19 Best New Orleans French Quarter Restaurants in 2024
New Orleans French Quarter restaurants have a distinctive character to which there is no equal. Iconic names like Brennan’s, Galatoire’s, Antoine’s and Arnaud’s may sound familiar — and at least one of those founding fathers should be on your reservation list when visiting — but is there more to New Orleans French Quarter restaurants than jambalaya and étoufée?
The answer is yes. A new generation of chefs has arrived in The Big Easy because it offers a place where they can let their imaginations and culinary innovations go wild. Eating is a mainstay of New Orleans society, and long lingering dinners are the norm. The people of New Orleans love food no matter what shape or size it comes in, and they welcome new chefs with open arms.
When it comes to the food and the flavors of New Orleans French Quarter restaurants, anything goes. Did you know that New Orleans is considered the northernmost Caribbean city? You’ll often find curries and other exotic ingredients on the menus. There’s also a Cajun influence when you’re this close to the bayou, so expect to feel the heat, and don’t be surprised to find alligator in your gumbo. Fold in French, German, Spanish and Italian influences and you’ve got a culinary mecca like nowhere else on earth.
This list of New Orleans French Quarter restaurants highlights some of the real standouts that reflect the true flavor and energy of this spirited city. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
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Explore the Best Restaurants in the French Quarter
If you eat in one New Orleans French Quarter restaurant every day, it would take you more than three years to hit them all. Cover more ground faster by starting with food tours in New Orleans. Put on your comfiest walking shoes and let a local expert wind you through the narrow cobblestone streets and alleys, as the scents of exotic meats and simmering sauces get you more acquainted with the food scene.
19 Best New Orleans French Quarter Restaurants
1. Bayona
While some New Orleans French Quarter restaurants have become stagnant in recent years, Susan Spicer’s flagship Bayona manages to remain timeless. Instead of the typical meunières or almondines that are the mainstays of old-school New Orleans French Quarter restaurants, Chef Spicer’s food has always reflected a more globally inspired approach.
The Vibe
This upscale New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is tucked away on a very quiet side street, and the dining room is fairly small, so reservations for dinner are an absolute must. There is patio seating perfect for a lunch date in spring and early summer when it isn’t stifling outside.
What to Order
The menu at Bayona changes almost daily, but there is one life-changing dish that remains a fixture on the menu. Salmon en choucroute with Gewurztraminer sauce will convert even the most salmon-averse. The pairing of a barely-breaded piece of salmon with a beurre blanc sauce and a side of sauerkraut may shock you at first, but then it will transport you to the romantic Rhine River Valley on the French-German border, and you’ll never look back. Bayona is also known for being the New Orleans French Quarter restaurant with the best sweetbreads in the city.
Bayona | 430 Dauphine St., New Orleans, LA 70112 | $$$
2. Restaurant R’evolution
Restaurant R’evolution is a true New Orleans French Quarter restaurant masterpiece. It combines the talents of legendary Chef John Folse, the father of Cajun and Creole cuisine, and Rick Tramonto, a classically trained French and European chef best known for being founder of world-renowned Tru in Chicago. The menu is indulgent and meat-centric but also celebrates Southern seafood specialties.
The Vibe
Located in the iconic Royal Sonesta hotel on Bourbon Street, this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is refined and modern. For a special occasion with a group, reserve the wine room table or the more intimate kitchen table, but be aware both come with spend minimums. Dress to impress, and be sure to follow dinner with a visit to The Jazz Playhouse next door.
What to Order
The menu at this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is extensive and gets better with each turn of the page. Death by Gumbo is a must for gumbo-philes. The foie gras “torchon” is a good intermezzo. For mains, the sea scallops and black truffles with veal cheeks, apple and bacon are a consistently spectacular dish. From the field and game menu, the Triptych of Quail, which features the bird fried, boudin-stuffed and absinthe-glazed, is also a true culinary adventure.
Restaurant R’evolution | 777 Bienville St., New Orleans, LA 70130 | $$$$
3. GW Fins
When dining in a city that lives below sea level, make sure you get a table at GW Fins to experience the absolute best seafood that New Orleans French Quarter restaurants have to offer. This family-owned establishment is simply fins and tails above anyone else when it comes to showcasing the best of what the Gulf of Mexico provides in a responsible and sustainable way.
The Vibe
Fins has an extensive dining space that is always full and always lively. This New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is a great choice for large groups that have something to celebrate.
What to Order
The restaurant receives its daily catch at 4 p.m., so the menu is completed just before dinner service and changes daily. Your best bets will be anything made with Gulf shrimp, sheepshead, wild redfish, Louisiana yellowfin tuna or American red snapper. Save room for the white chocolate and caramel bread pudding at this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant.
