Best Dinner Places to Eat in New Orleans

"Commander's Palace has been around since the late 1800s, but under Ella Brennan’s leadership starting in the 1970s, the restaurant essentially redefined New Orleans cuisine and catapulted into stardom with the help of celeb chefs Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse. Today, the menu and service are top notch with James Beard Award-winning chef Tory McPhail leading the kitchen and Ti Martin and Lally Brennan running the show. Go for lunch and make sure to end the meal with the bread pudding soufflé and whiskey sauce."

"GQ's Golden Dish Award for Eggs Sardou, Commander’s Palace’s legacy speaks for itself. Located in the Garden District, Commander’s Palace is thought to be the original spot for a jazz brunch and patio dining. For contemporary Louisiana food and alfresco dining, look no further than Commander’s Palace."

"Brennan's was opened in 1946 by Owen Brennan, an Irish-American, and has come to be known for its elegant breakfasts. The restaurant is housed in an 18th-century mansion, the former location of the first bank in Louisiana, and later residence of Paul Morphy, a celebrated chess champion. According to the website, their "innovative Creole menu borrows influences from French and Spanish ancestry with modern updates and distinct seasonal offerings."

"Owen Brennan founded a fine-dining restaurant empire in 1946, when the proprietor of Arnaud’s taunted him by saying that no Irishman could succeed with anything other than a hamburger joint. Brennan got his revenge at this French-and-Creole..."

"New Orleanians are not only loyal to this traditional bastion of Creole dining, they're loyal to their waiter, and if they're old enough, to their waiter's son. Generations come and go, but Galatoire's, with its classic seafood-centric menu focused on in-season fish and shellfish treated to artful preparations like trout meuniere, shrimp remoulade and oysters Rockefeller. Not only can your order well known local fish like drum, redfish and pompano, you can also get the sweet goodness of sheepshead and lemon fish if the waters are right."

"This New Orleans stalwart provides a sophisticated reprieve from Bourbon Street’s frenetic party scene. The dining rooms are elegant, with chandeliers and mahogany, the waiters wear tuxedos and the menu features French-Creole favorites. One menu staple not to be missed are the Soufflé Potatoes, which were featured on The Best Thing I Ever Ate."

"This Bourbon Street landmark is famous for its Friday lunch, where the drinks are strong and the menu is bursting with classics— Oysters Rockefeller, Eggs Sardou, Galatoire Goute, Pompano with crabmeat. Show up early to stand in line (and bring a jacket, gentlemen)."

"G W Fins restaurant is a beautifully appointed fine-dining establishment featuring stunning metal sculptures of underwater depictions. Fishnet curtains, white linens, and fine artwork further create an elegant ambiance. Local owners Gary Wollerman and Chef Tenney Flynn have a reputation for being meticulous and providing high-quality seafood."

"GW Fins is one for classic desserts, the kind whose ingredient list fills you up just from reading the menu. Customer favorites include the samoa, the “Salty Malty,” an ice cream pie with a pretzel crust, and white chocolate and caramel bread pudding."

"GW Fins is probably the French Quarter’s crowning jewel when it comes to seafood. But what’s all the hype about?. It’s just seafood, right?"

"Dat Dog has mastered the art of gourmet hot dogs growing from a small hot dog stand in 2011 to a critically acclaimed restaurant with four locations across New Orleans. They offer many creative hot dog experience’s but what you must try here is the Crawfish Etoufee Dog which is made with crawfish sausage, sour cream, onions, tomato’s and creole mustard. To be honest, there are a few other must eat’s at Dat Dog so let’s mention some of the other incredible options; The Guinness Special (Irish Guinness sausage, andouille sauce, onions, shredded cheddar cheese, bacon, yellow mustard), and the Rougarou (alligator sausage, grilled onions, creole mustard, tomato’s, jalapeno’s, BBQ sauce, and bacon)."

"601 Frenchmen St., (504) 309-3362; 3336 Magazine St., (504) 324-2226; 5030 Freret St., (504) 899-6883; www.datdog.com. A crawfish etouffee dog is a crawfish sausage topped with crawfish etouffee, onions, tomatoes, mustard and sour cream. Reservations accepted for large parties."

"For over 160 years, Antoine's Restaurant's excellent French-Creole cuisine, service, and atmosphere have combined to create an unmatched dining experience for both locals and visitors to New Orleans. Open for lunch and dinnerDress code: JacketPhone: +1 504-581-4422"

"When the seafood mood hits, check out Clesi’s (located right next door to Trep’s), which serves up an array of seafood specialties in a welcoming outdoor area reminiscent of a backyard boil. Looking for crawfish and cold beer?"

"This bright and cheery coffee shop/bakery serves bagels, egg-stuffed croissants, donuts, crumb cake, scones, brownies, and blondies. All the breakfast and lunch sandwiches are served on house-baked bread, biscuits, or bagels, and there’s always a huge array of chocolate confections on display. Hopefully your eyes aren’t bigger than your stomach."

"509 Canal St., (504) 323-2109; www.creolehouserestaurant.com. Canal Street redfish is a panko-crusted fillet topped with sauteed shrimp and Cajun garlic sauce and served with sauteed vegetables. Reservations accepted."

"A little more than a year old, Wishing Town Bakery Cafe took over the former Morning Call on Severn Avenue, neighbors to the complimentary Sharetea Nola. While also a bakery, Guangzhou-born couple Vivi and Kevin Zheng version of Chinese specialties are some of the best in town. An extensive array of dim sum and cold noodle salads round out a menu of beautiful cakes and pastries, perfect for a celebration."

"If you’re down in the CBD or headed toward the French Quarter, one small church lies hidden on Rampart Street. Peering through the doors, you see a rather simple sanctuary and some of the homeless asleep on the pews. The real beauty is to either side of the altar: the shrines to St. Jude and Our Lady of Guadalupe."

"Crawfish pasta Estrellita features sauteed crawfish tails in cream sauce over penne pasta topped with a crawfish cake and Parmesan. Reservations accepted. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily."

"Anna’s takes over the space formerly home to Mimi’s in the Marigny, a locals favorite for pool downstairs and creative small plates upstairs. Wisely, the new owners have kept the same idea, and brought in two vets of the New Orleans food and drink world: Anna Giordano (Jewel of the South, Bar Tonique, and Longway Tavern, among others) runs the bar, and chef Chris Hamm (Coquette, Cavan, Sylvain) leads the kitchen. The menu is similarly tapas-like, with highlights including the manchego toast, crispy octopus, and papas bravas; as well as a delicious bistec served with green garlic salsa verde."

"Anna’s opened in early June, taking over the space that formerly held beloved neighborhood dive Mimi’s in the Marigny. As far as replacements go, it sure is promising — it’s from two vets of the New Orleans bar and restaurant world, who are calling it a “locals’ spot turned destination dive.” Anna Giordano (Jewel of the South, Bar Tonique, and Longway Tavern, among others) serves as bar director, with chef Chris Hamm (Coquette, Cavan, Sylvain) in the kitchen. It’s open seven days a week for pool, drinks, and food, 4 p.m."