Anyone been to New Orleans...

[GormanHarvey]

Heading there next Tues-Fri (feb 7-10). My wife has a work conference down there and I am tagging along. I will have a lot of free time on my hands as she will be at the conference during the days, so I am looking for any and all suggestions/advice/recommendations/words of caution on things to do and see. We are staying at The Inn on Bourbon St. so probably looking for stuff to do within walking distance or reasonable cab fare distance from there. I would greatly appreciate any info from people that have experienced New Orleans...restaurants, bars, attractions, casinos, tours, etc...thanks in advance!

[Dogger192003]

I used to live in New Orleans and now I am in Baton Rouge. It is Mardi Gras season, so there are decorations going up and some possible early parades that may roll by, although I think most are on the weekends. Crawfish season is just starting up, there are some places in the Quarter that serve them boiled. Music and bars are everywhere. Lots of free music just playing in the streets usually. Many people like to experience jazz, old school at Preservation Hall. Harrah's Casino is near by. I love the D-Day Museum in the warehouse district. Most of the best bars and restaurants are located far enough away from the Quarter that you would want to cab it or take the street car. It really depends on what type of bar scene and food you like. There are many very highly rated restaurants. For example, Emeril has 4 restaurants here including NOLA in the Quarter. Susan Spice, John Besh, etc. also have restaurants near the French Quarter. There are also some really good cajun, creole and soul food places. Decent shopping on Magazine Street. As far as safety, use common sense and keep your guard-up for suspicious activity like anywhere else. Daytime is usually no problem. At night, stay on the beaten path or take a cab. There are a couple projects just north of the French Quarter, so familiarize yourself with the layout of the area before you stray too far. Any more specific questions, I will answer if you wish.

[GormanHarvey]

Thanks for the info Dogger! The D-Day museum sounds really cool. As far as specific bars or restaurants etc, I am in my 30's and she is in her late 20's so we aren't looking for a big party scene or too wild of a bar. Just somewhere cool to hangout and have a drink with a nice atmosphere. And restaurants, I am a pretty adventurous eater and she is not so typically she can find something pretty common she will eat wherever we go so I can try out the places I want. I guess what I am asking is there any "must go to" places that you would recommend? Thanks again...

[homer]

D-Day Museum is now a full fledged WWII museum and it is really cool. A few restaurant rec's:

 

Port of Call - awesome burgers. Follow Bourbon until it ends and then take a left. It's like half block down.

Coop's Place - on Decatur St in the Quarter. Fantastic fried chicken. Tiny place and you'll wait but it's a real treat.

 

I really hate Bourbon St now that i'm older but I love the rest of the quarter - especially Decatur. Go have a beignet at Cafe Du Monde.

Also, check out the garden district. There's a bar out there called Parasol's (on 3rd and Constance) that's a hoot. Great Po Boys and muffalettas. Apparently the management has changed recently. Not sure what that's done to the food.

[Dogger192003]

Gorman,

When I go to New Orleans I generally am trying a new restaurant every time, or =go there for a specific event. I have two young children so we take them to the zoo, aquarium, and insectarium. Then we usually go have a snowball (they are out of season now) get a bite to eat and leave town.

What I would suggest you try for not too pricey but very good New Orleans food is Jacques Imo's on Oak Street uptown. They are closed Monday's I think and do not take reservations unless you have a group of 5 or more. You could take a cab (probably less than $20) or the street car. The street car is $1.50, (I think) and you could get off at Carrollton and Oak, walk about two to three blocks North on Oak. The street car will pick-up at Canal and St.Charles and there are lots of stops along the way.

Another restaurant that is good for your first experience is Dooky Chase, you would need to cab that.