GW Fins | 808 Bienville St., New Orleans, LA 70112 | $$$
4. August
The chef behind this ultra fine dining New Orleans French Quarter restaurant suffered a pretty severe fall from grace, which took a toll on this flagship as well as his other restaurants in New Orleans' French Quarter, but what hasn’t suffered is the world-class food and the quintessential high-end dining experience that is Restaurant August.
The Vibe
August is located just outside the border of the French Quarter and is absolutely first-class. This is not a place you waltz into after a night on Bourbon. Proper attire is required, as is a generous dining companion to split the hefty bill.
What to Order
The menu offers refined and artistically presented dishes that truly capture the best Louisiana has to offer, so if you don’t recognize something, ask. For a culinary flight, we recommend the oyster and Herbsaint bisque, royal red “stuffed mirliton,” red snapper Pontchartrain or pan-seared tripletail. The tasting menu at this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is an easy alternative if you can’t decide.
Restaurant August | 301 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130 | $$$$
5. Criollo
After many years without an anchor restaurant of note, New Orleans French Quarter restaurant Criollo burst forth, bringing new life and contemporary cuisine to one of the French Quarter’s most storied hotels. While this is definitely a hot spot for dinner, Criollo also tops the list of best places for a jazz brunch in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
The Vibe
This fine-dining New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is located inside the historic Hotel Monteleone. You’ll want to arrive early to see if you can grab a seat in the legendary carousel bar before dinner.
What to Order
Criollo offers a five-course tasting menu for dinner with optional wine pairing that is well priced considering the quality. If you’re staying at the hotel, start your morning with a bloody mary, some blue crab and corn beignets, and a Cajun omelette or brioche French toast from the brunch menu.
Criollo | 214 Royal St., New Orleans, LA 70130 | $$$
6. Curio
Royal Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans is home to a host of antique and curiosity shops, from dingy and dusty to gleaming and exclusive. Antiquing is one of the best things to do in New Orleans, so if you’ve rummaged up an appetite, stop in for a bite at Curio.
The Vibe
Curio is a modestly upscale New Orleans French Quarter restaurant located in a historic building that once housed a curiosity shop. The downstairs has a large bar and some tables and tends to be a more boisterous atmosphere. If you want something a little more secluded, ask for a table upstairs.
What to Order
Start with the grit tots and a bowl of roasted duck and black-eyed pea gumbo, followed by either the blackened Gulf shrimp and Cajun jambalaya or the coriander-blackened redfish. This is also a good New Orleans French Quarter restaurant where you can just tuck into a plate of classic red beans and rice.
Curio | 301 Royal St., New Orleans, LA 70130 | $$
7. Felix’s
If you are visiting New Orleans French Quarter restaurants in the summer months, you’ll be looking for something to cool down with. Belly up to Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar and let the chill of just-shucked Gulf oysters refresh you like a gentle ocean breeze.
The Vibe
Old school oyster bar and restaurant just off Bourbon Street. You can grab a table if you need to get off your feet, but the main attraction at this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is the oyster bar itself. Like the oysters they serve, it’s a little bit slimy and salty. Just the way a good raw bar should be.
What to Order
Oysters. A dozen or two raw and a dozen chargrilled. A cup of turtle soup will wash that down nicely.
Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar | 739 Iberville St., New Orleans, LA 70130 | $$
8. Palm & Pine
Palm & Pine is a New Orleans French Quarter restaurant that blends the flavors of the South and “south of the South” with Caribbean, Mexican and South American influences.
The Vibe
A hidden gem located on the northwest corner of the French Quarter. It has an upscale casual but tropical vibe, like you’re dining at Tommy Bahama. This New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is close to popular sightseeing spot St. Louis #1, the oldest cemetery in the city, as well as The Mahalia Jackson theater, making it a great choice before a show.
What to Order
The menu changes regularly and seasonally. Shareables may include Shalonda’s corn babies (buttermilk corn bread with candied citrus butter and bee pollen), butter beans or crispy pig ears with a preserved lime buttermilk dressing. They have a solid brunch, but the late-night menu at this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is not to be missed, especially if you pair it with their twice-monthly burlesque show.
Palm & Pine | 308 N. Rampart St., New Orleans, LA 70112 | $$
9. Domenica
New Orleans is not known for its Italian restaurants. When you find one that has survived, it must be something special. Domenica is the kind of New Orleans French Quarter restaurant that hits the mark whether you need date ideas in New Orleans or a place for a power business lunch.
The Vibe
You’ll find this buzzy New Orleans French Quarter restaurant inside the extravagantly beautiful Roosevelt Hotel just a block outside the French Quarter. The famous Sazerac Bar is right next door for pre-dinner cocktails and is a must-do.
