So on Day 2 of my first New Orleans trip, I wanted an iconic meal at an iconic New Orleans spot. So we headed to Willie Mae's NOLA to try her famous fried chicken. I jumped on my OpenTable app and was able to snag a reservation on a busy Friday night. We took an Uber to the restaurant but I did notice most of the parking for this restaurant was street parking. Walking in about 15 minutes before our reservation and they sat us immediately at the bar,much to my surprise as the restaurant was packed and I had heard rumors of people waiting for long periods of time for a seat. The restaurant was very busy and quite noisy with the constant chatter of a full restaurant along with the most amazing music being played to create the best ambiance for a great meal. Once we sat down we ordered a few cocktails to go with our dinner. We ordered a Sidecar($18.00) and a French 75($14.00) Both were exquisite-tasted great and were well made. For food we ordered the 1/2 Fried Chicken order($18.00) which comes with 4 pieces of fried chicken and a side, I went with the Mac n Cheese but it was out and they gave me Red Beans and Rice and a side of Green Beans in its place. We also ordered the Caesar Salad with the Fried Chicken added.($13.00 + $5.00) Our food got to us in about 15 minutes, which was amazingly fast considering how busy the restaurant and kitchen were that night. Let's talk about the food. The Caesar Salad was pretty good,nice and fresh with a good balance of dressing and cheese. The Red Beans and Rice was my favorite side-was so flavorful and rich. The Green Beans hurt my soul a bit because I realized upon tasting those that I have been cooking mine at home all wrong all these years-they were perfect. The star of the night and what Willie Mae's is famous for though is the fried chicken and it did not disappoint. My wife said I looked like a kid on Christmas Day as I was smiling and enjoying every bite of my four pieces of fried chicken. All I could think about was how I wished my father would've made it to New Orleans at least once as fried chicken was his favorite food and the dish served at Willie Mae's would've blown his socks off. Pure Fried Chicken Perfection! Overall, if you're coming to New Orleans and fried chicken is your thing, Willie Mae's deserves a spot on your list. read more

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Willie Mae's was absolutely AMAZING! We came in with a party of 10, five couples, and everything from the food to the drinks to the service was on point. Our server, Naj, was phenomenal! She was incredibly attentive, gave us great recommendations, and honestly provided the best service we've had since being in New Orleans. She made sure our entire group was taken care of from start to finish. The food was OFF THE CHAIN! Everything came out quickly, piping hot, fresh, and delicious. The cocktails were also excellent and made perfectly. This was easily a five-star experience, and if I could give more than five stars, I absolutely would. Huge shoutout to Naj for making our experience so memorable. We will definitely be back! read more

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This place is SO popular. The wait is consistently 30-60 minutes. They were swamped when we visited on both Sunday night and Monday noon. They do pickup on weekdays, but sometimes they stop accepting pickup orders if they're too busy. We got the 1/4 chicken with dark meat. It came out piping hot. I would say this is a solid 8/10 chicken spot. Gus' world famous chicken is still better, but I do love the spice. Red beans + rice and cornbread were both delicious. Service was super slow, but understandable since they were SO busy read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - 1/4 chicken with red beans + rice, cornbread - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I think I may have found one of the best fried chicken in the country. Never been here before and glad I tried it out! Ordered a mixture of different dishes during our visit: - gumbo: came with crab, chicken and andouille sausages. Really really good! - fried chicken: the batter was out of this world and also uncommon. Loved it. - rotisserie chicken: nice but don't bother, stick to the fried chicken! - sides: got a mixture of mac and cheese, sweet potato fries and potato wedges. In hindsight I should have gotten some vegetables. The place isn't massive so I would try to make a reservation ahead of time, if possible. Definitely try this out if you're visiting NOLA. Probably one of the best meals I've had here. Wish they would open up in NY! read more