I would suggest trying a Pimm's Cup (drink) from the Napolean House. Good thirst quenching beverage. If you want to get wasted try a Purple Voodoo from The Blacksmith Shop (east end of Bourbon) it is a frozen blended drink with who knows what in it but it will mess you up. I like to get a Guinness from the Kerry Pub on Decatur. Strange place with weird looking locals, but usually has good music at night. They are famous for mean bartenders that will kick you out late evenings while the rest of the riff-raff sit at the bar and all night. I also like the Main Bar at Pat O'Briens. It is the first bar on the left across from the piano bar when you enter from St. Louis? Street.

Also try a King Cake, Mardi Gras tradition. The best is Manny Randazzo's in Metairie.

I have gone to the Katrina museum in Jackson Square at it was good. I think it is free.

Have fun.

[GormanHarvey]

Thanks a bunch for all the info/recommendations fellas! I really appreciate it! It's getting me pumped for the trip. If anyone has anything else they'd like to add, feel free. Thanks. Also, any reco's for where to get good crawfish, Dogger or homer?

[sbrylski]

I was there for a week in early January.

 

For bars with good and local live music (jazz and blues), go to Frenchman Street. It'll be a 10 minute walk for you, on the edge of the French Quarter. The Spotted Cat was a venue I liked, and next door is the Apple Barrel, this tiny little place that was real cozy. There's a number of others too, but I recommend this street because it's a good mix of locals and tourists, authentic and non-tacky.

 

On your walk, there's also a great pizza place called the Mona Lisa on the way there. Its inexpensive but has a very quiet and classy vibe, good place for a date night.

[Dogger192003]

Crawfish are still early, but I have heard they are starting to show up at restaurants. Frankie and Johnny's in the uptown area is good. I have heard of a place called Big Fisherman on Magazine Street past the Audubon Zoo, although I have never been there. In the French Quarter, Acme and Felix' come to mind. There used to be a decent place off Decatur Street down by the French Market that had good ones to go.

I am actually planning on boiling a sack this weekend, can't wait.

[chadomac]

My favorite city in the US! Been there twice (once pre-hurricane, once post-hurricane), and I will probably be going a third time sometime in the next year.

 

My favorite dinner last trip there was at Jacque-Imo's, so I second that recomendation. Excellent place in Uptown.

We didn't have a car last time we were there, and I didn't think it was much of a problem. The St. Charles streetcar can get you to a lot of places cheaply if you don't mind it taking a little longer. We walked everything during the day and took cabs at night.

 

WWII museum is great, and at the very least go and see the movie that plays there. I forget the name, but you can pay for just the movie, just the museum, or both. It's narrated by Tom Hanks, is "4-D", and is worth every penny of the $12 or so it costs. And I'm not a war buff at all.

 

Harrah's is huge if you're into gambling.

 

Another place my girlfriend and I loved was Camelia Grill. There's one in the Quarter and then the original out in the Garden District area, I believe. It's a diner and they have great omelettes, pie, and burgers. Very charming place.

 

I also second Coop's on Decatur. There was no one in there when we went though. It's a hole in the wall with cheap prices and no frills.

 

Speaking of which, Casamento's is another cheap place with good food - especially if you're into oysters. I'm not, but they had good fried seafood there too. And we waited quite awhile to get a table there, but it was worth it.

Went to Emeril's. The one just called "Emeril's". It was excellent but expensive, of course. Great service and food. Our big splurge meal of the trip.

 

I'm 31 and my girlfriend is 27 and we didn't hang around Bourbon St. much either, but at the end of it is Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, which is the oldest bar in town and doesn't have electricity. Pretty cool unique place... but I heard that they recently got electricity so they could watch Saints games... not sure if that's true or not.

We did a walking tour of the Garden District, and that was cool and worth the money, I thought. The guide knew her stuff and just walked us all over the place telling us the history of the houses and all the famous people that live there. (Sandra Bullock, John Goodman, The Mannings, Nic Cage, etc)

 

If I think of anyone else I'll post... I hope you have a great time, I think New Orleans has a spirit and energy to it that you can't find anywhere else. Share your trip with us when you get back!

[homer]

I was there for a week in early January.

