New Orleans

[djc27osu]

I am leaving in the morning for New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. I was just seeing if anyone had any recommendations on places to eat, bars to go to or anything really. Thanks in advance

[Caseyfan21]

I am leaving in the morning for New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. I was just seeing if anyone had any recommendations on places to eat, bars to go to or anything really. Thanks in advance

Probably depends on your budget but there are a TON of great places and bars to hit. Not only on Bourbon Street but also in other areas of the city. I was in town back in March for a week for a work trip so I hit pretty nice restaurants.

The best restaurants we hit were:

Commander's Palace
Fins
Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse

All of them were fairly pricey but excellent food.

A great burger place that we randomly found was Port Of Call. It's a little off Bourbon Street but within walking distance. Very reasonable prices, great burgers, and good drinks. Expect to wait a little while for it though, it was packed when we went.

In terms of bars there are all the normal tourist ones on Bourbon Street but the thing we tried to look for was live music. On Bourbon Street there's a little courtyard area with a jazz trio that we really enjoyed. Had a couple cigars and relaxed with a drink enjoying the outdoor atmosphere.

Also, paging Caveat Emperor....I know Matt went to Tulane so he should be able to give you more of the non touristy type ideas and places.

[Spitball]

I love New Orleans, but be careful not to wander off Bourbon Street after dark.

Here are just a few suggestions. You will want to try the beignets at Cafe Du Monde. They are a famous and delicious little donut type pastry. The coffee is also very good.

You really need to try a Ferdi at Mother's. It is a roast beef and ham bulky roll sandwich swimming in meat juices.

There are lots of great places to eat. My family likes Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. The hamburger with shrimp is great. Be sure to go upstairs to the bar and sit in the swings.

There are lots of bars on Bourbon Street. Besides the beer, I always get a Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's. It is fun to walk the street, but if you're drinking, there are not a lot of going to the bathroom options.

My sister graduated from Ohio State and my wife from the University of Arkansas. I don't want to take sides on this one. Have fun.

[edabbs44]

Pat OBrien's is a lot of fun. Hurricanes and dueling pianos.

Loved Emeril's Delmonico. But here a ton of great restaurants.

Do not get a Lucky Dog (you'll see the carts all over the place). Disgusting.

[Caveat Emperor]

I am leaving in the morning for New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. I was just seeing if anyone had any recommendations on places to eat, bars to go to or anything really. Thanks in advance

I lived in New Orleans for 3 years when I was in college.

You'll probably want to go to Bourbon Street for bars -- mostly to say that you did, but also because that's where the party is going to be. The bars to hit there are:

Pat O'Briens -- get a Hurricane (you can order them at other places, but Pat O's is clearly the best of the bunch).
Tropical Isle -- get a Hand Grenade (if you forget this, just look around the ground all over the Quarter for the green yardsticks with the grenade on the bottom to remind you)
Cat's Meow -- sing a round of karaoke at 4 in the morning

Other bars worth checking out:

Fat Harry's -- On St. Charles heading towards Uptown. Much more laid-back than other places.
Columns -- A hotel on St. Charles, really old-world looking, with one of the classiest bars you'll hit.
Cooter Browns -- Up at the Riverbend near S. Carrolton. One of your finer straight-up drinking establishments. (I saw John Cusack here when he was filming a movie).
Bulldogs -- On Magazine street.

If you're looking for a more college scene, my old watering-holes near Tulane were:
The Boot -- A dive in every sense of the word, but open round the clock and right off campus. I'd describe their adherence to "21 means 21" as "sporadic."
Madigans -- Up near Cooter Browns at the Riverbend
Bruno's -- Actually a pretty nice sports-bar type place.

For eating:
- I know it's cliche, but any of Emeril Lagasse's places are fantastic. I'd stay away from Delmonico (overpriced, IMO) and hit NOLA. It's in the French Quarter, and my favorite of his restaurants. Second choice would be the original "Emeril's" in the warehouse district.
- If you want the full-on Cajun experience, you can hit up "Mulates" downtown near the Riverwalk. It's kinda toursity, but the food is fantastic and it's a close walk from downtown hotels.
- For an even better Cajun experience, go to Jacque-Imo's Cafe up at the Riverbend on Oak Street. They don't do lunch anymore (as I sadly learned last year), so make reservations for dinner if you can.
- For seafood, go get BBQ Shrimp at Pascal's Manales, off St. Charles.
- If you can get in, the Camille Grill at the Riverbend is a great old-school diner lunch/breakfast type place. It's always packed, though.
- I'll second the recommendation for Dickie Brennan's too. Great steakhouse.
- Also a favorite: Copeland's Cheescake Bistro on St. Charles. Owned by the same guy who owns all the "Copelands" restaurants and who started the "Popeyes" franchise.
- If you want to drop some coin and get a great French meal, you can check out Antoines on St. Louis in the French Quarter.

That's off the top of my head. If you have any other questions, PM me.

[Puffy]

Couple things to piggyback on from Caveat's - Jacque's Imo's only takes reservations for parties of 7 or more. So most likely you'll have to go and put your name on waiting list. Its worth it. You can always go to the Maple Leaf next door to sit and have a beer or three. But tell them thats where you are so when your name comes up they know where to find you.

The Boot is teh awesome! OK, not really, but I have fond memories of watching Giants games there every Sunday for 3 years. Hung out with Snoop Dog there. Ok, stood next to Snoop Dog but thats almost the same.

Clancy's is uptown and great, great food. If you want an unbelievable poboy then go here to Domilise's.

And finally, if you are looking for a place to go after 4 in the morning I highly recommend Snake and Jake's. Just leave before its light out or you will hate yourself once you see the place under a sunny sky. But $1 PBR cans at 5 in the morning cannot be beat

[Caveat Emperor]

The Boot is teh awesome! OK, not really, but I have fond memories of watching Giants games there every Sunday for 3 years. Hung out with Snoop Dog there. Ok, stood next to Snoop Dog but thats almost the same.

I watched Tampa Bay games at the boot all three years I was there as well. Sadly, I missed out on the Snoop Dogg night, but I did see the Girls Gone Wild bus as I was walking home from Waldos.

And finally, if you are looking for a place to go after 4 in the morning I highly recommend Snake and Jake's. Just leave before its light out or you will hate yourself once you see the place under a sunny sky. But $1 PBR cans at 5 in the morning cannot be beat

Our $1 beer (Rolling Rock) spot was a place called "Nick's" up on Tulane Ave. that had a back room made out of sheet metal, complete with industrial-carpeted floor, lighting from single bulbs hanging from wires, and two couches with homeless people living on them.

[Puffy]

I was still at Tulane for the Super Bowl in 2002 - hung out with Stuart Scott (we took him to the Gold Club Gentlemen's Club) and met Sean Salisbury (who was a HUGE tool - he only even said hi to us because we were with Stuart and it was rude and unless you had breasts he would turn his back right on you). There were so many famous people around that week it was awesome. And except for Salisbury and one or two others they were all cool, friendly people.