. read more

Great ambiance. Great service. Fantastic food. I had fish (either grouper or flounder) over mashed cheesy potatoes and asparagus, with a bearnaise substitution as the sauce on the menu did not fit my dietary constraints. It was supremely delicious and made for a great combination of flavors. Companion had filet and was extremely pleased with it. Appetizer portion was designed to be individual, but we split a crab cake, which was acceptable but not as delicious as any I've had in Baltimore. Excellent spot for romantic indulgence or a milestone family celebration. They were able to seat us on Christmas Eve though we didn't have a reservation. It was busy, but the restaurant seating area is quite large, extending across multiple rooms. Decor is very tasteful and traditional, with white linens atop round cafe tables, small oil lamps next to the salt and pepper, and placid landscapes on the wall. Might be too dim for some eyes to read the menu, but perfect for relaxing and focusing on the taste of the food. Attire ranged from polo and slacks to full suit for men, and night-out black dress to special occasion blazer and skirt for ladies. It would not be appropriate to wear a t-shirt or shorts, but I felt fine without a jacket, but in a formal vest. Be prepared to spend at least $50 per person, $80-$100 if you intend to have alcohol. read more

My wife and I went to Tomas Bistro after Jazz Fest last night. We had learned about them from a Groupon. Let me tell you, It will not be our last time there. We live in Mississippi so it is a little bit of a drive for us, but it is worth it. The service was excellent, the food was excellent. The prices are what you would expect to pay at a restaurant of this quality. We started with the Calamari for an appetizer as we both like Calamari if it is prepared right. Not only was it right, but it was the best I have ever had. My wife had the Duck which was tender and full of flavor. I had the Redfish Special and it was full of flavor. For Dessert, we split a piece of the Amaretto Cheesecake that was light, fluffy and mouth watering. The presentation was appealing to the eye in each of the courses. read more

Came here on a date and the whole experience was fantastic. We came with a Groupon, which seems to actually be the norm here on Yelp from the reviews I've seen. They may do this somewhat frequently, so have a look! Being from out of town, I ordered an Old Fashioned and was directed toward a Sazerac. Quite pleased with the redirect, for a new flavor and for something more distinctly New Orleans. My girlfriend and I shared a tomato salad and shrimp absinthe, and then traded bites of their lamb and duck entrees before splitting a chocolate torte. How good was this? It was enough to silence the two of us, which anyone who knows either of us would say is a feat to behold. The highlight of the meal was the duck, which came with wild rice and swiss chard, and had the most wonderful raspberry fig sauce. Combining a taste of the duck meat and raspberry before having a bite of the chard was wonderful. I'll remember this dish for some time! Tomas Bistro comes recommended, if you're looking for a special night out. read more

Disaster of a date. As in a Resevoir Dogs-level trauma. The short version is that there was rude service followed by food poisoning. First, the waiter was snooty beyond belief. When we asked if we could add chicken to a salad he checked back in the kitchen and said yes, before popping back a second time to say he would have to charge us the price of a whole cooked chicken, because he "doesn't have chicken just sitting around in his kitchen." Really? Because I keep chicken around my personal kitchen and I am only feeding myself, not a restaurant full of people. Needless to say, we had chickenless salad. Second, it was icier than the crypt inside, even though it was a pretty cold night outside. Third, the waiter treated us like kids. For the record, my boyfriend and I are both attorneys in our late 20's, so that was a little weird and uncomfortable. The icing on the cake was that the only good part of the meal (my shellfish gnocci) gave me food poisoning. I will never go back ever again (ever ever? ever ever!) , and would advise anyone who doesn't want to pay to be made sick to avoid this noxious restaurant as well. read more

I was pretty excited to try this place after reading all of the positive reviews on Yelp. Ky and I decided to give it a try on Bastille Day so that we could get all francophile an shit. I was super excited to have the sweetbreads appetizer after my experience with the pancreas at Bayona, and I was only mildly disappointed. Despite being mostly French myself and being a famous fans of all things saucy, I forgot how much the French LOVE their sauces, which I quickly remembered with the sweetbread appetizer. Although it was super yummy, I was not quite sure that the brown gravy business they had going on on those innards was quite right. We also tried the crawfish and goat cheese crepes, which proved to be the highlight of the evening - unfortunate only because anyone at home can make anything with goat cheese and it's going to be damn delicious. I don't think that culinary prowess is established by tossing up something that is inherently delicious like goat cheese, any sort of cheese, really, butter, ranch dressing, etc. etc. Anyway, get those because they're probably the best thing on the menu. For entrees, I had the Lapin (RABBIT RABBIT), which was really yummy but, again, I think that it was really only yummy due to the creole mustard sauce that the stuff was swimming in. The spatzel was a bland waste of fat and carbs (without the mustard that is), but the green beans were good, if greasy. Ky got the bouillabaisse. I don't know what the deal is with bouillabaisse: I've only ever had it a few times, and it's always fishy as f*ck. Maybe that sounds ignorant, given that the stuff IS fish stew, but fish can be overly fishy/gamey, yes? Anyway, my less than stellar review is pretty much based on Ky's bouillabaisse. It was gross. The anise flavor was totally out of control, which seemed like a vain attempt to de-funk the fishy funk. That said, it somehow got less nasty as he slopped his way toward the bottom of the bowl (good midwestern boys eat stuff even if they think it's gross - it's the farming roots), but that could have been due to the death of his taste buds with every slurp. Who knows. In a nutshell: Thomas is a good place to stop in for a glass of wine and some other sauces. The atmosphere is wonderful. The wait staff is touch and go. The fish soup is sort of nasty, but the goat cheese crepes are yum (duh). I saw a few other plates that looked really good, like the venison and the beef tournedos, but the rabbit was maybe just a 7 of 10. I would probably try it again, although it would be rather an expensive gamble. read more

Tomas Bistro was lovely. It's a really nice dining atmosphere with a nice menu. I started with the crawfish bisque, which was delightful. It was a lot meatier than most bisques I've had, and I enjoyed that immensely. I followed that up with Pecan Crusted Drum. This place does fish really, really well. I also got to taste a co-diner's rabbit. That was unbelievable. Seriously amazing. Everyone else in my party was thrilled with their food and left the restaurant happy. Our waiter, Ken, had lots of information about the menu and sold several in my party on various specials. I highly recommend Tomas Bistro! read more