OT: New Orleans Weekend

[Bulldog Bruce]

My sister is finally coming south and we are planning on going to New Orleans for an arrive Friday and leave Sunday weekend. She is well traveled and has been all over the world so seeing some guy painted silver on a box won't impress her. I don't have any plans for getting blasted. So what are things to do for a World Traveled Yankee to get her first taste of New Orleans?

 

[seshomoru]

Katrina Museum

Aquarium, Insectarium, Zoo, GW Finns, French 75, Jaques Imo's, Camelia Grill, get a muffuletta, go see some live music anywhere (preferably jazz), Du Monde at night, Royal St shopping/browsing, French Market, St. Charles street car.... just a few things I enjoy down there

 

[The Peeper]

Eat (some of my eclectic favorites) Coops Place on Decatur, Mothers on Poydras, Fleur de Lis Cafe on Chartres (best for breakfast), Jacques Imo's Cafe on Oak St. Make a reservation at Jacques Imo's for dinner and walk over to The Maple Leaf next door for some good music. Go to the end of Decatur where it runs into Esplanade. Frenchmans St. intersects there as well. There are some music clubs/bars/restaurants in old houses there on Frenchmans i.e. The Spotted Cat, The Dragons Den, The Maison, just pick one and check it out. Too many places to name for just a couple nights

 

[aTotal360]

MoTHERS SuX!!!111!!! And the Rendezvous and Little Dooey's does too!!!1!1

 

[WeHollaAtYa]

Irene's, HerbSaint, Peche, Couchon, Doris, Revolution, Clancy's, Luk...

Some of my favorite places to eat. Some in the Quarter, some in the CBD, and some uptown. I would recommend taking a trip uptown. You can't go wrong with these...

 

[johnson86-1]

My sister is finally coming south and we are planning on going to New Orleans for an arrive Friday and leave Sunday weekend. She is well traveled and has been all over the world so seeing some guy painted silver on a box won't impress her. I don't have any plans for getting blasted. So what are things to do for a World Traveled Yankee to get her first taste of New Orleans?

If she is a Yankee I would not take her to the zoo. Even if you go in the morning it will likely be a sweaty affair. Assuming you have basically a half day on Friday and Sunday, I would do the aquarium and/or D-day museum on Saturday in the morning and then either take her to Magazine street in the afternoon, where you can wander around and have drinks, or stay in the quarter and look at the art at Jackson Square and then wander down Royal St for teh shopping. If you're more into coffee and/or bloody mary's, you can do the wandering in the morning and the aquarium or D-Day museum in the afternoon, which will have the advantage of keeping you in air conditioning during the hottest part of the day. If you did Magazine street in the afternoon, I'd just stay there to eat dinner unless you just want to be close to your hotel when you finish.

Probably too late to get in, but I'd try to do Commander's Palace for Brunch on Sunday. On Friday I'd either follow the peeper's advice and do Jacquimos and the maple leaf or if your sister wants to at least see the debauchery if not participate, do something like Galatois, Restaurant August, or Bayona and then walk down Bourbon Street.

 

[sipDawg98]

Definitely spend the money to eat. It's usually worth it. Bourbon Street is a little cliche to me, but for a newbie, it may seem like something to remember. Check out Frenchman Street too. It's just outside the French Quarter, it's busy like Bourbon but is geared more towards the locals. Yes, do the Cafe du Monde thing too. French Market as another guy mentioned. The houses down Esplanade are super cool. We usually stay at a Bed n Breakfast in one of the houses on Esplanade and quite honestly IMO, it's 10x more cool than staying in a hotel downtown in the business district.

As far as eating, the restaurants mentioned prior to me are all good. Check out any of John Besh's restaurants. You usually can't go wrong there. I would advise trying to get reservations. Commander's Palace if you can get in. Try any of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants too.

My wife and I go a good bit. We go for the culture as well as the food. Not necessarily the "main" attractions although things like Cafe du Monde could be considered one of them.

Go to Bourbon Street at night. Since it's the summer, during the day it will smell like a combination of vomit, pizza, and beer.

 

[dorndawg]

Good 1st post. Good luck getting a reservation at Peche since they've won 2 Beard Awards, but go if you can, it's legit.

I'd add to this list Coquette - those folks are killing it.

 

[Xenomorph]

Eat at Port of Call. Walk over to Frenchman. *

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[The Peeper]

I agree about Little Dooey 100%. Have a friend that knows one of the Vergo's kids. When I've been w/ him we never wait in line, he tells the server (who knows him by name) that we want them straight off the pit and they are awesome that way. If I have to wait in line, eat those that were done at noon and its 8:00 at night then I don't do it, dry and overrated. Never had a bad meal at Mothers...........

