My wife and I are contemplating a winter vacation to New Orleans. This would be the first time there for us. Does anyone have recommendations for hotels, dining, sights, etc.?
Thanks,
Bacchanal, any of the restaurants run by Alon Shaya, Latitude 29, Cane and Table, and Toups Meatery are great.
Frenchman Street has great music.
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Hi Paul -
Here are a couple of threads with recent restaurant recommendations.
Enjoy!
Patrick
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Not an expert but did have a great long weekend with my wife last year.
Stayed at the Royal Frenchman on Frenchman, which was very nice and not crazy expensive. You feel like you are in the nightlife action but there aren’t people vomiting outside of your window.
Walked from here to a bunch of fun happy hours in the Bywater, including Anna’s, The Franklin and Capulet. Great cocktails at affordable prices all spots. Agree Bacchanal is very cool. Awesome tiki at Beach Bum Barry’s.
Dinners at Marjie’s and St. John’s, both great and interesting food. Incredible sandwiches at Turkey and the Wolf. I thought the Sazerac museum was worthwhile.
The Eater websites are a good resource for where to eat and drink in NO. Have fun!
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Thanks for the happy hour and restaurant recs. These are a few I haven’t been to yet on trips there - will have to try. Marjie’s Grill looks really interesting and a good departure from heavier NO style…
Snug Harbor, Mahogony Club, Preservation Hall, Spotted Cat for great jazz.
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I’m a frequent visiter to New Orleans and for food heartily recommend Marjie’s and their sister restaurant Seafood Sallies, Peche, La Petite Grocery, St. Germain, GW Fins, Coops, Cochin Butcher, Miss River, Maypop, Molly’s Rise and Shine, and Galatoires.
For music Tipitinas, DBA, the Spotted Cat, and the Howling Wolf are some places to start.
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Excellent recommendations already in this thread. I’d add Coquette to the list of restaurants. Our favorite old school N.O. is Friday lunch at Galatoire’s, and drinks at Arnaud’s French 75 Bar. The fried chicken at Willie Mae’s Scotch House is excellent. I second all the music venues and Frenchman Street. We stayed at the Ace Hotel last time, which I’d pass on. We did enjoy our stay at the Hotel Peter & Paul in the Marigny. Converted old church/convent complex and a more interesting area than the Quarter.
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I’ve visited dozens of times and I’ve not stayed or eaten at all the places I want to. There are so many options I don’t think a visitor ever could really do it all.
I guess what I’m saying is that it might be helpful to be more specific info as to what type of experience you are looking for and maybe we can help narrow the choices down just a bit 
I love Willie Mae’s but after I walk there and the line is too long I often take a short Uber to Dizzy’s. It’s hard to recommend Dizzy’s straight up if you’re looking for the best chicken (it’s not), but the experience is always more authentic imo. THere are some alternatives to most every answer in Nola which is what makes it so compelling!
Paul,
Since you said it’s your first trip I thought I’d take a stab at some things I would do first.
Breakfast:
Take the St Charles trolley one morning to Camellia grill and soak in the banter.
I’ve always liked Stanley in the quarter for a nice start.
Lunch:
Casamentos - Oysters and fried Seafood
Parkway - po-boy ect
Liuzzas by track
Cochon Butcher
Dragos Metairie if you can. I like the chargrilled oysters fine in the Hilton, but the atmosphere is awful.
Mr.B’s- classic old school lunch at the bar.
Napoleon house for Pimms and hot Muff (which I prefer)
There are just too many.
Dinner is even more daunting in breadth. As has been recommended I’d look through the old threads,
Explore the garden district.
R’evolution - sit at the bar and just get the Death by Gumbo.
I agree Bacchanal is great fun.
Make a late stop at Lafittes Blacksmith Shop - sing Piano Man if you must but the chairs out front are awesome on a cool night.
Sazerac Bar - used to be a fav but last few times the crowd sucked?
Go see a brass institution at their home bar. Rebirth, Corey Henry, Soul Rebels, Kermit ect. These are weeknight.
On Frenchman, as your walking up and down, grab some take out beers and don’t miss the local band that will play several times out on the corner for tips.
Check out here for what’s going on with the music scene
Go see a 2am Jazz show…because where else can you do that on a regular basis!
For preservation hall if the actual band is in town (used to be Wednesdays) hit that show.
There are threads on hotels but my favorite experience is to get a boutique hotel in the quarter with an outside facing balcony.
I could go on and on… have a great trip
Or a 5pm!
Where else!
Damn @Robert_M_yers this is an awesome post and spot on in so many ways. I’d add a few things to the perfect day in New Orleans
Lunch: Domilise’s Po-Boy’s and Bar Uptown on Annunciation. We give it the nod over Parkway and their Shrimp Po Boy is a must. The vibe is pretty neat and the place is unchanged after so many years. Super cold Abita draft or a glass of Barq’s root beer with your po-boy.
Stroll Royal street and check out the sites and have a Sazerac at Brennan’s Bar. I agree with you on Sazerac’s bar vibe. We ducked out pretty quickly after our last visit.
Dinner- impossible to pick a favorite but Herbsaint is the one we go back to every visit and take friends to. It’s so consistent with great food, service and great wine and bourbon options. Gabrielle has also become one of our favorites if someone wants to peak back in time to they style of food that NOLA does best.
We’re going in April for the French Qtr fest and to stay a bit and see friends. Some new spots in this thread we’ll have to check out.
Paul- not sure if your still planning to go but make sure to check the dates with Mardi Gras. It’s a whole different town if you visit towards the peak of Mardi Gras Parade season.
We’re going back end of April for Jazz Fest.
We are considering Commander’s Palace for my birthday. We’ve been to New Orleans so many times but have yet to eat at CP. Thoughts? I loved Lengua Madre when we ate there last year, and I think we may have to go back there again this year. A night out in the Garden District is always a nice change of pace from the busy French Quarter.
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I usually find it tough to go that formal during JazzFest, but you have to do 25 cent martinis and Turtle Soup while spiffed up at least once!
If you haven’t used these Abbie they are super helpful to figure out what going on around town during JazzFest
http://www.jazzfestgrids.com/
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We don’t do night shows every night, and usually leave one or two nights open to go out for a nice dinner and cocktail hop. We’ll be there 5 nights.
Very familiar with the grids! I love watching them fill up. The only show we do not miss is the Thursday before 1st wknd- Anders Osborne at Tip’s. We go every year.
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Nice, like this year I almost always go the 2nd weekend. Probably should change that up one year.
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We went to Anders Osborne’s Holiday Spectacular both nights in 2018 at Tipitina’s. What a fun and great show.
Has Tipitina’s changed much since Galactic bought it? I thought they would improve it, dream of mine to see them there.
Jealous of your trip, hope to make the Holiday Spectacular again this December.
New Orleans is a great destination and so much more to do and see than just Bourbon St. I know that is obvious to anyone here on WB, but you’d be amazed how many people I talk to never get 4-5 blocks from there during there trip.
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I don’t think that Tipitina’s has changed at all for the most part. I honestly didn’t notice any changes.
Anders is so fun live. The Holiday Spectacular would be a blast. He always has a fantastic lineup for those.
Can anyone recommend a BYOB restaurant in New Orleans? Big B-Day for my GF and I want to bring a couple of nice bottles. Thanks!