What to Order
Absolutely everything on this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant menu is excellent, whether you share a pizza or hog a pasta dish all for yourself. They may have been the first restaurant to premier the whole roasted cauliflower with whipped goat cheese. If you’re just nibbling, the salumi and formaggi menu will satisfy.
Domenica | 123 Baronne St., New Orleans, LA 70112 | $$
10. Clover Grill
If you’re visiting the French Quarter of New Orleans, you’re probably going to have a long night at some point. The Clover Grill is an iconic diner ready to handle even the most pickled guest, and one of the only restaurants in New Orleans' French Quarter bold enough to stay open all night.
The Vibe
This greasy spoon diner is conveniently located on Bourbon Street just past the last bar. Regarding the service at this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant — the menu says it bes: "If you are not served in 5 minutes, relax, it may be another 5. This is not New York City."
What to Order
We recommend the breakfast burger topped with bacon, hashbrowns and an egg. A Clover weenie with chili and cheese is a strong second choice. No matter what you order at this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant, it’s the cheapest meal in town.
Clover Grill | 900 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116 | $
11. Paladar 511
This New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is just across Esplanade Avenue from the official border, but it’s well worth the hop. Paladar 511 is a best kept secret serving wood fired pizzas, farm-to-table style main dishes and some of the best New Orleans drinks.
The Vibe
Self-described as industrial chic, this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant has a great social vibe frequented by locals far more often than tourists. You won’t want to leave.
What to Order
The menu changes seasonally, but every season is a winner. What doesn’t change is the farm egg pizza with applewood bacon, braised collard greens and Gruyère, or the lamb merguez sausage pizza with garlic confit, roasted pepper and tzatziki, thank goodness. Paladar 511 is also serving some of the best food in New Orleans for brunch.
Paladar 511 | 511 Marigny St., New Orleans, LA 70117 | $$
12. Kingfish
When you want to eat like a king, then the New Orleans French Quarter restaurant for you is Kingfish. This centrally located spot is just steps from where most New Orleans tours start, which means they are ready and waiting with a hearty meal when you return.
The Vibe
Pretty straightforward bar and narrow dining room that welcomes the hungry French Quarter tourist.
What to Order
Start with classic Louisiana crawfish bread and some fried green tomatoes with shrimp rémoulade. The barbecued scallop fettuccine at this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is a unique twist on barbecued shrimp, and they serve a classic version of shrimp and grits. Kingfish also serves some of the best fried chicken in New Orleans.
Kingfish | 337 Chartres St., New Orleans, LA 70130 | $$
13. Bennachin
Topping the list of hidden gem New Orleans French Quarter restaurants is Bennachin. Despite being located on the main drag of Royal Street, it keeps a low profile and is definitely known more to locals than tourists. Bennachin’s menu might require a little Google searching to decipher, but the earthy and spicy African flavors of a satisfying meal are easy to understand.
The Vibe
This small but friendly dining room may be the most charming and inviting restaurant in the New Orleans French Quarter. It’s also one of the best New Orleans French Quarter restaurants for vegetarians and vegans who want something other than red beans and rice.
What to Order
The menu at Bennachin is overflowing with authentic African dishes you’ve never heard of. Don’t be shy about asking, or just close your eyes and point. Shortcut? Get sisay singho to start (baked chicken leg and thigh served with sautéed spinach, fried ripe plantains and coconut rice). Vegans might try kone ni Makondo (black-eyed peas in onion and tomato stew served with coconut rice and fried ripe plantains) and for the carnivores, try the apricot lamb.
Bennachin | 1212 Royal St., New Orleans, LA 70116 | $$
14. The Old Absinthe House
Calling the The Old Absinthe House a restaurant is a bit of a stretch. This famous watering hole dates back to before Prohibition, when it was moved underground for a period of time before returning to this location. This is the place to try the most classic and best New Orleans drinks, but they do serve bar snacks, so we’ve included them in our list of best New Orleans French Quarter restaurants anyway.
The Vibe
It’s gritty and grimy, just as you would expect from a New Orleans French Quarter restaurant/bar with a prime location on Bourbon Street. It’s an easy rest stop during the day and makes a good perch for some of the most interesting people-watching you’ll ever do.
What to Order
The absinthe frappe is the most famous drink on the menu. If you have no idea what absinthe is, or if you’re terrified to try it, read this history of absinthe via KegWorks first. This is also the perfect place to try a sazerac, a brandy milk punch or a ramos gin fizz. Bar snacks are served Friday through Sunday starting at 5 p.m. Choose from a crawfish grilled cheese, a “blonde on blonde” white bean and andouille chili, a killer burger or the bayou poutine featuring their curly fries, pepper jack cheese, the white bean chili and fried cheese curds. You’re welcome.
