# Restaurants and Must-sees in New Orleans?



## DaveNV (May 10, 2009)

We're arriving at The Quarter House in New Orleans on May 23 for a week.  I've not been to N.O. in many years.  Can anyone make recommendations for restaurants (fancy or not) that have great food?  Any must-see things in the area we must be sure not to miss?  We plan to use public transportation most of the time, but will rent a car for a day or two so we can tour the outlying area.

One thing we really want to do is visit Oak Alley plantation.  Any others you'd recommend we visit?  Spouse is quite the photographer, so photo-ops are a plus.

Dave


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## jamstew (May 11, 2009)

For me, Commander's Palace is a must do, especially the Sunday jazz brunch (I'm assuming they still have it post-Katrina).


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## dbminn (May 11, 2009)

We were in NO last August for a week. We ate at Tommy's Cuisine (746 Tchoupitoulas St) twice - enjoyed both meals. This is pretty close to the Quarter house and even closer to the Residence Inn where we stayed. Also ate once at Emeril's because our friends wanted to eat there. You pay less at Tommy's for a great meal.

We also visited the garden district. We used the trolley car for transportation and a guide book for information.


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## Greg G (May 12, 2009)

Dave

During our visit we also went to San Francisco Plantation which is beautiful as well http://www.sanfranciscoplantation.org/

Take a cemetery tour.

As mentioned the garden district provides quite a few photo opportunities

http://picasaweb.google.com/ghgemmer/NewOrleansLALateMarchApril2005#


Greg


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## DaveNV (May 13, 2009)

Thanks, all.  We'll be sure to check out these places.

Hard to think that after nearly 18 months since I made the exchange, this trip will finally happen.  Talk about planning ahead!  

Dave


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## Judy (May 14, 2009)

The cost for a single ride on the trolleys and buses is $1.25, exact change, $1.50 with a transfer; 40 cents for seniors who can show a Medicare card.  One day passes are available at grocery stores and visitor information centers for $5; $12 for three days.  The passes are good on the buses as well. 

Trolley routes are pretty straight forward.  Buses less so.  When we were in New Orleans two weeks ago we looked unsuccessfully for a bus route map.  We                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    were able to find our way around by combining the advice of the resort's bellhop and Tourist Information with what we found on RTA's website.  If you aren't going to have internet access at your resort, I encourage you to visit www.norta.com before you go.


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## DaveNV (May 14, 2009)

Thanks, Judy.  Good stuff to know.  Where did you stay in N.O.?

Dave


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## MULTIZ321 (May 14, 2009)

BMWguynw said:


> We plan to use public transportation most of the time, but will rent a car for a day or two so we can tour the outlying area.
> 
> One thing we really want to do is visit Oak Alley plantation.  Any others you'd recommend we visit?  Spouse is quite the photographer, so photo-ops are a plus. Dave



Dave,

See this previous Tug Post for info about doing New Orleans/Louisiana Plantation tours, including Oak Alley scroll down to see my post.  The Nottoway Plantation renovations have been completed and tours there are available again.  We enjoyed all the plantations we visited and each was distinctively different - definitely a highlight of our trip.
There are other plantations also - but time didn't allow us to get to those.
When you're at Oak Alley - note the candle holders in the parlour and inquire how they were used by southern belles if they weren't interested in the particular gentleman visitor. 

Have a great trip.

Richard


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## Cathyb (May 14, 2009)

Dave:  Please give us a big report upon your return!  As for photo shoots, if their cemetaries are still around after the hurricane -- they are really unique!


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## Timeshare Von (May 14, 2009)

Yes, please do share as we'll be there in about six weeks!


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## Timeshare Von (May 14, 2009)

P.S.  We are looking forward to doing the New Orleans School of Cooking - - a cooking lesson and lunch for $27 

http://www.neworleansschoolofcooking.com/


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## Greg G (May 14, 2009)

deleted         .


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## TomR (May 14, 2009)

Hi Dave. My friend and I had a wonderful week at The Quarter House over St. Patty's Day.  What a wonderful time of the year to be in New Orleans. So many parades, and one thing we learned very quickly about the friendly folks who inhabit New Orleans.  They love parades and they are very, very  good at them.   We also learned that besides being good at parades, New Orleanians are good at food.  No, that is wrong.  They are great at food, and there are some fantastic restaurants within easy walking distance of where you will be.  We ate at some upscale restaurants such as NOLA , Arnaud's,  Mr. B's,  Brennan's (for breakfast) , some mid-level places like Cafe Giovanni's, The Gumbo Shop and Pat O'Briens, and some local joints (but good joints)  like Coop's,  Napoleon House, and Mena's Palace.   All had one thing in common--good food.  

We didn't do any plantation tours this trips but it gives us an excuse to return to New Orleans. This was my third trip to New Orleans, her first. We did do a Saturday night Bloody Mary "Tour of the Undead"  which was a lot of fun, although as far as I know, no one on the tour saw any ghosts that night.   We also did the Honey Island Swamp Tour which was very good, as was a cooking class at the New Orleans School of Cooking.

Our 1 bedroom at The Quarter House, while not especially large, was clean and more than adequate for the two of us.  We had daily housekeeping and enjoyed our stay there. Hope you have a great vacation.
Tom


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## AwayWeGo (May 14, 2009)

*Café du Monde*

_Café au lait et beignets. _

Yum. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## lynne (May 14, 2009)

Timeshare Von said:


> P.S.  We are looking forward to doing the New Orleans School of Cooking - - a cooking lesson and lunch for $27
> 
> http://www.neworleansschoolofcooking.com/



The cooking class is great!  We have attended these classes on both our trips to New Orleans.  Very informative, great food and fun.   The gumbo class is our favorite.

