New Orleans

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NOLA

A May 2003 trip to New Orleans by lisalund

New Orleans is great fun if you like to eat and stay out late.

  • 15 reviews

NOLABest of IgoUgo

Overview

Hang out at Cafe du Monde eating beignets, sipping coffee, and watching all the people go by. Visit the aquarium. Go shopping in the Quarter. Go to restaurants and clubs in Faubourg Marigny.

Quick Tips:

Don't visit if you're on a diet.

Best Way To Get Around:

Everything in the Quarter is within walking distance and you're relatively safe at all hours (common sense should always prevail). If your feet get tired, there are plenty of taxis (especially near the numerous hotels) that are not too expensive.

If you plan to venture into the Garden District or go shopping on Magazine St., you can take the street car. I would take a taxi at night since this area can be a little dicey at night.

Parking could get tricky, so I wouldn't advise renting a car.

Frenchmen HotelBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Frenchman"

The Frenchman is a great value and great location. It's off the beaten (into the ground) path of Bourbon Street. The location is great because you're on the edge of the Quarter but in a more interesting neighborhood. The hotel has a small pool and hot tub and, unlike many Quarter hotels, is relatively quiet at night. It's also within walking distance from some great restaurants and clubs.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by lisalund on January 13, 2004

Frenchmen Hotel
417 FRENCHMEN STREET New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
504-524-8076

Acme Oyster HouseBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Acme is a New Orleans institution. You can tell this by the lines outside everynight. The interior is pretty basic, so if you're looking for ambience, you have been warned.

We always make a point of eating here whenever we're in New Orleans. The prices can't be beat for Cajun food. The oysters and crawfish are a good deal. Fried food is the other big draw on the menu. The poboys are a big and yummy. My only complaint is the gumbo -- it tastes kinda "swampy" to me. If fried food is not your thing (that's me), the sampler plate is a good pick.

  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by lisalund on January 13, 2004

Acme Oyster House
724 Iberville St. New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
(504) 835-6410

Commander's PalaceBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Commander's Palace is a definite splurge. Our meal was by far the most expensive of our trip, but worth it. The wait staff is incredibly accommodating. We were seating by an obnoxious Atkins droid who insisted on knowing the carbohydrate content of each dish. We were amazed at how politely the waiter answered his questions, even going so far as to call the chef for information. Speaking of Atkins, if you're on a diet, Commander's Palace (or New Orleans for that matter) is not the place to visit. Whatever you have for lunch or dinner, don't miss out on the bread pudding -- it's fab. It's more of a bread soufflé or bread meringue.

CP's interior looks like it was decorated by someone's Jr. League mom -- tasteful and bright. It also appears to be popular with the locals. There were a number businessmen and girls celebrating grade school graduations while we were there.

Just a tip: If you're on a budget, go for lunch.

  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by lisalund on January 13, 2004

Commander's Palace
1403 Washington Ave New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
+1 504 899 8221

Cafe Du MondeBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Best beignets in New Orleans! You can't beat Cafe du Monde for value and atmosphere. The place is open 24/7 and the customers can get interesting late at night. The menu is basic -- beignets, coffee, tea, milk, and juice. The iced coffee is great, too, if you need a caffeine pick-me-up and can't stand the idea of heading to Starbucks. It's a great place to kick up your feet after walking all around the Quarter and watch the city go by.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by lisalund on January 13, 2004

Cafe Du Monde
800 Decatur St New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
(504) 525-4544

Gumbo ShopBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

OK, the name says it all. They have gumbo. I thought it was kinda touristy, but hey, there's no kidding who you are and why you're there when you're in the Quarter. I can't say the restaurant was exceptional. The gumbo was good. The ambience was basic. All in all, not bad.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by lisalund on January 13, 2004

Gumbo Shop
630 St. Peter St New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
+1 504 525 1486; +1

Court of Two SistersBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

C2S is a lovely setting -- I wish I could say the same for the food. We went to Sunday brunch and found it just passable. There certainly is an abundance of food, so I can't say I left hungry. I think the place is now gliding on its reputation. I've been to other brunches and this was not at the top of my Sunday brunch list.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by lisalund on January 13, 2004

Court of Two Sisters
613 Royal St New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
+1 504 522 7261

Old Dog New TrickBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

After stuffing yourself with fried shrimp, fried crawfish, fried beignets and too many other fried treats, you might consider giving your heart a break at this healthy (and tasty) restaurant. Located between Decatur and Chatres on Frenchmen in the Faubourg Marigny area, the restaurant has received critical acclaim despite its healthy fare.

