We've both never been and are going in two weeks without DS. So we want to enjoy traditional New Orleans with some high-end touches. Nice new hotel in good location that's walkable but not rowdy. Good restaurants. Etc.
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Ummm, no recommendations as I've never been, but I'm going to live vicariously through you on this post lol
I'm so jealous I've always wanted to go to New Orleans.
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I live in New Orleans!
Hotels:
Pontchartrain Hotel
Montelone
Le PavillonDinner/Lunch:
Commander's Palace
Restaurant August
Le Petit Grocery
Herbsaint
Cochon
Pascal's ManaleCoffee/Brunch:
Willa Jean
French Truck CoffeeI honestly have a million bar/restaurant/music recommendations so let me know if you want a detailed list. My biggest recommendation regarding restaurants is to make reservations TODAY. It's festival season and stuff gets booked quick. Most of them are on Open Table. Bienvenue!
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For hotel I'd say the Ritz or the Roosevelt. For dinner I vote Irene's! Have fun!
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@mrsjd: thank you! I'll make reservations tonight after LO is in bed
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We stayed at the Royal Sonesta and it was beautiful with a lovely pool. I think the rooms all vary though; ours was older but fancier.
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@SweetiePie: YAY! Have you ever been before? It's a great time of year to come. You can't go wrong (unless you eat on Bourbon, don't eat on Bourbon unless you're three sheets to the wind).
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We went to Peche for dinner and loved it. Commanders Palace has an awesome brunch!
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I agree on the Montelone or the Omni.
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Oh and Stanley's has an Eggs Benny po boy that's one of my top five dishes I've ever had.
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We stayed at the Royal Sonesta and it was very nice. Great location too!
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@SKINNYCOW: @lioneyes: We have a friend who recommended the Royal Sonesta but he's a partying bachelor so we weren't sure if his recommendation would be appropriate for us. That's good to know that two other ladies here recommend it.
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@youboots: I'll trust any of your food recs since we're so similar there
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@mrsjd: never! First time for both of us!
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@lawbee11: thank you! We've always loved our Ritz experiences. Is the location good?
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@SweetiePie: ok then I'll give more food recommendations we had dinner twice at Dickie Brennons because it was so good. Also the pictured dish at Landrys I still dream about.
Also Mr. Bs shrimp is a must. I make it at home.
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There's a bakery called Croissant D'Or towards the end of the French Quarter that is really great. I second Stanley's for breakfast, too. Frenchmen Street is great for music/drinks at night. Also, you can take the streetcar down St. Charles to see the Garden District and get out of the French Quarter a bit. The houses are beautiful.
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@youboots: yesssssss thank you!
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@Chuckles: I
️ Baked Goods so thank you for the rec.
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August for dinner for sure. I can still taste the truffle gnocchi
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You absolutely cannot miss Mother's for breakfast! And Galatoire's is a Nawlins classic for (an upscale) dinner.
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@yoursilverlining: so funny, one of my fave restaurants in NYC is called August!
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The Roosevelt! At least go to the bar (The Sazerac). For dinner, I loved the romantic little courtyard at Sylvain (near Jackson Square). So jealous! Have fun!
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OMG I'm totally following since we're going to New Orleans next week!
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Agree with Montelone! Very nice!
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@SweetiePie: The Ritz location is really good and they have a great piano/jazz bar that is a lot of fun for a relaxing evening (or drinks at the end of the night). It's in the Quarter but not right by Bourbon (like, for example, the Royal Sonesta).
To see the Garden District, I recommend the walking tours - http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-orleans-tours/walking-tours/garden-district-and-lafayette-cemetery-tour/
Also, if you like shopping and antiques, the Magazine Street area is great.
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@mrsjd: I was just coming to ask you some questions and saw you posted again. Thanks
1) will it really suck if we go during the week instead of a weekend? Like Mon - Thurs. Holy cow it's a ton cheaper! The flights are less than half the cost!
2) What's the difference between Business District and French quarter? They seem pretty close to each other and both seem to be very walkable from what I've read. -
@SweetiePie: No, I don't think so. Honestly this time of year it'll probably be more enjoyable because there are so many people here on the weekends due to the festivals. Not sure when you're coming, but it may be cheaper because Jazz Fest starts on April 28 and lasts two weeks and people come in from all over for that. Everything will still be open and it'll be fun.