 

For bars with good and local live music (jazz and blues), go to Frenchman Street. It'll be a 10 minute walk for you, on the edge of the French Quarter. The Spotted Cat was a venue I liked, and next door is the Apple Barrel, this tiny little place that was real cozy.

Yes on Frenchman St. That is a really cool area.

[GormanHarvey]

Awesome stuff guys...keep it coming! So many places to look forward to!

[Dogger192003]

I'm 31 and my girlfriend is 27 and we didn't hang around Bourbon St. much either, but at the end of it is Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, which is the oldest bar in town and doesn't have electricity. Pretty cool unique place... but I heard that they recently got electricity so they could watch Saints games... not sure if that's true or not.

This is the place I suggest getting the "purple voodoo" drink if you want to get wasted fast. A nice place to relax and have a drink and sometimes has live piano music. It is a common myth however, that it does not have electricity. They have drink machines, beer coolers, lit exit signs, outdoor patio lighting, and I believe lit restrooms as well a TV and gaming machines. They do however rely on candlelit tables for much of their light source inside which leads many, including locals, to believe it does not have electricity.

As for other suggestions:

The Bulldog on Magazine is one of my favorite beer bars, good beer on tap selection, brew pub atmosphere, decent bar food. If you happen to be in the Garden District you are in the neighborhood. There is also one on Canal Street near City Park.

Grab the Lagniappe, local entertainment paper. It will let you know what is going on around town, bands, festivals etc. You may want to find out where Kermit Ruffin is playing and take a cab there and check it out. He often times plays at neighborhood bars around town and the neighborhood can look a little rough, or for Wisconsinites like us, downright scary, but are fairly safe especially when Kermit is playing. I just would have a couple cab company numbers saved in my phone so when I want to get out I can. The Treme Brass band, Rebirth, Trombone Shorty, and many others are good local jazz music to see and they do play around and in the Quarter as well.

The House of Blues has some pretty good local and national music. I have seen many shows there. In fact, I am planning on going there soon for Flogging Molly and/or Dropkick Murphy's.

My favorite pizza in the world is at Domenica in the Roosevelt hotel, a John Besh owned restaurant. Great, fairly cheap traditional Italian style pizzas (thin, chewy crust). Happy hour specials too I think.

Gautreau's restaurant on Soniat uptown is my favorite most recent place for a more expensive culinary experience. A jacket and tie experience without having to wear a jacket and tie. Reservations are required.

I guess they are doing bus tours of the 9th Ward which was famously wiped out by Katrina. I did some pet rescue work there during Katrina and have been back since. If you are into gawking at disasters you may want to look into this, or rent a car and head East on Claiborne Ave until you see where a city residential area used to be. You can tell by the tall weeds, sporadic rebuilding, and empty slab foundations. The old wreckage is mostly gone. Also Brad Pitt's "green" homes and Harry Connick Jr.'s musicians village can be found there.

Swamp tours are also popular. My favorite in the New Orleans area is the Laffite Barataria Preserve. It is a walking swamp tour, maybe only a mile or two of walking but, takes you through a swamp to a bayou. I have seen alligators, and lots of other wildlife every time I have been there. There may be a shuttle that takes you there from the Quarter, I would check with the front desk at your hotel. There are some good boat tours as well, I would just suggest you stay away from the ones that load twenty people on to a boat. The smaller the boat the more intimate the experience.

[M Skjellyfetti]

The street car is $1.50, (I think) and you could get off at Carrollton and Oak, walk about two to three blocks North on Oak.

I lived in New Orleans for a year a few years ago. Thanks for bringing back some good memories, Dogger (I lived in Hollygrove and often ventured off that way on Carrollton).

 

I definitely second Frenchman Street. Awesome music, and still close to where you're staying while getting you away from the ridiculousness that is Bourbon Street. I didn't do a whole lot of eating out or exploring in the quarter, but if you're looking for decent seafood, I really enjoyed Deanie's. I don't remember the street it's on, but it'll be pretty close to where you're staying. Another option for live music is an outdoor place right on Bourbon Street. I'm going back for a week in March. Thanks for getting me pumped up to go back, guys!

