The Vault Nola

Great bar with locals. Their food was tasty. We ordered the pimiento cheese and crackers as an…read moreappetizer. I want this again! The burgers and fries were delicious. For service, you order at the bar. The food comes out quickly. There is music playing and TVs on. We had a large bachelorette party near us. Cool place!

Cute ambiance in this little bar hidden away, just steps from bourbon street…read more They have great happy hour specials, but I just came in for a quick bite to eat. I really enjoyed the house burger with fun ingredients like foie gras. It was a perfect meal enjoyed at the bar. The bartenders were super friendly and service was quick.

Lively bartenders

Crispy Brussels Sprouts, pork belly bao buns, salt and pepper wings, fries, tamale

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Indoor seating

Doris Metropolitan

4.4(904 reviews)

0.9 mi•French Quarter

Visited Doris Metropolitan in New Orleans for a celebratory dinner, and the experience delivered…read more We started with the octopus appetizer, which was one of the better starters of the night. Rich, layered, and well-balanced with fresh elements that worked together on the plate. For entrées, we had a variety of cuts, including the Australian Wagyu, ribeye, butcher's cut, and lamb chops. The Wagyu stood out immediately. High quality, great sear, and finished tableside, which added to the overall experience without taking away from the food itself. Each steak was cooked precisely to temperature and full of flavor. The lamb chops paired with carrots and brussels were well executed and balanced. The sides complemented the meal well and did not feel like afterthoughts. You can also see their in-house dry aging setup, which speaks to the level of detail they put into their steak program. It shows in the final product. The drinks were solid across the board. The Old Fashioned and bourbon selections paired well with the meal and matched the food's quality. Service by Noelle was attentive and responsive throughout the night. Everything flowed well, and we were taken care of without feeling rushed or hovered over. This is not a casual dinner spot, but for a celebration or a night where you want a full experience, Doris Metropolitan absolutely delivers.

I visited for the first time after receiving several positive recommendations from colleagues, so…read moremy expectations were quite high. Overall, the experience was average and did not fully meet those expectations. The charcuterie and cheese board, priced at $68, was underwhelming in both portion size and value. It included only six thin slices of cured meat and a small selection of cheeses. Unfortunately, one of the cheeses had an unpleasant flavor that made it inedible for our table. The bread service was a highlight, offering a nice variety of breads and accompaniments. The ribeye was cooked well and enjoyable, but it did not stand out from what I've experienced at other upscale steakhouses. The five-cheese couscous was the biggest disappointment, as it lacked the rich, flavorful profile its description suggested. While the service and presentation were appreciated, the overall dining experience did not justify the high expectations or the price point.

Australian Wagyu Striploin A-8 score

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Beef shawarma

Café Amelie

4.3(3.3k reviews)

1.0 mi•French Quarter

Great food, drinks, service and atmosphere. Food is priced very well for the quality.read more

We had an absolutely exceptional dinner at Café Amélie tonight! With the recent rain, the usual…read morepotent French Quarter street smells were washed away, leaving the air beautifully fresh and the temperatures perfectly cool. Though pop-up showers were still lingering, my husband and I decided to take a gamble on courtyard dining--and I am so glad we did! Sheltered under the green umbrellas surrounded by historic brick walls, lush greenery, and rain-kissed citrus trees, the atmosphere was incredibly romantic and peaceful. The courtyard's intimate layout even brought a bit of extra magic to our evening. We sat near another wonderful couple (and their adorable daughter) and became fast friends, sharing laughs and conversation throughout the night. What truly anchored the experience, though, was the incredible service. The staff was remarkably personable, helpful, and welcoming. The dinner itself was excellent from start to finish, showcasing immense culinary skill across every dish. We started with the delicious brussels sprouts and a uniquely seasoned spring/summer gumbo that was unlike any version we've had before (oh, what I would give for the recipe). As for the entrées, the shrimp and grits were phenomenal, and the blackened catfish sandwich with a fresh salad was executed flawlessly...and the bread pudding was fantastic, too! It is rare to find an experience where top-tier hospitality, a breathtaking environment, and great food come together so (seemingly) effortlessly. Café Amélie is an absolute must-visit! We will be back.

1.2 mi•Central Business District

The dining room as we were leaving.