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Arriving for our 12:30pm reservation, Willie Mae's was jumping. DJ, lots of laughs, great vibe, full house with a lot of people waiting. At the time, several two-tops were being turned over. "Good thing I made a reservation!" 15 minutes later, they had seated all those tables and asked if they had checked me in. I said that they had. Digging through the system, they said the manager had pulled me off accidentally due to a name mix-up but they'd get me back on. Surveying the restaurant, I knew we would not be seated soon. We then proceeded to observe the same scene playing out over and over again, with people asking when they would be seated and arguing, retreating, discussing whether to leave. It's unclear whether an actual reservation meant anything next to walk-ins. Some people got in quick, while others had clearly been waiting much longer. 45 minutes later than our reservation time, we were seated. I was told this is normal for Sundays, that they are always overbooked. This is not normal. In my life, I have only waited longer than 15 minutes for a reservation at one other restaurant. It was Christmas Eve, and I was told that the system didn't account for as many people showing up and staying longer for the holiday meal. That restaurant also comped our meal and the GM called me himself to apologize for our experience of waiting about an hour. But at Willie Mae's, "this is normal." Back at the old location, my understanding is that it was part of the experience to wait a long time and anticipate and enjoy the moment you get to sit down for your chicken. If we had gone in knowing that, we could have made a conscious decision to do so. If they want to run the restaurant that way, I suggest they drop the reservation system altogether. The food itself was very tasty. The chicken was super moist, juicy, and had that special crunch Willie Mae's is known for, along with a nice, subtle heat. The yams were good too. If not for the above, Willie Mae's would be on my list to return. I was looking forward to the famous Willie Mae's since a visit 20 years ago when I had walked on foot from the French Quarter to the old location and they were closed. I was redirected that day to Dooky Chase, which had also just closed when I arrived, but they kindly made me a to-go order. Sitting in the park, I'll never forget the absolutely perfect way it tasted, from the chicken to the yams and green beans. I also remember Coop's as another distinctive chicken spot with no wait and a sly attitude. Willie Mae's I'll remember as a train wreck. The food doesn't justify the experience. Reserve at your own risk. read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Chicken Breakfast Plate - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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The fried chicken came out hot and crispy. The green beans is slightly spicy and Mac and cheese side was so cheesy. Our server, Ryan, was great. The place is nice, clean and modern. read more

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Let me tell you, Willie Mae's is serving up some of the BEST gumbo in the city! As a New Orleans local, I'm always skeptical about trying someone else's gumbo, but this one? I'll take it every time! I also ordered the jumbo shrimp platter, and it was plentiful and very well seasoned. The sides weren't my favorite, but the sweet potatoes were definitely a winner. The vibe was another highlight. The lively atmosphere was another winner for me. I loved the R&b music, and the service was great. Overall, Willie Mae's is definitely a spot I'd recommend, especially if you're craving a good bowl of gumbo! read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Make a reservation; otherwise be prepared to wait. Loved the relaxed ambiance and the music they were playing was fantastic. I don't think I stoped singing even when the food came. Caleb our server was great and made some good recommendations since it was our first time. Now...let's get to the food & drinks Taste of New Orleans 1/4 chicken - white meat with green beans, yams & Mac and cheese 6/10: the breading on the chicken was light and airy- almost tempura like. But on my breast there was more breading than meat. The green beans had good flavor but too many onions for my liking. The yams were sweet and had a nice flavor to them. The Mac and cheese was alright, nothing special in my opinion. I wasn't a fan of the cornbread, it was a little dry to me. Sitting on the front porch 8/10: nice portion size and the overall flavor was really good. Gumbo 9/10: excellent flavor and lots of seafood. Just really good overall. I would get it again. Peach cobbler 8/10: get flavor crust was very crispy. The peach to crust ratio was decent I did get the ice cream on the side and that was pretty good. Catfish taste of New Orleans with butter beans, green beans and Mac and cheese 7/10: Good flavor on everything and the catfish was fried hard how they like it. Not a fan that there was more beans than rice in the butter beans with rice. Chicken and watermelon tini 10/10: flavor was really good and surprisingly it didn't taste like chicken. read more

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When I say this was the BEST experience ever! Service: expect a brief wait time even with reservations. The place was packed so we had to wait 10 minutes for a table to become free before being seated. Our waitress, FeFe was the best! Service was excellent and smooth. I especially appreciated the quality hospitality which FeFe provided. Ambiance: it's a really cute and cozy spot, felt like I was dining in someone's large dining room and I loved every moment. Felt cozy! Drink: I had the NOLA style street car and honestly I'm not sure that I'll accept it any other way once back home lol the bartenders in my state better be ready for me to adjust it to match this amazing drink. Food: My mom loved the gumbo so I was sad that I didn't get a bowl. The fried chicken....BEST there is! I ordered dark meat and my only complaint was that I wanted more lol. Paired with a side of rice and beans, this dish was the best there is. The cornbread was simple but tasty but the star of the show was the chicken. No dessert, unless chicken was a dessert lol seriously this was amazing and I had no complaints read more