 

[THE Bruce Dickinson]

Port of Call is one of the best places in the quarter. Amazing hamburgers and steaks.

 

[AHSDawg]

Jazz Bruch at Court of Two Sisters

Really good NOLA classic foods. Buffet but with lots of great choices. Eggs benedict, seafood, creole. Definitely try the veal grillades with gravy... Damn good. Great classic NOLA setup and women all love it. But, has great food too.

http://www.courtoftwosisters.com/jazz-brunch.html

 

[PBRME]

Commander's Palace is one I want to try when I go back this fall.


I've tried breakfast at Mother's and didn't think it was worth the wait in line.


I'm sure I'll be hissed and shunned for this but 2 places I eat when I go to NO is Willie's Chicken Shack, and The Gumbo Shop.

 

[J-Dawg]

Go to Parkway Bakery and Tavern and get a roast beef poboy. It's on corner of Hagan and Toulouse in midtown. Thank me later.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

All sounds great. One thing my crew is interested in is a Ghost/Vampire/VooDoo tour. Any particular one anyone recommends. We happen to be staying at LePavillon which they were excited about because it is suppose to be haunted.

 

[Statedog101]

Bruce, can't give you any advice on Norleans, but loved watching you at State, especially in 1981with Gillaspie. Best one two punch in college baseball. Too bad Gillaspie's sons didn't come to State.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

There have definitely been a few legacies that MSU did not take advantage of over all these years. Thanks for the remembrance.

 

[HotMop]

No one from NO goes to Mothers. There's a reason.

 

[STATEgrad04]

For night life, definitely go to Frenchman St. Its a cool, jazzy, artsy scene and I believe they have an arts market on Thursday and Friday nights.

 

[hullabaloodog]

Cochon Butcher for lunch. I'd eat there every day for the rest of my life if I could.

 

[Lawdawg.sixpack]

Port of Call is my favorite place to eat in Nola.

For a first timer, you gotta do Jackson Sq, Cafe du Monde, Bourbon St. Get a hurricane at Pat O's. You don't have to spend all day or night there, but you need to check those off the list.

 

[Wicked Pissah]

No one from NO goes to Mothers. There's a reason.

Because it is awful

 

[rem101]

Restaurant Revolution on Bienville - delicious and actually one coming to Renaissance in Ridgeland. Lots of places to go on Magazine as well - Rum House has great tacos of all kinds.

I would do Bourbon street, at least walk down it, since she's never been to NOLA. Plenty of other places to go in the Quarter after. Carousel bar is cool. If you do end up hammered and late at night, definitely hit up Gold Mine.

 

[uptowndawg]

WWII Museum

Is great if you're into war history. I finally went and checked it out for Father's Day and it was awesome. The beyond all boundaries movie shows every hour on the hour. Go see that first then spend about 2-3 more hours in the museum. I plan on going back soon just to spend more time in the new Boeing center.

There's been some good restaurants mentioned so far, but if you'd like to try something different then head out to the lakefront and eat at either the Blue Crab or Brisby's. Two new seafood places with a view that just opened.

And for the obligatory French quarter restaurant rec (not that I'd ever admit to going down there): Sobu

 

[PBRME]

Done the graveyard and haunted tour. Friend did the vampire tour. Out of those 3 the haunted tour would be the one I recommend. Taking a swamp tour next time.

 

[Dawgsnsaints]

If you like music google Tipitinas and One Eyed Jacks to see who will be playing that weekend.

 

[mcdawg22]

Maspero's for lunch.

 

[Bigedawg]

La Pavillon is my favorite hotel in Nola. Free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the lobby every night is a neat deal. You can't even imagine the variety. I believe the ghost stories too. Not sure if it was the hurricanes talking, but definitely some interesting things happen in the hotel. As far as things to do, I like taking a carriage ride from Jackson Square through the quarter. I learned more about the French Quarter in a 40 minute ride than I ever knew. Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop is a cool bar at the end of Bourbon. It is said to be the oldest bar in America. I'm not sure if that is accurate or not but it has no electricity in the bar area and is candlelit at night. In my opinion, they have the best hurricanes as they are made with fresh juices rather than a mix. We also like to ride the street car to the garden district and have lunch and fresh margaritas at Superior Grill.

 

[StillTbonewannabe]

Upperline restaurant on Upperline avenue? It is very eclectic but the food is fantastic. The lady who owns it comes around to every table to make sure your food is good. I liked it better than Commander's Palace or Mr. B's. My wife and I both had the sample and had the best turtle soup ever.