Spring salad

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Shrimp and grits

Gallier Restaurant & Oyster Bar

4.4(2k reviews)

Casual dining

Happy hour specials

The service was phenomenal, the staff amiable and the food wonderful! This coupled with the amazing…read moreatmosphere creates a very nice dining experience. Ps. Get the crawdad fries

We started with crab cake The Cajun pasta and charbroiled oysters were amazing. Great service as…read morewell!

Gallier's... Great Seafood & Oysters with Cajun Style

We are right off Bourbon Street (Corner of Canal St and Carondelet St)

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Gallier Special Dozen Oyster

Jewel Of The South

4.5(292 reviews)

1.2 mi•French Quarter

Named #44 in the Top 50 Best Bars in the World List, I had high expectations. Supposedly…read morereservations were hard to get, but that is because they allot most of the place for walk-ins, so you don't need to put in the effort that I did to book a time a month in advance. We were seated in the upstairs area and tried some of their drinks. We got the Brandy Crusta which is their most popular drink and the Pouvez-Vous Poulet which is a seasonal cocktail. The Brandy Crusta has the cup dipped in sugar with a fairly strong cocktail within. Definitely get this when you are here as that is one of the best Brandy Crustas and is historical. The Pouvez-Vous Poulet is a duck fat washed rum cocktail and is also very delicious. You cannot really go wrong with any cocktail, but definitely order the Brandy Crusta for the true experience here. Though, honestly, while the cocktails are good, it was not as memorable as the other Top 50 Best Bars in the World that I have been to, but I won't dock a star off because of this, since the cocktails and overall experience otherwise were fantastic. Service is good but can be a bit slow, but it is an acceptable tradeoff for a more quiet ambience compared to downstairs.

"World's 50 Best Bars," you say? Naturally, this was one of the first reservations I made once I…read moreknew I was going to New Orleans. Booking was surprisingly easy, and even after changing the reservation multiple times, I was still able to find availability at most of my preferred times. The only thing I couldn't secure was indoor seating. Since this was during a rainy December, I wasn't thrilled about being seated outside on the back patio. When we arrived, we asked if there was any possibility of moving indoors, but unfortunately nothing was available. They did have heaters outside, though there's only so much that can be done when it's cold and raining. The menu is fascinating and very creatively laid out. I ordered the Sazerac, and my husband got another cocktail along with some food. The drinks were good, but I did find them a little overhyped ,though that may simply have come down to my choice of drink. My feeling is that when a bar is ranked among the best in the world, every cocktail on the menu should feel exceptional especially classics . I would still consider it a worthwhile experience overall. The service leaned slightly pretentious, which we weren't particularly fond of, and ultimately we decided not to stay for another round. Realistically, I'd probably rate it closer to three stars, but some of the downsides may have just been circumstantial, so four stars feels fair.

Gorgeous bar; only 4 barstools, first come, first served

Spiced Fruit Toast Brunch

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The Harlequin

Paladar 511

4.5(812 reviews)

0.9 mi•Marigny

This place was recommended to us by a bartender. I thought we weren't going to be able to get in…read morebut they sat us right away. This place was sooo good. Got the short rib ragu and Italian sausage arancini. Amazing. Also got the lamb merguez sausage pizza. Did not expect pizza to blow my mind like that it was great. Also got the spinach cannelloni which was my favorite by far. The only downside was that the servers snatch the plates up way too fast. We were not done eating and there was still food on the plate. Said something when they did it the first time and then they did it again??

Excellent dining! My colleague hit a home run with the reservation for the eve…read more Upscale warehouse vibe, with super-attentive service. Our personable server Victoria guided us thru the menu. Among a group of three, we enjoyed the Smoked Duck Toast, Roasted Carrots, and Arancini, all delicious. For entrees we had the Spicy San Marzano Pie, Roasted Mushroom Pie, and I had the Pappardelle dish. Excellent flavor and spice on my Pappardelle, and not complaints on the pizza front. Padalar is definitely a classy casual destination away from the typical NOLA tourist scene.

1.2 mi•Central Business District

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Luke

4.2(5.5k reviews)

We eat here every time we come to town. Multiple times usually! Just really really good food and…read morefriendly service

The Luke was honestly one of the best restaurants we went to while in New Orleans…read more It was attached to the Hilton hotel. I mean seriously the different shrimp dishes, to the omelette was unreal. My wife said it was the best omelette she's ever had. The ambiance was great and for the price of this place it's super fair. Not only that but the kind of service you get here is unmatched. Especially Lanicka who was our server for both of the days we were there. Fantastic breakfast experience. Lastly, I now fully know what chicken and waffles can taste like. I now understand the appeal.

