Mr. B's is less formal and less touristy than many of the fine restaurants in the Quarter. The location on Royal St. makes it a perfect choice for a first night in New Orleans. Royal is one of the most beautiful streets in the country--lined with historic buildings and world-class antique shops--the grown up and refined sister to nearby rowdy Bourbon St.. Give yourself time for a stroll before dinner.
The food is superb contemporary Creole with an emphasis on seafood. Mr. B's most famous dish is the BBQ Shrimp, which comes in the shell in an exquisite peppery sauce. This is some of the best shrimp you'll ever taste, but you'll work for it--the shelling gets rather messy and you'll be wearing a bib. I've also had the Hickory Grilled Fish, which comes with a delicate lemon-butter sauce--simple but very good.
I've dined at Mr. B's on a Friday night, and my only complaint is that the service feels a bit rushed. The waiters are all running around frantically dropping fresh bags of warm bread on the table (very tasty), and you begin to feel as if you should eat faster to keep up with their frenetic activity. To tell the truth, though, weekend nights are tough everywhere in a town where eating is practically the favorite pasttime. I want to try Mr. B's on a weekday sometime, and would suggest that if you can, you do the same.