Also, the zoo is worth a visit.


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## Judy (May 15, 2009)

BMWguynw said:


> Thanks, Judy.  Good stuff to know.  Where did you stay in N.O.?
> Dave



We stayed at the Wyndham Avenue Plaza. 


			
				Cathyb said:
			
		

> if their cemetaries are still around after the hurricane -- they are really unique!


I don't know about the other cemeteries, but the Lafayette Cemetery Number One in the Garden District is still there and open for visitors.


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## bigrick (May 18, 2009)

If you search within TUG for Awesome Annie, there's a huge pre-Katrina list of food and things to do in NOLA.  Much of the list is still correct.  Use it as a guide.

Post-Katrina, Hoc keeps a list here that is excellent too.

You'll have a GREAT time there!

The cemeteries are all still there.  We went once.  Once was enough for me.  The last couple of times we've been to NOLA we had a hard time leaving the Quarter and Frenchmen St. as there was plenty to do for us there.

Go to Snug Harbor for some great jazz.  Many shows are $15pp for nice, intimate setting.  No drink minimums either.


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## cjmcd (May 18, 2009)

*Jerry*

If in the French Quarter of New Orleans, dine at Oliver's, 200 block of Decatur st, or Acme Oyster House on Beinville st, or the next street closest to Canal St - Iberville st -, close to Bourbon st. There is also a micro-brewery with good beer and good food whose name escapes me, but it is in the 500 block of Decatur st. Roam to the 500 block of Royal st and possibly catch the "Loose Marbles" playing Dixie Jazz in the street in front of their "digs". Steamboat Willie usually plays Dixie Jazz around the 300 block of Burbon st in the Courtyard. If one gets bored, there is always Jackson Square in front of St. Louis Cathedral!


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## cpamomma (May 20, 2009)

We were at the Quarter House last week (Saturday to Saturday) and had a WONDERFUL time!!!

We choose to go to Laura Plantation.  It is a creole plantation that was owned by 3 generations of women.  It was different than the other plantations.  We really enjoyed it.

We went to Snug Harbor and enjoyed a great jazz orchestra.  We ate at an Italian restaurant (Adolfo's) across the street.  I ordered chicken picatta.  It was so greasy, I sent it back.  I had never done that before, but it was really bad.

We walked miles every day which was a REALLY good thing because we also ate some great meals.  Our favorite dish was the charbroiled oysters at Drago's Seafood.  I normally avoid restaurants in hotels, but this was highly recommended, so we went for it.  YUMMMMMMMMMY!!!  It is in the Hilton by the Riverwalk.

We also loved our meal at Irene's.  We ate at K-Paul's one night and were so full that we could not go to Rock n'Bowl for zydeco music as planned.  Mr. B's was great!  Our last meal there was lunch at Bayona.  It was amazing.  My husband loved the shrimp and grits at Blue Plate (in the garden district).  Plaza Cafe was okay, not great.  We had a really yummy meal at Besh's restaurant Friday night.  I have gone to the gym 3 out of the last 4 days that we have been home to work off those meals!

We went on an airboat swamp boat tour.  It was really fun and I held an aligator.

Enjoy.  You will have a really great time!


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## Hoc (May 21, 2009)

bigrick said:


> Post-Katrina, Hoc keeps a list here that is excellent too.



Thanks for the shout-out.  I also recently updated it after I got back from Jazz Fest two weeks ago.  New restaurants on the list, pulled some off that have permanently closed, and have added some further detail about others and about recommended tourist attractions.

That said, I did not put in the plantation tours we took earlier this month.  Still deciding if it is worth it to include them.  But Oak Alley was very nice, and there are many other plantations nearby, along the Old River Road, about an hour drive out of NOLA.


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## Cathyb (May 21, 2009)

hoc: What airline do you use to get to NO?  Is it out of SNA?  Any trouble getting the times/flights you want?


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## MULTIZ321 (May 21, 2009)

Hoc said:


> Thanks for the shout-out.  I also recently updated it after I got back from Jazz Fest two weeks ago.  New restaurants on the list, pulled some off that have permanently closed, and have added some further detail about others and about recommended tourist attractions.
> 
> That said, I did not put in the plantation tours we took earlier this month.  Still deciding if it is worth it to include them.  But Oak Alley was very nice, and there are many other plantations nearby, along the Old River Road, about an hour drive out of NOLA.



Hoc,

My recommendation is to include the plantation tour info to your list.

You probably saw my link in post number 8 of this thread that will have some of the info and websites for you to use. I think I may have some other plantation website links and info at home that I haven't included. I'll look for it and if I find it, I'll share it too.

Thanks for the fantastic information you've compiled.

Best regards,

Richard


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## Hoc (May 22, 2009)

Cathyb said:


> hoc: What airline do you use to get to NO?  Is it out of SNA?  Any trouble getting the times/flights you want?



I recently used two free tickets on Southwest to get there this time.  Over New Year's, I used miles on American for two free tickets in First Class.  I find that getting to New Orleans from Southern California can usually be expensive when I pay for the tickets, so I often use miles.

However, I have seen tickets in the $200 range from San Diego, and in that range on Delta from LAX.


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## Hoc (May 22, 2009)

MULTIZ321 said:


> My recommendation is to include the plantation tour info to your list.



Oak Alley is normally the most popular, followed by Laura and San Francisco.  The haunted ones, such as Magnolia Lane, are not in that area.


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