[M Skjellyfetti]

Another place my girlfriend and I loved was Camelia Grill.

 

Second this also. I loved that place.

[homer]

I didn't do a whole lot of eating out or exploring in the quarter, but if you're looking for decent seafood, I really enjoyed Deanie's. I don't remember the street it's on, but it'll be pretty close to where you're staying.

That's the name! We went there after a few hours drinking foo foo drinks on Bourbon and it was delicious. Soft shell crab po boy was awesome.

 

Gorman, make sure you revisit this thread after you go. Too many times we have these awesome "things to do when I go to " and never hear if the person actually did any of it.

[Corn Trader]

It's a cab ride, but I loved this place. http://www.cochonbutcher.com/ They cure their own meats there and its relatively simple fair, but the food is absolutely outstanding. I was down there 3 weeks ago with my wife (I'm 29 and she's 28) and we hung out a majority of the time on Frenchman Street when we were out on the town at night.

 

I'm pretty sure Cafe du Monde for some beignets is the perfect post bar food and they are open 24 hours. That's actually not too far from Coop's if you go there.

[GormanHarvey]

Again, a big thanks to everyone for all the info. I will be sure to give a full report of anything I do that is worthwhile. Looking forward to trying to squeeze as many of your suggestions in as possible!

[DocLuna7]

I won't re-suggest all the great restaurants/bars already listed in this thread, but agree on just about all of them for great food and a unique NOLA atmosphere. You mentioned being pumped up about the WWII museum (started by Wisconsin's own Stephen Ambrose by the way) which is a good bet. If you are into history though I would also suggest heading out of town a couple of miles (had a car to get there, not sure on cab cost) and going to the New Orleans battlefield at Chalmette from the War of 1812. I personally am a history nerd so absolutely loved it, and if you're into that sort of thing it's worth the trip. Also, my gf is a big fan of looking at more of the "haunted" history of places we go. There are a few places offering the history/ghost walking tours which are kind of cool in a corny way.

[tristarscoop]

I went to college in NOLA and lived there for 6 years. No one above has steered you wrong. I'd especially second Cochon Butcher. For me, that's a must.

 

Green Goddess in the Quarter is one of the best new restaurants. Its a little hidden on a pedestrian alley - but its awesome.

 

Whenever I had out of towners in, I took them to Court of Two Sisters for brunch because I think its a great way to sample a lot of different New Orleans and Creole flavors and dishes. Its also something of an insitution, usually has jazz playing and is just a really good meal.

 

Champagne Brunch at The Columns on St. Charles Avenue is a great, somewhat upscale way to start a Sunday.

 

Even if you don't have a destination in mind, spend an hour or two riding the St. Charles streetcar. You'll really see some different parts of the city - incredibly different from the Quarter. You'll see the universities and all the gorgeous mansions along St. Charles.

 

It may be too late for this, but you know if you stayed Friday and Saturday that you'd get to experience some early Mardi Gras parades, right? Parades are so much fun and, to me, the entire point of MG. I promise its not the drunken madness you have in your head and because its so early in parade season, its all about the locals. If there's anyway to cheaply and easily change your plans, I'd absolutely stay Friday and go see the 2 Orleans Parish parades that day/night.

[chadomac]

Original poster... how was your trip?

 

I just booked my third trip to New Orleans for May 11-15. Got a flight on Airtran for $220 and then Pricelined the Convention Center Marriott for $60 per night. Pretty excited to get back to New Orleans and with a group this time.

[GormanHarvey]

My thoughts on the trip to NOLA will be coming shortly...sorry for the delay

[GormanHarvey]

Ok here goes...

 

First off, I loved NOLA and the time I had there was not nearly enough. I can't wait to go back. Just so much to do and see (and eat!) and so much culture and history. I have a lot of recommendations on my list from this thread that I never got around to trying so I look forward to going back and crossing those off my list. Here is a quick run down on places visited (mostly restaurants ) and a few thoughts on each...

