Taking the wife for her 40th Birthday to New Orleans next weekend. Any advise where to eat -drink, what to see and do in the big easy. Got my sister in law to babysit and looking to cut loose- thanks

Commander's Palace has excellent food. Over in the Garden District.

http://www.commanderspalace.com/new_orleans/index.php

I agree you have to go to Commanders Palace. It's an old house converted to a restaurant. Food is outstanding, but be prepared for a BIG bill. There are many, many good restaurants. You'll find fine food in most. Have fun.

Central Grocery.. on central street. Get a half a mufalatta each. trust me. :) you will still have leftovers.

My wife and I joined several other couples last year on a trip to "Narlens". Bubba Gump's shrimp place was pretty good and we really enjoyed Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. Both are in the French Quarter. I know that these restrauants aren't "unique" but you can't find them anywhere near Iowa!

:thumbsup:
Enjoy

Jeff
65 Chevelle

You have to go to Dumont's for breakfast. Great Benets ( I think that's how it's spelled). Fried dough balls with powdered sugar....yum...and good coffee. Also, a little expensive, but great food and service is Emeril's. You know the TV guy. We went expecting all the hype to be just that...what a surprise. It was good. Have fun. It's a great place to visit.

You have to go to Dumont's for breakfast. Great Benets ( I think that's how it's spelled). Fried dough balls with powdered sugar....yum...and good coffee. Also, a little expensive, but great food and service is Emeril's. You know the TV guy. We went expecting all the hype to be just that...what a surprise. It was good. Have fun. It's a great place to visit.

French quarter. Have a hurricane for me!!

You have to go to Dumont's for breakfast. Great Benets ( I think that's how it's spelled). Fried dough balls with powdered sugar....yum...and good coffee. Also, a little expensive, but great food and service is Emeril's. You know the TV guy. We went expecting all the hype to be just that...what a surprise. It was good. Have fun. It's a great place to visit.

I'll second that one, then go to Pat O'Brian's for a Huricane or 3....

Scott

Ctrain2 is correct. The place is called Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter at 800 Decatur St. There are other locations in New Orleans but to experience the full effect of N. O. you must go to the "Quarter". You have to have at least 1 order of Beignets & Coffee Au Lait while in the "Big Easy". While at Cafe Du Monde you will see all types of street performers. Also Jackson Square is right across the street. Commander's Palace is the place for dinner. Great food, prices are not that bad, be sure to get the bread pudding souffle for desert. Harrah's casino is in the quarter and the D-Day museum also. If you like Civil War history, Confederate Hall Museum is at 900 Camp St. right near the quarter. Plenty of artifacts, flags and such.

Have fun in New Orleans, but be careful. Great place to visit but you DON'T want to live there.

Ctrain2 is correct. The place is called Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter at 800 Decatur St. There are other locations in New Orleans but to experience the full effect of N. O. you must go to the "Quarter". You have to have at least 1 order of Beignets & Coffee Au Lait while in the "Big Easy". While at Cafe Du Monde you will see all types of street performers. Also Jackson Square is right across the street. Commander's Palace is the place for dinner. Great food, prices are not that bad, be sure to get the bread pudding souffle for desert. Harrah's casino is in the quarter and the D-Day museum also. If you like Civil War history, Confederate Hall Museum is at 900 Camp St. right near the quarter. Plenty of artifacts, flags and such.

Have fun in New Orleans, but be careful. Great place to visit but you DON'T want to live there.

You said it, I need to go back there asap.... All kinds of crazy people to check out.. I also would advise a trip to Preservation Hall, it's a real treat..

Scott

Voodoo Barbeque. My wife and I still dream about it. And a tour thru Oak Alley Plantation and a mint julep after can't be missed.

Commander's Palace has excellent food. Over in the Garden District.

http://www.commanderspalace.com/new_orleans/index.php

My soon to be brother in law is one of the Chefs there.

One of my favorites...Ralph & Cocoo's in the Quarter...been a few years though.

cresent city brew pub in the french quarter is a good place to have a beer and some good food.

or go down the Bayou..which would be south anywhere out of the city and pretty much pick any road side diner or little city restaurant and the food will be great.

too-la-roo-la-roo.

Warning, I'm about to show my lack of recent experience...

Is Court of Two Sisters still there? Food every bot as good as K Pauls and didn't have to wait for a table...

Pardon the spelling of any of this...

