The three of us (mom, dad, teen) ordered two seafood platters and split them. They were excellent, with a great variety. Each item was seasoned and fried, but not too heavy.

There is a dance floor in the center of the room, so ask the hostess to seat you close to it. There are Cajun dancers who pull people up to learn the dance steps. No one was made to go or embarrassed if they didn't want to go. It was entertaining to watch. It was a lot like the Texas two-step.

Mulates is a little off the beaten track; a good distance from Bourbon St., heading southwest. We were told to go early as it fills up fast, and by the time we were leaving, it was getting crowded. I don't think we'd have gotten a table near the dance floor if we'd come in later.

We usually eat late in the evening, but for those who prefer to dine earlier, Mulates is definitely worth trying.

2008 UPDATE
Just returned from Memorial Day weekend trip to New Orleans. This time just mom and dad - no pesky kid. We called Mulates on Sunday afternoon for dinner reservations at 7:00 pm that night. We requested a table by the dance floor and that's exactly what we got. We split a blackened tilapia meal. See picture - large serving of delicious tilapia, perfectly seasoned and seared. It came with mixed vegetables, jambalaya and a twice-baked potato. We also ordered grilled mushroom and onions to go with it, and split a hot-out-of-the-oven bread pudding for dessert.

When we left the restaurant, we walked across the street and straight towards the river to a streetcar station. It took awhile for the traincar to come since it's the next to last stop on that route, but when it picked us up, we paid $1.25 each and it took us all the way to Jackson Square.

We had gone to the original Mulate's in Breaux Bridge, LA, a few days prior to spotting the Mulate's in New Orleans. My mother-in-law had really enjoyed the fried crawfish tails at the original. I had attempted to locate fried crawfish tails for her the previous day at Acme's Oyster Bar (no crawfish and very noisy), and she had been VERY disappointed! So, when we spotted Mulate's, I thought to myself, "What a relief. At least I know they'll enjoy this." Little did I know...

When we walked in, I immediately noticed that the decor was quite different. The original Mulate's has rather low ceilings, with a lot of wood posts and beams, and is somewhat dark. Thousands of business cards are tacked up all over the ceilings and posts. Patrons feel free to express themselves on the walls, and whether the music was live or recorded, the dance floor always had at least a few Zydeco lovers enjoying the music. The staff at the original was warm and welcoming.

The NOLA Mulate's looked like any other restaurant, but did have audible Zydeco. The staff was neither warm nor welcoming. At the original, my mother-in-law and I split a heaping plate full of crawfish and fries garnished with a sort of tartar sauce. The waitress brought us each an order of coleslaw and jambalaya. In addition, hot, buttery garlic toast was served.

In contrast, for a couple of dollars more, my in-laws attempted to split the order at the original. It would have been barely enough for one of them, much less the two. They didn't even have coleslaw on the menu, and there was no garlic toast. I had to ask for silverware AFTER our food had been served. There was no tartar sauce, and my sister-in-law received no salad with her soup and salad order.

The staff was quite unfriendly, and rather inept, besides. They didn't even sell the same T-shirts or hot sauce as the original. I'm not at all sure they're owned by the same people; I kind of doubt it. If you want true Cajun food and culture, rent a car and drive to Breaux Bridge for day. There you can enjoy swamp tours (at a quarter of the price, with four times the wildlife), Bayou cabins, Zydeco music, and good Cajun food - all spoken in that fun Cajun way by good, hospitable Cajun folk!

My wife's favorite place. We ate here 2 nights. Right around the corner from our resort. A real fun place.

Good food and music, and a very casual atmosphere. We had Cajun redfish, shrimp, and barbecued shrimp.

I'm not into spicy food, and really did not much look forward to sampling Cajun cuisine. But Mulate's quickly straightened me out and taught me to appreciate the regional cooking that did in fact clear out my sinuses. Despite the gentle prodding by the waiter to sample hotter items, I stuck with a "mild" catfish meal that left my tongue tingling and a tear streaming down my cheek. One bite of my friend's gumbo required half a lemonade to reverse the damage. But if you're feeling brave and want to sample some genuine local cuisine, you're sure to find Mulate's cajun right up your alley.