Cotton, your expertise please

[crzmom]

Hi Cotton:

 

My husband & I arrive in New Orleans this Friday at 6:30 pm. We are looking for a casual restaurant that we can just wear jeans & a nice shirt to. We'd like seafood if possible. We've even discussed throwing the diet out the window and having a fried seafood platter. LOL Actually, we don't really have a HUGE preference one way or another. We're staying at the Marriott just off Bourbon Street. Do you think it's possible to find a restaurant with good food, yet still be wearing casual clothes? We definitely aren't looking for an elegant restaurant with that attire, but we'd like some good food. Thanks for your advice. I really appreciate all of your knowledge.

 

Wendy

[Micktooth]

New Orleans is pretty casual at most restaurants. You might like GW Fins in the french quarter.

http://www.gwfins.com/

[selucrey]

Mike Anderson's or Ralph and Kacoo's would fit the bill for good food and casual atmosphere. There are many more. The Gumbo Shop is my favorite though.

[CRUZFOOLS]

HERE'S ANOTHER FAVORITE. THERE ARE TWO LOCATIONS, WITH ONE BEING IN THE FRENCH QUARTERS. THE SITE IS:

 

secure.deanies.com/restaurant.html

[CRUZFOOLS]

Well............looks Like I Posted The Wrong Address. Just Go To Yahoo And Type In Deanie's Restaurant New Orleans. Go Down To Their Site Near The Bottom And You Can Open It To See The Location And Menu. The Prices Are Good.

[my2dogs]

Don't go to a touristy place, go to one of the "Mom and Pop" places. In N.O., seafood restaurants are packed on Friday's during Lent. But that's OK, you'll have more of the local atmosphere to experience. There are two good ones near Canal Street and Jeff Davis Blvd. One is on Canal called Mandina's. The other is on Bienville (parallel to Canal -- north side) called Liuzza's. Deannie's Seafood in Bucktown is good, too. Your taxi driver should know where these places are located. Enjoy!!!!!!

[Rowan555]

My favorite restaurant in the quarter is Gumbo Shop on St. Peters Street, right down the block from the cathedral. Get the combination plate - it has red beans and rice, jambalaya, and shrimp creole, and it's AWESOME.

 

You can wear jeans at just about any French Quarter restaurant - the last time we went to Brennans for dinner, dh wore a suit and I wore a nice dress - many of the tables around us were occupied by tourists with t shirts, shorts and baseball caps! Anything goes in New Orleans, and that includes dinner attire!

[zydecocruiser]

Fried seafood is the base of the food triangle in New Orleans. Something your body needs anyway.

 

I'm sure Mike Anderson's would be one of Cotton's top picks.

 

By all means a fried seafood platter is in order. If you are going on the Conquest, you can get fried oysters daily at Sur Mer, but nothing like you can get in New Orleans.

 

Something else I like to do is walk around and check out menus. If you see something on the appetizer menu that is appealing, go in, sit at the bar and order up. Do this from place to place as required until you decide on an entree somewhere, and then perhaps finish it off with desert somewhere else.

 

Near your hotel you could have cocktails and an appetizer at Red Fish Grill. I love the escargot at Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse (bar there can be a little smoky), and then you're on your own!

 

http://www.redfishgrill.com/

{don't see the crabmeat appetizer I really liked, but others look wonderful}

http://www.dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com/index.php

 

http://www.mikeandersons.com/

 

Can't walk to these:

I like Mandina's - open 7 days/week, but no reservations and expect a long wait on Friday nights.

http://www.mandinas.com/

{could take the Canal Street car}

 

Also like Liuzza's

http://www.liuzzas.com/

{would have to cab}

 

and the other one:

http://www.nola.com/sites/liuzzas/

 

If going out to the lakefront, Bruning's would be one of my top choices.

 

Gumbo shop is good, but not a fried seafood place:

http://www.gumboshop.com/

{can walk to}

[crzmom]

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

 

I really appreciate all of the suggestions. You are all so nice to have taken the time to reply to my message. Now...I just have to decide which one of all of these good restaurants to choose. Ah well, everyone should have my problems! A good restaurant in New Orleans on Friday night, and off on the Sensation on Saturday. Only six more days...Yippeeeee!!!!!!

[Cotton]

Hi Wendy! Sorry, I was out of pocket. I ran over to N.O. to have a late lunch w/my daughter. Guess where we ate?......Gumbo Shop!

 

Obviously, it's one of my very favorites places to eat. All I had today was red beans 'n rice and some hot French bread. They do red beans up right, with a huge link of andouille sausage. If you go there, try the bloody mary....best not to get the cajun one tho.:eek:

 

Jack Anderson's Seafood is another favorite. Everything's good! You gotta try their fried onion rings as an appetizer.....like no other!

 

As stated in other posts, most everything in the Quarter is pretty low key and jeans are fine. Being such a tourist area, it's hard to set a dress code - well, except in the really, really fine dining establishments.

 

A bit out of your way - but I like Mandina's po-boys, and I love Pascal's Manale restaurant. Oh, many places I like out of the Quarter....but you're looking for IN.

 

If you like fried (or raw) oysters, you'd LOVE either Acme Oyster House or Felix' Oyster Bar. They have many items other than oysters, too. Both in the Quarter. Well, just no end to the wonderful restaurants.:)

 

For a really good po-boy, go to Pontalba Cafe, catty-corner from St. Louis Cathedral.

[crzmom]

Thank you Cotton & everyone else. We can't wait to go!

[bluejeans]

How far is Acme Oyster House from the pier? We are staying a couple of blocks from the pier and wondered how close (or far) we were. :D

[Cotton]

Even though Acme Oyster House (and my personal favorite Felix' Oyster Bar) are in the Quarter, they're both just at the 'entrance to the Quarter', toward Canal. Acme is 724 Iberville, located between Bourbon and Royal Sts. Felix is 739 Iberville, but also has an entrance on Bourbon. Neither are within walking distance of the pier.

[bluejeans]

for your quick reply. Aw, just may have to give Felix's a try, per your recommendation. :)