The restaurant has a number of healthy options and includes vegan offerings. If you don't like tofu, you can still find something good to eat here including pizzas, salads and other entrees. You can also order beer and wine. Weekend brunch is another option if you're looking to redeem yourself (eggs are served).

You can look at their website at Old Dog New Trick.

  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by lisalund on January 13, 2004

Old Dog New Trick
517 Frenchmen Street New Orleans, Louisiana

Cafe BrasilBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Another Faubourg Marigny haunt, Cafe Brasil offers good Caribbean cuisine including various jerked meats and other dishes. The food is good, but you may have a wait. Also, since it doubles as a music venue, you may find it a bit loud -- especially later in the evening.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by lisalund on January 23, 2004

Cafe Brasil
2100 Chartres New Orleans, Louisiana
504.949.0851

Mr. B's BistroBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

I went to Mr. B's after a friend invited me to dinner. For the money, I thought it was just OK and that it could have been better.

Mr. B's is part of the Brennan empire. The family has numerous (and famous) restaurants throught the city. My friend RAVED about their jambalaya pasta. To me, it was just plain oily and not that spicy. Others at our table liked their food. If you want true cajun food, you'll want to try elsewhere.

The atmosphere wasn't bad but it reminded me of a fern bar. If you're looking for cajun or funky atmosphere -- this is not the place. There seemed to be a number of business dinners while we were there.

Again, perhaps Mr. B (or I) were having an off night. But then, my friend raved about Cafe Pontalba, which I didn't like either.

  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by lisalund on January 13, 2004

Mr. B's Bistro
201 Royal St New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
(504) 523-2078

Cafe BeignetBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

If you're dying for a beignet but simply can't make it to Cafe du Monde, Cafe Beignet can help you out. The restaurant serves coffee drinks, muffins, bagels, salads, and light lunches – oh, and beignets too. Prices are reasonable. The restaurant is pleasant and the front completely opens to Royal so you can watch the world go by. Unlike Cafe du Monde, Cafe Beignet is not 24 hours.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by lisalund on January 23, 2004

Cafe Beignet
334 Royal Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
(504) 524-5530

Cafe PontalbaBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

I stopped here for lunch on a weekday with some friends. The menu focuses on Cajun fair -- gumbo, shrimp, etc. -- along with more straight forward fare such as baked chicken. In my opinion, the food was passable, but nothing to write home about. I ordered the shrimp etouffe and found it was mild and boring. Our total bill was not cheap -- about $20 per person for a lunch that included a soft drink and main course.

OK, what can you expect when you're on the plaza -- overpriced tourist traps. Go for coffee if you must visit Cafe Pontalba. The food is not worth the price (in my book).

  • Member Rating 1 out of 5 by lisalund on January 13, 2004

Cafe Pontalba
546 Saint Peter Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
(504) 522-1180

El MatadorBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

El Matador has a hip feel. The music is varied. On Saturdays, you can sit back and watch the flamenco dancing. We were there another night listening to a band play way cool Klezmer music. Drinks are affordable and the attitude is very local. We never felt like we were stuck in a drunken frat party like we do in so many other New Orleans joints.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by lisalund on January 13, 2004

El Matador
504 Esplanade Avenue New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
504) 569-8361

Dragon's DenBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Upstairs from a Thai restaurant, the Dragon's Den looks like an opium den. There are low-slung tables and pillows to perch on. It's a tiny venue -- you can almost rub elbows with the band on your way to the bar. Drinks were acceptable and not outrageously priced. The night we visited, there was a local jazz band playing. The Dragon's Den does not come across as a cheesy tourist trap (no beads here) and appeared open to all lifestyles.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by lisalund on January 13, 2004

Dragon's Den
435 Esplanade Ave New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
+1 504 945 7744

Bourbon StreetBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

You can't visit the French Quarter and not walk down Bourbon Street; however, how long you stay and how much you drink is up to you. At night, Bourbon Street is crawling with tourists and bars. If you can't stand an obnoxious crowd, don't go, or go earlier in the day when everyone's a bit more sober.

You have several options if you want to buy a drink. You can duck into one of the many bars or grab a drink from one of the many to-go bars. Drinks from the latter tend to be a bit weaker and just as expensive. Drinks (and food) are pricey on Bourbon Street. Hurricanes were going for $15 at one bar we went to. Pat O's probably offers the best (and original) hurricane -- the entrance is just off Bourbon.

  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by lisalund on January 24, 2004

Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street New Orleans, Louisiana

About the Writer

lisalund
lisalund
Dallas, Texas

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