The Business District (also called the CBD - Central Business District) is adjacent to the Quarter, more towards the river and uptown. It's where the big office buildingsare (and where I work). But if you didn't know the difference you probably wouldn't recognize when you left one to go to the other.
Another thing I recommend if you like history is the D-Day Museum here. It's spectacular! And a good daytime activity (aka: break from eating and drinking).
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Commander's Palace was cool and I loved my meal.
Herbsaint - wanted to love, but wasn't totally impressed.
We did an Emeril restaurant one night and actually had a great meal.
I did Domenica for lunch and that was yummy if you want to change it up w/ a little italian.
Def make reservations as soon as you know the dates you are going!
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@mrsjd: Thanks! This is super helpful.
So we were looking at the first weekend in May and it sounds like that was the end of the Jazz fest so maybe that's why it was so much! Good to know!
I changed my search to Mon 8th - Thurs 11th and flights dropped from almost $700 to $330! And hotels are down about $100-200 a night as well. But maybe it's not weekday/weekend as much as it was the jazz fest ending. I'll look at some other weekends but May is pretty booked for us already and June is too far away. We're itching to get away together! Been too long.
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@winniebee: Thansk! Everyone is saying commanders Palace so I'll def have to check that out!
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So jealous! I got married in NOLA but it was 6 years ago almost so I'm sure things have changed. DH and I stayed at the Royal Sonesta and had a great suite on the interior courtyard/pool area. I'm a crappy sleeper but I never was woken up by Bourbon Street noise.
For dinner, I recommend Cochon. For po boys I recommend Mahoneys. And for fun/ drinks I like to go to Lafitte's - even if it is touristy, it's fun and the voodoo daiquiris are deadly. And of course, I always get beignets at Cafe Du Monde - again super, super touristy but I always wake up early so we go at like 7 am before it is insanely busy.
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@SweetiePie: Yes! The Ritz is in a great location. It's on Canal St. so close to the action but far enough away to not be crazy/noisy. I stayed on Bourbon St one time and will never do it again...I didn't get any sleep!
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@SweetiePie: yes reservations are a must. I had no idea. We did a 12 day road trip Nashville-NOLA-Austin. The other cities were no problem for food but reservations in NOLA were rough. I like the open table app. I'd go for at least 4 nights.
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@psw27: I 100% plan on going to café du monde. I know that I may regret it but I actually was just reading an article about it on tips from the locals. It might be total bullshit but it made a lot of sense. I don't see how I could go to New Orleans and not go there. I'm not sure when or if I'll ever go back again!
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@lawbee11: That sounds perfect! And I looked up the Roosevelt you mentioned. It's Waldorf Astoria which we also love. And we are Amex Platinum and Waldorf Astoria properties are in their Fine Hotels collection so we get lots of perks. I think that may be our answer!
@youboots: I am an OpenTable addict! I use it every week. If a restaurant isn't on OpenTable I usually won't go.
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Adding to the endorsements for the Roosevelt. Great location and really nice hotel. We ate at the Domenica (inside it) when we got in late and were exhausted from travel and it was actually delicious. We weren't married at the time and I added a similar risotto to our wedding menu based on what I ate there!
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I think Cafe du Monde is really fun and delicious. You won't regret going. I lived there for 2 years and still went. I second @MrsJD:'s suggestion of Magazine Street. It's a really cute area with lots of great shops. And don't forget to get a snowball! (like a really delicious snow cone)
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so glad to see Restaurant August on this list!! We went for our 1st anniversary NINE years ago (I can't believe this summer will be our 10th anniversary!!
) and it was excellent!
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@LBee: @Chuckles: @MrsLonghorn: Thank you for adding on!
FLIGHT IS BOOKED! Just had to call my mom to convince me my 2.5yo will be fine. Lol. Funny thing is I leave him pretty often but usually DH is home. Actually next weekend I'm going away for a girls trip but with DH here I feel way less guilty. And when we've both left him in the past he was a lot younger and didn't notice as much that I was gone. I know he'll be fine - as much as I bitch about my IL's they adore him and take very good (almost too good) care of him.
Now that flight is booked we'll do hotel tonight (he still wants Royal Sonesta, I want Roosevelt) and I'm starting restaurant reservations now. So excited!
I'm so jealous I've always wanted to go to New Orleans.
) and it was excellent!
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