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So this is a staple restaurant in NOLA and as many times as I have visited I have never been there but this time I did. If you're looking for soul food, this place came highly recommended. They apparently were voted the best fried chicken in the country, so my family wanted to test it out. First, reservations are strongly recommended especially for large parties. This place was booming and bustling for about 30-45 minutes before we got seated without a reservation but we opted for bar seating as well. We sat and I always scoped out the menu so I knew I wanted the smothered catfish etouffe and somebody was going to try the chicken. Food came fairly quickly and we all liked our meals but they are spicy. If spice if your thing, you would love it here. The chicken was great, sides were great, catfish was great and overall we rated the food an 8.5/10. I enjoyed it but don't have to go back. I'm just used to some of the other places and their offerings but this is a simple straight forward menu and I enjoyed the meal. read more

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Wow, best fried chicken I have had in my life. Whatever crack they put in the breading for the chicken, I need it. The food here is amazing. We got Gumbo, Fried Chicken Entree with Mac n Cheese side and cornbread. Gumbo is like a seafood gumbo. My friend who is not a big fan of seafood liked it! Mac n cheese was thick and creamy. And the cornbread was so soft! The fried chicken was so good. The breading / crusting of that fried chicken was addicting. The chicken meat itself can still be quite dry, but loved the seasoning for this chicken. For dessert, we tried the Praline Banana Pudding. Amazing! Not overly sweet. I would love to get it again. It was very crowded. Definitely recommend getting a reservation. We didn't know and had walked in, so we were only available to be sat at the bar. Service was very friendly. It did take some time to get food and serviced, however it was basically a full house! So I understand. The place is so lively and everyone there, staff and customers included, were so friendly and nice. It makes you feel so welcome to eat there! Overall, a spot I would love to come back to if I revisit NOLA. read more

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I'm not a huge fried chicken fan, I only eat it when my husband craves it But this is suppose to be THE spot for it in NOLA. So we had to try. Reservations were fully booked, but I'm so glad when we walked in, they were able to squeeze us in shortly. We had a party of 8 so we had two tables side by side which was totally fine. WHOOHOO Very swanky old school but clean and new vibes. There was a DJ playing music, and some folks were even dancing. Very fun. Chicken - it was very juicy but the skin wasn't that crispy. Solid but its fine, nothing special to me. seafood gumbo - now this was pretty tasty. lots of seafood and hearty. The sides were fine. Overall a nice visit, and glad we didn't have to wait long! I'll be on the look out for more fried chicken when the hubs comes along. read more

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Willie Mae's NOLA Restaurant is a must visit. Although we didn't see anything about it on the website, the restaurant appears to be reservation-only, even for bar seating. We walked in without a reservation and were initially told they were only seating guests with reservations. I asked if there were any openings, explaining that we were not aware, we were visiting from out of town, and heading to the airport later that day. Since there were only two of us, the host kindly said he would try to squeeze us in. For that, I am thankful. We ended up with seats at the bar, which was perfectly fine with us. The restaurant features high ceilings, modern, natural, earthy décor, and a warm, inviting atmosphere. There was also a DJ playing, adding to the lively, upbeat vibe without overwhelming the space. I ordered the gumbo and fried okra. The gumbo was loaded with sausage, shrimp, and crab, making it hearty and flavorful. The fried okra was crispy on the outside without being dried out inside. My daughter ordered the fried chicken with yams and macaroni and cheese. She didn't have much to say about the sides, but she thoroughly enjoyed the fried chicken. I tried some myself and thought it was excellent. The waitstaff was extremely friendly and welcoming, and the overall atmosphere was fun and energetic. The only downside was the restrooms. There were two gender-neutral, single-stall bathrooms, which were convenient, but they could have been a tad bit cleaner. Overall, the quality of the food, the decor, and vibe made this a great way to end our trip! read more

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This some of the best fried chicken I have ever had. Which is crazy to think but it's no lie. The crunchiness and juiciness is undeniable. Anddddd the damn candies yams are the best I've ever had at a restaurant. I literally ordered some to go because they were so good. I can see why this place is so recommended because the flavor is all there. Whewww I miss it already. lol read more