The Old Absinthe House | 240 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70112 | $$
15. N7
New Orleans is a city filled with dark corners and alleys, and brick façades hiding the secret of lush and tranquil inner courtyards. There is one New Orleans French Quarter restaurant in particular that embodies this mystique better than any other. Named after the famed route de vacances connecting the French wine region to Italy, N7 is tucked into the sometimes dicey 9th Ward neighborhood just north of the French Quarter. But behind an unmarked fence lies a quiet respite and one of the best New Orleans French Quarter restaurants to choose when you want to get away from the chaotic rowdiness of Bourbon Street.
The Vibe
You’ll have to look very carefully just to find the entrance of this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant. Once you step through the gate, you may want to pinch yourself to ensure you aren’t dreaming. A carefully but intentionally understated patio and yard lit with string lights flows onto a small porch and into a quaint and intimate dining space. It’s undoubtedly the most romantic table in a city overflowing with romantic rendezvous spots.
What to Order
N7 is known for two things — its curated wine list and its can-to-table menu of preserved seafood (the habanero smoked oysters are the easiest to swallow if you’re new to the can). The food menu changes frequently and features French preparations with a hint of Japanese influence. Everything is elegantly plated, well thought-out and delicious, and it’s one of the best restaurants in New Orleans’ French Quarter.
N7 | 1117 Montegut St., New Orleans, LA 70117 | $$$
16. Café du Monde
You haven’t tasted all the flavors of New Orleans until you’ve had a hot cup of café au lait and a just-out-the-fryer beignet at Café du Monde. This New Orleans French Quarter restaurant serves up one of the truly simple pleasures in a city that has its share of complex cuisine.
The Vibe
The original location of this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant is just off Jackson Square and overlooks St. Louis Cathedral. While you nibble, watch the horse-drawn carriages coming and going and the talented street performers entertaining the crowds.
What to Order
They're considered the spot for the most famous breakfast in New Orleans for two reasons: beignets and café au lait or hot chocolate. Proudly wear that powdered sugar on your face for the rest of the day.
Café du Monde | 800 Decatur St., New Orleans, LA 70116 | $
17. Killer Poboys
For every fine dining experience you’ll have in New Orleans’ French Quarter restaurants, you’ll need an equal number of food-as-fuel options. That’s where the po’boy comes in. Slightly stale French bread filled with your choice of fried seafood, meats or sausages. Sometimes Killer Poboys are exactly what you need.
The Vibe
The original location of this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant (Little Killer) started in the back of the Erin Rose Irish pub. Because this pub is smack in the middle of the most raucous part of the French Quarter, very few people will remember what it looks like, so it doesn’t matter what you wear (as long as you wear something). A second location (Big Killer) is now also open a few blocks away.
What to Order
The po’boy selection at this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant changes often, but here are some examples of what might be on tap: black beer beef debris with horseradish sauce, pickled peppers and spicy beans, or the “dark and stormy” pork belly po’boy with a rum glaze, lime slaw and garlic aioli. They also pride themselves on their vegan options like roasted sweet potato with black-eyed pea and pecan spread and wilted greens.
Killer Poboys | Multiple Locations | $$
18. Three Muses
One of the best things to do in New Orleans is to settle in for some live music. Finding a New Orleans French Quarter restaurant that has great local music and a great menu isn’t easy. Three Muses, just a short two blocks from the French Quarter, is another of this city’s best kept secrets.
The Vibe
Located in a neighborhood known for its art and music scene, this New Orleans French Quarter restaurant has local vibes through and through. It can be very tough to get an actual table, so stalk the bar stools.
What to Order
If you could have a bulgogi rice bowl, chili verde pulled pork with cabbage slaw or a Creole take on a steaming bowl of ramen while taking in a live set, would you?
Three Muses | 536 Frenchmen St., New Orleans, LA 70116 | $$
19. Lucky Dogs
Finishing our list of the best New Orleans French Quarter restaurants is an iconic classic with no building at all. Lucky Dog’s easily recognizable food carts have served up over 21 million hot dogs and always seem to be in the right place at the right time.
The Vibe
From the time you get off the plane until the early morning hours watching the sun rise over the mighty Mississippi, you’ll not be far from a Lucky Dog stand ready to serve you with a smile and curb your hunger pangs.
What to Order
No fancy menu. Just good old traditional hot dogs with the standard fixin’s.
Lucky Dogs | Multiple Locations | $
Every inch of the French Quarter in New Orleans beckons you to take a closer look. Browse the art galleries and colorful boutiques, have your fortune told, taste freshly made pralines or enjoy a historic river cruise on the Mississippi. This city is not just a melting pot of cultures and flavors, it’s a full-on gumbo. Whatever you do in the French Quarter of New Orleans, don’t geaux hungry.
For even more fun ways to explore New Orleans and beyond, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.
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