LA Gulf Oysters

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Gulf Oysters

The Jazz Playhouse

4.3(317 reviews)

1.1 mi•French Quarter

Nice experience, classic jazz, good service, quite good to enjoy the classics. Not crowded and good…read morefood.

We had such a fun time, live jazz and lovely desserts! If you're wanting a stop on Bourbon St…read more without all the debauchery this is it. New year's weekend was a blast in New Orleans and this stop one evening was a great memory. Fair priced so you can spend your dollars tipping the singer & band!

Pennsylvania Wolfe Johns

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The Elysian Bar

4.3(314 reviews)

1.2 mi•Marigny

I've had this spot on my list for a long time, ever since hearing about it in a Simon Majumdar…read morepodcast (we're talking years ago). This beautiful bar is located in the swanky Hotel Peter and Paul hotel, located in the Marigny neighborhood. It's also attached to an equally stunning restaurant that's perfect for blog or instagram photos. Our bartender offered great conversation and gave good recommendations and descriptions of the various cocktails. I had the Sonnet to my Wife, made with mezcal, St. Germaine, aperol, and lemon. Tart and mildly smoky. I also had the Adding machine, made with tequila, guava, velvet falernum, pomegranate, and lime. A little sweet, a little spicy with a complex flavor profile. I enjoyed both drinks. If not for my husband, I would have stayed for at least a few hours trying the whole menu. So many beautiful cocktails to choose from. They have beer and wine as well, but you'd be doing yourself a disservice. You can get those anywhere. They also have breakfast with eggs, sausage, omelettes, pancakes. Dinner with savory little numbers like smoked bone marrow and braised short ribs with smoked gouda polenta. Salads, grilled quid, pork chops, scallops, various veggies (crispy brussels sprouts, caramelized leeks, charrted broccolini, roasted mushrooms). I would gladly return for some of these delicious selections.

Elysian was on our list of places to try since we're within walking distance. It took a few tries…read moreto get in through RESY, but overall, I would revisit again and maybe try breakfast. Dinner was good, but probably would have been great had the service been better. (The manager and the server apologized, and if we had more time were willing to comp a meal if we could revisit. Unfortunately, we were leaving the next day, so they did the next best thing: they comped almost half of our bill. WELL DONE!) The restaurant is very inviting with parlors and an atrium. The tables are spaced well apart for noise and a possible romantic dinner/Breakfast. :-) Once seated, the server was working very hard but found us. (They may have been short since the jazz festival was in town) She took our drink orders, which arrived quickly. She explained the menu and let us think about our choice. The drinks were Flaura and Fauna, and Ballad Inventory. Both were unique and tasty. When our server returned, we ordered all of our items. We ordered Chicken under a brick and Braised Short Ribs for entrees. We ordered Roasted Mushrooms, Charred Broccoli, and Dinner Rolls. The Kitchen fell short in timing as rolls arrived at the end of our meal, and a few dishes were lukewarm at best. When refired, they were very good. ( See above) The meal itself and the surroundings were good. At the end of our meal, the manager and the server came over and apologized and told us they would be talking to the team. When the bill arrived, the manager had comped more than half of our total bill *( drinks, bread, mushrooms... $ 168 to $85). We didn't expect this, but it shows how much they care to make things right with customers. Elysian Bar and Restaurant is worth visiting, and you should visit for dinner or breakfast. ,

1.1 mi•Warehouse District, Lower Garden District

Dining area

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Dearly beloved cocktail

Cochon RESTAURANT

4.2(5.5k reviews)

let this review be a proxy for both the main restaurant and the butcher…read more James Beard has acknowledged the greatness of Donald Link and the Cochon team, so who am I to add my voice to this disucssion? Well - let me anyway. High quality here - from start to finish. Thoughtful, design forward, excellence everywhere. The Gumbo was unlike anything I could have imagined - dark and rich - a treat. Had the butcher slice me some mortadella - then they plated that with some stone ground mustard and crackers - I'll remember this one for a while. if you get down here - make it your mission to get here.

We books an 8pm reservation for our anniversary dinner. We had excellent service and the food was…read moredelish! Shared the steak, boudin balls, grits and kind beans and of course wine. Our server overheard us say happy anniversary and brought us some coconut milk lime sorbet. We brought so much food as left overs but it was all so yummy. Little noisy and very busy. Glad we had a reservation!