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Sometimes you just need a good Southern comfort meal, and this definitely delivered. The gumbo was our appetizer and it was very good. The fried chicken was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and easily the star of the plate. I wish I could've tried yams but they were out for the day. The potato wedges were perfectly seasoned, the mac & cheese was creamy, and the cabbage added a nice balance which was so flavorful. The cornbread was warm, buttery, and the perfect finishing touch. Portions are generous, so come hungry. I'd absolutely order this again the next time I'm craving comfort food. The restaurant itself was very nice and Our waitress was friendly and my only complaint would be having to wait an extra 15-20 minutes even after our reservation time. read more

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I really liked this place. It had charm, it had posh & how they somehow mixed the southern style with posh and created Willie Mae's! It was clean & decorated nicely with crisp edges everywhere i looked. I can't explain it but there's something about how southern food is plated that either or makes it or breaks it for me & i love that they know what they were doing. I sat at the bar because no reservation. I had the fried shrimp, yams, mac and cheese & green beans. My only complaint is the yams texture. (It was kinda like baby food, I like mine still a little whole and not so purreed but flavor was on point- didnt hold it against them.) It was nicely presented and the server took excellent care of me. I was too stuffed to order anything else. read more

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not overhyped. Deserve the praise they get. They are legendary for their fried chicken and sides for a reason, didn't disappoint. Kind friendly quick service as well and in a trendy ambiance that's fun to get drinks with friends. read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - 1/2 fried bird with side of Mac n cheese and potato salad - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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This was our first stop after checking in at our hotel. We were so excited to have an early dinner here on Monday evening. We did make a reservation the same day just to be sure we'd get in. The restaurant is beautiful with what looks to be the original tile floor and mid century modern dining tables, chairs and design elements. Our waitress Lynn was great! She welcomed us in and just like that we felt right at home. I ordered the fried chicken (four pieces) with mac and cheese and it comes with corn bread. My fiancé ordered the fried cat fish with red beans and rice. We started with a cup of gumbo to get a taste for it since we were so excited to be in New Orleans! The gumbo, catfish and cornbread were my favorites! We were so happy we made this on first stop on our vacation! read more

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Ask a local. This was recommended to us by our chatty UBER driver, Joseph. Willie Mae's NOLA is known for their fried chicken. Willie Mae's Scotch House was established in the Treme District in 1957 and has been serving some of America's best fried chicken since then. Ms. Willie Mae Seaton has even been awarded a prestigious James Beard award for her Southern cooking. Delicious home cooking. Walked from our hotel in the warehouse district. Ordered 1/4 white meat fried chicken and a fried chicken sandwich. Both with a side of the most delicious vegetarian red beans and rice and a cornbread muffin. Today, Willie Mae's great granddaughter runs Willie Mae's. Still served up with a generous helping of love. We ordered ours on the InKind app to go during a busy graduation weekend. Delicious! Hopefully next time we can dine in. The restaurant is so charming. read more

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We wanted to like this place. It has good history, but sadly, on our visit, it didn't deliver. The food was mediocre, and the service was worse, with a very disinterested server that barely visited the table, and when he did, barely said a word nor did anything proactively. My red beans and rice wasn't bad, but suffered the same malady as everything we tried: the main seasoning seemed to be salt, and lots of it. Texturewise, it was fine, but not remarkable. My main, seafood platter, did feature some plump and well cooked shrimp, and the catfish filets were probably the best part of the meal, but again, too much salt and not enough of, well, anything else. The side of butterbeans and rice also had some promise, but the beans were a little overcooked. Bottom line, this meal and overall experience was a disappointment. We'll try someplace else on our next visit to NOLA. read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Seafood platter - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Classic southern fried chicken. Chicken was perfectly fried, but the sides were alright. Ordered: - 1/4 Fried Chicken: It says you can choose between dark and white meat. The waiter said we didn't have a choice that day, but we ended up getting the dark meat which I prefer. - Filet of Catfish: this one was also good but I personally preferred fried chicken over fried catfish. - Sides: Mac and Cheese, Creole Potato Salad, Potato Wedges, Sweet Potato Fries, Fried Okra, Candied Yams read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Fried Chicken - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Everything was so good. We tried a little bit of everything on the menu and I was not disappointed at all. Will def be back and next time I will make a reservation because it was packed and I see why. read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Gumbo - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Every single bite of food at Willie Mae's was delicious. The fried chicken was literally the best I've ever had, and I have had a lot of fried chicken. Everything we ordered was full of flavor, and the drinks were great too. Our waitress was amazing. One of our appetizers did not come out with the rest of the food, and she went above and beyond by bringing us an extra little gumbo, which was such a kind gesture and really appreciated. The restaurant itself is busy and semi-loud, but in a casual, fun way. It has a big bar, good energy, and a laid-back New Orleans feel. The only reason I gave 4 stars is because we made a reservation for 7 people and still waited over an hour. Since we had a larger party, that was the reason we made the reservation in the first place. During our wait, several smaller tables were seated and turned over with little to no wait. When we were finally seated, we were placed at an awkward long rectangle table with a large pole basically cutting our party in half, and other guests were also seated at the same table. I asked if we could move to another table that had just opened up, and although the host seemed annoyed by the request, he did accommodate us. After that, everything went perfectly. The food and service were absolutely worth it, and I would definitely go back. read more