I just visited NO for the first time about a month ago. If I may offer a small piece of advise.. Do not wear good shoes ANYWHERE in the quarter. If at all possible avoid ALL puddles on the streets or sidewalks. If you have not guessed it yet-the smell of urine will certainly give away what I am hinting at.

I had to throw my tennis shoes away as they were stained, and reaked of, well... a porta potty after just walking around in the quarter.

Other than that very minor issue, I LOVED it! It is such a pretty place to visit, and as everyone above has told you there is no shortage of places to eat, drink, or be merry! Besides what was already mentioned, there is a river boat tour, along with a river side mall that is nice if you want air conditioning while you walk around and shop. There is also an Aquarium riverside if you have kids. There is an IMAX. There are street cars that can carry you about if you know where you want to go. Just ask and the people will help you get around. There really is so much to do there that you should decide what you want to do before you get there, so you can plan your routes. That city has something going on all night long. You won't run out of things to do-but you may run out of money, or energy. :-)

Have fun!

One of my favorites...Ralph & Cocoo's in the Quarter...been a few years though.

Yup, about 4 years ago for me. I liked this place too - hush puppies are GREAT! You can get good food in just about any hole in the wall in NO. Ralph & Cacoos (sp) was recommended by one of the carriage drivers at Jackson Square. NO is dirty, seedy, tawdry, sometimes dangerous, and my absolute favorite city to visit!
John

I just visited NO for the first time about a month ago. If I may offer a small piece of advise.. Do not wear good shoes ANYWHERE in the quarter.

That reminds me, if you are walking near the river & someone asks you "were you got your shoes" just smile & walk away.. Its a scam, they clean your shoes without asking, then tell you that you owe them like 20 or 30 bucks.. My wife thought I was nuts when I flipped him a dollar for the creative scam but REFUSED to pay him what he wanted...

Scott

Oh yeah.....go to "Mother's" for breakfast if you can find it. It's on Poydras I think.

The best breakfast is at the Camilia grill, get there early because it lines up out the door. Im not sure exactly where it is but its not in the french quarter area, just ask a local. For dinner Emerils NOLA resturant is nothing short of amazing.

If your going to Commanders Place you may need to call now and make a reservation. At least when i tried to go they said they were booked a week in advance. I ended up going to Nola's. Owned by Emeril.Food was pretty good. I always eat at Sammy's Steak and Lobster on Bourbon. Horse and carriage ride is always cool.Pick it up in Jackson square.Also if someone bets you $20 they can tell you how many letters are in your last name, don't take the bet. You will lose. If you have time take a swamp tour.Theres a haunted swamp tour at night that i been wanting to catch. As for drinks, look for the 3 for 1 specials on Bourbon. Three bottles of beer for $3. The Hustler club is cool too.;)

When I was a kid we used to eat at the original Ralph & Kacoo's. It was a little place on "False River" near New Roads, LA (a little west of Baton Rouge). Before long they outgrew the little place and moved into Baton Rouge. Then opened a second location.

They're not as good as they were when they were the little "Mom & Pop" place on the water, but they're still plenty good. I've passed by a Ralph & Kacoo's in East Texas several times recently. Haven't had time to stop though.

Check out some of the smaller Jazz clubs in the Quarter. Get tattooed at Jacci's on Rampart. Definitely don't pass up Pat O'Brien's, but remember that there are several bars in the place and drinks are priced differently at them (depending on the entertainment).

Cafe DuMonde is great. Getcha some Cafe au lait and Beignets there (pronounced "Cafe Olay" and "Ben Yays"). Make sure you're not wearing dark clothes, because you will get covered in powdered sugar.

Check out the Aquarium of the Americas and the Audubon Zoo. Don't miss the French Market. And there is a really cool Voodoo shop right by the French Market (if you're into that creepy sort of stuff).

Man, y'all are making me hungry for home. I need to get me some of that Beignet mix.

Thanks for all the replies, I am starting to fast now so I can enjoy all the good eats and drinks

I second Camilia grille, went there for lunch. Good food, fair prices. It's at the south end of Carrollton, by St. Charles. Watch out for the teachers selling you hats for $10 each too...

I hope you like humidity, makes our LI summers seem dry...

I was there last August, my sister in law lives there with her husband (military)... She intentionaly steered me away from all the good places (voodoo shops), she's a pentacostal (holy roller...) Hahahaha... She attempted to throw out my tarot cards while staying with my wife and I last year, I've read cards since I was young...

I brought back Bignet (sp?) mix..... Definitely have to do Cafe' DuMonde.... There's an indoor one in the mall if it's too hot outside...