 

-Domenica: really good pizza with an awesome crust. very cool vibe in there and I could have watched the guy preparing the charcuterie and cheese plates at work all day. Also had a piece of the King Cake made by the pastry chef there that was amazing. Happy hour (3-6 weekdays) brings half price pizzas, beer, wine and well drinks.

 

-Port of Call: great burger (one of the best I've had) and a really good bloody mary too - they put pickled green beans in their bloodys down there.

 

Central Grocery: birth place of the muffaletta sandwich. Tremendous. Bunch of Italian meats (capicola, salami, pepperoni, ham) and cheeses (provolone, emmentaler) topped with a marinated olive spread on a round, sort of flattened seeded bread (not unlike focaccia). Got it to go and ate it down by the mighty Mississippi.

 

Cafe du Monde: beignets obviously. went there twice. just do it

 

Cochon Butcher: great sandwiches. I had the cubano and the wife had the pulled pork. both very good. I was a little surprised that when I tried to order the cubano minus the mustard they said it came with it already on it. just seemed weird because nothing seemed pre-made there. maybe the pork was cooked in it? the pancetta mac n cheese was really good too. cool but small place

 

Red Fish Grill: best meal of the trip. everything was great from start to finish, including the service. highly recommend. great seafood.

 

Coop's Place: probably the biggest disappointment of the trip. it wasn't terrible, but the food was just not nearly as good as I expected. I had the taste plate (cup of seafood gumbo, shrimp creole, red beans and rice with sausage, rabbit and chicken jambalaya, and a fried chicken drumstick). the gumbo, shrimp creole, and red beans/rice were all fine to good. the jambalaya had a really off taste that I still haven't quite figured out. just a very strange taste (the rabbit maybe) and I typically love jambalaya. all of it was kind of luke warm too. my wife ordered the fried chicken plate and it was rather dry and not hot. all of our food (except the gumbo, that arrived first) came out together and it took 10 minutes tops which makes me think the fried chicken had been made ahead of time and was sitting because that was how it tasted. most good fried chicken places will tell you to allow 20-25 minutes of fry time. maybe we just caught it on a bad day, but it was definitely not as good as I hoped.

 

I think that's it for food haha.

 

We rode the St. Charles street car from end to end and that was great just to see other parts of the city (especially the garden district) that we otherwise would probably have seen. An additional treat was seeing all of the decorations going up for Mardi Gras. Its like Christmas to the city. Just a neat and cheap experience that I would definitely recommend.

 

Took and horse drawn carriage tour through the French Quarter and that was cool in that our guide/driver was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Learned a lot from him that I otherwise would have missed out on.

 

Did a dinner river cruise (wife's work obligation) on the Steamboat Natchez. Another cool experience. It was at night so getting away from the city a bit offered a great view of the night skyline. I also really enjoyed going down into the steam room where you can see how everything works to power the boat. good jazz band aboard the boat too.

 

Other than that I really just walked around the French Quarter a lot during the day (avoiding Bourbon St as much as possible) and checked out that area of the city (Jackson Square, French Market, etc.) Really wanted to get to the WWII museum and aquarium, but ran out of time due to some obligations for my wife's conference and it just being a rather short trip.

 

Can't wait to visit NOLA again! Let me know if you have any questions about the trip.

[Nottso]

I rode down in '79 for Mardi Gras and didn't go home until '81, when I was banned from the entire state of Louisiana. Crazy times.

[chadomac]

Nottso... that sounds like a fascinating story and I would love to hear some more details when you get the time.

 

I'm headed to New Orleans this Friday the 11th. I'm reading that Kermit Ruffins is at Blue Nile so I'm hoping to check that out. There is a ton of information on NOLA in this thread, but I thought I'd bump it in case anyone didn't see it the first time around and wants to add something. This will be my third time out there, and I'm really looking forward to it.