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This was the best fried chicken I've ever had, hands down, not even close! This place blew me away. The crispy, slightly spicy batter was the star of the plate. It took every bite of tender chicken to the next level. If I lived in NOLA, this would be a place I'd like to dine at all the time. The only down side was the wait time and the service. We were seated and it took 30 minutes just for a server to come and greet us for the first time. My brother and I even considered leaving, but I urged him to give it another few minutes. But even with that, the chicken was well worth the wait! read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I was so excited to come here and enjoy New Orleans. The food here was average, at best. The service was awful. I would not go back. I ordered a drink and he brought me two of the same. The chicken, which is supposed to be their claim to fame was chewy and had some flavor but not much. read more

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Overall, the food was good and I'd go back.The catfish etoufee is delicious but the mac n cheese wasn't that great. My husband didn't like the candied yams but I did lol. He said the chicken was good as were the red beans and rice. I REALLY enjoyed the buffalo cauliflower wings but feel they should give you way more for the price. Staff were nice and we had a cool waiter. Idk about parking since we did a ride share. Ultimately, I'd go back for the catfish etoufee even though it's a bit overpriced. read more

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When I learned that the old Willie Mae's Scotch House location had had a fire I was so sad to think such an institution was gone. I was thrilled when I heard there was a new location. The new location is much larger and doesn't have the same feel but I'm glad the legend will live on. One thing about this location is you should make a reservation. I walked in not realizing this and had to wait. Luckily I came just before the switch over and win was able to get a walk in seat at the bar. The staff are very nice and accommodating. I had the two piece dark with Mac and cheese and my mom had hers with sweet potato fries. The chicken wasn't as good as I remember it years ago but the sweet tea was delicious. read more

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It seriously pains me to rate this place a 2/5. The first time I had Willie Mae's was at the Scotch House location and ever since then I haven't stopped hyping up Willie Mae's and was devastated when the OG location had to shut down due to a fire. When I found out they opened this new location I was back to hyping you guys up to everyone in Florida that had mentioned going to NOLA. What changed? Willie Mae's is making an attempt to be something they're not; an upscale chicken place. Why try to ruin what you were? The first time I got out at the previous location I knew they had good food... sometimes you know. When you go in you felt like family, that's gone. When we entered the new location the host was friendly and chatted with us while they cleaned our table. It looked pretty busy and we had a reservation so we were sat on time. It was HOT inside, but I did like the aesthetic... but it wasn't authentic Willie Mae's. After being seated our waiter came over, gave us some water and got our order. We were out of water soon after he left and it took asking 3x for refills to get them, and they use very tiny metal cups. We waited for our food for a while, what's ironic is we waited for our drinks (a Pepsi and 1 bar drink) even longer than it took the food (and a basic refill on water). Once the food arrived and we started digging in, we had a cold side of wedges, a cold side of mac, and green beans that still had parts of the stem on that my 17 month about choked on. The chicken is the only reason I'm giving this place a 2 instead of 1 because it still ranks as my #2 spot in the nation (I eat a lot of chicken). When it was time to pay, the waiter, who was so unenthusiastic and honestly the worst service we got during our week in NOLA, moseyed on over he did bother to ask how anything was, ask if we needed a box, just handed the payment system over to get the card tapped. He was truthfully AWFUL. We had planned on coming back until the horrid service, slow drinks, and cold sides, but couldn't bring ourselves to do so. Willie Mae's will always have a spot in my stomach for their top tier chicken, but I know good and well Willie Mae Seaton is rolling in her grave at what her once amazing restaurant has become. The homey-ness is gone, and the quality in everything but the chicken has fallen to the darkness on the other side. read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Walked in a bit early to my reservation and got seated immediately since I was fine with being at the bar. Nicole the bartender and the host were chill. What I got: 1/4 fried chicken (4/5) -- good heat, great crunch, extremely succulent thigh but a tad dried out drumstick. overall a little too salty..cornbread was also kinda dry but tasted good side of crawfish etouffee (5/5) -- good viscosity and very flavorful, generous on the crawfish, had no heat Big portions at reasonable prices and friendly service. read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