 

[99jc]

Bruce you could hit longer home runs with one arm and leg tied behind your

There have definitely been a few legacies that MSU did not take advantage of over all these years. Thanks for the remembrance.

back than those ****** hitters we have here now. Can you send them some of that spinach you used to eat? That one you hit over the center field pole landed at the crossroads.

 

[Bob Sacamano.sixpack]

I was wondering if anyone was going to suggest Parkway. It's my favorite poboy place in NOLA. The surf and turf (shrimp and roast beef) is on point.

 

[treeddeep]

Coops has the best fried chicken I've ever tasted.

 

[TossedOFF Again]

Make sure you go on Sunday morning to the French Quarter. Always seems to be a hazy atmosphere full of shops opening, drunks stumbling, old people churching and multiple types of music playing. Go to one of the cemeteries.

 

[uptowndawg]

Very good place.

Upperline restaurant on Upperline avenue? It is very eclectic but the food is fantastic. The lady who owns it comes around to every table to make sure your food is good. I liked it better than Commander's Palace or Mr. B's. My wife and I both had the sample and had the best turtle soup ever.

Its also not as hard to find food better than commanders as you might think. People mistake their brown nosing waitstaff for good food way too often.

 

[o_LandDawg]

Bon Ton Cafe on Magazine St in town.

Mosca's if you don't mind driving about 20 mins outside NOLA. Italian Crabmeat salad & oyster/shrimp mosca. Believe it's brown bag also. Most menu items are family size portions also

 

[jamdawg96]

Been living here 5 years. I'm sure a lot of these have been mentioned, but:

- Butcher
Lunch or dinner. It's probably gonna be the meal you remember the most. Get the mac and cheese and then pick whatever sounds good to you. They have incredible daily and nightly specials, too. You'll wanna go back on your way outta town for some boudin to take home (or more).

- Peche
Dinner. Semi-casual atmosphere. Another Donald Link gem. They just won a James Beard Award. Get a whole fish.

- National WWII Museum
Recently expanded (and still expanding). You can spend hours in there. Tom Hanks narrated "4D" movie, expansive galleries, planes, tanks, landing crafts, a mock sub... the whole nine yards. DM if you actually plan on going and I can probably get your tickets comp'd (it's a little expensive).

- Frenchmen Street
Best spot for live music options. d.b.a. is my favorite bar. Expansive beer/liquor menu and always a good bet for great live music. If you're into soul food The Praline Connection is well-known and there but it won't knock your socks off (same for Mother's in the CBD). Frenchmen isn't really known for dining, although they did just get a Dat Dog, which is cluuuuuutch later at night.

- The Quarter
I mean, hell... you at least gotta show it to her. Bayona is my favorite restaurant in the Quarter. It's upscale but cozy. Get the veal sweetbreads. I know nothing about the haunted tours. People seem to like 'em? Swamp Tours can be cool, too. You'll find a brochure somewhere. I rode a steamboat down the Mississippi once, it was pretty. As for casual dining, nothing wrong with checking out Port of Call but Yo Mama's has better burgers. Central Grocery has been surpassed by Butcher on the muffuletta (in my opinion) but still cranks out huge, delicious stuff. They travel well, too.

- Parkway Bakery
If you want the best "we went to _____ for a real po-boy" experience. OR if you have an absurd appetite, go to Katie's (both are in Mid-City) and order "The Barge." They have good chargrilled oysters, too.

- Jacques-Imos's
It's in the Carrollton area if you want to go a little further off the beaten path (still easily accessible via street car or cab). After dinner you can go next door to the Maple Leaf for good live music.

 

[uptowndawg]

Sssssssnake and jakes!

Nt

 

[katfsh]

I second Bon ton Cafe on magazine best meal I have had in NO

 

[Dawgology]

GO to Elizabeth's

http://www.elizabethsrestaurantnola.com/

You will be glad that you did. My cousins friend opened it and he is the head cook. Been on the Food Channel several times. It's good stuff and it is an up and coming restaurant that is a little out of the way so doesn't get a lot of tourist type people. Mainly locals eat there. Try to catch breakfast....the praline bacon is a.m.a.z.i.n.g.

 

[MagnificentBastard]

John Boutte (Soul Jazz) plays every other Saturday night at dba on Frenchmen's street. I would do that if he's playing there the weekend you are there. If not see if Kermit Ruffins is playing somewhere. If you don't know who these guys are check them out on YouTube. Try Satsuma's in Bywater for breakfast.