The fried chicken was really good and perfectly crispy, I really wish the bean sides were not vegan and were made more traditionally with meat in them to really elevate and deepen the flavors. The mac & cheese was pretty good overall, cornbread was good, but not mind blowing. And the sweet potatoes were amazing! I also ordered the peach cobbler, which was really great too! Service was very poor not sure if it's worth returning given how poor the service was overall. read more

We were in New Orleans the past few days made a reservation here for my wife's birthday. Got there they did not have our reservation at the right time and they tried to get us to break up our party of 10 into several tables which that is not how we made our reservation. They didn't really look to solve the problem at all so we had to wait an extra 40 minutes to be seated, which I feel like is unacceptable. We went out of our way to make our reservation. The food was OK. The service and our server was good. She did all she could to handle a table of our size but we did have to send a couple of things back. As well as we ordered a bottle of champagne and we're given wine glasses to drink it in, which if I order a bottle of champagne. I would like champagne glasses to go with it. They told us they do not have champagne glasses, so my question is why do you sell champagne by the bottle or at all. The experience is definitely not something I would revisit if I'm in New Orleans. It's too many great food options with great service to have to deal with these type of things on top of that we weren't offered dessert. They didn't even offer my wife a dessert for her birthday so just a little things and go a long way with customers they do not prioritize. But they did make sure they included that gratuity of 130+ dollars on top of our $800 bill which I did argue with because it wasn't about the money. The server did do her best so it wasn't her fault, but for that type of bill I expect, a certain type of service, which is just basic if nothing else. Food 3/5 Service 4/5 Location 5/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Return Factor 0/5 read more

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Ok some people might disagree but despite enjoying my visit to Willie Mae's, I thought it was good, but not as great as I was hoping. My preference is not for the sweeter side of the culinary arts so that may be what factored in here. The chicken sandwich I had was good but I didn't like sauce it came with as it was on the sweeter side. The chicken flavor was slow to come to the surface but once it did, it was good. BUT I was hoping that flavor would come through with that first bite like I've had with other fried chicken. Mac and cheese was solid for me and my husband enjoyed his potato salad as well. Lemonade was also on the sweeter side but still good. I'd say what bumped the stars were the staff working that day. Everyone was so friendly and accommodating and helped us pick out our options to try which is always nice when people take their time to add to your experience. read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

We stopped in on an early Saturday afternoon, after a sweltering morning spent wandering the botanical garden (beautiful!!! You should go!) followed by a mosey around the Modern Art museum to cool off. The waiting list when we arrived was a predicted 30-45 minutes, but we perched on the edge of a comfy couch near the entrance and waited. The bar here is top notch, shiny, and loaded with every little spirit your liver could ever fear. Good champagne list too, and we heard several corks pop during our visit! Thanks to the impatient folks who got their names on the list before us who weren't patient enough to stick around until their names were called, we got sat in about only 10 minutes. Hooray!!! We arrived during brunch hour, but that didn't detract from the food, the selection, or the level of service at all. Everyone on staff was incredibly kind, even though they were slammed. Our food arrived fairly quick, Fried Chicken (dark) with fried okra and a corn muffin for the wifey, and Fried Catfish on a bed of grits with crawfish butter and a buttermilk biscuit for me. Hot DAMN y'all. Hands down the absolute BEST fried catfish and chicken the wife and I have ever had. Period. The grits were perfect. Pillowy, buttery clouds of perfectly salted goodness, topped with that crawfish butter that just made the whole plate sing. (And loads of little crawfish tails to boot!) The okra was fresh, bright green and obviously not frozen, with just the right amount of salt, and not dripping grease at all. And the corn muffin and the biscuit were lovely. You best bet we went back to our hotel afterwards, and took an hour and a half long nap, because we sure did!!! Go hit up this lovely little gem. Do it. DO IT NOW!!! read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Fried Catfish on grits with Crawfish Butter (sorry! I didn't think to snap this pic until I'd had a few bites!!!) - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

It's been a number of years since I've been to Willie Mae's and I was pleasantly surprised to see how much it has changed. The restaurant is beautiful and modern. Menu is expanded. Service was really good. Staff were very friendly. The drinks were yummy. The fried chicken is just as good as I remember. read more

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Willie Mae's does amazing fried chicken. I had their chicken & the egg (deviled eggs with fried chicken and pepper jelly on top) and the 1/4 fried chicken with candied yams. Both were soo yummy. All the flavors fit together really well on the deviled eggs. The fried chicken was super tender and juicy with a crispy skin. Tasted even better with the hot sauce. My only gripe was that the candied yams were a bit too sweet for my taste. I'm normally more of a savory gal, so I def should have gone with the mac and cheese or rice and beans. And totally should have done the 1/2 instead of the 1/4 chicken. Def need to go back to NOLA for all this yummy food. read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - The chicken and the egg - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Dined in on July 4th. Wait time was about 2 hours when we first arrived but we were able to get day about 30 mins sooner. Quite a few items were 86'd already including shrimp & cauliflower. I had the gumbo which seemed a little watery, the fried chicken with red beans and rice and potato salad. My friends had fish nuggets with Mac and the white beans as well as a Caesar salad. The peach cobbler and cornbread were probably our favorites. Chicken was fries to perfection as the other reviews say. Crispy on the outside and still juicy inside. Service was a little choppy but overall all a good experience. read more

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Food: 9/10 - Fried catfish with crawfish ettoutffee and a side of butter beans Service: 10/10 - Our server was GREAT! Honest about her recommendations, favorites, and what's sold out on the menu Ambiance: 10/10 - The restaurant is a vibe! Nice seating, full bar with bar top for dinning This is a popular place and the wait for a table can be long. Parking is very limited so taking a Lyft/Uber is recommended. We went on a weekday around 7pm and waited an hour for a party of 9. Bring your patience and an appetite! read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Catfish with crawfish etouffee (on the side) and a side of butter beans Other items in picture- red beans & rice, catfish nuggets - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I am still thinking about that fried chicken and gumbo weeks later! Reservations are recommended and I highly suggest you make one because the place was packed, but they flipped tables quickly and had everything under control from what I could see. I ordered the "Taste of New Orleans ". This gives you an opportunity to try 3 sides vs 1. They are NOT small teaspoon portion of sides! I chose fried chicken, red beans and rice, candied yams, and fried okra. I also ordered a cup of gumbo and bread pudding for dessert. This was one of the best meals I've eaten in New Orleans and I must say they got it right. Everything was great and not a single item needed to be doctored when it arrived to the table. It is a bit dark in the place, that's my only "complaint". As for parking you will need to find parking on the street, the valet that you see is not for the restaurant, it is for the hotel next door. My friend argued with me about the valet being for the restaurant so I asked the host in Willie Mae's to confirm the parking situation. read more

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Celebrated my birthday at Willie Mae's and what a vibe! This was my first time at this location, and I knew I was in for a treat the moment I walked in and heard the DJ spinning R&B, on a Sunday brunch, no less. Even though it was packed, the service was still amazing. Our server was attentive, friendly, and gave us some great menu suggestions that did not disappoint. I ordered the catfish and grits and O-M-Friggin-G... it was incredible! The catfish was soft, flaky, and perfectly seasoned, while the grits were smooth, creamy, and full of flavor. I moaned with every bite . Do yourself a favor and make a reservation (highly recommended) and go have yourself a delicious time. You'll be glad you did! read more

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Beautiful establishment, great service, and wonderful food. Probably some of the best fried chicken I've ever had. The flavor of that batter along with the flakiness is what separates itself from your average fried chicken. It's a recipe that clearly gets people coming through those doors. It's a spot I'll definitely recommend to others. read more

Willie Mae’s NOLA - Soul Food Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana