4. Restaurants

NOLA Restaurant

534 Saint Louis St, New Orleans, LA, 70130
  • (504) 522-6652
  • Store is closed

NOLA Restaurant Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Dan S.

    Our waiter, Paul, greeted us as soon as we walked in by name and shook our hands. Very friendly. We ordered a bottle of wine and our bread showed up as did the wine. We both ordered our food (my GF had the swordfish and I had the pork chop). The food was amazing! The wait staff gave us some good places to check out for jazz that night. An amazing experience that I'd repeat anytime I'm in New Orleans again.

    (5)

  • Puddytat C.

    What happened? I watch his cooking programs and had such high expectations but what a major disappointment. Not just one dish but every dish from the gumbo, salad, main course. Both of us tasted each dish and just looked at each other with a look of complete shock and dismay. How can we be spending these exorbitant prices for horrible tasting food. I'm sorry, but this was the worst high end restaurant experience of my life and I am not exaggerating. We even wrote a letter directly to Emeril Lagasse to let him know what happened and never even received a reply. Been to New Orleans numerous times and have had fabulous food experiences, but this was a total disaster. $100 of total waste of time and left starving. Maybe it was because it was after 9:00 p.m. It doesn't matter, the food excellence should be a standard at all times.

    (1)

  • Danny W.

    Over the last week I've been hearing a lot about Legasse's work with the Viking Classic Golf tourney in Miss. Having eaten at Delmonico several years ago, really good, I decided to stop by NOLA for a late lunch. If you want to see some kitchen action, request a seat by the wood fired brick oven. We were seated there promptly, waiter greated us by name. We gave him our drink order as we decided on the BLT salad to start. Food arrived promptly, Salad was really good. Fried green tomato, tasty Bacon, and fresh arugala tossed in a creamy dressing. Drinks didn't come out until I was almost done with Salad. Had to remind the waiter. Not a big deal but at $12 a pop for a cocktail, expect it to be there. Went with the Brisket, macaroni, and a white bean situation. Brisket was juicy and thinly sliced with a good bbq glaze. The sides were a good complement but nothing to write home about. Creme brulee trio with Chocolate, Coconut, and Vanilla. Each having a different fruit or biscotti accompaniment. Very smooth and light, and very good Atmosphere was upbeat and had a great setting. A bit of a late lunch and they were happy to split the salad and entree up for two. Portions were good. Had a enjoyable lunch and will definitely stop by again. Only detractors was service at times,,but it was made up for by courtesy and watching the kitchen at work. Food bill was about $40 for 2. Next time I'll kick it a Notch and try dinner.

    (5)

  • Matthew C.

    Service has been excellent along with a great cheese tray. The drum fish was unbelievable!!!! Do not leave here and not order this. Overall there are a lot of choices in New Orleans but this restaurant from great service to excellent food is worth going to. Convenient to Bourbon street as well!

    (4)

  • Natalie C.

    The service was great. Wait staff was very helpful and kind. I order the stuffed wings and added the cheddar grits on the side. It was so good.. I enjoyed everything. The complimentary bread, ambience, and food !!

    (4)

  • Gar L.

    Food is unbelievably delicious! Wow, I am still in awe ... Whatever you do, do not pass this place up! the portions are huge and everything just tastes like a dream. Best sweat potatoes I ever had, best chicken wings i ever had, best deserts i ever had, everything just tasted incredible. Be sure to make a reservation, it does fill up

    (5)

  • Jennifer F.

    I am a big fan of the Bravo TV show called Top Chef which is where I began being a fan of Emeril. I really liked his personality in some of the previous Top Chef Seasons and knowing that he has restaurants in New Orleans I checked out the menus in advance and made a reservation a few weeks ahead of time to be sure I could try one of his restaurants while in town. NOLA seemed like the right choice for my mom and I because it wasn't too casual and wasn't too fancy. It also had multiple items on the menu that we were interested in eating. I'll start out by writing about the service. It was some of the best service I have ever had. We arrived to the restaurant at 7:00 PM which was 15 minutes early for our reservation. We decided to check in at the host stand anyway in case they could seat us early. The host staff was very welcoming and seated us immediately. They brought us by the kitchen so we could see the action and then into the elevator to take us to our table on the third floor. The first floor seemed louder and busier than the 3rd floor where we ate which felt like more of a romantic setting. There was one small room where we ate and next to our room there seemed to be a private party. The server pulled out our chairs for us, unfolded our napkins and placed them in our laps. They asked us if we wanted water right away and brought over both the food and drink menus for us to get started on ordering. The server not only introduced himself but also let us know the names of the other staff that would be serving that room. It felt like they had a team approach to making sure every diner was happy. The server checked in on us frequently but not too much that it was bothersome. It was always at the right time and not in an interrupting way. I got up to use the restroom once and the staff was quick to point me in the right direction without me even needing to ask. I also noticed that all staff were quick to move out of the way when diners were walking through the restaurant. A feeling that I don't often get in other restaurants. I usually feel like they're hurrying to pass you or getting your to hurry up and pass them. When I returned from the restroom my napkin had be refolded for me and they pulled out the chair upon my arrival to the table. Once the plates were cleared after our meal they used a cool little gadget to remove the crumbs from our table with one quick sweep. I've never seen one of those before! Again, the service was one of the best I've had. On to the food. We ordered a salad to split which had baby lettuces, pistachios, and goat cheese on it. Instead of bringing the salad out on one plate and two plate to split it onto, they split the salad for us and brought it out on to separate plates. I've never had pistachios in a salad before but I can't wait to add them to my own salads when I make them. Next we split the cab cake appetizer. The crab was awesome. It was shredded, mixed with some other yummy ingredients, crispy on the outside, and served covered in a corn salad. I don't usually like corn off of the cob but this was really great. My mom ordered the garlic crusted drum which she loved. It had a very garlicky crispy crust which she was a big fan of. It was served with some potatoes, french green beans, and mushroom. All were delicious although she mentioned there only being about 6 green beans on the plate and she had been hoping for more veggies on the plate. I doubt most meat/fish eaters would complain about that, but we were feeling like we missed eating green vegetables after eating tons of heavy food in New Orleans. I order the buttermilk fried chicken breast which was also awesome. Probably the best fried chicken I've ever had. It was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Really cooked perfectly. It was served over a bacon or ham type gravy that added a nice flavor a contrast in texture to the dish. It also came with about 7 snap peas. Cooked perfectly but wished I had more. The chicken had three pieces and I was only able to eat one. Fortunately I took the rest home and look forward to eating the leftovers for dinner tonight. Although there were very few veggies on the entree plates, I really don't think you can dock them any points for that because most people go for the protein and prefer large quantities of the protein over the vegetable. This place was really an incredible meal and overall dining experience. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting New Orleans no matter what area/district you're staying in. If I go back to New Orlean's I'd be interested in trying a different restaurant of Emeril's as I'm sure it'll be equally awesome.

    (5)

  • Barbara L.

    Delighted to confirm that NOLA is as good as ever. They offer my favorite bubbly, Graham Beck Brut Rose, by the glass. Salad with fried oysters + spinach was very tasty. Hickory smoked duck was out of this world!! Lots of interesting wine choices that won't break the bank.

    (4)

  • Betty C.

    Started with warm jalapeno corn bread and herb brioche. Both delicious! So glad our server offered us seconds. I got one more of each :) Appetizers - special grilled watermelon with crawfish salad and caviar; baby lettuce with goat cheese, grape tomatoes ; fried green tomatoes with shrimp and arugala. All wonderful! Entrees : Hubby and daughter both ordered the special petit filet minon with home made bacon and potatoes which were cooked the way they requested. I had hickory-roasted duck with whiskey-caramel glaze and candied pecans, haricot vert-roasted corn salad, and buttermilk cornbread pudding. The duck was absolutely divine with the candied pecans. The meat was juicy and tender while the skin was crisp and the aroma was entrancing! I didn't really care for the cornbread pudding but that may be because I don't like that texture. Soup of the day was seafood bisque which my son thoroughly enjoyed. Warm ooey gooey cake ..chocolate cake with marshmallow and toasted coconut plus a scoop of coffee ice cream. Also had two truffles on the side. They enjoyed it. This was recommended by the waitress. I, on the hand, am a creme brulee lover so I had to get the NOLA creme brulee trio. I loved the vanilla with blackberry and blueberries. The coconut with coconut truffle wasn't very coconuty while the chocolate was more dense and the biscotti was ok. After tasting all three, I went back to finish off the vanilla one but couldn't. Alas, the two duck leg quarters AND fried green tomatoes AND four pieces of bread AND tastes of everyone else's food PLUS a glass of white wine AND cup of decaf coffee must have filled up my entire digestive tract up to my esophogus?! Another mouthful of anything would've been the end of me.... The three servers were so attentive. They came with soda refills for the children just when there was a sip left in their glasses. One downside, we sat upstairs and the place got noticeably noisier as it filled up. But, it didn't keep me from eating anything.

    (5)

  • j w.

    In a word, underwhelming. It was packed and really noisy, we had to yell at each other across the table. The head waiter was fun and cheery at first but after our order was placed became weirdly aloof and indifferent. We had to ask that he bring us our drinks after 15 minutes of waiting. The redfish was breaded with garlic but was really bland - no flavor at all. The fried chicken plate sounded great on the menu but was basically chicken fingers, though really damn good chicken fingers. The stuffed chicken wing appetizer was awesome. I have no idea how they did it. I think the oddest thing about the night was when the bill came, there was a charge for an extra wing. We asked one of the assistant waiters (they actually talked to us) about it and he just said the order normally comes with 3 wings and we had 4. Um, okay...we didn't ask for an extra one, but I guess they thought we needed it and had no problem charging us for it. It came off like they were padding the tab and left a bad taste in the mouth from a place that's supposed to be known for exceptional service.

    (2)

  • Brent S.

    Appetizers were excellent (stuffed chicken wings & duck liver), Jambalaya was good, but my entre wasn't to tasty. I got the patty melt special and it had no flavor whatsoever. The banana pie was a good follow up with the double shot espresso.

    (3)

  • sarah b.

    NO(way-will-you-ever-catch-me-dead-in-this-­restaurant)LA's Emeril, I have always admired your versatility. You use fresh ingredients and every recipe of yours that I have tried has been easy to make and delicious. All I have to ask is what happened to your car crash of a restaurant NOLA's? We arrived on time, were seated promptly in your spacious historic warehouse space. The waiter greeted us and explained, that his goal is to make us, "very happy". He then suggested pineapple infused vodka for my cosmo which was a little too sweet and plain old strange But then 'the wheels fell off the car" as my husband put it. - the food was mediocre at best. I ordered the waiter's two recommendations; red fish(breaded, bland, with fried potatoes that were not the slightest bit innovative) and goat cheese salad(cheese was rich and creamy with blackberries, but I swear I've had the exact same salad at several restaurants already) - the food arrived in very rapid succession and we were only able to flag our waiter down after multiple attempts to order wine and drinks - he forgot two drink orders- wine arrived when we were almost finished with entrees - never checked back after entrees came - we ended up ordering coffee and dessert from the busboys(while our waiter cleared other tables), who brought three cups of coffee at three separate occasions, the first one just left on the table, no coffee for 20 minutes - then, when we were getting frustrated at the delay with the last course, we received NEW "fresh" water in new glasses and our old water glasses were removed. If this is a tradition, we were the first to have started it as I've never seen that before. Bizarre - we asked to cancel the rest of the order, just please give us the check and get us out of this freaking place and the manager had to be called down to adjust the check taking another 20 minutes - FINALLY check comes(at 80 bucks a head), then dessert, he had comped the dessert that we had cancelled. nothing else Man this place is horrible across the board. There is a table three feet from the women's bathroom door. Anyone who would put a table there clearly is only interested in printing money and monopolizing on their celebrity chef status for as long as possible. Emeril, my friend, don't forget how you got where you are.

    (1)

  • Barbara S.

    Well, NOLA lived up to its expectations. My parents had the buttermilk fried chicken and loved it! I had the pork shank which was absolutely tender and the sauce was delicious. My wife had the shrimp and grits and loved it as well. The shrimp were grilled beautifully. We even had some dessert--I had the Mexican ice cream, and my dad ordered some Baileys with vanilla ice cream. The wait staff was stupendous.

    (5)

  • Carla L.

    I have to admit. I'm in love with Emeril and everything he makes : ) Went there for lunch and it was a divine experience. Started out with a fruity martini (can't recall) that made my toes tingle. Then came out the Lousiana Blue Crab Cake. I was tempted to lick the plate clean. Then next was the Shrimp and Grits. I thought the Grits was runny but it still had an awesome flavor. I really wish I had room for dessert but I couldn't stuff myself. One of my faves in New Orleans!!!!

    (5)

  • Adam D.

    My wife, another couple and myself visited NOLA Restaurant on a Friday night. We were seated in a cozy room on the third floor of the three-story building. The restuarant had the tables spaced out nicely; i.e., you did not feel as though the tables around you could hear your every word and thought. Our waitstaff was amazing. Three servers worked together and were a joy to be around. When asked for recommendations, they gave us their honest opinions and did not automatically suggest the most expensive item on the menu. For example, we asked for a wine recommendation and Paul, the head server, suggested one of the most reasonably priced bottle of wines on the menu. We went with Paul's wine suggestion and thoroughly enjoyed the bottle. Each couple split a salad to start with. My wife and I split a spinich salad with feta cheese and kalmata olives. Our friends split a mixed baby green salad with goat cheese and roasted tomatoes. Both salads were simple but very tasty. A half portion was plenty of salad for each person. For entrees, my wife and her friend split the shrimp and grits (NOLA's signature dish), my friend had the roasted duck and I had the garlic-crusted drum fish. All of us agreed that the entrees were enjoyable but not life-altering good. I can't really point to anything about the dishses that made them sub-par, but I also can't point to anything that made the dishes wonderful. For dessert, my wife and I split the chocolate bread pudding and our friends split the bannana pudding. Both desserts were very good. Our friends also said that the coffee was very tasty as well. I would go to NOLA again, but it wouldn't be my first selection and I would likely try another entree.

    (3)

  • patrice c.

    Who knew I would have the best boneless fried chicken experience at an Emeril restaurant. mmm mmm mm. Nola's was packed ( this makes me happy since a year ago business was down even more in the french quarter) so my fellow Chicago co-workers used the never fails watch whos getting up from the bar where you will get full service and not have to wait 2 hours technique. :) it worked. The only entree better then the fried chicken - the spare ribs. Seriously - amazing. Melt in your mouth not too tangy not too sweet spare ribs. It pains me to say I was too full for dessert.

    (5)

  • Roland S.

    My first visit to one of Emeril's places. I have to admit that I go into "celebrity chef" restaurants with a bit of a chip on my shoulder. I probably should treat them the same as every other restaurant but self-awareness says that the "prove it" attitude rises up as I walk through the door. Well, I have to say that like a similar experience with Bobby Flay, Emeril Lagasse largely lived up to the billing. (And, yes, I know that Emeril likely wasn't there and that he is probably almost never there working in the kitchen but nevertheless he's like a songwriter -- it's still his music even if somebody is giving you a bit of an interpretation.) I will mention two things specifically: the service was very good -- knowledgeable and as professional as you needed it to be, but fun and a little casual which is nice since you are in a fun and casual town. Second, I had the redfish and it was really terrific. I gather that redfish is something of a Gulf Coast and New Orleans signature dish and this was a heck of a good signature with really flavorful sauce. I recommend it without qualifications. Only trouble is that it was a special of the evening so it may not be available when you go. The only thing that knocked off a star was that the banana pudding-y thing I had for dessert was only so-so.

    (4)

  • Olga L.

    My Hubby and I went here last Friday when visiting the city. It was on our quest to "eating" our way through New Orleans and this was the best place to start. We sat at the bar -- cuz thats just how we roll. There was one lady to our right enjoying a salad and we ordered an awesome and crisp Pinot Grigio. We split everything (a whole meal is wasted on me -- I'm a noshing fool) so we went with the crab cake appetizer. I can only say.... Oh MY GOD. NO - I MEAN -- OH MY GOD!!! It was the most amazing crispy crab cake with feta and a creamy sauce around it that had kalamata olives. Hubby rolled his eyes back in his head and I thought he would start moaning -- but thankfully he didn't. We ate that way too quick. Our bartender Adam was the best -- and somehow conviced us not to continue hopping but to stay here and well, eat some more. We ordered their Gumbo of the Day which was seafood and amazing. Then... Adam told us about their Stuffed Chicken Wings. Let me tell you the story... Apparently the lady that makes these wings used to only make them for the staff there for lunch. Well one day Emeril comes in, tries these wings and says they are going on the menu. The lady now works there full time. Adam told us they were "life changing" wings. So of course, we tried them! They are stuffed with a pork, seafood plus many yummy things stuffing and are served with a homemade Hoisin sauce. So delicious. After 3 glasses of Pinot Grigio and those appies, we walked out very very happy puppies! So happy, we went back for lunch the next day and had the crab cake and the wings just one more time... The Chef remembered seeing us and gave us an amuse buche as a hello gift. Loved this place -- you really can't go wrong here.

    (5)

  • Abe M.

    Emeril konws how to run a restaurant. Who cares if the prices are pretty high? You can't beat the service that the NOLA staff puts forth every day. The food is absolutely delicious. I at there about four different times for the month i was in the city. Everything from full course sit down dinners to drinks and appetizers. Every time i came back, the previous visit's waiter or bartender would come up and say hi and shake your hand. The redfish is one of the most delicious fish plates you will have. The barbeque shrimp is mouth watering (could use some more on the plate). It is definitely a restaurant that everyone should experience, if you can get in! It helps to know people...

    (4)

  • Eric W.

    New Orleans is a city *full* of foodies, and there are great options on every corner, as well as people who will gladly share their favorites with you. For me, NOLA was a totally unique experience in that I couldn't stop raving about how good my meal was. (It was roasted duck with, uh, stuff. Good stuff!) My wife couldn't believe it, since I so rarely enjoy food like that. Heck--even now, almost a week later, I am drooling just remembering it!

    (5)

  • Suzanne K.

    Make sure to make a reservation (I did mine thru yelp 1 hour before) or come early! This place gets packed! Great ambience. Went for dinner, had a bunch of appetizers since we had a late lunch. The gumbo was amazing! Great flavors and seasoning and just the right amount of kick to it. Also had the stuffed wings, the sauce was great, had some Asian flavors to it that I didn't expect. BBQ shrimp was large, flavorful and juicy, a must have! Crab cakes were also good. Had the semifredo for dessert, which was ok.

    (4)

  • Robyn W.

    I've never been a fan of Emeril, so I admit I wasn't expecting much when the Hubs suggested we try out Nola while in New Orleans. I am pleased to say that the food blew me away. Hubs had the pocket bread app - kind of like a fancy pita coated in garlic butter - extremely rich, but so tasty. I had the smoked duck and Hubs had the pork chop as entrees and they were both spectacular. Juicy and tender and oh so tasty. The accompanying sides were also delicious. I've seen a few reviews complain that food was too salty, and I will concede that both of our dishes were fairly salty, but that is how we like it, so it was perfect for our tastes - though others might find it much. I did find the service odd - it went from ultra casual (our waiter greeted us with "What's up, Dude?") to super formal (coordinated plate service & the busboy would come and refold our napkins when one of us went to the bathroom). It wasn't bad, just a bit schizophrenic. I would definitely go back!

    (5)

  • Lanel M.

    We came here our last visit to New Orleans because my husband raved about it on his last visit a month before when he was at a convention. Modern decor...felt like I was in a steel warehouse. I enjoyed the fact I had a good view of the kitchen crew in the back. It reminded me of Hell's Kitchen. Staff was AMAZING!! Extremely FRIENDLY!! My ice tea or water glass never saw the half way mark. I think they checked up on us every 15 minutes. Food was delicious. My husband had the Fried Chicken and he isn't a Chicken fan but he loved it from the last visit and ordered it again. It was GOOD!! Very well battered. I had the Roasted Duck. It was good, but still prefer my traditional Peking duck from Chinatown. Make sure you make reservations ahead of time to avoid waiting!

    (4)

  • Humberto P.

    Filet mignon was amazing. The potatoes, blue cheese, bacon, and sauce were a perfect combo. The stuffed wings were good but not as great as some reviews made it out to be (maybe the reviews hyped it too much and then it was a let down?) Wine and mojitos were very good. Friends had Lemonlade and loved it. I got to try little bits of the pork, fried chicken, vegetarian pasta and shrimp/grits...all were good but none of them even came close to the filet mignon. I would highly recommend it. Creme brûlée trio was also good.

    (5)

  • Parisa S.

    Totally overrated. This is the kind of place that exists solely to take advantage of unassuming tourists. I can't believe I fell for it. Or rather, let my friend fall for it, then let her drag me there. I've had much better food in New Orleans, at much better prices. This place is all hype, no substance.

    (2)

  • Andy G.

    NOLA was an exceptional experience. Great food. Phenomenal service.

    (5)

  • Heidi s.

    What a great place! The service was excellent- a team of people take care of you and make sure you have all you need. The BBQ shrimp appetizer and the crab cake were really good- best crab cake I've had in a long time. I split the fried green tomato salad with my friend and had the fried chicken dinner. The chicken was so moist and tender, they marinate it in buttermilk so I'm guessing that is why it was so good. Others in our group had the pork chop which was massive and got great reviews. We skipped dessert to take advantage of Cafe du Monde.

    (5)

  • Tina M.

    All around great experience! Food: To die for. One of the best meals I have had at a restaurant in the last few years. We started off with mussels, which were so good I probably had more than my half...just couldn't help it! For dinner, I had the duck, which I thought would be similar to how I've had it in the past, but this meal was marinated for I think 3 days - and it definitely showed! The food fell apart in my mouth...makes my mouth water just thinking about it. For dessert, we had some sort of chocolate flahn - good, but a bit bland on the flavor, actually...all of their options sounded great though, so I'd choose something else next time I get a chance to go back! People: Incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and kind. The waiter provided good wine and food suggestions, and instead of giving me directions to the restroom when I asked, he had another waiter walk me to the bathroom - and he had me put my hand through his arm, ha! Never had that happen before - nice touch, gentlemen. Place: Neat three-story building in the heart of the French Quarter - we took an elevator to our table. Typically, I think you're supposed to dress up, but during Mardi Gras - all the rules go through the window (the lady next to us had body paint as a shirt). It was definitely a nice break from the craziness of Bourbon Street though - quiet and calm.

    (5)

  • Sarah S.

    Came here for lunch with my friends and thoroughly enjoyed it. Ambiance is great, love the decor, service is just ok. While the servers/staff are extremely friendly, they aren't that attentive. Not that big a deal, the food is excellent. What we ordered: The stuffed chicken wings to start- they were very good, not sure if they live up to the hype, but worth ordering. Friend 1 got the Vietnamese Po-Boy- Delicious, juicy pork, and the pickled veggies are awesome. Fries are good too. I got the gumbo special, also very good Friend 2 for the fried egg and duck confit pizza- definitely the winner. This dish is amazing! Duck confit is perfectly salty with the runny egg on thin crust pizza. Overall great meal, would highly recommend!

    (4)

  • Eric B.

    We ate at NOLA for lunch right before the Saints were playing in the Super Bowl. Of course, the place was packed, and somehow our order never got fired in the kitchen. The staff really went out of their way to make up for it. Not only was the food delicious when it arrived, but I was very impressed with how well the staff recovered from what could have been a horrible experience at the restaurant. Every dish had that great, authentic N'Awlins flavor. We left feeling full and happy, and I definitely plan to go again.

    (5)

  • Jamie C.

    Hard to get a reservation last minute unless you wanted the 10pm seating. Found a nice cozy place at the bar and let the parade of food begin. It was really hard to choose from so many amazing options, but the Stuffed Chicken wings were a must. The fresh fish of the day was a marriage of Swordfish and Mahi-Mahi and was cooked perfectly. Top it off with some homemade sorbet and you have a truly fantastic New Orleans meal. (Plus you can get 100 open table points)

    (4)

  • Adria T.

    My boyfriend and I live in the French Quarter and decided to give this place a try for our anniversary. We are extremely displeased with the lack of service and extreme changes in flavor. I had the Escargot appetizer, and my boyfriend had the BBQ Shrimp appetizer. Mine was severely underwhelming in the flavor category, so much so that I did not finish it. The BBQ Shrimp ended up being the only thing we both enjoyed. It was well prepared and appropriately flavorful. We both had the Filet Mignon, and neither of us finished more than three bites. My cut was decent and prepared to my liking, but the flavor profile was so severe that I could barely stomach it. My boyfriend's cut was the worst Filet we have ever seen, and it appeared and pulled apart more like a slow cooked roast. He too found the flavors pungent. The meat was under-seasoned, while the bacon, cheese, and demi-glace were fighting for and overpowering what should have been an excellent concept. We were most disappointed that the serving staff clearly saw that we were so turned off to the meal we left most of it on the plates, yet no one asked us why or if they could amend the situation. Our bill was around $150, and we feel extremely disappointed that we couldn't and didn't even finish the meal we paid for. Having frequented many higher end restaurants both locally and internationally we feel this situation was not appropriately handled by the staff. Generally, in a situation like this the chef or manager will come over and ask why the meal was left barely touched. We will neither be suggesting NOLA to any of our friends and family nor attempt dining there again.

    (1)

  • Christy C.

    Creative mouth watering menu - we shared the celery root beet salad (delicious!) the shrimp gumbo (classic!) and the breaded drum fish with mushrooms, bacon, and haricot verts (amazing). The restaurant was crowed and noisy, not good for romantic whispers. Wine choices were great and affordable, however, our server who promised to "take very good care of us" was so busy we were left to the attentions of the support staff, and there was very little "attention". Favorite dish? You can't miss the three taster cups of creme brule' (outstanding!)

    (4)

  • Chapman M.

    Good ambiance, the food was not up to expectations, but wasn't bad.

    (3)

  • Lidia P.

    Service and appetizers were great. I was extremely disappointed at my dinner entree. It was overcooked and did not have much flavor. My expectations were high for this place. I did learn a lesson - do not set high expectations for restaurants just because they are owned by celebrity chefs!

    (1)

  • Melanie N.

    I had high hopes for Emeril's restaurant. While the ambiance was wonderful, I thought the food was lacking. (especially considering the cost). The cornbread was dry and definitely not at tasty as at K Paul's. I had the duck, and I thought it was just okay. I mean, it was tender and moist, but the flavor didn't "wow" me. We also had the banana cake and trio of creme brulee, which were delicious. Maybe it's just me, but I preferred K Paul's.

    (3)

  • Marta N.

    My family and I went to New Orleans in August 2010 despite all the worries about contamination for a family vacation. I really loved this city, the food was pretty good everywhere we went, and though we went to more than one of Emeril's spots, NOLA was just head and shoulders above the rest. It was what you expect to eat when in the South. I had the shrimp and grits and they were delicious. The seasoning was outstanding, and the shrimp and grits were cooked perfectly. My Dad had the grilled pork and it was HUGE and delicious. My sister had the salmon and we were all really curious to find out to taste the maque choux, it was great. My mom had another fish which was delicious. The rolls/biscuits they serve before and with dinner were so good. The dessert was insane, as expected. I'd go there right now for more food if i wasn't back on the West Coast, but I'll definately make it a poin to stop[ by NOLA again on my next trip to New Orleans. The atmosphere of the restaurant was great and the service was excellent. My family and I eat out often and you can really see the difference in service when the staff is happy with their jobs.

    (5)

  • Faith H.

    Absolutely the best service and most wonderful food. A must in New Orleans. It is worth every dime.

    (5)

  • Kicker ..

    Best service i've ever had at any restaurant. The staff was so friendly, knowledgeable, and hard working. You can really tell that the staff works very well together as a team and is only there to make sure their guests have an amazing experience. The food was all so delicious and perfect. We had the chicken wings, shrimp & grits, filet mignon, and the garlic bisque. For three people it was perfect! A perfect bottle of wine, Anselmi (?) was selected for us and we loved it. We all fell in love with our server Corey, who was a perfect example of Southern hospitality. His passion for food and Louisiana culture is contagious! This experience was very inspiring. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Francisco D.

    Absolutely the best service I've ever had. Any time there was trash or extra plates there was someone behind you scooping it up. My glass of water never had the chance to be half empty. We asked for mustard and they didn't have it so they sent someone out to buy some for us. Wow they really did everything they could to make us happy. I had the mussels and a rib eye steak, both were perfect. This makes me want to try Emerill's other restaurants even though I can't stand him.

    (5)

  • Scott P.

    NOLA is the absolute bomb. Went there for the 1st time and everything we tried was unbelievable, from the fried chicken to the soup, salad. Was in New Orleans for a bachelor party and figured it would be best to eat a solid meal before the night's activities. If I ever get back to New Orleans, I will definitely be going to NOLA. Supposedly D-Wade, LeBron and the Miami Heat team was at this restaurant the night before.

    (5)

  • David S.

    Had a reservation during Jazzfest. Walked in at 8PM and was seated immediately. Prompt service for a cocktail as the place was not yet full. Received a wine list but apparently didn't choose quick enough. Waitress took the wine list back and gave it to the next table! When asking for it back she disappeared and never brought it. Finally asked a different waitress who provided the new list and then took our wine order. As for the food, the Duck entree is amazing! I seem to order it every time I visit NOLA. It never disappoints. The wine list incident is what kept this review from being 5 star. We will return.

    (4)

  • William T.

    Sadly, this place has gone downhill and is simply a tourist attraction living off its past reputation. Bread was stale and tasteless. Service was indifferent. Both first course and entree were served lukewarm and were average and way over sauced. Restrooms were filthy. The whole place had the feel that you wanted to take a bath after you left. It's too bad. This place used to be a class act, but Emeril has clearly gotten overextended.

    (2)

  • Jerry K.

    We always enjoy NOLA. Not a quiet place, but I love the atmosphere. Portions are very "hearty", so bring your appetite or order prudently. The chicken wing appetizer is a classic, and good to share. The roast duck is always great, and the pork chop is delicious.

    (4)

  • Robert L.

    We were in NOLA for 3 days and we went to NOLAs 3 nights in a row. Try the tasting menu! It comes with their gumbo (very good), a salad (the weakest of the 5 items), a drum (fish, fine), steak, and the delicious bread pudding with caramel sauce, popcorn ice cream and popcorn brittle for dessert. If you've had bread pudding before this is nothing like it. This resembles a chocolate soufflé. Now, the steak came with a cauliflower puree and mushrooms and it was TO DIE FOR!!! We sat there for 20 minutes just savoring every bite. We also ordered the honey duck which was good but a little on the dry side but came with lots of meat. We also got an order of the bourbon mashed sweet potatoes which are heavenly. We later sampled the ooey gooey cake (a must try) and the creme brulée which was very good. In short, come for dinner but if you can't at least come for the dessert, which won't disappoint.

    (5)

  • Amber B.

    Went here with a party of 3. Best to have a reservation as it is a hot spot being that it Emeril Lagasse's restaurant. Made reservation same day & couldn't get in until 9:30pm. Upon arrival we were seated almost promptly. We skipped the appetizers but each got a different glass of wine that seemed to be enjoyed by all. For our entrees we got the duck, the shrimp & grits, & the salmon. The consensus was that we all equally enjoyed our food as well. I got the shrimp & grits which was outstanding. They weren't your everyday shrimp & grits. They kind of had a smokey BBQ flavor. I enjoyed it. Just wished there was more of it. The other 2 dishes were plentiful except the shrimp & grits. For $30, the portion definitely could've been a little more generous. (4 shrimp over about 2 cups of grits)

    (4)

  • Litton C.

    The service on new years day was atrocious, bus boys, servers flying everywhere. When a busboy dropped a dirty fork down the back of my friend's seat, staining his dress shirt in multiple spots, we did not get a single apology. The busboy asked him to move forward so he could get the fork, then scurried off. We asked a passing waiter to get the manager and he never came, so we had to get the manager ourselves. The Manager took one look and said "Oh My God! Here's my card, please get it dry cleaned and send me the bill." no apology, and a serious inconvenience for a group on vacation. After a little while, my friend called the manager back over and to let him know that the situation was not very possible and if he could do something else. After some hemming and hawing, the manager agreed to comp his dessert and still no apology. That being said, the food was good, but for the price I expect better service. You can eat better in New Orleans at half the cost.

    (1)

  • Chelsea L.

    Great service, great food, great decor. Order the banana ice cream if it's available. It's out of this world!!

    (5)

  • ML S.

    I've eaten at 4 Emeril's Restaurants and this is by far my favorite. I recommend eating upstairs. The red fish was great as was the duck and fillet. They had a great mango mojito for a special that night and it was out of this world. Emeril truly did it right here! The staff was amazing and extremely friendly. The attention to detail was very obvious. Reservations are recommended. Check it out!

    (5)

  • Helen H.

    Just got back from dinner and all I can say was WOW ! My husband and I went for our 28th wedding anniversary and we will definitely be going back. The service was beyond exceptional. We had the 5 Course Tasting that they have going on. Some on here have complained about the portions, but with all five courses I was full. Started with Miss Hays Stuffed Chicken Wing. Delicious. For the soup course we had the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. I am picky about my gumbo and this was excellent. They make their own Andouille sausage and it was yummy. The panzanella salad was great. The garlic crusted fish was moist, perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The accompaniments were perfect. And finally the Key Lime Pie. Beyond amazing. So many are sweet and this was tart and full of flavor. The whipped cream and berry compote added the needed sweetness. And Holly and her crew were our servers and I don't think it could have been any better.

    (5)

  • Nancy M.

    This place is neat. Completely on the other side of the spectrum from Antoine's where I dined the evening before. The exposed brick, open kitchen and chefs bar are all really cool touches. I was seated at the far end of the chef's bar, which incidentally buts right up against the open kitchen. It was cool to watch the chefs in action, calling out dishes, prepping the food and delivering the beautiful finished products, but it was as hot as a furnace! Add to the fact that I was right next to the kitchen the fact that I was directly across from their wood fire oven and it got to be a bit uncomfortable. Their food, I must say, it worth the temporary discomfort. I had attended a crawfish boil at work a couple of hours before my dinner reservation [by the way, never tell a New Orleans native that you are looking forward to trying their crayfish - Trust Me!] so I wasn't super hungry and went straight for the main course. I had the Shrimp and Grits, a lovely concoction made of sauted gulf shrimp, grilled green onions, smoked cheddar grits, crimini mushrooms and creole tomato glaze and red chili-abita butter sauce. The dish is supposed to come with bacon, which I'm sure would have made it out of this world, but I'm trying the pescatarian thing for a while, so I opted out of the bacon. They were very accommodating. Those grits were the best damn grits I've ever tasted. Granted, in the bay area there isn't much in the way of southern cooking, so I don't have much in the way of comparison, but those were some tasty grits! According to the chef, the secret is in the smoked cheddar. Scrumptious! I also had to try their French 75, just for comparison. They make theirs with cognac. Interestingly, of all the places where I've asked for this drink, the only other place that made it with cognac was Hawks in the Sacramento area. Gin or cognac doesn't much matter to me as long as it tastes good. And this certainly did!

    (4)

  • Dave R.

    Do this one right. Get yourself a bottle of Bordeaux (2 would probably be better) and order as much as you can. I went with friends, and the '04 Chateau Devise we drank married well with literally everything that was served, right down to the fresh mini jalapeno cornbread muffins. Miss Mae's stuffed chicken wings were a revelation...not sure if they are possibly life-changing as my buddy Nathan reviewed, but they certainly made my night. My entree was the Drum (local fish), and it was completely spectacular...I mean, it had bacon with it, that's always a win in my book. And I only ordered it because I wanted something light before what was to be a heavy night of drinking on my first night in NOLA for Mardi Gras. But I received that added bonus if it being a delicious dish that was cooked exceptionally well, I daresay perfectly. Open up that wallet wide, go here, and enjoy a great restaurant with impeccable and friendly service (seriously, my water was filled no fewer than 5 times and bread was consistently offered but not in an annoying way).

    (5)

  • dean d.

    oh yeah. Duck confit/fried egg pizza for appetizer, and the garlic crusted drum fish with a side of the house garlic grits were amazing. Finished off with the chocolate crème caramel and an espresso. Wow! I did also enjoy the butterscotch martini ahead of time. Service was impeccible, as were our seats at the chef's food bar (in front of the nice warm brick oven on this cool wet evening).

    (4)

  • Roxanne B.

    Great place to bring a date and for business entertaining. The food was quite expensive, but served elegantly. The food was great... try the RED FISH-- this is pretty darn good. The only complaint I have was that the selection was not that extensive. It seemed like the menu only had less than 15 items to order. The food was fattening, but boy was it great. The service was pretty fast, but like any 5 star restaurant, it comes with a premium price. The RED FISH was $24 and appetizers were $8-15 an order. They had entrees than were around $30 per entree. Good place to try....

    (4)

  • Robyn M.

    If you are ever in New Orleans, you must eat at NOLA! It was absolutely wonderful. I am not an Emeril fan and have never been. NOLA was the only place we could get into our first night in New Orleans. It was a wonderful experience from beginning to end. Great service, comfortable environment, great wine, and the food was wonderful. I got the buttermilk fried chicken, it was a refined piece of chicken served with this wonderful ham gravy (on the side of course) and bourbon sweet potatoes. Double yummy, the best fried chicken this southern gal has ever had!. My husband got the pork chop, we switch plates, it was good, but you HAVE TO HAVE THE CHICKEN! I can't say enough good things about this place. We started with gumbo and salads which were both great. No desert, we were too full LOL! In any case, from someone who loves to dine and is not easily impressed, I have to give it to Emeril and NOLA, I would go back again and again! I forgot to add, it was more than affordable.

    (5)

  • Amanda V.

    Called to make a reservation around 2p, they only had an open spot for 5 people at 10p, but we gave them a number JUST IN CASE they had a change. They called around 6:30p to tell us there was an availabilty at 7:45p, so helllll yeahhh! :) We stopped at the bar first before we sat down. We got the NOLA cosmo martini... umm.. it's ok. I've had better drinks elsewhere. Food was delicious. The onion bread is soooo good! I had the baked salmon, the crust was yummy. My friends ordered the duck and they said it was awesome. The service was impeccable. Our 3 waiters were really fun. We even bumped into one on the street on his way home while we were out walking around and he was still just as nice!

    (5)

  • King L.

    So my friend claims that she totally gave Emeril Lagasse credit after visiting this restaurant... had to see for myself. Got a late (8:45pm) Friday dinner reservation for table of 7 about two weeks before the visit. The place was packed, but we were promptly seated on-time with everyone present. Ofcourse the weather is humid during summer, but mostly everyone was dressed up a bit more than just t-shirt and sandals. Thought that it was pretty cool to have an elevator to take you up two stories for additional seating. This place must seat easily over 100 people between the different floors. Lighting throughout is at a comfy level for an upscale restaurant. Our waiter was very friendly and accommodating to our requests (one of us asked for a piece of foil?! and he was happy to grab a large piece from the kitchen heh). Everything on the menu tasted great and well presented in unison for all seven of us. Here's some of what we picked and enjoyed: Appetizer: scallops; avocado soup (cold); duck liver; angel wings Entree: half duck (huge can feed 2!); porterhouse pork; redfish Dessert: sorbet; creme brulee; capuccino; espresso Averaged about $55/person (incl. tip & tax) without alcohol. It's a good experience if you're in the mood to splurge a bit or celebrate a special occasion. Food: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 4.5/5 Service: 4.5/5 Value: 3.5/5

    (4)

  • Cork C.

    Just thinking of the amazing food I had here makes me salivate. I had the drum with butter, bacon and all sorts of other goodness 3 months ago and I still think about it regularly. I have to go back sometime soon.

    (4)

  • Treven H.

    This was on the top of my list of restaurants to try during my visit to New Orleans. Having watched the Food Network when it was called Food TV and there was actual cooking with Emeril hosting one of the key shows I watched, I was really looking forward to eating at one of his restaurants. All I could think leading up to the visit was "Bam!" (Don't hate me, because I'm cheesy.) I made reservations well in advance - several weeks ahead, although I'm not sure you need to so far ahead. We arrived about 15 mins early for our reservations at 8:30. We stood around in the crowded bar area, where the wait staff is constantly dodging you and other guests. I didn't mind the wait, until the time was approaching 8:45. We weren't seated until about 8:50. It is not a great first impression but thankfully, no one in our group was upset. My mood quickly turned more positive when the staff dropped off 2 rolls: a corn bread and some other type of white roll. I would love to take a whole dozen of those corn bread rolls home with me and eat them in one sitting. As starters, we ordered fried chicken liver, escargot, and crab cakes. The escargot was too garlicky and just plain boring. The chicken livers were somewhat bland. The crab cakes, however, were some of the best crab cakes I've tried. I don't usually like crab cakes much but this dish changed my mind. I was undecided on what I wanted, but by recommendation of the waiter, I ordered a "classic," the shrimp and grits. Everyone else at the table was generous and let me try their dishes, which were the grilled wild boar (a special) and the drum. My dish was by far my least favorite. It was far too sweet and reminded me too much of a sweet, catsup-flavored shrimp stir-fry dish that my grandmother would make. If you like candied shrimp, then you might like it, but it was not for me. The other dishes were good, especially the drum. They weren't out-of-this-world good but worth recommending. To end our feast we ordered a feast of desserts: creme brulee, chocolate ooey-gooey cake, and almond tart, which everyone enjoyed. My favorite was the almond tart. It had this nice firm texture of a mix between a cake and a tart crust. Again, nothing to boast home about it but good, solid execution. I went in with very high expectations and perhaps that slanted my view downward, because it wasn't as great as I had hoped. However, I can't help but also compare it to other restaurants we tried: Luke and Cochon, which I enjoyed considerably more.

    (3)

  • Randi B.

    One of the better meals we had on our trip. Our waiter was so nice and funny, and spent tons of time with us, giving us tips on where to go in the city, and what to do on our trip. For appetizers, we had the Duck Confit Pizza, which was really good. I had never had duck, so it was a pleasant surprise. The BBQ'd Shrimp was also really good. I had the fried chicken for dinner. It was pretty good, except they served it with a ham gravy, and I don't like pork. So, that kind of sucked, but it wasn't their fault. My boyfriend had the Shrimp & Grits for dinner, and he loved it. I'm not a huge fan of grits, but the shrimp was tasty. Another plus was this place is not dressy. A lot of the more expensive restaurants we went to on our trip required us to dress up, but we didn't have to here.

    (4)

  • Charles S.

    NOLA 2. Rise of Fanny Pack. My first visit to Emeril's NOLA in 2007 was a great experience. My second trip a couple weeks ago was a fanny pack experience. Not that I have anything against the fanny pack. In its natural environment, it represents the pinnacle of comfort and utility. Besides storing lots of stuff, it also relieves the lumbar. When worn up front, it provides muffin top support. I also realize that fanny packers need to replenish calories. The amount that they burn hefting a two-way zippered 5-pocket pouch increases caloric requirement, sometimes exponentially, depending on the load. That said, all fanny packers should be required to check-in their prized accessory at non-trailhead restaurants. At my recent dinner at NOLA, one settled into the table next to us, and I immediately got a strange feeling - maybe it was a 'blink' moment - that this bulging pouch and its brethren were to blame for sucking the life out of a once tasty establishment. Weird, I know. Fanny packs blamed for a subpar dining experience. But something had definitely changed at NOLA since I had last been there. Its open kitchen, once a bustling epicenter of 'Bam,' was a stainless steel desert of 'Bluh.' There was no music, and the lighting and food were flat. I blame fanny packs. They sucked the blood out of NOLA like miniature, hip-hugging Vampire Lestats.

    (3)

  • Rita L.

    I gotta say, when you're in NOLA and within walking distance of 3 of Emeril's restaurants, it's practically a sin to not dine there at least once. I came here with a group on a quiet Tuesday evening, the waiters promptly greeted us and sat us on the second floor (awesome glass elevator.. Very Willy Wonka-like). We scored cornbread as we waited for our orders, warm and yummy with a twist (jalapeno cheddar cornbread, if I remember correctly). I went for the shrimp bisque soup of the day and the sweet barbeque atlantic salmon. The others tried the other entree, garlic drum, filet mignon, pork roast, shrimp & grits.. All were melt-inyour mouth and we completely devoured our plastes with no room for desserts. The salmon I had was impeccable and oh mah gahhhh. Yes it's pricey but there's a reason for it: quality. Don't get me wrong, NOLA full of cheap and good eats.. But this place is phenomenal. A great way to end your final night in NOLA :)

    (4)

  • Patrick M.

    Had a fantastic experience at NOLA. The service was superb in their choreographed service in unison. The wine selection was overwhelming; mark up seemed higher than the customary 100% markup. The food was outrageously good. We started with the gumbo and crab cake to start with. Recently had gumbo at K-Paul's and thought I had died and gone to heaven. NOLA's gumbo surpassed with a perfect blend of spice, okra, sausage - man it was good. The supporting sauce around the crab cake made the perfectly crispy cake outrageously good - BAM! For an entree we had the drum fish and the buttermilk chicken. The drum fish was crusted in garlic . It was a light flakey fish that seemed to be cooked with only one stick of butter than the regions customary 3 stick. The chicken was crispy, well spiced, and arrived on a yummy bed of sweet potato purée. This was one of the best meals we had - don't miss this one.

    (5)

  • max s.

    Unfortunately on the last night of our trip this meal broke our streak of amazing meals in New Orleans. A real bummer considering this was also one of the more pricey ones. Looking for good Cajun food we picked Emeril's NOLA - highly reviewed and nearby in the French Quarter. Got a table for 2 at 8:15 - seated in a small room on the 3rd floor. The dinner started off great with a nice malbec, mint julep, and the barbeque shrimp for an appetizer . This shrimp dish was very tasty; bbq sauce was rich and the shrimp were cooked perfectly. It went downhill from there. It took quite a while to get our main course; waiter did acknowledge and apologize. I got the pecan crusted trout and my husband had the drum on a cedar plank. My trout was smothered in an overpowering thick crust that tasted more like burnt breadcrumbs than pecans. When I could taste the trout it was very dry; actually the dish tasted like my grandma's chicken cutlet. Had a creole sauce that was flavorless. The drum dish was slightly better, but lackluster when compared to all the great seafood in NO. Fish was again overcooked with little flavor and Vietnamese seafood salad was very blah and very disjointed from rest of dish. Emeril (his staff) needs new essence.

    (2)

  • michael f.

    We went with high expectations but were pretty disappointed. The service was great and the atmosphere was very pleasant. The food, however, was a bit disappointing (and that is what we really came for). We started with gumbo (way over salted) and a salad of fried green tomatoes (the breading was very heavy handed). After the apetizers we tried the drum which was highly reccomended by one of our three waiters. It was not bad, it just was nothing to get excited over. (When did red fish start to be called drum?) Anyway, with nothing from the menu that really impressed, the third star is the result of great service. Emeril's food offering disappointed.

    (3)

  • Lisa B.

    My husband and I like visiting the restaurants of notable chefs while traveling to new cities and we found ourselves in New Orleans in April and couldn't pass up NOLA. This was an excellent dining experience. The service we received from the staff was flawless. The atmosphere in the restaurant was contemporary and relaxed. The food was outstanding. My husband had the gumbo of the day - andouille and duck. Big, meaty pieces of duck - really delicious. I started with the BBQ shrimp and they were good, great sauce on them but for being in Louisiana, the shrimp were tiny. I had shrimp and grits - super creamy grits, deliciously succulent shrimp. Great meal, it just needed a little crunch factor to really put it over the edge. My husband had the salmon, large portion, well cooked.

    (4)

  • Anna T.

    Had one of the worst experiences at a restaurant ever. Probably the worst. I was in town working, and came by with a few friends between the ages of 21-28. Why am I telling you our ages? Well, because the server treated us like children. He ROLLED HIS EYES at us when we were ordering drinks, and id'd us every time we ordered one, my 24 year old friend was id'd 3 times... Both times he ordered a drink, and once when he wanted to buy a beer for a 50 year co-worker of ours who happened to be there eating as well. My fish was undercooked, had to send it back... But the night continued to get more bizarre. The server started to audibly talk about us to a table of his friends nearby, calling us "20 year old nothings". The table of his friends came over and repeated this to us and tried to FIGHT one of my girlfriends! Lest you think we did something to deserve this, I promise you we were well-behaved and a sober group, no one had more than 2 drinks. When we complained to the manager he just looked at us and said there was nothing he could do but it wouldn't happen again. (!?!?) it was a weird bizarre awful night. Will never go to an emeril restaurant again.

    (1)

  • Natascha R.

    We came in without reservations and were seated by the kitchen. Thus was an added treat because we were able to watch the kitchen magic. I had the Hickory smoked duck. It was moist, delicious and served with a smile. My date had the filet minot, rare. He was beyond happy with it. The wait staff was attentive, friendly and the food was outstanding. Overall, NOLA is a MUST for any New Orleans trip.

    (5)

  • Wayne M.

    Smoked duck! Smoked duck! Smoked duck! Me, my wife and two friends: one of the best meals we ever had!

    (5)

  • Michael N.

    Tuesday evening dinner BAM. Yes I kicked it up a notch! whether Martha or Emeril is in charge doesn't matter cuz the restaurant is outstanding. Didn't matter that tables were close, conversations were private, the food outstanding and wait staff expert. Kevin's attention was warm, friendly and obviously knowledgeable Everything from the barbecued shrimp through roasted garlic bisque to the chocolate pecan pie with sweet potato ice cream was a taste sensation and gastronomic delight. Couldn't eat here often as too rich. I be spending all the rest of my waking hours everyday in the gym! But is definitely a place I would come to when in town!

    (5)

  • Christine H.

    Great duck main course! LOVED the pork chop main course. Over priced but good food. Order the pork chop and you shouldn't be disappointed. Service was outstanding!

    (4)

  • Doug N.

    Brutally underwhelming. If not for the high expectation of having a previous meal described as the "best of her life" by my dining partner, I could justify 3 stars. The bbq shrimp were just ok. The rib eye was done nicely, but was pretty straightforward. The filers was not good, and was borderline send-it-back. It was an undersized tenderloin tail, unevenly cooked, not creatively presented, with a heavy hand on the salt (like the rib eye), all for the low low price of $38!! If this were any other city in America, I would have been speaking to the manager. At least the creme brulee was good.

    (2)

  • Eric L.

    Brutal food. Went on the recommendation of a local who said its popular with the young professionals. I forgot to put on my normal "average people have no taste buds" filter, and got suckered into NOLA. The short version is: "Cheesecake factory with a New Orleans twist, but worse execution". This is southern food like PF Changs is Chinese food. Shrimp and grits were the most disappointing version I've ever had. I've spent the majority of my life in the South and these grits SUCKED. The grits were really sweet and mushy. too smooth (more like mashed potatoes in texture). There were also barely any grits. The shrimp preparation was terrible -- they were pan sauteed then tossed in a sweet BBQ sauce (KC masterpiece flavor). It was topped with limp bacon pieces, and didn't have any gravy aside from the BBQ sauce. Basically it wasn't "Shrimp and grits". Sausage and Chicken gumbo was terrible. Like most mass produced food, it lacked subtlety and was way overseasoned. It didn't have any body and we were just eating salt gravy with dry chicken bits. The stuff to rice ratio was off. I thought if there was ONE thing we'd get right at Emeril's restaurant in the FQ, it'd be gumbo but we were disappointed. Smoked duck was smokey, but very dry. Portion size was way too big (not a complaint, just another indicator that the restaurant is run by a clueless kitchen). Came out at room temperature and the skin was limp and the texture was terible. Points for smokey flavor, but nothing else. Fried chicken was AWFUL. Popeyes is better and 1/10the price. The crust was soggy and steamed, not properly coated, and the falling off. The chicken breast was inedibly dry and the entire thing was underseasoned. Another note on Southern food failure from this subpar establishment. Stuffed chicken wings (appetizer) -- amusing. Basically chinese egg roll stuffing in a chicken wing. The stuffing was overseasoned (surprise!). Basically it was breading and white pepper. The chicken was fried much better than the fried chicken though. Crabcake -- very delicious if you like eating breadcrumbs and eggs. Garbage if you want crab in your crabcake. All my stars on Yelp are strictly food reviews. 1 star food (literally, rather have Burger King for the same price), and it was stupidly expensive to boot (29 bucks for crappy shrimp and grits!). Waitstaff was very friendly and give them 4 stars for effort. I go to dining establishments to eat, not to socialize with waitstaff though, so that doesn't save the review.

    (1)

  • Kevin H.

    This is the fourth restaurant of Emeril's that I have been too. And they never disappoint. Fun and trendy, with a menu that is just over the top enough to satisfy a true Food'gyver such as myself. This place is reservation only around Mardi Gras . I had the BBQ shrmp and biscuits as an appetizer...which was a lot different than the version I had always made for myself at home. His sauce was port reduction sauce, instead of the apple/ jerk sauce I tend to make when I try this concept. awesome presentation. I followed that with the gawlic crusted drum ...awesome. I really need to invest in a woodburning stove of some sort. and lastly the peanut butter /chocolate cheesecake with the oreo pieces made my night.

    (4)

  • Patti T.

    (Saturday afternoon lunch) fantastic atmosphere, sunlight-filled dining room (ground floor); excellent service. Gumbo of the Day was turkey andouille. fabulous and worth the stop on its own! I had the Vietnamese Pork Po Boy ( I have NO idea why I chose that over my other temptation: Southern Fried Chicken Breast), but I thought it was outstanding. Substantial slices of pork, duck liver and cilantro on a baguette. YUM! Garnished with a cucumber relish-kimchee sorta slaw/salad that I did not love. Had the NOLA lemonade, a lively lemon-raspberry grownup refreshment. Dessert was a chocolate bread pudding with sweet potato ice cream; delicious, decadent and nicely portioned, even split between us 3 gals. My 1/3 of the tab was in the $50 range. The cocktails were $10 I used Open Table for the reservation; glad I did!

    (4)

  • Jenny M.

    Usually a big fan of Emeril's restaurants, I was a little let down with Nola. While the service was great, the food was just good, not exceptional. The stuffed wings that the waiter emphatically suggested were un-inspired and bland. Nothing to write home about, and definitely did not capture the atmosphere of the New Orleans French Quarter where it resides.

    (3)

  • Steve L.

    Really loved this restaurant. The food was great and the bread just keeps on coming to soak up the sauces. The service staff was very friendly and attentive. Would highly recommend. First time at an Emeril restaurant and was not disapointed!

    (4)

  • Dominique D.

    Fantastic experience! First time I have been back in 10 years. It lived up to everything I remembered and was even better. We had the buttermilk fried chicken... It was out if this world!

    (5)

  • Robert L.

    Close your eyes and imagine those unbelievable, mouth watering food made by Chef Emeril Lagasse on TV. And now try tasting them in person. That's how good it is! Don't walk, RUN to this place next time you are in town.

    (5)

  • Mickey Z.

    Drinks are great. Escargot was fishy tasting prob the worst I've had. Duck confit had no flavor. I've eaten here before and it was much better. Maybe a bad night

    (3)

  • L K.

    A surprisingly large restaurant nestled in the French Quarter, they offered us relatively quick seating after dealing with 1.5-2 hour waits at other places. NOLA surprised us with its family-like hospitality, knowledge of its menu and upfront suggestions. Travis was more storyteller than mere waiter, with a team behind him that made sure no detail was missed. Between our group of 4, we started with their BBQ shrimp and ordered roasted duck, shrimp and grits, fried chicken and drum fish. All of them offered a wonderful array of flavors.

    (5)

  • Tom W.

    It has been 10 or more years since I had been to NOLA, long before Emeril became Emeril®. I have resisted going back, even though I remember a spectacularly delicious salmon dish from my visit a decade ago. But Sunday night in The Quarter, already 9 PM, and choices of nice restaurants are few. So, I called, made a 9:30 reservation and began to walk over with my friend, Habibi. We arrived on a late Sunday evening to a restaurant burning on all cylinders. Big parties, little parties, food running around the restaurant at high velocity. We got a chance to cool our heels for about an extra 20 minutes in a makeshift sort of bar addition. However, we watched the kitchen and the sheer quantity of food flying out to satisfy a 3 story restaurant of hungry, voracious eaters. Once seated our waiter came to give us his name and fist bump us (the second time I was fist bumped by a waiter in New Orleans....is this the new Hello?). At first, he was bummed because we did not order alcohol, but managed to contain his disappointment and rebound to the point that I have to say first - and probably last - that the service we received at NOLAs was the best I have had in a long time. Intuitive, gracious, friendly without being intrusive - despite the fist bump schtick - and hospitable in the best of ways. I would go back just for the service. The food, despite my snarkier nature of not wanting it to be delicious because I do not like the idea of Celebrity Chef or of Food®, was more than promised and was just downright delicious. Be forewarned that everything - EVERYTHING - on the menu contains some kind of pork product - except the crab cake. This was a bit of a problem for me and Habibi, since he keeps Halal. The waiter was great and made the appropriate suggestions and substitutions. First, we ordered Cornmeal Fried Rabbit Livers on Country Greens. The livers were delicious and, with a bit of the peppery and smokey greens, were transformed from an everyday peasant dish to something refined. We ordered one bowl of soup and our waiter - without being asked - had it split for us and delivered in two bowls. Garlic Soup was excellent, but had a really rich cream base to it that gave it an unctuousness that would have been cloying with a full order; the counterpoint to this soup is Bayonas, where there is no cream and the flavor is both cleaner and less filling. However, delicious, but get a small cup and not a bowl. Next, we split a Fred Flintstone sized Strip Steak and a Crab cake the size of a hockey puck on steroids. Again, our waiter split the steak downstairs, so that we each got a steak and potatoes; he thoughtfully left off the bacon/pork component of the dish for us. The steak was perfectly cooked and deliciously red and the crab cake was crusted on the outside and filled with pure crabmeat and season. What made it special was the Corn and Pepper Maque Choux underneath which gave a peppery sweetness to help accent the flavours of the crab. We split a dessert of the banana pudding cake. It was fair; I understand that there are better desserts there. But, by this time, I was so impressed with the attentive and pleasant service and the food to this point that I really did not care. Dinner for 2, 3 courses, no alcohol: $100.00. Not at all bad for Food®.

    (4)

  • Larry G.

    Fantastic dining experience! I recommend the stuffed chicken wings. Incredible! Shrimp and Grits were spot on! Will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • J d.

    Great food. Maybe a little more salt than I'm used to.

    (4)

  • kristin h.

    I patroned NOLA while on va-cay (love saying it like that in an annoying voice) visiting friends in the city. This particular restaurant was an impromptu decision as a result of a later arrival to the airport the evening we flew in. We stayed near the French Quarter and wanted to go somewhere within walking distance - thus we ended up at NOLA. He had been there before and has had good experiences at NOLA and the other restaurants in Emeril Lagasse's repertoire. We arrive around 9:45pm and were seated immediately. Our waiter, Thaddeus, a big, tall, friendly dude greeted us with a smile and asked us what we would like to drink. We are margarita people (coin style), so of course we ordered margs! I excused myself from the table to use the ladies' room - which brings me to the reason that I dropped the 5th star for this review. If I could rate on several scales - which might be a suggestion to the Yelp team - I would have rated the food 5. Anyhow - bathrooms are a BIG deal to me. I like them to be sparkling clean - I understand that when it's busy there might be T.P. on the floor, etc...but this bathroom looked pretty grungy. It could definitely use a serious cleaning. However, in NOLA's defense MANY of the bathrooms in New Orleans were dirty and this one was much better than 90% of the ones that I encountered. But, at a restaurant where you are likely to drop $200 for 2 people, you'd like to see a clean bathroom. Okay - back to the food! Right!?!? I ordered the special flank steak which was INCREDIBLE. I mean, the flavors in this dish were so dynamic!! The presentation was lovely - nothing extraordinary - but lovely. I ordered mine cooked medium...and it came out a true medium. I enjoyed it immensely. Our waiters were wonderful, attentive and certainly deserving of a 5 star. I would definitely return to NOLA - although with so many places to visit in New Orleans - it may be a while! All in all - great food. Great service. Just a little attention to the bathroom would be my recommendation.

    (4)

  • Ian H.

    Sampled a varies menu. Really enjoyed lobster and celery root salad. Entrees were all well prepared. C

    (4)

  • Bob L.

    OVERPRICED and OVERHYPED Food was cold undercooked and plain terrible. I thought the chef must taken the might off and the dishwasher was on the stove. Steak was served gray and raw despite being ordered medium rare. Didn't see waiter for 10 minutes so u just gave up. Management showed no concern for our complaints about poor preparation. Others in our party experienced similar dissatisfaction. AVOID this restaurant that clearly survives on old reputation rather than on current performance. Too many other places that are consistently good to waste time and money on this dog of a restaurant. Emeril should be ashamed that he is putting his name on this POS restaurant.

    (1)

  • Dave S.

    My wife ordered the red drum. It was too garlicy. I had chicken breast with sweet potatoes and snap peas. The potatoes, peas, and sauce made the meal. Chicken was overdone. Service was impeccable. Prompt, courteous, and friendly. Very professionally done. Too expensive for what we received.

    (2)

  • Terry N.

    My wife and i had some time alone in New Orleans and headed to Nola without a reservation this past Saturday. We were seated in about 15 minutes after having a couple of beers at the small bar near the kitchen. We both ordered the filet mignon at $38 per plate, a new crab cake with corn relish, and a oyster artichoke bisque, one desert and coffees. Our total was $170 with 20% tip. The filets arrived overcooked with mine being medium to well as opposed to medium rare. The filets were on the small to medium size and came dressed with a brown sauce. The steaks were tender and delicious other than they were overcooked. The crab cake had some type of batter coating that i didn't care for compared to the expected bread crumb batter that i usually see. The corn relish that the crab cake was stacked upon was spicy and very tasty. i wish there was more of the corn relish. Service was friendly, but a bit off. We had to remind our waiting for items that we ordered or ask about missing drinks. the two small small bathrooms were located in the back past the kitchen near the employees backpacks that hung on a wall. Their condition was terrible for such an expensive restaurant. My wife said that the woman's room had a big hole in the sheet-rock and a decorative large roach crawling about. The men's room didn't have any insects but did smell like someone with bad aim had hit every wall. Overall the food was very good in spots, and off in others. For the money and quality of experience, i would not return.

    (2)

  • Ashley K.

    The food was wonderful and the staff was amazing.

    (5)

  • Kareem P.

    Every time i have company in town i take them to NOLA and they walk away can't wait to go back. I love the atmosphere. I the staff remembers me so i feel really welcome. Good food and friends makes NOLA the place to go.

    (5)

  • Emily M.

    I was here in May 2008 for a work conference and while traveling by myself is sometimes not easy finding a place to dine where you are not on display and feel uncomfortable. I was seated at a "bar" area right in front of some of the sous chefs and other chefs who were making bread, salads, cleaning shellfish, etc. What an experience! Not only did they provide some entertainment but they were sooooo nice! And, there were a couple of other single diners around me so everyone felt comfortable. The food was amazing! Smaller plates but definitely very unique mixes of flavors. NOLA is a hidden treasure you must not miss!

    (4)

  • Patty H.

    We went to NOLA to celebrate my birthday, and had a fabulous experience! The attention to detail and service is incredible, but without being overbearing. Example -- when the entrees were served while one of our friends was in the ladies room they covered it and ensured that it was kept warm until she returned. The ambiance is lively, and had a good vibe overall - you could have fun without feeling as though you were being disruptive. The food was very good all around -- would def return again.

    (4)

  • Douglas W.

    We were 6pm walk-ins so the kitchen wasn't slammed. The ambiance and restaurant are very nice. The usual fine dining with people walking in with shorts and go cups scene. Our waiter was good but the support staff was terrible. They didn't clear the dishes and the food runner toppled and slid my food across my plate when he slammed it down in front of me. We liked the apps. Miriam had a ceasar and I had the fried duck livers with greens, both were terrific. The entrees failed terribly. I ordered the garlic crusted drum. It was soggy and greasy. I noticed food sitting under domes on their line forever. Very poor execution of a cleaver dish as it was served over mushrooms, bacon, potatoes and green beans (skimpy). Miriam had the fish of the day and it was ok but underseasoned to be sure and a real snore. The pesto was more like mowed lawn. Both fishes were cooked perfectly. They bought our drum dish because I protested it a bit. For desert we had banana layer cake and chocolate bread pudding. Skip them. The banana layer cake was ok but the chocolate bread pudding wasn't good at all. I would not bother with this restaurant until they step it up a bit.

    (2)

  • Laura C.

    The dinner and that banana layer cake were the bomb. This was a dinner to remember. A great place to eat when you go to visit.

    (5)

  • Nina L.

    About what I expected. Great food, great ambience, no to-die-for menu items, though. The fried green tomatoes are pretty standard, escargots are HUGE (like mutant snails, maybe?) and a little earthy, but tasty enough. Fiance and I both had fish dishes - large portions cooked simply. I recommend stopping in if you have the time, but ok to miss.

    (3)

  • Jahmekya G.

    My friends and I enjoyed our meals. The chicken wings stuffed with seafood was unexpected and tasty. And, although I am not usually a grits fan, I got the shrimp and grits based on the waiter's recommendation. Cheesy grits and shrimps in BBQ sauce. Mahvelous. And LOVED my mango mojito with bits of mango.

    (4)

  • scott d.

    Not the experience my taste buds were looking for. A bit bland were the barbeque shimp appetizer. The fish was cooked to perfection but the overall ambiance was ordinary. Service was top-notch.

    (3)

  • Wendy B.

    Dined at the bar that surrounds the wood fire kitchen area (there are two bars...this bar is 'in' the kitchen - the kitchen is open to the first floor dining room, so it was great for a solo diner because I could watch the action. Great waiters taking care of me (I got more than one) and I had them pick my wine by telling them I wanted a crisp cold white with my app/salad and then move to a bold red for my entree. The waiter outdid himself, even bringing me three choices of reds to taste and try and pick from. I ordered TOO much (the entree was bigger than I though it would be) -- had fried green tomato salad (yum) and the duck liver on greens (fantastic...this I'd order again in a heartbeat...the greens were unbelievable). Then I had the ribeye. It too was great but HUGE! Just too much food. I am going back tonight with my family so will try different items and my do only apps and not an entree....still want to try the stuffed chicken wings.

    (5)

  • Karen T.

    It's been 3 weeks since our wonderful dinner at NOLA -but I am still moved to write. It was a wonderful meal with wonderful service. The 3 gentlemen who waited on us were both helpful and friendly - when we left we felt like we had made new friends. My sister and I had the duck -which was not like any other duck I've ever had. It was smoked (they said for 3 days) and the portion was so generous we had leftovers!!! It came with a corn bread that was also amazing. My son had the fried chicken also a special presentation. Our waiter recommended a pinot noir to go with the duck that was perfect. We had pecan pie and a blueberry concoction(can't remember anymore what it was). The pecan pie was fine - but the blueberry concoction was another outstanding example of the culinary talents of the chef. We are going to be visiting New Orleans regularly now that my son will be studying at Tulane. I hope to visit NOLA again and again!

    (5)

  • Monika M.

    Best shrimp and grits I've ever had.

    (5)

  • Maria A.

    Good. But there are better places. Nothing exceptionally memorable.

    (3)

  • Samantha H.

    Blah. So the food was fantastic, no argument there. BUT the service was something else...not good. We were seated on the third floor, in a quiet room. It was a group of 5, so we ordered a variety of stuff. The server was dry and not very memorable. We expected more for the price we paid. Food suggestions:Flank steak, crab cakes, filet mignon, seared ahi tuna salad, and the peanut butter cake. We do not suggest the $12 dollar coffee which took forever to get.

    (3)

  • Gina W.

    I expected better. The BBQ shrimp is very good and worth ordering. Everything else was just ok. The worst was the Gulf Oysters and Crabmeat Baked in the Wood Oven with Garlic Butter and Herb Bread Crumbs. It sounds really good, but it was terrible. I could only eat one and I gave up. The oysters are drenched in butter and herb bread crumbs were like a soggy pile of goop on top. It was amazingly gross.

    (2)

  • Cindy C.

    So I was in New Orleans and I got to eat at an Emeril restaurant! It was a great experience. I don't remember my main dish, but I do remember it being good, and my veg husband enjoyed his meal as well. The only thing is we ordered this appetizer, it was like a chicken leg with stuff inside...the server recommended it. It was odd tasting...neither me nor our friend liked it. However, I wold definitely recommend this place, eat here myself again, or try another Emeril establishment.

    (4)

  • Katie T.

    Eating at NOLA was quite delicious. I'm going to say that there wasn't anything about the menu that struck me as unique, but the building is quite impressive and unique. We got to sit upstairs overlooking the entrance of the restaurant. The elevator took us up and the man operating it was hysterical and made us feel very welcome. Now as for the menu, there were some interesting sounding things like Veggie Pizza, and Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza with Parmesan Cheese, Truffle Oil and Baby Arugula, but there was also Barbecued Shrimp and the Crab Cake which we decided on as our appetizer. We specifically asked if there was more crab than filler in the cake, and we were assure that there was, but in my opinion the crab could have been lumpier, and for some reason when ever you get crab cakes in a restaurant it seems like they like to drown the crab with red or green bell pepper and this was true for NOLA. The corn relish that was underneath the crab cake was wonderful and I could have eaten a lot more of that. For my entree I got the Filet Mignon which was cooked just how I wanted it, and it was very good, but it was nothing special. I've had better off my own grill. Guess I'm kind of snobby about the filet, but it needed something else, like a starch on the plate. My boyfriend's fish even came with a starch, where's the potatoes with that piece of meat? I did like how I was able to order half a bottle of wine for myself, that was a plus since we couldn't agree on one because I was eating red meat and he was having fish. I would eat at NOLA again for sure, just won't be for a while. There are lot's of other places I need to go.

    (4)

  • Karen K.

    Had the shrimp and grits which was amazing!! Loved the service and will definitely go back!!!

    (5)

  • Nik B.

    We came here on a whim on our trip to New Orleans, not knowing much about this place (besides that its one of Emiril's). Coming from Chicago, we want a good bang for our buck. All I have to say is: Wow. Definitely one of the best meals I've had in my life. The atmosphere was classy, yet fun. It was very modern looking, and seated in the main area you can not escape the clanking of the openly visible kitchen. As the free bread choice, we were given a choice between jalapeno cheddar corn bread and some kind of herb foccacia. I was fortunate enough to try both, but I've got to say, the corn bread was delicious. I had the Texas Redfish for my dinner, and I will start by saying it was the perfect amount of food. Every bite of my fish was flavorful, and delicious. The sauce that came on it was absolutely perfect. Everything in the dish worked together really well and this was definitely a meal designed to please. If I ever come back to New Orleans, I'd definitely consider going back here again.

    (5)

  • Steph S.

    Well, the food is good and it looks very pretty. Also you feel very welcome when you get there. However, I am a big fan of meat and consider myself a bit of a connoisseur. Consequently, because it is a good restaurant, supposedly, I ordered the Filet Mignon, rare. When it came it was not only half as big as my companions, but it was also very well done. Of course I returned it, but by the time I received a replacement, my party was done eating and I ate by myself. Furthermore, I hardly received an apology, and I admit I would have expected a free dessert, or drink, or something, but it did not happen. As I said, when it was cooked right, it was good, not spectacular, but good. Still, the experience was not too pleasant, and I am sure one can find a better restaurant for less money and with more accommodating service :-/

    (3)

  • Christine F.

    The resturant is very nice, a bit small but classy. A wonderful experience. Made Reservations, got right in. The whole entire meal was perfect. The food was superb and the dessert was heaven on a plate. I ordered Roasted Duck with Whiskey-Caramel Glaze and for dessert Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie with Sweet Potato Ice Cream and Caramel Drizzle. Emeril, you da man. (wow I never thought I would say that to a human being.... The food is seriously that good!)

    (5)

  • Paul V.

    Simply amazing from the service to the stuffed chicken wings my wife and I have dined in some amazing restaurants and NOLA is up there as one of the best ever.

    (5)

  • Michael D.

    As many other reviews testify, the stuffed chicken wings are dynamite. We also got the crispy duck livers (excellent), and on a previous occasion I got the BBQ shrimp (good but not blown away). Fried chicken is ridiculous(ly good); shrimp and grits were also solid.

    (4)

  • Beata V.

    Best food we had during our stay in French Quarter... Oysters following a close second at Felix. We would definitely come back. Service was great. Stuffed wings were amazing as was friend chicken and turkey sandwich. Dessert was amazing to. Just amazing date with my hubby.

    (5)

  • Chris S.

    The space: Nola is right in the French Quarter, and was just a couple blocks from our hotel, which I liked. It's a multi-leveled spot, and a glass elevator makes the trip from the 1st to the 2nd floor one that requires few steps. It's a pretty small area, but they have used the space well and it feels more open and large than it actually is. The food: Excellent, refined cooking using traditional New Orleans ingredients and techniques. New twists on familiar dishes. The baked oysters and crab meat was so good, like Oysters Rockefeller, with a generous lump of crab meat in each bite. Next, I had the shrimp and grits, and it was over-the-top good. Big barbecued shrimp on top of cheddar grits with smoked bacon and porcini mushrooms. The service: Perfect. Teams of three serve each table, with a lead server and two helping out. Each member of the team was engaged with our table, asking us how everything was, offering up favorite dishes from the menu, and making us comfortable with friendly small talk. Management and/ or the maitre d' were visible on the floor throughout our meal, checking in with everyone and spreading good cheer. Never did we want for a thing while we were there.

    (4)

  • David B.

    Our first time to NOLA. Our waiter Steve was great. Service was top notch. Our party of four got the stuffed chicken wings and the braised rabbit appetizers. Everyone loved the rabbit. My wife and I like the stuffed chicken wings, but our guest could not stand them. This dislike turned into a good thing as you will realize as you read further. One diner order the smoked duck. They tell us the duck is brined then smoked for three days. My friend thoroughly enjoyed the duck. I tried several bites and found the smokey flavor very nice. However I felt the texture was too dry. Perhaps the smoking process lasting that long dries out and toughens the meat. The other two guest got the garlic encrusted drum. It is my understanding that drum describes many fish in the sciaenidae. We tried to get a better understanding of what kind of drum it was. We were unsuccessful fining out what the fish was, but we did find out it was not red drum. My adventuresome partners ordered the fish and enjoyed it very much. I tried both of their fish and found the flavor and texture to be pretty good. The fish was a bit strong but quite tasty. You may by now wonder why I had so much time to try everyone's food. I ordered the special steak, a trimmed rib eye on seafood mash potatoes. I ordered the steak medium rare, what I got was around medium well. The waiter immediately noticed it was over cooked and took it back. He was apologetic. We were on the second of three bottles of nice wine so not uptight in the least. Finally I did get a new steak unfortunately it arrived as my three dining guest were done with their meals. And to add insult to injury the steak was so tough it was inedible. I was just a bad piece. The waiter again apologized and mentioned that the manager had told him that 3 of the specials had been sent back due to the same reason that evening. Well as I had had a lot of time and had gotten to eat all the chicken wings the night was not a total disaster. I told the waiter to not make another steak (as the last one took over 30 mins). I thought they would have expedited it considering they were the ones who screwed it up. We were comped a single scoop of ice cream for our troubles. Everyone makes mistakes and things happen out of management's control that create problems. I judge business on how they address and fix the mistakes. While our waiter was great I never saw the manager and I do not think they really cared that they severed me two bad steaks in a row. They charge $40 for the steak, but I doubt it is prime. The bottom line is I felt they took their screw ups too lightly. Perhaps because it has Emeril's backing they feel they can do no wrong.

    (1)

  • Evan D.

    A definite break from the Bourban street scene, and not the middle American fare that the word "Emril" conjures. Actually a real delight if your looking for some upscale eats in the French Quarter. I got the duck confit pizza appetizer which was WAY too big for one person--but it was delicious, so I soldiered on. As it turned out this was a poor choice because I didn't really have the room for my amazing, but unfortunately large fried chicken dinner. You beat me this time, Emril, but next time I will be the victor. Bam, Evan

    (4)

  • I P.

    After a very disappointing lunch in commander Palace, we were not holding high hope for another so call famous restaurant, besides i am not a big fan for chef emerill, so when we walked by and saw they were not extremely packed, we thought whatever we are just gonna grab a bit here as long as the wait is not too too bad, and it was not, we only wait for around ten minutes. And what a surprisingly different experience! All I mean ALL the dishes were awesome, ok maybe not the duck liver, but everything else was awesome! We had mussels, duck liver, salad, sword fish, shrimp & grits, all cooked perfectly! It's not easy to do seafood perfectly and the side dish interesting and tasty, but all our food are 5 stars! Thank you Nola for a great meal

    (5)

  • Shivani S.

    Impressed with the food, drinks and service. Definitely lived up to its reputation.

    (5)

  • Melissa C.

    NOLA served me the best steak I have had in my life. This comes from someone who eats out on a regular basis and normally does not stray from a steak dinner. I have been to many fancy/expensive restaurants and honestly no one has even come close to making a steak as succulent, juicy, and flavorful as the one I had at NOLA.

    (5)

  • Rachel H.

    It's just one of those things...but this is one of my favorite places of all times. I imagine it is because I have had sooooo many long, fun, drunken dinners here with friends (and a few romantic dates) that NOLA's is forever associated with good times. I prefer to sit downstairs where the atmosphere is hustling and bustling and dark in contrast to the brighter, more white-linen-seriousness upstairs. Emeril's food is always consistently delicious and my favorite is the Shrimp and Grits; there is a tangy bbq type twist to the sauce which pairs perfectly with the meal. I generally have to try a creme brulee or torte.....and let's not forget to keep the house wine flowing. A shot of Sambuca is also customary to round off the dinner. One of my best guy friends is to thank for that wonderful tradition (lol). All in all.....the drinks and food are wonderful....the service is amazing (I absolutely ADORE the waiters full of southern charm who grab my arm to escort me to and from the bathroom).....the atmosphere is always lively yet refined.....so, just a note: you can't go wrong if you want to take me to NOLA's and spoil me for a nice dinner. Keep both the wine flowing and me laughing, and we'll have a great time.

    (5)

  • Hiroyuki T.

    BBQ Shrimp and Grits are to die for! I went here about a year and a half ago with my mom. After following Emeril on the Food Network for years, I was so excited to make it to one of his restaurants at last. One bite of the BBQ Shrimp and Grits and I had fallen in love with the place. Also really liked the layout and vibe of the restaurant -- feels very open and classy. Love it!

    (4)

  • tatia g.

    Really disappointed in reading reviews that use the word "mediocre". No way! As recommended by others, we had a reservation, and were introduced to 2 waiters. Both were very attentive, and they kept the tempo of the meal steady, but not at all rushed. Another waiter was gracious enough to give me his arm as he escorted me to the restroom--I told him he was only doing it because he saw me drinking mine and my husband's Lemon-Thyme Mojito--and made himself available to escort me back to my seat. The staff hustled about quietly and efficiently. The Mojito was truly refreshing, but on to the food. The Duck Confit pizza was new for us, but the flavors of the fresh spinach, Parmesan, and the saltiness of the duck were so good on the thin pizza crust. The Seafood gumbo, according to hubby was great, as you can't go wrong with fresh seafood. It was made with a dark roux, that we prefer over a lighter base. Having the jalapeno corn muffin with it was just right. The Rib-eye was grilled to perfection with a wine sauce. I didn't care for the wine sauce but it was his dish, and he loved it. I had the shrimp n grits. OK, yes you only get 6-7 shrimp, but these are true Gulf shrimp. The portions are not small by any means, and while we wanted to have dessert --specifically the banana pudding cake with homemade vanilla wafers--we just couldn't make it fit. We did opt to finish with a Costa Rican and Blue Mountain Jamaican cappuccinos. The BMJ is pricey, but it has the best flavor. The Costa Rican is a dark roast Arabica, just as good as what we drink at home. Bottom line: make a reservation; bring a fat wallet, enjoy every bite from start to finish, and be thankful for the awesome service.

    (5)

  • Bill M.

    OK. Emeril's NOLA was awesome. Dined on the third floor. Terrific service. Started with the house specialty drink: housemade vodka soaked for 1 month in pineapples (or vice versa) with a splash of this or that. Very tasty, including the pineapply wedge. Two types of cread just showed up. Delicious. Shrimp and sausage gumbo 0 of course! - it's Emeril. And it was unbelievable. Filet Mignon with Thyme Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes, House Cured Bacon, Maytag Blue Cheese, Toasted Walnuts, Port Wine-Veal Glacé and Shallot Crisps. MMM. NOLA Banana Pudding Layer Cake Graham Cracker Crust, Vanilla Wafers, Fudge Drizzle. And drinks. It does not get better than this. And it was one of the only places with a wait -- 1.5-2 hours. (I had reservations.)

    (5)

  • Ben M.

    Great food. Met my expectations but didn't really exceed them. Everything I had was exceptionally tasty, except the gumbo which didn't really impress me. Definitely worth a stop if you're a foodie but probably won't be going back. Service is very formal, which I don't particularly like but isn't necessarily a bad thing.

    (4)

  • Mike C.

    Excellent dinner. Came here with a large group and had a great time

    (4)

  • Mister M.

    Perfectly good experience at NOLA last night, but nothing especially spectacular. I went traditional bayou - shrimp & chicken gumbo was acceptable but very salty and no real surprises on the seasoning or flavor. Shrimp & grits was also OK, but the sauce was a nothing-special barbecue that tasted almost as if it could've come straight from a bottle. Grits were very thin (I tend to like more of a polenta consistency). I love southern cooking, and can honestly say I've had much better gumbo and shrimp & grits from roadhouses and dive bars in LA and MS. The ambiance was good, and service was excellent and attentive. So... nothing wrong with it, per se. If you're a huge Emeril fan, you may want to go just for the heck of it. But there was nothing here that I found noteworthy, foodwise. Perhaps other menu items would've been better, too. This is a one-timer experience, so take it for what it's worth.

    (3)

  • Antionette H.

    My husband and I went here for lunch on our 5th year anniversary. The meals were delectable. We started with the stuffed chicken wings as an appetizer--its very interesting to see a chicken wing with no bone stuffed with something similar to an egg roll. We both had the fried chicken breast with different sides (Macaroni and sweet mashed potatoes(the potatoes get two thumbs up. Overall, we enjoyed the dining experience and the wait staff was awesome. It almost seems as if the master-chef himself was in the building.

    (5)

  • Megan M.

    By far the best in New Orleans! The staff are extremely attentive but not over the top at the same time if that makes sense. The food is amazing. We had the crab cake to start. My mom had the gulf fish and I had shrimp and grits. YUM is all I have to say! We finished it off with the ooey gooey cake and a dessert with caramel popcorn. DELICIOUS. We also had a bottle of wine with dinner which was reasonably priced. I an glad we went as our last meal because NOTHING would have compared. I loved every place we went for dinner on our trip but this is amazing. I will definitely be back on my next trip.

    (5)

  • Kaitlyn H.

    I had such high expectations of the restaurant that might have made it difficult for Nola's to deliver. Sadly my experience there was very mediocre although the other half of my group had an awesome time. I didn't like out waiter too much as he was inattentive and had a few of our orders wrong. We waited so long for our food to come out that by the time our main dishes arrived, our friends' table were ready for dessert! I remember the appetizers were pretty decent but the entree was meh. I think my duck confit was cold and just lacked pizazz.. Dessert wasn't great either so the whole experience was middle of the road. The one thing that made the night memorable was our friends' wait staff was stellar in doting on our tables at the end of the night and made up for it in spades when they serenaded our bachelorette!

    (3)

  • Joann B.

    Dinner was fantastic! The best shrimp and grits I have ever had. The barbecue sauce on it was just delicious and the duck confit pizza was simply yummy. Definitely recommend to anyone.

    (5)

  • Elise F.

    I can't believe NOLA as a an average of four stars. It's not that it's bad, it is just not good, especially to be associated with a large name. My experience was a standard dining experience. I had the grilled green tomato appetizer with craw dads. This would have tasted much better if the tomatoes and craw dads were warm and cooked when you ordered your salad, instead of pregrilled and fried and then chilled. It removed a lot of the great taste associated with the tomatoes and leaves the craw dads rubbery and bland, which was over compensated for with copious amounts of pepper. I also had the hickory smoked duck, which was overlooked and dry. The flavoring would have been nice, if the duck was cooked correctly. The reason I wait to order duck when I go out, is so I can leave it to the professionals. This was a huge disappointment. In addition, the overall dining experience as poor. We were rushed and had at least four different waiters during the dinner. I am also the kind of person who doesn't mind paying a premium for quality service and experience. I expected more and this was just an average over priced restaurant. Overall, save your money and go somewhere else. You'll get a better cooked meal, better dining experience, for the same price.

    (2)

  • Janine M.

    2 stars for the wine. It was the best part of the meal. My rib eye was ordered mid rare. Came WELL done, super thin, tough, and was under seasoned. No flavor at all. Is this Emeril's restaurant?? The spicy potatoes tasted like they were made in the morning and reheated for dinner service. My husband spit his bite out. They were not edible. Why didn't I send it back? Didn't see our waiter again until he brought the check. The lovely young lady filling our water and serving us bread noticed my uneaten dinner and told the manager. They kindly removed my meal from the bill. Would not go back or recommend. A shame, really.

    (2)

  • Jason A.

    If you're used to eating in strip malls, this place is for you. I don't know who is impressed by this place - I'm visiting from Seattle and have had better gumbo. My dining partner and I both got appetizers and entrees. My gumbo was cold, so I sent it back... and it came back lukewarm (at best)! I said I didn't want it, but 20 minutes later the manager brought it, obviously straight out of the microwave. Nice try, low class. The pocket bread appetizer was pretty good and reasonably priced, as well. I had the famous shrimp and grits which, while pretty good, were barely a notch above something you'd get at a run of the mill chain restaurant (but twice the price at NOLA). My companion got the fish of the day, which was Mahi Mahi and while she liked it, I thought it was nearly unpalatable. I suppose if you come here drunk and happy to be on vacation, then you can say you went to a "nice" restaurant. Otherwise, I was insulted at the size of our bill compared to the quality. Beware of the trendy factor here.

    (2)

  • Valerie L.

    I will start by saying the food was amazing! I had the apple cider braised pork shank and it was extremely tender and savory. My friend had the shrimp and grits, he is from Lafayette and knows his grits, and he was in hog heaven. The service was a mess. Our waiter was super nice and I am guessing they work in server teams, but we were lost in the shuffle. I have been a professional fine dining server on the West Coast for over 10 years and I know what to look for and what to expect. Maybe it was our tattoos, which is very common in this field, or the fact that we were younger than most, but we are all in F&B and very good tippers. The staff never came to check with us after the food was put on the table, which had they checked with us would have been made aware that we were missing a portion of our meal. I will not return to this restaurant.

    (2)

  • Austin C.

    Excellent food, great atmosphere and a deal if you go for lunch. We had the beef brisket and the shrimp and grits. Both were exceptional. The staff were superior (this is the first time a waiter has ever asked if I have any allergies and I have eaten all over the world). Go, eat, live, love!!!

    (5)

  • Erica S.

    I like to tell people how I'm sure Emeril put an entire stick of butter in my shrimp and grits (and bacon) entree, and how it gave me heartburn for the rest of the night. But I will tell you, my friends, that it didn't stop me from going back and ordering the same thing because it was so damn delicious the first time. NOLA is a fun place for groups. It's not a place I would suggest for an intimate and romantical dinner, as it's quite loud and there are usually large parties of people seated throughout. It's definitely a fun atmosphere- the elevator ride to the second and third floors is cool (ask to go all the way up and see the wine rooms and they'll definitely show you). Bonus for the waiters who lead the ladies to the restroom on their arms. Lovely! Bonus for the great service, as a team of several people attend to your needs at all times. And besides that, the food is solidly good. The onion rolls! They also have some sort of stuffed chicken wings that I think about fondly from time to time when I am doing nothing at all related to chicken wings or food.

    (4)

  • Terri P.

    The service is superior. The 'partner' style of serving works well. These men and women work hard, the service is fast and attentive -- and entertaining. My servers were Nate and Scott. They served me with in seamless dance that never seemed hurried, yet my meal proceeded apace. I started with the gumbo. Spicy and dark and flavorful. Then, the buttermilk chicken with bourbon mashed potatoes and gravy. The flavours blended together nicely. For dessert, raspberry bread pudding with raspberry sorbet. Lovely. I wish I could say I'll be back soon, but then I wish I could say I'll be back in New Orleans soon....sigh. Shall have to start to plot.

    (5)

  • James K.

    Stuffed chicken wings are out of this world! I strongly recommend checking this place out. A little expensive, but well worth it.

    (5)

  • Michael S.

    Absolutely delightful. We loved everything about the experience. The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful.

    (5)

  • Sonia M.

    Are we talking about the same restaurant?? We had four people at dinner- all ordering different appetizers and entrees. None were good! The veggie pizza: pita bread with veggies (no sauce or flavor). The fried chicken: Salt, please? Completely bland. It was the most expensive KFC ever. The garlic crusted drum: I got this b/c of other reviews saying things like "heaven on a plate". Not so much! It was mediocre at best. Shrimp and grits: It was more like grits with a side of shrimp (4 pieces to be exact). My friend ordered a side of veggies and they charged her $22 for steamed veggies. What?! Talk about a ripoff. Don't understand the hype. We were all very disappointed.

    (2)

  • Daniel P.

    Nola lacks the fine-dining cuisine that the decor and five star wait staff would imply. I would definitely eat here again, and recommend it to those thinking about giving it a go, but it wasn't one of the best meals of my life. I went here on a Friday night (with reservations, of course) and got the wood oven roasted bread with garlic oil, basil and parmesan, which was really good, if a bit salty and under-oiled. Not quite worth the money, but whatever. For my meal, I had the garlic crusted texas redfish (cooked in the oven) with brabant potatoes, wild mushrooms and sauce beurre rouge, without the bacon. The fish was delicious, flaky, and a prime fillet, but I was almost offended that they didn't take the skin off. The potatoes were underwhelming, and combined with the sauce, honestly tasted the same as a Healthy Choice frozen dinner side. I'm serious. So the food really didn't amaze me. It was good, but not worth the money. The honey apricot sorbet was, however, pretty impressive, served in a chilled bowl, and scooped perfectly (if positioned a bit similarly to certain parts). I was most impressed that I had three whole waiters for my one table of two, all of whom were almost unbelievably polite and charming. The main waiter talked to us casually, recommending dishes and asking us about new york and what else we planned to do here. He told us some stores and streets we should check out after we ate. And we did. But these waiters were on the ball. If I put two packets of sugar in my iced tea, they were there, waiting to put down the spoon with which I stirred. It's French service at its finest, and not a crumb escapes their keen eyes and quick feet. It's not obnoxious as it is in new york, either, where I almost feel indebted to the waiter. Here, it's just the way it is. On the subject of regional customs and things that wouldn't fly back home, the waiters here escort all ladies to the restroom, (they literally fly over to them and take their arm) and if they spot them coming back to their table, take their arm again. I don't even want to know what kind of trouble and lawsuits this would spawn if practiced in Manhattan. They fold your napkin if you get up. They have black napkins for women in black dresses. It's absurd, but damn it, isn't this what we're paying for? You get the point.

    (4)

  • Lucy S.

    The service was great, but the food was average. I got the shrimp and grits which was a little disappointing. The waiter was very helpful in helping my son find something that he would eat that was not on the menu.

    (3)

  • Linda B.

    Excellent food, ambiance, and service! I had the drum(fish). It was delish! HB had the pork chops, they too were perfection! Perfect cocktails! Highly recommend! This place is amazing!

    (5)

  • Cliff F.

    was told by numerous family members that this was a great choice for new orleans fine dining, and it didn't disappoint. had been to emeril's restaurant at the MGM in las vegas, but this was a completely different feel. upscale restaurant with a definite new orleans vibe. clientele varied from conference goers (we guessed medical supplies) to families enjoying a night out. food was truly, TRULY wonderful. we ordered the crab cake & escargot for starters and the aged duck & shrimp+grits for mains--no complaints anywhere. service was a standout--dining room was constantly overseen by a manager who kept a close eye on the waitstaff, who didn't slip once the whole night. everyone seemed genuinely interested in providing a solid fine dining experience...what more could you ask for? oh yeah, free valet parking at the omni.

    (5)

  • Alby P.

    The locals told us this is the only barely acceptable restaurant of Emerals, and they are right. Beware of sham positive reviews from employees, Yelp is full of them!!! The Gumbo was nothing like you get in the surrounding neighborhood, or even around town. One microscopic pieces each of sausage and chicken the rest just soup served in a very small bowl. Food entrees' were good but hardly any of it. Waiter never checked back, totally lacked a personality, was indifferent with a million mile catatonic stare. We left hungry and the tab was $275 so grab your wallet, and plan on a second dinner someplace else. Is this New Orleans? Nahhh, not at all. It's a start struck, trendy place. You can get much better just footsteps away from NOLA at a dozen other places in the neighborhood for less money. Also the other local food places will offer a far warmer, fun staff serving you and making your visit memorable. No reason in the world to come here. Ya won't meet any locals, they know better.

    (3)

  • Szeying t.

    Seriously, I had higher hopes for a Zagat rated restaurant. First off, we had a reservation, and we waited till past our reservation time while others got seated ahead of us. It seemed like they were seated because they knew one of the kitchen staff and didn't even have any reservations. After waiting and waiting, I finally approached the Maitre D and complained and instead of apologizing, he waved me away like I was a child and after another 5 minutes, decided that we were worthy of being seated. I expect to be seated at 8pm when I have an 8pm reservation. Bad service. The food was OK and pricey. For New Orleans, you can definitely do better in terms of value, service and food.

    (2)

  • Loren A.

    I went to NOLA's back in August while on vacation in LA with my mom. We made reservations and were seated upstairs. First impressions were great, nice set up, fancy elevator ride up to the second floor, and we were greeted by about 5 different servers at our table. My mom an I shared a salad which was yum and I ate the shrimp and grits. I never knew I was such a fan of grits until Emeril's restaurant served it to me. I can't remember what my mom got, but I do remember dessert. How can i ever forget that Trio of Creme Brulee?! OMG it was to die for! coconut, mocha, and vanilla creme brulees in little demitask cups each with their own special topping. Oh my tastebuds are singing just thinking of it. It's definitely worth a trip for a nice dinner out in the heart of the quarter!

    (4)

  • Brian P.

    I tried NOLA on a tip from my parents. It did not disappoint. Reservations are a necessity as it was busy when we got there, but we got right in with our reservation. We had the BBQ shrimp as an appetizer and it was awesome. My girlfriend had the NOLA Nog drink and she said it was great. We ordered the Grilled Atlantic Salmon and Grilled Pork Chop for dinner. After trying them both I would say that the pork chop was the better choice. It was cooked to perfection and made me wish that I ordered that one instead of the salmon. The salmon was also good, but not on the level of the pork chop. We had the Ooey Gooey Chocolate Cake for desert and it was awesome. Homemade marshmallows were a good addition, although I could have done without the coffee ice cream, but that is more due to my preference of taste.

    (5)

  • Maggie O.

    Disclaimer: This is only a review on the service since I didn't even make it to the eating part of my meal. Also, I know it's long so quick summary is that after being ignored by multiple people for at least 20/30 mins total, we left. Go somewhere else. After 7 years of living in New Orleans, I'd finally decided to try one of Emeril's restaurants. With my parents in town for Easter, we all decided we'd like to try NOLA for Easter brunch given the positive reviews by various friends, both local and visitor. While my perception of Emeril's restaurants has always been that the food was probably overrated and was geared too much towards tourists, I went in anticipating a decent, potentially good meal. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Our reservation was for 1:15 (booked through OpenTable) and we arrived a few minutes before 1. We knew we were pretty early and even commented on it when we checked it in, so we had no problem waiting at the small bar. The bar was about 3/4 full, but it's only about 10 seats and there were two bartenders working. We sat for about 10 minutes, yet neither bartender ever acknowledged our presence, not even with "I'll be with you when I get a chance" nod/smile. Just when my mom was about to try and get their attention, the extremely disinterested hostess announced our name and walked us to our table. It was clearly a table they cram in during busy services. That happens and wouldn't have mattered if the rest of our experience had gone well. Since it didn't, the bad table just added to our frustrations. Once seated we sat ignored once more. After several minutes, we flagged one of the 5 or so servers in our area to request menus and water. In a "fine dining" restaurant menus and water shouldn't come on a request only basis. He came back with menus pretty quickly, but we never saw any water. After more waiting, the same waiter asked if our drink order was taken yet; it wasn't so he offered to place it for us. We all just asked for water once more since we'd all been debating leaving. After a few more minutes of waiting all three of us decided it was probably best if we just left. Clearly service was going to be an issue and it wasn't going to get any better. As we walked out, we politely mentioned to the maitre d/manager we'd be leaving due to service. In keeping with the theme, he seemed completely disinterested in that fact. Since this was only the second or third time I'd ever walked out of a restaurant (and the first in New Orleans) I expected them to care more, but maybe that is the standard reaction. While I'm not ready to completely write off NOLA and Emeril's restaurants, I won't be going out of my way to eat at any of them anytime soon. There are far better options in New Orleans.

    (1)

  • Ernest P.

    Ah, a tale of two experiences. Unfortunately it was the weekend of LSU v. Florida and town was overrun with Gators fans. We were seated very late and the restaurant looked like a drunken good ol' boy fraternity reunion. By this i mean it was loud!!!! I asked my waiter if it was always this loud or were most of the other tables in fact screaming. He said it was the latter, but didn't do a damn thing about it. Oh well, i chose not to leave so . . . On to the food. For two we ordered Wood Roasted Oysters, Duck Confit Pizza with Fried Egg, Mussels in Chardonnay Broth, Goat Cheese-strawberry salad, and side of Cheddar Grits. The waiter and I spoke about how to bring the food out and then to my surprise it all arrived at once. Yikes. The problem was rectified quickly though and apologies all around. Oysters were good as two or three were included in each hole of the cast iron serving dish. Nice that the broth was not overpoweringly garlic/butter flavor (ala Acme). So we could taste the oysters and the liquid retained a briny flavor. Mussels were good too as the broth was also redolent of the sea and the wine, while not being too garlicky and buttery. Nice and light. Pizza disappointed a bit as the dough was delicious but the fried egg was pretty well done and there was no yolk to ooze over the duck and crust. Truffle oil was a nice touch though my wife didn't care for the flavor. The salad was very good and stood out for its unique dressing, which we inquired about. The waiter claimed it was a strawberry balsamic. Didn't taste like it and upon leaving checked the specials board to find out it was a Cane Syrup-Brown butter vinaigrette. Very tasty, sweet and nutty. the grits were darn good but i would bet that was due to copious amounts of butter (and maybe cream too). Not the kind you'd make at home but I guess thats the point. For dessert we had the banana pudding cake, with drunken monkey ice cream. Ice cream was very good, cake about what you'd expect. Would return for the food but the atmosphere was not conducive to a couples night out . . . unless you showed up rip roaring drunk and enjoy screaming to heard.

    (3)

  • Jil C.

    Amazing! Service was awesome, thank you Townsend and Zach!

    (4)

  • kevin l.

    Everything was excellent (food and service) except the fish special that wasn't all that special, just rather plain with not much flavor.

    (3)

  • Wayne W.

    Great Emeril's dinner and service. Our table had the Shrimp & Grits, Smoked Duck, and the Garlic Crusted Drum. All were excellent and don't forget to start with the bar-b-que shrimp.

    (5)

  • Steven T.

    Wonderful New Orleans standby - a favorite since I first started visiting the city. Can be a bit loud so not always the best for intimate conversation. Imaginative food, and the duck is fantastic!

    (4)

  • Danielle R.

    Great meal in NOLA! I loved our waiter - true NOLA kind of guy, and one who clearly knows his food - you gladly take recommendations from a guy like this! The Drum was perfectly cooked; breaded but light. The short ribs were lusciously tender, the filet was perfect. Lovely meal, great wines; great service! Banana bread pudding was a decadent way to end the meal, and oh so perfect!

    (5)

  • Bryan A.

    WOW!!! Duck Confit Pizza... AMAZING FLAVOR! Shrimp and Grits, hands down, Best thing I've ever eaten! I could eat it EVERY DAY! Great service, but I'd recommend making a reservation... I did, and was glad because when I got there at 7, there was already a 2hr wait for a table... To think I could have missed out! It might be a little pricey but it's WELL worth the experience! The flavors were absolutely incredible. WOW WOW WOW

    (5)

  • Ms. M. M.

    If you're going to New Orleans you MUST eat at NOLA! I visited here this past weekend while I was in town for a bachelorette party and can't stop thinking about my meal. I started with the Roasted Garlic-Reggiano Parmesan Bisque with Basil Pesto, unbelievable. It was creamy with just the perfect amount of garlic taste and hidden notes of bacon, and who doesn't like bacon... just perfect. The others in my group had Baby Greens Tossed in Sherry Wine-Bacon Vinaigrette with Blackberries and Warm Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese which they raved was equally as good. For my main course I ordered the Grilled Pork Porterhouse with Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potatoes, Toasted Pecans and Caramelized Onion Reduction Sauce... Oh. My. God. First, I have never seen a cut of pork this big, they weren't kidding when they called it a pork porterhouse. It was cooked to perfection and perfectly complemented by the sweet potatoes and caramelized onions. For dessert our table shared the Chocolate Peanutbutter pie and the Key Lime pie... both a great way to end a fantastic meal. I can't wait to go back the next time I'm in town so I can sample more of the amazing sounding menu items. Minus one star because we had a few service flub ups... like forgetting a few appetizers and serving 3 people the wrong main dish entirely... but everyone was so nice it was difficult to get upset. Plus they comped the desserts.

    (4)

  • Cathy M.

    Ate here on a Monday night with my husband and some of his business associates. This was our third time here, and this was the standout meal of our short trip. I had the gumbo and the shrimp and grits, and both were excellent. Service was good if a bit slow.

    (4)

  • Emma C.

    We really enjoyed the experience at NOLA. The service was outstanding. We wished we had more time to experience more of the menu (appetizers, desserts, etc.) but I ordered the drum fish and let me just say...WOW! The combination of flavors not only with the fish and seasonings but the accompanying mushrooms, potatoes, and delicious sauce was outstanding! I can honestly say that it was probably one of the best fish preparations I have seen - the flavor was unlike anything I've ever had! I hope to return to try more items off the menu.

    (5)

  • Brooks R.

    Great food! I've had everything on the menu, literally, and it's all wonderful. At lunch, get the court avenue sandwich. It's my all time favorite sandwich. At night, try the shrimp and grits.

    (4)

  • Rob J.

    Let me tell you the story, we got married in New Orleans this June and my wife and I ate here a couple days before the wedding with our respective parents who had not met yet. On the way to dinner I received a phone call from one brother that my other brother (and best man) was just arrested. (4 hours after arriving in NO. It must be a record!). Try sitting through dinner with that info and not telling anyone. However, the food was wonderful and took my mind off the situation. If food can do that it must be good.

    (4)

  • Scott S.

    With all the hype about the restaurant it was on my must eat at list..well sorry to say it was my least favorite of the places I dined at in the French Quarter. The food was pricey but I knew that going in so We split an appetizer salad and entre The Shrimp and Grits were very good but that's all I can remember from the dining experience. Service was very good but the place was so loud with large groups I couldn't wait to leave

    (2)

  • Mike T.

    I reserved a table overseeing the kitchen, which worked out to enhance the overall experience. We were able to interact with the chef who worked the oven and watch him cook. Unfortunately, my entire party had already ordered prior to speaking with him; alas we did not eat any of the food he prepared. This was a damn shame. Every time he pulled out a batch of perfecty cooked drum from the oven and garnished it with potatoes and bacon was tortuous. It's been weeks since our visit and I still have friends who talk about that missed opportunity. The drum looked and smelled that good. The dishes we ordered were delicious. I had perhaps the biggest pork chop I've ever eaten in my life, while others ordered the duck and fish specials. Portions were generous. After having our mains and apps (stuffed chicken wings, crab cake), we only barely had room for dessert. In sum, I would go again, and I would sit at the kitchen again. The next visit, however, I will defer to the chef's expertise prior to ordering.

    (4)

  • Colin G.

    What a meal. My girlfriend and I were in town for a couple days for Jazzfest '09 and we booked a reservation for a special dinner here. We went back and forth on a couple of high profile restaurants in the french quarter and we figured we couldnt go to New Orleans without getting a little Emeril in our system. I had the smoked duck entree and my girl had the filet. Both were cooked magnificently and the oysters we had as a starter were the epitome of perfection. Our waiter was a complete class act, he helped us pick out a great wine with dinner and advised us on menu choices which was tough because everything on the menu looked incredible. I thought it was kinda funny that we had 4 waiters, one to take our order, one to refill our wine glass when it got low, one to scrape the table in between courses, and one to fold our napkin and leave it on the table when we got up for the restroom. No joke, but it was kinda over the top but I guess some people like that kinda thing. I have nothing but great things to say about this place and I'm so happy we decided to have our date-night meal here. Book in advance if you're gonna go on a weekend as this place tends to fill up pretty quick.

    (5)

  • Milan R.

    I was let down by this place. Really good service and a great building. But the food was meh. Nothing great about it.

    (2)

  • Amanda F.

    I enjoyed my birthday dinner at NOLA with friends. We were seated right away and served two delicious breads- cornbread and a spicy bread roll. I had the seasonal fish which was amberjack with risotto and it was delicious. Also enjoyed a Ceasar salad and some gumbo. My friend had the escargot and was not pleased- saying it was flavorless and kind of musty. Every one seemed to enjoy their meals and we skipped dessert after eating so much!

    (4)

  • John Michael M.

    Favorite restaurant in town. The pork chop is unreal and the drunken monkey ice cream cannot be beat.

    (5)

  • Janna M.

    4.5 stars We had a lovely time here for my boss' birthday. The waiter was friendly and helpful, a bit of a flirt with a table of women, and tactfully accommodated our request to avoid a group of coworkers having a work-related dinner across the restaurant. You can spend quite a bit of money here, but its much more casual and comfortable than a restaurant like Cuvee. We started with the stuffed chicken wings (delicious but very heavy), the baked oysters (fabulous), and the pocketbread (hot and fresh, a little too oily, but very flavorful). The waiter was also very accommodating about creating an entree size meal out of one of the salads for two of my coworkers. I had the duck, (honey-roasted with whiskey caramel glaze) and it was delicious. I believe it was half of an entire duck, and I only wished I could have eaten more than half the dish. Tender, rich, brown and caramelized, this was a fantastic dish. For dessert we shared a peanut butter pie and a chicory-coffee creme brulee. The peanut butter pie was not my favorite, but others at my table loved it, but the chicory coffee creme brulee was to die for. Nice strong coffee flavor, perfect.

    (4)

  • V.J. G.

    excellent food, great service, little noisy

    (5)

  • Esther Y.

    This was an anticipated dinner for us, especially since Emeril is such a hero in New Orleans. Our shared appetizer was a special, seared scallops over a bed of silky smooth sweet potato puree. The scallops were cooked perfectly and juicy and we just could not get enough of the puree. He ordered the filet and I ordered the soft-shell crab special over dirty rice. The crab was stuffed with a blue crab and bell pepper mixture. It was pretty tasty, but the texture was not as crispy as I have had with soft-shell rab before. We shared the berry cobbler dessert. It was not too special, since the "cobbler" layer was just a shortbread cookie that did not cover much of the berries. We had great service and our server was pretty knowledgable about the wine list. We shared a great bottle of pinot noir and if you do not finish it, they even bag it up for you to take home!

    (4)

  • Sunny D.

    My being just in New Orleans, most restaurants get a 3 star. I found this place overly crowded, very noisy, with a long wait to get in. The tables were pretty small and close together making me feel claustrophobic. I actually was in New Orleans for a whole month on a work assignment, so did get to try a few restaurants. The food I ordered was just OK and I kind of felt that the waitressing staff was a bit snobby and uptight. I didn't get that "New Orleans welcome" that I seemed to get at many of the other establishments. The food was OK and just not memorable. I was very disappointed. I am a fan of Emeril, so I won't hold it against him. Hopefully some of his other restaurants are better.

    (3)

  • John Z.

    Top notch food and service. Very well paced. Crab cake was the best I ever had. Shrimp & Grits are to die for. Really nice atmosphere, especially upstairs!

    (5)

  • Gally L.

    Hickory smoked duck is to die for. 4 days of cooking and it was well with it. Definitely best restaurant in new orleans

    (5)

  • Snhie N.

    The service was a nightmare but the food was pretty good--I had the shrimp and grits which had good flavor and a few bites of the banana pudding cake-- that was not great. One of our waiters dropped sauce all over my coworker's shirt and never even brought the manager over to apologize and compensate us for this. It was no small spill either and it was embarrassing. I could have made a scene but my coworker kept insisting he would handle it so i had to listen to him out of respect. I was very ticked off by the whole thing. Additionally our food took ages to come out of the kitchen and they never once told us that it was on the way or they were sorry for the wait. I will never go to this restaurant again. I love Emeril and all the great things he stands for so i feel bad having to write this review but i feel an obligation to warn future customers.

    (1)

  • Rusty M.

    I was not sure I wanted to partake in the Emeril empire, but was pleasantly surprised by NOLA. A loud, modern space (so loud I had trouble hearing the server at times) where groups would have more fun than a couple trying to have an intimate dinner. Service was well done, attentive but not distracting. They made a quality Sazerac, which was a plus. The redfish was a standout, the shrimp and grits less so, but still very good. Desserts were very good, and only $6 (which is super cheap at a place where the coffee is, ahem, $5.95 a cup). The only obvious Emeril touch was when the servers yelled "Bam!" when they presented the food. OK, that did not happen. The only super-obvious Emeril touch was that several of the wines by the glass came from wineries that put "Emeril" on their label. Did not order one of those, for obvious reasons... We enjoyed our meal.

    (4)

  • Kyle S.

    I just got back from celebrating New Years in New Orleans and I'm lucky to be alive. There was almost never a moment during the trip when I wasn't eating unbelievably rich and spicy food and/or drinking heavily. That being said, NOLA was the overall highlight of the trip. The food was spectacular. I highly recommend the Stuffed Chicken Wing appetizer with Hoisin dipping sauce that is like no other wing you've ever had. I asked the waiter what the stuffing consisted of and he rattled off about 15 ingredients that sounded bizzare(shrimp, celery, etc) but damn were these delicious!! The service is what really put this place over the top. It was a team of 3 guys that were efficient and helpful and also very knowlegable of the menu. The place was packed and the atmosphere had a great buzz and everyone seemed to be having a blast. Overall, a great last meal of 2010.

    (5)

  • Alice G.

    The service was amazing; attentive but not annoyingly so! The gumbo and desserts were so great! The duck entree was okay; it was pretty salty and didn't come with anything but two pieces of duck (not veggies, rice, etc.).

    (4)

  • Big M.

    Don't waste time unless you have a crush on emeril. Nice atmosphere, food was just ok. There was a bug on the party that was sitting next to us. Much better places to go while in the big easy!

    (2)

  • Sheena M.

    While planning my trip to New Orleans I know I had to hit one culinary hot-spot. Craving Cajun/Creole fusion I though NOLA would be a perfect fit. I read the menu and researched reviews and thought it sounded perfect. The night of our dinner we arrived and were promptly seated. Overall the decor was a bit drab in my opinion. Orange walls, brown tables, yawn. My whole view from my chair was of a wall. I am a firm believer that every seat in a restaurant should be the best and one should avoid seating customers by bathrooms, busing stations, etc. I was not overjoyed to be staring at an empty orange wall all night. Our waiter was suave and confident, a bit too suave and confident in fact. He read the menu to us as though we were 5 years old. We asked for recommendations of other places to see in the city, he announced to us since we looked the "the kind of girls who only want to shop, we should check out magazine street". We came to New Orleans for the history, architecture, culture, and food, not the malls thank you. The bread selection was a let down to start. The jalapeno cornbread was just nasty, the flavors did not marry well. The onion loaf tasted stale. For appetizers I had the brie cream mac and cheese and my date had a salad with pistachio crusted goat cheese. The salad was good, but, forgettable. The mac n cheese was very sub-par, I had to keep loading it up with salt just so it could have some flavor. We both ordered the roasted duck with honey caramel sauce, it was awful. The duck itself was amazingly cooked, so moist and tender you didn't even need a knife. But, it tasted like it had been cooked over a campfire. It was so smokey, I actually coughed after my first bite. The smoke flavor was so overwhelming you couldn't even taste the honey caramel sauce. The veggies that accompanied it were so undercooked, they tasted raw. To top it all off the "bananas foster bread pudding" was the worst bread pudding I have ever had. There was nothing "bananas foster" about it, I don't even think there was one banana on the plate! The pudding was hard, not warm, and had not interesting flavor or texture. Overall it was a very disappointing dinner and I am sad I wasted my little time in New Orleans there. I paid a hefty price for a meal I hardly enjoyed and we got out of there so fast, it was such a forgettable evening. Where was the BAM?

    (1)

  • Alfie C.

    What happened? This placed used to be good. The Cod was terrible. The Service was atleast sympathizing to the fact we did not touch our plates...

    (1)

  • Greg P.

    Great atmosphere, lively crowd, excellent dinner selections. all our meals were outstanding. Better than Restaurant R'evolution BAM

    (5)

  • Jarrid C.

    The food was PHENOMENAL! It was everything we imaged it would be. The service was exceptionally great. They paid close attention to the needs of the guest, making sure every glass stayed filled and any need was met, promptly. The food was well prepared, as the sides allowed the main course to shine as it should.

    (5)

  • Theresa C.

    Salty.

    (2)

  • Shaun D.

    We started off with the fried chicken appetizer and a Cocktail. The Drink was just right and the fried chicken was good but nothing special. For dinner, I had the Pork Chop, soup and salad. Pork chop was cooked exactly as I ordered and the sweet potatoes and sauce were a perfect compliment. My wife had the duck breast w/ sweet mashed potatoes, which she would not share with me. All in all a great dining experience.

    (4)

  • Shawn H.

    I ate here in 1996, 2000, and 2001. In many ways it's more charming than Emeril's. I love both though. NOLA is more informal. What I remember best is the wonderful decor, great service, and BBQ pulled pork on Brioche. Smack dab in the French Quarter, I couldn't have asked for more.

    (5)

  • Maria B.

    Went to Nola for Valentine Day, place was beautiful and romantic. Our waiter was horrible. I asked our waiter about the Foie Gras pb&j special, he told me that they are forced feed, that is it. I can go on about this waiter but why. I will try this place again if we come back to New Orleans.

    (2)

  • William L.

    My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal here. The salmon and swordfish main courses were prepared to perfection. The service was outstanding. We highly recommend NOLA.

    (5)

  • Keaton B.

    I was wary about eating at Nola after having an average experience at Emeril's in Orlando. Let me just say that I was pleasantly surprised. I had the salad from the daily specials to start. Absolutely fantastic, and a great presentation to boot. The entree was a grilled pork porterhouse with a caramelized onion reduction sauce, served with fantastic glazed sweet potatoes. It was cooked to my liking and the portion wasn't so huge to over-stuff me. The service was some of the best I've ever experienced. I don't usually visit restaurants with $25+ entrees by choice, but the ambiance, presentation, waitstaff, and a visit from the maitre d' made the experience worth every cent.

    (5)

  • Dustin D.

    It's hard to give Emeril a bad review but Nola was underwhelming. Don't get there early for your reservations or you'll be standing in the smallest bar area with no elbow room. The food was good but not great. It was my 3rd favorite dinner out of three. I wish it was night one so I could have enjoyed it more. We has the pork shank and a pork chop. Both good but not great. Also if your a party of 2 expect a poor seat as they cater to the large parties.

    (2)

  • Fred K.

    One of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans. I've never had less than a great experience there in 6 to 7 . My most recent experience there was with a large group in the 3rd floor private dining space. I had the duck & sausage gumbo, shrimp & grits and the banana pudding cake from a pre-chosen menu. The food was great, as was the service. I think some diners tend to downgrade the Emeril's restaurant group because of Emeril's TV persona, but his group knows how to run a restaurant.

    (5)

  • John H.

    Just wanted to update my review here. First time I came was amazing, been back 3 times since and while the food was still good it was not nearly as impressive. First time I tried the roast duck here it was cooked to perfection, but every time since it has been a little dry

    (3)

  • Kellie A.

    I wish I would have written this review as soon as I ate here for more details. I was in New Orleans for a week and this was definitely the best meal of the trip. Service was wonderful in that teamwork-ing, Southern hospitality way. I love that men escort women to the ladies room. It's really all about the food, though. Everything from the free bread to pocket bread to the crab salad to dessert was delicious. I'd go back in a heartbeat and recommend it to anyone visiting New Orleans.

    (4)

  • James Y.

    Very impressed with this place. The wait staff was phenominal. I have never seen that sort of professionalism mixed with friendly down home atmospher. The food was very good as well.

    (5)

  • Jamie H.

    Upon a recent visit to some friends, (last weekend) we tried Nola for the first time. I'm a HUGE supporter of Delmonicos and since they were packed, it seemed right to try Nola. My whole group of five, all had the fish special. Which was tilapia (or any fresh fish) with a garlicky butter sauce and cute little potatoes underneath. We also had the manager's special wine pick, four bottles of it. I'd go back in a heartbeat. Also, please take a cab, walking there is a little hard from Bourbon St.

    (5)

  • Kristian M.

    Loved the Shrimp and grits!!! And the desserts are amazing we had 4 in order of delight Banana Cake, Gooey Chocolate, Peanut butter cheesecake and triple Creme Brulee. Being a half block from our lovely hotel we had dessert here one night and a full dinner a few nights later. It is a smaller restaurant with a wonderful staff. I watched them serve a party of 20 and all plates were presented with in 30 seconds of each other - impressive. Bartender was a very nice fellow too.

    (5)

  • Cerenity C.

    Goes down in history of one of the most amazing meals to date! The crab cake appetizer was simply delicious. Remembering this meal is like remembering a moment of ecstasy

    (5)

  • Alan W.

    Oh goodness. NOLA is why I added fat to my phat status.

    (4)

  • Peter B.

    The service here was horrible. Waitor had an attitude the whole time, and was real arrogant. Food was very bland and seemed to be coming form a microwave. Expensive for what they are serving. The only thing that was worth special attention was the desserts. It seems Emeril hasn't been by here in years because if he approves of this mess god help us.

    (2)

  • Pam P.

    One of my first trips to New Orleans over 15 years ago, I ate at NOLA. I fell in love with Emeril's style of cooking. I've been a big fan of his since and I have visited his other restaurants in NO and Las Vegas. I keep coming back since the food at NOLA is just beautifully done. The presentation is wonderful and the food is absolutely delicious. The service is top notch. The restaurant is charming.

    (5)

  • Kira K.

    I had the best dining experience at NOLA due to the delicious food, wonderful service, and fantastic ambiance. My friend and I came here, and we do not joke about eating. Between us two girls, we ordered: APPETIZERS: - pizza with white truffles, shredded duck, and an over-medium egg on top. This was by far the most delicious pizza I've ever eaten in my life. You take a slice of pizza, and dip it in the egg yolk...it was heavenly. - crab ceviche SIDES: - mac and brie cheese ENTREES: - 3-day brined redfish. This was a great tasting fish with complex flavors but it was done just right. - duck confit with cornbread and green beans DESSERTS: - pecan pie. This was the absolute tastiest pecan pie I've ever had the pleasure of eating. Not too sweet or sticky, which is rare! - creme brulee. Passable. It wasn't warm enough on the top layer. - ooey gooey cake with espresso ice cream. The ice cream was the highlight of this dessert and was truly refreshing. To DRINK: - I think it was a half bottle of some type of pinot noir. The waiter tried to push a really expensive bottle of wine on us, but the pinot did the trick. Two and a half hours later, we were stuffed, happy, and very sleepy. The food was absolutely delicious, and the waitstaff really made us feel at home, and even comped one of our desserts becasue we couldn't narrow our choices down to two!! I'd recommend coming here if you do try one nice restaurant in NO. I guarantee a wonderful time.

    (5)

  • Andrea W.

    Long wait after ordering if your party is 6 or more. Food is worth the wait. Emeril is keeping the quality high and service is personable and attentive.

    (5)

  • Steve W.

    One of the best ribeyes I have ever had. Every bite of food was ecsquisite and the service was perfect.

    (5)

  • Nicole I.

    Great atmosphere,excellent food and service. I had the gumbo then shrimp and grits for lunch. The creme brulee and it was amazing : ) Definitely check it out

    (5)

  • Scott H.

    Came to NOLA with a few colleagues for a work dinner. Everything was spectacular from the service to the food. My cocktail arrived in less than three minutes which is always nice. We started with the pork cheeks and the stuff chicken wings. The cheeks were fine but the wings were a unique approach to the traditional interpretation. All I can say is give them a try and you'll be glad you did. I had the shrimp & grits with a nice Spanish white and it was perfect. Flavors were killer and the grits were cooked perfectly. Would have liked more green onion.... There are a million places to eat in New Orleans, but you cant go wrong by putting this in your list. BTW - their wine menu has 29 pages so ask for help...

    (4)

  • Sevann H.

    Had a great experience here. Service was top notch, food was excellent, inside is charming. We started out with the soft shell crab and pocket bread. The crab was divine, crunchy in the right places, and full of flavor. The pocket bread was the New Orleans equivalent of naan. So good. My husband ordered the fried chicken and I choose the BBQ shrimp appetizer and a house salad. The shrimp were great, the sauce was smoky and daring. The salad was ok. What stole the meal was the fried chicken served on a bed of light gravy and sweet potatoes. The chicken was delicately breaded with a light crust that was crispy with each bite. The sweet potatoes were smooth, sweet, and sultry. Because we were traveling, we couldn't take home the fried chicken leftovers (portion was huge), such that I actually felt guilty that we didn't eat it all because it was that good. We rounded the meal out with the Elvis bread pudding that was phenomenal!

    (4)

  • Nancy W.

    Been here several times and is always a go to for business dinners. Their stuffed chicken wings are amazing...always order those. Their BBQ shrimp, especially the sauce is to die for! Very rich and creamy and flavorful. I liked the garlic crusted drum and the duck. They had a seasonal kind cake banana foster dessert that was light and sweet. I like this restaurant for business since its an Emeril restaurant, not crazy expensive, and has a good selection on their menu. It's New Orleans style cooking but refined.

    (5)

  • MyLinh H.

    Met up with my friend for lunch and it was delicious! We ordered the shrimp and grits, salad and gumbo. everything was good! Nice open windows, modern decor inside and good service!

    (4)

  • Jason B.

    A spectacular meal and great service...mostly. The biggest downfall, which really put a dent in the enjoyment of the meal, was the nearly hour long wait between getting our appetizers and our entrees. The quality of the food was spectacular, and I'm all for a leisurely meal, but it was a little much. The pork cheek boudin balls are to die for! The duck...delicious! Highly recommended if you want a great meal for a few extra bucks....well worth the extra coin!

    (4)

  • Aakash G.

    DELICIOUS MEAL! This restaurant is definitely on the cheaper side of three $$$ signs and is definitely a meal-to-remember type of experience. Try to make it out while you are visiting New Orleans, if you can. First of all - the ambience. The staff all have southern charm. The women working are easy on the eyes. Its three stories and has an elevator. Its surprisingly big but not cramped and with lots of open air. This is a place to remember. Second of all - the food. Just delectable. The chicken wings. The gumbo. The shrimp & grits. It's all good. Don't come in with an agenda of what you want to eat. Just pretend you're going to any restaurant where you're just going to choose what you like. Literally everything is that good. Third of all - the drinks. The wine menu is much better than other New Orleans restaurants, and the Emeril wines are actually very good. It's rare to get house wine this good and cheap. Fouth of all - and remember this - the price! This place gives you value you for your money. You're getting a high quality, fine dining experience for a normal price. Overall, pure awesomeness. Check it out.

    (5)

  • Alyssa H.

    Nice restaurant with a great building and ambiance. The service wasn't top notch at first, but it picked up a but. The food was tasty, but definitely not $30 meal tasty! I mean, it's cool being owned by a famous chef and all, so I'm glad I tried it, but would not go back.

    (4)

  • Sean B.

    The setting was aesthetically pleasing, if not inspired. The name, let's be honest, is a bit unimaginative. The food was truly delicious, especially the catfish. The service was decent, though the ladies at the front reception were confused about my reservation, couldn't seem to figure out OpenTable, and didn't really interact with a whole lot of professionalism, compared to what I'd get at an upscale restaurant elsewhere. Still, though, everything tasted quite good and made up for other elements being a "B" and not an "A+". Worth checking out, if you're a fan of such cuisine.

    (4)

  • Kim D.

    Food: I got the shrimp and grits and my friend got the salmon and couscous. My grits were delicious but the shrimp were overdone. Her couscous was average and the salmon skin had a burnt aftertaste. For $30 a plate, I expected better. Atmosphere: Loud and crowded with slightly awkward table arrangements. I definitely didn't need to see my waiter's butt that close that often when he served the table next to us. Service: Relaxed pace and courteous. Other: Reservations required to avoid a 45min+ wait but you can make them day of and it's fine. They say it's a casual restaurant but there are white tablecloths, servers in ties, and not a jean in sight.

    (3)

  • Greg M.

    Outstanding signature Emeril Legasse service, wine selection and menu with a hip, casual NOLA vibe. We dined on the quiet third floor, which was perfect for ambiance and conversation. At the recommendation of previous reviewers, we started with the stuffed wings, before diving into some of the best shrimp & grits and, hands-down, the best pork chop, ever! The shrimp were large and plentiful, on a bed of grits, with a slightly tangy BBQ flavor. Oh, so good! We finished it off with gourmet coffee drinks, creme brûlée trio and banana pie. Everything, from start to finish, was pretty close to perfect!

    (4)

  • Aimee L.

    I love Emeril and was so excited to eat at Nola but it was pretty average in my opinion. The restaurant itself is pretty crowed and we were seated upstairs by the elevator which didn't bother me but the fact that I was elbow to elbow with the table next to me was a bit too cozy for my taste. We were greeted right away which was promising but from that point on service was down hill. They were very nice but we barely saw them and our food took forever to come out!! The appetizer course took almost 10 mins to get to us and there had to be about 20 mins between appetizer and the salad source. In between those time, no one stopped by to acknowledge us except for the occasional water refills. Finally I had to holler out at a waiter flashing by just to ask about my salad course. It was very unfortunate that the service time was so dang slow. Thank goodness they caught up to it and the entree course came out in a timely manner. But the dessert once again took a while to get to us and coffee was luke warm. Our food was pretty good. We had the pork belly boudin balls, beet salad, wedge salad, and the Shrimp and Grits. I love the sweet buttery sauce on the shrimp and grits but the grits was a tad to gummy for me. The dessert stole the show for me. That banana pudding layer cake was incredibly light and the chocolate fudge sauce add a great richness to the dessert.

    (3)

  • Stella K.

    On February 7, 2015, we visited this trendy restaurant to celebrate our anniversary. We called weeks in advance to make reservations, however, all they had left was 8:45 pm because they were so booked. We took it, but after arriving at the restaurant there appeared to be several open tables. My husband and I both ordered the fried chicken dinner. It came with sweet potatoes mash, but I changed to the potato hash. The fried chicken was good, but I felt that I had better from other local restaurants. It needed a little seasoning to add some extra flavor. My husband enjoyed the sweet potatoes. However, I thought the hash lacked seasoning as well. Emeril, you need to add some BAM to your dishes! The best part of Nola was the wait staff. They were upbeat and personable, not to mention very attentive. Shadi, our waiter, did an amazing job. I would give the staff 5 stars. Cosmo 5 stars Food 4 stars

    (4)

  • Reggie M.

    Another great meal! Definitely try the Chef's table! ....and ask for Holly as your waitress. She is awesome!!

    (5)

  • Kayu T.

    Came here for my birthday dinner. Got sat at a horrible table with zero light, luckily got reseated. Waiter forgot our appetizer completely and didn't bring it till after we got our entrees. Mind you, at this point.. we waited 40-45 mins for any type of bites besides the wonderful corn bread and roll. He did not offer to take anything off even it was clearly his fault. Stuffed Chicken Wings - SKIP IT!!! SKIPPPP IT!!! The skin was ultra fatty and thick. Something is a little off with the stuffing inside. This is nothing special, I've had way better ones at any Thai restaurant. We got tricked into getting this because there's so many photos and review on it. Pork Chop - Freaken amazing. Not sure how in the world it can be cooked so perfectly. We are not big pork eaters on a regular base and we KILLED it. Drum Fish- Amazing! The flavor and pairing w/ the potatoes and bacon was just out of this world. Very satisfied with the food. Some of the waiters really to check themselves.

    (4)

  • Edward W.

    I made a dinner reservation for 8 people and when we arrived we were promptly seated. We started off with two appetizers to share among the entire table, Miss Hay's Stuffed Chicken Wings and Duck Confit and fried egg pizza. The stuffed chicken wings are very similar to some Cambodian wings I've had before. The duck confit pizza was pretty good. There wasn't all that much duck, but the fried egg with truffle oil was amazing. For the entrees I shared the pork chops and shrimp & grits. The pork chops was my favorite dish. Tender all the way through with just enough fat for flavoring. The brown sugar glazed sweet potatoes, toasted pecans ,and caramelized onion reduction sauce made the pork chops taste slightly sweet. In the shrimp & grits, the sautéed gulf shrimp had plenty of flavor from the smoked cheddar grits and applewood smoked bacon. I would have preferred the dish to be less spicy, but it's good that the spiciness didn't mask the flavor of the shrimp. The banana pudding dessert here tasted quite creamy and wasn't too sweet.

    (5)

  • Ashley B.

    Overall, good restaurant and good dining experience. I went here with my father and sister for dinner a couple days before Christmas. We ordered the beet salad and crab cakes to start and I had the shrimp and grits as an entree. Beet salad was standard--greens, candied nuts, a few beets, bit of beans, a light vinaigrette--but the crab cakes were quite good. The crab tasted fresh and the consistency was just the right kind of uneven to let you know they were made by hand. Shrimp and grits were also good, and they agreed to my request to put the sauces (a spicy butter sauce, bbq sauce, one other) on the side with no problem. Only downside is that the shrimp was slightly over cooked. All in all though, good meal and good service.

    (4)

  • Eric C.

    Very nice decor, diverse menu, fair price for what you get. We had pork cheek boudin balls as an app....absolutely amazing. Highlight of the meal. I had $30 shrimp and grits and was expecting something amazing. They were good, but not great. I may have misread the menu because I was expecting barbecued shrimp and got barbecue shrimp (slathered in bbq sauce). I probably would have enjoyed the twist more if not for the idea that, apparently, some bbq sauce turns a $12 plate of shrimp and grits into a $30 entree. Wife had salmon and enjoyed it immensely. There were some very noticeable conflicts going on amongst the staff. I felt we were getting great service but a manager from downstairs came up and you could just smell the tension in the air as she stood there and openly criticized staff. I joked about it with our waiter and the upstairs manager comped us a glass of wine for having to witness the tension. These sorts of things should get sorted out because, while we were able to joke about it, other customers may find the whole situation very off-putting.

    (4)

  • Alice W.

    NOLA may seem like a small restaurant when you first step in, but it's actually pretty big since it has 3 floors of dining. Went for dinner and had the following: Cocktails: Sazerac - smooth, a classic made well Saint Collins - refreshing, tasty Appetizers: Emeril's BBQ shrimp with a rosemary biscuit - the shrimps were prepared perfectly, and the tasty bbq shrimp sauce made the dish a hit. The biscuit is great for sopping up the sauce. Chicken and andouille sausage gumbo - excellent, not too thin or thick, and had large pieces of chicken in it. I could eat this all day. Entrees: Grilled pork chop - moist and tender, but the carmelized onion reduction sauce was too salty. The sweet potato that accompanied the pork chop was buttery and a bit too sweet since it was prepared with brown sugar. There was nothing special about the pork chop. I've had better. Garlic crusted drum - excellent, crispy garlicky outside crust, flaky and moist fish Heard the duck was delicious from the table next to me, so if I dine here again, would definitely try that instead of the pork chop. Overall, the service was ok and food was great, but was overpriced.

    (4)

  • Pallabi G.

    Emeril was the first chef I ever watched regularly on TV. So, it was an absolute must that we hit up one of his restaurants in the city that he gets so much inspiration from. We made a lunch reservation and had no problem switching reservations through open table when our previous tour ran over. The service here was impeccable. There was a slight mix up where they thought I said Pork Po boy instead of Pork Boudin Balls, but they remedied the problem in minutes. I kinda wish that I had ordered the Po boy after seeing it put down in front of me. Pork Cheek Boudin Balls - these were delicious and made for a very attractive picture. But what I had really wanted were the stuffed wings. Apparently, they get their supply from one person who happened to be on vacation when we went. Why haven't they bought her secret recipe yet?! Shrimp and Grits - Everyone RAVED about these, but at the end of the day, they were just shrimp and grits. They had a sweet bbq flavor that I wasn't a fan of, but I don't like sweet in my main course. Also, they split the portion into two for us which was very nice. Creme Brulee trio - I really wanted to love these, but they were just too sweet for me. They were very petite and delightful to look at but nothing too great in terms of flavor. The interior was beautiful. The service was great minus the little hiccup with the boudin balls. The food was very good, but nothing that I can't wait to go back to LA to have.

    (4)

  • Diane Z.

    Stopped by just for dessert. The hostess was helpful and friendly. We were seated at the chef's bar area. I really just wanted to try the banana cake and unfortunately, it was disappointing. It tasted like something that was just sitting around for days -- not fresh at all. The fudge sauce was overpowering and detracted from the dish as a whole. I'm not sure if the savory foods would have been better, but I would not venture back to try it. We could also see into the kitchen and it seemed a bit like a McDonald's kitchen -- sad and cold. Maybe it was because the restaurant was pretty empty so it was kind of slow, but it didn't turn me on to the food.

    (2)

  • Robyn A.

    The most flavorful food!! And excellence in service. Nothing beats the famous banana pudding cake. They accommodate vegetarians very well.

    (5)

  • Jill M.

    The food was good here, but it took FOREVER. I guess what made up for that fact is that our dessert was on the house, but they didn't even tell us that until they brought the bill out. It was really noisy and crowded, and I kind of felt like we had too many waiters - we had at least 5 different people serving us! I liked this restaurant well enough, but next time I'm back in the area there's definitely some other spots I'd like to try out.

    (3)

  • Emma L.

    We were here for a bachelorette dinner. We did have reservations. The wait staff was wondering and the food was amazing. None of us were allowed to go to the restroom unaccompanied but our waiter or staff. The GM serenaded the bride to be. It was just a great experience. I would go here again.

    (5)

  • Renee K.

    The location is easy to get to... Nice decor and atmosphere inside the restaurant. Waitstaff was friendly and attentive. Food came in at a nice pace... Not too fast or too slow. Overall, the food was good but I don't think I could call it great. I had the filet mignon and it was good but I've had better. My husband had the duck and said that it was fantastic. Definitely worth checking out at least once if you're in the French Quarter.

    (4)

  • Sungeeta A.

    Everything about this place is great - the food, the atmosphere, and the service! I got the shrimp and grits which was a little on the salty side, but still enjoyable. My favorite part was the banana pudding layer cake! You must end your meal with this dessert!

    (4)

  • Michelle L.

    Excellent food, excellent service, excellent atmosphere. What can I say, this place was excellent. Fallon, our server and her team were excellent. Very attentive without being intrusive. Did I use the work excellent enough? I highly recommend it, and it might be fun next time to sit at the bar in front of the kitchen.

    (5)

  • Adrian C.

    Great food, great service, great ambience! Overall an awesome experience. We had the stuffed chicken wings as an appetizer and the shrimp and grits as a an entree. We also had the Gumbo which was pretty good (Cafe Amelie's gumbo was better in my opinion). For the desert we had the Alaskan cake which was phenomenal! Nola is definitely one of the top ten best restaurants in New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Greg H.

    Two words: Shrimp and Grits. Now, I am from Southern California, so this dish is not a staple on the menus of any of the restaurants I frequent regularly. Bottom line, big fan. In addition to the headline dish, we sampled the crab cakes (great) the NOLA Cosmo martini (even better) and the gumbo. Everything was great. solid but pricey wine list (expected) as well. Only complaint, is no beer on tap? In today's world of great craft beers, I would think a great IPA would have complemented this meal as well or frankly better than the wine I had. Note: reservations are tough to come by here. We changed our plans and wanted to dine here on Wednesday instead of the Thursday we originally had a reservation for. We walked in at 6 and they sat us an hour later. A couple Cosmo's made the wait flash by. So reservation or not, head in and hang at the bar, you won't be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Rebecca L.

    Had a dinner with 5 work colleagues, and when I found out we were going to an Emeril restaurant, and I thought "A "celebrity" restaurant? Oh please, this is going to be awful." Oh, how wrong I was. Shrimp & Grits= perfection. Really, just perfect. If I could have licked my plate, I would have. (Unfortunately, I can no longer have the grits at my local greasy spoon.) Others had the duck, seasonal fish, and not a crumb left on anyone's plate. Creme brulee trio and Profiteroles for desert. Mmmm..... The atmosphere would work for a date, group of friends, or the business setting. Stellar service and phenomenal food. Well done!

    (5)

  • JM B.

    Good food--the 'Drum" was to die for!!

    (4)

  • Kelvin C.

    I'm so dissapointed in you Emeril. I had heard that out of all your New Orleans restaurants that this was the one you held close to your heart, that this would be the de facto place to dine at versus the rest. I've been following Emeril as a kid, as he was one of the reasons why I started to cook, however, all of his restaurants seemed to be lacking in quality control (vegas and NOLA). Here's what we had: Burrata Salad - This was good but easy on the salt! Each bite of the tomato numbed my tongue. Good cheese though. Gumbo - It was consistent with the vegas ones I've tried, but those were disappointing as well. How can you throw sooooo much salt into this thing? It was bordering on being inedible. Crab cake - This was just okay although I didn't like the chowchow that it came with. It didn't mesh with the crab cake at all and surprisingly, it was lacking in seasoning. Fried Chicken - This was decent and the portion was extremely large. I enjoyed the ham gravy it came with was delicious and I wanted more. Also, the bourbon mashed sweet potatoes were out of this world good. Service here was excellent and my sazerac was well-made but other than that, most of the food fell short...especially the gumbo. I know creole/cajun food is a bit on the salty side but c'mon, I know salty vs well-seasoned. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

    (3)

  • Melissa M.

    My meal at Nola was one of the best I've ever had! It was also probably one of the fanciest lol! We had like 3 different servers that each did something for us. I ordered a lemonade but it wasn't very sweet and the waitress noticed me putting sugar packets in it and brought me out a little pitcher of simple syrup that really helped it out! The bread before the meal was pretty good as well. We ordered the bbq shrimp for appetizer which was yummy! I used the bread to get the leftover sauce, amazing! I ordered the fried chicken and it was sooo good. The mashed sweet potatoes were really sweet but was great with a bite of chicken and the gravy. My mom's turkey panini was so good too. I hope I get to visit New Orleans again to eat here!

    (5)

  • Maribel B.

    Its a Must! Went with a group of 13. To start the service was amazing, from the manager to the helpers. They accommodated every request we had, and brought the food promptly. Wow! the food was amazing. One of the best meals I have ever had and everyone in my party thought the same. 1. Chicken wing appetizer - not your typical chicken wing -stuffed with deliciousness! 2. Shrimp and grits - perfectly seasoned! 3. Drum - delicious, fresh and very summery 4. Pork chop- this was huge!!!! Well marinated and juicy Will go back next time I am in New orleans!

    (5)

  • E M.

    Went to Nola Restaurant 4 years ago...had the shrimp and grits. Fell in love. Came back the next day and it was as good as it was the first time. Went tonight four years later ordered the shrimp and grits and it was exactly the same deliciousness I remembered from years ago! (That never happens!) best shrimp and grits I have ever had! Also ordered the roasted beet salad with arugula, goat cheese and pecans which is a really nice light starter before your entree. Then of course the jalapeño corn bread muffins... Yummy!!!

    (5)

  • Allison K.

    Best dining experience I've had in a long time. You can tell from the joke-cracking that the staff really enjoys working there. And all of their recommendations were spot on. The filet mignon melted in my mouth. And though potatoes are not the most glamorous of foods, the thyme roasted red bliss potatoes were fantastic as a complement. I would've paid another $10 for an entree that good! As for the wine, I tried Emeril's chardonnay, which was warm and buttery and amazing. I don't know if you can get it anywhere else, but I sure hope so! Great merlot, too, from the waiter's recommendation. I also tried some of the Parmesan bisque soup, which was creamy and flavorful and perfect with the chardonnay. The crab cakes are amazing too-- this is definitely a restaurant for getting a taste of everyone's food! For dessert, I had the drunken monkey ice cream. Not the greatest dessert I've ever had, but certainly an interesting combination of ice cream, rum, chocolate and toffee. You're probably better off skipping dessert and filling up with all of the other food. This is a must for anyone who loves fine American food.

    (5)

  • Jennifer G.

    We had dinner here and both the food and service were very good. After some less than wonderful service experiences this trip, the service seemed wonderful, but in reality they were just doing what they should be doing and being attentive. I had the shrimp and grits and others had the steak, which was more like medium well than medium as ordered, but they still said it was good. One of our party ordered the pork cake and they brought the wrong meal so he had to wait, but he said it was worth the wait. Shrimp and grits weren't the best I have had, and it is one of my staple meals, but I would order it again, the flavor had a BBQ flavor and the shrimp were good sized and not overpowered with sauce. The grits were supposed to be cheese, but I didn't taste any. The popcorn sundae dessert was very good and different. Overall a very good meal and I would go here again. PS they bring out two rolls, corn bread and brioche, both were excellent and a welcome treat while waiting for your meal :)

    (4)

  • Kenneth S.

    The stuffed chicken wings are amazing and the service is top notch.

    (4)

  • Mrs K.

    Visited NOLA during vacation for Easter dinner. As soon as we walked in to the restaurant, it smelled fantastic - as if there were a whirlwind of chefs cooking in the back. Sure enough, on our way past the kitchen, it was a flurry of sous chefs and cooks, working their magic. Our hostess lead us to the elevator up to the 3rd floor. There was a bit of a wait so there was a bit of an awkward silence. I would've expected some small talk from the hostess but she didn't seem interested. We were seated upstairs on the top floor and our waitress came over to take our drink order. She as well, seemed very rehearsed and not personally interested in adding to our dining experience. Foodwise, I had the catfish and unfortunately it wasn't as memorable as my dining partner's duck entree. It was beautifully smoked and one of our favorite dishes during our entire trip. With so many options in the FQ for dining, I don't know if I would return again on the next trip. I wish the service was better so I could at least speak to that.

    (3)

  • Janlee A.

    I walked right in off the street and was seated within 5 minutes today (off market?). The food was extremely good. I recommend the duck (which I usually don't like or even order). It is hickory smoked, caramelized, and served on a slightly sweet cornmeal pudding. The same cornmeal stuff is used to make the jalepeno corn bread and was very yummy. My duck was served with green beans on the top. They were not cooked enough for my taste (they snapped and tasted just like they smell when you snap them!)-they looked pretty as a garnish though. Warning-this entree consists of both leg and thigh portions. I split the meal with my partner and we both were too full for desert. We had the wood fired oysters appetizer.-Not as good as Dragos and a bit bland. Of course, I really wanted Drago's Charbroiled oysters so I shouldn't have even tried these. The service was excellent but a bit rushed. I was surprised at the speed the food got out to us but I must assume the kitchen is used to going full speed and this night there were a number of empty tables near us.

    (4)

  • Rachael T.

    My husband and I celebrated our second anniversary here. Everything from the 5 servers, the setting, and the food was perfect. We spent $400 which included a $100 tip, and it was well worth it!

    (5)

  • Skip R.

    I am not really sure how many times I have eaten at NOLAs over the years. I would guess it's around one dozen. The 4 stars I give NOLAs reflects the last 3 times I have eaten there. When I first started eating there, it was 5 stars in every category. The food is still very much on point. The service is what has fallen behind since Hurricane Katrina came through. Let me preface this by saying that the service you will receive today at NOLAs is still better than most other establishments you will eat at. Emeril has spoiled me with his past service though. Years ago, a table of 4 would have 4 waiters and you would be hard pressed to have a used sugar packet sit on the table for more than 5 seconds before one of your waiters removed it. Now you get one waiter and a person shadowing. The food does take longer to get to you now, and I believe it's because of the reduction in staff. You are still greeted by name at the door by the front house guys who have been there for many years. I will admit that my last visit was the only time that I didn't receive a thank you by name and a hand shake on my way out. Sure, you don't get that many other places, but I think Emeril expects this in his service. To the food. The food is always incredible. Many of the best dishes I have ever eaten are from NOLAs. BBQ shrimp is perfect. Get extra french bread for sopping up the sauce. The duck confit pizza is so good too. Gumbos are good. I usually get the smoked duck entree. It is probably my all time favorite dish. I ordered the double cut pork chop and sliced sweet potatoes on my last visit. Where have you been, pork chop? I can't believe I waited this long to order the chop. It was so moist and delicious. The NOLA banana pudding layer cake is a staple of NOLAs. Its a go-to dessert. I have not had it in many years though. I usually don't have room after appetizer, gumbo, and entree. The best seat is at the bar by the brick oven. You can show up at the door at 6 PM and usually be seated there. Plus the chef usually cooks some things and gives you a bite. We usually gets lots of information about techniques and different items from the chef also. As I said before, NOLAs has been 5 stars until the service started to decline. It is still very good service, it's just not like before. The difference would be like trading in a Porsche for a Mercedes though.

    (4)

  • Kunal M.

    Sat at the kitchen bar, service was great. Jalapeño cornbread was good. I ordered the shrimp and grits. Shrimp were flavorful and the grits were a great combination. I also had a beer so $45 + tip seems steep, but the experience and food were great. You are paying up for the name.

    (4)

  • Mike A.

    Excellent meal. Service was attentive and the food was presented with care. Every dish we tried was excellent. Certainly worth going when you are in New Orleans.

    (4)

  • Darren W.

    We weren't sure what to expect; we wanted a great dinner but were a little uneasy bc of some of the reviews on Yelp, but we loved it! Ms Hays chicken wings are a little unusual by the description, but they were fabulous. We got the fried chicken and the shrimp&grits and both were tremendous. Service is essential to a great night, and our waiter, Travis Roberts made the evening really fun - not to mention he had some great recommendations. And Eddie Osberry is just fabulous.

    (5)

  • Poriya M.

    I was very disappointed in their service, it took them 1.5 hour to serve us, the filet mignon was nothing special and their fried chicken could have been found at the local KFC. Overall not bad but definitely not worth the $ when there are so many great restaurants in N.O.

    (1)

  • Melinda C.

    Really enjoyed our meal here. The restaurant is swanky inside, and we were escorted in an elevator to our table. I had the fried chicken and boyfriend had the duck and both were DELICIOUS-- generous in portion size, well seasoned, and just good. Service was also very good (we had 3 waiters!), and we just had an overall nice experience here. Also conveniently located in the French Quarter.

    (4)

  • Joe S.

    Quite possibly the best service I have had at any restaurant; this was somewhat surprising considering it was an "Emeril-Chain" restaurant. The ceasar salad was far too overdressed- swimming in dressing causing the lettuce to be soggy; and since when do they put red riddichio lettuce in a ceasar salad? - it just ruins the whole flavor. Chicken dinner and Shrimp and Grits were fantastic! Banana cake dessert was also fantastic. Give it a try, albeit on the expensive side for "good home southern cookin" I guess you have to overpay for the name.

    (4)

  • Brad M.

    Wow, we actually went here for Lunch and Dinner because it was so good. There is nothing on the menu that wasn't excellent!

    (5)

  • Elina S.

    Officially, the best restaurant I've ever been to in my life. It was absolutely unforgettable and I will come back to New Orleans especially to come back to Nola. The service was fantastic, everything was explained to the minute details, the place is trendy and we got a really good table on the second floor overlooking the french quarter. Starting from the corn bread w/ jalapeno, I mean how cool is that? Mouthwatering. We had the stuffed chicken wings based on all the reviews and they def. lived up to my expectations, full of flavor. As an entree we had the duck, which was the best dish of my life, succulent and incredible. If only I can recreate this in real life haha. Then for dessert we had the special apple cobbler of the night and it was also to die for. The entire experience was fabulous, our server was super nice and helpful and I cannot wait to one day come back here! There should be a NOLA in Chicago!! Go Emeril!!!

    (5)

  • Dan H.

    Overall amazing experience. The wait staff was great. Very attentive without being annoying. We had the crab cakes and stuffed chicken legs as appetizers. Both were phenomenal. I had the buttermilk coated fried chicken with bourban mashed sweet potatoes and country ham gravy. Outstanding. We barely had room for dessert but were able to squeeze in banana pudding layer cake. We spent three nights in New Orleans and had really good dinners but this was the best. I would highly recommend it.

    (5)

  • Mike D.

    POSSIBLY BEST FOOD I HAVE EVER HAD I was in town from San Diego for a convention. I was a Prep Chef in college, and am used to some good restaurants back home. Overall as a city, I was pretty unimpressed with New Orleans, but this restaurant was UNBELIEVABLE. I can't get over how good the food was. The crab cakes were the best I have ever had, the BBQ shrimp was awesome, and the stuffed chicken legs were amazing. For a main course, the duck and the conch were GREAT. The shrimp and grits was also good. EAT AT THIS RESTAURANT. I would almost visit New Orleans again just to eat at Nola.

    (5)

  • Rachelle B.

    I thought that the food was really delicious and well prepared. I can see how Emeril says his style is New New Orleans. There are some of the classics you'd think of in Cajun and Creole cooking, but with a modern twist. Also, the service was really great. I loved our wait staff. Our waiter was really knowledgeable, but into joking around with us all the same. There was also a bread girl who came around to tempt us with her wares. Instead of getting a bread basket at the table, as the bread was made, she'd bring it out from the kitchen and offer it to us. I had the onion foccacia roll, a tiny french loaf, and a jalepeno cornbread muffin, all hot out of the oven. So good. For anyone who is visiting New Orleans and wants to go out one night for a nice dinner, I'd recommend NOLA. I also want to try one of John Besh's restaurants next time I visit.

    (5)

  • Tk K.

    Went to eat at Nola with a vendor on our business trip this past week. The place was packed and noise level was just right. Lets get down to the food. No appetizers for me, the duck entree was Awesome. Just right on all accounts. Drinks were strong (crown and seven)! I would recommend dinner here for anyone stopping in New Orleans. By the way the service was excellent! Had never seen a waiter escort one of our guest to the bathroom. Very attentive and suggested the right dishes for our table.

    (4)

  • Kristen C.

    I was hoping for more out of this restaurant, but it was a decent meal overall. Decided to order the porkchop after all the rave reviews, and was a little disappointed. The porkchop itself was huge and fairly moist, but I expected more flavor out of Emeril. The accompanying sweet potatoes on the other hand were bursting with flavor and were my favorite item of the night. We also had the duck confit & fried egg pizza and the stuffed chicken wings for appetizers, both of which were tasty. For dessert we had the orange mango sorbet which was light and refreshing, as well as the pumpkin bread pudding. The bread pudding, unfortunately, was disappointing as it was served room temp and was nothing special, although I did enjoy the gingerbread molasses ice cream that it was served with. That being said, if you're looking for a good bread pudding, go to Muriel's!! I'm a huge bread pudding fan, and I'd have to say the one at Muriel's is the best one I've had in years!

    (3)

  • Kitty K.

    Went to NOLA expecting great things and was greatly disappointed. Ordered the Grilled Salmon with Black Bean & Corn Succotash with Tomatillo Salsa. Salmon was overcooked, black beans were almost raw and there was a thimble full of Tomatillo Salsa on the fish. My sister & Mother ordered the same thing and sadly, their food was not good either. My cousin ordered the pork chop which came out dry. Only two people in our party were OK (just OK) with their food. All in all, terribly overrated and overpriced. Would not recommend it and would send people eslewhere. Being in the food industry may make me have higher expectations but this was just sad.

    (1)

  • Maitri E.

    After living in New Orleans for 5+ years and with two friends who work at this restaurant, I finally ate there. It's an Emeril restaurant, so the food was fabulous and the wine well-selected. Since I wasn't very hungry, I had a tuna salad and a pork and shrimp appetizer. As predicted, the seafood was fresh and the pork cooked to perfection. My friends had a medium rare filet mignon and a vegetarian plate, respectively, which I hear were delicious. My dining preference is to deal with one waiter who visits the table a total of five times during the dinner: drink order, drinks and food order, food arrives, check to see if table is doing alright, produce check. Perhaps because they know I'm friends with the sommelier, we had a total of twelve table visits from three members of the waitstaff which broke up the conversation and dining experience. If you're a local, the ambience is nice but the human atmosphere very touristy (what do you expect on the touristy side of the Quarter?), but you have to go at least once. Dinner was inexpensive for this place - the total worked out to $100 for three people, including a bottle of decent wine. I will pay that for the food, however. Good job, NOLA!

    (5)

  • Nikola L.

    I'm not a big Emeril fan, but was curious. This place was ridiculously good!! One of the best meals I have ever had anywhere. I had the Creole seasoned Mahi Mahi with risotto and my husband and the gumbo soup and Shrimp and grits main course. We were both seriously impressed!

    (5)

  • Andy G.

    NOLA was one of those places I was afraid to go because of it being associated with Emeril - but once I got past that, I realized it was truly a great dining experience. Our reservation was delayed by about 20 minutes due to the tables not being turned over, but we waited in the bar with a very handsome and charming bartender. Unfortunately the wine he poured had a large quantity of cork. Oh well. The food here was very strong - the service, like most New Orleans restaurants, is very slow. Not that it's a bad thing, but our dinner took more than 3 hours. For a Thursday night with an early morning the next day, I could have stood for it to be a bit shorter. As long as they kept bringing decadent food, though, I wasn't complaining. The appetizer of baked crab and oysters was to die for. And my "pork porterhouse" was the most tender, succulent piece of pork I'd ever had. That's saying a lot from someone who grew up on a pork farm in Iowa. The caramelized onion reduction sauce and sweet potatoes were amazing, and were the perfect accompaniments to the pork. All in all, a top 10 all-time dish. Finally, dessert. Get the banana pudding layer cake. Not only am I a connoisseur of banana pudding, but I love cake. Combine the two - and what do you think you get? A very happy Andy. Other than the Absinthe that was brought with the cake (at my client's suggestion) I loved dessert as much as the main meal. Overall, a great experience and a great meal. Don't let the "BAM!" TV personality scare you off - NOLA is a great spot when visiting New Orleans.

    (4)

  • SD V.

    We waited a bit long but we walked in without reservations. The girl at the front said we didn't need to make any. If you go for lunch, the prices are very reasonable. They give you these rosemary/onion bread rolls.....VERY good!!! The waiters were all very nice and funny. The shrimp grits plate was da bomb!!!!! Our waiter didn't bring 4 of our drinks with the meal so he did not charge us.

    (5)

  • B T.

    I was disappointed with this place. The food was wet and sloppy and the portions were quite small. There are definitely a lot of places better than this one in town.

    (2)

  • Patricia C.

    Well. The food was the saving grace. Lovely atmoshere, but great lack of professionalism on the part of the waitstaff & management. We had a 730 reservation & were seated immediately. We placed our order and waited. And waited. & waited some more. 45 minutes exactly, for just the appetizers to arrive. The waiter was kind, but did nothing to expedite the service. We waited. And waited some more. He apologized kindly for the delay, but he, as well as the 2 managers who were greeting other guests nearby, was seriously trying to avoid eye contact with us. At one point I got up and went to him to ask where our appetizers were. He said he didn't know. Oddly though, he later said our order was "lost in the shuffle" - why would you tell me that? The managers flat out avoided us, but kissed ass at the a table next to ours. We were there so long, we finsihed our 1st bottle of wine & finally (!), another manager came over to simply ask if we wanted another bottle of wine. Once we'd spent more money, the other manager came over and apologized for the delay. I did NOT feel any remorse on their part for the delay (literally more than an hour between drinks and dinner - not that we were in any rush, but we were starving!) they delivered dinner finally, and it was terrific. Delicious food, but TERRIBLE service. I was so annoyed by their lack of attention. As I said, the food was the saving grace, but the managers sucked. (have the grouper & mango, plantain starter - delish!)

    (4)

  • Jeanine S.

    On my first trip to Jazz Fest we decided to try Emeril's NOLA. We had a lovely table up stairs with the most attentive server in the WORLD! To start we shared the Arugula and Radicchio tossed in Lemon Vinaigrette with Parmesan, Shaved Bresaola and Roasted Sweet Peppers, delicious. Then I had the Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken with Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Country Ham Cream Gravy and Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas. It was the BEST fried chicken I've ever had in my entire life. . . I rarely take left overs home, but this was too good to let go! But then we were stopped by a homeless man on the way back to our hotel who wanted money for food, I gave him the half of my meal I wansn't able to finish and still to this day I think I should have just given him money instead!!! My friend had the Hickory-Roasted Duck with Whiskey-Caramel Glaze, Buttermilk Cornbread Pudding, Haricot Verts-Fire Roasted Corn Salad, Natural Jus and Candied Pecans, it was equally as amazing! Sadly no dessert for us, until we hit Cafe Du Monde at like 3AM! Great food and service!

    (5)

  • G C.

    For dinner we went to Emeril's NOLA. We were seated upstairs and had a great view overlooking the first floor from the balcony. I loved the layout of the restaurant, with the open kitchen and it was cool we took an elevator up to our table. Emeril truly is a master and he knows how to run his restaurants. He has the staff and kitchen trained perfectly to his liking without a shadow of doubt. What a perfect dining experience. We had three servers and all were terrific. This was probably the best service we had at any of the restaurants this week, however eevery restaurant provided great service which is a tribute to New Orleans coming from an NY foodie. The food truly is incredible. Loved that they give you cornbread and a rosemary roll instead of your run of the mill bread. Leave it to Emeril of course he has to kick it up a notch. We had the BBQ shrimp ( incredible what is in that sauce yummm), crabcake, duck (melt in your mouth delicious), pork chop (so thick), side of cheddar grits (could have had this as an entree), bourbon chocolate pecan pie (only disappointment), white chocolate raspberry bread pudding (unbelievable), drunked monkey ice cream(the besttestttt lol). Once again great coffee and service which was a theme that was repeated in all NO dining institutions. I highly recommend for anyone to come here. To get this quality of food and service for that price was truly fantastic. I would have to pay three times as much home in NYC. Can't miss for me. If you head to the great New Orleans please go to NOLA it is great!

    (5)

  • Carol K.

    Not good at all. The food had no flavor. Four of us went. Two of us had the redfish, which was cooked nicely but dull. One of us had the ribs which were totally without flavor, however that is possible. They tasted like they had been boiled and thrown in the oven with a quick glaze. My other friend had the gumbo and that was ok, nothing to rave about. The wait staff was rather smarmy. Also, our waitress asked if we would like a lime for the gin and tonic??? Big waste of money. We ate at several restaurants the week we were there, and this was by far the most disappointing experience. Commander's Palace was all it was cracked up to be, great food, great friendly service and the 3-course meal is not all that pricey.

    (1)

  • Mark G.

    Went here for Easter brunch which is very popular around these parts. Made reservations a few weeks in advance since some other places were sold out but happy we settled on this fine restaurant. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and is a few levels high, the can accommodate a decent amount of people here. We were on the third floor with a decent view near the window. The service was excellent every step of the way and felt very authentic rather than forced. They start you off with one bread and one jalapeño cornbread with a nice whipped butter, these are so good. For appetizers we got the pork cheek boudin, they are a fun treat that you won't find in many places and you might want to get your own plate of them since chances are you will love them and they aren't huge. Then for the main entree I went with the New Orleans classic shrimp and grits. They really do a great job of jazzing it up. Little cheddar in the grits, applewood pork, delicious chili sauce on the shrimp, and a little finishing touch of a sauce I cannot recall but it went perfect with everything. If your looking for a authentic place this is it. This is one of Chef Emeril's restaurants and he did a great job of creating a special place to eat local dishes. Would love to go back again to try the dinner menu.

    (5)

  • Lucy D.

    Love this restaurant. Excellent food, excellent service. One advise, make reservations. We ordered the Barbecued Gulf Shrimp & the Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken. My husband and I weren't that hungry so we asked the waiter if we can share. He was extremely understanding and to our surprise the kitchen split the entree into two plates ( that was a nice surprise). The food was delicious. The fried chicken was perfect. The sweet mashed potatoes, delicious!!!!! A must try.... Would definitely return.

    (5)

  • Irene H.

    NOLA, initials for New Orleans, Louisiana is one of the first restaurants Chef Emeril Lagasse opened in New Orleans. He's formerly from Fall River, Mass., but came to love the cajun cuisine and shares his flare here. I have been to his restaurant in Orlando, and although the NOLA restaurant is more intimate, the staff are friendly and top notch. The food is the best I've ever had. Don't forget to order the Barbecue Shrimp appetizer. My husband and I never order apps, but I did. My husband gave me a strange glance, and began to dig in as it was placed on the table. He had smudged his napkin from the bread and butter and in a flash a waiter snapped my husbands napkin from his lap. Moments later, while eating the shrimp, the same waiter handed my husband a fresh napkin. My husband reached in his lap to show the waiter he didn't need one, and realized his was gone. It was a very funny moment, because I watched the snatching of the napkin. Getting back to the food, cajun refers to the style of cooking. Creole refers to the Arcadians that were born in New Orleans. Cajun is on the menu. We had gumbo, rice and beans, cajun and creole shrimp. All of our plates were clean. It was marvelous. We held off for dessert, as we were full. I believe it came to around $100.00, without alcohol, but we did have coffee. I think from my experiences, I would try any of Emeril LaGasse's restaurants without hesitation.

    (5)

  • Brandy E.

    I didn't eat much because I came for a light inch the day of my wedding and had to meet my photographer. But I did have the STUFFED CHICKEN WINGS! And they were beyond phenomenal.

    (5)

  • Shawn B.

    Amazing service and friendly folks. We were quite taken with the crab cake, it was truly THE best crab cake I've ever eaten. The wife loved her duck dish and my steak was just OK. One of the best things about this was the dessert. The Elvis. I'm not a fan of bread pudding but this was amazing! Peanut butter bread pudding, bacon pecan praline, brown sugar bananas, and drunken monkey ice cream. We loved the crab cake and The Elvis so much we showed up the next night and asked if we could just sit at the bar and order these two things. The manager said: "How about a table for that?" We said: "Right on, brother!" Seriously, don't miss eating here if you're in the French Quarter.

    (5)

  • Ashley L.

    Absolutely amazing food and service! When I walked in I was greeted by the host and taken to my table and he came back with a black napkin instead of the usual white guests receive because I was wearing dark shorts. I found that really awesome that the staff is so attentive and caring. My partner and I ordered the fried pork balls and the chicken with scalloped potatoes and ate every single bite. I ate at emerils other restaurant in the warehouse district and have to say NOLA is better. Both have great service and yummy food but NOLA takes the cake. Although both restaurants are expensive, you get what you pay for. And when else can you say you went to Emeril Lagasse's restaurant? I urge you to go to NOLA! I'll make sure to visit again next time I'm in town.

    (5)

  • Lillian D.

    In a word... Wow! I'm based in Las Vegas, and some of my family are huge Emeril fans. We'd been to his restaurant in Vegas. I was travelling to New Orleans alone and decided to eat here to remind me of them. I arrived early. I had no reservation and asked if they could seat 1. I was offered the chef's table right at the kitchen and seated promptly. It was awesome to watch them prepare everything while I was eating. I'm an ER/trauma nurse, and I know how chaotic things can get when it's busy. It's great to see how smoothly a place like this can run. John is a wonderfully friendly, helpful, and attentive server. He helped me decide between their 2 Cabernet Sauvignons. I started with the less expensive. It was good. Some bread arrived quickly. The little roll of brioche was so fluffy and magically salty when adorned with the real butter. My frog legs arrived. A tad bit chewy, but everything else made up for it. The light breading, sweet tomatoes, fried garlic slivers, bits of capers, a small bed of luscious greens, and some delectable oil, I wish I could remember what. I enjoyed my snapper with the other cab - a "true" cab, in my estimation. Big and bold enough to stand up to the spice in the crawfish risotto, which was some of the most spectacular risotto I've ever enjoyed. And the snapper was so lovely. The middle bit of the skin wasn't entirely crisped, but the meat was so perfectly light and tender. And Brussels sprouts! I'm so happy chefs have embraced this wonderful little vegetable and learned to cook is properly. For desert, a trio of creme brulees and some Illy coffee (which is some of my favorite). The trio of vanilla, coconut, and chocolate were topped with berries, coconut-rolled caramel, and chocolate biscotti, respectively. Each one was perfect in its own right with a fantastic crust to crack. This made my short trip to New Orleans worthwhile!

    (5)

  • Traci G.

    We decided on Nola for a special dinner night to celebrate my daughter's 21st birthday. I was so excited to finally have the opportunity to eat at one of Emeril's restaurants! Sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations, at least my meal specifically. We started with the stuffed chicken wings which were something very different and really good. I ordered the rib eye steak, which is my favorite cut of steak. Unfortunately, it lacked flavor and was about 1/4 fat. Very sad! My mom ordered the pork chop which was so tough, it looked like she was sawing wood when she was trying to cut a piece. When I tried it, it took forever to chew. Not good at all. I will say that the duck and fried chicken were very tasty.

    (2)

  • Susana M.

    Food was excelente !!! And the design Vera Stylish And good Service. Emeryl's chardonney was amazing

    (4)

  • Van V.

    Beautiful space and nice servers. We love Emeril but found the lunch time food to be lacking a spark. Emeril's older recipes and small portions. I write this with hope for some new Emeril energy....hard when you become a corporation with your same recipes made by many.

    (3)

  • Becky R.

    Bam! Delicious. Way to go, Emeril. Way to go. My one complaint about the evening (and the reason why this is 4 stars instead of 5) is because our waiter was not exactly the best. When we have to ask you 3 times for a wine menu while we shoot daggers at you chilling in the corner chatting with your other waiter buddies, I'm gonna get cranky. I read something about the duck pizza beforehand and it was a fabulous recommendation. I loved watching my boyfriend's face as he took the first bite. So good! The bill was a bit pricey in the end but it was worth it.

    (4)

  • Jasmine M.

    Awesome seafood and desserts! While I am not a huge Emeril fan or care much for celebrity chefs in general, NOLA was terrific. The service while sometimes inconsistent was quite also quite friendly. Waiting a while to get your order taken, waiting a very long time for wine, and the switching of servers is also easily forgettable when everyone is just so nice. I was a bit weirded out when I got escorted, literally, to the restroom. But, I guess that's also part of NOLA's charm. My friend showed up 30 minutes late and all she said to teh host was that she was meeting friends. They instantly directed her to the our table. Great service with such a personal touch. Ok enough about service....it's all about the food here. My oyster and crabmeat baked in garlic butter was unique and delicious. Cornbread was fresh and warm with a hint of jalapeno spice. The shrimp and cheddar grits was also very good. But, the real star here was the dessert. My white chocolate banana fosters bread budding was awesome! The chocolate bourbon pecan pie was also a big hit. And the sweet potato ice cream was like nothing I had ever had. Perfect. And that vanilla rootbeer cake was also really different but totally worked. If only I could live in New Orleans!

    (5)

  • Darren A.

    my wife and i ate here over columbus day weekend and it didnt disappoint. even though we were next to the loudest table of 14 on earth, they were only 10% of the noise on the second floor. try to get seating on the third floor... its like a library up there! crickets! atleast compared to the first two floors. our menu: scallop with black eyed peas - awesome, assorted baby lettuces - average salad. grilled pork chop - amazing! filet mignon - a tad salty according to the mrs. and we shared the ooey gooey cake which actually came in a cup - the best part of the meal.

    (4)

  • justin p.

    Went with people from work on a business trip. we all thought it would probably suck and none of us were particularly Emeril fans. however, i must say that we were wrong. food was good and service was excellent. pricey, but really not any more so than any similar places in the french quarter. really top notch place. i guess i misjudged Emeril!

    (5)

  • Dixon T.

    Probably not the best idea to bring my vegan friend here. We had been having a difficult time on our trip keeping her nourished. Yes, there are some great vegetarian options in town, but we all wanted to see if the Emeril hoopla was worth it. So, although we knew it would be difficult, we decided to give it a try. I recommend, that if given the choice, you sit upstairs. You are removed from any of the insane riff-raff that might pour in from the French Quarter, and it is a bit more relaxing. I had a steak, and my non-vegan friend the red fish served on a plank of wood. Although, neither were original, they were both done very well. Since we were exploring the world of Emeril, I decided to have the "Emeril's Red Red Wine" to start. The world's most charming server looked me dead in the eye and asked "Are you ordering that because it has Emeril's name on it? Or are you a red wine fan?" When I got done melting, I admitted it was the name, but that I was a red wine fan. With ease and diplomacy he recommended another wine on the list, which was both cheaper and to his credit the best glass of wine I have ever had. Then my vegan friend asks, "Is there any meat on the Cesar salad?" With a smile our server replied, "just those pesky anchovies." "Can you leave them off?" she asked. "There in the dressing," he said. "Since when are there anchovies in a Cesar salad dressing?!?" she asked appalled. I think the lack of nourishment was getting to her. There was brief pause, and then with another smile he said, "I'm sure it's something we just do here. I'm sure that we can leave them out for you." "Thanks, I don't mean to be difficult, it's just that I'm a vegan." she replied calming down. "Oh are you OK with the eggs then?" There was another pause, and my friend looked at me bewildered. Then with same enthusiasm that sold me the wine he proclaimed, "we have this raspberry vinaigrette that we make here, it's my favorite."

    (5)

  • Jasper D.

    From our host asking us about food allergies to our waiters presenting our meals in perfect synchronization; we had a first-class dining experience. We started our lunch with the crab cake appetizer and followed it with the buttermilk fried chicken and mashed sweet potatoes. Each dish was as delightful to our palates as it was pleasing to the eyes. The service was excellent and the price was well worth it. Our only regret was that we could not get dinner reservations as well.

    (5)

  • Cul A.

    Came here with my sister and her fiancé when they visited me here in NOLA. My first time here since I moved to NOLA. One of the top notch dining experiences I have had. Facility: Exterior-The Building itself is a standard French Quarter Building. They had no parking but paid valet is available on the next cross street at a hotel(forgot which one) for $10.00 ($20.00 on Fridays and Saturdays). The sign is small and hard to see but this is the Quarter. Interior-The inside was clean, very rustic looking and has a cool elevator.love the interior design work. Open kitchen on the bottom floor and closed kitchen on the top floor. Bathrooms-Bathrooms were spotless and exceptionally clean. Atmosphere: There was a full crowd in the restaurant. It was an enjoyable environment. The guest base was varied from Young Professionals to Seniors. Service: Service was exceptional. 3 servers to every table. Fadi was our head server and was exceptional. He was extremely attentive and knew the menu and had exceptional service. However, not one manager came to touch our table which at a restaurant like this I would expect 1 table touch. Food: Appetizers/Salads/Soups-A restaurant like this does not have a true appetizer as labeled on a casual dining restaurant. They have a la carte sides. We had the the standard potatoes au gratin and a very unusual side of animal parts I have never heard of. It actually all tasted awesome. Main Course-Food was unbelievable. I had the Filet. They create the dish in such a way that the combination of items tastes like Heaven in your mouth. My sister had the fish of the day and it tasted even better. Emeril has found a way to grab unusual item and create a concoction of food that tastes spectacular. Drinks-I had 1 beer, Abita Amber in a draft, it was crisp and the glass was cold. Can't complain! Dessert-We had a chocolate contraption of sorts which I can't remember the name. After I ate it I wanted another one to marry. Cleanliness: The restaurant was spotless. Floors were clean and employees were always busy cleaning. Incidents: None Star Rating: A 5 would have been easily given if a manager came by and touched our table. This is not a standard I hold for all my restaurant reviews, but only the fine dining ones which I pay this type of money. Summary: NOLA was the best fine dining experience I had since I have moved here(3 Years). A lot of locals turn there heads to these local chefs that have found a way to find national acclaim(That is a completely different story though which I am not getting in to this review). However, this experience was by far greater than anything I have experienced in New Orleans. Food and service was perfect, restaurant was clean, and although was expensive I came in as a commoner and left feeling treated like a king. Emeril truly understands the combination of great food and indiscriminate hospitality to everyone, something I feel has been lost at many local establishments in New Orleans.

    (4)

  • Peera H.

    We made a reservation through OpenTable and got in just before they closed at 2pm. Food and service was great despite the place being so busy. We had the crab cake and stuffed chicken wings for appetizers and friend chicken breasts and baked mussels for entrees. Everything was absolutely delicious. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Jessie I.

    I love how in New Orleans even fine dining feels like a down to earth environment. I think that's mostly due to the quality of the customer service and the people. Food-wise ranked in order: -garlic crusted drum (SO GOOD) -buttermilk fried chicken -prime rib -shrimp and grits Also had crab cake and pork cheek boudin appetizers - small portions but very very tasty. Got half a bottle of Sauvignon blanc, but coulda got a whole bottle for the same price - we just didn't wanna waste it since we weren't gonna drink it all. Desserts we got the banana pudding layer cake and the pecan pie bread pudding - both were effing fantastic dude. The garlic crusted drum was SO garlicky.. Like you could taste raw garlic. But it was so good, and the fish texture was super soft, with a mild taste. I love garlic. The fried chicken was chicken breast but still very moist, and the sweet potatoes were great - not too buttery or anything. Prime rib was perfection - my dad asked for medium rare and he got medium rare..so joocy. I got like NINE shrimps in the shrimp and grits, which is a lot! The sauce was spicy and a little overpowering in that I couldn't taste the grits - I didn't even realize they were cheesy til the end when I got a bite without sauce. Overall a great New Orleans "nice dinner out" experience for mom and sister's birthday...upscale but still authentic.

    (4)

  • Craig L.

    The only reason I'm not rating this 5 stars is the food. I mean the food was good but I've had better at many restaurants across the U.S. I would rate the food 4 star but everything else (service, atmosphere, bartender/area, time between food courses) was a 5 star.

    (4)

  • Aj P.

    I feel like the day has come and gone for Emeril's food. I'm sure America still loves it, but the food at NOLA can't seem to climb out of big sugary and fatty flavors layered on top of each other - served in portions way too large for height-weight proportionate humans. Nonetheless, dishes at NOLA are well-prepared and upscale by French Quarter standards. Just to highlight a few dishes in case you find yourself here - their boneless, seafood stuffed and deep friend chicken wings are solid - basically a take on a Thai dish. Salads are fine - just finding anything green on a menu in NO is a blessing. And, shrimp and grits is a classic, including large well cooked shrimp (often smaller way overcooked beasties in other restaurants) that is sadly overshadowed by an excess of beurre blanc and a topping of candy sweet BBQ sauce. Bummer, the dish's clarity (and my palate) got wiped out after the first bite or two. Service is friendly and attentive, if not a bit in the way at times.

    (3)

  • B Y.

    This restaurant has it all. Food, service, setting. It was awesome.

    (5)

  • A F.

    Man oh man what a great restaurant! We were deciding between the 3 Emeril's restaurants and am so happy we landed on this one. If you want a romantic evening go for Delmonico, but if you want a fun vibrant environment to have fun with friends NOLA is best. The pineapple cosmo made with housemade pineapple infused vodka was absolutely delicious. I nearly drank the entire thing in my first sip it was soooo delicous. Shared 3 appetizers with my aunt - oysters, mussels and crab cakes. The oysters were delicious -- nice breading, great delicated garlic flavor altho a tad on the watery side. The crab cakes came with a great spicy sauce that was awesome. By the time the mussels came we were so stuffed we couldn't enjoy it all but nicely flavored as well. I think the highlight was the duck -- VERY NICE portion even for my bf who eats a ton. It was perfectly smoked and glazed. just delicious. I would skip the shrimp and grits (a little fishy and the flavors didn't come together). Truly truly delicious food with great atmosphere.

    (4)

  • K R.

    NOLA was wonderful. I had the pork chops over sweet potato medallions. Creme brulee trio for dessert. The manager (strong accent, older handsome guy) heard me tell my sister happy birthday and brought out ice cream with a candle. He also kicked off Happy Birthday...the crowd joined in and were very gracious in wishing her a happy birthday... she had the duck and it was phenomenal... a little light on the sides, mostly meat with a smithering of a carb but what I did have was a great meal.

    (4)

  • Libby T.

    This place is no joke. The food here is astounding. The shrimp and grits entree is a beautiful plate of food. The bartenders are knowledgeable and fast, and the servers are impeccable. I haven't had service like that ever in my life, really amazing. This place is cute, with memorable food and incredible attention to detail. Not to be missed.

    (5)

  • Beth G.

    My friends and I were looking for the ultimate dining experience while vacationing together without kids. We were extremely satisfied with everything from our service to our exquisitely-presented entrees. Each one of us ordered something different, so we could, of course, sample! Everything was better than described. They go above and beyond to make it an unforgettable dining experience. Just when you think you're through, they bring you a moist cloth for your face and hands! You definitely get what you pay for here. We would go back again for sure the next time we visit New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Robert S.

    Not impressed. From the martini's at the bar to the "apple pie" dessert, I've had better everything. I found a random piece of broken metal in the crab cake. While the manager apologized & brought a new order, I should have at least not been charged for it, right? The service was also very forgettable. That's right, they forgot about us.

    (1)

  • Ken F.

    No love for NOLA here! It's Emeril's classic recepies in action, i.e the one's you can make at home from the Food Network, only you get to pay 5 times more for smaller portions. Overall, we found the food to be very unoriginal, the service gradually inattentive and well it mostly just got worse from there. Like someone else who had it, the redfish was bland but just okay. The duck dish everyone raved about was way too sweet and just skip the signature NOLA banana pie (its ordinary). The best dish was the $10.00 BBQ shrimp with rosemary biscuit. But the biscuit was laughably small and we had to practically beg the bread server for more to soak up the yummy sauce. We also got just 4 medium shrimp for that dish. To add insult to injury, they sat us upstairs, while a bachelor party went on wildly in the adjoining room. We didn't care but felt sorry for the couple next to us who were celebrating the anniversary admist shouts of vulgarity from the other room. I mentioned this to a manager, who similarly seemed not to care. Maybe it was an off night, but please, you can make this at home ppl! Its all on the Food network website!

    (2)

  • Ryan M.

    So I ate here with friends my second night in New Orleans and I while it is expensive in my opinion you get what you pay for. My group of 5 made a reservation and were promptly seated at the top floor. Once seated our waiter introduced himself and his assistant to each of us and asked us our names. I've eaten at some pretty high end restaurants in Seattle and other west coast cities and never had that happen. The waiter engaged us all in conversation and we could barely take a sip out of our water glasses before they were refilled. Our drinks were on the table what seemed like moments after they were ordered and with every course we were all served at the same time with a precision the military would approve of. I had the roast turkey and andouille gumbo and it was far and away the best gumbo of my trip. It had lots of meat and was perfectly balanced with Ingredients (I could even taste the okra). For the main course I had the roast duck which makes my mouth water just thinking about it. It was just cooked perfectly falling off the bone with crisp caramel crust, best duck I've ever had by far. For dessert I tried the Mexican chocolate ice cream and a creole coffee and they were great too. I've had a lot of great restaurant experiences, but I've gotta say my dinner at NOLA now owns the #1 slot. The service and food were just flat out flawless. I will be back...

    (5)

  • susan h.

    I loved this place - went here for my husbands 50 th birthday - they were wonderful. I had the special bread, lobster salad, the grits, and the BBQ shrimp - best meal in New Orleans.

    (5)

  • nic f.

    easily the most disappointing meal i've ever had in new orleans. we went with friends who were dying to go and it was utterly unremarkable from start to finish: service was atrocious, the food came out bland and (most of the time) either at room temperature or cool and -- the horrors! -- it was expensive as a mofo. all i'm saying is that i have expectations when i order bbq shrimp anywhere in louisiana (ESPECIALLY at a place owned by emeril) and they involve spicy butter and french bread. my bbq shrimp at nola, despite me asking the waitress if it was "real" bbq shrimp, came out looking like a shrimp cocktail and was served with actual bbq sauce. horrendous. i also had the shrimp and grits and it tasted like gruel. it was a total disappointment from start to finish and i hate that we had to sell a kidney to eat there. ppppphhhhttttttt. if you're desperate to eat at an emeril place while in n.o., save yourself the heartache and go to delmonico's. it's divine.

    (2)

  • Rod M.

    Impeccable service, nice atmosphere, and my entree was outstanding - southern fried chicken and sweet potatoes. Ordered a Sazerac which is apparently the oldest known American cocktail - sort of a cognac or mixed whiskey drink - interesting flavor and quite good. Expensive place to dine, but worth every penny.

    (5)

  • Stephanie K.

    Absolutely fantastic. We had an early reservation at 6pm, but the restaurant was buzzing. We had 3 waiters, which was great since someone attended to us when the other was busy, and our drinks were never empty. We got the mussels for an appetizer. It was pretty standard in a white wine sauce, but the flavor was really strong. We got the Shrimp and Grits and Hickory Roasted Duck for entrees. I've never had Shrimp and Grits and it was soo good. The shrimp was cooked in an extremely flavorful sauce. The best part was dessert, their chocolate banana pudding was the BEST banana pudding ever. I wanted to go back to just get more banana pudding. Luckily I found the recipe online from Emeril and I can make it myself ! :)

    (5)

  • A S.

    Wow this place was amazing! I got the nut encrusted redfish and I was blown away, I would go all the time if I could. I like the interior of the place too, we were seated on the second floor overlooking the next floor down, we had great seats there.

    (5)

  • Bruce W.

    Great food (pricey, but great). Unbelievable service (3 waiters!). Go on Sat for lunch and there's no crowd.

    (5)

  • p.j. a.

    I'm not a food snob by any means, but I have had some great filets and experiences to provide a pseudo-coinneuseur's point of view. I share the opinion with most of the others as I'm not too big of a fan of CelebriChefs (although Iron Chef Morimoto could probably put a peanut on top off a grain of rice and i'd pay $50 for it), so if not for the great reviews you yelpsters put out on the place, I wouldn't have taken my mom here for her birthday while visiting Nawlins. First off, they kept the reservation I made from open table and my request for a table on the second floor. The second floor is less hectic and who wants loud cocktail chatter ringing in your ears while you're trying to enjoy BAM! KICKED IT UP A NOTCH type food. Secondly, the waiters were surprisingly superb! The Big Easy is NO's nickname for a reason. At most of the places we visited, there were no quick refills. Hell, you're lucky if you even get one! Ahh the French influence is still felt here =). Anyways, our server was the greatest guy and was built like a New Orleans Saint. The coolest thing was they kept your waters filled to the brim and when you went to bathroom and took off your napkin, you'd get back, BAM! There's the same napkin, all origami'd up on the table! They KICKED IT UP A NOTCH! Thirdly and most importantly, the food. My mom ordered the special crab salad, crabcakes, and the seafood gumbo. I ordered the filet w/ mashed potatoes and portabello mushrooms..more like mushroom. Again, the yelpsters hit it on the money with the review. A lot of ooohs..and aaah.. and "you have to try this..". The filet was BAM! tenderjuicylicious much due to the worcester sauce that would of made worcester him/herself proud. My mom's meal was excellent as well. We ordered the sorbet (I'm allergic to dairy so no partaking in the other delicious desserts) and the tarazzo espresso. The combination was insanity and BAM-like. They also topped it off with a free happy birthday scoop of vanilla ice cream with a chocolate syrup that could and should bankrupt Hershey's monopolistic a$$. All in all, it was well worth the money and I give it a metrosexual 4 snaps in a z-formation. More importantly, I have a newfound respect for Emeril. He could have put a peanut on top of a grain of rice and people would still pay $50 for it. But I'm glad he didn't. I wouldn't want to call him a Morimoto ripoff (that's Bobby Flay...ooh...Who Dat?). I only wish the rest of my New Orleans experience was as hospitable and tenderjuicylicious as NOLA!

    (5)

  • John S.

    Best shrimp and grits I've ever had, among other tasty choices. Great bourbon selection too. Friendly and attentive service. I wish we could have gotten a table for New Year's Eve.

    (4)

  • Cody H.

    Great food and service. I had the filet and my wife had the shrimp and grits and both were amazing. We will be back the next time we visit N.O.

    (5)

  • Deva C.

    really good food!! i mean, really! we got reservations maybe a week in advance, but had to settle for going for (second) dinner at 10pm. their mac and cheese is delicious! and the "shrimp and grits" were perfect in proportion and preparation. service was pretty attentive, and they didn't even frown on us when we decided to share the really yummy bisque (hey! it was our second dinner...) i had the redfish, but it wasn't as spectacular as i was hoping. still delicious, just not "wow" level. unfortunately, since we were eating there later in the evening, a couple items were already sold out on the menu. also, the AC was a little strong... perhaps to get us to leave? who knows...

    (4)

  • Suzi M.

    Well at first I thought hmm, Emeril's restaurant. How wonderfullly annoying and cliche. How annoying delicious. I first got there after dropping off my party to go ahead and be seated. After getting in, the wonderful man waiting knew exactly who I was waiting for and the hostess grabbed a black napkin noticing I had a black dress on rather than the normal white napkin to screw up my dress. I traveled up to the 2nd floor in a glass elevator to be waited on by several waiters. I was never asked about a drink order, wierd. But the water, which I normally dont prefer while dining, was so clean and cold I found it to be rather refreshing and didn't bother with the fact that nobody had asked me what I wanted to drink. I kept the water. i ordered the Filet Mignon with roasted garlic mashee potatoes and homemade worcestershire sauce. After waiting what was literally an hour for our food, I found it to be wel worth it. The meat simply fell off the fork. The sauce was like heaven and the mashes potatoes danced in my mouth. The food was impeccable. Other than the fact nobody had taken my drink order and I had to wait a full hour for my food. The service was amazing. They waited on you hand and foot. The water never got half way empty. If you were of a female gender you were escorted to the ladies room. If you got up from your seat no matter what gender, your napkin was neatly re-folded and placed back into the table. The plates of food are placed onto your table all at the same time. They dont place one at a time no matter how many plates of food there are. The plates are then whisked away at the same time and your table left completely clean (including your drinks or maybe its just water) and a dessert menu is brought to you even though you didnt ask. I guess it gives you the opportunity to look at it before declining the dessert. Yes, fresh water was brought out with fresh forks on our clean table. Oh one waiter isnt enough here, if you need anything, by golly, any waiter there will get it for you so your not waiting on your waiter while he's on a smoke break. They were all professional and VERY polite. One wiater spllied a few drinks on the floor and 4 waiters stopped to help in clean it up. In mere seconds the spill was gone. Wonderful service, wonderful food. Oh I didnt get to the dessert did I? I had the Buzz Bomb - (pasted from the menu) NOLA Buzz Bomb: Flourless Chocolate Torte with Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse and Brandied Apricots wrapped in Chocolate Ganache Now this was wierd. It was good, but the Brandied Apricots I was thinking this would be on the side or something....these were inside the yummy cake making it a little wierd mixing the taste and texture. Didnt care for that so much, but it was pretty good. I'll be back there next time I go to NO. Pending I have the $$ to spend. After the food, dessert and tip, my tab (alone) was $60.00. Ouch.

    (4)

  • Mark P.

    Outstanding food, from appetizer to dessert, awesome across the board. Fifth star would have required a slightly better ambiance or service...not that it was bad, but just not outstanding. Definitely worth a visit, though.

    (4)

  • Leslie S.

    Awesome! The staff was amazing. The ambiance was wonderful. Our waiter offered to take our picture without us asking. We had a pocket bread that was out of this world. My husband started with the gumbo and I had the oysters. For dinner I had the shrimp and grits and my husband had the duck. The portion was perfect and the food was excellent. Best duck ever. We finished(correction I finished) with the bread pudding topped with vanilla ice cream. The wine was also awesome. We will definately be back. Nola was worth the visit.

    (5)

  • Maggie A.

    This was our favorite restaurant in New Orleans. We quickly tired of Cajun cuisine and stumbled upon this place. The service is unlike any other we've ever experienced. The waiters are very attentive, even walking me to the bathroom. We were never rushed and the waiter knew all the ingredients of each meal. The food was delicious and desserts really good. They also have some great wine. Don't miss this gem!!

    (5)

  • Victoria D.

    By far the best meal we had in New Orleans. The thing that stands out the most, aside from the fabulous food, was that it was entirely food centered. We were not rushed and we were encouraged to take our time and enjoy the food. I have never had a meal that tasted so good.

    (5)

  • Michael C.

    This perhaps one of the best places I have ever been. Absolutley everything I have had on this menu is amazing. The servers and staff were very professional and classy. The caesar salad was one of the best I have had. The Buttermilk Chicken was a grand slam. NOLA also has some great homegrown wines which I have sampled and was very impressed. Everytime I am in New Orleans I make sure I stop at NOLA.

    (5)

  • JD S.

    This place is just awesome! I've been to New Orleans several times over the years and stop at NOLA each time. I've never been anything less than wowed. This visit I came in for lunch and started with the tomato gazpacho with crabmeat salsa. I'm not usually a fan of cold soup but this tangy soup was perfect for the blistering weather. I then had the pan roasted salmon with couscous. The crispy skin of the salmon really made the dish. I finished with the warm ooey gooey cake, which was an incredible combination of coffee ice cream, coconut and delicious warm cake. I could eat it every day. I've read a lot of reviews from people who felt like they didn't know who their lead waiter was. WHO CARES? All three of the waitstaff that attended my table worked as a perfect team. I was always brought a fresh iced tea before my current one ran out (loved the fact that I didn't have to worry about them adding tea to my already perfectly sweetened one) and the made sure everything tasted perfect. I can't recommend NOLA enough!

    (5)

  • Melissa M.

    Maybe it depends on when you go to NOLA--that is often the case with restaurants...but I have to say that my husband and I were underwhelmed. The service was strange, many people coming to your table but the most attentive was the person who kept filling up our water glasses. My husband's filet was delicious and perfectly cooked but wasn't hot when it came to the table. I ordered one of the signature dishes "shrimp and grits" thinking it would be amazing and how could that be bad? It was mediocre at best, runny grits, shrimp slightly overcooked, sauce was ok but kind of tasted like bottled BBQ sauce. Seriously disappointed that this was an Emeril restaurant. Had it not been our anniversary I would have sent the dish back. One highlight--the tomolives in my martini! Never had those before and plan on ordering a dozen bottles...not that the restaurant had anything to do with making those. Overall, I would say if you have limited time and it's a special occasion, you might want to try another restaurant if you have all of New Orleans to choose from as this was not the memorable experience we were expecting.

    (3)

  • pippa c.

    Despite the high ratings, I found that the food is average good and there is nothing for me to worth coming back for. Reserved a table for dinner and quickly got seated. Nice deco but there are a lot of ambience noise and loud conversations around. Service is spot on, nothing to complain about. I had stuffed chicken wings for appetizer, the wings are nice and crispy but the stuffing taste like something you'll find in a supermarket spring roll and the dipping hoisin sauce is way too sweet. The garlic crusted drum is nicely cooked but doesn't match well with the overly sweet and acidic sauce. My husband has the scallop appetizer with the black bean puree which turns out to be the best thing we had that evening. His duck main course has a very generous portion and is nicely cooked but again the seasoning is way too sweet for our tastes. Since it was a last minute decision to reserve a table at NOLA, we are not really expecting much but still feels disappointed in the food. Probably not a place we will come back in future.

    (3)

  • Dan B.

    Too Expensive, Poor Service, hair in my soup, Awful food (served cold and took 30 minutes to come out). Terrible, terrible, terrible. If you think you need to go to NOLA there are SO many better choices. In a word, YUCK

    (1)

  • Moe M.

    OMG!!! This was one of the best meals I have ever Had. I had the duck with a whiskey caramel sauce, my Husband had the Shrimp and Grits!. First we were treated like gold, the servers were knowledgable and friendly. We were seated on the ground level, so we were able to see into the open kitchen which was spotless. The atmosphere is a little more modern and casual which we liked. No jackets required! I asked one of the servers which deserts he would recommend and he chose three. We ordered two out of the three and even though we were pretty stuffed, we finished them both. On our way out one of the servers ran after me and gave me a high five. We stopped over by the kitchen and thanked them and they were warm and welcoming. I would go back again and again, each and every time I am in New Orleans. Emeril must set very high standards, and it shows!

    (5)

  • Kevin O.

    Wow! Go for lunch and get the Duck Confit Pizza. I was very happy to spend $11 on this pizza. Truly Memorable!

    (5)

  • Ross W.

    My $36 steak was a tasteless hunk of gristle & fat. Came with mushy potatoes. Ordered the $10 'Nola Special' eight-ounce bloody mary. The 'Special' was a spoonful of cocktail sauce mixed with the tomato juice. Yuckkkk! Service was so-so & slow. The building was dirty. I'd be afraid to look closely at the cleanliness of the kitchen. Everything on the menu except the tap water is ala carte. If not for Emeril Lagasse's ownership, this restaurant would go belly-up. There are many restaurants nearby with cheaper prices & better food. Don't waste you money at Nola's.

    (2)

  • jeff b.

    I went to New Orleans for a freinds wedding a few years ago with my daughter, and we ate dinner at Nolas. I cook this kind of food at home, and Nolas does a great job of it Jessie's Duck Jambalaya , served on a wooden plank, was fantastic. Service was freindly. Jessie was 16, I think, at the time, and the waitress didn't bat an eye when she ordered up a glass of wine. Great rich deserts.

    (4)

  • Cherlyn W.

    This is actually my first review after 2 very diametrically opposed dining experiences. The first dining experience, had I taken the time to write a review, would have been 5 stars. Our first dining experience took place on 6/24/2009 and was our engagement dinner. The food and service were exceptional. When our first anniversary rolled around, we were eager to go back to celebrate our anniversary at this very sentimental location. Our anniversary was 10/24/2010. Before dinner, we had pomengranate martinis, which were great. When we were seated at our table, we ordered the escargot and a bottle of champagne. The escargot were chewy and overly seasoned with garlic. For our main courses, we had the Ribeye with mashed potatoes and the Duck with a cornbread dressing-like side. Our food was only mediocre this time. My ribeye tasted like it was coated in artificial smoke flavoring and my husband's duck was dry. What made a mediocre dining experience turn horrible was when fraud-alert at Wells Fargo shut off our cards. We paid with a credit card, which was no problem and called the bank when we got back to the hotel. However, to have the waitstaff turn on us after we spent $300 on dinner, including a $116 bottle of champagne was ghastly. I didn't bring my cell phone to the restaurant, but they didn't even offer us the opportunity to call the bank. They wouldn't even let us finish our drinks, they brought us plastic cups and kicked us out into the night like grifters without even thanking us. This was after I left a very generous tip no less! I believe that Wells Fargo is mostly to blame and have taken action with them accordingly, but this certainly should have been handled better at the restaurant.

    (1)

  • tony g.

    Absolutely amazing! The duck was insane. The best meal that I have had in a long time. The seared ahi apetizer was off the hook! Everything we had was delicious. Would definitely go back. Still salivating over that duck.... Hmm Hmmm Good!

    (5)

  • Scott M.

    I give it a 5-stars just because the service was excellent and I appreciated the Creole inspired cuisine. I would describe it more as Modern Southern Cuisine though. The food is really more of a 4-star for me. The menu was appetizing and I had a hard time deciding between four dishes. I tried everything at the table and while it was good, it wasn't spectacular and I was underwhelmed. The desserts were unique and fantastic, I wish I could have tried them all.

    (5)

  • Sisi G.

    very mediocre. very expensive. bam. there was nothing wrong with the meal, but there was nothing very right about it either. we could have had the same meal anyplace on bourbon street for half the price, you pay for the name not for the meal. cocktails were terrible and way too pricey. for comparison we had cocktails later that night at the three muses, they were very creative and cost less.

    (1)

  • Mary C.

    One of the best meals I've had in my life and definitely the highlight of my New Orleans trip. Trusted Yelp and OpenTable and secured a same-day reservation for NOLA Restaurant. The ambience based on the pictures seemed pretty fancy, but I was glad to find out that the place is pretty laid-back. The restaurant is located in the heart of the French Quarter and is beautiful on the outside and the inside. I was led by the hostess to the third floor; yes the restaurant is bigger than it looks. My friend and I were served by 3 waiters who were all super sweet and helpful throughout the meal. For the service, food, and the ambience, the food and wine seemed reasonably priced. For appetizers, we ordered the New Orleans Style Crab Cakes - definitely one of the best crab cakes I've had. The Emeril's Shrimp Barbecue dish was perfectly flavored without being too heavy - a great dish to kick off my appetite. For entrees, we ordered the fried chicken and the roasted trout. The trout came with the most delicious potatoes and sauces. I was nervous the food might've been too heavy, but we were full but not uncomfortably stuffed afterwards. Thanks NOLA restaurant for an unforgettable meal.

    (5)

  • John M.

    I really like Emeril. I had high expectations for his restaurant while I was on vacation in New Orleans. Sadly he did not meet my expectations. It started quite nicely. They have a beautiful restaurant with an amazing drink menu. As I got to the appetizers, we had the oysters and the boudin balls. The oysters were ok - but a little over breadcrumbed. The boudin balls were mushy and uninspired. This helped set the expectations for the rest of the meal. After an hour of waiting, glad they have good drinks... We got our entrées. It was surprising to go an hour between first and second course. I ordered the ribeye. Let's say $40 for a 1/2 inch thick chewy piece of roadkill was unexpected. I ordered it medium rare, since I was at such an elegant restaurant. It was raw on one side and medium on the other. So, I guess that averages to medium rare. If you like your meat chewy and your appetizers boring - this is your place.

    (1)

  • Hai T.

    I was excited to have my first New Orleans meal at "Emeril Lagassi's" place. I made reservations and was ready for some good food. Arrived for dinner at 8:00pm reservation and was escorted upstairs.. Still super excited. Then beside us was a crying baby... Then the room was super cold, cause the AC was on high... We ordered, and after a while my Gumbo came out. It was SUPER good and comforting... Then we sat there and waited and waited and waited and waited and waited. I started freezing up..The crying baby got loud, then quiet up, then got loud again.. Finally their food arrived, but they had been waiting a long time for their food as well... They didn't finish and left cause their baby didn't want to sit any longer. Finally our food arrived ONE hour and FIFTEEN minutes later.... I got the shrimp and grits. My friend got the fried chicken. Well... My shrimp and grits were... Just ok... My friend's fried chicken was just ok as well. So overall, a big disappointment... Waiter ignored us... Should've stuck with something else, but oh well. The ONLY reason I'm giving it 2 stars is because the Gumbo was good.

    (2)

  • Michelle S.

    I was very excited to try this restaurant ever since I booked my trip to New Orleans. The customer service and ambience is very nice. However, the food lacked flavor and wasn't what I expected. I had two appetizers, which were good especially the oysters. The entrees, lacked flavor and New Orleans soul. All in all, okay restaurant, wouldn't recommended to a friend. Better authentic, soul food out here!

    (3)

  • Charles H.

    BAM!!! BOOZLED Me and my new Perlis bowtie feel cheated. Back in the 90s NOLA was the pet favorite of the smart CBD set, but not anymore. I was shocked today when I arrived for lunch (in said super cute tie) and saw tables without cloths, tatty chairs with worn wood, chipping paint, and slouching employees. Obviously NOLA has succumbed to the same hubris as befell Bayonna, Antoine's and the Rib Room - it's rested on its reputation and consequently screwed the pooch. NO WONDER IT WAS ONLY 1/4 FULL with a no-collar shorts-wearing clientele...At An Emeril's?!? Further my meal was very Picadilly-ish. As you can see in my photo, the chicken was over-battered over-fried and overly-dry. I actually went to Cane's afterward and their crisp moist fingers were far superior, at half the price. MUCH BETTER UPSCALE QUARTER LUNCH SPOTS: "Mr. B's" - our best clubby lunch, (reserve in the front window-side section) and they have $1.50 martinis & bloodies; "Criollo" - outstanding food, a crisp and airy space, at affordable lunch prix-fixes; "K-Paul's" - has a very popular 'sack lunch' at prices under $15; "Tableau" - one of the most beautiful recent renovations (the old Spanish Governor's mansion - a must see, ask for a tour); "Gallatoire's" - still my favorite of the original grand dames; "August" - just outside of the Quarter and only open for lunch on Fridays but it is the best total fine dining experience in New Orleans...period.

    (2)

  • Luciana M.

    We had a very good experience at NOLA. I love the shrimp and grits and the Pork Ribs taste sooooo good. I don't really like the crème brulèe trio (this is my fav desert and always order it in most of the restaurants I have been) but wasn't special as you would expect from the place. The service was very good, our waiter made us feel very good and I as very attentive to our table.

    (4)

  • Ang S.

    Now it all make sense why there's an elevator for the 2-floor restaurant. There was no way I could have rolled myself down a flight of stairs after such a lip-smacking meal. I knew nothing about Emeril and his empire, but after two hours of experiencing one of the best culinary moments in my life, I gained mad respect for this legend. I have never eaten a meal where the standard for deliciousness ceased to have a ceiling. The dish came out was each better than the previous one, after you had just thought to yourself that you had the best dish in your life. The richness of the flavors was explosive. The stuffed chicken wing, buttermilk fried chicken, pork cheek boudin, cornmeal catfish and rib eye steak were all competing with one another with their unique but harmonic flavors. My favorite, ironically, was the dirty rice that had layered the plate for the catfish. The flavor of those rice stroke an emotional chord that took me back to my childhood. Not that I grew up on dirty rice or anything, it somehow was an unexplainable sensation that shook my memories. Maybe it was the spices or liver in the sauce. A mystery unsolved still. Desserts are a must-have. There's no better way to end an incredible dinner with trio of cream brûlée.

    (5)

  • Andrea K.

    NOLA is delicious. I came here 15 years ago on my last trip to NOLA and then this year again and it's still just as wonderful. The two-story space is elegant and beautiful. The staff make excellent recommendations. We came in for lunch/brunch and started with a lovely salad. The assorted baby lettuces with goat cheese and pistachios- phenomenal. Perfect balance of flavors. We also split the gumbo of the day which was really tasty as well. Since we had plans to eat several times that day (hello, it's NOLA!) we split the shrimp and grits. This entree comes with crimini mushrooms and smothered in a Abita chile butter sauce atop smoky grits and even smokier bacon. Oh dear lord it was good. Hubs thought the sauce was a bit sweet but I found it very well balanced. The bacon was outstanding. A very memorable dish. Dining at NOLA is always a treat.

    (4)

  • Charmie P.

    I went to Emeril Lagasse's NOLA while in New Orleans, I called ahead for a dinner reservation and was told they were booked solid and basically there was no chance of getting a table, but if we wanted we could try to find a seat at the bar so we gave it a chance. Once we arrived, the restaurant was empty and there was plenty of seating at the bar, I asked the hostess if we could get a table she said it was no problem and took us to the dinning room upstairs, which again was very empty, I thought maybe they were reserving the tables for a large party who hadn't shown up yet, but once I asked our server she was surprised and said it had been a very quiet week and said they hardly had any people especially upstairs, I told her that I had called ahead of time and they told me basically don't bother because they were booked, she was clearly very upset because we were probably not the first to be told this. The restaurant is away from the action and traffic, it has several levels, it's in an old building with a classy industrial look, they have conserved the worn-out look of the brick through the walls and the wooden accents, it was warm and cozy. There a large wood framed wine cellar room that looks like it has been there for hundreds of years and appears to have an enormous wine collection. As for the food, we started with the Beef Carpaccio and a cheese plate which was served with fruit, honey and house-made jam, both were delicious, but the cheese plate could have used something other than the small serving of dried crostini. For my dinner I had the grilled NY Strip served with mashed potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, micro greens and worcestershire sauce - It was delicious. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare and the shiitake mushrooms were bursting with flavor.

    (4)

  • Charlyne A.

    It was an easy walk to this restaurant, right in the heart of the French Quarter. The style is modern and the staff is large (in quantity!) and so helpful. The south is known for it's hospitality and this place does not disappoint. It was even better than at Commander's Palace. Our tables were cleaned off and napkins folded constantly. I was personally escorted to the ladies room (usually creepy but surprisingly welcomed considering where I was). Food? I ordered the shrimp and grits. If you are on the fence about grits, this dish will convert you completely. The smokiness of the shrimp, the smooth buttery grits, the tangy and spicy sauce worked so well together. The only problem was: not enough of it.

    (5)

  • Toni J.

    As A vegetarian in New Orleans, most dining options come down to side orders and salads. So I was pleasantly surprised when I had at least a couple options here at Nola. Started off with the leafy green salad, it had a dollop of goat cheese, pistachios and a balsamic vinegar dressing. The dressing was very tangy and delicious, but I would've liked the pistachios crushed up and a little more cheese, but overall pretty satisfying. For my main, they prepared a little special something for me. It was not on the menu but the chef created an actual entrée, yay! Which included, butternut squash grits topped with a mushrooms stuffed with goat cheese and then some spicy lemon butter on top... Kind of a weird combination but actually it was flavorful and well balanced. We rounded out the meal with the pecan bread pudding served with sweet potato ice cream. It was a small portion but plenty for three of us to share,as we were pretty stuffed at that point! The sweet potato ice cream reminded me of Thanksgiving, and the bread pudding of Christmas, actually a perfect combination for an early December dinner :) Overall, great meal, excellent service and I appreciate them accommodating me being a vegetarian.

    (4)

  • The B.

    Read this as 3.5 stars. The food was absolutely amazing. We had 6pm reservations on a Friday night, we were immediately sat and our waiter Raymond came up to our table. He told us of some specials and the Gumbo of the day was Duck and Andouille sausage. We were discussing drinks and they had a Mint Julep on the menu. I inquired what it consisted of and made it a point to say to Raymond that we had never had one, but it was a southern drink so "When in Rome" and we ordered 2. We ordered the Gumbo (which I also stated we had never had before so we were going to split it) , and he recommended the Watermelon and tomato salad which we said we would order that too and split it. I figured they would serve one of us the Gumbo and the other the salad and we would just split ourselves, but the kitchen was gracious enough to split it for us. The gumbo was extremely delicious, it was very rich in flavor, which seems to follow a NOLA food trend. The salad was served next and the combination of Watermelon, tomatoes, macadamia nuts and feta cheese with a lime-mint vinaigrette was splendid and perfect after the rich gumbo. As an appetizer we ordered the Stuffed chicken wings, again at the waiters recommendation, and also not a let down. The bones were removed from the main part of the wing and it was stuffed Chinese style with a hoisin dipping sauce. Perfecto. Then for dinner we ordered the shrimp and grits. This is a food item I have been wanting to try for some time now but grits were always a breakfast food, and shrimp was always dinner i my head so I never did it. Well it was also one of the items recommended by Raymond so we did it and the kitchen also split that. I am so glad I went with this dish as it was delicious and full of flavor. At this point we have no room for desert and ask for the check. Here is the reason for the 1 1/2 star deduction. I got the check and luckily I looked it over. I noticed that our drinks were $12.00 and they were on the menu for $10.00 (I also noticed it said MAKERS MARK in caps next to the drink) I normally do not memorize prices, but because this was such a well thought out decision I guess I just remembered it. I asked a woman who I believe might have been hostess or another waitress if I could see the cocktail menu and told her I thought this drink was only $10.00 she took my check and walked about 5 steps. When Raymond saw this he went up to her and I saw them talk and she gave Raymond back my check. Raymond then came up to my table and proceeded to tell me that the reason and I quote "It was $12.00 is that the Makers Mark is what it is made with" I explained I saw it on the menu and it was only $10.00 and again he tried to tell me that is because the Makers Mark is what it is made with. I went to say something again and he just said OK and walked away and came back with the proper check and the Makers Mark had been changed on the check to BOURBON. I was taken back by this because I do not normally drink whiskeys and bourbons and would not even know what the difference is between top shelf and well liquor would be. My husband got out his credit card and I went to the bathroom. While on my way to the bathroom I saw a well dressed man and woman by a register and asked if they were management. They said they were and I told them what happened. One of the managers said that perhaps it was an honest mistake. I stated that an honest mistake would have been met with "You are correct" and fixed the bill when I questioned why there is an extra $4.00 on my drinks, not try to convince me to pay it because thats how they are made. The other manager asked me if the bill was paid, I said yes it was and he offered me 2 drinks to go at no charge. A half of a star was lost due to the desperate attempt to up my bill, whether for a higher tipping percentage, or perhaps some sort of kickback or commission on upsells. The other star was lost due to Raymond trying to convince me that was what the drink was made with. I felt swindled, and thats just bad business practice. How many people does he do that to and they don't remember the exact price of things on the menu.

    (3)

  • Matthew H.

    The food was good, the service was fantastic, and the atmosphere was excellent. So why only 3 stars? The price. I paid $30 for shrimp with grits - which were very tasty - but hardly justified their hefty price tag. The way I see it - plenty of fantastic restaurants charge approximately $30 for a filet mignon - and no matter how it is prepared - shrimp with grits is no filet mignon. If this restaurant wasn't owned by a celebrity chef the entree prices would be about $10 less each, and the place would easily merit a 4 star review. Otherwise, I'd expect fancier ingredients (truffles, veal stock, quail eggs, lobster etc.) to justify the hefty price tags.

    (3)

  • Dirk H.

    Definitely worth going. Was hesitant about the 'celebrity chef' thing but they do a great job. Go for the fried chicken if you're tempted - you will not regret it. Great wine list too.

    (5)

  • Steve B.

    NOLA's was great. We had our daughter's graduation dinner their or rather a late lunch. They accomodated us and stayed open til about 3pm. The food was great as well as the service and wine! Our expectations were high and they were met!! Thank You!!

    (5)

  • Lara R.

    This was the first place we ate in New Orleans and based on all the hype about New Orleans cuisine, I thought that I might be disappointed, but we were not. I did find the filet mignon a bit salty, but my husband LOVED his shrimp and grits. The desserts were also delish :)

    (4)

  • Sandra J.

    I went to NOLA for the Rock and Roll half marathon and to treat myself for running 13.1 miles for the first time, I treated myself to NOLA. Oh Emeril thank you for being open for lunch! This place was amazing. At first the female hostess was a bit snooty, but the male host or manager asked us if we wanted to wait 45 minutes and we were like sure. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be able to eat and experience NOLA! We were seated at the cook's table (Area near the kitchen and you get to see the chefs prepare the meals). Our waitress WAS AMAZING! I want to say amazing because at the last two restaurants I was at in New Orleans the waitstaff were rude (the alpine and Napoleon) trust me you will see my yelp on that! Colleen was our server and she was so great. She asked if we had allergies and made sure the chef know that one in our party had a scallop allergy. She also was funny and made us feel so comfortable. The bread at NOLA was so fresh and warm. I had the Tuna Wonton, my friend had the Fried Chicken, and another had the gumbo. The Tuna made my mouth water, it was seasoned perfectly and the avocado was so fresh and the salad on the side had a wonderful sesame taste...YUMMY! My friends Friend Chicken was orgasmic! The chicken was made with buttermilk and double fried... so crispy but so not dry! The host/manager came by and asked how our meal was which was nice. The service, food, and ambiance was worth every penny. If are in NOLA go to NOLA because it is worth every penny!

    (5)

  • David T.

    Went to see my Buckeye's play in the football game BCS 2008 with a 5 day stay. The bright spot was Nola's Meet some friends up at Nola's... they were there for the game too but have been to Nola's on previous trips. Didn't know it was Emerils restaurant. We ate at the bar and the bartender was cool as hell. recommended this baked red fish? skinned on one side and came with pan friend potato cubes and bacon chunks as the side. Poured delicious brown gravy over the fish and wow. If all southern comfort was like that I need more. Deserts were made in house and the girls that made it were cute too. They were off and we had drinks together at the bar. All the help seem to enjoy working there and that made it even better. Prices were very reasonable too.

    (5)

  • jan d.

    I'll be brief. Duck was really tasty and good size portion. I love shrimp and grits but these were really bad. The grits were lumpy and the shrimp were over sauced, and the dish was not very attractive when presented. Biggest down side was the noise, could hear anyone across the table.

    (2)

  • Eric C.

    Amazing food. Very good portions (just enough plus a little more). The service was great, once they got started. It took them a good 15 minutes to get to us, which was a bit bothersome. My main entree was the fried chicken on sweet potato mash. The chicken was amazingly juicy, but it was lacking a lot of flavor - I actually had to add salt, which I never usually do. If you get a chance try their sweet potato ice cream. The only other place I would say I've had better service at is Rosemary's in Vegas.

    (4)

  • Mark M.

    I personally thought NOLA was a solid restaurant. It has a very cool atmoshpere, but need additional room near the bar. There is nowhere to wait for your table and getting a drink was very difficult. Once at our table, we got the stuffed wings and crab cakes for appetizers. The stuffed wings were very good, but not as good as advertised on this cite. The crabcakes were very good. For dinner, I got the fried chicken, which was very good. All in all, I give it four stars. The atmosphere was great and the food was solid.

    (4)

  • sara s.

    best food ive ever tasted.. in my life. in fact, it was so good that anything i ate after i came back to california tasted horrible. I dont think ill ever have better crab cakes or amazing 72 hour cooked duck again..

    (5)

  • Emily L.

    I was so disappointed with the food. I had expected so much better for the amount of money it cost. The flavors were very unbalanced for most of the dishes. The bread was not very good either. My husband ordered a fish dish and the fish was served with the scales still on it. It was supposed to be a romantic meal and he had to spit the scales out as there was no way to avoid eating them. Everything was bland or off. We spoke to the manager afterward concerning the fish and he said that it was the way it was to be served. I never heard of such a thing and everyone else that I have asked about it also said that is not the way it is done. FYI my husband is from south Louisiana so he would know if that was the way it would have been served.

    (1)

  • Kim P.

    Had an excellent "lunch" here, which pretty much ended up being our dinner too after the 3 appetizers, main dish and dessert my husband and I ate. The standout appetizer was the crab cake-I have never had better. I loved the buttermilk chicken dish. I almost did not order it because I thought is was kinda lame to order such an "ordinary" dish at this type of restaurant. It was anything but ordinary. I've never been a fan of sweet potatoes but these were so good I looked up the recipe for them. I look forward to another great meal one of Emeril's restaurants.

    (5)

  • Joe G.

    Acceptable but overpriced. Crab cake was excellent, but I had ordered the gumbo. Go to Cochon instead.

    (2)

  • Richard W.

    We had reservations courtesy of opentable so that was good. The host was pleasant, humorous and helped us to our table, closest to the restroom (more on this later). Service seemed very attentive & pleasant at first. The food including the redfish was excellent. It is customary to leave the skin on the bottom of the fish (it is a bottom feeder). Sauce was extremely tasty. The first floor was full. There were large tables of corporate diners, who were treated preferentially. I think our problem was that we ordered a local beer (which was excellent). Because after the initial attention we seemed to be mostly ignored. The is until we informed them that it looked like a storm had hit the tiny restroom. Desserts were also very good. I would go back, if I was on a corporate account. Emeril doesn't come here often since there's no place to hide. We did not explore the elevator, or the second floor.

    (4)

  • Brian G.

    Went here while in town for Mardi Gras 2010. No shortage of great options on the menu. I went for what i thought would be some simple fried chicken and mashed sweet potatoes and it turned out to be one of the best meals I've had in a long time. We also had the duck, which more or less melted in your mouth. The muscles were a great appetizer with a really flavorful dipping sauce. I wish I could remember what we got for dessert, but by then I was fat dumb and happy with my last 2 choices and probably mentally checked out....

    (4)

  • Mike J.

    My wife and I had the pleasure of dining at Nola on New Year's Eve. I was a little disappointed but, not surprised the only time I was able to get reservations was at 6 pm but it was no one's fault but my own for waiting till the last minute. My wife and I had been walking around a bit prior to arriving for our reservation and were told to come on in even though we still had drinks from previous stops. We were seated promptly in the upstairs dining area which was well lit but still a very intimate setting. Our servers were absolutely amazing Julio and Alex! Both were well versed at answering all of our questions. Meals were described in a manner even a novice foodie hopeful could understand, and boy were their descriptions accurate beyond belief. Trying foie gras was a first for my wife and I and we both loved it! UUMMMM... Organ butter! My wife had the Grilled Red Fish, which was cooked and seasoned to perfection. I had the Filet which was definitely up there with the best of the best as far as restaurant steaks I have had the pleasure of enjoying in my life (second only to what I prepare over charcoal)! Both our meals appetizer and a couple of beers and tip right around $100, absolutely reasonable by any standard. If you find yourself in New Orleans give it try! We would definitely dine here again on another visit to the city! Thanks Nola staff (Especially Julio and Alex), for being a part of our wonderful New Year's Eve in your city!

    (5)

  • Christy T.

    New Orleans is the food capital of the WORLD for me. This is just one in a long string of restaurants that impressed the pants off of me. That's right, right off! It was that good. Service impeccable, food astonishing, bring a tear to your eye, it crosses your mind you in fact should not be eating as well as you should and yet, you eat in! Enjoy, Enjoy and Enjoy!

    (4)

  • Sherry W.

    Easter brunch 2015 was a total disappointment at Nola and I totally wish I had gone elsewhere. We made reservations weeks ago to spend Easter weekend in the French quarter and had superb meals everywhere we went. Our food at Nola was the only experience that did not live up to its reputation or even it's potential! I ordered the lobster egg benedict and my friend had the shrimp & grits. For $26, my food was beautifully presented, but entirely bland and disconnected, as though different people just pieced it together. I had 2 overly cooked poached eggs on top of candied bacon and a jalapeño cornbread. A piece of lobster was garnished on top. It was gorgeous! But upon eating it, I realized that the cornbread was the same as the free bread that everyone got at every table. It wasn't even particularly special, and the cornbread that came with my meal was actually drier than the ones from the bread basket. My dish also had butter drenched over it and while I'm generally a HUGE butter fan, what I got was semi-hardened, cooled, and unseasoned butter drenched all over my meal. My friend's shrimp and grits was also pretty bland, composed of overcooked shrimp on top of plain old grits. There was no cheese in the grits, no seasoning, nada. It tasted like regular, water boiled grits that you can buy from the store. Her meal was oily, however, because there were bits and pieces of bacon in her grits, but the bacon had no flavor and just made the entire dish overly oily. I have never had a bad experience with bacon so it breaks my heart to even say something sacrilegious about this delightful piece of meat. The only flavors I got from her dish seemed to be the Tabasco drizzled all over the shrimp. Seriously? I still can't believe that bland food could be an issue in Cajun country! On the plus side, the waiters are such gentlemen and will escort the ladies to the restroom each time. The ambiance and decor were also quite nice. All I can say is that Emeril needs to step it up. Having had brunch at Lüke's the day before this one, I realized while sitting in Nola, just how great that previous meal had been, and how below par Nola was.

    (2)

  • Mary C.

    My husband and I were celebrating our anniversary in new Orleans we arrived at 8:45 pm and ordered cocktails which came incorrectly even after specified twice female server Amanda,upstairs then dropped appetizer and salads all at the same time since app was gumbo we asked if she would remove salad until soup was consumed both entrees arrived shortly after and my husbands pork chop which was recommended was raw in the middle dishes were removed and shortly after returned by manager (young gentelman )names were not given ,only to discover it was still badly undercooked and agreed by manager?? By then we had been dining over An hour and my husband was frustrated manager offered him an appetizer? Or another dish? We just shared my duck . Server apolozies and offers cocktails ( which we were charged) we ordered one cheesecake and asked for tab manager did not approach table again?? The server announced the pork chop was taken off bill ( we did not consume it?? Really!!) dinner was ruined and we felt that they could not wait till we exited been in hospitality for 30 years with 10 years experience with Fourseasons resorts and definetly know the difference in fine dining This was not even close Will never return !! We dined on 3/18/2012

    (1)

  • Patrick S.

    I was watching no reservations about New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Alicyn D.

    I had been dying to try one of Emeril's restaurants for years. A recent trip to New Orleans provided the perfect opportunity to visit NOLA. We had a reservation and were seated fairly promptly. The service was fantastic. The servers were personable and professional. I liked the "team serve" method where several servers are servicing your table. For drinks we started off with a recommendation from our server of Pineapple Infused Vodka Martini. For appetizers we had one of the specials for the day: twist on Oysters Rockefeller and the Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza. Both dishes were great! Salads...we split the Fried Green Tomato Salad with Citrus Shrimp...another fantastic dish! For entrees...the Hickory Roasted Duck and the Shrimp & Grits. Both dishes were great...Shrimp and Grits were rich and tasty. We were too full to even order a dessert, though they all sounded delicious. The portions are generous so don't have a late lunch! I highly recommend this restaurant.

    (5)

  • Sara W.

    Made reservations about a month early for dinner one Saturday night in August. We got there a little early but were seated promptly at a nice table on the main level. Service was great, food was great, atmosphere was great! My only complaint was that I asked for help selecting a wine, and the waiter just made his own decision without talking to me about it. The wine turned out to be fine, but I would have liked it if he had sent the Sommelier over to discuss my options. Anyway - the jalapeno cornbread is out of this world. The buttermilk fried chicken and the roast duck were absolutely amazing. The pork porterhouse was good, but I probably wouldn't order it again. The flavor was great, but the cut of meat was a little too fatty for me. We all shared the chocolate peanut butter pie for dessert and it was to die for. If you're looking for a really nice meal in New Orleans, splurge here. It's worth it!

    (4)

  • Kate S.

    Totally impressed! We had the chance to eat here last night on my last night in New Orleans and it was an unforgettable meal. The service is five-star yet still captures the charm and lack of pretention we expect from Southern hospitality. I had the shrimp-and-grits dish that was pretty heavy on the chili-butter, but how am I going to whine about lots of butter?? And...the desserts are phoenomenal, especially if you're a fan of bananas or peanut butter! Even though the atmosphere is not really in any way unique to New Orleans, I loved everything else about this place and look forward to the next time I have the chance to dine at Nola.

    (5)

  • John R.

    Went for lunch on a Friday. Contrary to many reviews, the atmosphere to include the lack of excessive noise was perfect. Well attended to by three staffers. Stuffed deboned chicken wings to start were great. Jalapeno corn bread moist and nicely flavored. Wife had the boneless fried chicken and it was awesome. Breading crisp while chicken still moist. She didn't want the side dishes that accompanied her dish and they gladly brought her other sides to include the house "mac and cheese" and honey baked white beans both of which are must haves. I had the "shrimp and grits" and it was spectacular. 1/2 dozen large shrimp with a great flavor and the perfect level of doneness. Creamy grits with a nice texture and a delicious butter sauce. We lived in New Orleans for 8 years and have been to all the Brennan's family restaurants and the other Emeril's restaurants as well as the renowned Bayona and Brightsen's. This was the most enjoyable meal I've had at any of them. Comfortable atmosphere, great service, wonderful food and for a cheapskate I felt the meal was well worth every penny.

    (5)

  • Lan N.

    I can't stand watching Emeril on TV, but the food was great, and Terrence our server, was one of the best!

    (5)

  • John S.

    I have been here a few times over the years and have really enjoyed it, but the most memorable time was when I was working at the Federal Reserve Bank of New Orleans (did you know that it was the only fed bank to have a bar?). My wife and I went to NOLA's and sat at bar facing the Sous chef. What a wonderful meal, every plate that went by we asked about it. He even made us a few sample of what we said we liked. Very pricey, but I will return again.

    (4)

  • JB R.

    the atmosphere and food are amazing. also, ask to sit by a window, it's lovely.

    (5)

  • Waynele Y.

    i found this meal to be the most disappointing in new orleans. i don't think i should've expected too much since i do watch the food network, and emeril's food doesn't look all that great on tv, but this was our last meal in NO and we had been eating SUCH awesome food the entire trip. I found my papadelle dish to be just average tasting, but it was SO expensive. $30 for a lunch entree is a little steep. the verdict - this place is overrated.

    (3)

  • Cynthia P.

    i was reluctant to go because quite honestly, emeril as a TV personality annoys me. i'm glad that i let go of my iffy feelings. the tasting menu was awesome. i admit that there was nothing exotic about it (you can get crab salad and filet mignon at any nice restaurant) but everything was prepared and presented with such care. it has a nice casual atmosphere... we got a seat next to the kitchen and it was so much fun to watch. the waiters were absolute dolls. mmm...

    (5)

  • Chris N.

    It's amazing to read these reviews, as every other one is either positive or negative. I guess that is why America is so diverse, because two different people can two totally different reviews of the same restaurant. My wife and I are Emeril fans, and have been to almost all of his restaurants, and this was our first, and favorite. Yes, it is loud, and chaotic, but these are why this restaurant is different from other Emeril restaurants. It's less pretentious, it has great food, and the same great service that all of Emeril's restaurants have. I realize that service, or the food, may be off on a particular night. As a matter of fact, I'm surprised on how good it is, because of the bad rap that a lot of French Quarter restaurants get. I tell people when reading reviews to take out the most glowing, and the worst, and you'll probably get a good representation from the rest. In other words, get out, and try them for yourselves!

    (5)

  • Susan Y.

    To be fair, service and atmosphere was excellent, but for the price we paid, the food was overrated and did not meet expectations from a restaurant with a renowned chef.

    (3)

  • Jen M.

    If you are the slightest bit worried about finding a "foreign object" in your food, by all means dine here. Read on...my co-worker and I decided to eat at NOLA because she raved about their food (especially the fried chicken). I ordered the redfish after the bartender highly recommended it. Three quarters of the way through my fish I discovered...brace yourself....a piece of broken GLASS, about 3 inches in diameter, underneath my fish. I freaked out. I instantly alerted the bartender and he snatched the plate away so fast I didn't have time to take a picture of it. Within 2 minutes the restaurant manager was over talking to me, apologizing profusely, and offering to do anything and everything for us. I just simply asked him to find out how it happened and I wanted to know who plated the food. I watched as the manager talked to someone in the kitchen and he had a look of disbelief on his face. The manager gave me his card and said someone would call me to follow up. Well, that was 3 weeks ago and no one has called me. Shame on you, NOLA. If I had taken a picture of that piece of glass I would take your ass to court. Clean up your act. Too damn bad you didn't serve that plate of food to your owner (Emeril) so he could see what kind of shitty operation you are running.

    (1)

  • Max C.

    I got a late seating here and was not disappointed. I had the Pork Porterhouse - just a great dish, fresh ingredients, and cooked to perfection. My friend had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken with amazing mashed sweet potatoes; it was a heaping helping. One of the starters, Miss Hay's Stuffed Chicken Wings with Homemade Hoisin Dipping Sauce is unreal. Get in there if you are down in NO - you will love it.

    (5)

  • Ankur P.

    I visited NOLA one evening and decided, after talking to the waiter, to try the tasting menu. NOLA is one of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants (US Celebrity Chef). The restaurant is spread over two floors, and reservations are definitely advised! I had so many waiters for my one table of one person I lost track! The food was absolutely superb however and I can still remember the steak with large portobello mushroom filled with blue cheese and with a homemade worcestershire sauce. Delicious. At the end of the evening, the waitstaff and chef signed the menu and presented this to me as a keepsake. When I fly back to New Orleans I'm definitely going to head back to NOLA and will be aiming to try one of Emeril's Orlando restaurants in June this year.

    (5)

  • patrick g.

    A bit too pricey for the quality and the crowds but the desserts are extra-fab.

    (4)

  • Elle T.

    another place i would definitely consider for my last meal. absolutely delicious. friendly waiters (we had an early reservation and seemed to have a team of waiters constantly on hand). best deserts ever. love it.

    (5)

  • Zachary A.

    The least impressive of the Emeril places in New Orleans, but decent good. You get what you expect, but not much else. Go to Emeril's instead.

    (3)

  • Stephanie A.

    Every time I'm in New Orleans I go here. Sometimes the vegetarian options are a little iffy, but I still love it. The service is excellent. We went there for a nice dinner for my friends bachelorette party and they took her to meet the chef and made a huge deal about the group - it was a lot of fun and made the night special. Another time I was there for lunch and revised one of the menu options to get a goat cheese grilled cheese and soup. It was the best I've had and would go all the time if I could.

    (4)

  • Jackie K.

    Favorite restaurant. The best caesar salad ever--I couldn't believe it. The beet salad was also great. All the flavors of every dish were flavorful, subtle and complex. I had the shrimp and grits and asked about the sustainability of their shrimp and they said they have high standards for their seafood. They have a vegetarian option every night. They had a portobello mushroom sandwich and a veggie pizza. The veggie pizza was great. Service was perfect. Cocktails were also great.

    (5)

  • Irina T.

    Very arrogant waiters, we almost immediately wanted to leave! The food also wasn't as good as we have expected.

    (1)

  • Sarah V.

    The Crab Cake and Pan Seared Salmon was excellent!! The flavors just burst in your mouth. Good Eats!!

    (5)

  • Sean F.

    My wife and I went to NOLA on our honeymoon in 1999. We remember that as the best meal we have ever shared together. We went back in 2015. Same positives to share. This is an Emeril Lagasse restaurant. Incredible, memorable, and thoroughly well prepared classics. From our most recent visit in February 2015, I would recommend without reservation the shrimp and grits and the stuffed wings. Incredible! Lunchtime has a similar menu to the dinner menu, and prices are more affordable. Make sure you make a reservation. Run, don't walk. You don't want to miss it. If I could give more stars, I would. BRAVO!

    (5)

  • Randee E.

    We got the 4 course summer menu. The appetizer we chose were the duck wings and they were unbelievable!! We tried each salad and main dish and dessert and we enjoyed it all! Service was impeccable!!!

    (4)

  • Dennis K.

    we went as a family (2 adults, 2 children eight and twelve). The reservation was for 6:45. we walked in at that time and were taken almost immediately to our table. the service staff was amazing. our orders were taken quickly, drinks refilled, and food orders brought quickly even though it was in the busiest time of the evening. everyone was trying everyone's orders and just loved everything. Don't hesitate to go, it is a little pricey, but you won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • S B.

    Great atmosphere, amazing food and very quick service! Our friends recommended we visit this restaurant on our trip to New Orleans and it was by far the best meal we had all week. I love the open kitchen concept and their wine list was a book! We asked the waiter what his favorite dishes were and pretty much ordered everything he recommended. The Stuffed Chicken Wings and Duck Pizza were great for apps. I had a the Blue Fin Tuna with a Celery puree and was pretty much licking the plate it was so good. This will definitely be a stop on our next trip there.

    (5)

  • Robert K.

    Food deserves closer to 4 stars but poor service brings the overall rating down. Several server mistakes: bringing wrong drink, then running the wrong bill through on my credit card (twice the amount of our bill). When making reservation they had asked if it was a special occasion and I was happy to respond, "our 10th anniversary" hoping we'd at least get a nicer table... but the table we got was in the middle of the room surrounded by rowdy football fans -- so we asked to be moved. Our anniversary was not acknowledged in any way, which has me wondering why they even asked. Food was very good, Not the best I had in New Orleans, but pretty close.

    (3)

  • Glenn G.

    Excellent. In every way!

    (5)

  • Jam J.

    My wife and I ate at NOLA on Sept 7th at about 7pm; we had no problem making reservations online earlier in the day via a cell phone app. Big John was our head server and he was top notch. Based on our input he suggested the filet for my wife and the ribeye topped w/fennel and arugula for myself. He was spot on! The finest steaks we've ever had. I must recommend the cheese grits as an additional side. Lively, not rowdy; a very laid back environment. Hope to return!

    (5)

  • Joe B.

    This place was amazing. The service was outstanding and the food was prepared perfectly. The desserts are to die for! I hope to visit this establishment again some day.

    (5)

  • Sally D.

    Grrrrr, I'm so mad at myself. We were supposed to have dinner here at 6:30. We were still so full from our late lunch that we pushed our reservations back, maybe too far back. 10:00 pm, yes 2200hrs. We got there early 09:30pm and they said they didn't mind seating us early. Some lady was in a foul mood for having to wait 40 minutes. Make reservations. I couldn't help but giggle when I asked where the bathroom was and one of the gentlemen servers escorted me to the ladies room. Calm down it was just to the hallway! We were taken to the second floor, a nice big round table close to the bar, a perfect location for our group. The menus came out and my heart leapt with excitement. The special for the day SCALLOPS! Aundee wanted the scallops too, Tony zoned in on the filet mignon and Robbie had talked about the duck confit all day. I take away 3 stars for what happened next...NO DUCK for you, and no more scallops. Ok we're here late its our fault, NOLA, I'll give you back 2 stars. Appetizers were a blur, I just kept trying to tell myself its our fault we got here late. Crap! What am I going to order there are only two things left that don't have pork, seasonal fish or red fish. Begrudgingly I ordered the red fish and a side of brie mac n cheese. I'll just drown my sorrows in cheese. Wrong! NOLA you have the worst mac n cheese in the world. It was a bowl of pasta. You know what saved the meal the service, it was exceptional, and Tony's filet mignon.

    (3)

  • JJ P.

    Menu was eclectic and fun. Food was excellent but some items were better than others. I had breaded chicken served over mashed yams and it was just....ok. I didn't find it particularly flavorful. My fellow diners at my table all greatly enjoyed the duck and seafood so maybe I just had the blandest dish on the menu. The desert, a peanut butter chocolate cheesecake with raspberry sauce was DIVINE. Overall, it was an expensive meal and despite my blandish chicken, I would highly recommend it not just for the food but also for the service. We were always plated all at the same time and there was a team of servers that worked our table. I definitely recommend this restaurant as a pricey treat. It's worth, especially if you are willing to trod off the beaten track of culinary offerings.

    (4)

  • Magic M.

    They have several house special drinks, but I wasn't impressed. Had the Nola cosmo and the Nola lemonade, and I wouldn't order either again. The BBQ shrimp are always good, but the little rosemary biscuit it comes with is about the size of a quarter and was rather dry. Stuffed ckn wings are really good. Shrimp and grits was good. Service is super friendly and laid back, yet still kinda formal. Waiters are very attentive. When I went to the bathroom they were like waiting for me to return so they could put my napkin back in my lap. I don't really need that, but they try to be so helpful. I don't live in Nola but visit often, and wasn't sure what their dress style was. When we first entered (on a whim), I felt out of place in shorts (it was SO hot out), but we were made to feel welcome, no big deal. It was very casual even though the atmosphere seemed more formal, which is the best of both worlds, really.

    (4)

  • Rick S.

    Went there a couple of years ago and it was a really top-notch dining experience. Service was amazing and the food was excellent. The atmosphere was a little busy, though not annoying.

    (5)

  • Ari H.

    The best oysters I've ever had in my life. Followed by the best dessert I've ever had in my life- bananas foster bread pudding with drunken monkey ice cream. At an incredibly low price, at least by New York standards, with top notch service. A class act top to bottom and I meal I will never forget.

    (5)

  • Wayne N.

    Cool modern feel with a hip friendly wait staff without being pretentious. Probably the most casual 5 star restaurant I have been to. The food was excellent. The price was less than expected and the service more. I admit, I went because it was Emeril's, but it truly WOWed me. By far the best service and friendliest staff I have found in New Orleans. Ashton was our head server and he made sure we had a great time. Just remember to make a reservation or you may be waiting for awhile. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Daniel T.

    Service and food were both top notch. The whole experience is what you expect at a high end restaurant. The ribeye melted in your mouth and my wife had the port chop which was fantastic.

    (5)

  • Deborah G.

    We normally make it a point to stop here on our visits to New Orleans. Tonight was a miss. We had reservations and were seated at a table on the third floor. I don't know if this floor is seldom used but the service was not as good as we've had in the past. It took quite a while to get our first cocktails. Once we placed our order, the food took FOREVER to arrive. We finished our crabcake (which was delicious) but then waited so long for our entree that I worried I would lose my appetite by the time it came. Our main course, the fried chicken and swordfish finally arrived and again, it was delicious but it shouldn't have taken so long. We then ordered dessert with coffee. Our banana cake arrived before our coffee. Things were just a bit off this night. Our team of wait staff didn't seem to be working together. So it was somewhat disappointing but the saving grace was that the food was delicious. I think next time we visit we will head over to K-Pauls. We've never had a bad experience there.

    (4)

  • L. A. W.

    I love Emeril so I have come here several times. Everytime I come the food has become less and less impressive. It was really noisy the last time we dined here. Uncomfortably so. However, the starters were great. We had the bbq shrimp and stuffed chicken wings. Mmmmm! The entree, not so much. I had the braised short ribs and some soupy bbq beans. I can't even remember what else was served with it, because I didn't finish it. Yuck! I guess everyone has an off day. I prefer Emeril's to NOLA even though they have some of the same menu items. If you have never dined here, it is definitely worth a try.

    (3)

  • Elsa P.

    I did not want to like it. Emeril annoys me to no end and I usually can't change the channel fast enough if I see him on TV. I've been to one of his places in Vegas as wasn't particularly impressed. But friends made reservations to this restaurant so I rolled with it. The food and service were amazing. We had the stuffed chicken wings and fried green tomato salad for a starter and they were totally great. I don't even eat chicken wings anymore and I lapped it up. It was deboned and stuffed with yumminess. I had the salmon with corn and blackbean salad and it was very yummy too, but not that stand out. What we loved was the fact that they served everyone's dishes ALL AT ONCE. They actually have a team of waiters approach your table with all the dishes together and lay it on the table at the same time so everyone will get to eat together, and not have to deal with that whole "go ahead and eat, my dish will come soon." I would definitely go back.

    (4)

  • Elle S.

    First if you go ask notot be seated on the first floor and make reservations. This is supposed to be one of the top restaurants in New Orleans I guess , but it was just ok to me. It took them about 10 minutes to give us our menu, about 5 minutes or more for our server to greet us, but once he caught up with his tables the service was very good and friendly. I had the filet, my friends had the fish of the day and duck. My filet came out medium, not medium rare, which he took away and brought a medium rare immediately which was so much better, but not the best filet (j' alexander's is better!), but it was ok. The fish and the duck were ok as well. We had the brie mac n cheese, which was just ok as well. I had the banana foster dessert and that was really yummy (their coffee was good too). So over all, I expected to have mouth watering, amazing food, which I did not, but I was not dissatisfied. If our service hadn't been good I would have given this place 2 stars. SO I wouldn't say not to go here,but I wouldn't brag about it either. I would say that its a dressy casual place, men can not wear short or cut-offs.

    (3)

  • Forrest G.

    I've had better, much better.

    (2)

  • Susan M.

    I ate lunch there during Mardi Gras. I'll agree with one of the earlier posters -- it's NOT really Emeril's, it more like what happens when Emeril buys and bails out an existing restaurant. The food is to DIE for, if you're into very rich Louisiana cooking (which I am). Service was excellent, and they got us in and out very quickly without feeling rushed. A great lunch place.

    (5)

  • Cathy G.

    Not sure what the rave is about this restaurant. Had the stuffed chicken wings as my appetizer & it was not something to write home about. The pork chop was average & the duck was not good @ all. The duck had too much of a hickory (smoke) flavor to it. I guess the only good thing about this meal was the cheesy grits. I would only order that if I ever come back here.

    (3)

  • Michael T.

    I wish I could give it zero stars. They hype the restaurant by making you wait, the food is average to bad and their coffee is weak at best. I can describe how bad the experience was but seriously, save yourself from aggravation and unnecessary expense, go somewhere else where you can enjoy the local flavor instead of the make-believe southern dishes they serve. The place is NOT worth it.

    (1)

  • Trisha M.

    Just had the most delicious dinner here tonight. Started with their mixed green salad, then had the shrimp and grits - to die for! My husband had their fish of the day, and he was equally pleased with his dish. The best thing, was the pumpkin bread pudding dessert. OMG!! Amazing.

    (5)

  • Paul C.

    Very disappointing. The food was mediocre, not bad, but nothing that I would order again. We had crab cake appetizer, 2 fish dishes, both sort of bland and certainly not very tasty. The worst was the apple cobbler dessert; cold and bland. Service was good; nice atmosphere, etc. Very pricey..... borderline 1 star but it was not that bad. Hopefully mgmt reads this and sets the bar higher, much higher.

    (2)

  • Jojo D.

    Enjoyed the local breaded fish and duck pizza. Good but Fairly pricy and as a tourist didn't get a soulful feel although I liked it would look for a more local feeling restaurant

    (4)

  • lil m.

    I was in New Orleans for the first time and headed to NOLA. The food, service, and atmosphere was fantastic, Highly recommend!!!!

    (5)

  • Namrata A.

    We barely knew a concierge man who hooked us up with reservations since he knew the chef (Mike). We sat at the chef's table in front of everything being cooked - saw it all. Our waiter, Gregory, was so courteous and friendly - talk about Southern hospitality! We ordered a red and white glass of wine and received a complimentary salad each and one of those garlic and parmesan puffy breads (delicious) and mind you, we saw it cooking in the brick oven. My friend ordered the steak and said it was cooked to perfection and as a vegetarian, the chef whipped up a great macaroni and cheese topped with tomatoes, crimini mushrooms, and fried spinch - SO SO SO good. He went ahead and asked "are there any allergies or food concerns I should be aware of"... so professional. We had the pecan pie and dirty monkey (recommended by one of the other chefs in the kitchen) icescream with chocolate pieces and caramel syrup - heaven, totally. Our entire meal including tip was about $100 but we were given so much more service and complimentary items - I loved it - and I liked the jalepeno corn muffin as well. This place rocks, and was a great way to end our visit to New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Consumer X.

    I need to learn how to cook like Emeril.

    (4)

  • Tri D.

    The service is warm and genuine, but it's the food that counts. With so many great places to eat in the city, I can't recommend NOLA. Nothing we had was memorable, not even the signature red fish. If you have to eat at one of Emeril's restaurants since you are in New Orleans go for it, but if you want some really great food there is plenty to be had for a fairer price.

    (2)

  • Adam B.

    This was the first place I went to in the Quarter after I got my job in New Orleans in 1997. Amazingly without a reservation and on a Friday night, no less I got a seat at the food bar. Good move. Loved it. Not just were all the dishes good but I was really impressed that the waiter sent me a personal postcard thanking me for coming. I did not expect that. I should mention that I eventually ended up doing some Flash work for emerils.com but that really does not affect my reviews of NOLA or any Emerils establishment. It's really, really that good.

    (5)

  • M B.

    MM...MM...MM...best restaurant in the French Quarter... I only had a salad but my boyfriend got an entree and I of course had to taste it (and then proceeded to take several bites of it). The desert was also phenomenal. The service is incredible. We sat at the bar and the bartenders were extremely knowledgeable about the food and alcohol.

    (5)

  • Jacquelyne L.

    For a person with food allergies, it can be daunting when trying new places. The hubby is always willing to try new things with me, but his allergies can raise ugly eyebrows when we try places with Names to them. NOLA is not one of those places! Our first full night in New Orleans, I wanted to check off an Emeril restaurant and the Passport Around the World Pris Fix Menu drew me in. NOLA was spotlighting Vietnam, that was like a foghorn calling me home. We came in without reservations, and was seated immediately, upon being seated our waitstaff team introduced themselves and the lead waiter asked if we had any allergies or concerns he should be aware of. Hubby was charmed instantly! Coming from SF where dining is an art, no one has ever asked about allergies. I had the Passport Pris Fix which started with a Shrimp Springroll and grilled bok choy. The springroll could have easily been something family made with it's sweet tender pork, shrimp and veggie filling. Fried to golden perfection and served with a delicate garlic vinaigrette over the grilled bok choy. Hubby decided the Hickory-Roasted Duck with Whiskey-Caramel Glaze, Buttermilk Cornbread Pudding, Haricot Verts-Fire Roasted Corn Salad, Natural Jus sans Candied Pecans. The waiter didn't even bat an eye when we asked to not have nuts. He ensured the flavor will still be amazing with a missing ingredient. When the duck came out - seriously, it could have been a whole duck! Hubby says it was 2 legs and 2 thighs, but still the portion was out of control. The smoky flavor made the duck skin crispy and delightful, the duck meat was tender and soft to the bite - not overdone for the serving size. Hubby loved everything down to the fixing underneath the duck. I had the Lemongrass Grilled Chicken Breast over Jasmine rice with sugar snap peas and ginger black bean sauce. I'm not a big bean fan, but each component truly complimented each other to create a very New Orleans yet Vietnamese inspired meal. The chicken breast was moist and juicy, I loved the grilled flavor with the lemongrass and somehow found myself dipping the chicken in with the black bean ginger sauce. We finished with the coconut flan - amazing! Light, fluffy and soooo rich. Not a big flan fan, but I'm going to try making a coconut panna cotta inspired by this dish. The waiters were comical and very entertaining, you can see the cohesive team who is very proud of where they work. Knowledgeable in their menu and we were very pleased with everything. For two people - mind you, very decent portions - two entrees, one starter, two desserts and coffee, the meal was about $75 dollars. It's hubby's first time in the Crescent City and he loved that NOLA was a touch of the familiar but daring enough to be something he's never tried.

    (5)

  • Jenna R.

    Excellent restaurant from the decor to the service to the food to the presentation! They also give you a nice selection of homemade breads and make their own cured meats, so that's an extra treat! So many menu items sounded good but we decided on the crispy duck liver and stuffed wings - both were excellent. The liver came on a bed of greens which would convert anyone who doesn't like greens. I never order chicken out but heard so much about the Buttermilk Fried chicken - it was amazing - you will never have moister chicken. My husband had drum and it was a lovely thick fillet cooked to perfection. Definitely worth going to.

    (5)

  • Maryling Y.

    After I went to this restaurant, I understood what all the fuss was about. I had to throw a party for 50-60 cable industry executives, and the experience was divine. Absolutely perfect. We had the entire 3rd floor cordoned off on our behalf, so every guest got to ride their charming little elevator that is located smack dab in the middle of the restaurant. We had a 5-course dinner accompanied by impeccable service (service from the left, clearing to the right, etc. etc.) and a fantastic maitre d' who picked the most amazing wines for us. This is how I became a fan of Patz & Hall Chardonnay for life...and I don't normally like to drink. The food was magnificent. I think I should say that again. The food was magnificent. I was almost expecting to see Emeril Lagasse in a chef's hat in the background, it was so good. All night long, I kept hearing our guests ooh-ing and aah-ing over their culinary experience with ear-splitting grins plastered to their faces. I've thrown a lot of parties, but this one was truly memorable, and worth every penny of the $14,000 we spent. The maitre d' even gifted me with a signed copy of one of Emeril's books. What'd I give him? A hundred-dollar handshake.

    (5)

  • matt e.

    It was good, not fantastic. Crab cake was full of shells, that's my main complaint, but it tasted good. Service was ok. A little overpriced for the cost.

    (3)

  • Barbara V.

    Was so disappointed with this restaurant. We planned for a great meal at one of Emeril's restaurants and it turned out to be one of the most disappointing meals we had during our stay in NOLA. The appetizers and salads came out all at the same time. We sent one of the salads back since we couldn't possibly eat everything at the same time. The same salad came back 20 minutes later and was the same soggy and wilted salad. That is when the manager was called over. Once we called the manger over the server totally gave up on our table. We could hardly get anyone to take care of our table and it was downhill from there. The manager tried to make things right but that wasn't happening. The busboy and assistant to the waiter were very inexperienced and it was just a struggle for everyone that night. On our way out we were in the elevator with the manager and asked him why the waiter had given up on our table and he acted as if he didn't know that was going on. I am not really sure how this place is still in business if they treat their customers like this. I would think twice about going here since there are so many other great restaurants in town. Sorry I don't have anything good to say about the food either.... it all came out cold like it had been sitting under the heating lamps for a long time.

    (2)

  • Jessica H.

    All I can say about this place....AMAZINGLY fantastic and delicious. It TOTALLY lived up to every expectation I had from the appetizers, through the entree, then dessert. Even the wine list. The service was so on point and friendly...they were great. The gumbo was delicious and well-seasoned. The duck was mouth-wateringly good (is that a word?), and I don't even normally like duck. Everything was phenomenal, and as I've said before, I'm very critical. And honestly, the food was decently priced for the quality we got.

    (4)

  • John G.

    Fabulous restaurant!!! One of the best meals wife and I had on recent stay in New Orleans. Less expensive and better than Commanders Palace.

    (5)

  • Jennifer H.

    i was never a big fan of emeril but his food speaks for itself. i would recommend going for lunch...almost the same food but much cheaper. the restaurant is rather small but felt full because of all the waiters inside. i want hush puppies now. the crab cake was delish. plenty of crab and spices. the sauces complimented one another. my only complaint was that there was only 1 crab cake. =( I've never had shrimp and grits but i'm glad i tried it first at NOLA. the shrimp was spiced perfectly and they definitely did not skimp on the portions. the pulled pork sandwich was a bit tough but the bbq sauce made it all okay. plus there were hush puppies and they were SOOO GOOD. They tasted like cornbread with jalapenos and other spices. Okay, not the best description but you just have to try it. the cole slaw on the side was meh....... the banana foster bread pudding was probably the least impressive of the meal. wait, i take that back...the cole slaw was the least impressive. i thought the bread pudding needed more sauce because it was a bit too dry..... Overall, i was glad i decided to try it and would come back.

    (5)

  • Jen M.

    I loved NOLA. Such a great location in the French Quarter and such a neat looking restaurant. It reminds me of an old warehouse inside. the bar is bustling with friendly folks and the restaurant is full of hungry hipsters ready for a great meal. I had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken with mashed sweet potatos, and my husband had the Grits and Shrimp for dinner. It was AMAZING. The service was alos amazing. You know how sometimes when you go to a restaurant and you are wearing black and the typical white fabric napkin leaves little white thingys all over your black ensemble? WELL--at NOLA, if you are wearing black, the hostess puts a BLACK napkin in your lap. I had never seen that before so I was highly impressed. The Bread Pudding with Drunken Monkey Ice Cream was incredible. The only complaint I had was that their Mint Juleps were not as great as I hoped, but aside from that NOLA was delightful and delicious! I cannot wait to visit there again.

    (5)

  • Kirby M.

    Excellent food and service. The atmosphere is great too! I had the pizza on the appetizer menu which was a large serving of wood fired pizza. It was excellent! My husband enjoyed the Drum fish. We were disappointed with the banana pudding pie and the bread pudding, but the wine and food made up for that.

    (4)

  • biker c.

    Dinner here was a mixed bag. Unfortunately, it was too pricey for so many missteps. When patrons are paying $75 each, please step up the quality. What we enjoyed: The ribs were succulent, the onion rings crisp and tasty, the crabcake is a gorgeous jubilee of Mediterranean flavors. . . The servings are good sizes for the price. Disappointments: The fried chicken was moist but bland--nothing special. The shrimp also bland-ish, but the sauce and accompanying veggies made the dish above average. Overall, a nice dinner, friendly service and a lovely evening. A note to ALL NOLA restaurateurs: Look around your dining room and note the many people shivering and covering themselves with their shawls, jackets, napkins. . . turn down the AC!

    (3)

  • Jared M.

    The steak was very good, but thats to be expected if youre paying $40 at a nice restaurant. Im not giving it 5 stars because of that. Im giving 5 stars because of a) its location - heart of the French Quarter b) atmosphere - its a fun, lively atmosphere where you can talk without feeling like the whole restaurant hears you (like Delmonico). Our table was fairly close to the next, which usually is annoying but its fitting for here. Its a very social restaurant with a good vibe. Dont go to Emerils, dont go to Delmoico, go to Nola and have a good time with good food.

    (5)

  • Richard K.

    Was in New Orleans visiting friends and they booked us up for this place. Great choice on their part. We were put in the lift and headed up to the top floor. As with all restaurants in New Orleans the tables are small and lots of them jammed in which can be a bit annoying. Between the 4 of us we ordered a variety of dishes, I had the Boudin balls and the Duck. Boudin was a modest portion thankfully because the duck was half a duck. It was apparently Poached, Smoked and then roasted. It tasted excellent but was a little lukewarm. Didn't stop me trying to eat it all though. I failed. I ordered a dessert that the waiter assured me was small. Sadly it was big and i had to leave some on the plate. The service was friendly and informal which i like but I think that was down to a great waiter reading the mood of the table and adapting accordingly. This is a great skill that can't really be trained so I applaud the dude for that if only I could remember his name. All in all, great meal. Pros - service, menu options, speed of service. Cons - wine list was a bit daunting, bit expensive, small table for 4 people with wine and cocktails and plates etc . .

    (4)

  • Emily T.

    Went here my last night on vacation in the Quarter. I tried the stuffed chicken wings appetizer, which was very good. I had the shrimp and grits entree. I would say it was tied with Mr. B's as the best I've ever had. My husband had the duck, which was phenomenal! It was a huge, whole duck that was crispy and caramelized on the outside and very juicy inside. For dessert, we split the ricotta cheese cake. It was amazing. The servers were very attentive and helpful in making recommendations. It is a nice atmosphere in an old brick building. I will come back! Later that evening, we were walking down Bourbon Street and saw a couple of the NOLA waiters entering a gentlemen's club (in full white uniform). Spending that tip $ I guess!

    (5)

  • Mimi V.

    NOLA restaurant was on my list prior to coming to NOLA. The boyfriend and I weren't hungry, however, since we were nearby we decided to eat here. We came during prime time with no reservations, but we got lucky and got a seat by the bar. The items we tried were: Shrimp and grits: The shrimp was good, however, i guess i am not a fan of grits. I would rather have the shrimp placed on some other filler? The grits sort of tasted like porridge to me. Miss Hays Stuffed chicken wings: The wings are good, however, it is nothing out of ordinary for me. Coming from an Asian ethnicity, I have tried stuffed chicken wings before and this dish was just as similar. Overall, this place was mediocre to me. The service was not the friendliest (maybe because we sat by the bar?), the ambiance was a candle lit romantic type of place, and the food was good, however nothing really stood out about it to me.

    (3)

  • Connie M.

    4.5 stars....but if I had met Emeril, I would have made it a 5-star review! ;) Impeccable service from the second you walk in the door until you walk out. From the maitre'd (does anyone still use this word?) to the hostess to the team of servers... Nola embodies the romance in the Big Easy. You take an old fashioned windowed elevator up to the second or third floor. The third floor is very intimate with a few tables as well as the bakery. Stepping off on the second floor I notice the great view of the city on one side and a table of ladies of the red hat society on the other. Even sitting down at the table is an experience in detail. White napkins for the ladies and a black napkin for the gentleman wearing black slacks. Bottled or non-bottled water? Flat or bubbly? Warm bread immediately from another polite server...jalepeno cornbread and brioche. It took all my willpower to eat only one...so buttery and yummy! I did not like my bloody mary but it was garnished with 2 green beans they called spicy. Pickled and so delightful. At first I wasn't going to share but I cut one up hoping that one of my dining companions would come back home and try to pickle some! The idea was to eat so much food for lunch that we wouldn't need dinner on the plane ride home! We came pretty close. :) First thing out were 3 pork cheek boudin balls. The pork was mixed with rice and fried and was a delicate morsel. The tomato bacon jam was fantastic. I was disappointed there was only a dollop as I savored every tiny bite. I had the chicken gumbo and the best part was the sausage. I wasn't crazy about the rest but another loved it. The lobster and corn chowder was delicious! I was trying to be polite but I really wanted to grab that bowl and run away with it! The caesar salad was unimpressive. The Nola burger was huge at 10 oz. and the fries had a hint of garlic and parmesan cheese. I think he only ate 2/3 of the burger...again, I was half tempted to grab the bacon out of his burger to eat as I am loving everything he ordered. The brioche bun was toasted and I have no doubt I could have finished that burger! My other co-worker had the smoked turkey breast panini. It was one of the crispiest grilled cheese sandwiches I ever ate! So buttery and even though there was a red onion marmalade and bacon, I thought the turkey breast was a bit dry. He dipped his fries in ketchup but she ate hers plain. I decided to skip the entree and ordered Miss Hay's stuffed wings and the assorted baby greens salad. Fantastic choices! The wings were fried to a perfectly crispy condition but it was the stuffing that was the star of the show. It was a mixture of pork and water chestnuts and mushrooms...like in a chinese dumpling. It was so good on its own but when I dipped the chicken in the hoisin sauce, it brought it up another level. The flavors and textures were dancing in my mouth! I really didn't have room for the salad but it was so good, I had to finish it. Tomatoes, pistachios and goat cheese. Again, the textures and flavors just complemented each other. There was a gentleman at the next table who also had a bloody mary and the gumbo. I watched him enjoy the bbq shrimp but he really caught my attention with the creme brulee trio. He even suggested that the three of us should try it. If only I could go back in time because that would have been better than the pumpkin cake we ordered. It had more of a muffin texture which was much too heavy. So many dishes were wonderful and a few of them did not impress me. Overall, I really like this place and there would be no arm twisting to get me to go back. But seriously, I need an Emeril sighting!!! :)

    (4)

  • Harrison L.

    Listen man.... I only come on yelp to look at reviews to pick places to try. I never ever review, but I have officially been forced to. This FOOD RIGHT HERE?? I've been in NO for the past 6 days and had everything it has to offer from po boys, gumbo, ettoufee, jambalaya, etc. I'm here to tell you forget about all that NO cuisine (even though it's good) and come to NOLA. I've literally had the best meal in my life here in the stuffed chicken wings and the drum fish. The wings are literally chicken pops meaning you hold it by the wing, but eat a boneless chicken filled with cabbage, mushroom, pork, shrimp and a bunch of other deliciousness I can't describe. Sounds crazy right? I thought so too. I'm still trying to figure out how the hell they even made them. I literally asked the waiter if I could order uncooked versions to take back to DC with me. These things are unreal and if you eat here and don't order these, you're losing at life. The drum fish is something I've never heard of but it was recommended by everyone in the restaurant so I got it, and let me tell you... the most tender, moist fish (like a Chilean sea bass) marinated in garlic and butter, encrusted, and served over potatoes with a very light garlic sauce. I couldn't imagine life being any better after the wings, but this took things to another level. I bragged about this meal to several Co workers and then finally took them. The only issue was me having to deal with them wanting to fight me for not bringing them sooner. I am officially the food aficionado among them because of this place. Like I said, best food of my life. Of the six days I was in NO I ate here three times. It's that good...

    (5)

  • J G.

    OK, first let me say that this rating is based on my experience from 2007. My husband and I chose to spend a long weekend in NO for no other reason than to visit and help in anyway we could to rebuild the economy. We went to NOLA's and I had the shrimp and grits. Even though I live in Chicago, I grew up in Georgia so I feel like I am an expert on grits. All I can say is my mama had some real competition with their grits and the shrimp, as I remember it, was outstanding. Now, I'm returning on October 5th and my first dinner is reserved at NOLA's and I'm ordering the shrimp and grits. Update will be forthcoming. I just hope my memory serves me well. Stay tuned!

    (4)

  • Ale R.

    I had the pork chop. It was very dry. It wasn't good. I tried my mom dish. It was garlic crusted drum. Hers was delicious and I'm not a big fan of garlic. The waiter was great. For desert I had warm blueberry. It was really good. Too bad that my friend and mine pork chop were so dry.

    (4)

  • Trey E.

    I've been a few times now and have to say that a combination of menu changes and declining service have reduced the likelihood that I will return. What once was a near inspired culinary delight, it has become increasingly touristy feeling - a place business locals take out-of-towners for a taste of New Orleans that's just not as authentic as it once was.

    (3)

  • Tori M.

    During my first ever trip to Nola this was the one restaurant I couldn't wait to try. Heck, it was the only restaurant we even made reservations at ahead of time. Overall, I was a bit disappointed. NOLA is a little removed from the action but still walking distance from Bourbon St. We arrived and were seated quickly on the 2nd floor. The space is tight but the architecture is neat. 4 stories with a glass elevator in the middle. Rod-iron railings line the restaurant and a modern chandelier dangles in the middle. The 1st floor features a bar and an open-kitchen concept that lets you see the action, including the wood-burning grill. Our server was attentive and seemed genuinely passionate about the menu. I ordered the NOLA Cosmopolitan which is concocted with homemade pineapple vodka, YUM! For a starter we ordered the BBQ shrimp which was amazing! The brown sauce on it was unique and flavorful and left me wishing I hadn't eaten my brioche so quickly so I had something else to dip in it. As far as entrees, the prix fixe menu looked appealing but I didn't want to get too stuffed so I went with the new york strip while Brock got the ribeye. The steaks are cooked medium rare by the house so if you want it differently, you better ask. The rustic mushrooms on top were fabulous as was the cauliflower puree. HOWEVER, the rosemary on this steak was so overpowering that I could hardly taste the meat! Rosemary is a powerful herb and a little goes along way. Unfortunately, the chef took it too far. I only ate about half. (Take your leftovers for one of the MANY homeless people in the French Quarter!!) Brock's ribeye was melt in your mouth good. The baby arugula on top added a nice bitterness to the dish. While he cleaned his plate I polished off my second drink, a summery peach drink with a basil-infused vodka. Our total bill was about $150 which was very reasonable considering the alcohol and portion-size. Brock was raving about his meal for days but I was just disappointed in mine. If he returns it will be without me; I'll stick to Wolfgang Puck's restaurants!

    (3)

  • Andi O.

    Four out-of-towners looking for our one "nice" meal out -- very pleased with NOLA. Three staffers worked our table, two busser/attendants and one senior server. All were attentive, personable and prompt. Our server knew EVERYTHING about EVERY DISH on the menu. Even went so far as to help one of our party choose a dish: and recommended the less expensive option. We started with the Pork Cheek Boudin Balls and they were so good we wished we'd each ordered the dish for ourselves. Definitely get two of these for four patrons! The Garlic Crusted Drum was perfectly cooked and tasted delicious. I didn't care for the brabant potatoes, but overall the dish was good. Table favorites (after many shared bites) were the roasted duck and the shrimp & grits. Excellent (and enormous) wine selection to suit all price points. Two-story decor is classy and not flashy. Highly recommend.

    (4)

  • Lyn P.

    Foodies who frown upon this restaurant really need to get over themselves. Yes, the menu caters to tourists but there are some gems on this menu that should not be missed. I've been to a few of Emeril's restaurants and the safe options are always the duck entree, the pork chop and the shrimp and grits. I'll eat any of those if I am hungry but I find the portions to be ridiculous and would rather make a meal out of appetizers/sides. On my recent visit, I ordered the fried duck livers, the duck confit pizza and a side of cheese grits. I really enjoyed the duck livers - they were served on a bed of greens with carmelized onions. The duck confit pizza was a thin crust pizza sprinkled with duck confit, arugula, truffle oil, parmesan and a fried egg. I know the egg must sound weird, but trust me, it works. I never miss out on cheese grits when I am in the South, no one else makes them right (or appreciates them for their awesomeness.) This version was no exception, I could have eaten another bowl if I didn't want dessert. Dessert was out of the world good. I had the Pain Perdu (which is french toast) that has carmelized bananas, drunken monkey ice cream and brown sugar bacon. Yes, bacon. Other details - you have three people waiting on you at all times - you have a main server and two other people assisting, which basically means you want for nothing. Absolutely impeccable service even on a crazy busy night. Oh and so you don't have to wait forever or (gasp!) get shut out, MAKE RESERVATIONS!!! Really, NOLA is worth it.

    (4)

  • Dan P.

    Stopped in on our cross country move, and was it a good time. Food was awesome, service might have somehow been even better. We ended up getting into the city late and had a late reservation, but just sat at the bar. We ended up splitting the Stuffed Chicken Wings, a bowl of gumbo, and the duck and mushroom boudin balls, and all three were awesome. I tried a few beers, which was nice since I could walk around with it after, and my girlfriends drinks were great as well. Highly recommend this spot for anyone who's going to be in the area.

    (5)

  • Katie W.

    If I could give 12 stars, I would! This was absolutely, without a doubt, the best food I've ever had in New Orleans...so BAM!!! We started off with the veggie pizza and the BBQ shrimp. I really enjoyed my veggie pizza, and while my husband enjoyed his BBQ shrimp, he said they weren't really anything other than...shrimp with BBQ sauce on them. That's not to say that he didn't enjoy them or that he wouldn't order them again, but compared to his main entree, they weren't quite as special. For our entrees, I ordered the Shrimp and Grits and my husband ordered the Grilled Pork Chop. I thought my shrimp and grits were absolutely delicious and the best thing I could have possibly ordered....until I tried my husband's pork chop and realized that he had somehow managed to order a dish that came straight down from the clouds of heaven. That pork chop was the most amazing thing I've tasted...in possibly...ever. I can't even find words to describe it, it was that perfect. Here's the kicker- I don't even like pork chops. My dad used to love them and my mom made them all the time...she's a cook, so by most people's standards, her's were also very good. I was never a fan. In fact, I'm not a huge pork fan person unless it's in the form of fried bacon. But after my husband was almost passing out from the sheer delicious-ness of this thing, I had to try it and O-M-G!!!!!!!!!! By this time we were in a food coma, but after how amazing all this food was, we could not possibly leave without trying dessert. I ordered the creme brulee trio and my husband ordered the banana pudding layer cake. Holy crap, those were perfect too. By the time this dining experience was over, we were so upset that it was our last night in New Orleans simply for the reason that we couldn't go BACK to this restaurant. If you visit New Orleans do two things....go HERE and go to Mardi Gras World. Simple.

    (5)

  • Molly B.

    I loved the experience I had here - great service, awesome atmosphere with exposed brick, and tasty food. I went with a caesar salad to start. It was covered in parmesan and thick creamy dressing. The two types of bread they bring out before the meal were so good and rich. I went with the fried chicken with Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Country Ham Cream Gravy and Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas. You should know that it's a boneless breast but good lord was that a juicy piece of chicken, yum!! The breading was crispy, buttery, slightly greasy, mmm mmm! Ahh and those buttery potatoes!! My mom ordered the same and thought it was incredible too. Can't remember what the dad ordered, oops. But he loved it! For dessert I got NOLA BANANA PUDDING LAYER CAKE - Graham Cracker Crust, Vanilla Wafers, Fudge Sauce. I'm not even that into banana desserts but damn, I didn't even want to share this it was so good. My dad ordered the POPCORN SUNDAE - Fudge Brownie, Popcorn Ice Cream, Caramel Sauce, Caramel Corn. Sounds really weird but it was spot on. Definitely coming back!!

    (4)

  • Alison G.

    Pretty disappointing. We came here for our lunch on our last day in New Orleans. I got the shrimp with grits - it was ok, but the flavours weren't very sophisticated and it really needed something like lemon to cut through the rich sauce. My friend got the fried chicken - it was pleasant, but for $17 we were expecting something a bit more interesting. We had gone in with high expectations based on Yelp reviews and it didn't meet them. However, the service was great.

    (3)

  • Peter D.

    I'm not a big fan of anything Bam!-related.* Especially Bam Margera, that guy is the worst. But my girlfriend insisted we eat at one of Emeril's restaurants while we were in New Orleans, and of the three, I definitely prefer NOLA. The food is solidly above average. As far as entrees are concerned, I've devoured the duck, the pork chop, and the shrimp and grits on separate occasions, and although none have quite dazzled me, they certainly haven't disappointed either. The only true standout is the garlic crusted drum, which is DOPE. Portions are large though, and barring unreasonable expectations, you should be happy with your meal. In addition, I've always enjoyed the service, which is the right mix of familiarity (I got called "dude" several times) and consideration. Despite the fact that I'm not exactly captivated by Emeril's shtick or by his food, one item on the menu truly impresses me. The stuffed chicken wings on the appetizer menu are wonderfully tasty, but more than that, I am fascinated by their construction. It's as though they've taken apart the wings, removed most of the bones, stuffed them with (I think) pork, shrimp, and the chicken, and wrapped the still-intact skin back around it. Served with a nice dipping sauce, it baffles me with its ingenuity and delights me with its flavor. After several visits, it is the one item that I continue to order, and I don't think you should miss. ________ *But I do love B.A.M. (Brooklyn Academy of Music).

    (4)

  • Ryan N.

    Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza with Parmesan Cheese, Truffle Oil and Baby Arugula - Tasty! Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken with Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Country Ham Cream Gravy and Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas - Just okay! I wanted to go to Dooky Chase but they were closed. I should have ordered something else because my mind already had set the bar pretty high. Warm Ooey Gooey cake did not disappoint. The title says it all.

    (4)

  • Sam S.

    The drum was arguably the best piece of fish I've ever had.

    (5)

  • Mike G.

    New Orleans is a lot of things special, not the least of which is you need'nt search far for a good meal. my plan of attack was to eat only seafood this trip and all had here, lunch and dinner, were yum: crab cake w/ spicy corn relish, crawfish gumbo, Shrimp and Grits(smoked cheddar-bacon-crimini 'shrooms), jumbo sea scallop w/ (deconstructed) tamale of stone ground grits-chile glaze-salsa fresca. even the hazelnut espresso and choco ganache a dee-light. eat here y'all.

    (4)

  • Steve J.

    Had a wonderful lunch here with my family. Very well done on the inside, and service was top-notch, I started with the Crispy Smoked Duck And Mushroom Boudin Balls which were fantastic, and followed it with the shrimp and grits, which were great. I really cant think of anything bad to say about the restaurant, everyone left full and happy.

    (5)

  • Kelli D.

    My first grits experience! They were tasty and the shrimp had just the right amount of kick. Our server was knowledgeable about the wine list. The service was amazing in every way. They set all the plates down at the same exact time, even if they need 8 servers at once to do this. It's nice so people don't have to wait for others to get their meals to eat. It seemed well thought out and polite.

    (4)

  • A R.

    Overall underwhelmed. I had some high expectations going into my visit restaurant having just caught up with watching Top Chef New Orleans. There are a lot of overlapping dishes between NOLA's lunch and dinner menu, so we just went for lunch. For our appetizer, we had the crab cake which was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It was tasty with the creamy spiced corn it sat on. The texture of the crab was okay but a touch on the stringy side. For my entree, I ordered the Vietnamese po' boy. Out of curiosity , I wanted to see how inventive Emeil was with this fusion cuisine. Honestly disappointed by this as it was really just an Americanized banh mi sandwich with Chinese-style roasted pork. I didn't think there was enough of the chicken liver mousse so the sandwich was in the dry side. Baguette needed to be crispier on the outside. My SO had the duck confit and fried egg pizza; he was really disappointed by it. It wasn't bad by any means but it lacked the "BAM!" flavor promised from duck confit, truffle oil and parm - all distinct flavors. Food is okay - maybe we should have stuck to what is really popular like shrimp + grits and fried chicken. We just expected more from a nice place like NOLA. The highlight was really the service. It was impeccable! We sat on the second floor by the railing and the waitstaff there is pretty much a well-oiled machine!

    (3)

  • Kulvinder B.

    Had a large group of nine people and they took us on time. Our waitstaff was excellent. They brought out our dishes all at the same time and laid them on our table at the same time, that was great presentation. Ambience was nice and festive but not noisy. The entrées are on the pricey side but delicious.The staff was pleasant and never rushed us in anything through the whole night. Would definitely go again if back in town.

    (4)

  • E W.

    We came here for my boyfriend's birthday. OMG, the stuffed chicken wings were delicious. Crab cake was good but it's a little over cooked. Pork chop was tender. I don't like pork but Nola made it tasty. The shrimp & grits was good. I forgot the dessert but it's the best. It's an enjoyable experience here.

    (5)

  • Paula L.

    Great friendly service! We had a wonderful dinner. Everything was delicious. We had the drums and the buttermilk fried chicken. Both were great. I would definitely recommend the drum.

    (4)

  • Angelika R.

    The only bad experience so far eating out in this beautiful town. Coming here for work regularly and heard great things about the food from colleauges. However, when I took my kids to dine there last Sunday, our experience was anything but nice. We were seated at a nice table upstairs and got the waiter to come up right away. Got our order in quickly, but when it came to attending to us during the dinner, we got shortchanged, mostly due to a larger table next to us ordering much more food and wine. Sorry kids don't order expensive bottles of wine. Ended up leaving early and disappointed, I asked for a check quickly, as one of my kids was getting tired and we were jetlagged, just having flown in from San Francisco, but it took the waiter 10 minutes to bring it, all the while he came up to the other table at least 3 times. Left us feeling like a poor relative at a family feast, worst $150 ever spent! Oh, well, there are many more great places to go to, this will not be the one we'll return to. Would give it 1 star just for the service, but the bus boy was very nice, made sure we had our water and made my son feel better by making a swan out of foil wrap for him.

    (2)

  • Suzanne G.

    Delicious. I was in New Orleans on vacation & went to NOLA for lunch. It was the best meal we had (and we had some great food while we there).

    (5)

  • Abbie T.

    As our last dinner and night in NOLA it was only fitting to get fancied up and eat at Emeril LaGasse's restaurant. We were seated at the second floor and were catered to like queens! It was my sister's first fancy-schmancy experience and she was blown away by how attentive the waiters were down to ensuring that the water and champagne kept flowing, and how they laid the napkins down and when we went to take pictures on the other side of the room for just a few minutes, the napkins were magically folded again when we returned. Haha! Everyone was pleased with their dishes and I enjoyed mine as well. I ordered the Shrimp & Grits, which may sound un-fancy, but oh believe me, it was FANCY enough I didn't want to touch it because it looked so pretty - it tasted just as pretty as it looked too. Unfortunately we didn't get to take in the experience as much as we wanted because we had a tour right after, but NOLA definitely didn't disappoint. Superb customer service -- the way it SHOULD be!

    (5)

  • randy c.

    Just stopped in for a quick bite at the bar while we waited for friends and another reservation elsewhere. The bar service was excellent. Had the fried duck liver, awesome. Will return.

    (4)

  • Doug E.

    During a recent trip to New Orleans, we tried several highly-rated restaurants. We were surprised that NOLA (while highly-rated) didn't have a five-star rating across the board. Our experience was exceptional and far surpassed anyplace else we tried. The service was attentive without being over-whelming; the food was prepared to perfection. While everything we tried was outstanding, we would crawl back there again on our knees to have Miss Hayes's Stuffed Chicken Wings and the Sweet Potato with Andouille Sausage Bisque. Give NOLA a try - you won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Dave S.

    NOLA was recommended to us by a hurricane drinking Nawlin's native with an etouffee printed on his t-shirt, so it must be good. The restaurant is certainly nice enough, with stairs leading to those who eat upon high. Service was good and the food was tasty. I think we had a spicy shrimp and a jambalaya. With a bottle of wine we threw down more cash that what we thought it was worth, but... Emeril, amirite? bam.

    (4)

  • Miss J.

    One word: AMAZING. BBQ shrimp appetizer- to die for. BLT salad, literally so good I wanted to lick the plate. Service: friendly and attentive Cleanliness: A+ I finally got the BBQ shrimp and fried green tomatoes Id been yearning for. Thank you NOLA! You give me hope for all restaurants.

    (5)

  • Ashley P.

    Amazing food! Loved the ambiance and the service. The stuffed wings and the BBQ shrimp appetizers were delicious. However the special dish I got - the crab crusted grouper - may have been best fish I've ever had. I want to encrust every fish with crab now. The desserts were also great - the banana bread pudding pie is a must.

    (4)

  • Anthony A.

    Ok guys nola was the most amazing restaurant experience I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy, I literally did not want this night to end the drum fish was the best thing that I've ever eaten hands down, my wife had the duck which was equally to die for!!! A++++++++++++!!!!

    (5)

  • Eileen M.

    After making a reservation ahead of time, we arrived at NOLA. We were seated on the third floor. As I looked around I felt out of place. Almost all the tables had elderly guests. I guess the younger crowd were on Bourbon street since it was St. Patrick's Day. Plus this place is supper fancy and kind of lacking personality from the staff. The service was fine, always filling my water glass, which I liked. Getting to the food. We ordered the crab cake for the appetizer. It was not great and came with a weird corn mixture relish, couldn't really taste the crab. For the entrée, I had the grilled pork chop with pecans and sweet potato. The pork chop didn't have much flavor and was a little dry. The sweet potato and sauce were WAY too sweet together. I was very disappointed. My friend ordered the drum, which was excellent. My other friend ordered the fried chicken and she said it was average and a little under seasoned. For dessert we ordered the apple and blackberry crisp and the special(Irish car bomb). The apple and blackberry crisp was good but not great. The special had a chocolate cake and baileys Irish cream ice cream. The "cake" had a weird texture and was dry but rich. The ice cream was good. To sum NOLA up, overpriced for the food.

    (3)

  • Jim B.

    I'm not a huge fan of Chef Emeril...I find him too annoying when he's on tv....but I cannot discount his talents as a chef. This was one of the best meals we had in New Orleans. I love gumbo and it's crap in Toronto, but here it was off the charts good. Other appetizers were just as flavourful and everyone at our table cleaned their plates. While I found the prices to be a little steep, the quality certainly justifies what you're paying for main courses. I had the buttermilk fried breast of chicken. Interesting flavours. Others had the filet migon (cooked to perfection) and the catfish (excellent as well) The waitstaff are friendly (did not meet anyone in New Orleans who wasn't friendly) and know the menu. The ambiance is warm yet casual, not all the uppity place I was expecting. Not to be missed while in this fantastic city

    (5)

  • Sally G.

    Hands down best experience in New Orleans, understandable why it's names NOLA! Travis was our main server, helped by Robert. Great team work! Travis' recommendations where delectable. There were six of us (girls celebrating a bachelorette party) and he recommended the drum fish, shrimp and grits, and duck. We do NOT regret eating all of it before a night out on the city. Along with Marco escorting us to the restroom, I must say- this restaurant is a must visit!

    (5)

  • E L.

    NOLA has a 4.5 stars on Open Table and totally book. So I tried walk-in. Got a seat at the Bar quickly. I was very lucky. Artichoke Soup with fried oyster was really good. It was light. Crispy fried oyster dip in the soup is an interesting twist. Hickory-Roasted Duck was amazing. It was tender, nice hickory flavor, green bean and corn gave nice contrasting texture. Candied pecan is a good little treat. The guy seated next to me is a chef. He and his wife both loved the duck. Bar tender, Lisa, was very friendly. She did a good wine pairing for me. I highly recommend this restaurant.

    (5)

  • Leah R.

    Every time I come to New Orleans I visit Nola and try something new. I have yet to be disappointed. Delish!

    (5)

  • Stan S.

    On St. Louis near Decatur on the edge of the French Quarter, also run by the same guy who owns Emerils, but less expensive and very casual. Some of these famous chief types who have a bunch of places loose a handle on them over time, but it seems this place has maintained very high standards over the years. For starters the gumbo is excellent and the stuffed chicken wings are like no place else. Had some great veal here, but the shrimp and grits are also really terrific. Reservations a must, but if you can't get them, get there early and ask to sit at the Chefs Bar. Its informative and entertaining. In the $30.00-50.00 each range (without drinks), but worth it. For my wife and I this is our favorite place for a splurge meal. Service here is top notch and worth what you pay. Extensive wine offerings and you can count on your cocktail being correctly made.

    (5)

  • Alex K.

    Went here with a friend in March. We read all of the views and were really excited to try this place. Pros: atmosphere, service, and appetizers. Try the BBQ shrimp Cons: we had a later seating around 8:30 and the whole restaurant cleared out, it wasn't fun to be the only table left there. I expected more from all of the reviews I read, but I wouldn't rush to return the next time I am in New Orleans.

    (3)

  • Laura G.

    This was my second time visiting New Orleans, and my 2nd time back at this restaurant. It was so good the first time, I couldn't resist! From appetizers to dessert, nothing disappointed! The stuffed chicken wings were unique and delicious & the smoked duck (insert a pause and clutching of the heart just reminiscing about this dish) was AHHHHHH-MAZING! Fall off the bone, perfectly seasoned & that sinfully good balance of salty, smokey and sweet! My other kudos to NOLA is their service. Not very many places can pull off making fine dining feel comfortable, but somehow they do it with grace and style. Our server (I believe his name was Travis) knew the menu inside and out, made perfect suggestions, and conversed with us like we were old friends...all while using proper fine dining etiquette that would make Emily Post stand up and applaud. Even with all of the great restaurants New Orleans has to offer, NOLA will continue to be a staple on my trips back to the Big Easy!

    (5)

  • Mike B.

    Ughhh: The seating girl was the only low point of this meal. She was not customer friendly and it seemed to be a bother to her that she had to seat us. Highlights: LEON! Outstanding server and he is a customers dream. Very inviting and a pleasure to speak with. Excellent wait staff and they know this menu inside and out. I was unsure what to try and wasn't sure about the Shrimp & Grits. It's been done over and over. However! Leon our waiter convinced me that this was not the standard fare. He was absolutely correct. It was superb and the shrimp were perfect. The real sneaky treat of the dish are the delicious mushrooms. I am not a fan of mushrooms, but these were not like any I have ever had. The wife loved them also. Call in advance for a reservation. (2) Superb meals , drinks and desert for just under $100.00. That's a great deal.

    (5)

  • Joe J.

    We stumbled across this place just strolling down street. Doesn't look like much from the outside, but very nice on the inside. They only have reservations and no walk ups, but you can sit at the bar, which we did. I don't mind sitting at the bar for dinner and actually like. The bartender Jeff made some suggestions that turned out nice. The one thing he suggested we didn't have was the stuffed chicken legs and we totally regretted it, other bar mates had them and gave rave reviews. I started with the seafood gumbo which was very good, followed by shrimp and grits, also very good. My date had the steak with mushrooms and cauliflower purée, she didn't like the way the steak was placed on top of the cauliflower purée and I could see why, it made the steak taste like cauliflower. Steak should taste like steak, not cauliflower. The steak was also a little over done. As we sat at the bar and watched the plates leave, everything looked really good. Although we skipped deserts, they looked awesome. So, if your looking for something more upscale, give NOLA a try, it's tasty.

    (4)

  • Tracey W.

    Amazing hospitality at NOLA! The hostess was warm and friendly as soon as we walked through the door. She led us to the elevator to take us to the second floor. Our waiter was great! Very helpful with our food choices. Starters: DUCK CONFIT AND FRIED EGG PIZZA truffle oil baby arugula parmesan - Quite delicious, but tasted more like a flatbread. There wasn't a lot of duck confit on it sadly. PORK CHEEK BOUDIN BALLS tomato-bacon jam creole mustard aioli - Flavorful and different. It was just OK. CHILLED AVOCADO SOUP WITH CRAB - Pretty tasty even though it tasted like guacamole. It was refreshing and tasted good when we dipped the pizza in it. BUTTERMILK FRIED BREAST OF CHICKEN bourbon mashed sweet potatoes country ham cream gravy sautéed sugar snap peas - The Bourbon mashed sweet potatoes were great! Big portions of the fried chicken, which was tender and moist. Delicious. SHRIMP & GRITS - We ordered this dish off the special menu and didn't realize it was different from the one of their regular menu. This shrimp & grits was with a more white sauce while the other one was a chili red sauce, which is what we really wanted. It was still good nonetheless. KEY LIME BREAD PUDDING Vanilla Meringue, Key Lime Curd, Rum-Ginger Caramel Sauce, Graham Cracker Ice Cream - Best dish of the night! Must try it for yourself! Every time we got up to use the restroom, a waiter would escort us there. Nice touch!

    (5)

  • Lauren S.

    Great service, great atmosphere. Miss Hays's stuffed chicken wings were highly recommended to me by friends and were as delicious as expected. I also ordered the duck, which was generously portioned and rich, and I am in despair that I could not finish it. The Saints Sation cocktail also a great choice. Highly recommend this place for a classy date night.

    (5)

  • Bill L.

    Great restaurant in the heart of the french quarter. We had a reservation and had a warm welcome and seated promptly. Enjoyed a couple of bottles of Caymus 40 before and during dinner. We skipped the appetizers but our waiter surprised us with a complimentary bite of prime rib drizzled with wasabi horseradish sauce. For dinner wifey had the Garlic Crusted Drum fish, loved it! I had the Pan Seared Creekstone New York Strip steak served in a Cauliflower purée, confit wild mushrooms, garlic bordelaise. Delish! We shared an appetizer sampler to finish the meal. Service was fantastic as well! I highly recommend them

    (5)

  • Abby C.

    Incredibly overpriced. 4 drinks, soup of the day, gumbo of the day, two entrees $150+. I'm ok paying that if the food is amazing, but it wasn't. The soup and gumbo were tasty, but the entrees left much to be desired. I had the ribeye, slightly over cooked, and the potatoes with it were inedible. The potatoes were overcooked, mushy, and way over seasoned. This dish is definitely not worth $40. After we finished our soup we waited over 20 minutes for our food to finally come out. We sat on the 3rd floor which had some cute light fixtures, but was also lacking some decor, and just seemed kind of old and dingy. It wasn't a great experience overall, and we probably won't be going back.

    (2)

  • Kimberly H.

    Outstanding!!! We had the pork cheek boudin balls and the stuffed chicken legs as appetizers, the boudin balls were better but both were amazing! Then I had the grilled peach and corn salad with a vinaigrette dressing Yummmm! My husband had the Gumbo with andouille sausage and turkey, it was very flavorful and spicy! Then I ordered the Bloody Mary they make with Vodka infused with bell peppers and wow was it good! My husband doesn't even like Bloody Mary's and he loved it! Then we shared the Garlic Drum fish and oh my was it good. It has a red wine butter garlic reduction sauce with smoked mushrooms and crispy little potato wedges! Every bite was delicious! Then for the grand finale my husband got the Blueberry brown sugar cake and I got the Elvis! Over all the entire experience was outstanding and worth 6 stars if I could give that many. The service was as exceptional as the food, our waiter was very personable and so were all his assistants. It appeared that the kitchen runs very efficiently and even though they were full the food was served in perfect timing and piping hot! This is just a great place to eat! It has made the beginning of our trip to New Orleans memorable!!!!!

    (5)

  • Silpa K.

    The best food ever!! Make a reservation. Everything we tasted was brilliant!! Appetisers: jumbo crab cake.. Served over corn.. Yummmm!! Stuffed chicken wings- I don't eat bacon but my husband was raving about it Main course: shrimp and grits- delicious!! Flavourful! Fried chicken- Cajun spiced.. Crispy crunchy n lip smacking. We asked for the chicken gravy but my guess is the original ham gravy would've tasted better Garlic crusted gulf fish- what a treat! Must order. Dessert: ooey gooey chocolate cake- I eat only chocolate so this was the only obvious option for me. It was ooey gooey as promised. But it had coconut shavings in it and that sorta ruined the texture of the dessert for me. But the banana pudding dessert is supposed to be great. This was our last meal in NOLA and I'm so glad we saved this restaurant for the last. As we entered the restaurant, a couple was walking out and the lady told us this was the best meal she has ever had... We walked out feeling exactly the same way.

    (5)

  • gina b.

    I gave 2 stars for the service only,which was EXCELLENT!! However I ordered the pork chop and it was EXTREMELY tough and over cooked. The waiter was simply AMAZING and offered to take it back without me even asking. The second one I received about 15 mins later was now under cooked:-( Full on pink in the middle and the sweet potatoes were not cooked as well. I didn't send it back yet again because what wld be the point and I didn't want the waiter to suffer any consequences, so I just ate the bill..which was ALL I had to eat from Nola. I was quite surprised since it came highly recommended from locals and I mean the name behind it speak volumes. Maybe it was just an off night..I'll never know because I don't' think I'll ever return.

    (2)

  • kari k.

    A must try. Love the food, ambience and vibrancy. We ate so much that I couldn't walk home.

    (4)

  • Chris M.

    NOLA was outstanding from start to finish. The front house manager looked very sharp in his suit and we were seated immediately. Cornell and his assistant servers were very professional and efficient. The boudin balls and duck confit and fried egg pizza appetizers were simply amazing. I tried the pork chop and it was the hit of the night. It was a very thick cut but was cooked to perfection. Still very moist and the glaze had just the right amount of sweetness and just a hint of heat/spice. My wife had the shrimp and grits and it was pleasantly sophisticated with just the right amount of saltiness with a hint of caramel. The light spice was perfect because she doesn't like a lot of heat. My friend got the filet mignon and it was simply put - fabulous. The night was finished with coffee and desserts. The ooey gooey cake was warm and inviting. Be careful though the dish cup was hot! The banana pudding cake was a little slice of heaven if you're a banana pudding fan. The staff had perfect wine pairing recommendations and each type was served with the correct glass which just goes to show the attention to detail you would expect in a top chef's establishment. I would highly recommend a night out starting here.

    (5)

  • Lauren L.

    The best Emerils, in my opinion. My duck was delicious. Even the snow peas were cooked just right. My younger brother got the mussels. Even though I hate mussels, they smelled amazing. The service was impeccable. Travis and Eric checked on us very often, and were a pleasure to be around. The girl who was assisting at our table never let our water glasses get empty, and continually supplied us with fresh bread. Out of the egg bread and the cornbread, the cornbread was my favorite.

    (5)

  • Kim W.

    A disappointing experience after the reviews and reputation. My husband ordered a streak, it was over cooked and we sent it back. They graciously re-did it but it still wasn't very good. Not tasty. I ordered the fried chicken breasts. Don't usually order fried food, but I don't like seafood and there were few other choices, and I though it would be something special. It wasn't. I got 3 huge breasts with really big fried breading that fell off at every bite. It was really disappointing, like something I would see at Long John Silvers. The wine was extremely high priced. The creme brûlée dessert was wonderful though! The ambiance was ok, but for how expensive the dinner was, it wasn't special at all, and I felt sick from the greasy chicken. The servers were very good but I wouldn't go back.

    (2)

  • Kim B.

    I'm bowled over! This place has THE best service ever. The waiters and wait staff are extremely attentive. Our waiter had the cutest creole accent and he and the rest of the NOLA staff were totally "Johnny on the spot" always making sure we had water, rolls, etc. This place is FIRST CLASS! I haven't even gotten to the food!!! The food is nothing short of amazing. We took the cues from our waiter and tried the stuffed wings. Oh. My. God. Can you say, "died and gone to heaven?" I now have a new answer for..."what would you choose as your last meal?" Yep. Stuffed chicken wings from NOLA. The beet salad was tasty and I had the pork chop which was cooked to perfection. Thank you Emeril Lagasse for being born! YUM!

    (5)

  • Kari M.

    One of the best meals we had while in New Orleans! We ordered the shrimp and grits and the halibut. So good, but the most memorable part of the meal was the banana pudding layer cake with a semisweet chocolate sauce. Impeccable service, my water glass never went empty. When I came back from the restroom, my napkin had been refolded. Nice touch.

    (5)

  • Jennifer P.

    My new favorite spot in New Orleans! Shrimp and grits are to die for. Great ambience right in the heart of the French Quarter. Cocktails are also a must here.

    (4)

  • Cyndee G.

    I have eaten here several times and I love it! There's always something new to try be adventurous it's all good. We had the pork cheek boudin balls. Highly recommended there very good . We also had duck wings awesome! I had the southern fried chicken it's so good. My husband had lamb chops also a great choice. Don't forget to have dessert the cream brûlée is so good it's a must try. Make a reservation it's always busy! The service was excellent...

    (5)

  • Kevin M.

    Food: 3/5 Service and Atmosphere: 5/5 With all the hype surrounding NOLA, this was the one place I was extremely excited to go to in New Orleans. The atmosphere and the restaurant itself are awesome. The restaurant certainly has character and gives off an exclusive feel while maintaining a certain level of New Orleans charm. The servers were as good as any I've encountered. Polite, outgoing, knowledgeable. I ordered a drink and the bartender told me flat out, "you dont want that, try this instead". Turned out to be a great recommendation his part! With all the great service and atmosphere, I was excited to actually taste the food. I ordered the cornmeal crusted catfish and it looked delicious when it arrived. The taste however was surprisingly average. I honestly was expecting to be blown away from the first bite, but that moment never came. I've had some delicious catfish dishes and this one unfortunately wasn't comparable to any of them. I also tried my wife's buttermilk fried chicken breast and that too was just ok. Not as crispy as it would have been and the overall taste was just ok. With both dishes there just seemed to be a lack of a flavor boom. Given the sky high expectations I had for this place, i was definitely a little disappointed. Again, the food was ok, but I found that each dish lacked a wow factor and was thus not memorable. The drinks were excellent I must say. Probably some of the best I had on this trip, but thats all that stood out.

    (3)

  • Taylor T.

    NOLA is fantastic choice for first timers to the city who wish to splurge a little! My boyfriend and I ended up splitting the Taste of Summer, which is a five course meal. I highly recommend it if you're going to be in New Orleans in the next month or so. The portions may look a little small for two people, but we were both pleasantly full afterward. The gumbo was very good and not too rich and the dessert menu was great. You'll want to make a reservation since it's not the largest of dining areas and it looked like it gets full on the weekend.

    (5)

  • Christopher T.

    For starters I could not get over the terrible service we received here. The gentleman host at the front was unwelcoming and almost dismissive even though we had reservations dated months prior. We had two waitresses, which was quite confusing to start, one who completely ignored us, and the other attempted to make up for lost time and lack of service, poor girl. I made a comment hoping to help bring light to the situation, and towards the end of our meal the host AND waitress we were unhappy with put on a fresh and smiling face. A little too late. My shrimp and grits were delicious, the fried chicken was ok, somewhat bland. However, this restaurant was also extremely noisy and they sat us in a small table wedged between the back of two other tables, awkward and uncomfortable. The least favorite of my experiences and definitely overrated.

    (2)

  • Karen r.

    Love Emeril, loved this place. Brunch was amazing. Shrimp and grits, fried tomatoes, wings, it was all outstanding. Service was excellent. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Miranda D.

    I had really high expectations for this place but it didn't add up. The service and venue are great but the food was too "different". I ordered the shrimp and grits expecting a savory down south dish. Instead I got shrimp and grits smothered in what seemed to be cheap high sugar BBQ sauce... Way too sweet and honestly unappetizing. I won't be back, nor would I recommend this place.

    (2)

  • Paul B.

    The best ribeye I have ever eaten. The chimichurri sauce is what sells the steak. A glass of Duckhorn Cab made the dinner complete

    (5)

  • Trish A.

    I really can't say I was impressed by this spot. Maybe I came in with higher expectations than were plausible but with a big name like Emeril behind the scenes that kind of comes with the territory. The staff were definitely very pleasant and mostly attentive, but not to the extent that these other glowing reviews make it out to be. I'd heard tell of other over-the-top experiences like the waiters actually escorting women to and from the restroom but saw nothing of the sort. Regarding the food: I will say one dish we had as an appetizer was pretty remarkable -- the rabbit gnocchi. Very tasty all in all, gnocchi were perfectly plump, rabbit cooked impeccably albeit a little salty. The other dishes I had that night though were also pretty mediocre. I ordered the softshell crab (probably a mistake to start with, on my part) and tried the fried chicken and I think the porkchop. My biggest takeaway was that each of them seemed really salty. The softshell crab batter was really thick and burnt tasting, though I think I ordered the dish more for the accompanying crawfish risotto which was pretty tasty.

    (3)

  • Gerald H.

    Great location and decor but it's the least best of Emeril's restaurants in NOLA. The fried chicken is good but should not be judged against traditional fried chicken i.e. Mothers. The mussels looks good but are very small. The highlight of the meal was the banana cream cake which is better than his original banana cream pie (Tchoup Chop). The wine selection is limited and you will pay a very steep price for non-Emeril wines.

    (3)

  • Eric J.

    It is what it is. Good food. Good service. Good atmosphere. Large portions. I had the buttermilk chicken plate and it was outstanding. Wife had the pork chop and she was very satisfied. Kids had cheese pizza. They're kids,don't judge. I will return when back in New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Jason V.

    Came here for a business dinner. We had the duck (I've had much better), shrimp & grits, and pork chop. We had a few desserts too. All of those were great. Staff was friendly and service was prompt.

    (4)

  • F K.

    Excellent, excellent service. Our water glasses were always completely full, they had two waiters bring our food so that it arrived at exactly the same time. They even replaced our water later in the meal so that we had fresh ice. We had the duck, and the shrimp and grits. The duck was excellent, the shrimp and grits was extremely rich and I personally felt a little sick after eating just a few bites (maybe this was also because I had been eating New Orleans food for the past 4 days...). We got the banana cake (can't remember the name) for dessert which was very good. Would definitely recommend for a nicer dinner in NOLA.

    (5)

  • Rick P.

    Chef Emeril Laggese's restaurant does not disappoint! It's all about the food. I felt as though the food made sweet love to my pallet. Yup that good. Any foodie will not be disappointed. Enjoy!!!

    (5)

  • Shaun Y.

    NOLA has been one of our go-to restaurants for out-of-town guests here in New Orleans. Unfortunately there has been a change in Executive Chefs and the food isn't quite as good as it was. The wedge salad is gone. The fried chicken is different. Our service last night was a bit off. Now you have to put that in perspective, it's still really good food! Just not as great as it was before a change in chefs.

    (3)

  • Mel T.

    I'm pretty sure not a lot of people know this is one of Emeril's restaurants. (myself included - until I got a tip from a family friend) My parents and I made reservations for 6:30 on a Thursday night (they're on Open Table!). Although it didn't seem too packed, I would still recommend making one anyway because by the time we left, there was a line out the door. To start, we ordered the Miss Hay's stuffed chicken wings ($11), which comes with a hoisin dipping sauce. The stuffing consisted of ground pork (?) and rice and was really good. I've never had hoisin sauce at a non-Chinese restaurant so I wasn't really sure what to expect. But they added something to it to thin it down so that it wasn't glaze-y like it normally is. It was the perfect compliment to the wings. We also ordered two of the New Orleans Style crab cakes ($11) (they come one to an order). You know how sometimes, crab cakes can have way too much bread crumb and you can't even taste the crab meat? This was exactly the case here but instead of breadcrumbs, it was too much maque choux (not gonna lie or even pretend I'm a 'foodie' but I definitely just had to Google what that was.) It's a southern Louisiana dish that contains corn, green bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, and sometimes garlic and celery. I would skip these crab cakes. If you're looking for REALLY good crab cakes, check out Meals from the Heart Cafe in the French Market. For my entree, I decided on the garlic-crusted drum ($30). It comes in a butter sauce with potatoes, mushrooms and bacon. I don't think I've ever tried fish and bacon because it doesn't sound like they would go together, but trust me..they do. Come on, let's be serious for a second. What DOESN'T go with bacon, if you really think about it! My Dad ordered the grilled pork chop ($29), which was a little under-cooked and straight up pink by the bone. My Mom ordered the pan roasted salmon ($28), which she said was too salty. I guess I'm the only one who actually liked my dish! We were all really stuffed after our entrees but of course, there's always room for dessert! We went with the crème brûlée trio ($8). The flavors were vanilla bean with fresh berries, coconut with a coconut Truffle, mocha with chocolate-almond biscotti. The mocha was too rich for me but the vanilla and coconut were perfect. I would definitely recommend this place. It's not exactly Cajun food but it does have a Cajun flair to it.

    (4)

  • Jo W.

    During the week, I am always on the road and by midday, I am asking myself "what shall I eat for lunch?" Most of the time, I end up choosing the quick option to avoid wasting time at a sit-down restaurant, but frankly someone like me, who loves trying new restaurants and food, should take the time to enjoy a delicious meal! NOLA restaurant is the creation of Emeril Lagasse, who is credited for introducing Cajun cuisine to the masses and despite having two restaurants in New Orleans and restaurants in other cities I have been, I never experienced the "Bam"! Well, I finally experience it and the Prince Edward Island Mussels I ordered were some of the best I have ever had. The broth, made of Garlic and White Wine, was rocking and the housemade Andouille was perfection! My dining partner ordered the Braised Pork Cheek Poboy and seemed to enjoy it! Inticed by the dessert we spotted someone eating across the room, we went ahead and ordered the Warm Ooey Gooey Cake. Eating a warm dessert straight out of the over is like foreplay! I do not know what took me so long but I am glad I finally got on the Emeril train! In addition to great food, the service is impeccable and the space (a renovated warehouse) is a cool dining environment.

    (5)

  • Sonia R.

    Food is excellent as is expected at any Emeril's restaurant. Shrimp and grits is a popular choice and I can see why. Also, our waiter informed us that there wings were recently voted one of the best in the city by some magazine. They are seasoned really well and stuffed with pork, shrimp and glass noodles....I didn't even know such a thing was possible!

    (4)

  • Haley R.

    we came here on a suggestion from a New Orleans local, and we were glad we did. My mom got the drum and declared it the best best she had eaten on the trip. My dad ha the sea food gumbo and it was fantastic.

    (5)

  • Jen L.

    I went so many times in the week I visited I landed the Duchess title. Seriously. The mussels are TO. DIE. FOR. The NOLA martini is also the best mixed drink I've ever had in my life. I wish I just ate there all week, there were so many things on that menu I wanted to try. Take me back!

    (5)

  • Sara Z.

    Wow, this was a hands down FIVE. Stuffed chicken weeks, fried chicken, grits and fabulous shrimp, amazing service, delicious inexpensive wine, wow, wow, wow. Oh, the only not great, but good item was the banana pie/cake. Wish we would have gone with something else, but because of others reviews tried to check it out.

    (5)

  • Meredith E.

    This meal was one of the best of my life! I was surrounded by friends and family with great conversation and laughter. When my friend mentioned going to NOLA, a $50 bowl of spicy jumbalaya and stuffy service crossed my mind. However, every preconceived image in my head of Emeril's NOLA was wrong! Reservations were booked for dinner for the times we were in NOLA, so we opted for lunch. The ala carte menu was much more affordable than ever expected. The atmosphere and service were spectacular. I started with a bloody mary. BEST BLOODY MARY EVER. WOW or shall I say BAM! Then we shared a few appetizers. The stuffed chicken wings were amazing! How do you stuff a tiny chicken wing you ask? Well, Emeril made it happen. I'm not a gazpacho fan, but Emeril's yellow, non chunky, flavorful soup has changed my mind forever. For the main course I ordered the duck confit pizza. Slices of duck with an egg fried in the middle. Perfect! For dessert we had a variety of coffees and the creme brulee trio. My friends ordered the $10 Jamaican coffee cappuccino. At first I thought they were nuts. After tasting a sip, my rage went to jealousy. So good! Seriously check this place out for lunch! It's a great meal and atmosphere!

    (5)

  • Keia B.

    Man I love this place... From drinks to entree to dessert..! My favorite is the shrimp & grits! Lawd, it's delish! If you are in a hurry please make reservations because this place is popular and I understand exactly why, it's yummy!

    (5)

  • Brad E.

    Service - Excellent. Stuffed Chicken wings - outstanding - a must try. Shrimp and Grits - you could find better. Fried Chicken - really, really good (and my Mom's fried chicken is the best and this may have beaten it - please don't tell her). Not as elegant as some of the classics, but a great dining experience.

    (4)

  • L P.

    Emeril is my hero! Amazing food and wine! And fo-get bout the dessert.....just like heaven...

    (5)

  • Alyssa K.

    Beautiful amuse bouche - at lunch, no less! - roasted eggplant and tomato, basil, melted mozz on rocket. Delicious. Had a quick and simple lunch of the wedge salad and crispy duck liver on beautiful braised southern greens. Can't wait to try dinner! Friendly staff. Good Service, if a little overly formal.

    (4)

  • Sonia M.

    Good food & service. Great for groups.

    (4)

  • Gene T.

    Excellent service. We ordered the swordfish but it was over cooked for our taste. The server didn't hesitate to have it replaced. The second time around it was good for me (very rare) but a little too rare for my companion. She did not send it back but took the more medium parts of my cut. The fish was not of even thickness and therefor difficult to cook evenly. The cut needed to be of consistent thickness. But I would go back. :-)

    (4)

  • Bambi C.

    The best meal we had on our trip. Chicken Breast on a bed of mashed Sweet Potato's with sugar snap peas, perfect. Shrimp and Grits were also high on the list. Service was great and the drinks were awesome.

    (5)

  • Lynn C.

    we were told by a friend's parents that NOLA is a must-go place in New Orleans. Usually fine-dining restaurants get so hyped-up that when you're actually there and eating the food, you get a little disappointed. However, NOLA did not disappoint! First, the bread. They had two types: jalapeno corn bread and this other one with bacon and caramelized onion. I'm not a fan of corn bread in general so I didn't really eat the former. The latter...WOW, it's like eating bacon, but not. I ate two of those buns. Second, the appetizer. I had the gumbo of the day, which was a pork of some sort. At first taste, I thought it was okay, but as I kept eating it, the taste got better, and just lingers in your mouth..... Third, the entree. I had the grilled pork, as recommended by our server. I have never had grilled pork (bone-in) that was as good as the one I had here. SImply the BEST. It was sooo flavourful on the outside, and the juicy on the inside. Not too much fat either, which is a problem in most pork chops. I ate most of the double-cut because I just couldn't stop eating. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of sweet potatoes so I just had one or two. As a fan of sweet potatoes, my boyfriend said they were okay. My boyfriend got the filet mignon. He said he liked it, but I personally was not a fan of the blue cheese on the top, so I left it for him to enjoy..haha. Fourth, the wine. We got a half bottle of a French red bordeaux (I don't know the name cuz I forgot to ask my friend who picked it!!). It was only $28, which is on the cheaper scale, but it was vintage (2002) and light, and fruity, and sweet...I've never had red wine like this before. I loved it! Unfortunately, we had no room for dessert, which I heard, is one of the best parts of being there...maybe next time! The servers, on the other hand, were just average. They weren't rude or anything, but I would have expected them to be friendlier at a fine-dining restaurant such as this.

    (4)

  • Jennifer R.

    A bunch of people recommended NOLA, so we knew we had to try it. This place is three floors of fun - we took an elevator to our table! Our server was helpful and professional, and our whole meal, from start to finish, lasted under an hour (something I noticed in New Orleans. We had a lot of quick meals!). We got the BBQ shrimp to start, which was tasty. I got the pork shank for my meal. It was tasty and huge! Loved the goat cheese polenta. My boyfriend got the fried chicken. It tasted a little different from fried chicken I've had before, but it was good. Tasty meal and one of our faves during the trip!

    (4)

  • Judy H.

    Very impressed with NOLA. Agree with other reviewers that the Chicken Wings are a must. Had the Chicken Breast for lunch which was delicious and very generous. Some of the wait staff seemed a little cool, but maybe they were just busy.

    (4)

  • Dorothy L.

    We loved this restaurant. The food was excellent. We got the crabcake and it was tasty with just enough spice to it. For dinner we had the fried chicken and the pork chop. The chicken was really tender and flavorful. The pork chop was huge and had really good flavor also. For dessert we got the creme brulee trio and it was triple good. Service was awesome from the greeter to the servers. It was excellent we'll be going again.

    (5)

  • Debora D.

    Good, but not what I expect from an Emeril's Restaurant. Walking the French Quarter on a Monday night Feb 27 looking for a place to satisfy the pallets of 8 different people was a challenge to say the least. We found Nola's which seemed to have something everyone would eat. We had been walking for over an hour and all were hungry and willing to compromise. We were pleasantly surprised to find out they could make room for us (at 6:00 pm) and that this was an Emeril's Restaurant. Drinks and bread were provided before our starters. The plain roll was too sweet for my taste, but the jalapeno corn bread was not too spicy and a nice change from the norm. 2 in my party had the Gumbo expecting it to be phenomenal, but it disappointed as nothing out of the ordinary. I decided on the Fillet but was not interested in the accompaniments (I detest blue cheese) so I asked the server what the Patatas Bravas were on the Rib Eye dish as I might go that route instead. He described them as spicy, so I opted instead for the fingerling potatoes. My steak was wonderful and cooked perfectly, but arrived with the Patatas Bravas. The headwaiter for our table argued a bit regarding my order, which surprised me but was happy to bring the fingerlings instead. The fingerlings were wonderful and worth the wait and argument. Our party also had the Grilled seasonal fish, Drum, Salmon, Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken and Grilled Pork Chops. All of which were very good, but not spectacular. The only complaint we had as a group was the wait for our food. It was over an hour between our salads and the main meal. (Good thing I had wine :) We had to ask the waiter about the delay, and were advised it was due to a large party in front of us. I think it would have gone over with our party better if we were proactively advised or some offer of appeasement or apology, but alas, none offered from a rather cold staff. We dined on the 2nd floor (there are 3) and it was very loud in the room once it filled up. Conversation with 8 was difficult but not impossible. One assistant waiter and the host were a pleasure to be around; I was remiss in not getting their names for this review. Blame the wine, two of us killed the bottle due to the wait... Overall, it was good, but of no comparison to the exceptional food and outstanding service, I have received in the two Emeril's restaurants in Orlando.

    (4)

  • Jamie W.

    I've been to many Emeril restaurants and for some reason this one just doesn't stand out as much. Maybe because I was under the impression that Emeril was from New Orleans and then I later found out that he is not. Maybe it's because people clamor to go to this place. I'm a little embarrassed to say I got caught up in the hype so much that I even took a 10pm reservation in order to eat here... Overall the food was good. Not as great as other Emeril restaurants I've been to, but good. The service was impeccable of course. That is pretty much to be expected at any high end New Orleans restaurant. Even at 10pm we had to wait for our table. Then we had to wait for an elevator to go up to our table. And then we waited a little more. With so many great restaurants in the city I can't say that this one would make my list as one to return to. Maybe if we had eaten a little earlier it would have made a bit of difference. Unfortunately I just wasn't that impressed.

    (3)

  • Sasha S.

    If you have family in town and want to go to a really nice restaurant for lunch or dinner, I definitely would recommend this restaurant. Excellent service, excellent food, excellent atmosphere! LOVED the fried chicken with mashed sweet potato...best thing on the menu!

    (5)

  • Sara T.

    Definitely make reservations for this place because it gets packed. It's fairly small here, but service was pretty good. My boyfriend ordered the escargot with herb scampi butter. It comes with 12, so you might want to share this with someone. I had the adoullie crusted scallops with a rabbit ragout. It came with 2 huge scallops with crispy onions on top. For my main dish, I had the mahi mahi--nothing unique or special about it. My boyfriend had the rib eye special & it came with prawns and parsnip puree. For dessert, I recommend their almond tart. My boyfriend ordered two desserts (yes, two) & he got the chocolate bread pudding with sweet potato ice cream and the ooey gooey cake with coffee ice cream, but my dessert was the best out of the three. I wasn't shocked by this dinner. For the price, I would recommend going to any of John Besh's restaurants. I expected more and was a little disappointed at the menu and flavor.

    (3)

  • Dean H.

    First time visitor. Really enjoyed the experience. The host was great. Pronounced my name correctly and even remembered my name on the way out 2 hours later. Excellent service. Nice food recommendations. I had the duck and loved it. My guests enjoyed their meals as well. Good wine selection. Great place for a business dinner. Even though the restaurant was full the noise level was not too loud. Conversation was very easy.

    (4)

  • Castine H.

    This was my second time at NOLA, and both have been fantastic. I went about 6 years ago on a trade show trip, and went again a few nights ago when in town for the same trade show. When I heard the show was back in New Orleans, I knew I'd be coming to NOLA again for dinner. The space is very busy and bustling, and this time our party was sat in the upstairs room, which was crowded and lively. The waitstaff was superb. They do wait "teams" here instead of just one waiter, so you're always being checked on and taken care of. They have vodka steeping in all sorts of pickled veggies: green beans, sundried tomatoes, garlic, olives, etc. They have it listed on the menu for the Cajun Bloody Mary, but excuse me if it isn't just PERFECT for a Cajun dirty Martini! The spicy pickled vodka was perfect for a pre-dinner drink while we tried to decide on what to get. For starters, we shared the Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza with Parmesan Cheese, Truffle Oil and Baby Arugula ($9). It was done in the wood-fired oven and the hostess told us it was her favorite dish while she took us to our table. She was right...it was good. My only slight complaint is that there was very little duck confit. I think there should've been a tad more. We also shared the Emeril's Barbecued Gulf Shrimp with Rosemary Biscuit ($10), which is one of his signature dishes. None of us were that impressed with this. It was okay, but we were expecting great, especially since the waiter told us it was one of his best dishes. We also shared the Maine Lobster and Celery Root tossed in a Green Onion-Buttermilk Dressing with Roasted Beets, Spiced Walnuts and Arugula ($14). This was great! The lobster was sweet and delectable and the shaved, crisp celery root played really well off the succulent lobster. Plus, add beets to anything, and it's 40x's better. For mains, I got the Garlic Crusted Drum Cooked in the Wood Burning Oven with Brabant Potatoes, Crimini Mushrooms, Bacon and Sauce Beurre Rouge ($30). Of the three entrees, this was the least favorite of the table. It was another one recommended by the hostess. It just seemed to fall a little short to me. Nothing on the plate stood out to me as great, so while it was good indeed, it just didn't wow me. Friend 1 got the Rib Eye, but done with the Filet Mignon menu sides on the waiter's recommendation: with Thyme Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes, House Cured Bacon, Maytag Blue Cheese, Toasted Walnuts, Port Wine-Veal Glacé and Shallot Crisps ($38). This was ridiculously decadent and delicious! The rib eye was boneless, but had so much flavor and just the right amount of fat. The blue cheese and port wine just made it that much richer and scrumptious! Friend 2 got the Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken with Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Country Ham Cream Gravy and Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas ($27). This was some seriously good fried chicken. It was really crusted with the breading, and fried perfectly, and so moist inside! The sweet potatoes and snap peas were perfect sides to this down-home comfort food dish. For dessert, we shared a Kings Cake something or other. I don't remember exactly what it was, but it was damn good. Came with cheesecake ice cream that was one of the yummiest things I've ever had! We also got a scoop of the Rosemary Grapefruit sorbet. This wasn't as successful. They used too much rosemary and it was overpowering, and the grapefruit was so tart I didn't feel they were a good combination. It sure was interesting though. A small complaint is that I wish the portions were smaller, because none of us finished our meals. Not that you have to finish them, but my mindset is charge slightly less and make the portions reasonable instead of charging more and making them gigantic. They were literally gigantic. And then it is a bummer to see all that wasted food. I think Friend 1 and 2 only ate about half of their meals, since they were so big and heavy. My fish wasn't as large of a portion, but it was still much bigger than it needed to be. They must waste so much food every night, so I wish they'd do smaller plates. I do recommend this place highly. It's definitely expensive, but when the company's paying, that's fine! It's perfect for a special occasion or a foodie in town on vacation. The wait staff was great, the vibe was lively, and the food was delicious.

    (4)

  • Farah M.

    In a recent vaca to NOLA we ate at the NOLA Restaurant and was really disappointed. I had ordered the shrimp and grits for dinner which I was dying to try, and it was too much. It was too thick, too rich, too many flavors that did not go well at all. My husband ordered the buttermilk fried breast of chicken, which was good, better than my meal, but still, nothing we were dying to have again. Also, it was very, very cold in there. Us and the table next to us had requested the air be turned down several times. What was great was the service -- food, not so much.

    (2)

  • Stephen T.

    Service here was off the charts. Went here with my wife and our five kids. Couldn't ask for more from the staff. The food was very good, but could use another notch up in creativity. The drum was the best thing we all had.

    (4)

  • Janel L.

    Excellent food and service.

    (4)

  • Tom S.

    The service is where I was amazed. They let you feel very special. The bread and butter served before the meal was hot and delicious. The wine pairing with our crab cakes and duck confit pizza appetizers worked well. The drum, it's a fish, was tasty enough with veggies cooked appropriately. Nothing wow'd me of the food though. It was all just... 'good.' Once again, the service was impeccable.

    (4)

  • Jocelyn L.

    I'm Not the biggest Emeril fan, so when my friend suggested that we check out this place, I was a little hesitant, but thought...what the heck. I wasn't terribly impressed by the food, but I think I was more surprised that it was a tad better than I had thought. Service: Our server was very attentive and nice Food: - Pita bread baked with Parmesean and Garlic: Too oily, doughy and tasteless. I did Not like this dish at all - Hickory Roasted Duck with Grits: Pretty good but it was a little dry. I've definitely had better duck. Fairly generous portion though. Grits was OK. Nothing fantastic - Warm Ooey Gooey Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow and Coconut Shavings and Coconut Chocolate Balls with a scoop of ice-cream: We were expecting something MUCH bigger; it was placed in a small cup...and we were waiting for the rest of the dessert to appear when we realized that THAT was it. Oh It was tasty, but not worth the 20 mins wait that we were subjected to. Overall, fairly good food, but i'd rather spend my $50++ (per person) somewhere else since there're so many different, authentic places for dinner. Gotta love New Orleans!

    (3)

  • Tim M.

    Outstanding in every respect. Bam!

    (5)

  • Erik N.

    Holy crap! After way too much online research, I settled on NOLA for a special dinner in The Crescent City. Sure, it didn't hurt to find out that NOLA was one of Emeril's restaurants. I know. I know. When you here that a restaurant is somehow associated with a TV chef, you cringe and assume the worst. Have an open mind! My companion and I walked past the place earlier in the day and peered in the window. No great shakes as the place seemed almost abandoned. Later that evening, we walked in, were quickly greeted and taken to our seats. This is when we realized the restaurant is actually three stories. From what I can tell, smaller parties are seated on the third floor. The atmosphere on that floor at least is nice and quiet. There were a few other couples around enjoying dinner. Wait staff was friendly and attentive. The adult beverages we ordered were delicious (we had a few). As I sometimes suffer from not being too adventurous, we ordered a simple cheese plate as an appetizer. The plate featured a hard cheese whose name escapes me, a soft goat's milk blue cheese that was to die for, and a fresh machengo. The real stars of the cheese plate are the preserves that come with it. A delicious plum preserve presented the perfect complement for the machengo. A cranberry preserve went very nicely with the blue cheese. On to the main course! I ordered the shrimp and grits and my companion had the grilled pork chop. The shrimp and grits were spectacular. The cheddar grits were perfect. The shrimp was complemented by bacon and mushrooms and a rich butter sauce. My companion's pork chop was delicious (she shared!). I'm not a fan of sweet potatoes, but she loves them and said these were some of the best she's ever had. By the end, we were too full for dessert, but we hope to return to try a few other things on the menu. I cannot recommend this place enough.

    (5)

  • Scott P.

    Simply delicious! Thoroughly enjoyed my shrimp and cheese grits and I got to taste the pork chop (which was awesome)... our appetizers were fantastic too... the gulf shrimp and crawfish special and the crab cakes... I was very grateful that I planned a few weeks ahead and made a reservation, the place was packed! At first, I was a little concerned that this was going to be a rough night. My first contact with the maitre d was filled with pretension and mediocre communication. Very unwelcoming. Luckily, our dinner experience was the exact opposite! Our waiter and support staff were outstanding and spent a great deal of effort making the dining experience perfect.

    (5)

  • Laura F.

    The service deserves five stars. On point, even though my card was charged for someone else's meal as well as my own. Whatever. Honest mistake. The food? Only ok. I ordered the shrimp and grits. Way too sweet... the sauce tasted like a bbq sauce. Weird. I grew up in the South and this is not how I remember them. Save your money.

    (3)

  • Greg B.

    I won't get in to specifics about the dining experience I had at Emeril's fine little establishment, but know this: If I had been sent to the electric chair an hour after, and this was my last meal, I would have died a happy, content man.

    (5)

  • Linda B.

    Had dinner here last night. Crab cake appetizer was good. We ordered the drum fish which was quite spicy. I had their signature fried chicken which was nothing special. Lots of chicken tasting like it was breaded in coconut. Snap peas were out of this world. Service was excellent and decor cute. With wine and a shared dessert bill was $170. For two people. Wouldn't run back to eat there.

    (4)

  • Ellis S.

    This is a difficult review to write since the stars were all over the place. We made the reservations well in advance because my husband wanted to go for his birthday after I had raved about it. The place is really attractive. We were whisked up to the second floor in a real cool elevator and were seated in a nice spot ovelooking the entrance. The young lady who waited on us seemed to be a trainee. Generally we are OK with that but the service left much to be desired. This is a nice restaurant and I expected leisurely service but that was not to be. I felt rushed to make a drink order. The drinks were good. The bread was wonderful. The appetizers were tasty and as we were eating and drinking, I noticed that the waitstaff was standing behind the hubby, looking at our plates and waiting to swoop in to take them. The very moment I took the last bite of my appetizer, my plate was whisked away and our entrees were delivered. Had this been a diner, no problem but this is a fine dining restaurant that we got dressed up for. I expected better, more leisurely and more responsive service. I loved my entree and hubby liked his. I requested a wine suggestion to go with my entree and it was amazing! After our entree plates were whisked away, we were presented with desert menus. We ordered deserts, enjoyed them and were presented with the check. We paid upscale prices for good food but a real poor dining experience. In addition, the men's room was in poor condition. This was tough because I had such a great experience several years ago. You might be wondering if we were rushed because people were waiting. Nope, there were several empty tables throughout our stay. We were served our high-priced meal in the record time of one and a half hours.

    (2)

  • Camille P.

    I am still soooooooooo disappointed with the food! Yes, service was excellent and the decor and atmosphere was perfect, but our entrees were just waaaaay too salty and just seemed of low quality. As you walk in, the hostess stand in directly in the middle with about 3 people working the desk. There are 3 floors to the restaurant. The elevator is located behind the hostess stand. I had reservations for 5 ladies at 6:45pm and we were seated immediately. Everyone was nice. As we walked toward the elevator, the kitchen staff had to stop what they were doing and took a peak at me and my girls. It was a nice little moment! Anyways, on to the food. Apps: Crab cake - there was more bread crumbs than there was crab. It came with a light corn maque choux which was good. Mussels - they were steamed in a savory, buttery and light garlic sauce. The mussels were plumb, tender and cooked perfectly. Charbroiled oysters - they were charbroiled in a cast iron skillet that had 6 mini cups to hold the oysters. The flavor was good, but I was hoping the oyster were still in their shell with the burnt charcoal look and taste. This is where is gets bad: Entrees: Wood oven grilled crusted Drum - the breading/stuffing that came on top of the fish was waaaay too salty. I just scraped it off and squeezed tons of lemon on it. The dish came with string beans, pecans, potatoes and bacon...I killed that part of the dish! Duck - it was tender and juicy, but the fat could have been rendered off a little bit more. My gf liked it, so that's a plus. My sis ordered the Drum as I did and she liked it and was okay with the breading on top of the fish. My other two gfs ordered the Gumbo with Ham Hock and Sausage. They said that there was no ham hock to be found and the gumbo was waaay too salty. One gf ordered a side of the roasted potatoes and OMG.....the potatoes were parbroiled in salted water that was waaaaaay too salty. I think the kitchen accidentally messed that up bc they should not serve something soooo salty.... Dessert: We were so disappointed with our entrees that we just opted for something that cannot be screwed up - we ordered the creme brulee trio. It was a vanilla creme brulee, coconut, and coffee. Dessert came out looking gorgeous and tasted delicious. You know, I would like to give this place another chance, but there are so many other restaurants nearby that have the same so-called reputation.....that I just would not go back......sorry Emeril!!

    (1)

  • Jennifer G.

    I have eaten at NOLA twice now and have been blown away on both occasions. The food is unbelievable and the staff so attentive and pleasant. They treat you like honored guests and it is truly a pleasure to eat there. I have tried the duck confit pizza, the crawfish cheesecake, the fried chicken, and the shrimp and grits. Every bite has been delicious.

    (5)

  • Diane M.

    I am a but ambivalent to write this review because the food at Nola's was excellent! We had a wonderful waiter, Nat, who was very accommodating and attentive. I had the New Orleans Crab Cake which was good, but fell in love with the grilled pork chop, which was succulent and flavorful. However, as my friends and I were discussing dessert, a MOUSE ran across the restaurant floor. He actually ran across twice. Needless to say, a table full of women from NY were not amused. Management came to our table and tried to apologize, but one manager made a comment about us being from NY and implied that we should be used to it. I'm from NY but I never dined with a mouse before. Management ended up comping dessert and our drinks (after a semi heated discussion), but the damage was done. So, bottom line, good food, good service, lousy manager (one of them), but an apparent rodent problem. So, you decide...

    (3)

  • Regi P.

    The food here made the trip to New Orleans more than worth it. On a misty warm night, I ordered a stuffed chicken wing appetizer which had a surprisingly Asian taste, a grilled daily fish special entree - which on that day was a mahi mahi - and their famous ooey gooey chocolate cake. It was heaven. I recommend anybody eat here. My only regret is not having enough room to try the slow cooked turkey and sausage gumbo. A small word about the service - great. Travis was our server and he was funny and attentive.

    (5)

  • Chris W.

    I had the meatiest, tastiest duck I've ever had at this place. It doesn't really fit the bill of being a Cajun/New Orleans authentic restaurant (I have authority since I grew up in the area) but don't let that keep you from giving your taste buds a treat. Try the homemade ice creams or the banana pudding layer cake for dessert and call a cab to take you back to your hotel or B&B for a blissful night's sleep.

    (4)

  • Julie R.

    I visited NOLA on a Saturday night in March. While my mother had been to NOLA (her favorite) on a previous trip to New Orleans, it was my first time. NOLA did not disappoint. Friendly, down-to-earth, and attentive staff were happy to answer questions and make recommendations. The food was flavorful and well-balanced, the martini perfect and the wine a lovely match to each of our dishes, oh, yes and the desserts were yummy! We did not feel rushed and our napkins were refolded each time we left the table--something I always appreciate. Thank you, NOLA, for a lovely dining experience. I will return on my next trip to the Big Easy. Make your reservation in advance and take the time to check out this gem on your visit.

    (3)

  • Damond S.

    NOLA is cool. This was my second visit, and I went back for a reason, the food is good. I started with the duck confit and fried egg pizza with arugula, which really was a great starter for me....I then had the seasonal fish of the day, grilled, that was very good! So why not 4 or 5 stars? The service. It wasn't terrible, but there were some things that should not go overlooked. First, if i come into a restaurant, that's going to run me $50-60 a person, I should be greeted with some level of enthusiasm...just saying...:) Also, I had to hunt down my server just to order my main dish. I am trying not to be so critical...But the service just doesn't match the food and the personality that is behind the food....A Smile and enthusiasm goes a long way....But shout out to the one waiter who tried his best to offer great service.

    (3)

  • Joseph B.

    I had a great experience at NOLA... I highly suggest sitting at the cooking station bar where you can watch the chef go to work. I had the drum and watched it get prepared. Fantastic! The staff was awesome and I thought the prices were very reasonable. One of my favorites in New Orleans for sure.

    (5)

  • John L.

    My wife and I came here to begin a week-long trip, and arrived just about right off the plane into NoLa, specifically to try the Reveillon menu, of which we had heard very good things... it wasn't that great. NOLA in general is a loud, friendly, and casual joint... we had a reservation and were immediately seated on the bottom floor. Cocktails began the evening and they were both pretty average (far too sweet). My wife and I split the full reveillon menu (2 options for each of 4 courses, so we tried everything)... things began with a rabbit terrine and a pumpkin soup w/ sweetbreads. The best thing about the first course was probably the pickled veggies that came with the terrine... the terrine itself was on the sloppy side, not well pressed and sort of watery in a way. The soup was fine just not memorable and the sweetbreads on top were pathetic... more like croutons than sweetbreads (they were probably overcooked before they were placed into a hot soup which didn't help). 2nd course: Foie on top of a salad versus Blue crab meat on top of a salad... the foie was average but the plate was really poorly designed, and ultimately you only felt like you were eating candied pecans with fancy butter. The blue crab salad was almost completely un-dressed... crab meat tasted good but it was a joke as a plate. 3rd course: Here's the saving grace, thank god... Stuffed quail versus roasted gulf fish (I think it was redfish). Both plates tasted like straight up New Orleans, well seasoned, flavors melding. The quail was OK but overstuffed like a balloon (stuffing meh) but the black eye peas and cabbage (lots of bacon in each) were fantastic. The fish was cooked perfectly and the sauce was great... point goes to the fish. 4th course: Rice pudding vs. pecan pie... pecan pie wins only because the "eggnog" rice pudding was inedible... we didn't really care because we were full enough and wanted to go ahead and get back to the hotel, but we did mention it to the waitress and the chef tasted our batch and decided it should be thrown away... the chef agreed with my description that it had an "shit-ton of nutmeg" in it, adding that it also had far far too much clove... so there's that. The pecan pie was good (would have been great if it had at least been room temp) but the sweet potato ice cream on the side was cloying (the caramel sauce didn't help matters). Ultimately it was somewhat predictably our worst meal in NoLa (with the exception of the main courses) and not really even a value though the Reveillon menu was fairly priced. We actually had a res for the real Emeril's a few nights later but decided we had had our fill of his empire. I'm rounding up from 2 stars because we had wonderful and friendly service. 2.5 stars

    (3)

  • Mike K.

    NOLA provides an elegant, high-class New Orleans experience. The food is delicious, the service impeccable, the ambiance noisy but otherwise great. We'll certainly be back on our next visit.

    (4)

  • Darryl R.

    One of our best meal experience of the week. All the food was flavorful and "foodie" heaven. Shrimp and grits were a hit. It is a bit expensive for what you get, but that seems true of all of New Orleans. Reservations a must.

    (5)

  • Alexander B.

    Best alligator and frog legs I have had. Next time I am in the big easy this will be one of the restaurants I will return too.

    (5)

  • Shannon S.

    This is probably my least favorite of Emeril's offerings and it is self described as "casual and funky" which isn't my usual dining preference unless I'm going to Jacques-Imo's. Regardless of that this can be a fun place to go when in the French Quarter but usually wouldn't be my first choice. The food here is generally good and the service has always been acceptable. The tables are a bit close together and I have, at times, had to wait a bit longer than I would have liked to have a new drink brought to the table. The crowd usually seems to be a slight majority of tourists with some locals thrown in. The quality and preparation of food are usually good but the ambiance just doesn't work for me and for the price there are many other places I would prefer to enjoy but it certainly is worthy of sampling occasionally.

    (3)

  • Felice O.

    This is a Fabulous Restaurant. The ambiance is very romantic and perhaps a little dark. I arrived at 7pm on a Friday night and had to wait about an hour for a table which is reasonable. My friend and I had drinks at the bar. I took one look at the Vat of Pineapple Infused Vodka and decided to have one of whichever drink included that as its main ingredient. I believe the name of the drink was the NOLA, and it was spectacular. I ordered the "Hickory Roasted Duck" The Good: The meal was perfectly orchestrated. The waiters were charming, my water glass never empty, and the Jalapeno cornbread was PERFECT. In fact, everything was cooked to perfection: the Duck, the cornbread pudding, the haricots. The Bad: The portion was simply too large. I believe I had the better half of an entire duck. Moreover, the duck was so large I was full before I even remembered there was cornbread pudding under there. (yea!) Yet, after the fullness came the awful truth. I am but a mere mortal, and my stomach is too weak for the food served at Emeril's. I believe the duck may have been basted in butter (richness level 10), therefore, I had to take the other 3/4 pound of duck home. Dessert: I summoned the courage to order the "Warm Ooey Gooey Cake" this too was sublime, but incredibly rich. The coffee ice cream was delightful and refreshing. The small truffles served with the brownie cake were also AMAZING, yet the brownie cake and ice cream was too reminiscent of a dessert I could have had at any other restaurant in the country. It was simply too sweet to enjoy. Therefore, I loved Emeril's restaurant and recipes in theory, but the food was simply too rich for someone like myself to enjoy.

    (3)

  • Nathan W.

    I was torn on rating NOLA between 3 and 4 stars. If I could, I would give it 3.5 stars. This was my first Emeril restaurant and while we had a great time the food did not knock my socks off. I guess I had these really high expectations for an Emeril restaurant for so long and the food didn't quite hit the mark. The ambiance, drinks, and service were all excellent however. NOLA is a solid 4 star + based on those. My friend ordered the duck (and I'm a huge duck fan). It had a nice smoky flavor but was really dry. I had the grilled seasonal fish which happened to be sword fish and it was slightly overcooked and dry as well. The accompaniments were nice. My wife had the salmon which was cooked well and overall good, and my friend's wife had the shrimp and grits which were also a solid good. We had some great cocktails and a nice bottle of wine (Orin Swift, Abstract) that was a good value. The experience was nice and I'll definitely check out other Emeril restaurants.

    (3)

  • Frances J.

    Loved this place! This was the first restaurant we had reservations for during our Mardi Gras vacay and we almost missed it due to street closures from the parades. We called the place and let them know that we were running late since we were trying to figure out how to cross Canal Street and they were very understanding. I thought they were going to give us a time deadline of when we had to get to the restaurant before giving up our table (like other places) but instead, they told us not to worry and that they would just make a note. When we arrived, we got seated upstairs where it is a LOT quieter and got a chance to order. Per our server's recommendations, we got the Hickory Roasted Duck, Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken and Garlic Crusted Drum. The price for each entree is around $30 but well worth it given the huge portions. - Duck: The skin was perfect and barely crispy. The glaze was the right amount of sweetness and did not overpower the rest of the duck. - Chicken: I LOVED that even though the chicken rested on a bed of mashed sweet potatoes and had gravy on top (not covered), the breading was still crisp and not soggy! The chicken was moist and tender and absolutely delicious! - Drum: Practically melts in your mouth! Again the portion for each plate is more than enough. We definitely had leftovers but we still managed to have room for one dessert to share. We tried the Creme Brulee Trio and were definitely surprised. The three flavors are vanilla bean, coconut and mocha. We thought the coconut one was a bit weird but still got it anyways since the other 2 sounded delicious. To our surprise, we liked the coconut one the most! The coconut flavor is subtle and just worked. The richest of the 3 was definitely the mocha. Lastly, our server was awesome and made our dining experience that much more memorable so shout out to Travis!

    (5)

  • Paul R.

    You know, I spent some time looking at other reviews of this restaurant before I posted this one, just to see how mine compared. The last 10 reviews submitted had a star rating of 4 and even 5. So, why do I only award 2 stars? Take a seat and let's have a chat.... Periodically, my friends and I dress fancy and hit some nice restaurants and bars/lounges. A couple months ago, we decided to check out NOLA. Actually, it wasn't my idea. My friend was the one who spearheaded the gathering and had chosen this restaurant as the destination. I tend to stay more in the Warehouse District/CBD or Uptown. I think I just hate parking in the Quarter So, we arrived at the restaurant, everyone on time, and the hostess took us up the elevator to second floor and showed us to our table. I found the entire dining area, both the first and second floor EXTREMELY crowded. I'll go more into this later. We ordered a couple bottles of wine and placed orders for appetizers. For my appetizer, I selected the soup of the day, which I believe was a crab bisque. After some time waiting, it arrived and while it was very creamy, it was also devoid of any real flavor. I felt like I was eating plain heavy whipping cream. It really was just that bland. I allowed a friend to sample, who also said the same thing: "flavorless". Geez, I hope that the entrée is better. For my entrée, I ordered the Hickory-Roasted Duck with Whiskey-Caramel Glaze and Buttermilk Cornbread Pudding (Yeah, I know - that sounds SSSOOOO healthy!). I happen to love a duck entrée when it's prepared properly. While I found that the duck was very well cooked, again, the meal was devoid of any real flavor. What is going on? I cannot recall exactly what other guests at our table ordered but I do remember a few also stating that their meal was a bit bland. See, I dine at a nice restaurant for the food. It's not for the ambience, it's not for the exceptional wait staff or the extensive wine list. It's for the food, period. All of those other attributes are "nice to haves". They compliment a well-rounded meal. To me, if the dish is not up to par, it's a letdown. I sampled an appetizer, which turned out to be completely tasteless. Then, my entrée arrived and they left a perfectly cooked duck without flavor. How is this possible?? Now, allow me this time to expound on my aforementioned statement regarding the table seating. Both the first and second floor dining areas are so incredibly congested. The tables were so close to each other that you got to know those around you VERY well, if not TOO well. Our table, particularly, whenever I went to cut something, I was literally banging elbows with the people at the adjacent table. Let's not forget whenever you had to get up to use the restroom, you had VERY little room to move before banging your chair against someone else's chair. If that wasn't bad enough, the walkways between tables were always filled with wait staff. They were literally in the way...or rather, you were. Waiters were buzzing around with hot plates and large trays. You wound up ducking and dodging like a prizefighter just to get to the restroom in the corner of the floor. I should have won the championship belt for my maneuvers. I also cannot forget the incredible amount of noise. All of us still talk about how loud it was in there today. The wait staff yelling at each other, the banging around of the kitchen below, the immense closeness of each dining table; it was just so incredibly loud. As the evening progressed, it continued to get louder, to the point where I had to lean into the ear of the person seated beside me to say anything. This restaurant is pricey, too. I think my bill for myself and a friend was about $140. To me, if you're gonna' drop this kind of change, the food had better have some flavor AND the restaurant should be quiet. Is it because this restaurant is located on the edge of the Quarter that it brings out the animal in people? Who knows?? I MIGHT be coaxed into trying this place again but I don't think it's going to be easy. In my opinion, there are just too many better, more consistent and much quieter restaurants to be found in Uptown and in the Warehouse District/CBD.

    (2)

  • Steph C.

    Being unabashed tourists, our family dined one night at Commander's Palace and the next made sure to book a table at NOLA to check Emeril off of our to-do list. We were happy with both, while still certain that the best food of our trip came from Willie Mae's Scotch House. The set-up is interesting, with an elevator smack in the middle to transport guests and staff alike between two floors. We dined upstairs with a pleasant view of the street outside. The interior was pleasant and very contemporary, with giant posters of NOLA stamps hanging on the walls. Service was great. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly, and whenever we had questions he had answers ready. The meal was well-paced with all our needs taken care of. This dinner was in celebration of my little brother's twelfth birthday, and his dessert came with a candle and festive congratulations lettered in chocolate syrup. The food was decent, though with a strong start and a languishing finish. We were given onion focaccia and jalapeno cornbread muffins - forget the focaccia, the muffins were absolutely delicious. We ordered three appetizers for the five of us. Large portions were a theme of the meal, and these three were plenty to whet all of our palates and even start crowding our stomachs. We ordered the duck confit and fried egg pizza, Miss Hay's stuffed chicken wings, and the pan roasted crab cake. The crab cake was dull, a bit heavy and overdone, but the other two were fantastic. The pizza was intensely flavorful, and while some might say parmesan cheese and especially truffle oil are total cheats, the juicy duck had plenty to say on its own. The stuffed wings were equally wonderful, with tender chicken meat, a nice porky stuffing, and homemade hoisin sauce for dipping. The entrees were a lot less impressive, with overarching themes of heavy fat and unsubtle cooking served in superhuman portions. The shrimp and grits boasted a flavor profile of lard and barbecue sauce. The buttermilk fried chicken, a mistake after Willie Mae's, was greasy yet not juicy enough. Braised short ribs were fall-apart tender and served with some great beans, but the succulent flavor of fall-apart meat was somewhat missing. The one entree that I'd order again was the garlic crusted Texas redfish with sauce beurre rouge. Like everything else on the table, this dish was sinfully buttery, but here the fat was put to good use and was pleasantly balanced with generous seasoning and a deep layer of garlic. We ordered three desserts. I was most intrigued by the white chocolate-raspberry bread pudding with red wine sauce and raspberry sorbet, but this turned out to be the worst of the bunch by far. The bread pudding was dry and the sorbet was far too sour. This is a recipe that just needs to be revised entirely. I had no such problems with the warm ooey gooey cake or the pecan pie. The ooey gooey cake was just as yummy as it sounds, with layers of chocolate cake and marshmallows served with coffee ice cream. The pecan pie was not what I expected at all, but it tasted better than I'd imagined. It was a chocolate bourbon pecan pie that bore more resemblance to a nice slice of chocolate cake flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg than a pecan pie. The sweet potato ice cream and caramel drizzle were lovely sweet touches. Overall I wasn't blown away by NOLA, but I really enjoyed the place. Like its celebrity owner, NOLA may not be at the cutting edge of cooking today, but it churns out solid food with boldness and personality while inspiring affection in its diners.

    (3)

  • Aaron C.

    Unimpressed with lunch menu. Underwhelmed with pork cheek po boy. Below average bloody mary. With all the hype, admittedly disappointed.

    (2)

  • Teresa C.

    Disclaimer, this review is coming from a vegetarian. I would give this restaurant 3.5 stars if I could. Service was fantastic. Being a vegetarian, they asked me for any diet restrictions/allergies and the chef was able to make me a special appetizer (mushrooms on fried won-ton skins) and entree (parmesan pasta with seasonal vegetables). My dish was a bit too salty. However, the rest of my party really enjoyed their fried chicken on Burbon mashed sweet potato and shrimp & grits.

    (3)

  • Roseann M.

    Disappointing and they started off strong. We had reservations and were seated right away with a friendly wait staff but when they got busy the staff just couldn't keep up. My daughters shrimp was overcooked and she sat without food for 10-15 while they redid her meal. Also wine and water glasses went empty which is a big no - no.

    (3)

  • Deb G.

    Maybe it's just because we had a fixed menu, but I wasn't terribly impressed by NOLA (and I was willing to be impressed!). It all started with the waiter. After I was seated, he grabbed the napkin from in front of me, shook it out dramatically...and then walked away with it. He came back a few minutes later with the same napkin in hand, which he again shook, then carefully placed on the lap of the woman next to me. Then he walked away again! Someone finally stole a napkin for me, because one just wasn't forthcoming from the waiter. Oh, the food. The fried green tomatoes were a high point to start, with juicy shrimp. I also liked the Caesar salad, although the dressing was a bit heavy handed. The fried chicken, though, was just mediocre. It's too bad, because the ham gravy and bourbon mashed sweet potatoes were pretty darn good. My table mates had the drum and the filet, and raved about both of them. Ah, well. We finished with huge slices of chocolate mousse cake, which was frankly overwhelming. It was all good, but I had hoped it would be out of this world, given Emeril's reputation.

    (3)

  • Natalie V.

    This review is based solely on a dessert tasting. There were 7 of us, 7 forks, and 6 desserts. All of us ended up liking very different things. There wasn't a single dessert that went unliked. Did any of us LOVE what he had though? I don't think so. Personally, I was quite underwhelmed. The food was a little in your face and too brash about what it was trying to do. To be fair, I had lunch at August earlier that day, so this dessert tasting was being compared to the incredibly refined dessert I had at August. The atmosphere was fun though. Just what the whole group needed after a rather chill set of piano jazz. The wait staff was friendly and honest, which is always appreciated.

    (3)

  • Bonnie C.

    I didn't realize this was an Emeril restaurant when I went but BAM - that guy knows food! Started with a watermelon martini followed by the Duck Confit & Arugula pizza. Served with a fried egg on top this salty, rich tasth pizza was a delight. I completed this late evening dinner with the chocolate bourbon pecan pie served with sweet potato ice cream. There are not words to describe this ice cream. It was otherworldly! I sat at the bar since I was dining by myself and got great service and conversation!

    (5)

  • Jett R.

    Roaches crawling up the wall! After we told our waiter his response was this is typical of all restaurants in New Orleans. Such a disappointment for a restaurant of Emeril's. This place is highly overrated. For the pirce you pay I expected a lot better. The waiter was friendly yet they sat us in the darkest and farthest corner of the restaurant when there were tables available in the front even after waiting 30 minutes when we made reservations the day prior. The waiter was not helpful in recommending a dish. The stuffed fried chicken was the best thing on the menu and the only reason I gave this place 3 stars instead of 2. The food was OK but being overpriced and the roaches going up the wall deducted 2 stars

    (3)

  • Michael M.

    If someone were to ask me if I remember the best meal I ever ate I would say YES and it was at Emerils NOLA. I have eaten here two times before and the first time was good, the 2nd phenomenal. I started out with the BBQ Shrimp which were perfect as usual. I then had an amazing salad of Arugula, cheese, watermelon and toasted almonds with a mint vinaigrette. When I tell you that this salad was so light and delicious and so flavorful. It was a different experience with each bite. I am not much of a salad person but this was great. Then to top it off I had a grilled pork chop that was so massive the waiter called it Jurassic Pork. It was served with sweet potato's and finished with a caramelized onion reduction. Amazing. Then for dessert I had the Warm Ooooey Gooey Chocolate Cake and that was the perfect ending to a perfect meal. On bad I can say is that we sat upstairs and it was quite noisy. Other than that the food, the service, the decor all top notch. And it was right across the street from our hotel, cant beat that!

    (5)

  • Daryl W.

    Best meal that I have had at a restaurant in a long, long time! Emeril did not dissappoint! The food at NOLA was outstanding. I definitely recommend their gumbos and the fried chicken entree with bourbon mashed sweet potatoes and country ham gravy. Our table had a dessert sampler with every dessert in the house and the desserts were all extremely good. The service was excellent even though we were in a group of ten. I recommend this delicious eating experience to anyone visiting New Orleans and I will definitely eat there the next time I am in town.

    (5)

  • Philip H.

    We booked reservations in advance (Mid January), and were glad we did. It wasn't packed when we arrived, but there was a waiting line by the time we left. I imagine in the prime tourist season, this place can be difficult to get into. Ordered the stuffed chicken wings and gumbo as an appetizer. First, the chicken wings were pretty good, fried on the outside, and stuffed like a won-ton...haha who woulda thought? Now the gumbo- was probably the best I had a chance to try, in my short trip to New Orleans. Onto the main courses: We were hungry, from our full day of walking and touristy things. I asked the server for a dish that was unique to NOLA, yet filling and he recommended the pork chop. I overlooked this originally, cause I thought "really? porkchops?" But he said it was his favorite, and I soon found out why. It was delicious, served with yams and pecans on some kind of delicious sauce, I enjoyed every bite! My girlfriend ordered the shrimp and grits- which was also one of a kind. The grits were definitely gritty and the shrimp was tasty. Lastly, we ordered the banana-pudding cake. Which was ok, nothing to go crazy about. Our server was awesome, friendly and very knowledgeable. The wine and alcohol list was extensive. The atmosphere was casual, but intimate enough just for two. For 2, we paid $115, before tip. All in all, I recommend this place to anyone who wants to try a modern take on New Orleans style cuisine. But make reservations, be prepared to spend a little and get recommendations from your waiter.

    (4)

  • Phil L.

    I love this restaurant! Stuffed Chicken Wings - MUST EAT. Emerill stuffs them with egg-roll filling. OMG. I could have eaten 50 of these things sadly only 3 to an order. Big portions. Vivid flavor. Can't go wrong. Overall, what a great place to enjoy a meal. The staff from the waiters to the manager have that loud and friendly attitude that Emeril conveys on TV. You can't leave sad or upset. It's loud but it seems like everyone's enjoying their time here.

    (5)

  • Felipe G.

    Just a Amazig Meal, Emerils restaurants never disappoint. NOLA was a very large, multi floor industrial looking place. We sat on the top floor in a small space in the corner beign served by two people. The four us us ate almost everythign on the menu. I had the duck and it was a large tasty portion that i was stuffed once finished. The Banana Pudding cake dessert is Amazing and a must try. From start to finish our time here was as always expected "PERFECT".

    (5)

  • Lianne D.

    NOLA is in my top 3 restaurants I have ever been to!! AMAZING! Little pricey but worth every penny. So impressed of the staff and they were so friendly and on top of everything. The way all restaurants should be ran is like NOLA!!! Food was great drinks great, couldn't have asked for a better experience! Go, you will be so glad you went!!

    (5)

  • M J.

    All I can say is, NOLA! N-O-L-A,NOLA! Great place. Had the shrimp n grits. Awesome.

    (4)

  • D B.

    Truly great. Wonderful service from staff that really seem to enjoy their jobs. Friendly, knowledgeable, and just a great experience. Do not miss it.

    (5)

  • Ashley L.

    We ate here on a Thursday night. Not too crowded. Meal started off nice, bread came, appetizers came, then more bread, then more bread...where's the meal? It took over 25 minutes to get our meal. Everyone around us was done eating even though they arrived after us! We had 5 people, 4 ordered fish and 1 a pork chop. How could that have taken so long!?! My husband ordered shrimp and grits which I DO NOT recommend unless you like fake BBQ/smokey/salty flavor. It tasted so fake, like liquid smoke. We were so excited for them, but gravely disappointed. I ordered the garlic encrusted drum fish with potatoes which I actually found a bone in. And I only got like 3 little chunks of potato underneath. However, as long as I didn't choke on it, I was able to overlook it and didn't complain. The fish was really rich and tender, must have been cooked in lots of butter. Bottom line, the bread guy and the water guy were on their game, but the food took way too long. I don't know if I'd recommend it.

    (2)

  • Gary W.

    Just had dinner at Nola. If you are on a diet and love to pay high prices this is the place for you. I had shrimp and grits, one of their signature dishes. At first I thought I had ordered the appetizer by mistake. But after checking they confirmed that this was indeed the entree. Six tiny shrimp that would look good in a salad and even a skimpy portion of cheap grits. An insult to your intelligence. After voicing my concern it was met with no response. Nothing. I would and will spend my money elsewhere. Emeril should be ashamed!

    (1)

  • Ed A.

    One of our last meals in NOLA. Went here for lunch and loved it. Only flaw was that it took a while to get our food, but when we got it, it was delicious. BBQ Shrimp, Pork Cheek Po-Boy, Mussels, and Shrimp and Gritz!!!

    (4)

  • Chris And Christina S.

    We went to this restaurant on my father in laws recommendation so I was expecting to be wowed. Nola's did not disappoint! I ordered the crab cake and the barbecue shrimp with a side a veggies as my meal and Chris got the jambalaya. We absolutely loved everything! The shrimp was amazing. Aside from having to peel it yourself which I know is a souther thing but where we come from its a lazy chef thing. The sauce was delicious and the crust French bread was an excellent compliment. Chris loved his jambalaya so much I only got one bite in before it was gone. It was wonderful. The meat was great and of course the seafood was fresh. The vegetables in true southern fashion were covered in butter and deliciously unhealthy. Something i imagine Paula Dean would be proud to serve at her table. The side was a little skimpy but I did enjoy my attempt at health food for the vacation. The service was very good. We enjoyed what I think was the best seat in the house. Right in front of the window looking out on to the street with the sun shining in on us. If we ever find ourselves in New Orleans again we will definitely make it a point to stop back in.

    (4)

  • Kim N.

    Every time we go to New Orleans we stop in here for lunch. We go every couple years and this place has never disappointed. This is what we had on our last trip. Being lactose intolerant the waitress went back and had the chef come out and talk with me. He asked if I like certain foods or disliked certain ones. I said I would eat anything seafood and love shrimp. He made me a creole blackend shrimp over a bed of angel hair pasta. Hubby and our friends order off the menu shrimp & grits and smoked turkey sandwich, and BLT. Our food all came out together. It was perfect every bite. For our app we had the pocket bread sans cheese, and desserts were burlee for our friends one order each and hubby had pecan pie, they had been experimenting with sorbet so the chef brought me a yummy dessert too. They don't take lunch reservations so get there early so you get in. You can make a dinner res. The atmosphere is laid back and friendly. This time we ate at a table, but the time before my hubby & I went for dinner and ate at the bar area so we could watch in the kitchen and see the chef preparing the food. Great place to sit if there is an open seat at the bar. Oh and I almost forgot the have great cocktails.

    (5)

  • Brian L.

    I went to this restaurant with my brother as a part of our US road trip...where we basically ate our way down the east coast. This was the best meal either of us had the entire time- and we went to every place on TV, and all places with 5 star reviews on here between NYC and New Orleans. THE BEST. Killer atmosphere and vibe. But who cares? The food was amazing. We had gumbo to start, and out of the four places we had gumbo in the city this was the best one. Then we had barbequed shrimp and stuffed chicken wings for appetizers. Both were absolutely unreal. Seriously, so good. For entrees we had the Hickory Roasted Duck and the Fried Chicken. Seriously, both were the best we have ever had. The duck is smoked so well that it literally is falling off the bone like a beef brisket. And the smokey flavor is incredible. The fried chicken is battered, seasoned, and fried perfectly. Very moist, has some flavor to the chicken, and the batter is a thick, crispy buttermilk type. Also, it's boneless which makes it much easier to eat. Desserts were overshadowed by dinner, but were also good. I do not feel like this place is overpriced compared to other "high end" restaurants in the country, in fact I believe it is a little under. I could have ordered the same amount of food at Chili's and it probably would have been the same price.

    (5)

  • Tyson P.

    Rating: I can tell you I have dined just about EVERY restaurant in New Orleans. All my friends calls me a "Food Critic" when we go out to eat. HOWEVER, THIS is by far MY FAVORITE restaurants in New Orleans. Even though I was not fond of Emeril's two other restaurant, this one is REALLY good! Food: Favorite appt Mrs. Hay's Stuffed Chicken wings! If you ask the server they will even tell you is the MOST popular appt there! The crab cake is my 2nd favorite appt. The stuffed chicken wings have a New Orleans/vietnamese style flavor. The GARLIC CRUSTED RED FISH W/ BEURRE ROUGE SAUCE is to die for (Superb)!!! The Rib-eye is my 2nd FAV entree. For dessert the Strawberry Shortcake is F-A-B! I been here 11 times. Yes I said 11 times!! THIS IS A MUST TRY RESTAURANT!!!!!!! We even seen some celebrities occasionally there as well. Service wise: Excellent, our table of 2 people had 3 waiters complementing our needs throughout the night.

    (5)

  • Shari S.

    Whenever I go to New Orleans, I always make it a point to eat at NOLA which is probably my favorite restaurant there. Tucked away on St. Louis Street in the French Quarter, the exposed brick walls give it a cool warehouse feel and there is always a lively vibe. Just opening the door to friendly laughter and great smells immediately puts me in a good mood. This past Saturday night we were seated on NOLA's 2nd floor by the window which I highly recommend if you want a slightly quieter dining experience. The host greeted us by name and welcomed us back. I am under no illusions that he actually remembered us, but it was a nice touch just the same. I usually have the Shrimp and Grits but this time I was in the mood for their Barbequed Shrimp mainly for the dark, buttery, spicy, worcestershire-based sauce. Oh, the sauce! Not only did I make sure that every shrimp had as much sauce as possible but I shamelessly wiped the plate clean with my jalapeno cornbread. My mouth waters just thinking about it now! For my entree, I had their Deep Fried Crabcakes which were served with the most amazing bacon-tomato jam. Mmmm!! My sister ordered the Grilled Duck Breast which had a lovely smoky taste and great texture. Thumbs up from her! Last of all, as usual, the waitstaff at NOLA were friendly and extremely well trained. I would unhesitatingly recommend NOLA to anyone looking for an excellent meal in New Orleans. TIP - Use OpenTable to make your reservation. Very transparent to see the available times and no waiting on hold...

    (5)

  • Regina C.

    while everything was good at Nola, i can't say anything came close to knocking me off my feet. the only thing that i truly loved from there were the smoked pecans that came on the duck plate. the smokiness really came through and i savored those bites. yes, the shrimp n grits was good, and yes, the duck confit and egg pizza was tasty, but nothing was outstanding. still, i would recommend it to anybody going to Nola because you HAVE to go to an Emeril restaurant when you're there, right?

    (4)

  • Joel S.

    As goods any new York restaurant. Service was great. Our waitress even found us a great cab for $62 on an otherwise ver expensive wine list Must have the ooy guuy desert. Excuse spelling. Beyond amazing Stuffed chicken wings are like oohing I ever tasted. A must start a well

    (5)

  • Jimena V.

    I loved this place! Definitely the best meal I had in New Orleans! For appetizers we had the bbq shrimp and the crab cake-both great! For entree I had the seasonal grilled fish and OMG it was delicious! It came with with Fingerling Potatoes, Sweet Corn, Portobello Fries, Grape Tomatoes and Black Truffle Butter Sauce- amazing!! Everyone else was also VERY happy with their plates. For dessert we all split a bunch of plates and everything was great! The service was oustanding-everyone was very attentive. Also, it wasn't too loud so you were able to hold a conversation. I absolutely loved it here!

    (5)

  • Wendy C.

    Given Emeril is a celebrity/TV chef, I expected this restaurant to be tastefully decorated, services efficient to maximize revenue per table, and the food to taste good and distinctively New Orleans but spice usage toned down to appease an imaginative "average" palette. NOLA met all these expectations, and a bit more. Stuffed chicken wings speak Asian influence to me; stuffings reminded me of a Vietnamese dish flavour and the hoisin dipping sauce is a nice refinement of the bottled ones I buy from Chinese grocery stores. Mussels (succulent PEI mussels!) in garlic-chardonnay broth were of perfect done-ness, just opened and not a second longer. Shrimp and grits - uh, a good tasting dish, maybe too "refined" in texture and too "muted" a taste for me, but a great dish to try for someone who doesn't like any spice in their BBQ sauce or hate (regular) grits texture. Braised Beef Short Ribs - delicious. Chocolate Bread Pudding is the best "pudding" dessert we've had in New Orleans and we weren't shy about sampling them whenever one appears on a menu. A great place to go when in New Orleans. Make a reservation!

    (4)

  • Derrick M.

    Great food, the atmosphere is a little cramped, but good for a casual night. I ordered the Blackened Alligator Po'boy. It was not on the menu, but suggested by the bartender. Definetely full of flavor (calories too, I'm sure). Try it out. The prices were not too bad for a tourist area.

    (3)

  • Bryn K.

    I have dined at Nola's many times and each time was an excellent dining experience. Food and service is second to none! (I missed Peyton Manning and his dad just by an hour the last time I was there.) A restraunt not to miss!

    (5)

  • The Cook T.

    This restaurant is SO overrated. Except when you speak to locals who know better. Apparently it's linked to the sous-chef always changing so you never know what you'll get. In any case, do not waste your money here hoping to get something good, when there is so many good and consistent restaurants in Nola! Plus, the service (our waiter at least) was bad, the waiter passed his arm three times in front of my nose. Isn't that the basic you learn when you start? I think this restaurant needs some supervision but it's getting away with being good once in a while.

    (1)

  • Alena B.

    I have been to NOLA restaurant twice and it never fails to impress. We have directed many friends there as well who agree with me. The second time I just had the fried chicken and it was amazing. The location is great but we definitely made reservations before we arrived in town. As is traditional in the south all your food comes at once and is delivered to the table by several servers all at once. It's a nice touch! YUMMY...don't skip desert!

    (4)

  • Willa M.

    The food was fantastic...appetizer of mussels in a Chardonney sauce, fired roasted duck was fabulous, and the banana vanilla wafer dessert was wonderful. The wait staff was extremely friendly and helpful. We had a great time and laughed the night away with great martinis.

    (4)

  • Andrea H.

    This place is ridiculous. NOLA has (hands down) taken the lead in the race for my favorite restaurant in New Orleans. That is not an easy task. My first time to NOLA was fabulous. I was actually so stuffed from eating constantly all day that nothing on the menu was sounding good. I told our server to surprise me and I ended up with the most amazing duck. Funny how I found room to gobble that down! So last night we decided to give it another shot. Somehow I managed to score a last minute 6:45pm reservation on Saturday night. About two minutes before, 2 more people decided to join us. Despite the full dining room, the host managed to accommodate our party of 5 with no problem. I really wanted to have the server surprise me again, because last time I definitely had the best dish at the table. I was nervous, though, because it's rare that something like that can work twice. So I told our server, Travis, about my concern and he pretty much decided that he knew best. So I went with it. I really enjoyed my perfectly smooth and refreshing martini while I excitedly waited for my first course. It was BBQ shrimp with a rosemary biscuit. The shrimp was very fresh and tasty, the sauce was light and flavorful, and the rosemary biscuit was interesting and different. So far so good. Drink two...a champagne cocktail. Oh so delicious with plenty of bitters. Yum. My table mates speculated what my next dish would be. I told them I'd be able to tell by the knife that they brought. Travis was really cool, though, it's like he read my mind. He brought both knives. Damn. I was in the mood for some meat, but when I took my first bite of the garlic crusted redfish with the beurre rouge sauce, I almost fell over. Unbelievably good. The potatoes with mushrooms and applewood smoked bacon were also delicious. I was a happy girl. Dinner was polished off with the chicory coffee creme brulee, which was a little to coffee-ey for me. The shortbread that came with it was to die for, though. I was happy to enjoy a glass of LBV port with that as well. The service here is wonderful. The servers are attentive, knowledgeable and fun. Synchronized service was also a nice touch. The prices seemed very reasonable for the quality of the experience. I will say that I've had the best luck out of everyone when I've let the chef make whatever. I always seem to be thrilled, while everyone else seems to be less so. If you're up for anything, I would definitely say that's the way to go.

    (5)

  • Barbara W.

    We hosted a rehearsal dinner for 68 at NiOLA on July 11, 2014. I can't give them enough stars!! Not only was the food delicious, but the service was outstanding! We got wonderful support from Carolyn Favrot who was responsible for helping us decide on the menu, the table arrangements, etc. Planning a party when you don't live in the same city can be a little difficult.. Carolyn was great about responding to my constant emails! I was a little dubious when she recommended the pork chop as one of the entree choices, but it was a huge success, along with the drum fish and steak.. Bill Raye, who was the manager responsible that evening, remained up stairs throughout the party. Every single wait person introduced themselves to us. The service was over the top! I wish I could remember their names to thank them. All the food came out at the same time. No table had to wait. It was a wonderful evening!! Every guest at the party raved.

    (5)

  • Napoleon V.

    This is a very happy place. Emeril's cuisine is great, service is top notch and the restaurant is not too small not too big. Had the duck and shrimp and grits...both very were good. WIne selection great.

    (5)

  • Margarita M.

    Ambiance is nice. The three-story restaurant seems busy on the first floor with the kitchen and bar. Didn't get a chance to see the second floor, but We were seated at the third, which was very quiet and intimate. There's a banquet room up there as well. We definitely got that Southern hospitality. We were waited on by three servers, which were all very personable. Matt was our main server and there was another gentleman who helped us too, but I forgot his name (sorry) but he was also very personable. On to the food! For starters, we had the the Gulf Oysters and Crabmeat Baked in the Wood Oven with Garlic Butter and Herb Bread Crumbs. Ohhhhhh, yummy...Six pieces of yumminess. Perfect temperature, perfect texture, perfect seasoning. I would definitely get this dish again. We were also offered two types of bread, an onion focaccia and a jalapeno cornbread; both delicious. For my main entree I had one of the best duck dish...ever! It takes 3 days to prepare; 1st day it bathes in a brine, 2nd day it's boiled, and 3rd day it's smoked. I savored every bite! Company had the redfish. It's prepared w/ skin on w/ a butter, white wine, and rosemary dipping sauce, which was sooo good! I could eat that sauce with anything! If I ever make it back to New Orleans, I'm definitely eating at NOLA's again.

    (4)

  • IYELP U.

    We ate at NOLA on 2/21/13. We had the shrimp and grits, and their seasonal fish, which was the amberjack. Both entrees were excellent, as was the service. Also, the drinks were strong and well-made - I had their vodka lemonade drink (the name escapes me), and they made a great vodka gimlet as well. I've eaten at NOLA several times over the years, and was very much looking forward to this visit. The one reason I give it 4 stars as opposed to 5 is that I felt a little rushed by the staff on this particular occasion, as our whole dinner (including two drinks, appetizers, and entrees) took just an hour and fifteen minutes. It may have had to do with the time of our reservation (7:30 p.m.), as it allowed them to flip the table again during the course of the evening. When I go back (which I will - the food definitely warrants it), I will make a later reservation.

    (4)

  • Shelley V.

    NOLA 4-EVER!!! So we decided to go to an Emeril restaurant during our N.O. stay and we were not disappointed. Here is our menu from start to finish Japaleno corn bread - this was quite good Sweet potato bacon biscuit - this, my friends, is heaven Oysters brochette Caesar salad Shrimp & grits Garlic crusted drum We liked the oysters; I usually prefer a thicker sauce but this was light and tasty. Marcel really enjoyed the Caesar salad very much. I too, liked this nicely tasting plate of romaine in a lighter dressing The Garlic Crusted Drum was like heaven on a plate. Every bite I took, I made a yum noise. How embarrasing! Do yourself a favor and order this when you go. The Shrimp & Grits were delicious. It is an order of 6 grilled shrimp served on a bed of grits. It may seem like a small order but those grits are so damn rich, any more would pit you into immediate food coma!! Wow! We had no need for dessert since our food was primo!! Our bill came to $120 with minimal drinks. I will definitely go here again!!!

    (5)

  • Mike F.

    This was one of the best meals that my wife and I have ever had. Pan seared filet mignon was out of this world and the garlic encrusted drum fish was awesome! Great service, too! Kudos to Emeril and the whole crew at NOLA!!!

    (5)

  • Patrick M.

    Loved the duck confit pizza with arugula and caramelized onions and beef sliders with quail eggs. Shrimp and grits were also simple, yet amazing!

    (5)

  • Rachel S.

    Our last dinner out together, on a long weekend with my girls, was at NOLA. We had one, two...maybe three waiters- not sure since they were constantly circling our table, dancing around and attending to us. This isn't a negative, mind you, we loved their friendly attitude and, personally, I don't care if a different dude approaches me every time as long as we get what we order in a timely, yummy manner. I wish I could remember their names now that I'm writing a review because they were just that awesome. I started with southern comfort on the rocks with rose's lime- a drink that was my staple cocktail for a long time. They have a nice wine selection but, with dinner, I selected a Rose that was perfect (again, can't remember names now- it might've been a Beringer). Shrimp n Grits for dinner- I only order grits when I'm in the south and these were delicious. Since it was my last meal in New Orleans, this was a great way to end the adventure.

    (5)

  • Sean M.

    Not unexpected, considering who owns the place, but this was a fantastic meal in a great environment. We ate at the bar, and the staff couldn't have been friendlier and more helpful. The crawfish-stuffed pork loin special was out of this world. There are lots of places to choose from in New Orleans, but this is a must.

    (4)

  • Dave M.

    Being huge Top Chef fans, we wanted to try an Emeril restaurant and NOLA was perfect. Great atmosphere, knowledgeable and friendly server, and beautiful decor. Food was excellent but very rich. Felt like a judge on Top Chef, and ate so much I couldn't drink all I wanted after!

    (5)

  • Dave P.

    Popcorn Sundae was the bomb!

    (5)

  • Midnight B.

    I thought that perhaps this restaurant just had a lot of hype since it owned by Emeril. Was I wrong! First of the service is exceptional and it wasn't just me. Second the food is amazing, I had the shrimp and grits and the server was even nice enough to give me a mini version since food in NOLA is very very rich and I knew I couldn't have a regaular sized dish. It was soooooo considerate of them. I had an amazing glass of pinot grigio and thought this place was exceptional . go here for sure

    (5)

  • Jane O.

    HIGHLY OVERRATED! NOLA was one of the 3 "fine dining" experiences we had when visiting New Orleans and if I didn't have a $100 gift card, I'd be pissed to have spent any money there. Luckily, with the GC we only had to spend an additional $60, but it was still a total WASTE! First off: You can get better customer service at a TGI Friday's. Just because your servers are dressed nicely, doesn't mean they know what they are doing. We had 3 different servers waiting on us and were never offered butter for our bread; didn't receive our wine until after our appetizers were served (late! mind you); and never got a refill on water. The servers had to be high school kids because they were more inclined to be your buddy than to provide service. Look, I grew up in an "urban" area so I don't want to spend a decent amount of money to feel like I'm around the way at my auntie's house. I don't feel giving you dap is appropriate and want my damn wine already! That may work for your less "urban" clientele, but maybe because they are laughing at you. Second off: I get better cajun/creole food at RT's in Alexandria, VA than here! My main entree was the shrimp and grits and I swear it was more so a shrimp and grit in grease soup... WTH?! I am a lover of all things shrimp and couldn't even finish the dish because it was just wasn't good. Now I know Emeril is still making his money with this place, but that's because he is pulling in the money based off his name, but let's get real he has NEVER been to this place (and a server made it clear to point that out) and has no input on the lack of quality control they have on the food or on minimum expectations for customer service in a place that has food that is supposedly worth the prices on their menus. Do yourself a favor and go to GW Finn's instead... around the corner in the French Quarter! You can get cajun inspired dishes for the same price if not a bit cheaper and have a much better dining experience as well as better quality and tasting food!

    (1)

  • Joob B.

    Killer shrimp and grits. Don't miss.

    (4)

  • Dennis S.

    Hard to rate - We've only been twice and it's been a few years. It was fabulous then, but by now the Emeril empire may have screwed this place up too. We've had nothing but great food and service here. But it's been five years since we've been. Last visit we had brie pizza, sea bass, duck, and the world's best pecan pie. My only hesitation to going back would be 1) Has the TV/book/restaurant empire of New Englander Emeril Lagasse ruined this restaurant too? and 2) Why bother, when there are so many other great restaurants in town run by native New Orleans chefs? Leave it for the tourists who only want to go home and tell their friends where they ate, not what they ate.

    (4)

  • Keith C.

    We all agreed that the fried chicken was the best. Shrimp and grits a close second. Was a reasonably priced meal, with good wine and excellent service. Not my first pick in NOLA if in town for a short duration, but a good experience overall.

    (4)

  • Jenny K.

    4.5 stars. I thought that going to an Emeril restaurant would be obnoxiously touristy with over-priced, overrated food. I was wrong. I ordered the gumbo as my starter, which was a bit on the cool side so I had to ask the server to re-heat it. While good, I admittedly was not overly impressed by the gumbo. However, my entree, the garlic crusted drum, was excellent: perfectly cooked, a huge portion size, and utterly delicious. The flavors of this dish were amazing. We also ordered a side of sugar snap peas, which were cooked just right, sauteed with a little butter, pepper and salt. Mmm mmm. And the dessert! I had phenomenal desserts on my New Orleans trip and NOLA's desserts were no exception. The peanut butter and chocolate cheesecake was absurdly tasty. The creme brulee trio was also wonderful but was definitely overshadowed by the cheesecake. This restaurant is on the expensive side, but the portion sizes and quality made the prices worthwhile.

    (5)

  • Corrine L.

    So yummy, and the best service. I had the buttermilk chicken, and sugar snap peas and it was so good! Hope to come back some day!

    (4)

  • Erich D.

    This restaurant was started by renowned Chef Emeril. If you are looking for a nice restaurant with good food and good service in the French Quarter, NOLA should be on your short list. I sampled from the redfish and sauteed gulf shrimp with smoked cheddar grits entrees which were both quite good, but my entree of hickory-roasted duck with whiskey-caramel glaze, buttermilk cornbread pudding, fire roasted corn salad, and candied pecans was simply sensational and a massive portion as well. Our waiter told me that if I were to order only one entree from here the duck should be it as it is their most popular dish and what they are most well known for. I'm glad he steered me in the right direction. As for the desserts, in my opinion, they sounded a lot better than they tasted, but they were still pretty darn good and worth saving a little bit of room for if you can.

    (4)

  • J T.

    Totally satisfied with our experience here! Could not get reservations, but we were told with just the two us, to walk-in and they would try and seat us when possible (there is a bar there, too!). They were able to seat us right away! And we were so glad they did. One of the best meals we had in New Orleans! 13oz Pork Chop cooked to perfection. Soup was great, Salad was a little too drenched with dressing for our liking. Wine menu excellent and dessert just topped-off the evening. Worth the time to visit this place! Wait staff the best we received in New Orleans! They didn't let anything pass us or them by. Very attentive and helpful!

    (5)

  • Brian R.

    Emeril's NOLA does not disappoint in the food. The ambiance of this upscale, more modern dining room was nice, although I found the layout of the tables to be a bit awkward and possibly added a bit to the noise level, which is loud. I had the shrimp and grits, a local traditional food, which was excellent. Service was very good, but a bit chaotic. You're never exactly sure who will bring what to your table, but anyone you asked was nice about it. I have to rank this against both New Orleans best, and other Emeril restaurants. It's one of the top places to eat in New Orleans, and maybe a close second to Tchoup Chop at the Royal Pacific Hotel in Orlando for best in his stable.

    (4)

  • Tonya R.

    It might be stereotypical of a tourist to go to NOLA, but we couldn't resist. We were greeted by energetic staff and showen to our table. Our wait staff was attentive, yet not overbearing, throughout the whole evening. Their cocktail recommendations (based on liquor preference) were spot on and the suggested wine pairing for our entrees was another excellent choice without tipping the scale on the priciest bottle on the menu. This was a trip meant for culinary exploration, so explore we did, starting with a dive into sweetbreads. For a first experience, it was pleasant, well balanced and the perfect balance of creamy and crunchy. For entrees we had the catch of the day (which this day was sea bass), the Abita beer braised pork shank and smoked cheese grits. The pork shank was enormous, yet fall off the bone tender and juicy, well seasoned and had a nice crisp to the outer edges. The bass was equally well cooked, flaky, meaty, smoky flavored with a perfectly crisped skin. Both dishes were delicious, however the sauces stole the show! They were prominent enough to stand up to each protein but subtle enough not to overtake the dish but could have been served in shot glasses, or just poured over the delicious bread they start your meal with. Having barely saved room for dessert, we agreed on the banana pudding layer cake, and it was heavenly. Delicate grahmcracker crust, sweet banana pudding and caramel sauce that had a hint of salt that sent it out of this world. For cocktails, bottle of wine, appetizer, two entrees and dessert to be under $200 I'd go back night after night and try everything on the menu, or do as a local bartender recommended and sit at the Chef's table and just give him free reign of what I eat. A job very well done!

    (4)

  • Reginald S.

    I recently ate at this establishment. I could not make a reservation for the time I wanted, so I came in and sat at the bar. I had oneof their signature drinks, whic was pretty good. I had the salmon salad and the duck for the main course. I also had the trio creme brule. Everything was great! Make your reservation way in advance because this place gets busy. The price reflects the quality of food that is served. You will definitely not regret eating there.

    (4)

  • Kaitlin S.

    I had a pretty heavenly experience here. I came here for lunch with a group of 5. I liked the decor and the place was open and sunny. The waiters were attentive and funny, and the food was great. My boyfriend and I split a shrimp appetizer-- I think it was the BBQ shrimp. I had the shrimp and grits as my entree and I absolutely loved it. The mimosa I had was pretty good. We split the banana pudding layer cake for dessert, which was good, but I was expecting it to be warmer and more pudding-like, though it is on the menu as a "cake". We were in the restaurant awhile, mainly because one of our friends took forever to eat his food. We weren't rushed at all though and the waiters were great about checking on us but not being overbearing.

    (5)

  • Christine G.

    Absolutely enjoyed my dinner here!! I ordered the gin drink with the violette liquer and lime/cucumbers it was SO refreshing. Not too strong and not too fruity either. I ordered the shrimp and grits and it gets an A+! The grits were cheesy and absolutely delicious. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and just the right amount of sauce and seasoning. Perfect serving size as well. Service was perfect. We had about 4 servers taking care of us the whole time. Can't wait to visit NOLA again!

    (5)

  • Thomas S.

    My wife and visited New Orleans to sample some of the many fine restaurants that are located there. NOLA was the last one of the half a dozen restaurants we ate at and didn't measure up to the service or quality of food we had at Brennan's or Paul -K My wife's food was served on the cool side and my duck HICKORY-ROASTED DUCK with Whiskey-Caramel Glaze, Buttermilk Cornbread Pudding, Haricot Verts-Fire Roasted Corn Salad, Natural Jus and Candied Pecans was bland. The mussels were supposed to be WOOD FIRED PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND BLACK MUSSELS. They were were plain old mussels. The waiter was flirting with the six young ladies at the next table and we waited far to long from apps to being served our main course. On a good note the restaurant setting was nice.

    (2)

  • Abby S.

    We chose NOLA as the location for our wedding dinner after reading the reviews on Yelp. We were so impressed by the service, both before the big day and on the big day, and were blown away by the food! We were treated like royalty, with syncronised plating and superb attentiveness. The wait staff, as well as the planning staff, were helpful, friendly and knowledgable. The location is gorgeous and convenient (we were staying at nearby Omni Royal) and NOLA staff went above and beyond to make our night special. I still dream of the southern fried chicken (as do our wedding guests)! My husband and I will definitely be coming back when we visit New Orleans again.

    (5)

  • Catie K.

    Holy hell, I had a religious experience with the filet mignon at this restaurant. Medium-rare filet with bacon, blue cheese, potatoes, and crispy shallots? Yes please. Overall, my husband and I had a great meal here. We started with what the waiter called a seafood roast and the crab cakes. The crab cakes were exceptional, but I was underwhelmed with the seafood roast. The seafood came out very over-cooked, which is always disappointing. For his entree, my husband got the pork shank. My jaw fell to the table when they brought it out, because it was about the size of his head (and he has a big head). It was delicious; it came with polenta and roasted tomatoes. Very good. For dessert we got the creme brulee trio. A very surprising plate with a great presentation. Each creme brulee was served in a tiny espresso cup. It was just the right amount after a huge meal. The service was very good--fancy pants. You know, it's one of those places where it's one person's sole responsibility to refold your napkin if you leave to go to the bathroom. That always makes me laugh. Our waiter was attentive without being over-bearing. He was also really funny.

    (4)

  • Oski B.

    Getting a same-day reservation wasn't as easy as I thought, but it ended up working out; they were still pretty busy when I went in at 8:15. Appreciated that it's a casual place where you don't feel out of place wearing shorts and flip flops. Was hoping to try the fried chicken, but they were already sold out. Ended up going w the stuffed chicken wings and the pork chop. Everything was solid. Service could have been a little more attentive, but whatever. About $50 after tax/tip.

    (4)

  • Lauren L.

    I've been to NOLA twice, and have loved it both times. The food is fabulous and the service is impeccable. We made our reservations about 30 minutes before we wanted to eat because we planned on going to Irene's (which doesn't take reservations) and got there only to find that it was closed. Luckily, NOLA had a 9 p.m. reservation, and I booked it on Open Table. We got a drink at the bar which is a lively little area. We were seated, and met our server, Big John. He and his team were fantastic. You couldn't ask for better service. Always there when you needed them, but left you alone when you didn't. Perfect. I had the garlic crusted drum, and it was delicious. The crust was thick and crispy, and the garlic wasn't too overpowering. It was the perfect amount. Adam had the hickory roasted duck, which Big John said was his favorite. It didn't disappoint. It was so smokey that it almost tasted like BBQ pork, but you could still get the richness from the duck. Superb. The wine was perfect, and a good price. The wait staff never let our glasses go empty. Adam had the banana pudding layer cake for dessert, and ate the entire piece. I do not like banana desserts so I let him go for it. I ate most of my fish and was stuffed. He said it was probably the best dessert he's ever had. The first time I went, I had the best dessert ever. I can't remember the cake, but it was served with cinnamon ice cream that was unbelievable. If they have any cinnamon ice cream, get it. You won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • David A.

    Great food better service. The service at Nola was the best we have ever experienced. From the moment we walked in the maitre'd made sure our table was acceptable, the wait staff doted on us, and at the end of the meal the manager checked in to ask about our experience. The food was as good as advertised. Our only complaint is that the place is a bit noisy. I might have given a 4.5 because of the noise if it was allowed. Everything else could not have been better

    (5)

  • Ronnie V.

    Maybe it's the fact I don't eat at fancy restaurants often... BUT THIS PLACE WAS FREAKING AWFUL. I ordered the Pork Chop (it was massive and they brought it out in like record time...) and it was severely undercooked. A thought came to mind... maybe rich ppl don't eat all the food that was why it was raw, but it dawned on me.... a 30 dollar pork chop... you better believe I will eat the whole damn thing and then some. It was upsetting because I really wanted to eat at a fine restaurant in N.O... It was horrible. When I notified the staff... all they offered was a subtle, "Do you want me to take it back to cook it again?" I poked the it showed him the blood and pink meat The couple to my left experienced the same thing except the lady complained about the fish being undercooked. My theory is.... if you are going to a 3-Star establishment... the least you could do is cook the damn thing. I mean I get that with the McDouble in freaking McDonalds for christ sake. Overall it was amateur night at NOLA's... Emeril would not be proud... Maybe I had the 3rd string staff relieving the starters. My ass is going to stick with Mimi's and the other 2-star and below restaurant at least there I'm guaranteed cooked food. On a lighter note, the stuffed chicken was edible.

    (1)

  • David D.

    Don't waste any more time deciding. Just go. The food was great. My only issue is that they will run out of certain entrees if you have a late reservation.

    (4)

  • Dean H.

    Had a very good meal here the last night in New Orleans. If I was to rank it against the others I ate at, NOLA was better than Mr. B's but not as good as Dante's (the Best of the Best). Service was simply outstanding and ambiance good, but we were seated next to a service station and right inside of the entrance to the 3rd floor of the restaurant so our table could have been better but that happens. Appetizers for our group included BBQ Shrimp, Mussels, and Blue crabcake. Mussels were some of the largest and best I've ever had. Shrimp and crabcake were excellent too but they were out of the stuffed chicken wings, which I was so looking forward to from the other Yelp reviews. Gumbo was excellent as was my entree of the garlic crusted Drum. Very large piece of fish excellently prepared. I was too full for dessert but others at the table had the crembrulee trio and the "Drunken Monkey" ice cream and both were excellent. Had our table been better located and it not been the last of 4 great restaurants, NOLA could have gained a 5. Definitely a 4.5. Worth stopping in - make a reservation.

    (4)

  • Crystal U.

    I LOVE this place!! The biscuits are great and the oysters are even better (and I don't even like oysters)! Every dish I've had here has been awesome. It's a very popular restaurant so I would suggest reservations, especially during restaurant week.

    (4)

  • G L.

    Good food, but not great. Dissapointed by all the hype of an Emeril restaurant. Service was average.

    (3)

  • Andrew T.

    I was very skeptical of the place since I'm generally wary of celebrity chef's restaurants as a rule, but this place really surprised me! The staff was great, but it was the food that really won me over. In particular I really loved the (1) stuffed chicken wings, really unique tasting and fantastic. It's stuffed with shrimp and some other things I couldn't parse out, but honestly, it really just tasted like a spring roll! And (2) barbecue shrimp and grits - this. was. amazing. I've never been a grits fan, but I've also never had grits with this delicious sauce. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and that sauce..... ok, you get the point - the sauce is great! The environment is loud and fun, and I would definitely recommend coming by here if you're with a group and want to enjoy a great meal.

    (5)

  • mindy g.

    I went here on Friday. Service was top notch. Food was ok. I had the drum fish which is the local fish for my entre, and fried green tomatoes. Not memorable at all. Appetizer had no taste. I was not wowed. Sat upstairs, found the restaurant to be very noisy and hot. It was also a late seating. It was alright. I think you can do better for the price. Sorry Emeril, I wasn't Bam'd.

    (3)

  • David H.

    We had a great time eating at NOLA but since we ate at K Pauls the night before, it was a bit dissappointing. K Pauls was incredible and was tough to beat. The six of us tried different dishes and most of them were excellent. I had the Fried Chicken but where was the BAM??? The shrimp and grits was too sweet for me but the pork loin, chicken and redfish was excellent! The pizza appetizer and desserts were delicious too.

    (3)

  • Mark B.

    The decor is trendy, and I was seated on the second floor. I had four people waiting on me, and the Greeter chatted with me as she escorted me via elevator up to the second floor table. I started with the seafood gumbo. It had just enough seasoning to be delicious but not overpowering. The shrimp, oysters and crab were all cooked to perfection. The roux was the perfect consistency, and the jalapeño cornbread was a surprisingly good compliment to finish it off. I am not a fish person, but I got the garlic encrusted drum cooked in the wood burning oven with Brabant orators, crimini mushrooms, bacon and sauce beurre rouge. The fish was like a breaded veal cutlet. So delicious! The rouge was almost like a gravy with just a hint of the wine reduction. The potatoes were sparing and perfectly cooked. For dessert after much deliberation I had the chocolate and peanut butter cheesecake with raspberry coulier. Normally I am not a fan of raspberries, but the acid from the berries balanced the sweet of the chocolate perfectly. Visual presentation was beautiful. While not the finest dining experience I have ever had quality wise, I thoroughly enjoyed the entire meal and felt the quality exceeded the price tag. Service was attentive and fantastic. Decor and ambiance was trendy and comfortable. Highly recommended, as is Emeril's other restaurant in town.

    (4)

  • Hillary J.

    The service here is impeccable -- every need is anticipated without the servers hovering. We never felt rushed, but our server was always nearby when we needed something. One guy even Googled a picture of Emeril on his phone when my dad admitted he didn't know who Emeril is :) The restaruant is bright and open upstairs and dim and romantic downstairs. This is definitely a fine dining establishment, with white tablecloths and a quiet atmosphere, which is a nice break in the Quarter. We had the crab cake, barbecued gulf shrimp, and a special salad (seared tuna, arugula, caviar and creme fraiche) as appetizers, and everything was delicious, presented beautifully, and served promptly. These were all truly delightful, innovative, and worth trying. We had the shrimp and grits, pan roasted salmon, and rib eye for dinner, with an extra side of the bourbon mashed sweet potatoes. The portions are generous for a fine dining restaurant. The shrimp and grits and steak were excellent. The sweet potatoes was a dish large enough to share family style -- I wouldn't recommend ordering it for one person. The salmon and steak were both cooked exactly as we'd asked. Nothing was wrong with any of the appetizers, but nothing made them particularly memorable or interesting, either. We had the creme brulee trio for dessert, and I was underwhelmed. They come in espresso cups, so it's not overwhelming if you don't care for rich desserts. But the custard was all cold. These were clearly prepared well in advance. The coconut was special, but the chocolate and vanilla bean were fairly run-of-the-mill. NOLA is worth visiting, but it's fairly standard fine dining. The service and the appetizers are what set this one apart.

    (3)

  • Doug W.

    This was a good lunch even though I hate the thought of supporting a media whore like Emeril. (But Emeril's was excellent when I went there a few years back.) We had chicken wings for the appetizer, boudin balls, and the fried chicken. All were good.

    (3)

  • RJ K.

    Pretty disappointed in our experience here. My husband and I came to New Orleans on a 10th anniversary vacation, and I booked the reservation with NOLA over Restaurant August based in large part on the Yelp reviews. The food was actually quite good. A bit much, maybe, in terms of heaviness, quantity, and price, but it was delicious. The restaurant is nicely decorated and we were seated within minutes of arriving, even though we were ten minutes early. What ruined the experience for me, though, was the service. The waiter we were assigned didn't smile once while talking to us, and was even downright surly -- as if we were putting him out by requiring him to do his job. Certainly not the level of service I expected from a restaurant at this price point. He even seemed irritated with us that we couldn't finish our dinners and didn't have enough room for dessert. I started to feel unwelcome, and I didn't appreciate it. The raucous table of drunks seated next to us didn't help, either, but I can't really blame that one on the staff. Next time we're in Nawlins, we'll be heading to Restaurant August instead. Suck it, Emeril.

    (2)

  • Angela S.

    Love the ambience! Excellent service. Portions are big. Shared the duck with girlfriend and we both enjoyed it. Good wine list too. Will return!

    (4)

  • K R.

    Fantastic food, great service. Central location. Really good upscale New Orleans food.

    (4)

  • Melinda V.

    My husband and I sat at a bar overlooking the wood fire oven. What a treat! Like dinner and a show. We ordered the Stuffed Chicken Wings and the Mussels to start. The mussels were good, drowning in butter and a nice smokey flavor from the wood fire. The Wings were amazing. Crispy skin, tender moist meat and stuffed with the best dressing I've had in awhile. I'd go just for that. We ordered Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken and Grilled Pork Chop. The chicken was just like my Grandma used to make with that dredged-in-egg buttermilk and flour coating and fried just right. The grilled pork chop was the star...by far the best pork chop I've ever tasted with a grilled seasoning that makes my mouth water even now. If I were to go back today I'd order the stuffed wings and the pork chop, no question. Aside from the food, I found the attitudes of the staff to be a pleasant surprise. Sometimes you end up with at least one surly person who thinks their job is beneath them but it wasn't the case here. I loved the teamwork they exhibited...including a resounding but quiet cheer over a job well done with the evening rush. They were slammed, but they all kept their heads down and simply worked. They obviously enjoy what they do and it shows. It's nice to see, and from a customer perspective it helped make the evening a fantastic one for me. Watching them work was like watching a well oiled machine. Job well done! I applaud you! Overall, from the servers to the kitchen staff, a friendly, fun and tasty experience. The next time I'm in New Orleans, it will be my go-to place.

    (5)

  • Carol G.

    Great meal. Great service. The Duck was wonderful!

    (4)

  • Martin C.

    A true Emeril experience. Great variety. Super flavors. Great ambience. Fantastic wait staff. MartyMontana

    (4)

  • Vera H.

    The hosts were a little stuffy, but the waitstaff on the second level were a hoot. They were totally profession and great, but with just a touch of ghetto. "I'll be back to take your order, yo". Or at least that's what I think he said.. We actually closed down the restaurant and I noticed that the bar downstairs was caged off. So I asked our busboy about it. Total deadpan: "It gets a little crazy when people have too much to drink. Sometimes they like to jump back there. Guests and employees, but I plead the fifth. Also used for cage fighting.. And sometimes cockfighting." We were cracking up. Anyways, you want to hear about the food, right? - Cocktails: The Cosmopolitan was recommended by our waiter. It was delicious. My friend ordered the Pomegranate Mojito which he also recommended, but that one tasted like Robitussin, even after the ice melted. Not so great. - Starters: Fried Green Tomatoes were amazing. I think they had a panko crust and the dressing tasted a bit like ranch. Also had one of their daily specials which was a crab salad over arugula and other mixed greens. That was nice and light, with a really good lemony dressing. - Shrimp and Grits: Good, but I actually preferred the dish at Luke better. This one was more Cajun, with more of a BBQ sauce-like flavor and had some kick to it. The Luke one was of a different taste profile (saffron and cheesy), so totally depends on what you like. - Dessert: Banana Pudding Layer Cake was SO GOOD, but since I was SO FULL, I couldn't finish. Highly recommended though. Ambiance goes from casual to dressy. You could walk in with shorts or a suit and you'd be fine either way.

    (4)

  • Seppo H.

    Normally, I end up as either a one or five star kinda guy. I'm just not that compelled to write about a middle-of-the-road experience. Went to NOLA for lunch with a bunch of friends - we were all in town for a wedding, and one of the folks had picked NOLA. Service was great, everyone was friendly, they were really great about accommodating a large group. I ended up having the buttermilk fried chicken breast, with mashed sweet potatoes & beans with a country ham gravy. The sweet potatoes were delicious, the beans were perfectly done... and that was sort of it. The chicken wasn't dry, but it wasn't particularly juicy, either, and it had almost no discernible flavor. The gravy didn't taste like much, either - maybe both were just underseasoned, but in the end, while the sides were delicious, the star of the meal couldn't hold up its end of the bargain. Had an almond tart for dessert with orange supremes and a scoop of ice cream. Tasty - one of the better almond tarts I've had, but the weird thing is that the orange pieces were just sort of "there". They weren't really doing anything, and together with the tart, or on their own, they just didn't really seem to have a purpose to me. I went in without huge expectations, but I was disappointed that the food just didn't feel like it justified the price. Nice service & a great location, but really nothing about the meal stood out.

    (3)

  • Galen H.

    This place is great if you are in New Orleans and are looking for a classy sit down meal. I went with 9-10 guys and we all thoroughly enjoyed our meal. I had the pan roasted Creekstone Farms rib eye cooked medium rare and it was excellent. The wine selection wasn't bad either.

    (5)

  • Todd P.

    I had a very bizarre experience trying to dine at NOLA. I made a lunch reservation and started with a salad and when it came out there was something odd mixed in. It was small, hard, oval shaped and orange and then I figured it out...it was the same shape and size as an "One a Day" multivitamin! So I called over waiter to make sure I wasn't insane and he confirmed that wasn't imagining anything, but then his reaction was not that of shock or contrition, but rather he just matter of factly asked if I wanted another salad. The fact that he wasn't as weirded out as I was creeped me out even more and I ended up just deciding to call it quits and find some place else to eat. That was a couple of years ago, so I guess I would give it another try the next time I'm in town, but at the time I was very put off by the whole experience.

    (1)

  • April E.

    The food was delicious (grilled pork chop, fried chicken). The wait staff was very attentive when they were around, but service was sometimes a little slow. They were great with mentioning options for kids which weren't on the menu (fried shrimp and pasta with cheese). The dessert was also wonderful (creme brûlée, ooey gooey cake and the day's special tiramisu).

    (4)

  • Jeremy M.

    I had high expectations for this dinner, and they were surpassed. A totally charming decor, comfortable, casual and welcoming. The combination of exposed brick interior and gigantic window on the outside with interesting lighting. Our waiter was wonderful - attentive, helpful, charming. And still the food was the star, beginning with the bbq shrimp appetizer through my buttermilk chicken entree that may be the single best chicken dish I've ever had. Capped off by a sensational bread pudding/blueberries/lemon-poppyseed ice cream dessert that was out of this world.

    (5)

  • A. S.

    The grilled pork chops are by far the best I ever had. It's a lot of food..it's actually more like a dinosaur leg but incredible!

    (5)

  • Dawn G.

    I must say that NOLA is definitely worth every star. Not only was the food delicious but you could see that every staff member was giving 100% to take care of their customers. I had Emeril's Chardonay by the glass and loved it. My entree was the pork chop and it was cooked perfectly and was delicious!!!!! My husband had the duck which was good but had more smoky flavor than I would enjoy. We also tried the duck and mushroom boudin balls and they were wonderful. Hands down the best meal I've ever had in New Orleans!!!

    (5)

  • William R.

    The food was exquisite looking and tasty. I had the seared tuna and it tasted fantastic. Unfortunately I ended up with severe food poisoning from this place. I NEVER get sick and I mean NEVER get sick from eating food. I was perfectly fine before I ate at this place. I am giving it 1 star because frankly I almost ended up in the hospital from NOLA. The worst time of my entire life after eating at this place as I couldn't stand, was vomiting, and unable to control other functions. BAM!!! not what i expected... Took me about 16hrs to recover from the food poisoning and then i was perfectly fine again.

    (1)

  • Jordi G.

    I've been here three times now and it definitely is between four and five stars for me. When they're on, definitely five, even when not, probably 4.5. I was sad to see that my favorite dish there was off the menu last time I went, however--was 6 Parmesan baked oysters inside a little muffin tray type thing. This dish was just absolute bliss. I had an escargot dish last time I was there instated, it was good but a little too buttery. The entrées are always great--I like ordering fish as an entrée usually and have done so twice there, both times the different fishes being tender, light, and flaky while the perfect temperature and sweetness and contrasting nicely with the acidity of of the salad with vinagrette, and also nicely with the texture of maybe almonds? or whatever was sprinkled on the plate that I can't remember. I had short ribs for an entrée once which was done well, despite me not having the taste buds for short ribs. They were tender and flavorful and the andouille gave it a nice bite along with it's natural sweetness. The side dish of roasted red potatoes is fantastic (and the only side dish I've had). A nice selection of wine too that can almost always pair nicely with most courses...nice pinot noir if I remember correctly. I had a martini once at the bar there when I was waiting for my table and don't really drink cocktails during dinner. Still, a good drink, good food, and a really neat FQ atmosphere with warehouse charm too. Make reservations, or else you'll wait.

    (4)

  • Katie H.

    The food was amazing! We had the mussels, ceasar salads, Mushroom Soup, Porkchop (HUGE), Grilled Fish of the Day, and Shrimp & Grits. The service was great! All that being said - the bill was a little expensive ... felt like it was not quite worth the $160 price tag for 3 people to eat.

    (4)

  • jay w.

    Went here for a quick lunch and sat at the bar. The bar tender was great and the beers were good. I had the pork cheek po'boy which was tasty, but too salty. My wife had the vegetarian "pizza" which was like a slice of pita bread with olive oil on top and looked like a sad communion wafer. We felt there were just so many better places in the area (Vacherie is in the same price range and ambiance).

    (2)

  • Jason R.

    Awesome. Service, food, drinks and ambiance. Not to be missed. Pork roast is great as is the Drum. Chocolate Gooey cake is a must try.

    (5)

  • Chris M.

    This was our second choice for dinner tonight. We couldn't get in to K-Paul's but Emeril did not disappoint. What an incredible, flavor-filled dining experience. Fried green tomato was a killer app. My wife had the Drum which she raved about. I had the shrimp and grits and I can honestly say that there were second to none! Awesome, friendly staff. James was our server (one of them) and he was funny and gave us great tips on what to try. It's no wonder that great Chef's are able to put together great places to eat!

    (5)

  • N C.

    We made a reservation at NOLA on a recent trip to New Orleans. We did so because friends who live there told us it was their favorite of Emeril's restaurants. We went on a Saturday night and were seated on the second floor near the window. We loved it there. The food was delicious. I had the salmon and my husband had the duck. The service was out of this world. I'd get up from the table and come back to a perfectly folded napkin. The general manager and the wait staff worked together to bring meals to each table, so meals arrived at the same time. The wait staff were naturals - very skilled, professional, and warm. The General Manager was equally warm and down to earth. Thank you for caring about the experience of your diners...Will we come back here if we're back in New Orleans? FOR SURE.

    (5)

  • Liz K.

    I went to NOLA's last weekend with 4 other people who really liked what they ordered however since I am the one writing my review, I have to give my experience. Emeril, Emeril, Emeril....you might need to try spending more time evaluating your restaurants and less time on TV. We had an 8PM reservation which is only 1 1/2 hours after opening and we were informed they didn't have any more of one of their listed specials and also didn't have 2 other entrees on their regular menu. Same with dessert...2 options weren't available. I have watched many of his shows and have always wanted to try his babyback ribs. Every time he features them, they look like the pork just falls off the bone. What a disappointment when I tried to literally SAW into the rack. Luckily I've been working out cuz I gave that knife a workout. Not only were the ribs tough but the meat was dry. The only saving grace was they actually had flavor. But still a disappointment for $40. Would have rather bought 4 dozen oysters at Acme's instead! haha One thing the 5 of us agreed on was the service. The service was below par. We weren't offered bread until one waiter overheard us talking about it. Water only came once the whole time. The only time the wait staff focused any attention on our table was when they were waiting for their tip. Would I go back? Hell no! The other food options may have been delicious but with all the other eateries in this wonderful city, I'd prefer to spend my money elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Derek R.

    NOLA's is one of our "go to" places in the Quarter. We've been there quite probably half a dozen times and it is always a treat. It's also one of the places we take people who are visiting from out of town and want to eat down in the Quarter so they can experience NOLA. Parking is tough in the Quarter. I usually park at Jackson Square and walk over. It's just a few blocks and is not a problem. Reservations recommended! It's very popular with locals and tourists alike. Don't forget to save room for dessert!! Delicioso!

    (5)

  • Karen K.

    I have been here a few times and have ALWAYS enjoyed great food and service. From start to finish AMAZING......Japaleno corn bread to die for! I will always make this a part of my New Orleans visit!

    (4)

  • Robbin C.

    Great experience. Food was oustanding and service impeccable! I would definitely recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Y d.

    I was struggling between a three or a four stars since a 3.5 star would describe this place best. In the end Emeril's fame actually pushed me towards the 3 star since I had high expectation of this place. I had the duck and it was a little dry; at least this joint is cheap compared to Emeril's other restaurants.

    (3)

  • Tricia C.

    We ate here the first night of our most recent trip to NOLA. There were some high points, and some low points. Started off high with the Pimm's Cup we had at the bar while we waited for our table--mighty tasty. The complimentary bread was also quite delicious (one was cornbread, one was a biscuit if I remember correctly). The chef refused to serve the oysters they had gotten (they had been forced to switch to a new purveyor recently due to availability), so for apps we had the stuffed chicken wings and the crab cake. The chicken wings were really interesting (stuffed with shrimp, mushrooms, and noodles I think?) and I would try those again, but the crab cake was actually really bad. I was SUPER disappointed--figured Emeril would know how to make a good crab cake! (We've been to several other of his restaurants and they've typically been really good, crab cakes included). This one had tons of cake in it, and even worse, the cake had a really pasty consistency. Very little crabmeat. The spicy sauce was decent but the cake was kind of drowning in it. For our entrees, my husband got the shrimp and grits, which was REALLY delicious but for the 6 shrimp or so that came with it, $30 is way too pricey--especially since this is one of Emeril's more "casual" restaurants. My duck was pretty good--great smokey flavor but a little dry. When I ate it with the accompanying sides, it didn't seem so dry but I didn't really feel the dish went together all that well. We opted out of dessert because the two that sounded best to us had been ordered by the table next to us and they left half of each one so we figured best not to chance it when we had already spent so much on mediocre food. Service and atmosphere were great, and I can recommend the stuffed wings and shrimp and grits. Plenty of other stuff sounded good on the menu too. There are just sooo many other options in New Orleans that we probably wouldn't return here.

    (3)

  • Arthur L.

    I think the place is pretty good but its missing a few notches from being a top notch restaurant. The food here is pretty good, and they have big big portions so please prepare yourself by not eating anything before you come here! The pork shank is slammin, and they literally just chopped some poor pig's leg off and the whole thing is on your plate. bone and all. Oh btw..try the buttermilk fried chicken, mmm mmm mmm! the things that kept this place as a good place to eat vs an awesome place are just 2 small things: 1) food - it was good, dont get me wrong. But Its not the most amazing I've had. 2 people on my table ordered duck. 1 was dry and the other was moist. 1/3 of the fried chickens was on the dry side as well. So you will find some inconsistancies. Food is good but not to die for. 2) service - it all started off good but when the entree's came out them forgot my sister's dish. I thought the waiter wrote it down but he seemed to have completely forgot about it and we had to wait another 10 mins for her dish to come out. Dessert...now maybe this is different depending on the restaurant but usually I have my coffee before/during my dessert. Not AFTER. The coffee came super late, which I don't really know why. And it might be minor but it also took them longer and longer to fill our waters up later on. I understand its graduation weekend but more the reason to step your game up! The staff was very nice though and the waiter was honest with his opinions. if I come back...ANOTHER NOTCH! (hopefully)

    (3)

  • jen a.

    New Orleans must be used to having bachelorette parties all the time. I came with a party of something like a dozen gals, and our service team consisted of these huge dudes who looked like football players. They were pretty cool and played with us- we had a b-party game going on (you know the drill). Service was attentive and everyone was very nice. On to the food: I had the bbq shrimp and cheesy grits. Very tasty, but a bit greasy. Oh yes, maybe it was because of the bacon in it too. :P I can't speak for the other dishes, but it seemed like the party enjoyed their meal. In regard to price, I have had Creole/Cajun food in the SF Bay Area that serve comparable quality dishes (Angeline's in Berkeley), and the prices are much lower. I think NOLA's feels like they can charge what they charge because of Emeril's name. I don't think it's necessarily better than other joints around, or even across the country.

    (3)

  • Jena V.

    Great food, service and overall atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Dan M.

    WOW I thought this place was just amazing.... I was in New Orleans for the first time last weekend and really wanted to eat at Emeril's NOLA. I was able to get my reservation and could not have been more excited. First of all, I think this was the best table service I've ever received at a restaurant. We felt very high class right from the start of the meal when the servers pulled out the chairs for both of us. There were several attendants and one was always standing by in case there was anything you needed. They had a massive wine and drink selection and started us off with a great selection of bread. I really enjoyed their signature cornbread. For an app we ordered Emeril's crab cake. This was seriously the best crab cake I have ever had. It was cooked perfectly and the inside was so tasty, the crab was just perfect. They also line the rim of the plate with some unbelievable sauces. For our main course I went with the duck and the lady went with the jumbo shrimp dish, on a bed of cheddar and bacon infused grits. My duck was superb, there was absolutely no fat on the meat what so ever. It was smoky, tender and all around amazing. The sauce that accompanied the meat was also stellar. As good as the duck was, the shrimp was even better. I am not a huge grits fan but these were out of this world. The shrimp were huge, the bacon was amazing and once again Emeril's sauces were spectacular. There are lots of amazing places for food in the great city of New Orleans. NOLA is one of the best!

    (5)

  • Erica B.

    Went to NOLA with several work colleagues based on a glowing recommendation. They did not disappoint. The drinks were a little small but very tasty. I really enjoyed the shrimp and grits. Typical of most fancy restaurants, the portions were a little small, but I didn't mind because there were plenty of calories in the plate as is. The servers were wonderful and attentive. This was my first Emeril restaurant and I would definitely come back on a future trip.

    (4)

  • Cecilia C.

    HORRIBLE MANAGEMENT AND SERVICE !!!!!!!!!!! We were visiting the terrific New Orleans for a few days and received at Nola the worst service of our life. Our server Jay was so arrogant, barely answered our questions and did not smile at us even once, except when he dropped the check to the table...Too bad because we thought that the food was great. We still tipped him15% but his service really ruined the experience. We saw the assistant manager that night going to the tables and stopped to a girls table and was so wild and so loud that we wondered if he was not drunk...but whatever... But the worst was when we forgot our credit card in the checkbook and came back just 10 minutes later to pick it up. That assistant manager Jorge Rodriguez said he checked with our server but did not find anything..when we told him that the all experience was a disaster he asked us to go outside and literally started to smoke his cigarette in our face saying that he had a tuff night and did not want to deal with it right now....UNBELIEVABLE !!!!!! You can let go of an horrible service but being treated so rudely by such an unprofessional ass--- assistant manager is just unacceptable. Next time you have to deal with that server or his idiot manager JUST BE AWARE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    (1)

  • Briana J.

    Best fried chicken I have ever had.

    (5)

  • Michael T.

    This is a Emeril Lagasse restaurant. Enough said, the place is incredible!!! The service is on par with the quality of the food. Superior, excellent, amazing!!!

    (5)

  • E G.

    I remembered eating at this restaurant years ago and decided to check it out for a quick bite on a recent trip. Some of the food was wonderful. My friend and I got a fried green tomato salad, crab cake and stuffed chicken wings. I ordered the stuffed chicken wings due to the raves I read about on Yelp and I was not disappointed. The chicken was stuffed with what I can only liken to excellent pot sticker insides stuffing. I was told it was a mixture of pork and shrimp and other spices. It was amazing. The fried green tomatoes were really tasty and came on a nice bed of greens. The only thing I did not care for was the crab cake. It tasted funny to me (not "off" just not a flavor combination I found appealing). The one disappointment was the drink. For $12 I want to be wowed by a drink. Instead we got a bland, weak NOLA Cosmo. I will definitely skip that next time.

    (4)

  • Toni D.

    My co-worker & friend and I were down in NOLA for a conference in September and we made reservations WEEKS before because we HAD to have it. I am so glad we did. The waitstaff was awesome, the wine was fantastic & the food was amazing. The atmosphere was so fun & the architecture, simply breathtaking. I wasn't disappointed and even the price was fair. Highly recommend! Dinner w/Drinks: Chicken Sandwich, Shrimp, New Orleans Favorites, Creme Brulee' with house red & white wines.

    (5)

  • Cristen F.

    Something is definitely wrong here. This used to be one of my favorite restaurants in town. No More. I dined there with a companion on Friday night and had a horrible experience. The meal started with two appetizers - the BBQ shrimp and a salad with crabmeat. The shrimp were ok, although VERY small and only a few of them. My salad with the crabmeat was inedible. The crab was not fresh. I could smell it as soon as the plate was placed before me. When I took the first bite, my suspicions were confirmed - bad crab. (I sent it back with an explanation that it was bad and that I did not care to have another one, but it was shockingly still on our bill when the bill arrived later.) Next came the entrees. I had the shrimp and grits and my dining companion had the drum, the fish of the day special. My shrimp and grits were ok but, again, there were only 5 very small shrimp on the plate and the grits were runny. The drum was horrific - it wasn't fresh and was very mealy. There is absolutely no excuse for not serving fresh seafood anywhere in this geographic area and especially if you're an Emeril's restaurant - especially fresh drum which is plentiful and readily available all over this area. This fish was obviously frozen, thawed, frozen again, thawed again and cooked. When we called the server over to ask him to replace the fish, we decided to just get another BBQ appetizer as that had been the only decent thing to arrive all evening. I wish we had totally skipped dessert. But didn't. Instead, we ordered the creme brulee trio - and one of the brulees had a 3-inch hair inside!!! The whole experience was so bad from beginning to end that we were joking about whether we were being "punked" or on some type of hidden camera show. You wouldn't think it could have been as bad as it was. We couldn't take it anymore and asked for the bill so we could get out of there. We were shocked that so much was still on the bill after all we had reported that had gone wrong. To have paid more than $100 without tip for all of that was enough to make us never go in the place again.

    (1)

  • Foodie S.

    One of my top 5 culinary experiences. I thought the ambiance was very cool and the look of the restaurant was different in a good way. As for the food, the best Emeril restaurant I ever went too. Started off with stuffed chicken wings; I have no idea what they were stuffed with but it was very tastey. For entrees we had shrimp & grits and the duck. If I was on that Food Network show called the Best Thing I Ever Ate, I would talk about the duck; simply amazing.

    (5)

  • Alan S.

    I ordered the garlic crusted drum and it was probably the best fish i have ever had. The sweet potato side was also stellar and the beet salad was great. Gumbo was all seafood which was nice for my pescatarian wife but the taste was only so-so. For dessert we had the popcorn sundae; it was surprisingly good, combination of sweet and salty. The honey bee drink was also very refreshing. The service was fast once we got seated and the people were nice. All in all a great New Orleans food experience!

    (5)

  • Michelle H.

    YUM! My husband and I went last weekend and had: Emeril's Barbecued Gulf Shrimp with Rosemary Biscuit Mahi mahi with Fingerling Potatoes, Sweet Corn, Grape Tomatoes, Fennel-Arugula Salad and Black Truffle Butter Sauce Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken with Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Country Ham Cream Gravy and Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas Crème Brûlée Trio Vanilla Bean with Fresh Berries, Coconut with a Coconut Truffle, Mocha with Chocolate-Almond Biscotti Everything was excellent - food, service, ambiance....we just loved the whole experience. Will visit every time we go to NOLA!

    (5)

  • Erin H.

    This was the most underwhelming meal we experienced while in New Orleans. Locals and tourists hyped this restaurant up, and I felt completely let down. While all the dishes look and sound amazing, they have little flavor. We ended up leaving before ordering a main course. The appetizers and cocktails were blah, and the service was nonexistent. We had to hunt down our waiter to place both a drink order as well as our appetizer order. New Orleans has too many amazing restaurants to waste your time here. I highly suggest spending your money elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Chris F.

    4 of us went here for our first meal right off the plane from NJ. Our flight was delayed 3 hours. We called Nola and asked them to hold our reservation they said they would. We got to Nola a 1\2 hour later than we should have. They had our table ready for us. The meal was AMAZING. The wait staff were GREAT. They all knew about about the Funk party that was delayed in NJ and we all joked about it. Great meal all around. Go to Nola.....

    (5)

  • Scott H.

    Words cannot explain the Pork Chop... Do yourself a favor and make a reservation. My fiancé had shrimp and grits, my friend the filet, and his fiancé the drum... We of course all sampled each others... Every thing we ordered was fantastic... Truly a phenomenal restaurant.

    (5)

  • Brian K.

    BUZZ - Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza (9/10) - Garlic Crusted Drum (10/10) - Warm Ooey Gooey Cake (4/10) I ALSO TRIED - Miss Hay's Stuffed Chicken Wings (9/10) - Chicken & Andoille Sausage Gumbo (7/10) - NOLA Caesar Salad (5/10) - Popcorn Sundae (8/10) - Pineapple Upside Down Flan (8/10) Emeril Lagasse. I've been to a couple of his restaurants, and while good, I wasn't that impressed. That seems to be pretty commonplace among these 500+ reviews. I must say, though, anyone who enjoys the Food Network today should really pay the man some respect, because he was one of the starters that got Food Network on its feet. I mean, it was a "right time, right place" kinda thing. His show's format won't entertain today's viewers (which is why it was cancelled), but Emeril was there in the beginning, in 1993! In fact, Food Network banked it on his series, and look where it is today! The place is rustic and elegant! It's an old (I mean OLD) warehouse, and a lot of the building itself is kept au natural, but obviously the amenities are modern. It's a little cramped, but that's why there're 3 floors! The place really is beautiful, and is such a great balance of rustic and modern. I'll add, though, that the bathroom on the 3rd floor is rustic, and just plain old. It was our last day on a company outing, so we went all out. DUCK CONFIT PIZZA Duck confit is basically duck that's been cured and cooked in its own fat. The pizza is on a very thin crust, but very crunchy. It looks like there's just arugula haphazardly scattered all over the place, but you know that look that some girls can pull off where they're dirty and disheveled, but somehow that's hot? Yeah, it's like that. Underneath that, though, is the duck meat, truffle oil, and Parmesan cheese. If you don't bite correctly, you might be disappointed at first, but once you align your bite correctly and get all of the ingredients, it's phenomenal! The crust provides a nice crunch and crisp texture. The arugula adds a leafy freshness to the bite. The absence of flavor in the crust is immediately countered with a BAM! by the duck - great buttery flavor, with a perfect volume of seasoning to fill the voids and then some, without going too far to make it salty. It's incredible, and with 1 order, each of us 5 got a slice with 1 to spare! GARLIC CRUSTED DRUM I love grits, so I was eying the BBQ Shrimp & Grits, but Yelp said more people suggested the drum, so it came down to the wire, but I selected drum. I know I was all Johnny On The Spot with the info on Emeril, but you're on your own here. Drum is a fish, that's all the info I have. "Let's kick it up a notch!" I have no words to describe this dish, other than "BAM!" Unless you're a Classhole, you're not gonna understand the menu's description. It's fish, that's like garlic breadcrumb breaded, over a Beurre Rouge sauce (a sweet wine/butter sauce). Holy Mother! This is good! Even though the crumbs were tiny, each one packed a huge crunch! And they were so evenly placed, it was like they were each individually laid on with tweezers for a maximum experience! The roasted garlic flavor was spot on too, it wasn't overbearing, and, as is common with garlic crusted anything, it didn't taste burnt. I still can't believe or explain to you how crunchy that was. Put it this way, the texture felt like how Rice Krispies sound. And the flavors, OMG! The drum was seasoned so perfectly (either by itself or by the breadcrumbs). Even by itself, it would have been 5 star amazing, but if you pick up some of the rouge, that sweetness just amplifies, no, megaphones that flavor! The fish itself wasn't transparent either. It wasn't just some vessel for these flavors, it was a contributing factor too! Somehow admist all these other flavors, the fish flavor sort of swam its way elegantly through everything to tie it together. I'm telling you, I can probably go on and on about that one bite, but take a sip of wine, and you get to experience it all over again and again! I will crave this forever! OOEY GOOEY This is the #1 dessert on the menu, in terms of popularity. It was too rich for me. Now, take that with a grain of salt. I can have a sweet tooth, but I don't always crave chocolate, and if I do, I like milk chocolate over dark chocolate. This thing is chocolate cake, marshmellows, coffee ice cream, and toasted coconut. Now, dark chocolate is bad enough, add toasted coconut to that, and no thank you! It adds even more bitterness to the already bitter chocolate, so I didn't really enjoy it. The chocolate that was on here was like fudge, though, and I love fudge, but it was only the texture here. If you enjoy dark chocolate, you'll absolutely "feel the love," but not me. I didn't even finish it. I FEEL THE LOVE! Yelp has this annoying 5000 character rule, so I'm going to have to save the non-buzz items for a later. I'm right up against it, so I'll conclude. Amazing culinary experience. 5 Stars, as I will fondly remember this meal and crave it

    (5)

  • Greg B.

    It took a while to get their attention that I wanted to sit down and eat lunch, but once they noticed me, they treated me like a king. I got a seat at the cooking station, my favorite spot, and enjoyed the Gumbo and Pork Cheek po-boy. Good place to go.

    (4)

  • Dan S.

    If there is a Heaven on Earth, NOLA must be the doorway. One of my favorite restaurants, I returned for a recent visit there last week. It hasn't missed a step. There are lots of reviews here so I won't bore you, but the standouts to me are: 1) Terrific service. Friendly, prompt, helpful. Everything you want in a waiter and support staff. Water refills, wine recommendations, etc. They had it all. 2) Stuffed Chicken Wings. How do they do that? Who cares. 3) Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza. Egg on a pizza? Heck, yeah. Runny goes well. Who knew? 4) Fried Chicken. Some of the best you've had. Yeah, Emeril is a celebrity chef and isn't around. But he's staffed the place with great chefs. What a great meal and a great night. A must visit when you go to NOLA.

    (5)

  • Josette D.

    The ambiance and the service for this place is fantastic. The food though, looking great on your plate, was a little too salty for palate. On my recent trip to NOLA, the fiance and I were excited to hit this place. We shared the duck confit and fried egg pizza. The plate looked beautiful and the duck was cooked properly. The blend of the cheese and the egg really mixed well with the duck that didn't have an after taste. Then for our entre, we had the hickory roasted duck and the garlic crusted drum. Again, they were beautifully plated and then you can taste the natural flavors of the duck and the fish but again it was a little too salty for us. The dessert was probably the highlight of the dinner where we had the banana pudding layer cake. The dessert chef hit it out of the park. The banana flavor mixed well with the chocolate sauce and the ice cream.

    (4)

  • Gabe R.

    I reserved a table here on Saturday 11/10/12 after failing to get a table at 3 other places. I was expecting a tourist trap type place. It had all the signs of one. Celebrity Chef, The Quarter, the text friendly lazy name....but once again I was wrong. We got there about 10 minutes before our reservation and we were seated almost immediately. Our waiter Lance was extremely friendly, very knowledgeable and down to earth. I hate when you get waiters in nice places that try to act too proper. Just be cool, and Lance was definitely that. They first bring you out two pieces of homemade bread. 1 jalepeno cornbread and some peppery ciabatta. So good. I suggest rolling them up in a napkin and hiding them in your girlfriends purse that way they bring you more. Ok now that the trailer park trash side of me is out the way, i'll actually review the food. We split the crab cake appetizer. They only give you one crab cake but its decent sized and it comes with a Crystal hot sauce and butter concoction drizzled around the plate. The crab cake is good by itself but the sauce gives it a little kick. For an entree I got the garlic crusted drum fish. I have only had that taste bud moment twice before in my life where it was that good. Once the 1st time I ate a Drago's chargrilled oystesr and the other when my mama gave me the strained bananas from Gerbers. You can look it up on their website for all the technicalities of the dish but all I know is it was the best fish dish that I have ever eaten. There was a great sauce that had bacon pieces in it that the fish sat on top of. Seiously delicious! For dessert I had the banana pudding cake which was pretty good as well. The girlfriend was there and usually i taste her food and report that too but mine was so good, I have blocked her food out of my memory. Great food, Great service, great looking place.....all that equals 5 stars in my book..

    (5)

  • Donna G.

    Big Disappointment! It was a Saturday night, we sat upstairs. So noisy that we couldn't hear the couple across the table. The fried chicken, a signature dish was dry. And someone should tell the wait staff not to stack the dirty dishes at the table. This place should take some lessons from Thomas Keller on how to serve food and clear tables. It could have been a bad night....but an expensive disappointment for us.

    (2)

  • Clinton S.

    As a somewhat frequent visitor to Nola Restaurant(it happens to be one of my favorite places to eat while in the crescent city) I must say that I've experienced much better in the past than I did on my most recent visit. My party of 4 arrived a few minutes early and we were promptly seated and greeted. I asked about a chef's tasting and wine pairing and was very disappointed to learn that there was none. To put it bluntly it was a HUGE let down. Since there was no tasting menu I asked the waitress what she recommended on the menu. I was told the drum was "excellent". One other of my party ordered the same. Trust me, it was anything but excellent. I had to use a knife to cut into my "flaky, white" fish. it was so tough that I could only eat a few bites. Fortunately, the order was removed from my bill. Overall, as much as I love this place, I have to give it poor marks for not having a chef's tasting also for serving such a horribly overcooked piece of fish. There are so many great places to eat in New Orleans that i'm honestly not sure if i'll ever go back to Nola Restaurant.

    (2)

  • Mark M.

    My bf surprised me by taking me to this place while we were in NOLA this past weekend (no pun..lol) and I was super excited b/c this is one of Emeril's many restaurants. I did expect it to be "comfortable-chic" and it seemed to be right on the money. The person who greeted us seemed very nice and was able to seat us prior to our reservation time. Our server greeted us and was perfectly pleasant. He took our order but, he seemed to get "ghost" for the remainder of the evening for the most part. He did check on us one other time but that was about it. We had to rely on other runners and waiters to get water and bread in his absence. I wanted the crispy chicken breast ($27) but I didn't like the sides (snap peas and mashed sweet potatoes) and I substituted it for kernel corn and the cheesy grits. My bf had the roasted duck ($30) and although he loved it, I'm wasn't a fan of the "hickory, charcoaly" flavor. For the most part, NOLA is worth a visit for you wanting to get away from the masses in a nice environment.

    (3)

  • Rick F.

    Just an OK experience! I was hoping for more and have had excellent meals at Emeril's in Las Vegas! Gumbo was excellent, The Seafood Stew was good not great! The bread service was amazing! The Halibut was way overcooked and dry! The Duck was good not great! Service was excellent, I love the elevator nice touch, next time I'll eat at the bar overlooking the kitchen it looked as if the patrons were having a great time interacting with the cooks!

    (3)

  • Trina J.

    It is not the best place in New Orleans but it is a part of Emeril's and the meals are different. Neat spin on traditional creole meals. Nice experience.

    (4)

  • Kimberly H.

    Went with a large group for new years eve this year. Had a great experience. The tuna tartare was awesome, i started with a wedge salad with bacon and red peppers that was very good. A friend had the stuffed chicken wings, which i would highly recommend. They were awesome, and really unique. I had the sea bass for my main meal, which was a special that night, served with gnocci. I was also very tempted by the drum and the duck, on the normal menu. Someone at my table had each of those though, and they were also both VERY good. I would definitely get the drum if I were to go back (assuming the bass was not on the menu) or the duck. I was way too stuffed for dessert, but I'm sure it would have been good as well! Would definitely go back.

    (5)

  • Wanda O.

    The best thing about Nola was their cocktails but thats not way we went to Nola. We decided to go because of all the great reviews and famous name but the food was disappointing. I had the bone marrow and steak over puree and it was nice but not for the price. My husband had the specialty of the night which was a BBQ plate that included ribs, beef on a stick, sausage and beans but he wasn't impressed. We also shared a slice of banana pie and creme brulee trio but all I can say is I have had better. This place is too pricy and the food isn't worth the stop when their are so many more places to eat in New Orleans. Big name bid disappointment.

    (3)

  • Amit K.

    just know this place is expensive but its worth it for a special night out with friends, family or even a fun date place. The decor is fun, rustic and with brick walls and light colors. The maitre d is always SUPER friendly, polite and makes sure you are ready for an excellent experience. He's one of my fav reasons we go back honestly. The dress is casual and the food is exceptional. I havent had a bad meal here. Between this place and Domenica, im in heaven.

    (5)

  • Amit And Fritzi G.

    Awesome food! Definitely recommended! Emeril has game in NOLA! You can see the chefs in the kitchen when you go inside. Clean place. The best fried chicken ever!!! Roasted duck was a bit too sweet for us. Don't get the sides, they give you enough food. YUM! 5 stars! BAM!

    (5)

  • Sam J.

    Dine here and you'll understand why Emeril is a superstar.

    (5)

  • Natalie C.

    Given the fact that it's an Emeril restaurant named after the city it calls home, I was very happy to try this great French Quarter spot. And thankfully, it did not disappoint. Though the appetizer menu had many yummy options, I decided to skip the first course in favor of a third course, dessert. While we waited for our entrees, we were served warm jalapeño cornbread and sun-dried tomato ciabatta bread which helped set the tone for what was to come. For me, pan roasted salmon ($28) over ratatouille and cous cous that was heavenly. For my husband it was buttermilk fried chicken over bourbon mashed sweet potatoes. (Hungry yet?) Both meals were stellar and were served by wonderful staff who were friendly, knowledgeable and seemed to truly want for us to enjoy ourselves. The dessert menu has many notable choices but we listened to our waiter (as did the table next door) and settled on the warm, ooey gooey cake ($7). It arrived in a coffee cup and was layered with fudge, a marshmallow sauce and coffee ice cream. It was everything a dessert should be and more and was the ultimate ending to a superb meal.

    (4)

  • Robert M.

    Went last fall on a business trip. I am posting this from notes - so my apologies. The food was Wonderful (forgot what I had, but it was fabulous), but the service sucked. The waiter just was never around when you needed them and some even had attitude. Wouldn't return.

    (2)

  • Sophie B.

    I struggled between two and three stars, so let me break it down simply. Pros: - our waitstaff was attentive and friendly - dinner was good, dessert was better Cons: - wasn't the experience we expected. For the price we were paying, loud, completely drunk, middle aged men in cargo shorts screaming at the next table was disappointing, to say the least. The atmosphere was more loud and casual than I expected. - seating. We made our reservation a couple of months in advance, and yet we were seated at a cramped table halfway in the walkway, right by the elevator. Wasn't very pleasant. - when I hadn't eaten for a few minutes, but with three quarters of my meal left, a member of the staff came over and took our plates away. We had to stop him and clarify that we wanted takeout containers. I just feel that for the money, the experience was a disappointment. I won't be back.

    (3)

  • Mollie S.

    I went with my family recently and was quite surprised that our experience was just fine. We had a large party so no one was upset that the entrees took awhile to come out. Our drinks, however, took FOREVER. We were seated next to the bar and the bartender referenced the cocktail menu several times as if they were unsure of the recipes. I mean, the cocktails each had the right ingredients but were somehow completely wrong. We were seated on the second floor. The elevator was a nice feature in the restaurant but obviously took away a lot of seating in the dining room. As a result you were either sitting by the kitchen door, bathrooms or elevator. But again, we were a large group so I didn't expect to have the best table in the house. In the end, it was an ok experience. The food wasn't spectacular but wasn't bad at all. The service was great. The drinks were slow to be served and... not great.

    (3)

  • Jason B.

    I wanted to treat my lovely sweetheart to the best that the south could offer. And after some research and review reading, NOLA was one of the few top restaurants we chose to eat at. And thanks to Emeril's incredible dining experience... I did it... romance to the max... this was the highlight meal of our most memorable day in New Orleans together! First of all, I think this was the best table service I've ever received at a restaurant. We felt very high class right from the start of the meal when the servers pulled out the chairs for both of us. There were several attendants and one was always standing by in case there was anything you needed. The highlight of the meal were the "Emeril's Barbecued Gulf Shrimp". Any time a chef puts their name right on the menu item, well, that's kind of a hint to try it. The sauce was so good that I thought about applying for a job as a dishwasher... and I'd only use my tongue to wipe the plates clean! We both ordered a fish dish and loved the presentation... they had artistically turned the fillet cut into the shape of a fish! I will definitely return next time I'm in New Orleans... (One other top restaurant we chose to try was Commander's Palace... it did not even compare in service or food quality and I won't go back there).

    (5)

  • Benjamin C.

    On the whole, a disappointing visit with the celebrity opened restaurant, an exception to the rule for my usual dining. I think the food missed its mark even by casual standards, much less to be held to Emeril's standards. I ordered two appetizers and a desert, and the service was attentive and fast, as I was sitting at the bar in front of the wood fired oven. I ordered the corn and crab chowder, as I figured this should be well executed and emblematic of Emeril's style. All I really tasted was the very fresh and slightly al dente corn, and few other flavors rose to the surface. There was fresh cream and red peppers, but only the corn was tasted. I then tried the duck and mushroom boudin balls, topped with bacon tomato jam and a sweet mustard. When all four flavors were combined, they simply did not work. If the mustard was not incorporated the dish became more palatable but at no time could I taste any duck. There were three balls, tastefully presented, but the price was high for such a minimal appetizer. Though I was already disappointed with my food selections, I decided to give the place one more chance, and ordered the bread pudding with blueberry compote, lemon poppy seed ice cream, and candied lemon zest. Strike Three! The ice cream was strange in taste and did not complement the bread pudding. The pudding itself was baked as a MUFFIN and then a superficial liquid component was added. The candied lemon zest was a nice touch but could not save this dish. And the blueberry compote tasted like it came out of a jar. All in all, this restaurant needs to be re-worked or at least the kitchen staff needs to be re trained. I think that Emeril would be embarrassed of the food quality being produced, and for the prices being charged, the public deserves better. I recommend the restaurant be avoided until they start paying attention to detail!

    (3)

  • Jenna L.

    After a couple attempts at making same day reservations, we were able to get in at 7 pm. We wanted to eat at an Emeril's restaurant, my sister is a fan and since Emeril achieved fame in NOLA for his food, ya gatta getchu sum Emerils. We all dressed business casual, but people were there in shorts. It is a very simple restaurant, wood floors, tables w/ white linen, and 3 stories of dining rooms. We took the elevator up to the 3rd floor and had a window seat at a round table for 6. We had the typical upscale 3 servers. 1 for drinks, another for food, and 1 more thrown in for good measure. Our table ordered the cheese plate and fried green tomatoes for apps. Everything was very good. I also tried a glass of Emeril's Merlot. It was okay. For dinner we had duck, fried chicken, filet. Everything was great, except my sister's steak was well when we asked for medium. I brought it to the server's attention and she took it away. A manager came by and got upset that she had no plate and ran off to bring the correctly served steak himself. He even waited to be sure it was cooked right. It tasted much better cooked medium. The cornbread muffins were spicy w/ jalapeno, and the rolls were yummy. I have to say I am glad we tried this place. It won't be someplace we frequent when we travel to NOLA due to being so expensive. The 5 of us with wine, beer, apps and entrees had a $250 bill. Not too bad for a really nice dinner.

    (5)

  • Lorie K.

    Wow, this place was great! My cousin and I decided to come here for her birthday dinner and the service was great, the food was great, and the atmosphere was great! Here is what we ordered: - BBQ shrimp with grits: to die for, full all around flavor with just the right amount of sweetness and tang from the sauces! Very well complimented each other and didnt make the grits boring after every bite. Since Grits are plain and can get boring after a few spoons, the flavor just kept me going. - Wedge Salad: Since my cousin and I cant really eat a whole lot in one sitting we decided to share a wedge salad. The server knew that we would be sharing. Man o man, when the salad came out, we both got our own wedge on separate plates! The server came by and even commented, wow, I think the chefs like you girls! What a treat! That was A+ on my books! - Steamed Mussels with a brick of oven toasted garlic bread: WOW I mean Just WOW!!! The mussels were tender, Juicy and Clean. When I say Clean, I mean there were no grittiness from the sand/shell pieces that can sometimes get in the way. The flavor was bursting with buttery goodness but at the same time not too overwhelming. Now the Brick of garlicky bread?? Just dip that sucker into the buttery juices of the mussels and that will just about sum it up....super delish! - Crab Cakes: I personally didnt like this one along with the bread that they gave us at the beginning. The bread was cute but nothing exciting about it, it was a lil piece of cornbread with a lil piece of ciabatta bread. The crab cakes were dry and with not the flavor profile that I lIke. Then again, I could be spoiled because I had some super good crab cakes in Boston at the Chesapeake Grill. I wish I tried the duck Pizza instead. - Drinks: 1 glass of merlot and 1 glass of dirty martini (Good martini! ) - Price: $$$ good - for the two of us with all the above: a cool $118 including tip. LK

    (4)

  • Denis C.

    New Orleans is all about great food. So we had to spend some time sampling what the crescent city had to offer. NOLA is one of Emeril's restaurants hidden away down a street on the outskirts of the French Quarter. It's within walking distance of any hotel near Bourbon Street but you should still leave plenty of time to get there if traveling by foot. Converted from an old warehouse, NOLA has two floors of dining. We made our reservation for 5pm, the first dinner service offered for the evening. Within an hour of arriving to NOLA, the restaurant was packed. I tried one of the crawfish specials (I wish that I would have written exactly what I had) with shrimp and mashed potatoes. One of the best meals I have ever had. I finished with a dessert and a glass of scotch. The service was excellent--our water glasses never got below half full before they were refilled. The dress is casual dressy. When we were there, most people were dressed very differently with some wearing jeans. The ambience is perfect for a romantic evening with your special someone.

    (5)

  • Steve S.

    So remember in Fight Club where Pitt asks Norton which celebrity they would fight? I have always said I would either fight Emeril or Carrot Top. Seeing that Carrot Top now resembles a roided out speed freak, I've decided to only say I would fight Emeril. I was skeptical of going to dinner at a place where the owner seemed to end each sentence with "Bam"!!! But after dining at Nola, I have to say his restaurant does prepare very good food. We came as a group of 10 guys for a BroTrip and the consensus was very positive. They sat us at a large round and the restaurant had a modern decor. The service was excellent and the meal well paced. I was a little surprised that at 11:00 PM we were the only ones left in the restaurant though. You must get the shrimp stuffed chicken wings. I don't know how they did it but it was boneless and it was awesome. Order two of these. That is all. The BBQ shrimp while tasty, were a little on the small side. Think 30 count shrimp small (roughly 30 in a pound) and the biscuit that came with the dish was smaller than a ritz cracker. The duck and mushroom boudin were also very good. I decided to play it safe with a very satisfying rib eye but it had a tangy chimichurri that mixed well with the richness from the nice sized rib eye. I also tried some the duck and the pork shank. The duck was done right and if you don't have regular access to good duck ( e.g. chinatown nyc) I would suggest it here. The whiskey caramel glaze and the candied pecans worked really well the saltiness of the duck. The pork shank was tender and had tasty sides. So after having this nice meal I've decided that I would still choose to battle Emeril but it would not be out of annoyance/dislike, it would be more for the challenge (he's not a small dude). And because his restaurant chose to serve me a mint julep in a tall collins instead of a proper metal cup with crushed ice.

    (4)

  • Phil W.

    While visiting New Orleans, we figured we should make an effort to visit one of Food Network star Emeril's restaurants. While both my wife and I are not huge fans of his shows, I've always thought his food looked pretty good. We were both not only pleasantly surprised at just how good the food was, we were actually blown away! I started with the pocket bread. A huge bubble of soft, tender dough, every inch coated in rich garlic butter and basil, seated on a base of the delicious garlicky liquid. It was fantastic! I could have eaten another no problem. My wife had the Hickory-Roasted Duck with Whiskey-Caramel Glaze, Buttermilk Cornbread Pudding, Haricot Verts-Fire Roasted Corn Salad, Natural Jus and Candied Pecans. It was a really delicious and rich dish that I would put up against any duck i've had. But the star of the show for me was my Grilled Pork Chop with Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potatoes, Toasted Pecans and Caramelized Onion Reduction Sauce. Wow, just wow. This is how all pork chops should be. Juicy, tender, grilled until perfectly browned... and the sweet potatoes were a perfect compliment. We went in a little skeptical, but came out believers. We would definitely check out another of his restaurants without hesitation. Bam! (yeah, I had to do it)

    (5)

  • Marilyn R.

    Our waiter was excellent, as was the food. What's more, though, is the service of the rest of the staff here. They simultaneously bring out each course so that nobody has to play the awkward game of waiting for everyone to get their food to eat. If you get dessert, go for the creme brûlée or the ooey gooey.

    (4)

  • Jasmine V.

    there are no words to describe their Redfish. prepared to perfection and that sauce? I die! perfect first dinner in NOLA. 4 thumbs up! (including my toes) hahaha

    (5)

  • Susan S.

    Visited NOLA on recommendation from friend and a lot of web research. The stuffed chicken wings were good but not great, you really couldn't taste any chicken at all, and I have no idea what was in the stuffing, had to have Cesar salad because everyone said so great but disappointed there too, nothing special. Gumbo was OK the tiny little crab in it was nasty. Everything on the salty side, even the salad. Wanted popcorn sundae, they don't make it anymore! Tried passion fruit sorbet and too sweet, the whole point of passion fruit is the tanginess of it and they took almost all of that away, kind of reminds me of a passion fruit baby aspirin. Bread pudding very good though. The best thing about NOLA is the service, superb! Emeril you need to get this one back on track!

    (3)

  • Cristina T.

    When booking my vacation to New Orleans, NOLA was the first restaurant reservation I had to make. Being a fan of Emeril since the Food Network started, I had to try his food. Upon arriving at the restaurant we were immediately seated and taken in the elevator to the second floor. Our waiter arrived at our table and was extremely outgoing and made some great recommendations. To start, the cornbread we were first served was delicious. I am mildly obsessed with cornbread and this really hit the spot. We started off with the stuffed chicken wings, which are usually served with 3 wings per plate. Our server gave us 4 instead, so it would be easier to share. I would compare these chicken wings to a cross between a chicken wing and a potsticker. Their flavor was unique and something truly out of the ordinary. For my entree I ordered the shrimp and grits. The sauce they were served with tasted sort of like barbeque sauce. The shrimp was perfectly cooked. My boyfriend ordered the monstrous pork chop that he devoured. Needless to say I was a little envious. To end our meal, we split the pecan pie, which was served with a homemade maple ice cream. The crust on the pecan pie was clearly homemade and buttery-delicious. The filling was sweet, but not overpowering. Overall, the flavor complexity and usage of spices at NOLA was something I have yet to see at any restaurant. I was incredibly impressed with the unpretentious service, but thought maybe that prices could be a little less. Emeril is still the man in my book!

    (4)

  • Chris M.

    we really liked this place....didn't really like the spot on the third fl they sat us but other than that, it was ok. we had the fried chicken and the pork chop. pretty yummy stuff!! good cocktails and anise wine list!

    (4)

  • Michele P.

    Excellent dinner! Our food was delicious, service was 5-star. This place did not disappoint!

    (5)

  • Katie L.

    I probably wouldn't have picked this restaurant, but thankfully a work dinner brought me to NOLA earlier this month. I hadn't a clue what to expect and went in with very few expectations. I started with a wonderfully concocted watermelon martini and my colleagues and I shared Miss Hay's stuffed chicken wings and the garlic-chardonnay Prince Edward Island black mussels to start. The stuffed chicken wings came highly recommended and were an excellent start to the meal. The mussels were a bit too garlicky for my tastes, but everyone else at the table scarfed them down. Continuing my watermelon kick from earlier in the week (and meal), I ordered the baby arugula with watermelon salad. It was a refreshing segue to the absolute star of my meal - the shrimp and grits. All these years I knew I should love shrimp and grits, but for some reason, none I had ever tried wowed me. This all changed at NOLA. The shrimp was perfectly seasoned and paired incredibly with the absolutely dazzling smoked cheddar grits. Holy cow, I still can't believe how magnificent that dish was, two weeks later. I also ordered dessert here, which was pretty darn tasty, but to be honest I can't remember for the life of me what I had. I guess incredible shrimp and grits can do that to you! The service here was wonderful as well. Our waiter was funny and made great suggestions. I definitely recommend checking out this restaurant for a great meal in the French Quarter.

    (4)

  • Alyssa R.

    NOLA was very accommodating to us. We were at the Endymion parade and didn't want to leave early, we were actually an hour late for our reservation but they said no problem, your table is still here. We were attended to right away and the staff was very friendly even though it was 10pm and they had technically closed. The gumbo special was amazing and everyone at the table raved about the chicken wings. I had the shrimp and grits. Very tasty and delicious but I still think the shrimp and grits at Luke beats it. Overall a very solid, delicious meal.

    (4)

  • Meg G.

    Checked out their menu online and decided to go due to medium prices. Arrived and realized they haven't changed their website in a decade. Prices are off $10 so who really wants to pay $30 for fried chicken? We also took our baby in his stroller and it's not a child friendly place. Loved the service and agreed it was the best service in town, but foods just okay and not really worth the price on the NEW menu. Overall good experience, but not blown away.

    (3)

  • Karri G.

    I stopped for my last lunch before leaving New Orleans. Let me first say that the service was exceptional. However, I was not happy with either the menu options available to me, nor the prices. OK, so let's start with the former: I know, I know, I'm a freak to New Orleans because I am a vegetarian but hey...get on board...there is definitely a MOVEMENT going on out in the world. Shoot...there was only one fish offered! That in itself seems a little unlike New Orleans. And now for the prices: OK, I get it...Emeril. All the more reason I should have high expectations though, right!? Salads were uninteresting and mine was served limp. In short, I received a very average lunch for a very expensive price.

    (3)

  • Gina H.

    Great bloody mary's! We were the first to arrive I think in the restaurant for brunch. It was a little odd when they sat someone almost on top of us with an empty restaurant. Our chairs were touching and the guy almost was sitting next to me as it was on a corner. Other than that, it was really a good meal. I recommend the boudin balls as well.

    (4)

  • Vanessa M.

    BAM! Worst meal I've ever had in New Orleans! Condescending utterly douchy waiter, duck that was so smokey I couldn't eat it. Boring decor. Overpriced for the quality of food. Hopefully it has gotten better, but I probably won't give it another chance.

    (1)

  • Ryan B.

    Best meal I had in New Orleans. Pricey but well worth it!

    (5)

  • Leeann C.

    I came here for Valentine's Day dinner with my boyfriend; it was the one fancier meal of our NOLA Mardi Gras vacation. First off, the decor of the restaurant is very rustic and unique -- we took an elevator to get to the 3rd floor, where we were seated by a window. Our server presented us with 2 menus (a special one for Valentine's Day), but we decided to order off the regular one. For appetizers, we ordered the gulf oysters and crispy duck liver. The gulf oysters were very tasty and had a nice bread crumb topping. It was the first time (but not the last) either one of us had oysters cooked in this fashion. The crispy duck liver was also very good, but a little salty for my liking. For our main courses, we ordered the garlic crusted drum (me) and the braised beef short ribs (bf). The drum was nicely cooked; the fish was very flaky and had good flavor (though also tended to be a little bit salty for my taste). I even tried a bit of the beef short ribs (I don't typically eat red meat), which were very tender and well-cooked. We were so full from our meals that we didn't have room for dessert. Overall, I think the food was well presented and had good flavor, though tended to be a bit on the salty side. The service was great -- our server was very attentive and gave good suggestions. Oh one more thing: the jalapeno cornbread they give you in the beginning is delicious (I had 2 servings)! However, make sure to save room for your actual meal... -L.

    (3)

  • Steven D.

    This is one of my top 3 restraunts I have ever been to. I do my best to eat here every time I spend the weekend in NOLA. The service is amazing and the wine list is one of the best. The food amazing and the the deserts are a most. The problem I usually have is I am to full to finish my desert.

    (5)

  • Josh I.

    I had a great experience at Nola's, on New Year's Eve no less. Everything I ordered was excellent. The entree was particularly memorable, the buttermilk fried chicken breast with country ham gravy. Yum and yum! The sides (mashed potatoes and sugar snap peas) were excellent, my salad (Caesar) and crab cake appetizer were both delicious. The service was top-notch. We never wanted for anything or had to flag down wait staff. The atmosphere is warm and fun (but do dress up, don't wear a Tommy Bahama shirt and cargo shorts). The architecture of the place is well-done and classy. The prices are reasonable for fine dining in a French Quarter location. I would definitely go back for a special occasion.

    (5)

  • Michael S.

    Great spot near Bourbon street. I went here on a friend's recommendation, great location, and good menu. The friend chicken was great and the Purée was amazing. You get Jalapeño cornbread and has a strong kick to it. The only thing lacking was the dessert, I had the banana layered cake and the waiter said it was what NOLA was known for, but honestly it didn't taste that good. There were so many other items that I think would have been better. Overall a good spot if you want to go somewhere good on Bourbon street. My friend also recommend Emeril's restaurant, but it was book for the weekend and we couldn't get reservations.

    (4)

  • Nino R.

    Perfect. We were sat at the counter in front of the wood-burning oven, and no, it wasn't nearly as hot as it sounds. From this vantage point, we could see the entire kitchen, and eavesdrop on the Chef De Cuisine and Sous Chef as they got orders organized. It brought me back to the days of when I worked in restaurants and did tours of duty at the "wheel." We started off with the Crispy Smoked Duck and Mushroom Boudin Balls. I was very pleased with this appetizer. The combination of the smoked duck and mushroom was perfect and the tomato-bacon jam and creole mustard aioli brought the flavors out even more. Recommended. Aside from this appetizer, the chef manning the station created a few small bites for us to enjoy in between. I forget the names of both offerings but I recommended sitting here if you enjoy delicious freebies. And service was impeccable at this section as well. So if you're into perfect service and freebies, then sit here. My GF ordered the Shrimp & Grits. "Amazeballs," as she so eloquently put it. Sometimes there isn't a need for highfalutin words, or even real words in this case, to describe food you love. This isn't a healthy dish, whatsoever, but it is packed in deliciousness and is worth a try if you're a fan of the combo. I ordered the Abita Beer Braised Pork Shank. This is an extra large offering and trying to finish it was a massive undertaking. It was paired with field pea succotash, bacon (housemade) and okra sprouts. I was debating between this dish, the pork chop, and the ribeye. I was very happy with my final selection. The tenderness of the shank allowed my to keep my fork in hand and my knife at bay. At first glance, I thought the dish was missing a sauce, but after my first bite, it was clear that a sauce was not necessary. Highly recommended. For dessert, we indulged in a combination of the Ooey Gooey Cake, Peaches and Cream, Snickerdoodles (special of the day), and the Ice Cream of the Day. This was the only dish that was not finished. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. But as we succumbed to our bodily limitations, the sweet confections were delicious accompaniments down the road of gastric ignominy. Perfect...

    (5)

  • Fawn L.

    I'll preface this by saying that I was stoked to have a business trip to New Orleans just to visit a restaurant by Mr. Emeril Lagasse (BAM!). I was underwhelmed by most of the food I'd tried in the city thus far, but NOLA was the best food I had on my trip. I had the night's specials of sea scallop tacos, watermelon argula & lobster salad & his brown sugar pork chop. Everything was beyond delicious. I was in such a happy place after each bite I took. My only complaint was that my stomach was too small to finish my entree. My the end of the night I was definitely in a food coma & walking back to my hotel was a challenge in itself. My bill came out to about $90 but it was worth every penny and calorie I indulged in. I called ahead for reservation since it was a large party, which turned out to be a breeze. The staff there were so professional & accommodating as well. They made the experience that much more worth it. They even recreated a drink for me that was discontinued off their menu.

    (5)

  • Jessica H.

    What we ordered: Stuffed Chicken Wings with Hoisin Sauce - Interesting in a good way Daily Gumbo - Pretty good Grilled Pork Chop - This was HEAVENLY!!! My favorite!! Garlic Crusted Drum - DELICIOUS!! Buttermilk Fried Chicken Breast - Didn't care for this too much Banana Pudding Layer Cake - YUMMY!!! Sour Cream Ice Cream - Sounds weird but was REALLY GOOD Service: The waiter and his shadow waiter were very attentive and super friendly! Great service!!

    (5)

  • Jen L.

    I know lots of folks who love this restaurant but it's never my first choice. I've had good food here, but not every time. And it's pricey for mediocre food. Plus it's really really loud. I guess I'm just not a "lively" restaurant person. The funniest thing was the last time I was there, my uncle (yes same one from the last review, he likes the place) questioned the waiter about a beer that they had on draft. The waiter started to describe it and my uncle just told him to stop and go ask the bartender. Poor waiter was trying to make it up; little did he know my uncle is king of all beer.

    (3)

  • Kim S.

    Given the hype around Emeril's restaurants, I was expecting a lot more. We were celebrating a friend's 50th birthday, and were seated on the first floor in a corner with a good view of the open kitchen. The service was impeccable. They made an excellent G&T, and the wine offerings were superb. We started off with the BBQ shrimp, which were very well executed in a smokey but not heavy sauce. As for entrees, I had the duck and my friends had the drum and shrimp and grits. The duck, while having a nice smokey flavor, was dry without crisp skin. My friends said their entrees were okay. Desserts were nothing special, and the most they did for my friend's big day was stick a candle in his cobbler. I had the ooey-gooey cake, which was served in a coffee cup (really? did they use the microwave recipe?) and lacked the depth of chocolate flavor one would expect from such a chocolate-y dessert. My espresso was cold. Lesson learned: skip the big name formula place and go for the local gems like Atchafalaya and Jacques-Imo's. Never again.

    (3)

  • Kevin M.

    This was the first place my girlfriend and I ate upon arriving in New Orleans and we couldn't have chosen a better first place to eat at. Especially since Alan, the bartender, took such great care of us and gave us the best, first introduction to NOLA and its hospitality and local knowledge. He really was crucial to our experience that night at their establishment. The food was to die for, and so were the drinks, but Alan was the one primarily responsible for our wonderful experience. Honestly, 20 seconds before entering into their restaurant I was on the verge of passing out since my blood sugar had dropped from not eating all day due to our plane flight from California and after having one of those famous jester drinks from one of the bars on Bourbon Street I almost passed out from heat exhaustion and low blood sugar; it really wasn't that hot just the humidity was slightly different from where we came from so it contributed to me feeling woozy and sick. Luckily, Alan got us all taken care of and back on track and within 30 seconds of being in that barstool I was completely back to normal to starting my night off the right way and was able to enjoy the New Orleans' nightlight for my first time instead of retreating back to my hotel room to spend the rest of the night in agony! My girlfriend and I had such great food, drinks, and great conversation at this place! What more could you ask for? Alan, and everyone else at NOLA, thank you!

    (5)

  • Dana B.

    We stopped in on a whim while in the area to see if there was area in the bar to eat a few appetizers. Luckily we walked in and had another couple leave! Score! Our waitress came over right away to have the dishes removed. I ended up walking to the hostess to get a menu while we waited for the waitress to come back. We asked her what she recommended and she said the stuffed chicken wings were excellent. We placed an order for the wings and the crab cake to start off with. The appetizers took awhile to come out but we were willing to wait hoping the food would be worth the wait. Unfortunately it wasn't. The wings were okay but the stuffing was a little dry and the dipping sauce was salty. The crab cake was the biggest disappointment. I didn't detect any crab in it what so ever. It was pure filler and lacked flavor. Such a disappointment. After 2 dud appetizers we didn't want to order any thing else. Maybe we caught them on an off night but it certainly put a damper on our excitement to eat at an Emeril Lagasse restaurant.

    (2)

  • Dean W.

    Impressive and smoothly run for a "star chef" brand restaurant. Kudos to the staff from the front door to the floor to the kitchen. I wish the food matched the employees! Began with the roasted beet salad...best thing about my meal. Clever use of ingredients, well-balanced, I thought it was going to be overkill, but it worked. Dressing was perfect, the Tabasco pecans a nice surprise, and the homemade cheese not overwhelming. Then came the entree. Wood oven roasted drum with a garlic/breadcrumb topping, over string beans, potatoes, cremini mushrooms, bacon, with a red wine beurre blanc. Typical of what places do to make fish for people who think they don't like fish. Basically smother it with other flavors. At first I was intrigued, then halfway thru I scraped all the topping off and could find some really nice fish. Everything was too overwhelming, and it left me with an odd taste in my mouth for the rest of the evening. I guess I like my seafood more pure...just a great filet of fish and don't gussy it up with all sort of toppings and sauces. And cook it perfectly. Partner had the duck, thought it wonderful but way too much food on the plate. Dessert was terrific, however: strawberry clafoutis, excellently done, just the right amount of sweetness, egginess, and puffiness, even when cold. The list of wines by the glass was decent, and it was nice to find a great uber dry Languedoc rose (the only one) on the list. Come on, rest of the country....discover already what we on the west coast know about...a great rose. In short, I'm glad we came, but for the price (expensive) not quite executed with the same flair and detail as I've had at other equivalent establishments around the country. And this is trivial, but $5.50 for a sourced bean espresso or coffee?

    (3)

  • Lovetodine L.

    visited NOLA based on the reviews and wasn't disappointed. Emeril's ALWAYS puts out a great meal! we frequently visit his restaurants in the Sands and had to visit in New Orleans too. We got the crabcake app (soooo good and spicy), def recommend. My husband ordered the popular shrimp & grits (so tasty). I got the pork cake (very lg. portion), it was delicious! however a lot of food. If you don't have a big appetite go for an app and a salad (next time i will). We didn't have room for dessert, although they looked awesome!!! For some good chocolate visit Mister Apple's- so much to choose from :) enjoy!

    (5)

  • Donnavie K.

    Where to begin.... Let's start with drinks. My bf ordered a glass of Rose and I ordered an Aviation. The menu described it as the classic Aviation. It tasted like equal parts Creme de Violette and Maraschino. Bartender must have forgotten about the gin and lemon juice. For an appetizer, we ordered the duck and mushroom boudin balls. They were really dry. My boyfriend ordered the duck. It was way overcooked and dry. I ordered the fried chicken. The chicken was not dry at all and I received a good portion of it. Its the only reason I'm giving this review one star. Wish there would have been more gravy on it instead of the one tablespoon I had on my plate. We shared two sides. Sugar snap peas - They weren't even cooked but yet were sitting in 4oz of butter. I could barely get my fork in any of them. Needed some salt too. Smoked grits - you should have just given me a bowl of butter! I saw a sign that McDonald's is serving them...might be better there. We were hoping dessert would change our minds. It didn't. We ordered the Creme brûlée trio. Only liked one out of three. Service was just as bad as the food. When we sat down, it took at least ten minutes to even get a menu and water. Our server only came to our table twice the entire time we were there. He was constantly telling others to check on our table while he was leaning against the back wall watching. Very disappointed.

    (1)

  • Lee M.

    My first night in New Orleans, I dined at Nola - at this point in our trip, there were only 3 of us. We were seated at 8pm for our 7:45 dinner reservation - not too bad. We were waited on by 2 servers - I'll call them Senior and Junior for ease. I started with the Nola Martini, which was garnished with 2 Tomolives, something I was unfamiliar with. The martini was nice and crisp and the Tomolives were briny - it's like a pickled tomato. I liked them so much that I asked Junior for a couple more. The following is the conversation between Junior and I: Me: Can you bring me a couple of more tomolives for my martini? They're excellent. Junior: Would you like the martini that comes with those tomolives? Me: No. I would just like a couple of tomolives. I'm not ready for another martini. Junior: I gave you two tomolives with your martini. Me: I understand the martini was garnished with 2 tomolives, but can you bring me a couple more? I would like them for my martini. Junior: The tomolives are expensive. There were already 2 in your martini! Me: Can you ask the bartender if he may be willing to spare a couple of extras? Or let me know how much they are and charge me? Junior: (staring at me with a blank stare - then he left the table) Did I get any more tomolives? No. Are you f'ing serious? I was in New Orleans for a bachelor party and I did not want to make the bachelor feel more uncomfortable than he already was, or else I would have complained to the manager. This kind of service is completely unacceptable from any restaurant, let alone, one of the supposed best in the city. Despite the fact that the food was excellent - the stuffed chicken wings were phenomenal - truly an unusual dish, and the 3-day smoked duck with candied pecans and corn succotash was also top notch - the encounter with the Junior waiter put a damper on my meal. When you spend well north of $50 per person on a meal, there is a certain level of expectation of service. There is too much good food in this city to deal with inferior service. I don't know when Cecilia C. was there, but I ate at Nola on 2/23 and there was another group of people speaking to the manager in front of the restaurant as I related the episode to my friend on the phone. Perhaps they were still recovering from Mardi Gras or perhaps Nola has no clue of how to treat a customer. Either way, this type of exchange was completely unacceptable. By the way, an 8 ounce jar of Tomolives from Bryant Preserving Company (holder of the Tomolive trademark) is a whopping $4.40. I'm sure an extra couple of tomolives would have really hurt their profit margin.

    (3)

  • Ed K.

    Although we had reservations at another restaurant, my wife did not want to travel far on a Sunday night. So she decided to walk across the street from our condo and see if any tables were available. As luck would have it, we scored a table on the third floor. This is desirable as it is much quieter upstairs than elsewhere. My wife had the pork chop and I had the fried chicken. She said the pork chop "was a life-changing experience". To call it a "chop" is very unfair. It was incredibly tender and flavorful. Not a morsel of fat on it. Another commentator called it a dinosaur leg, and I would not disagree. My fried chicken was moist and flavorful, although not over the top. And the portion was generous. Service was impeccable. Can't say enough about our wait staff. Run, do not walk to NOLA's.

    (5)

  • GM S.

    Great experience. We wanted everything-could not decide. We ended up just getting an assortment of appetizers "tapas" style. We got the duck confit pizza, gumbo of the day, stuffed chicken wings, boudin balls and spring rolls (a special). Everything was tasty, but the chicken wings were outstanding. The waiter was so gracious regarding our indecision and lack of ordering a normal sequence of courses. We're in town celebrating a wedding anniversary and we were congratulated several times by multiple staff members. Furthermore after dessert (popcorn sundae- delish order it) we were brought a scoop of lemon ricotta ice cream with a candle, gratis, in celebration of our event. Nice touch. In short, great food, great service you can't go wrong.

    (5)

  • Sandra P.

    Had dinner here April 15th, 2014. Amazing food, I had the duck, my sister had the Drum fish. We had a group of 15 women. NO one complained about their meal. Our waiter, Travis was fabulous. Very attentive and made the evening fun. Although he was waiting several table, we felt like he was only serving us. Our entrees were delivered all at the same time by 4 servers, as were the desserts. Best service I've had in a restaurant, EVER!

    (5)

  • Diana S.

    What a great meal! NOLA has a neat atmosphere - it's nice without being stuffy. We sat on the 2nd level & had a great view of the 1st 2 floors. We had a reservation & were seated right away - service was great in general! The cornbread didn't have as much flavor as I was expecting but it was good and unique. I had the drum fish and it was delicious and my husband had the BBQ Duck and LOVED it. I just wish we had more room for dessert!

    (5)

  • Brian R.

    This place was GREAT! Came highly recommended and it did not disappoint. We had a later seating for us (around 8:45) I had the fried catfish and it was the best I've ever had. My wife ordered the Shrimp and Grits and it was to die for. We had the ooey gooey cake and it was great. The place wasn't cheap but not the most expensive either. The decor was very nice and we had enough space between tables. (Being jammed too close can ruin a great meal for me). I'd go back everyday if I could. Awesome place and a MUST do while in NO.

    (5)

  • John F.

    Once again, noise and lack of care take over a New Orleans restaurant. The first thing we noticed was the huge amount of diners; there's not much a kitchen can do to ensure quality when it's hosting more people than can comfortably fit into a building. It resembled an upscale college cafeteria, complete with people who wandered in apparently from fixing their brakes. Our table on the second floor gave us a great view of the entrance and of the massive accumulation of dust and...stuff on the railing running next to us; I wrote my partner's name in the dust, thus affording us the only romantic part of the meal. A table of what the cast of 'Jersey Shore' would be like in 20 years was the source of a great deal of noise; the frat party was fueled by drinks, of course. I expected to hear chants of "Toga! Toga!" at any minute. I gave up scraping some foreign matter off my knife and asked for a new one, which was much cleaner. The food was cooked with all the care one would expect of an assembly line and all the culinary expertise of Denny's trainees. The crabcake was bready and utterly flavorless, although the maque choux it sat on was quite good, a bit hot and full of depth. The shrimp and grits paired horribly overcooked shrimp with decent grits, and the sauce that clung to the shrimp was cloyingly sweet, not reminiscent of New Orleans, the Gulf Coast, or anywhere else. Having gone this far, we rolled the dice and got dessert, cinnamon bread pudding with Mexican chocolate ice cream and crème fraîche. Hmmm. The dish sat so long before being served that the ice cream was melting. And do not serve me sour cream and call it crème fraîche. We had a bite and left it. The bill had a surprise: a glass of riesling we did not order. It was fixed promptly. Our waiter was good, although his job was not made easier by having to inform us that the special was already unavailable at 7:15. We found this out after we ordered it. Although I specifically noted when I made the reservation that it was my partner's birthday, no one remembered this. That's a first in New Orleans. Amusing incident: The manager approached us and asked how everything was at one point. I replied, "Uh...okay." He smiled, said, "Great," and moved on. Bad, that. Anyway, I emailed the restaurant and am awaiting a gift certificate as compensation. I wonder if I can use it at Camellia Grill. Too many guests, too much of a churn-it-out attitude, and too much dust. Not a happy meal at all.

    (2)

  • Kel T.

    Friday 6/21/13 I had called at 6 PM looking for reservations for 4 around 7:30. They told me we could do 8pm. After hearing from numerous people to try this restaurant out, we were more than excited to have a good meal. We decided to go to the bar and have a few cocktails while we waited. Unfortunately, the bar was rather full so we went to a bar down the street to wait until 8pm. We headed back to NOLA a little before 8, ready to eat. When I got to the reservation table to tell them we were here, they could not find my reservation anywhere. There was only one reservation at 8 and that was for 3. They assumed I had called Emerils other restaurant. Yet I knew for sure I did not. I asked them when they could take us and they told us not until 10. Insisting that I had made reservations for a different restaurant, I pulled out my phone and called the same number (which was in my recent calls) I had called to make the reservation and spoke to the hostess on the phone. She had no history of my reservation. I went back into the restaurant and confirmed with the manager that was the correct number, yet he refused to take any actions to correct the situation. At one point he turned his back on me while I stood there, not wanting to deal with me. Needless to say, this was handled horribly and I was pretty ticked off. There was no apology. No attempt to correct the situation, or alleviate some of the inconvenience I was experiencing. The manager and the hostess simply wanted me to leave. I left angrily, and with no further intentions of every attending an Emeril's restaurant again. I'm sure the food would have been great, but the lack off accountability I witnessed from the service staff to management was unacceptable.

    (1)

  • Melissa D.

    A wonderful dining experience and a great escape from the ruckus on Bourbon Street. They know how to do it right in the service and food at NOLA. Emeril did a great job evoking the spirit of Louisiana Cuisine. The hosts were very friendly, bringing you directly to our table and properly seating us and giving our menus. Our server Travis was great, handling a group of very buzzed ladies! I started off with the crab cake which was superb. The hints of spice and the breading was light. The corn salsa and sauce was a great accompaniment to the crab cake. I had the buttermilk fried breast of chicken which was astounding! The chicken was tender and the buttermilk hugged the chicken perfectly, not falling apart and was so crispy and pepper spicy it made my tastebuds dance! The Bourbon mashed sweet potatoes were too mushy for my taste so that was their only downfall. My friend had the porkchop which looked so delicious and she was praising it as well. I had some of their special martinis which were good and can pack a punch. Then we ended the night with their famous Ooey Gooey Cake. The chocolate sauce was warm and the brownie like cake was delicious. Only drawback is, it's loaded with coconut which I'm not a fan off. So I pushed that aside while the vanilla ice cream, soaked through marshmallow topping. I would definitely recommend this place if you want a nicer joint while you are visiting New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Danny S.

    Had to try out NOLA since Emeril is a favorite of mine. We walked from our hotel and was lead to our table within 5 mins of our reservation. The restaurant was pretty happening (Fri. 8:30pm) and we were excited. Our server came over right away to introduce himself and get our cocktail orders. After giving us the highlights, he disappeared for a very long time. I had to have one of the other servers go and let him know that I was ready to order. But from there on, he was on top of things. The biggest shocker came during our main course...we were seated in a corner and I turned around and spotted a huge (at least 2 inches) cockaroach about shoulder high on the wall behind me. This is probably a restaurant's worst nightmare. I casually called over the bus boy and he casually got a napkin (from a nearby table) and proceeded to try to smash it. Once he thought he got it, he removed the napkin and the roached dropped to the ground. From there, we were unable to locate it and decided to let it go. We continued on with dinner. The meal itself tasted great. Before the dessert course, I went to the restroom and returned to find the roach (on its back kicking its legs) next to my chair. I notified the wait staff again and he came smushed it and finally removed it. Although the roach was removed, his guts still remained. Sorry for the vivid description, I just wanted to paint an accurate picture of our dinner. While I went to the restroom a second time, I overheard the waiter letting his manager know of our issue. He was asking if they could at least comp our dessert. When I went back to the table, I flagged the manager down (he didn't find me mind you) and notified him of the issue. He apologized and proceeded to tell us how we should understand that these things could happen because the walls are old (???). You know what they say, where there is 1 roach, there is probably hundreds more...However, I didn't want to make a scene and ruin the rest of dinner so I let him off easy. We ordered dessert and finished our meal. The manager returned and told us that he would comp our appetizer and dessert. I told him that it was a decent gesture. I should have really let him know what I had thought...If this happened in my restaurant, I would not only comp appetizer and dessert, but I would have comped the whole meal AND give a the guest a voucher to return in the future. The patron should be allowed to have a roach free meal (is that too much to ask???) at a "fine-dining" cuisine... I actually emailed corporate when I returned home. I got an email right away from the general manager Avaril Thomas. He was very apologetic and professional about the whole thing. He invited me back (but I declined) and even offered to set up me with a reservation at another Emeril restaurant... All in all, the food was decent, however, there is much more to an experience than just the flavors...

    (2)

  • Arvinder S.

    Service is good and accommodating. I got the NOLA burger was delicious. Friend had the pork cheek poboy and he said it did not have much flavor, was not impressed. Prices were reasonable for the area. Would I return? Eh

    (3)

  • Jason K.

    If you do your research you will find better/cheaper versions of all the dishes served. Save some $ and go somewhere where your money goes further

    (3)

  • Sarah G.

    Great lunch experience. Excellent atmosphere and service, felt like a special outing and lived up to the Emeril hype. Highlights: their Cosmo with pineapple infused vodka and the barbecued shrimp. Both exceptional.

    (5)

  • Larry W.

    Save your money--unless you want to pay and pay for Emeri's name. Rating ought to be $$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Food is fine, but so are a ton of other restaurants in NOLA. For instance, try Bon Ton Cafe at far le$$. The acoustics in Emeril's NOLA must have been designed by the Bedlam Bros. Could not hear ourselves talk, think or really enjoy the food (and gouging) we were getting. Service good, but not as good as Commander's or Bon Ton or other French Qtr stops. Emeril's might want to take a page from Antoine's or many other fine, classy eateries in New Orleans.

    (2)

  • Susan W.

    Don't let Emeril Lagasse's over-exposure on TV stop you from his incredible French Quarter restaurant. I've been coming to NOLA for more than a decade and it consistently serves some of the best food I've tasted. NOLA stands for New Orleans, Louisiana. True to its' city namesake, the robust flavors of Cajun and Creole cuisine come to life here. My favorite entrée is Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken served with bourbon mashed sweet potatoes; country cream gravy and sautéed snap peas. My husband prefers the Filet Mignon with roasted potatoes, bacon, blue cheese, walnuts and port wine glaze. In my opinion, the best dessert is the Banana Pudding Layer Cake with vanilla wafers and fudge drizzle. I share it with my husband and by then, our stomachs are (happily) bursting. Dinner is busy and reservations are highly recommended. Prices are high, but worth the splurge. A great tip: on certain days, NOLA is open for lunch. You can get a lot of the same entrees from the dinner menu, but at a more reasonable price. My only (minor) complaint is that the restaurant space is very open with a big open kitchen and large wood burning oven. It adds to the ambiance, but the overall noise makes intimate table talk nearly impossible.

    (5)

  • Sally B.

    625 reviews... I doubt I'll be added value here. I'll just say... EAT HERE! You will not be disappointed. You may need a reservation, but I was able to get one within 24 hours for dinner. Fun and delicious.

    (5)

  • Ani T.

    My fantastic experience last time had me dreaming about this place. First opportunity I could get, I made sure to book a table. The menu is always changing so you never know what you're going to get, which is a good sign that they like to keep things fresh. The mussels were steamed and prepared to perfection, the salad was fresh with beets, and the fish had amazing sauce and spices. I definitely recommend trying one of their unique desserts! The service is also incredible, they treat you like royalty. I went towards the later part of the night so the ambiance was quieter but still fun. We sat upstairs, you take an old funky elevator to get to second and third floor. Make reservations because it is a popular place to dine (for good reason!).

    (5)

  • Clarissa M.

    This was the first time we actually felt scammed in New Orleans. We were looking very much for dinning in this restaurant during our trip, since we read excellent reviews about it. Surely I am not a gastronomy critic but me and my fiancé have been to several excellent restaurants in different countries so we really think we can tell the difference between good and bad service. The staff was not very friendly at the beginning, but hey, that wouldn't bother me much if the food was good enough and our plates would come on time. But for me, if you work directly with the public, you should try to be nice and friendly. A smile doesn't cost that much. We asked for cocktails, I had the TJ's screwdriver ans he had the NOLA's Bloody Mary. For our taste both were way too strong, but I won't complain about them since this can actually be a cultural difference. We are used to lighter cocktails. That said, they were ok, nothing much. But I could tell only by the bread initially put on our table that the food to come wouldn't be impressive. A good restaurant always has good bread. Ours was a petite joke, and they put margarine on your table. My fiancé had the shrimp and I had the crab cake as appetizers. The shrimp was merely ok, nothing pretty exciting about it. The crab cake was over spiced. We really love pepper, and we taste new kinds of pepper in every country we go. We are used to buying different types of it during our trips and bringing them home. This dish had so much pepper in its preparation that you couldn't taste the crab meat. The pepper should frame the meat, not the other way round. Ok. Next. Next, they simply set our table as the last priority of the night. The restaurant was busy, but we felt that for not being native speakers, therefore, outsiders, the staff thought they could leave us waiting forever for our dishes. What terrible impression this gives to a customer. They saw by our faces that we were impatient and after a 40 minute wait, another waiter, not ours since that guy had surely disappeared, said that he would be bringing our food shortly. The food took more than 65 minutes to get to the table. We both had ordered the chicken, since we thought it would be really something and a speciality of the kitchen. If we didn't believe that we surely wouldn't pay $27 each in a chicken plate. The dishes arrive at our table clearly made in a rush just to deliver our order. The presentation was terrible, the food was simply thrown into the plate. The fried chicken was absolutely regular and the sauce wasn't enough for the amount of chicken in the dish. The sweet potato mashed pure was regular as well, nothing exceptional, as well as the green beans. This is food too simply prepared to be charged with that kind of price. The ingredients may be simple, but if the preparation is outstanding I surely don't mind paying more for a dish that uses them. This surely was not the case. I was so disappointed I left a whole part of the chicken and the pure in my dish. After all, who wants to eat dry chicken? When we were eating, the server that initially took care of us suddenly reappeared out of nothing to apologize for the delay. The maitre also asked us how things were going two times. We said nothing, just "ok". I didn't want to lie saying that we were happy with our experience since we hated it. We left 14% for the service but my will was to leave 0%, since this was bad service and bad and overpriced food. We didn't do that just not to leave a bad impression for our country. I hope they got the message, but I am certain they didn't. Places like these never do.

    (1)

  • Masouda L.

    Went here for my birthday after a fabulous dinner at Delmonico's the night before. We went with the mindset that service and food would be consistent but were proven wrong very quickly. We were seated and our waiter assumed we only wanted wines by the glass . He handed us the list and said "wines by the glass are on the last page" uh okay? Then I noticed my glass of water had a red lipstick mark (I wasn't wearing lipstick) so I pointed it out to our waiter he took it no sorry nothing...and my water never came back. We ordered our apps the shrimp came 15 minutes before the salad and then the waiting game started. We noticed every single table in the dining room received their food except for us. We were literally the last meal the kitchen cooked. I couldn't ask my waiter because he never came by in the 40 minutes. He was busy checking on every other table in his section multiple times. Finally I was able to asked Steven for my water and he was apologetic thinking I never received it but shared that I pointed out the stain to his counterpart and he never came back. Then I noticed Steven asking other waiters where our food was only to receive shrugging shoulders. After we finally got our food (salmon was bland) Steven came over and asked if we were okay. Told him we were a bit frustrated w service but appreciated his attention and concern. I shared my feedback with the manager he asked for my email and I haven't heard anything since. A simple "I'm sorry let us treat you with a dessert" would have been fine but don't promise to follow up and then don't. We were shocked that we were treated like second class citizens especially since we had just dined at the sister restaurant which was much more expensive the night before. Left angry, hurt and hungry on my birthday.

    (1)

  • Margarite S.

    At first, I was a little apprehensive about dining here just because I thought it would be a tourist trap and overcharge and not deliver. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the food, the menu and the service here. Upon walking in, we were comfortably seated at a table and given wonderful service. My friend ordered shrimp with grits and I ordered drum. The food was unbelievably ricj and decadent and honestly one of the best meals I have ever had. For dessert, we ordered the banana cream pie. It was so good. I wish I could go back right now. A must go to when in New Orleans. One of three of Emeril's restaurants in New Orleans, this one takes the cake!

    (5)

  • Anne Marie L.

    All I can say is... WOW. I have traveled the world trying all sorts of cuisines and restaurants but must say this place impressed me beyond words. The staff was very attentive and overall great service. The gumbo was out of this world. I had the BBQ shrimp as an appetizer and the sauce was indescribably good. I literally used my bread to mop up every last bit of the sauce. The pork chop which was done to perfection - flavorful and juicy. Everything had very unique flavors that were perfectly paired together. Very expensive, but worth every penny. The atmosphere is classy and sophisticated. You will definitely need reservations.

    (5)

  • Robin W.

    Let me just get to the point: I thought my celeriac lobster salad was not done right. Too much mayo and the celeriac didn't have the right texture. The shrimp and grits were only ok. I kept thinking that it was a little pre-fab. A little Applebees. They slap that stuff together and throw it down the line. I had a bad feeling after the waiter said he loved the stuff. HEAVY. The dessert was disastrous. Crème fraîche, cinnamon ice cream, and bread pudding. It had sat out and ice cream was melting, the crème fraîche tasted like sour cream, the bread pud. was a muffin of, once again, impersonal, almost Applebee-like, carbs. My dining partner liked his maque-choux and crab cake. Let me rephrase, he liked his maque-choux, and ate his crab cake. He complained of breading being the major ingredient in said cake. The maque-choux had some nice heat and flavor. We both ordered the shrimp and grits. My partner brought up Applebees, and I sadly conceded. Partner was especially disappointed because the evening's special, Amberjack, was no longer available. He was informed of this approximately five minutes after having placed the order. Another problem was the service. It took 15 to 20 minutes to bring out the different courses that were clearly not cooked to order. We really never saw our waiter after the initial screw-up with the Amberjack. NOLA is impersonal. It feels like an upscale cafeteria with servers. There were under-dressed and overly-loud tourists and perhaps locals yucking it up à la Animal House. The dishes, flatware, and the architectural detail (a fence?) were not exactly clean. I'm not a stickler for hygiene, but when I am paying $150.00 for two people, I want impeccable service and no gunk on my knife. It was my birthday, and yes, I wanted the damn candle, which I didn't get. Can I mention that Stella sent me home with artisanal chocolates for my birthday last year? No acknowledgement of my birthday. Nada. And finally, the straw that broke the camel's back: confusion on drinks and a Reisling listed on our bill that neither my partner nor I ordered. Very irritating. Not to mention that the Proseco runs $15 a pop. But the mistake on the bill was so irritating that we complained to Emeril's HQ. We got a form letter and invitation to call a customer service (I'll make it better) manager. I asked for reimbursement. They don't do that. I've been told that I should receive a gift certificate for another Emerial restaurant. I was also informed that NOLA is not the quietest of restaurants. So, perhaps we didn't pick the right place for us, as we do prefer a subdued ambiance. I am glad that they offered something to make up for a less than satisfactory experience. Then again, we did plunk down more than $150.00.

    (1)

  • Sarah W.

    Meh, It was ok. We went here for dinner on our wedding anniversary trip to New Orleans. Though we made them aware it was our anniversary when making our reservations, it was overlooked. As for the food.... We ordered the Shrimp Bisque which was fantastic, the fried chicken was sub-par, the pork chop was tasty and the banana pudding cake was good. The cheddar jalapeno rolls were bland. I really wanted to like this place but unfortunately it really wasn't as wonderful as anticipated. I would have much rather eaten at K-Paul's twice. Sorry Emeril.

    (3)

  • Danielle J.

    I really wanted to love NOLA as the boyfriend and I came here on our first date...combined with the fact that we passed by during the day prior to our reservation and saw there was a tuna dish on the lunch menu, and they graciously said that when i came in later, we could get tuna(!). Upon arrival, they were super sweet, and I think since we'd said how our first date was at NOLA years ago and this was our first trip back (for dinner, we'd returned for drinks), they gave us a free springroll (about half a spring roll each, but delish). The waitress had been told re my tuna order, so my boyfriend asked if it would be a larger portion, for dinner, rather than lunch, to which she said yes....this is where things went downhill. After deciding maybe i would get a cocktail (usually dont bother with dinner...food dilutes the liquor you know.), she raved about their cosmo...told her i hate cosmos, but she still obviously really was pushing it...when i insisted no, i like vodka as id said, but more dirty martinis etc...she said they had a dirty martini with hot sauce and pepper infused vodka...reminded me vaguely of my #1 fave drink EVER (the filthy martini at cafe cluny, conveniently down the block from my apt, in nyc)...but sadly was nothing like the filthy, and while i tried, i literally couldnt drink it and my boyfriend made me send it back, for a regular dirty martini. We ordered the crab cake, boyfriend ordered the pork chop, and i ordered the (what i had been lead to believe was NOT) lunch sized tuna. Crab cake was fine, i'm not a huge crab cake fan, but my boyfriend is and said it was ok...then after a measure able gap (but not terribly unacceptably so) our entrees arrived. Hmm...my tuna, i kid you not, was four slices of tuna (small slices at that), on top of 4 avocado slices, on top of 4 tortilla chips (which i despise unless theyre with salsa at a good mexican restaurant). By no means was this a dinner portion - even more upsetting as i only eat dinner, and would in no way be anything less than starving after eating this. After mines done in 2 seconds, we tell the waitress how it was a lot smaller than we'd have thought, and maybe we'll order something else (i had told boyfriend not to say anything, as no, i was not going to order another entree for $35 and wait for it to be prepared). She said oh yeah he made the lunch size..but matter of factly, as though we hadnt specifically asked her initially if it would be a LARGER portion than lunch. We told her we decided not to order another dish (as she didnt seem too concerned with our disappointment in the portion), she acted as though thats fine, we've saved room for dessert and they have great desserts! i hate dessert. my boyfriend doesnt like dessert either, so it was a bit annoying that she didnt care that i was about to starve after my joke appetizer of a dinner entree. Boyfriend loved his porkchop, but said he would be livid if he were i, so we pretty much just left asap once he was done. To me the true reason for the 2 stars (as they were so accommodating, which ultimately resulted in disaster), is that the waitress was so unbelievably unfazed by our disappointment in the entree size - and the fact that she legit told us it would be larger, dinner sized, and then no, its not, which she readily admits, but doesnt apologize, nor seem in any way concerned. As our first date and initial nola experience was so great, i truly wish i'd just gotten something else to truly judge nola fairly, but sadly as i didnt and the waitress didn't appear too concerned, 2 stars for now. maybe if we return NOLA can earn back the other three i would have left had i used yelp back then...

    (2)

  • Edward S.

    We've eaten at NOLA twice now and I'm disappointed in myself that I didn't write a review the first time. It would pretty much say the same thing, "WOW! INCREDIBLE! OUTSTANDING! LOVE IT!!" Yep....that pretty much says it all right there. Yeah, it's a classy restaurant, but you can go in there with shorts and t-shirts and not feel out of place. The service is second-to-none! You have no less than 3 incredible wait staff taking care of your table; filling glasses, taking empty dishes away, stealthily standing behind you and smiling at the camera when you're getting your picture taken (great trick guys). Everyone of them is engaging, friendly and very knowledgable of the menu and the restaurant. But, the FOOD! Again we've eaten here twice and each meal has just blown us both away! This last time was for lunch and I had the fried chicken. My wife had the garlic-crusted drum. Each dish comes to the table looking like ART. But, the flavors, the seasonings, the whole meal is excellent. Their prices are a bit on the high side so we're TRYing not to make it too much of a habit going here but, I know that, when we do, we're getting great food and great service for what we're paying.

    (5)

  • Zena A.

    Lunch on a Sunday -- last day in NOLA. We're from the SF Bay Area and have high expectations for food. This was fantastic. Great service -- very attentive and thoughtful staff. Seated us at a beautiful table by windows on second floor. The boy got the daily special pizza without bacon -- red peppers, portablelo mushrooms, mozzarella and rosemary. INCREDIBLE pizza. Probably one of the best I've ever tasted. The man and I split the BBQ shrimp (tender shrimp, too much sauce), a salad (nothing special but nice to have fresh greens) and the garlic crusted drum (fish) served with spicy potatoes. This fish was amazing, tender, spicy perfectly, moist, garlicky but not too much -- just perfectly balanced, perfectly cooked. Wish we hadn't split it! Rolls and jalapeño muffins also delicious. Best meal we had in NOLA.

    (5)

  • Isabella S.

    Amazing food. Amazing service. There was not a thing that I got that I didn't like. For example, we ordered tomato basil soup. It's known that you can tell the chef's ability by how they make soup. Tomato basil soup is particularly tricky. Many places make it too acidic, too sweet, or too basiley. The soup at NOLA was on spot. My boyfriend took me here for my birthday, and he mentioned that it was my birthday when he made my reservation. They took great care in making the service excellent and gave me a complimentary ice cream. Awesome restaurant.

    (5)

  • Susan C.

    One of the things I most like about NOLA is it's always a solid 4-5 and tonight's meal and service were a 5. I have never had a bad meal here and it's always better than average. Hostess is always friendly, service is always attentive but not overbearing. To start, we had a 6:15 PM reservation on Ash Wednesday and we were immediately seated. We had the pocket bread as an appetizer and it was simple yet perfectly done. My husband had the drum with garlic and he said the entire dish was spot on. I had the pork chop, tender, flavorful but perhaps a bit heavy on pepper, but still delicious. Loved the sweet potatoes, could have eaten a plateful. We had carrot cake for dessert, one of the better done desserts I've had in a while. I liked that the raisins were to the side and they did not overpower it with frosting. The sherbet was good but light compared to cake, it needed a bit more punch to it. Coffee was excellent but a bit of a fluke. My husband asked if they had Jamaican Blue, and they did but not for a plain coffee, and if I wanted it as a latte it was only with cream, no skim or even regular milk. So settled for their plain coffee and was quite happy. Bill came out to $83 not including tip. We will be back next time we drive through

    (5)

  • Christopher W.

    Stumbled upon this place while in NoLa. Not gonna beat a dead horse...we had everything from shrimp and grits to the pork chop, to the garlic drum...it's all fabulous. Don't miss the frog legs! The service was impeccable and the bartenders at the front are quick to put a drink in your hand. Decor is groovy. Don't miss this place if in NOLA.

    (5)

  • Claudia T.

    We have a great dinner there. The food and the service were very good. The decorations of the place is unique and we will be back there in our next visit to New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Amanda W.

    Awesome. Just awesome. Went yesterday with my parents and girlfriend to celebrate my graduation (go me!). We had a positive experience at this restaurant before, so we decided to try it again. Even though my girlfriend and I were half an hour late, they held the table for us. Our waiter, while a little creepy (hi, stop hitting on my girlfriend, we may both look feminine but we are LESBIANS), was nice and full of personality. We started off our meal with the boudin balls. These were great, but also it's hard to mess up fried boudin, am I right? My dad picked out a light bottle of Chianti, which my family promptly drained. We are winos, for sure, and it went nicely with our meal. My dad and girlfriend ordered the duck. They give you a lot of meat! It was tender, sweet, and expertly cooked. The pecans were a nice touch. The only con was the polenta/grits, which had no flavor and a weird texture. My mom had the fish special. I found her fish to be a tad overcooked, but it was still very good. I had the garlic crusted drum. It came in a bacon mushroom sauce with green beans. Normally, I don't order fish at nice restaurants, because I always feel that fish is pretty easy to cook. I have to say, this dish was fantastic. The fish practically melted in my mouth. It was perfectly cooked, and the bits of bacon and mushroom were the cherry on top of a tasty fish. For dessert, my mom and girlfriend shared an Ooey Gooey Warm Cake and my dad and I shared the ricotta cheesecake. We all got cappuccinos, which were robust and prepared perfectly. My mom and girlfriend seemed to enjoy their dessert very much. My dad and I liked our dessert, as well, as it was very unusual in its presentation and a bit less sweet than we were used to. All in all, the service is what sets this place apart. The servers here truly know how to read a table. All of the courses were perfectly timed, and we never felt rushed or that we were being intruded upon. I would definitely come back to this place. It is great for celebrations, or when you just need a pleasant night out. What I love most is that the dress code is casual, but the service is still top notch. You have my love, NOLA, and I'm pretty hard to please!

    (5)

  • Denis S.

    This is Emeril's newest restaurant and if asked to describe it in one word, I'd say "meat." As an appetizer we got the Stuffed Chicken Wings, which tasted a lot like pot-stickers except with chicken rather than flour for the outside. For the entree we got the Hickory Roasted Duck and the Pork Shank. Both were just two huge dishes of the two meats. There were sides and sauces underneath and nearby, but in reality it was just a bunch of meat. The duck was pretty good, the pork was very tender. Both were overwhelming in size and scope. New Orleans sure does love meat, but this was going a bit too far. One thing about "fine dining" is that the portions are usually smaller and the tastes are usually more nuanced. This had the opposite, great tastes, but with huge portions and little variety. The food is 3.5 stars, but add in the excellent service and great surroundings and you get 4.

    (4)

  • Leeat A.

    Make sure you order the stuffed chicken wings! They are absolutely delicious.

    (5)

  • Lisa B.

    I'm not a huge fan of Emeril's. All that "kick it up a notch" and "BAM" get on my last nerve. When Hubby suggested we go there, I was skeptical. But our meal was scrumptious and our service sublime. And nobody yelled "BAM!" at us the whole time. We went up an elevator to the third floor, which was kind of unusual. We started by splitting the crab cake, which had some fun twists on the traditional preparation. I ordered the shrimp and grits, and hubby got the duck, which was smoked and marinated in something so amazing that it tasted almost like pork ribs. I had to help him finish it. Too full for dessert, we left feeling satisfied, warm and well cared for. Thanks Emeril, I needed that. But I'm still not watching your shows.

    (5)

  • Rosalie V.

    I came here for dinner with two of my girl friends. Ordered the famous stuffed chicken wings = amazing! And for entrees we had the duck, pork chop and the drum fish (I can't recall the exact name). All our entrees we're super delicious! Then we tried the creme brûlée trio for dessert, not a fan. Chocolate was too sweet, and the coconut is just not my liking. Staff was great. Drinks we're great! I had the pomegranate martini, strawberry lemonade for my gf and my bestfriend tried Emeril's Chardonnay.. Everything was good! Glad I was able to try one of Chef Emeril's restaurant.

    (5)

  • Sasha B.

    This place was recommended by a local who we were chatting wiht during the day. After checking the Yelp reviews, we decided to try it. The service was a bit rough around the edges, the servers all had tattoos and looked a bit hood haha, but they were good, so who cares... The duck was incredible. Probably the best duck I've ever had, and I usually only like breast. This was a whole smoked duck, served in halves. The starters were very good too - I think we got escargot and crab cakes...

    (4)

  • WiltonDrive A.

    Went with a private group of 40. Service was painfully slow, meals were mediocre at best. We had a limited menu to select from and no preference options on how food was cooked. My fish was terrible, flavorless and over cooked. I didn't hear anyone give a complement to anything we were served. Disappointing. It may have just been a result on the kitchens inability to serve a large group all at once.

    (2)

  • Mary M.

    I've eaten here twice now and based on my experiences it's really about a 2.5. The service is good bc they're friendly and accommodating but even with 3 people waiting on you, we had to wait alot and it wasn't busy as it was mid afternoon. It's the food that really gets the 2.5. It is very blah. Honestly I can't even remember what I had either time. It was definitely fish bc I don't eat land animals but obviously if I can't even remember then it wasn't that good. I know my husband tried some form of meat and he was highly unimpressed and said I could've made it better. It was disappointing bc Emeril is this famous chef and you would just expect that anything you order is gonna knock your socks off and it didn't by a long shot. We both left very disappointed each time but when you're hungry and you know better sometimes the hunger pains get in the way of judgment. I would not give this place a 3rd try.

    (2)

  • Naurry K.

    Easy reserveration. BAM! Great location. BAM! Good food. BAM! Excellent service. BAM! Oh yeah babe!

    (5)

  • Tony S.

    The food and service here were amazing. I even took the time to tell the manager how great the food and service were. The stuffed chicken wings are a must have for an appetizer. The duck was great and the buttermilk chicken was awesome. Each time I'm in Nawlins, I'll make sure that I dine here.

    (5)

  • Jonathan F.

    Food was good. My pork chop was a little dry. My wife booked this for my 50th birthday an we came from Philly. The gift card was forgotten at home and even with photos if front an back taken by my daughter they wouldn't let us use it. I found this disappointing and thought it could have been handled better.

    (3)

  • Lisa R.

    Wow! The grilled pork chop was amazing! Loved the sweet potatoes, too. The service was terrific and staff very friendly. Will definitely come back next time I'm in town.

    (5)

  • Frank S.

    Our food was served burnt. The service was atrocious. I would not pay $5 for this meal, let alone $50. They are floating by completely on name recognition. Get real, Emiril. I hope this place goes out of business soon so they can replace it with a real restaurant.

    (1)

  • Jeffrey S.

    Went here on Saturday 05/26/12 as part of a 18 person party. We dined privately on the second floor and had a pre-fixed meal. The service was the best I have had in any restaurant. The meals were amazing. I started with gumbo, delicious. My wife had crispy duck liver over greens, superb. For the entree I had the drum with a garlic crust over potatoes and some type of bacon glaze/sauce, amazing. My wife had shrimp and grits, excellent as well. For desert was some type of banana cream cake, which was so good my wife, who doesn't like bananas any way but out of the peel, liked it. A great experience! As far as some of the other reviews I read about this place, yes you can get amazing, sometime better food elsewhere for cheaper. That shouldn't take away from this great dining experience. My wife and I had both gumbo and shrimp and grits from at least 3 different places this week and all were very good and very different. One of the best meals was a $9.95 special in a little place off the beaten path. I don't believe our meals were prepared differently since we were a private party, so I definitely can't see this being a 2 star?

    (5)

  • Andi S.

    Food was delicious, the service was outstanding and unique.

    (5)

  • Michael U.

    In reality my love of the "BAM" dates back to late 2002 (before I started this blog and before I had the money and inclination to go to places like Alinea or Per Se) when I took my mother to his Orlando restaurant as a Thank You for helping me with my medical school applications. Without overstating I can honestly say that it was my first experience with "fine dining" and it opened my eyes to what food and a dining "experience" could be. Since that visit I've been back to the eponymous Orlando restaurant as well as Tchoup Chop, Table 10, Delmonico Las Vegas, and the Fish House and liked or loved the experience at each. Greeted promptly by my server, a young African American fellow who introduced himself and the rest of the team I was offered a cocktail (again I declined) and handed a copy of the menu. Selecting tap water and coffee to go with my meal he next explained the daily specials and when I asked if the dinner menu could be accommodated he said he'd check with the kitchen...and returned in 2 minutes to say that it wouldn't be a problem at all. Pleasant, conversive, and professional without being snooty I personally loved the service at NOLA and would go so far as to say that my server could easily fit in with the folks at Camellia Grill but also could have brought a bit of personality to the team at Restaurant August equally well - no easy task. Orders placed I sat and browsed the interesting layout of the restaurant - open ceilings, stone walls, plenty of unique art while also marveling at the overall noise level of the restaurant - energetic and lively without being downright loud or annoying...sort of like Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill or Batali's Babbo for those who've been. Arriving shortly after my coffee - a bold French blend, the kind that isn't "memorable" but works with everything due to its low acidity - I received something unexpected...bread that wasn't just a standard loaf of French. Two small rolls served with a complex and sweet unsalted butter, the first a tasty green onion butter roll and the second a beautiful jalapeno cornbread with just a bit of spice, I have to say I quite liked the variation and found the cornbread to be one of the best I've had in quite some time. My first dish of the meal was the NOLA Gumbo of the day - chicken andouille, shrimp, and lump crab. Featuring a thick and spicy roux with plenty of shrimp, sausage, okra, and celery I was very impressed by the minimal amount of rice and "filler" but also felt that perhaps a little more file would have been ideal as the dish was soupier than I'd have preferred. My second dish, a main course from the dinner menu, was Hickory-Roasted Duck with Whiskey-Caramel Glaze, Buttermilk Cornbread Pudding, Haricot Verts, Fire Roasted Corn Salad, Natural Jus and Candied Pecans. Never one to lack for ingredients on a single plate I can say without a doubt that this was (by far) the best Duck of my trip to New Orleans - and the accompanying items were pretty superb too. Featuring a bone-in half duck perfectly roasted medium and with skin smooth, sweet, and crisp-yet-supple...potentially the best duck I've ever had. Lying beneath the fowl was a sweet yet buttermilk-sour cornbread pudding similar to the coush-coush at CP, snappy and sweet Haricot Verts, and a smoky yet sweet roasted corn salad. An enormous portion for $28 this item is clearly better served as a dinner selection, but for the glutton who is trying to make the very most of his or her New Orleans dining experience it makes a sublime lunch, as well. Following the duck I made a difficult decision. You see, at each of Emeril's other restaurants I ordered the bread pudding and was quite impressed by all but one...but the bread pudding du jour at NOLA was chocolate and raspberry with creole cream cheese while one of the alternatives was a dish with French Toast, ice cream, bananas, cinnamon, and bacon...the bread pudding didn't stand a chance. Arriving piping hot with the ice cream slowly melting and soaking the bread, Cinnamon Pain Perdu with Sautéed Bananas, Drunken Monkey Ice Cream and Brown Sugar Bacon was a showstopper - an absolute must order. Crispy and sweet French Toast, Caramelized Bananas, the Bourbon punch of the banana laden ice cream, and the savory bacon...for some it may have been sugar overload but for me it was the kind of dish I'll crave every time I think of a Banana for some time. Paying the modest bill and thanking my servers for a wonderful experience I made my way down to the elevator, through the still present (and seemingly never shrinking) crowd, and to the streets. While some "foodies" shy away from celebrity chefs like Legasse claiming that the restaurants are all marketing and the chef is disconnected I personally am of the opinion that great food is great food and great service is great service. If a restaurant can provide me with those two things I don't mind if the chef spends more time at a TV studio than in the kitchen.

    (5)

  • Dr. P.

    AMAZING!! All other food is now inferior. I went here for dinner, made a res on OpenTable, sat right down on time. Waitress Ashley was so nice and funny and made good recommendations without being too pushy. I had the Filet mignon which was so tender and light and delicious. (and im not really a big meat person, but I was tired of fish.) I highly recommend stopping by here.

    (5)

  • Michael B.

    How can you not love everything that is on the menu. I love this culinary masterpiece a must for all locals and travelers foodies and me...

    (5)

  • Mariana R.

    This place was just incredible!!... I love everything we tried here!... Personally, I think this is the best restaurant in New Orleans!!.. Delicious food, excellent service, good wine!!... All you want is here!!...

    (5)

  • Debbie C.

    My daughter wanted to try this restaurant as she is a big fan of the food network. Our meal was spectacular. We tried all three of the recommended entrees- Drum, Duck and Fried chicken and were very pleased with each. Service is outstanding as well.

    (5)

  • Lala A.

    Had a great meal here years ago. Everything we had was fantastic. I had the buttermilk chicken which was one of the best dishes I've ever had. Service was good. Ambiance could have been better, maybe it was just the location of our table. Overall a good experience.

    (4)

  • Omar K.

    All hype Couldn't get a reservation until 10pm so maybe the kitchen was off its game. The shrimp was good but not fantastic. The duck was overcooked and dry. The rest of the stuff on the plate was bland and mushy. We had a 45 minute wait between app and main course. Staff was pleasant and attentive. Overall it was ok but for the money it was not worth it.

    (2)

  • Allyson A.

    We were quickly seated for our 7:00 reservation on a Friday evening. Our waiter came out immediately then gave us plenty of time to decide on our drink orders. I went with the dirty martini which I asked for really dirty and just came out mild. It was ok though. We ordered the boudin balls for an appetizer and they were delicious. I ordered the duck which I've never had before and I should of gotten the shrimp and grits instead. I guess duck isn't my favorite thing, it tasted like dark meat chicken and had a strange after taste. I love NOLA though, this was my second time dining so we will definitely be back and I'll just order something else. My boyfriend had the chicken and he licked his plate clean!

    (4)

  • Jack A.

    Nola dropped a notch for us. This was my fifth, and worst, visit. It is possible that they were training new wait staff and we had the second stringers. Or maybe our waiter lost a bundle on the Saints. Service was slow and less-than-attentive. Not terrible, but not at all what I received on other visits. Otherwise, this is a fantastic place to eat. Don't miss the crab cake or the smoked duck. Garlic crusted black drum--maybe the best bite of fish I have ever tasted. Three of the best dishes in the city. Popcorn ice cream? Outstanding. Tray of 6 drinks left sitting on the bar for ten minutes--that we can see from our table--to the point I was about to serve them myself? C'mon man, take that smoke break later.

    (4)

  • Toni M.

    We had dinner here tonight and it was wonderful. We were warmly welcomed and seated at a table for 4 and given menus. Water was poured and we were each given warm jalapeno cornbread muffins and brioche rolls, both small, along w/ a ramekin of butter w/ a paper covering w/ the NOLA logo to share. Sherri ordered a Manhattan, I ordered a Lemondrop, Alan ordered a Turbodog and Ron ordered a glass of Malbec. The restaurant is a spacious renovated warehouse w/ a second floor balcony reached by a glass elevator. Our server was professional and friendly, backed up by the people who poured our water and gave us bread. Alan and I decided to share a salad of Maine lobster and celery root tossed in a green onion-buttermilk dressing w/ roasted beets, spiced walnuts and arugula. It arrived divided and it was divine, a savory mixture of tastes and textures. Sherri had a Caesar salad, which she enjoyed. Alan and Ron ordered garlic crusted drum cooked in the wood burning oven with Brabant potatoes, crimini mushrooms, bacon and sauce beurre rouge; Ron substituted sweet potatoes for the Brabant potatoes and their accoutrements. Sherri ordered gumbo and I ordered the hickory-roasted duck w/ whiskey-caramel glaze, buttermilk cornbread pudding, haricot verts-fire roasted corn salad, natural jus and candied pecans. My duck was a generous portion, beautifully cooked and presented. It was one of the best ducks I've had and the cornbread pudding and the salad of haricort verts and corn were totally delicious. Sherri loved her gumbo and Alan and Ron were both pleased w/ their drum, although Alan commented he won't have it again after having it twice today. Service and food were comfortable and unpretentious and we very much enjoyed our dinner.

    (5)

  • Gaddiel T.

    Tried the duck confit and egg pizza and the stuffed chicken wings for appetizer. Both tasted great! For entree, i tried the garlic crusted drum and it tasted good as well.

    (4)

  • Nicole D.

    I visited NOLA on a recent trip to New Orleans with my wife. We heard about the chef, EMERIL, and knew we had to experience his meals. The meals were delicious (as expected), but our waiter was horrible. He ruined our experience. Unfortunately we had a waiter by the name of Paul, who made our experience less than wonderful. He took ages to come to our table and then proceeded to hover over the other tables close by. He had his helpers take our order and watched from far away as they asked if we were enjoying our meals. We had to complain to the manager about this Paul---a tall black man. I specified his race because I thought he treated us this way because we were a black lesbian couple out on a romantic date. I hope if we visit next time, we'll have a better non-judgmental waiter and that our experience would be different.

    (3)

  • Alan V.

    Had a great lunch here. The service was outstanding and the food even better. I had the gumbo and stuffed chicken wings and would highly recommend both. The menu was clean and simple and everyone in the group enjoyed their selections as well. Great location in the heart of the French Quarter.

    (4)

  • Aldo V.

    Absolutely Delicious. We went on a Monday night - you would have thought we would not have needed a reservation. Incorrect - but the staff seated us anyway - fabulously elevated Cajun cuisine - complete with Alligator Sausage. Yum!

    (4)

  • Abbey S.

    We had a bachelorette party of 14- the staff at Nola was extremely accommodating and attentive. We were able to split the bill per seat and all of our checks were accurate. The wait staff was impeccable, friendly, and extremely well-trained. Everyone at the table raved about the food and cocktails; great selection and the prices were very reasonable. The manager even came over to great our group and congratulate the bride. I could not be more pleased with my experience at Nola.

    (5)

  • Beth M.

    Beautiful restaurant with outstanding service. They were fun and helpful. I got a veggie meal off menu that was incredible. The dessert, Popcorn Ice Cream Sundae, was one of the most incredible specials I have ever experienced. Ambience, excellence and a perfect evening.

    (5)

  • Bryan A.

    The food and the service of this restaurant was absolutely outstanding but especially the service, I was blown away! It seemed like the entire staff was keeping on eye on us! I don't think my glass of water dropped below 3/4 full. Not once did I have to ask for anything. Stuffed chicken wings are a must and the mashed sweet potatoes are a perfect match with the pork chop ( even though you get roasted sweet potatoes with your meal anyway) I will for sure be a returning customer if and when I ever get to return to the big easy!

    (5)

  • Adrian E.

    My wife and I dined at NOLA on the Saturday night of our trip to New Orleans. My previous dining experience here was really good. I believe I had the Filet on that trip. Definitely worth trying if that's your thing. On that visit, I was in a large group so we managed to get one of the upstairs tables which offered a little more privacy. Since it was just two of us, we were seated downstairs with the other two-person tables. Unfortunately I felt the tables were too close together. I hate when I can overhear other people's conversations. On one side I had a couple probably on their first or second date. The guy did all the talking and never let the woman get a word in. On the other side was a couple, probably married, enjoying the special price fixe menu they were offering that week. I'd say our seating was my only complaint of the night. The service and food were great. For starters, we had Miss Hay's Stuffed Chicken Wings. I don't know who Miss Hay is, but she sure knows how to stuff a mighty fine wing. These were excellent. They are served three to a plate, so you might need to add a few more if you have an uneven group (or someone who might want seconds). For my entree, I wanted to try something other than the Filet I had on my last visit. The waiter recommended the Braised Beef Short Ribs. This was served on a bed of white beans and topped with slaw. The meat was tender and fell off the bone. I initially wasn't too excited about the beans and slaw, but when the flavor of the meat was added to the combination, it worked out great. My wife enjoyed the Hickory-Roasted Duck entree she ate, but we both agreed the highlight of her dish was the cornbread pudding that was served on the side. NOLA is one of my favorite spots in New Orleans. You can't go wrong dining here.

    (4)

  • Adam S.

    Didn't have a reservation but we were able to get a seat at the bar in 20 minutes. The drum and duck were amazing! Could have passed on the boudin balls and the apple tart however.

    (4)

  • Diana D.

    4 1/2 star Never had anything like this before! A must eat in New Orleans. Make sure you make reservations too! The service here is superb. They coordinate everything together! Down to the placement of your utensils and serving your meal. I went with a large group and we basically tried everything! Definitely recommend the duck confit with fried egg pizza for an appetizer. It was very unique. The crab cake is spicy, not my favorite but everyone at my table loved it. The gumbo of the day was pork and like the server said, " pork is always good" For entrees we had the soft shell crab ( nights special) came with non-spicy crab cake and pieces of crawfish. The filet mignon and bone marrow ( a bit sweet ) is delicious. Melts in your mouth. The shrimp is very flavorful and the grit that came with it tasted like a soggy mix between rice and oatmeal. Also recommend the side of mashed sweet potatoes. Other plates we had were great but nothing as notable. Desserts!!!! I recommend all! And whatever they have for the night special! We bought the whole dessert menu and it was just the best way to end our meal. Excellent service! Excellent food! Excellent location and ambiance.

    (4)

  • Linh N.

    **4.5 stars** When I heard that this is one of Emeril's "newer" restaurants, newer meant 2 years newer than his originial restaurant in New Orleans. This means, NOLA has been around since 1992--almost 20 years. I guess relatively speaking to the age of New Orleans, that's rather new. Emeril mixes some of the traditional nawlins' flavors with a modern twist. For lunch, I ordered the "Shrimp and Grits" ($18), which had bold flavors of barbeque and pepper. It came with apple smoked bacon, crimini mushrooms, and red-chili abita butter sauce. It lay atop a layer of grits--coursely ground corn that tasted like a close cousin of rice. The shrimp was generous and plump. The portions were just right. It's not meant to make you full, but it leaves your stomach content, and your appetite pleased. I recommend trying on of their local beers, namely Abita--a Louisiana brew just 45 miles from New Orleans. The seasonal strawberry infused beer was light and crisp and went well with the shrimp and grits. The setting of NOLA is casual and industrial witih exposed brick walls and ceilings. The open kitchen is pretty cool and allows diners to witness the organized chaos in the kitchen. I heard there was a wait if you have no reservations--I just headed straight to the bar, they also served food.

    (4)

  • Amador A.

    I don't know if it was the excitement of new food experiences in New Orleans, or if the food itself was just that much better - but I loved just about everything I ate during my stay. NOLA was no exception... Frois gras... the stuff fatty dreams are made of. Yes... I know PETA is probably putting me on their black list right now... but I don't care - I ate it AND enjoyed it! Crispy Duck Liver... I really couldn't decide which I liked more... the frois gras, or this... it was THAT good. For my main course, I had one of the best grilled ribeye's I've ever eaten. Cooked to a perfect medium-rare. And for dessert? ... Cinnamon Pain Perdu with Sautéed Bananas, Drunken Monkey Ice Cream and Brown Sugar Bacon. ... brown BACON, yo. End of story. Bacon truly makes everything better. Everything here was a pleasurable experience. Wonderful staff, beautiful surroundings... and Mardi Gras... Awesome time.

    (4)

  • John A.

    Amazing. Incredible service. Greatest place in New Orleans I had surf and turf. It was perfect

    (5)

  • Jonathan G.

    WOW! Amazing food and even better service!!! Went there as part of a 8 person group and everyone said it was the best food they had while we were in New Orleans. The service was fast, friendly and perfect for the occasion. It was really impressive how they brought it 4 waiters to serve our food, therefore all 8 of us had our plates placed down at the exact same time. Would definitely come back!

    (5)

  • May T.

    They have the best crab cakes we've ever had!!! I ordered the grilled pork chops and love it as well! Michael ordered the buttermilk fried chicken breast. Both entrees were juicy and flavorful. I would definitely come back if I'm ever in New Orleans again!

    (5)

  • Tyler P.

    Wonderful service and food! We enjoyed all the food and very friendly staff. I had the duck which was awesome, I didn't want to stop eating. All the dishes at our table looked delicious. The elevator needed to be modernized as it looked out of place.

    (4)

  • Pascal M.

    BOOM! I went to NOLA. BAM! We had a good time. POW! Why the hell am I still doing this? Emeril's got a case of "action sound" Tourettes syndrome, I wonder if it's annoying to be around him on a daily basis. Just kidding Chef Lagasse, your a funny and talented guy. My girlfriend and I were excited to try NOLA, since we were in...NOLA... We both really liked the environment. French Quarter, old brick walls, huge 2 floored interior. Our service on the other hand, was almost a complete bust. The young man who greeted our table made it look laboring just to get to the table, he then mumbled "y'all know what y'all want?" Through high school and college I served. Never, did I do as shitty of a job creating first impression as this fool. Immediately, I wanted to tell him to walk away, come back, and try again. Thank goodness, they use team service, so we only had to deal with him once or twice again. The other two guys were humorous, knowledgeable, and clearly devoted to their craft and establishment. Sorry, usually don't care to much about service. But I needed to vent. We started with their Wood Oven Roasted Escargot Rockefeller. Bawwwwwwwlin!!! Great way to start your dining experience. We also had their Crispy Duck Liver. The greens!!! Me and my girl make greens all the time and we wanna get dat recipe. We shared their Baby Arugula Salad. Nice bitterness and pepper form the Arugula, the watermelon was a perfect textural and flavor balance, the manchego was rich, almonds provided a crunch, and it was all harmonized with their mint vinaigrette. I ordered their Hickory Roasted Duck, unfortunately I sent it back. Which I'm usually the last to do. The skin was like leather, being roasted I thought it was going to be crispy. It was also pretty dry. The server was very accommodating and strongly recommend I go with my original instincts, the Shrimp and Grits. BAAAAMMM!!!! Smoked cheddar grits were phenomenal, The red chili-Abita butter sauce was insanely good. Lock it up. Throw away the key. My girl got the Apple Cider Braised Pork Shank. Took a bite. Real good. She loved it too. Goat cheese polenta was married with the sweet and herbaceous flavor from the herb roasted tomatoes. We got dessert but I don't remember what we had. Don't take that as a reason to not get dessert. That would be a BIG mistake. BAM! Get into NOLA while your down in NOLA. It's fun to try an Emeril restaurant. They have a great selection of food that is all well executed (except for my duck, but that was a statistical anomaly). You'll have a memorable dining experience.

    (4)

  • Nancy H.

    After a couple days of po boys, we thought we would splurge for a dinner at Emeril's famous NOLA as our way to celebrate a long week of conference-ing. This is definitely a place you'll be wanting a reservation so you can breeze past the crowd straight into the elevator that rolls past Emeril's face on a cookbook on the way up. Raves about the excellent table service do not lie, there were at least 5 different people waiting on us throughout the night. The waiter helped us pick a German Riesling from the VERY extensive wine list. The STUFFED CHICKEN WING appetizer was a major hit! Unfortunately, this $4 wing was gone in ~4 bites. The HICKORY-ROASTED DUCK is roasted for 4 hours to attain the most tender, juicy, flavorful duck I have ever tasted! There was oohing and ahhing around the table at other entrees as well- the SHRIMP AND GRITS and the GARLIC-CRUSTED DRUM. NOLA definitely left us all with a very delicious memory!

    (5)

  • Gary C.

    Emeril's best New Orleans restaurant, by a long shot, is NOLA! I'm personally working my way through his entire menu although it does change so sometimes things disappear & reappear. What I love about NOLA is its business casual atmosphere. Its upscale but not crazy upscale. You can come in as a single and get out of there for $70-$80 with a couple of drinks. As a guy who travels by himself for work, I often walk in and set at the counter in front of the wood fired stove (next to the kitchen) and watch the show. Additionally, you'll usually find other foodies at the counter and I've had lots of great conversations with interesting people from all over the country. Dishes I'd recommend; duck confit & fried egg pizza, the daily fish with the beurre rouge sauce, the hickory roasted duck & the drunken monkey ice cream! That being said, I'm about 60% through the menu and everything I've tried has been great. Skip Emeril's Delmonico, skip Emeril's New Orleans and head straight to NOLA for the best Emeril has to offer at reasonable prices in a great atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Alicia M.

    Hands down the most attentive wait staff, flavorful food, and amazing atmosphere! This place was the best food we had in New Orleans and we attended some of the best places. This place is a must!

    (5)

  • Danielle C.

    Compared to the other spots where I had dinner in New Orleans, I would have skipped this restaurant. It was fine, but really nothing special. I can't even remember what I ate...But the service was good and the meal went smoothly. Just in comparison to other amazing restaurants like Cochon and August, I'd rather eat somewhere else.

    (3)

  • Jim B.

    Absolutly loved this place. The atmospher was great, service fantastic. And then the food... I had the smoked dug - it was "divine". The best I have ever had. My wife had a filet - great, but the duck took the day.

    (5)

  • Asher G.

    Loved the spin they put in the salmon. The cous cous was incredible and the sauce had a tasteful kick. The potato rolls were my favorite. The service was outstanding. Attentive and cheerful. They even sent us over a complimentary ice cream in their popular "popcorn" flavor. Loved this place.

    (5)

  • Bill L.

    The people I went here with were wonderful so they may have influenced my overall experience, but here it goes - The garlic coated rum fish was incredible - and the ooey gooey cakes may be one of the best desserts EVER! Warm chocolate cake, marshamllow, chocolate syrup and coffee ice cream ! WOW!

    (5)

  • Tams B.

    Shrimp Poboy is Devine! I'm going back before I head to the airport. Gonna get a bowl of gumbo too cause it looks so good. :) finally Ty NOLA! U lived up to ur name!

    (5)

  • Ishmael L.

    The wife and I ate here on our honeymoon excursion to New Orleans on our last night in town (5/30/14). I had never eaten at an Emerils Restaurant before. She had, and wanted to go back. We decided on NOLA. Atmosphere: The place is nice as far as decor, but it has something of a 1990s Fresh Prince of Bel Air feel to it. Lots of bright yellow, teal, purple, etc. Slightly dated, but not too horrifying. We were seated on the third floor, which is very nice. You go past the wine room (which looked to be in some disarray), and a service station. My only complaints about the establishment are the upkeep of it. The bathrooms were in pretty terrible shape. I used both the third and first floor men's room, and both had some serious issues with peeling paint, stench, non-functioning components. Not the best place to see before you eat your meal. Service: Our servers were wonderfully trained. Efficient, timely, helpful. I would have preferred our server knew something about wine, but you can't have everything I guess. Food: For an appetizer, I had the Boudin Balls. Not my preferred way to eat Boudin, but it's hard to come by in the French Quarter. Which, is strange given it's preponderance all over the rest of the Gulf region of Louisiana. They were good, but nothing amazing, though the sauce on them was quite good and balanced out the saltiness of the meat very well. The lady had the stuffed wings. An interesting idea, and very flavorful. They were a bit fatty, but what would you expect from Emeril? For my entree, I had the Pan Seared Filet Mignon. Wow, this plate had a LOT going on. Firstly, the steak was delicious. Well cooked, albeit just a bit too salty. The Bordelaise was phenomenal. An incredible sauce for any type of red meat. The cauliflower puree was also phenomenal. Like nothing I have ever tasted. My only complaint about my entree, is that it just had way too much "stuff" on the plate, that really didn't add to the meal. The "confit of wild mushrooms" sounds elegant, but it was anything but. Basically, it was a sliced pile of an enormous portabella mushroom mixed with some actual wild mushrooms. It slumped over my steak and nearly fell off the plate; there was that much of it. Another accoutrement for the dish was the roasted bone marrow. Now, I've had it twice before, and haven't really relished in the flavor. I understand that it is an acquired taste. But this one was not even remotely appetizing. If the dish were simply the wonderful steak, puree and Bordelaise, the meal would have been 6 stars. The lady had a "special", that was so "special" I can't even remember what it was. For dessert, we had the creme brulee trio. It was very good, but not anything I would call home about. Overall, it was a fine meal, minus the table of Indian "Bros" next to us for a Bachelors dinner who were incredibly loud and obnoxious. But a bottle of wine prevented me from caring about them too much. Would I go back? Maybe. As wonderful as my filet was, I was really pressed to pick a plate off the menu that really sounded appealing. If they update the place and the menu a bit, then I would certainly go back. But as it stands, there are too many great restaurants in New Orleans to try out!

    (4)

  • Briana S.

    The first time I came to NOLA was in 2006 (before I was Yelping)... I had a great dinner here, topped by the best fried chicken I have ever had. I vowed that should I return to the Crescent City, I would have to come again. As one of Emeril's restaurants, it's a scene here, and getting a reservation that's not at 5:30 or 9:30 PM is nearly impossible. I had tried to go here for lunch, but found they weren't open for lunch on Mondays... so my friend and I decided to just go by and try our luck. The kind host was able to seat us at a table on the bar side of the restaurant, but this experience was no less than my one in the dining room 6 years ago. Service was attentive, friendly and "on." My friend and I each got a starter... she had the soup of the day, and I had the fried green tomato salad, which came with shrimp and crab. Amazing. Great combination of flavor and texture. My friend and I shared the fried chicken, and it was as amazing as I remembered. By the way, this entree is so huge, that even as a split plate, it was plenty. I can't imagine getting this on my own. The fried chicken comes served with sugar snap peas over smashed sweet potatoes. The fried chicken is juicy, crispy and amazing. While I wouldn't normally order fried chicken at a nice restaurant, after having this, I don't think I can even think about trying another dish here. As usual, no room left for dessert. The fried chicken did me in :) Ambience is cool, but not very New Orleans... it's open space, exposed brick, glass elevator... more big city than Big Easy. Great service and wonderful food. Servers are very helpful with information and suggestions!

    (4)

  • Sarah C.

    Came to New Orleans for a conference and NOLA was our "fancy" dinner night out. I have to say that I have been waiting to try this restaurant for a long time. As a Food Network, Top Chef watcher, I wanted to try Emeril's restaurant. I came with a group of 5, reservations made prior. Service was excellent, food was good, but not the most outrageous thing I have ever tasted in my entire life. I got the Caesar salad and the Shrimp and Grits. It must have been the bacon oil or something that they overdid in the grits that kind of spoiled it for me. The shrimp itself was seasoned very well and the grits alone were good when not eaten with the drizzled sauce on top. Overall I was pleased with this place. I tried a little of everyone else' plates and they were good, seasoned well and not overly done.

    (4)

  • Ryan C.

    The world's best fried chicken! This place is absolutely hoppin'. We were lucky to get a table and had to wait until 8:45, but it was totally worth it. I had the fried chicken based on the recommendation of the amazing staff. It was crispy and juicy. The wood oven pocket bread was amazing with a dipping sauce that should be available with a straw. It is worth every penny.

    (5)

  • Badyr A.

    The service was GREAT.!!!!! The food was even better.!!!!!! MUST HAVE: App ****Stuffed Wings and BBQ Shrimp Entree****Shrimp and Grits *****Buttermilk Fried Chicken Dessert*** OOEY GOOEY*** Make sure you see Eric , Holley, and Terrell What an amazing meal !!!! GO GO GO !!!!!

    (4)

  • Tim C.

    What can I say? Emeril delivered with this one. We went on a Sunday looking for some good comfort food. My last lunch experience in nola was Mothers, and it was terrible. So we stepped it up a notch and decided to check this place out. The manager was a character and greeted us with a good laugh. The servers were prompt and on point. The corn bread and roll they brought to the table were so tasty, so I knew this was going to be a good experience. For an appetizer we got a bowl of gumbo which was very good. Just the right amount of spice. We also got the pork cheek boudin balls. Just the right amount of crispness and the flavored were unique. Hands down the best boudin balls I've ever had. For my entree, I got the buttermilk fried chicken breast with bourbon mashed sweet potatoes and country ham gravy. So good. We finished off the meal with creme brûlée trio. This whole dining experience was spot on. The presentation of the food was beautiful and everything was brought out on time. The prices are very reasonable too. I'll definitely be back soon.

    (5)

  • Danielle F.

    Nola couldn't be more of a tourist restaurant. It reminded me of some of the tourist centric eateries back home and not in a good way. The food wasn't terrible but it was sub par to some of the other fine dining establishments in the area at the same price point. All of the food has an assembly line feeling and it is served at room temperature. The gumbo wasn't good at all, neither were the pizzas. The one saving grace was the fried chicken, which was pretty delicious (better had it been warmer). Servers are friendly but not attentive. All of this coupled with the heafty price tag makes Nola an unattractive offering in the quarter. Not bad just not great either. Why bother?

    (3)

  • Ashley B.

    Mmmmm just thinking about the food we had yesterday makes my mouth water . Hands down best restraint in New Orleans . Service is arrogant , we were in street clothes and un aware that it was a little fancy . The food out weighs the arrogance anyway . Fried chicken and shrimp and grits were awesome

    (5)

  • Chad C.

    This was my second Emeril-restaurant experience in New Orleans... and oh what an experience it was! First off, my best gal and I like to do the fine dining thing here and there... but I don't care for the sometimes stuffy attitude at these types of establishments. I am happy to report that this was not present at NOLA on this fine January afternoon. We didn't have a reservation and walked right in and were seated within 10 minutes. The host was also very welcoming to me despite the fact that I had no reservation and probably looked a little homeless by this point of my vacation. The restaurant has a more casual feel to it than the "Emeril's" restauant does - and I liked that. It was still an all-pro experience service-wise, but it just felt more laid back and I was quite comfortable in my Levi's. I'm not sure I've ever seen a waitstaff more on top of the drink sitch than this crew. I don't think my ladyfriend or my drink glass ever got below half-full before being replenished. First came the crab cake app. From what I could tell, the crab cake itself was pretty average... it was more crispy on the outside than soft, and it had a decent amount of crab meat but it wasn't as crabby as you might find in Baltimore or something. BUT, it didn't really matter... because it was covered in a corn salsa with Crystal (Louisiana hot sauce) butter. This salsa and sauce had such a great flavor and the perfect amount of heat. I was simply in love. And it was over all too fast, because I had to share it with my future wife. I thought about calling it all off for a brief moment. I don't know if I can give her half of my crab cakes for the rest of my life. Especially those. I need to think about it. And then we took it up another notch with one of the best things I've ever eaten. A huge fried chicken breast with bourbon mashed sweet potatoes (BAM!) and snap pea pods. Perfect seasoning on the chicken breast with a delicious ham gravy over the top of it all. Oh yeah, babe. But the party wasn't over - it was dessert time. We went with the Pecan Bread Pudding. It was accompanied by a scoop of Sweet Potato ice cream. A perfect end to a perfect meal. And the price was pretty reasonable too. I'll be eating here again and it's going to be hard not to get all of the same things I got the previous trip. Thanks Emeril - you're swell.

    (5)

  • Sandy J.

    The experience was amazing! We had top notch meals and customer service. We felt like rock stars with the attention by the staff and the detail that our food was prepared. Shout out to Eric, Greg and Meredith who were our wait staff, BUT there was not an employee who didn't walk by our table to check if everything was OK, if we needed anything or filling our water glasses. Everything was perfect right down to the drinks prepared by the bar staff. The crab stuffed chicken wings and shrimp and grits were to die for. The drum was cooked and flavored to perfection. But then came the desserts!! WOW - should sum it up!

    (5)

  • Monica J.

    Not impressed! I tired the Emeril's in Las Vegas and loved it.! This was no comparison. The porch cheek boudin balls were the best part of the meal. The fried chicken was cold. It was a big deal for my family to spend $300 on a meal during a family vacation. We talked about it for weeks. $300 and two of us had cold fried chicken. No thank you. I don't think I will return.

    (2)

  • Stacey D.

    Came here for a birthday party and everything was perfect. We were seated quickly, the atmosphere was comfortable and the people were friendly. When we sang happy birthday the entire restaurant automatically joined (gotta love NO). Everyone in our eight person party loved their meals. There were only two plates that weren't entirely clean and that's because the portions of fried chicken were so big. Definitely on my list of NO places to visit again.

    (5)

  • Samantha D.

    We had a terrific dinner at NOLA. The fried chicken with sweet potatoes was out-of-this-world! My husband had the Drum (fish) and really liked it, too. Our waiter recommended the stuffed chicken wings as an appetizer; he was right to do that. My family thought they were delicious; I didn't have any because they contain mushrooms and I am allergic to mushrooms. The atmosphere was energetic--perfect for getting geared up for a night out in the French Quarter. If you go, be sure to check out the wine "cellar" on the third floor.

    (4)

  • Freddy V.

    If you are visiting New Orleans, NOLA is a must for great traditional New Orleans cuisine. NOLA was probably my favorite restaurant out of the many 4/5*****S places I have been to. The service, preparation, and most important the food was amazing. I can't recall the specific dishes I had but take a look at other Yelp tips and you will easily find what you are looking for. Do not miss out on an Awesome Dinner night out at NOLA!

    (5)

  • Elise W.

    Great food and great cocktail selections. No beer on draft. Service was fantastic and extremely friendly. They knew the menu inside and out.

    (4)

  • Ryan D.

    Not going to repeat everyone else but an absolute favorite choice to eat. Excellent mixed drinks & a "4 course sampler" meal special that was terrific.

    (5)

  • Brett M.

    I thought this place would be mediocre since its owned by a franchise king. I was wrong. The place was amazing and the service was as well! I am definitely going back!

    (5)

  • Darcy W.

    Fantastic dinner at NOLA! The menu and wine list are top notch! You must order the chicken wings for an appetizer! Oh my... They stuff those wings (how do they do that?) and it is served with a hoisin dipping sauce. I have to order every time I visit NOLA. Mmmmmmm! I really can't get past the buttermilk fried chicken. It has a great crispy coating along with extremely moist meat, it's served over sweet potatoes, and the best gravy on the side. I don't usually order gravy, but this is the bomb! The BBQ shrimp and the shrimp and grits look dynamite too! The desserts are pretty fantastic too!! Love the feel of this restaurant... Open, warm, very friendly, and the service is impeccable! If you get a chance sit at the chef's table it is amazing to see the food come out of this kitchen! Great wine selection too! See ya next time... Cheers!

    (4)

  • Tom S.

    The 'P'" Chart Place: I'm one who argues that atmosphere is almost as important as the food when dining at a nice/more expensive restaurant. Love this place: open kitchen nice, artwork is cool and the 2 level joint provides a feel good vibe. The elevator is a bit distruptive and the chairs were a bit uncomfortable, but overall a chill place. People: Host was very nice and the waiter was fantastic. The head chef even came around to make sure we were happy. Such a solid touch to a fine food experience. Provisions: Shrimp and Grits were absolutley incredible. Top 5 for me in the french quarter and I've eaten there a bunch visting a bunch of dive spots and 5 start restuarants. Price: A bit spending but worth it for the food and service you get. Performance: Overall a soid 4. Highlights include food and service

    (4)

  • Cindy T.

    We walked in to eat around 8:30PM on a Friday with no reservations. We were told that the wait was 1 1/2 hours. Boo! So we decided to chill at the bar and found out we could get full dinner service there, so we decided to dine there when two seats opened up. The two bartenders we had were so on point all night, I think it was better than any service we could have had at the tables. Throughout dinner, we met a bunch of nice and cool out of townies like ourselves. We started out with a cup of chicken and sausage gumbo, which was so fresh and full of flavor. Thumbs up. For entrée, I tried the hickory duck and my bf had the veil. Both were sooo tasty! For dessert, we went with the trio crème brulee, which was so nicely presented and so delicious. It tasted as good as it looked. It included berry, coconut and coffee. My favorite one was the coffee, by far! We found out that we got the last creme brulee of the night too, which made me happy that we ordered it when we did. Food was great, and service was excellent! Highly recommended when in the NOLA.

    (5)

  • vero s.

    Um... I hate to say it, but I was a little disappointed with this one. I've been to Emeril's restaurant in Vegas (can't remember which one) and it blew me away. I expected even more of this place but it didn't deliver. Started with the Parmesan Bisque. It was interesting, but kind of boring. Tasted like they threw garlic bread in a blender. Next up was Shrimp and Grits. The grits were very tasty- nice and garlicky and cheesy- but the shrimp was nothing special. Finished the night with the Ooey Gooey cake. It was indeed ooey and gooey but all the flavors just meshed into one mushy mess. The best part was the dark chocolate covered with coconut on the side. Overall none of the food really stood out. It was all good, but nothing surprising or amazing. I expected a lot of interesting spices and flavors, but everything was pretty middle of the road. Service was excellent. Decor felt a bit corporate. Prices were not bad. $25-$30 for the entrees, which is about what I expected.

    (3)

  • Shannon N.

    We made reservations thru open table for Friday night during jazz fest. Got a great table, I had the shrimp and grits and my husband had the garlic crusted drum. Although my dish was great, the drum was unbelievable! Great service, great value. Worth every penny.

    (5)

  • Stephanie R.

    Bottom line: delicious food, incredible service, excellent location. My favorite place to have a meal in New Orleans. I recently stopped by NOLA for the fourth time, this time bringing my best friend along for her first NOLA meal. I made the reservation about a week in advance. We arrived right on time on a Friday night and were seated almost immediately. The restaurant was pleasantly full, but we were still able to easily carry on a conversation. We took a good long time with our dinner, but were never made to feel rushed. In fact, the staff made us feel like old friends they wished could stay just a little longer. Pluses: * Insanely attentive service. From the host, to the restaurant manager (who stopped by twice), to the server who practically fell all over us, to the gentleman who kept our glasses full and table clean -- every single staff person was spot on. I can't imagine better service. * The food is delicious, generous and not the least bit pretentious. The Assorted Baby Lettuces were fresh and tasty, a perfect way to start the meal. I had my usual for the main course -- the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Breast with mashed sweet potatoes, ham gravy and sugar snap peas. I've never had such juicy, flavorful chicken breast anywhere. That chicken alone is worth the plane ride. The Banana Pudding Layer Cake is just sweet enough and full of rich banana flavor. * The location is perfect for visitors to New Orleans. It's right in the middle of the French Quarter action, which I'm sure makes it less than desirable for locals. But, as a visitor, I adore the convenience. * The prices are right on, particularly given the generous portions. * Excellent wine list and a knowledgeable, helpful sommelier who doesn't try to push the most expensive bottle on you. When I asked for a good Brunello -- my favorite wine, which usually runs upwards of $150 a bottle in US restaurants -- the sommelier was quick to point out that an exceptionally good deal resulted in a $68 bottle of Brunello that was worth trying. It was a great bottle, at a great price. Minuses? I honestly can't think of any. I keep coming back to this place for a reason. I can usually come up with a negative or two about even the best of my "regular" restaurants, but NOLA is an exception. I'd have to really nit-pick to find something wrong with this place. If you are heading to New Orleans, I highly suggest a meal at NOLA.

    (5)

  • Keith G.

    My family and I decided to eat here on our trip to New Orleans and it was worth every penny. From the wait staff to the food, it was perfect. We loved how much attention the wait staff gives you and all of your food arriving at the exact same time is the greatest. We will definitely be returning.

    (5)

  • Henry H.

    Went to NOLA for the fist time the monday before Fat Tuesday for a late lunch. The place was not that crowded. We ordered the BBQ Shrimp and crabcake for appetizer. The shrimp was really good but the crabcake was just OK. It was too much fillers compared to the Maryland crab cakes that I am used to having. The salmon, pork po-boys, and buttermilk fried chicken were all pretty good. The Cobb salad was marginal. The service however, was way below expectations. The waiter never checked on us or the food, which was really slow. Food 4 stars...service 2 stars.

    (3)

  • Christian S.

    My wife and I were looking for an authentic New Orleans restaurant to celebrate our anniversary and NOLA was perfect! The service was excellent. Brian, our server, was very knowledgeable about the menu and extremely friendly and professional throughout our meal. It really made for a special experience for us both! I cannot recommend NOLA highly enough!

    (5)

  • Jon S.

    What a wonderful experience, all the food was amazing and was served at a great pace. The bread is cooked to perfection and the drinks are strong. Shrimp and grits are great and would recommend getting either the gumbo or soup of the day. Great surprise. Sitting on the second floor near the window was a great way to enjoy the night without burning in the heat.

    (5)

  • E D.

    Man this place had the greatest servers, I felt at home there. Food was off the chain taste wise, and very detail oriented in how they put it all together ...very well presented. I had the drum which was cooked to perfection though pound for pound the stuffed pork chop was reportedly the "Best Ever". The meal was well over $50 but worth every penny in my opinion. Only reason I gave it four stars is because at the end of the night one of the waiters was playing games with a laser pen and shooting it at other waiters and the like. Other than that it was awesome experience, I will go again when Im in New Orleans for sure.

    (4)

  • Rob P.

    The food was great. We had the garlic crusted drum and the duck. The only problem was the service. The waitstaff was disorganized and we never seemed to know who our server actually was for most of the evening. Still, everyone was friendly and tried to be helpful. I was stuffed but the deserts looked delicious!

    (3)

  • Richard B.

    Excellent place, excellent food. This is a top notch restaurant. They have certainly kicked it up a few notches here. You get what you pay for and I have NO complaints. As starters, we had the Miss Hay's Stuffed Chicken Wings. These were delicious. My wife had the Shrimp & Grits and I had the Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken. I recommend both. Along with the great food, we had great service. BAM!

    (5)

  • Roxy H.

    Eaten here twice. Once for dessert only and this past summer, for brunch with a large group. I had no clue this was an Emeril restaurant. Really? It was just OK. It wasn't memorable. Some people raved about their desserts and shrimp with grits but I wasn't too overly thrilled with my food.

    (3)

  • Schuyler W.

    This restaurant is at the top of it's game in every way. The only thing it lacked as far as I was concerned, was that local charm that makes New Orleans so special. Everything else was perfect. Literally. The drinks, the food, the service, the timing! It was all flawless. I actually saw a server with a stop watch surveying the restaurant, making sure everything was synchronized, organized and delicious. I was truly impressed. They serve a variety of modern spins on classic dishes, and also some very uniquely 'Emeril' creations. All in all it was a fantastic meal, and if I had the money, I would eat there once a week. Of course, by the time I had been eating there a month, they might not be able to fit me through the door!

    (4)

  • Bo T.

    We're in New Orleans so had to try one of Emeril's restaurants. The restaurant is situated in the French Quarter - perfect for tourists like me. The atmosphere is not stuffy at all - Emeril's personality came through in his friend staff. We ordered the rib-eye and duck. The portions were very generous. The duck was moist and tasty. I still think my rib-eyes are better, but this one was good enough. For dessert, we ordered the banana cake (I think that's what it's called). It was light and delish...

    (3)

  • Amy S.

    Amazing!!!! The staff is awesome, food incredible, and the atmosphere is very comfortable. I got the shrimp and grits and it was wonderful! A must go in New Orleans. It's $$. But totally worth it! PS-Eat dessert at another place. We shared the apple cobbler and it was just so,so.

    (4)

  • Kathryn G.

    I had the garlic-crusted Drum, which was amazing. A lovely salad to start, and stuffed chicken wings for appetizer - wonderful! The best, though, was the trio of creme brulee at the end. Dark chocolate/coffee, plain with fruit, and a to-die-for coconut! Just go! You won't be sorry.

    (5)

  • Bailey K.

    BAM!!! Yes the food is EXCELLENT!!! The service is EXCELLENT too!!! The waiters are friendly, fun and lively. They create a great atmosphere. I dream about this food it is so good, the NOLA Lemon aid, crab cakes, salad, steaks, fish, shrimp ands of course you must try the drunken monkey ice cream - it is fantastic! this is an absolute MUST stop to eat at in the area! Plan ahead and make a reservation - it is popular place because the foods is clean the plate good!

    (5)

  • David C.

    We visited NOLA for lunch after a food filled quick stop in New Orleans. NOLA stood out as the best restaurant we visited! We were greeted at the door like long-time friends and were quickly moved to our table. Service was prompt, friendly, helpful and concerned about our experience. One of our waitstaff, Steve, really stood out with his constant smile and great sense of humor on top of his prompt and courteous service. They were all excellent, but he really stood out. We ate light, having salads and sharing a pizza, but the food was tasty and well prepared. For dessert we had the Ooey Gooey Chocolate Bread Pudding. I wasn't sure about having popcorn ice cream, but it really added to our experience and got me craving more. I wish we had ordered two, instead of sharing, but that probably would have overloaded my taste buds! Top notch food and great service, I eagerly look forward to returning to New Orleans and dining at NOLA again!

    (5)

  • Mandy M.

    In a city where the Big Easy = Big Lazy, the service at NOLA was beyond impressive. It was more like what you would find at a $$$$ restaurant and we made it out for $170 including a bottle of wine and tip. Joe, Ian and Hans (our waitteam) didn't miss a beat. The Filet Mignon was perfectly cooked and the duck was delicious. NOLA was a nice reprieve from the fried and drunken dinner options that abound in the city. About the service, I just can't say enough.

    (5)

  • Amy D.

    One of Emeril's restaurants. We sat in the bar area and what a treat...I recommend this to foodies or anyone who appreciates all the hard effort that goes into working in a restaurant. You have a front row view of the kitchen, cooks, line, plating area, and expediter. Makes for a really fun evening. We met the executive chef who was actually from one of Emeril's Orlando restaurants (our home town). The food was fantastic ... my hubby went for the fried chicken which was fab while I had some yummy dish over sweet potatoes (it's been so long I forget the specifics) but I do remember it was oh so flavorful. Great stop ... we'll have to try this one again soon; it's been a long time since our last visit.

    (4)

  • Angie B.

    Say what you will, the food here is great. And if you don't want to spend a fortune and be stuck in a tiny table in the middle of the mosh pit, stick to the bar and have the appetizers. Out of this world.

    (5)

  • Gloria M.

    The best food ever!! Service fantastic!! Reasonable prices. My favorite was the banana pudding cake, of course. The duck boudin balls were soooo good. Fresh food. Will definitely go again!!!

    (5)

  • Susan B.

    I get a little nervous about Celeb. restauarants. Not this one. So nice to see food served at the same time. Water refilled. Napkins folded. Silverware replaced. The little details blew me away. Not to mention the food. Drum fish and porkchop were the best. Prices very reasonable. I can't wait to find an excuse to go back NOLA in NOLA!!

    (5)

  • Wayne S.

    Ushered to the third floor for a great experience. The setting was great, and the gumbo was fantastic. Ordered the Filet.....but was not happy with the seasoning and the blue cheese topping. Heard from my guests that the Shrimp & Grits were excellent. Nola does bring in some of the top celeb's since we had Sylvester Stallone sitting next to us with two incredible blondes.

    (4)

  • Jim G.

    I've tried to be a fan of Emeril's restaurants just as I am a fan of his TV shows but it's not meant to be. Unfortunately it all boils down to poor service with OK food. This was our second shot, first was at Emeril's in NOLA. Today at NOLA's we were greeted and seated on the first floor which was nice. Our server took our water order than asked if we wanted to drink anything else. Of course we wanted something from the bar but no beverage menu is available and we had to rely on our server. "I can get you anything you want" wasn't to helpful and probably doesn't sell many drinks. He did try to describe a few drinks but would have preferred a beverage menu. We were given a menu and the server left with no explanation of the specials or menu items as the other servers were doing. He must not have been familiar with the menu or maybe didn't care. We ordered the shrimp and grits, OK but could have had more flavor, chicken which was very good but could have used more ham gravy, only had 1 tablespoon hidden under one of the chicken pieces. We also ordered the chocolate bourbon pecan pie which was OK but the sweet potato ice cream lacked any flavor. We were never asked if we wanted a second drink or if we wanted anything else and the bill was tossed on the table. As I was paying the bill our water was refilled??? No good bye from anyone other than the patrons next to us. Good bye Emeril, no third chance for you. To be fair other servers seemed to know their job and made their customers feel welcome. What are the odds we would get Emeril's worst server at each restaurant.

    (1)

  • Kevin R.

    This rating should be 3.5 stars, but I'll give it 4 rather than three because it just seems to be more appropriate. My wife and I did the testing menu, so we got to sample quite a few dished. I had the pumpkin soup, which was good, but very different, given that the pumpkin was caramelized, giving the soup sort of a barbque-like flavor and texture. My wife's rabbit terrine was excellent. The cornbread muffins were also excellent. Next came the crab meat salads, which were also quite good. The crab was lightly seasons, and the greens and dressing very tasty, and while I found the saltiness to be perfect, I love salt, so others might find it a bit salty. Next came the stuffed quail, which was ok, but not very flavorful, and it has to be the world's smallest quail. The accompanying cabbage was very good, but the black eyed peas tasted like they came from a totally over-salted can. This was unexpected and very disappointing. My wife's fish was very bland, but the accompanying potatoes and other veggies were very good, especially the mirliton. My wife's pecan pie was great, the pecans were light and airy. My rice putting was ok, but had a bitter finish that was very unpleasant, and I generally don't mind unusual flavor combinations. The service was excellent. When I joked about the small print on the wine list, and my oversight in bringing my glasses, the waiter chucked and headed off, returning 30 seconds later with pair of reading glasses for me.

    (4)

  • Alicia R.

    Ok, I think I can review this place safely without crying at how far away I am now. My mom and I made a reservation and got there on time with a little bit of a wait to be seated. No problem, the atmosphere is great and we got to talk to servers on their ways up and down the stairs. Then, we're seated. The magic has begun. They have an amazing wait staff. 3 people take care of your every desire. While giving me my bread one rolled off the plate. Our waiter immediately ran to get more and came back to give me 2 pieces for "the inconvenience." Score! Then, Holly I believe her name was, came to take our order and answer some questions on the menu. I'm pescatarian, (No meat but seafood is ok) and so I asked her if I could get the shrimp and grits without the meat. Not a problem! Every single component is made to order so I don't need to worry myself, my meal will be perfection sans meat. My mom was deciding between this pork chop or a steak. Holly told her that yeah, the steak is awesome. But you can get that anywhere, go for the pork! Sold. Shrimp and grits, pork with sweet potatoes. Game on. I already told you I don't eat meat. The smell coming off that pork was so divine that I took a bite. Yeah. I went there. That meat was the best I've ever had. And I've only been off meat for a year so I know my meat. Take that as you will naughty minded children. My shrimp and grits was the best I've ever had as well. I've probably eaten my weight in grits this year alone. Yet these were so creamy, spicy, seasoned, and the sauce... just made me want to slap my mom for never taking me there before. I didn't, but it was a close call for a while there. The shrimp were cooked to PERFECTION. They were like butter. I actually licked my plate. I'm a classy lady though so I used my finger. We got dessert, duh. The banana pie was good. But it kind of paled in comparison to the dinner we just had. Yeah, I'd eat it again. But I've had better. It couldn't take away from the 5 stars I'm giving this place. Every single thing had me begging to come back the next 2 nights. Sadly the next day I got heat sickness and stayed in bed eating pizza. I'm coming back though. And I'm going to live at this place.

    (5)

  • Ben B.

    Service was probably the best ever... Had a team of 4 rotating around my section. Water glass was never even close to being empty! Food was pretty good. My fiance enjoyed her shrimp and grits a bit more than I enjoyed my fried chicken. The fried chicken portion was huge, though... 3 small breasts when I was expecting only 1! I think the best part of the meal was the desert. Some sort of banana cream cake. To die for! All in all good experience. Be prepared to drop some change. I think our bill was around $150 for 2 (included a bottle of wine, salad to share, crab cake to share, dinners, and desert to share). Most meals run about $30. Wine bottles $30 and up.

    (4)

  • Lidia G.

    Been there twice. First time we were sitting downstairs, second time upstairs. First time we had pizza and salad for lunch, second time I ordered roasted duck for dinner. Both options were excellent. Variety of home made bread is served before dinner. Cream brûlée for desert was okay, not outstanding though. Overall we enjoyed it. Nice atmosphere and good service.

    (4)

  • Brian R.

    One of the best meals I have had in a very long time.

    (5)

  • Fresh M.

    I've been here 3 or 4 times now. It's becoming a tradition to go here Sunday after Jazzfest. The other two or three times I've been, it was great, but something has changed :( They didn't have our reservation. It may have been an 'open table' glitch, but the way the gal in the front handled it was way below par. I kind of wanted to slap her actually. (red headed gal) She was not interested in solving the problem, just using a negative/ condescending tone of voice as if english is our second language. Just bad. Had I not been with 3 others, I woulda left. After sneakily slipping a $20 to the other host, we were seated. Our waiter was okay. The food was good. The bus boy was great at first but really pushed boundaries. He started making comments about him being black and us being white etc and it just got flat out awkward. I was being friendly with the staff that was waiting on us, but he took it a little too ... personaly? He actually sat down at our table at one point. Though an adorable young man, I have higher expectations of behavior for staff at an eating establishment such as this. It just kind of felt like management needs to tighten up on their employees (?) On a positive note, the bartenders were great!

    (2)

  • Betty N.

    **BAM BAM BAM!!** Not an extensive menu. Just to-the-point. Ordered the "Shrimp & Grits" Sautéed Gulf Shrimp which had grilled onions, smoked cheddar grits, apple smoked bacon, crimini mushrooms and red chili-Abita butter sauce . . . all of this combined tasted very fresh and very good. The shrimps were PLUMP and the grits was good-textured. The cocktails were OK here, meaning the watermelon mojito ($13) didn't knock my socks off. It was the most expensive drink I've had in New Orleans, but was told that the $9 of it would go to Second Harvest Food Bank. I figured the desserts would be amazing so we ordered: (1) NOLA Banana Pudding Layer Cake with a Graham Cracker Crust, Homemade Vanilla Wafers and a Warm Fudge Drizzle - was good, but the fudge drizzle was too *strong* for the light and airy pudding. The wafers were delicious. (2) Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie with Sweet Potato Ice Cream and Caramel Drizzle - The pecan pie was dry. The ice cream was amazing with the caramel drizzle. If you're in the mood for dessert, I would recommend selecting their home made ice creams instead. NOLA Restaurant was *ok*, but glad I tried so I can say that it was *ok*. I would recommend you kick it up another notch at a John Besh restaurant instead.

    (4)

  • Angell V.

    One of the best restaurants that I have ever visited. Our servers were outstanding to the point that we felt spoiled. The restaurant was beautiful. We had the following: App - Duck Confit & Fried Egg Pizza Meal - Crisp Smoked Duck for him, BBQ Shrimp & Grits for me Dessert - Warm Ooey Gooey Cake All of the food was spectacular. I can't wait to go again.

    (5)

  • Chelsey G.

    The atmosphere was amazing first of all. The cornbread they served was divine and my meal was outstanding! I cant say enough good things about this restaurant! It was outstanding!!!!!! If you get the chance you MUST go here!

    (5)

  • Jordan N.

    The winning dishes here that I've had were the stuffed fried chicken wings (stuffed with 8 good-worldly ingredients) for the appetizer and the pecan pie for dessert. Slightly pricey, but worthwhile.

    (5)

  • Eating And Living Well U.

    We made reservations for 6pm on Sunday and were surprised that the place was packed with people. Appears they didn't seat anyone yet and were not ready for dinner service so everyone was just standing around. After being seated, in around 10min or so, we ordered 2 appetizers: Arugula salad with pistachio and brie cheese and Gumbo Soup of the day. They were both fantastically prepared. We were also provided some bread. I was surprised regarding the corn bread it wasn't anything special and usually in these restaurants they have very good bread. Other than that... For the entrees I ordered the seasonal fish dish but was told by the waiter that the grilled drum was better with potatoes and string beans so I ordered that. My date ordered the shrimp and grits. Both were just fabulous and melted in my mouth. This is when the service went downhill because they got busy. I think they still need some work regarding their service. Is it because of the younger servers? I do not know since this was my first time there. We sat there for quite a while after our meal and then they offer us the desert menu. We then continued to sit for a long time and finally they take our order. Then we wait around 15-20min before they bring us our desert. I honestly was fed up and wanted to leave without the desert. No apologies either that there was a long wait. So that is why I'm giving it 4 stars. The food isn't the problem it's the service. We spent $122 at this place in total with 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 1 desert and 1 cup of wine.

    (4)

  • liz d.

    Another fantastic experience at NOLA. We did not make reservations for lunch, but only had to wait 30 minutes. From our fried chicken and mashed potatoes to our tuna and also our gumbo, everything was superb. Hot, fresh, bursting with flavor. Our server Colleen was the best ever. Having dealt with some bad people and service on our trip, she made it all go away. She was charming and delightful, making suggestions not only on the menu, but on the rest of our trip as well. Can't wait to go back!!

    (5)

  • Tallman F.

    I went about three weeks ago and have been late getting this review in - please excuse. Closing time was 10 pm and I planned to get there about 9:30 figuring I wont be there as long as I was on my first dining experience there. I was correct. I tried "stuffed chicken wings" - who would have thought of that as an appetizer. My first bite was like - - - - ohhhhh well. But after the second bite - I was in love. They are great and you have to try them!!! The chicken was great on the first visit but I wanted something different. I ordered the pork chops. It came out so big and thick I was turned off. There was NO way it could be tender since it was at least 2 -3 inches thick. WRONG AGAIN! It was tender - and - moist and was to die for!!! I opted for the mashed sweet potatoes and they were great! It was a very enjoyable meal and worth the high dinner prices. You have to go there.... the service is good even though they are not attentive to filling your drinks up but my glass had a hole in it and needed constant refilling. (wink)

    (5)

  • Karl K.

    Where's Waldo? --- Me: Is Emeril here? Hostess: No. Me: ok, is he taping? Hostess: No. Emeril sold all his tv interests to Martha Stewart Omnimedia Me: (so where is he then?) ... I guess I shouldn't be surprised. At celebrity restaurants, The chef de cuisine is in charge 95% of the time. That being said, we still had a great time. -excellent service -pink lemonade: made with grenadine, was excellent. In fact, it was much more appetizing than gin fizz (which includes egg white, but even the waiter found that unappetizing.) -Gulf Oysters Baked in the Wood Oven with Garlic Butter and Herb Bread Crumbs - tres bien! -Gumbo of the Day - very tasty -"Filet Mignon with Thyme Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes, House Cured Bacon, Maytag Blue Cheese, Toasted Walnuts, Port Wine-Veal Glacé and Shallot Crisps" - that says it all. Outstanding. -braised short rib - very good and tender/flavorful, but a bit too salty Overall, it was A+ for excellent service, and B+ for food. But this is just as important, as other restaurants seem to have forgotten this is a hospitality/service industry.

    (4)

  • Winifred L.

    We heard about Nola through family as a "cannot miss" New Orleans landmark and we were not disappointed. We ordered the crispy duck liver ($9) and New Orleans style crab cake ($10) for appetizers. The duck liver was good but dry; the paired greens saved the dish. The crab cake (recommended by the waiter) was excellent, with a crisp exterior and moist, flaky interior. Our party ordered the seared yellowfin tuna ($22), shrimp + grits ($18), hickory roasted beef brisket ($17), and the duck confit pizza ($11). The yellowfin tuna was served on top of wonton crisps, which is a poor choice on the che'fs part. However, the cucumber "noodle" salad was balanced and a good pairing to contrast the richness of the tuna. The shrimp was tender, juicy, and crisp; while M. doesn't normally like cheese or grits, she felt it was just balanced enough without overwhelming the palate with cheese. The brisket was "awesome"--eating the brisket sauce with the brie cream mac+ cheese was particularly good, according to W2. The accompanying beans were nothing special. The duck confit pizza (topped with arugula, truffle oil, and a fried egg) wins the best value award for our visit. With the crisp flatbread, the rich duck confit, and the spicy arugula, W3 was very, very happy. We felt that the bill for our meal ($94) was very fair. The staff at Nola are very attentive, though considering that we had 3 people attending to our table, the water service could have been better (hence only 4/5 stars). Bottom line: good value for quality of food and service (especially in comparison to other restaurants in the FQ), get the duck confit pizza.

    (4)

  • Teri G.

    Excellent meal. Food was terrific. Service started off a bit odd but improved over the course of the evening. I had a very tasty rib eye and my companion had the fried chicken breast which was moist and juicy, if lacking a desired "kick". Good ambiance too.

    (4)

  • Tammy B.

    The food here was soooo delicious I had it twice. We came here for The Essence music festival. The restaurant was a small quant little spot, cool atmosphere. I had the red beans n rice, crawfish etouffee and the shrimp gumbo all very flavorful. But my all time favorite was the banana foster ice cream....OMG and again I say OMG!!!!! Amazing!!!...Nola's is a must eat if you plan to visit New Orleans...Bomb!!!

    (5)

  • Joanne W.

    Ahhh...the trifecta of Emeril's restaurants is now complete. NOLA was the only Emeril restaurant I had not tried in LA and it did not disappoint. I'm still dreaming about those baked oysters...oooooh yeeeaaa. Six plump lovely oysters breaded and baked in butter and herbs presented in a nice little iron skillet. After a little squeeze of lemon...mmm, mmm good. After much deliberating, I went for one of the signature dishes on the menu - shrimp n grits. Shrimp over bacon cheddar grits with an abita bbq sauce. It was delicious. My friend got the fried chicken served over sweet mashed potatoes and sugar snap peas. I had a bite of it (seriously, how could I not??)...it was effin awesome. That's really the only way to sum it up really. We split the banana cream layer cake. It was pretty tasty although we did expect a little more. It's a lovely space. We dined upstairs and had to wait by the open kitchen to take the elevator up - which is always a cool thing to see. The service is top notch as always. Friendly staff and patrons! We chatted it up with the lovliest ladies who were fresh off the St. Joseph's parade. They also got the shrimp n grits and the pork which looked absolutely amazing. This may be my fav out of the three. The red fish from Emeril's had always been my favorite dish but damn, those shrimp n grits were good!

    (4)

  • Erin A.

    Totally an amazing experience! O.k. this review is a longtime coming. I visited Nola before Hurricane Katrina, so I don't know how or if the restaurant has changed, but it was a beautiful and luxurious experience. The decor of the building was charming and beautiful as the restaurant had a lot of large windows that allowed an abundance of light in. We were seated on the second level and had a nice view of the bustling street below. The waitstaff was charming, attentive and very knowledgeable. Service was prompt and professional. The food was beautiful and a very satisfying size - not small or too large. Because I had never eaten Emeril's food before, I didn't know what to expect. I was hoping the food was more refined than traditional Cajun food and was pleased to discover that he marries both Cajun and Creole food in the perfect balance. Emeril's gumbo is more on the Creole side. I have since eaten at many Emeril restaurants in Vegas, and I recommend his places to anyone who wants an introduction to Louisiana fare....

    (5)

  • Barry K.

    I love this place!. Everything is good. I love the stuffed chicken wings, which are probably the best thing on the menu. Service is always great and I love the atmosphere of te whole restaurant.

    (5)

  • Mark B.

    I am a long time user of Yelp, but this is my first review. I feel it is appropriate to start with NOLA because it is my bench mark in great food. My wife and I have eaten here over a dozen times. Every meal is amazing! Tonight I had the Duck. It takes 3 days to make this dish and I feel bad that it took less than 15 minutes to devour. A must order! My wife had the Crab Cakes and BBQ Shrimp. I had some of both, and plan on ordering those the next visit. Try and get a seat at the Chiefs Counter. It is great to watch them create, and they often give you a sample. New Orleans has some incredible restaurants. NOLA is one of it's Best!

    (5)

  • Tina W.

    Came here on a week day at 9pm and it was pretty busy. Loved the open kitchen and old brick walls of the building. Had to check out a Emeril Lagasse restaurant while in town..but getting to the food... Had the arugula egg pizza, which I thought was ok. Big piece of starch with a little arugula salad, parmesan cheese and an sunny side up egg on it. Then the duck liver which I appreciated a lot, flavor was good but not too overpowering. And finally had one of the specials, mushrooms with parpadelle. It tasted great but the pasta was sticking together and seemed like it sat under the heat lamps just a tid too long. What made me decide ultimately to give 3 stars was service. I expected to have a professional server, but instead he was joking around with one other server, didn't take our order until 15 minutes after we put down menu, and didn't bother to check on us every so often. I just expected more from a celebrity chef restaurant. Next time I'll check out his other places.

    (3)

  • Alice J.

    I went here a couple years ago and everything was amazing! I started with fried foie gras as my appetizer and it was so delicious! My friends who ordered the same dish scarfed theirs down and had to watch with envy as I slowly savored each bite. Our main courses arrived in silver domes. Then there was one waiter per person to unveil our dishes and describe them all at the same time! It was so exciting and til this day still remains one of my fondest food moments. I got roasted duck and it was a huge portion. I only ate half and was stuffed. The food is outstanding and the staff is equally wonderful. They are friendly, knowledgeable, and you even get escorted to the ladies room!

    (5)

  • Adam P.

    The service was fine once we got to our table. But the food was a major disappointment. I had the fried chicken and it was extremely bland the food in general was completely forgetable. If you are trying to make up your mind where to go while in New Orleans definitely pass on this place.

    (2)

  • Julia B.

    I really expected a lot more from an Emril's restaurant. The service and decor were fabulous but the food really left something to be desired. Our scallops came out gritty- that signals poor quality. Not acceptable when you're paying a lot for the dish. THe shrimp and grits were just okay- the grits were a bit too soupy for my taste and the BBQ shrimp wasnt as flavorful as i had hoped. The ooey gooey chocolate dessert was great, that was the best part of the meal. I also liked the butter they served with the bread.

    (3)

  • Jim T.

    Food was perfect - service was even better. Fried green tomatoes, duck gumbo, seasonal salad with raspberries. Awesome meal at a "reasonable" price. Classic. Only regret is that we didn't sit at the 'food bar' - a first come first serve option to sit 'bar top' style near the kitchen and watch them prepare the food. Overall - great experience!

    (5)

  • Candice R.

    I went to NOLA for a celebration dinner, and it was good. I ordered the braised pork shank, and quite honestly I don't really like pork, but I was looking to broaden my pork horizons. I'm glad I did because it was delicious. It was tender and juicy and fell right off the bone. It was served with goat cheese polenta which really was the star of the dish. The sommelier suggested an amazing bottle of white to start - a Petit Chablis, which was not only affordable, but delicious!!! Other than that, I didn't feel like NOLA stood up to all the hype I've heard. I have lived in a nearby town for many years and eaten at several New Orleans restaurants, and, for me, NOLA just didn't live up to the hype. If you are not from the area, you will no doubt love it. It's affordable, casual, and you will recieve wonderful service. But, if you're a local, and have somehow skipped this one, I don't think you are really missing too much.

    (3)

  • Mari D.

    Great food. I had fried catfish with dirty rice and boyfriend had shrimp and grits. Both were good. A coiple of other friends had the pork chops which I had a little taste. That was really good. Thick cut but not dry at all and flavorful. Dessert was creme brule. I only wished I wasnt too full to really enjoy it. Great service too!

    (4)

  • Sarcastic T.

    I'm suspicious of "chain" or "celebrity" restaurants, but we had a ton of fun here and the staff were a ton of fun and really on top of things. The kitchen staff - not so much. Our orders were messed up twice, but the servers caught them (after they were set down by other wait staff) and made the corrections. The complimentary crab cakes at the start were phenomenal. The crispy duck liver appetizer was OK, but the duck entree was tasty. Dessert was phenomenal. It says alot that I give them 4 stars when twice they messed up our order.

    (4)

  • Marisa G.

    Walked on a Saturday night and grabbed a seat at the bar. The meal started off wonderfully. We had the cheese plate that had some great selection on it and jams and fresh fruit. Second we had stuffed chicken wings that were good and the sauce made them better. We then had fried green tomatoes that were good. The batter was good and came with a shrimp on top. Then we had the duck, which I don't remember to much about besides that it was underwhelming and the sides were really not good.

    (3)

  • Christina A.

    Everything has pretty much been said about this place. The standout meal of our trip during the French Quarter Festival was our late lunch for eight. The wait staff are truly skilled and polished. Little things like our waiter circling our table as he clearly stated the specials on the menu and their speciality cocktails were very much appreciated. The busboy was hilarious in his own special way. The meal was great and special accommodations were made without a fuss for our group, such as making sure there were eight pieces of the appetizer. They did not rush us out of the restaurant even though it was the end of their service time for lunch. Coming from a foodie.... You should give this place a try.

    (5)

  • Gerry D.

    My wife and I were very pleased with Nola. The food was excellent, the room was bright and clean and our waiter was very attentive and the prices were reasonable for New Orleans and for a place with such a high reputation. We were very pleased and would definitely go back..

    (4)

  • Rebecca F.

    Make sure to make a reservation before attempting to eat at NOLA. Enjoyed dinner here with a large party to celebrate a birthday. Highly recommend the buttermilk fried chicken. Service was a bit slow but overall good experience.

    (4)

  • Aveek D.

    This three story restaurant in the French Quarter comes with impressive billing as one of Emeril Lagasse's restaurant, and I'll start the positive - the service was very good, with a team of waiters who will never let your water glass get below a 1/4 empty and otherwise very attentive. I went on a Monday night and it was pretty empty when we started, but there was a large party seated next to us which probably led to some slowness from the kitchen, but nothing major there. The reason I subtracted two stars is two reasons because the food, while good, is not great, and is expensive. I ordered the special of the day (tuna with a lobster stir fry) and it was just OK for nearly $40. Second, the restaurant is REALLY loud. Its in a converted warehouse and it apparently just amplifies everything; I couldn't eat dessert not because I didn't have room or anything, but because I was getting a headache from all the noise. There's not much they can do about the noise, I suppose, but given all the competition in the area, the food should be better to justify the prices they ask for.

    (3)

  • Pamela S.

    Food & drinks here are great! I recommend the stuffed chicken wings and the fried chicken entree.

    (5)

  • Wanda L.

    I couldn't leave New Orleans without dining at Nola's (according to my good friend). She was on target...I left my work buddies and headed to Nola's and sat at the bar (only 6-8 seats). Started with the crab cakes which truly melted in my mouth...heaven! When I asked the bartender which entree I couldn't go wrong with he suggested the duck. Good, but not great - expected to be wow-ed as with all my other experiences in New Orleans...but I asked for more candied pecans to sweeten things up which helped. Ended with the delicious banana pudding layer cake...excellent! Sitting at the bar was quite enjoyable experience in itself. Although I sat by a private couple at first, I continued to have fun, lively and interesting conversations with the single men and women who came by to capture a bit of Nola's like myself.

    (4)

  • Mike C.

    Let me start with saying that whenever I need a recipe or want to cook something, I search something from Emeril and it never fails me. Awesome chef. Now imagine going to New Orleans and being really excited about eating at one of his places. So excited! 4 guys, 2 rounds of drinks, 4 appetizers, 4 entrees and one dessert = $460. High priced? You decide. But let us talk about the food, because that is why you would be there. Overall, nice. Just nice. Far better than average in most other cities, but this is New Orleans where food is beyond average. In another city, 4 stars for sure. Maybe my hopes were just too high. All the food came out warm, like it sat a little too long before being pick up and served. Favor was good, but I was wanting that "pop" and didn't get it. The shrimp appetizer with "that sauce" was awesome. Don't pass that up if it's on the menu. My drum fish entrée was very good, but the other guys were "meh" on their dishes. Service felt odd. They were attentive, served well but just didn't seem to want to be there. I really wanted a signed book from the restaurant, but they didn't have any. Oh you could buy them all there, but I can do that on Amazon. Take a lesson from Rick Bayless on this one, always have signed copies available at your store.

    (3)

  • Bert H.

    First, if you like in a city like Washington, DC, this restaurant is no different than a restaurant like Acadiana. In fact, Acadiana might be better. But the shrimp and grits are definitely better at NOLA than at Acadiana. Easily the best shrimp and grits I've ever had. I had the buttermilk fried chicken another day. And I had brisket on another day that was great. It's definitely one of the best places in the French Quarter. I didn't feel like leaving the French Quarter and heading over to Commander's Palace. So if you don't want to leave the French Quarter, this is a great place to go. I never made it to Restaurant August, everyone on my trip told me that that was their favorite place. As for NOLA, it's simple southern food (duck, shrimp & grits, buttermilk fried chicken, etc.) that has a great taste to it. Great spices/sauces. I was very happy with it and would go here again. It's expensive. But considering how hard it was to get in here, it must be worth it to a lot of people. But be warned, if you are from a city like DC and eat at a place like Acadiana, this won't be very special at all. They're the same restaurant (just about). This is made for people from suburbs who like to watch a lot of tv and think that a restaurant owned by a celebrity chef is amazing and so unusual. New Yorkers, with all of their unique restaurants, would be very disappointed.

    (4)

  • Doc B.

    Considering the variety of great restaurants in New Orleans that compete for business, I have to say that this place is greatly over-rated. I have eaten far better and paid much less in the suburbs of NJ. Celebrity chef ownership aside, NOLA is not top-notch. It is way too noisy. The service is fairly attentive and friendly, but the kitchen is not at the same level. An appetizer of pizza with duck confit and fried egg with greens and truffle oil was a waste of calories and cash. One of our entrees came out a bit cold, and asking to heat it up didn't do much. The "signature dish" shrimp and grits entree was ok, but sized more like an appetizer, and I have certainly had better. A duck entree was good. A salmon entree was nothing special. No loaf of bread is offered, just tiny rolls and little miniature corn breads- want more? Ask, because it wasn't offered. There is a full bar and some pricey wine by the glass, but no beer on draft. I didn't have dessert, so I can't say anything about it.

    (2)

  • Dan M.

    Went to New Orleans for a vacation last week. We wanted to go to Nola for a long time, so we went mid week. My wife and I got there as soon as it opened. Were seated right away, so no wait. We loved the food! Cant say anything bad except it didnt last long enough. We eat too fast. Will go back for sure when we go back to New Orleans!!

    (5)

  • Kristen M.

    Torn between two and three stars, but I'll go with three because I loved my salmon dish, and our second server (there was an inexplicable complete switch midway through) was great. However, our original server was pushy and continually tried to upsell us (even on things like choice of salad), my husband's pork chop was overcooked *twice*, and nothing besides the salmon was anything unique or special. We wanted to love this place, but sadly it fell way below our expectations. We would definitely not return.

    (3)

  • Steve W.

    Great dinner spot. Shadi was our server. What a super guy. Very attentive and professional with a super personality and sense of humor. We took a tapas approach ordering 5 appetizers and 2 entrees to share between 4 of us. Shadi timed the evening very well and spread out each 2-3 plates as if they were different courses. Food standouts were the BBQ shrimp, gumbo, shrimp&grits, and fried chicken. Order more bread brought to the table to 'sop up' the thick flavorful sauce with the BBQ shrimp.

    (5)

  • Bangali K.

    We started our tour with K-Paul, and ended it last night with NOLA. Although nothing was quite wrong with the latter, compared to the magnificent K-Paul's, a sense of anti-climax was unavoidable. The much vaunted stuffed wings were just ok. The stuffing was ok, sauce gratuitous. For main dishes we got the pork chop and the drum. Once again, there was nothing wrong with the fish, just not inspiring. I have to admit the pork chop was delicious -- large and succulent. They put too much glazed carrots around it, but the idea was good as a culinary one. But the pinot noir just didn't work with it. I mean come on, choose a pinot that goes with your pork chop.

    (3)

  • James S.

    This place has a great ambience and the service was excellent as well. We were able to take a reservation originally for two to four without much trouble even though the place was sold out. The food, itself, however, was mixed. I had the grilled pork chop which was overcooked and a bit dry; the sweet potatoes that came with it though were quite good. The crab cake was large and tasty. The four of us ordered a single berry ice cream crisp thing we all had a bite but no one finished it. There was a very Large wine list-- but it was also quite pricey. In my view there are better restaurants in the French Quarter.

    (3)

  • Brad B.

    Been here several times and raved about it. Something definitely has changed. 100 degrees so my partner and I went in dressed in shorts and tank tops. We were told to leave until we had appropriate attire - I had a Cartier watch Gucci shades and expensive shoes so painting the picture we weren't dressed trashy like most ALL other tourists visiting the city. We went to some horrific t shirt shop to buy 2 t shirts with sleeves so we could sit down and eat. The front desk guy really had a beef with us it was apparent. Sadly it seems he has a huge issue with gay couples. The next thing I notice are several women in tank tops enjoying their food. I let it go and we order. Food quality was poor, way inferior to what I recall. We ordered apps and an entree and drinks, prepared to be spendy like most successful gay couples do. We waited far too long, upwards of an hour for our meal and were starving so we cancelled. I explained how terribly disappointed we were to be denied access due to what he deemed inappropriate shirts, spent money on crap id never be caught dead in, waited over an hour for chicken, paid a hefty tab in drinks and terrible apps and told "nothing I will do for you men, please leave and email us". I've never ever been treated like this in a restaurant in my life. The management team at Nola are incredibly unprofessional and I would reconsider eating here as there are several better options without the arbitrary policy that only seems to apply to same sex couples.

    (1)

  • Jenn J.

    Very poor service. For a very busy street, this place was EMPTY and I should have known that there was a reason that it was empty....we waited for about 20 minutes just to place a drink order. It was not busy. Actually there were over 5 waiters/staff standing around and talking, holding hands, etc. Food was average. I don't like peeling BBQ shrimp. Maybe just me. Red beans and potatoes were great!!

    (2)

  • Ryan S.

    Possibly the best meal we had while in New Orleans. The staff was attentive, friendly, and all around a lot of fun. I ordered the fried chicken breast and WOW! Seriously the absolute best fried chicken I've ever had in my life. It had absolutely amazing flavor and was so tender and juicy. The two other people in my party kept asking for another taste and were sorry they didn't order it. I would definitely go back any time!

    (5)

  • Craig H.

    Damn good. Service was great, the rib eye was even better. Will be back next year to eat here again

    (4)

  • One Hundred R.

    Skip NOLA. The prices are comparable to other French Quarter higher end places, but the food is definitely not. I ordered the fried chicken which was okay, but just ok. I tasted bits of catfish in the breading (obviously using the same oil or the same flour mix to coat both), In short it was not up to par for $27. My fiance ordered the garlic crusted drum which was inedible: fish coated in a soggy too garlicky, butter laden topping perched atop greasy cut potatoes and bacon. It was just bad. I don't get the good reviews at all. The lone tasty item was the cesar salad starter, but even that is a stretch at $10. We do not mind paying for a good meal, but NOLA was just bad and we paid anyway. That is the worst feeling while on vacation. Service was friendly; however, they did take nearly an hour to bring the main dishes out, granted it was a busy Saturday. Overall: Skip this place. D- PS - I noticed that the hidden reviews on Yelp seem more true to me than the displayed ones, and they are largely negative reviews. I can relate to many of them, for example, all the uneaten food going back to the kitchen is a sign of the unsatisfied diners at NOLA.

    (1)

  • Allison F.

    I couldn't get in until 10 PM one Saturday night, which was quite all right, not only because of the beautiful duck I devoured but also because Will Ferrell enjoyed his meal one table over. Cheers to NOLA!

    (4)

  • Joanne T.

    The food is decent. But over-priced. I decided to have the crabcake appetizer and a salad due to the high cost. Both tasted nice. I also ordered a glass of wine that never arrived. The Bill fortunately did not include the wine, so there was no.problem with the check.

    (3)

  • Ashley W.

    Had the pleasure of visiting NOLA while in New Orleans for a friends 30th Birthday dinner. We had heard pretty good things, and were very pleased when the rumors turned out to be true. We had a large group of 14, so wasn't sure how it would go with so many of us, but I cannot say enough about how great the service was. All the attention to detail was outstanding and the food was just as amazing. I ordered the pork chop with the yams, which was to die for, and a friend ordered the Drum fish, which none of us had ever tried before, and boy was it good! We also ordered a ton of appetizers and desserts and each was great. They split up our check accordingly, which is hard to do sometimes with such a large party, but they got it correct on the first try. Thank you NOLA for giving us such a positive experience. We would all be back in a heartbeat.

    (5)

  • Susan R.

    An amazing meal. I recommend sitting at the kitchen bar. Flavors and embiance were fantastic.

    (5)

  • Sandy P.

    Loved it! Walked in and got NOLA cosmopolitans and thought-WOW, what a wonderful drink. I'll have those all night and I did!! they were fantastic. Started with the Pork Cheek Boudin Balls- had a nice tomato jam and spicy mustard aioli. I love shrimp and grits and have read all the reviews of how fabulous they are at NOLA so I got them and they lived up to the hype. Cheddar grits were perfectly cooked, so was the shrimp, some bacon and green onions gave it a nice flavor. Its rich but really delicious. SNL got the duck and it was delicious as well. It was HUGE. We were joking that she ate half a duck but i'm not sure it was too far from the truth. Had a wonderful smokiness to it, haricot verts and a cornbread pudding that was delicious. We were stuffed so we split the blueberry brown sugar cake. My SNL told me she would compromise and not demand chocolate b/c she was so stuffed she would only eat a few bites anyway. HOWEVER, after we got this amazing concoction of blueberry caramel, brown sugar pudding, lemon-bergamot ice cream we were fighting over the last bites!! DIVINE Service was a little slow but I'm half wondering if that's just part of the BIG EASY :) Totally enjoyed it and would recommend and return!!

    (5)

  • Rick H.

    So glad we decided to eat here! This was my wife's first trip to New Orleans and we only had one night to spend. We carefully selected Nola as I've been there in the past and fingers were crossed that it was still as good as it always was. We were blown away with the service and the food! We had the pork and the shrimp and grits. Both delicious- Cornell was our server and he was very pleasant and attended to our every need. This was a great experience and I can't wait to come back.

    (5)

  • Mischelle W.

    Service was great. Because I was a party of one I sat at the bar. I had the drink of the day and the tomato watermelon salad to start! Wow that salad was amazing! Next I had stiffed chicken wings with a side of sweet potato hash - both were fabulous!

    (5)

  • Carolyn H.

    I dined here for a 2nd and 3rd time on a Wednesday and Sunday night. Best. Food. Ever. Last week I tried the barbeque shrimp, the Caesar salad, the drum, fried chicken and duck entrees, and the crème brulet trio, the molten (or something like that) cake, and the key lime bread pudding. I honestly cannot say that I've ever had better food. You could die happy after a meal here. *Also, at each NOLA experience, the servers have been not only perfectly attentive, but their personalities have left us talking about them long after the meal.

    (5)

  • Naomi L.

    Wow - so there are already 885 reviews of this place! Looks like I was kinda late to the party... All-in-all, this place was delicious. We started with the beet salad, which was nice and they split it for us w/o adding extra charge. Kinda weird that they kept asking us where we were visiting from. That's not the end of the world, but it can get a bit annoying - especially when someone is straight up warning you about drinking a sazerac for several minutes. All you have to do is ask: "Have you tried one before?" The waitstaff was courteous and timely. It was a nice touch that all dishes are served at the same time. However, the communication was a bit odd between them. They asked at the start of the meal if we had any dietary restrictions, so bf said "gluten allergy." One person knew what was in everything and he was awesome! Then the woman came and didn't really know. Not to say that she was ignorant, but she clearly hadn't memorized the menu very well (ps she was the one who asked about restrictions). I guess I feel like you should learn the menu better if you're going to put forth the extra effort to ask. Shrimp and grits were right on. Not the best I've ever had, but pretty close. Bf's pork chop was huge and cooked to perfection. We appreciated knowing in advance that most of the mains had gluten in them, plus both soups had flour added. It's not hard to stay gluten free (as a choice, not an allergy) when there's options. I have to say however that the fried chicken at someone else's table made my mouth water. The cremeux and creme brulee trio were wonderful. Actually, the creme brulee was my favorite part of the meal. I had no idea what a cremeux was and had to look it up afterwards. It was certainly plated very beautifully, which I appreciated. Hints: your parking at the Omni hotel is validated for up to 3 hours. Didn't know that it was 3 stories (makes sense given the types of space in the quarter), so get ready to ride the elevator. Make reservations (not really a hint, but saw a couple try to walk in. Wait time was listed at over an hour!).

    (4)

  • amira s.

    I was really shocked last night. I was expecting really good food but I can't even say I got mediocre food. Crab cake was black on the outside and didn't really taste good. Baba shrimp had a thick black nasty sauce and the shrimp tasted reheated. The chicken gumbo I sent back because there's no way I could eat it. Both my father and husband tasted it and they said send it back. The only good thing we had was the drum fish with a white sauce. That was really good so I gave the place two stars.

    (2)

  • Rich Z.

    Outstanding food, wine list, and service!!! Probably the best Emeril's I've eaten at. The BBQ shrimp was amazing. Drum fish was really really good and well prepared. I will definitely return and recommend. Outstanding!!!

    (5)

  • Liang Z.

    Chef Lagasse's stuffed chicken wings was outta this world. It connected two very unexpected styles of cooking, southern and south east Asia together. He filings were not overwhelming and easy to accept. scallops with risotto was cooked to perfection. Must try the dessert. Even if you have to skip entree. The place has three levels and reservation for large group is recommended. Small bar area limited selection of beer.

    (4)

  • Ashlee K.

    It's busy every day, all day. I would definitely recommend reservations. The service was impeccable and everything one could and should expect from a five star restaurant. The sweet rolls and cornbread were a perfect compliment to the meal, and so tasty! We had the Boudin Balls as our appetizer, and they were incredible! The tomato bacon jam that was drizzled over the top went perfectly, and was an interesting thing to try. I had the buttermilk fried breast of chicken, and unfortunately it was just okay. It wasn't as tender or juicy as I would have liked, and I probably should have got something else. My husband raved about his meal, and neighbors to our left had steak and fish that they enjoyed. The highlight of the meal was the mashed sweet potatoes! Absolutely a recipe I wish I had in my arsenal. Finally for dessert we had the Hummingbird Profiteroles for something new. It was light and delightful with a little ice cream. The ambiance is very nice, and it is truly a special place for a celebratory meal.

    (4)

  • Suzanne C.

    Disappointing. I was expecting more after seeing the reviews. The Caesar salad was not typical but good. My sons salmon was excellent. My pasta was average. Steak was average-- we compare all steaks to Chops in Atlanta. On top of that, the service was missing. Waitress brought the bill-- however our dessert had not yet been delivered. She checked in twice more after ten minute waits and still not delivered. It required the manager on the floor to have it delivered. And of course we were charged for the missing grits that were never delivered to my son. However after the thirty minute wait for dessert, my son said he would pay us for the grits if we could just pay the bill with the grits charge and leave. Don't bother There have to be better restaurants in NO

    (3)

  • Michele C.

    Always a wonderful meal, this evening was no exception. A spur of the moment decision, on a Monday evening too, I was quickly seated. Enjoyed a lovely seasonal cocktail and the shrimp and grits entree. Excellent service, attention to detail, but not contrived or stuffy. I highly recommend NOLA

    (4)

  • Morgan H.

    Amazing food and service. Best meal I have had in a long time. The pork chop was the best I've EVER had.

    (5)

  • Kate G.

    Went here as a group of four at 8pm on a Saturday without a reservation. We were told we could wait 45 mins for a table, or we could be seated at the chefs table right away. We chose not to wait and sat at the table that was right up by the kitchen. It was the best decision ever. Brian, the chef directly in front of us was incredible. He answered all of our questions and gave us recommendations on the menu as well as things to do in the city. He overheard that it was my boyfriend's birthday, and that he never had mussels before. A couple minutes later we were presented with our own plate of mussels because Brian insisted that we try them. They were delicious. The others in my group had the garlic crusted drum and it was easily the best fish we've ever had. I ordered the fried chicken which was great, but the fish was so good I almost wish I ordered that instead. NOLA was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had, and we all left feeling extremely grateful for Chef Brian's service. He turned our dinner into a memorable night that we won't be forgetting anytime soon. He was the highlight of our evening!

    (5)

  • Tanya L.

    Final stop in N.O. before we headed back and I have to say it was delicious. When we arrived we were immediately greeted by the manager and he was so friendly and funny. We were taken to our table on the second floor. The place is very clean and nice. We ordered Miss Hay's stuffed Chicken Wings. I have to say this was amazing. It was my favorite. I decided to order the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Breast this came with sweet potatoes and gravy. The peas were delicious and I rarely like peas. My meal was good but when I tried the BBQ shrimp and grit... OMG that was even better. For Dessert we had the Crème Brûlée Trio. My favorite was the Coconut one but the others were tasty as well. Vanilla Bean with Fresh Berries & Mocha with Chocolate-Almond Biscotti. We also added a cappuccino. I had the Costa Rican one and it was good. Service was great. Our waiter was very attentive and helped us choose our entrées. This place is definitely worth to check out.

    (4)

  • Laura K.

    A must stop when in the French quarter. We went for lunch. Prices less food just as good. Get the boudin balls. Out of this world Open at 11:30 Emerils style is everywhere. Service is top notch.

    (5)

  • Terryl J.

    If I could give this place no stars I would. When we arrived there were two tables occupied. We ordered simple sandwiches for take out and then sat for almost an hour to get them. Had to go back and ask for our chips since they left them out of the bag. The sandwiches were VERY mediocre. The bread was hard and the lettuce disgusting. I was very disappointed and will never return.

    (1)

  • Greg S.

    Emeral is the man!!! I had the glazed pork chop with an onion jam glaze, slap your mama awesome!!!! With Bourbon glazed sweet potatoes as my side, I'd never tire of putting these in my mouth!! Damn they were good. GF had the Ribeye with Barbant spicy potatoes which were delicious!! For dessert I had The Elvis, Peanut Butter bread pudding with bacon infused praline pcs and mascerated bananas, with bourbon ice cream with Chocolate pcs, yeah it's as good as it sounds. GF had Blueberry Caramel cake with a vanilla pudding and Lemon Burgamot ice cream, can you say OMG was dinner great?!!!! Yes!!!!!!!!!!

    (5)

  • James M.

    For all the hype this was almost the most forgetful meal I've had in New Orleans. The flavors were there but the duck was very dry, the beverages were overpriced (typical of the area) . The servers were professional and the presentation was excellent, but for the price I want amazing food. I think they can deliver on that point but for me on that night with the dish I ordered they simply did not. I don't complain in a restaurant I dislike people who look for "freebies" by pandering to a restaurants need to satisfy everyone, even To the people that are just looking to complain, but I almost wish I had asked changed my dish. Good-by money...

    (3)

  • Kurt S.

    We were looking forward to trying one of Emeril's restaurants in New Orleans but this place didn't live up to the hype. Overpriced for what you get. $27 for two slices of fried chicken breast? Better be the best damn chicken I've ever had for that price..and it wasn't. Other two in our party who got the duck and shrimp and grits were happier with their meal. Oh well, our fault for getting fried chicken and not seafood.

    (3)

  • Gerald F.

    Actually disappointing. The salad was dressed with a tarragon finish, but it was not to my liking. Imbalance of flavors. Tasted like old spices. Like I failed at making a salad dressing. Adding pepper which he loaded it on like confectioners sugar, was not any better. We ordered the pork chop which was huge. My wife loved it. I found it chewy, overcooked, lacking moisture. The sauce was very rich, which with the sweetness added the nice sweet potato medley a winner. But I would never eat something that I had to exercise with in order to eat. I had the Garlic crusted fish. The fish was superb. The crust did not exist. It was butternut mush. Then the whole plate was swimming in butter and oil, which my little potatoes were bathed in. I love potatoes--coulnd't eat these. Swimming! We ordered a side of snap peas. The bottom portion was inedible, strings and inedible parts caused me to spit it out at the table (unbelievable), and I love snap peas. Finally, we ordered the dessert, a chocolate, marshmallow coffee ice-cream concoction that was very nice. The coffee was great. Service as well I would say that while the place is great aesthetic-wise, my meals at several other less expensive places over the 10 days in NOLA were better, and better prepared. While my family has dined at Emeril's many "names", over 10 times in 10 years, this, after another bad meal in Bethlehem, will make it our last BAM.

    (2)

  • Curtis W.

    Food was good had Shrimp & Grits BBQ Style. Way over priced but good. Desserts where a bit to exotic for my taste

    (3)

  • Bryan M.

    Great mussels appetizer, pretty good filet, however if you want shrimp and grits skip this place and head to Luke. Our table of six was over two hours from seating to check and we had to catch one of two waitresses to get that. There was also a half hour between finishing salads and serving the entree. Probably all would have been forgiven until the grits came out rubbery. Perhaps this is the place to go during the week when the chefs have a lighter load. Restaurant website menu is out of date.

    (2)

  • Jerry B.

    I ate here twice which means I liked it the first time. I actually liked it the second time even more! I had a decadent turkey club. I thought i was being healthy by getting turkey on whole grain bread. Well, i was wrong but a good wrong because it was really delicious. It was like a 5napkin club with pickled onions. The gumbo was great too - thank goodness! The crab cake was overly peppery for my taste. The service was sweet and the open kitchen was very cool.

    (4)

  • Brian J.

    Ive had one of the best meals of my life here on a past visit, and tonight was very good as well. The service was friendly, drinks were extremely good (seemed expensive compared to other nice restaurants in FQ though) and the food was thoughtful and delicious. I give them 4 stars because they are now allowing people to dine at the 7 and 8pm hour in t-shirts and shorts. I love casual dress, but this is ridiculous. No need for a jacket or tie, but if you can't be bothered to wear a collared shirt or pants, you should not be eating at a fine establishment IMHO. Also my medium rare filet came out with barely a trace of pink, had to wait 15min for it to refire, and they didn't offer any sort of accommodation. So 4.5 stars would be most accurate, but since nothing knocked my socks off and their atmosphere has taken a hit, I'm going with 4. We dropped $200 for dinner and drinks and I left feeling like I was a bit ripped off. Nothing bothers me more than people reducing ratings for prices, I mean they are not a secret or anything and you made choice to dine here. So to be clear, I'm not reducing their rating for prices at all, however there are better meals to be had for much less in the FQ and I think NOLA is off my list of "must visit" spots.

    (4)

  • Matthew K.

    Shout out to Justin our waiter, Ave the General Manager. 3rd Floor dinning room is awesome, wine room awesome. Bone in Pork Chop with Sweet Potatoes in a Whiskey Sugar reduction Yummmmmooooo. And of course the BBQ Shrimp Appetizer was super good. Thank you too the entire staff front and back of house, you make Emeril proud for sure. Laura's Birthday Dinner was special there, first time a waiter has ever walked the lady to the restroom entrance, Above and Beyond

    (5)

  • Jay W.

    Skip the fried chicken my friend got it and it's very bland. But the service is incredible to the point that it can be overwhelming, no matter how big your group every plate is put down at the exact same time. When you sit down they put the napkin in your lap, they are very attentive and hover ready to get any request and refill your water or wine. I had the garlic drum fish it was very good.

    (4)

  • Jennifer C.

    Easy to make reservations on yelp a few hours before. Wonderful Shrimp and grits! Asked for spicy drink and they brought me a Cajun martini. Still dreaming about my next one!

    (5)

  • Jessica P.

    My cousin Nola and I had been talking about going here for years, we finally had the opportunity on Monday. I had been here once before, maybe 7 years ago and was blown away so I knew what to expect. Luckily, there were 4 of us so we got to try a lot of different dishes, here is the rundown of deliciousness: I had the Garlic Crusted Drum and was in heaven. The breading on the fish was so delicate and flavorful. The potatoes, bacon and sauce beurre rouge made the dish simply perfect. My husband had the shrimp and grits and couldn't have been happier. If you are one of those people who doesn't understand grits, you need to have these grits in your life. The grits were creamy and the dish was perfectly balanced. My cousin and her husband had the filet and the duck and I didn't hear one complaint. On to the dessert extravaganza: NOLA Banana Pudding Layer Cake - This cake was delicious. Banana, fudge, vanilla wafers, and graham cracker crust, what's not to love? Warm Peach Hand Pies - My personal favorite! I am obsessed with peach pie and this definitely helped curb my craving. I especially liked that they were more like peach empanada pockets and less like peach pie with a thick crust. They were soft and stuffed with delicious peach filling. The ice cream really complimented the dish well. Warm Ooey Gooey Cake - One of my favorite combinations is chocolate and marshmallow and this cake produced! It was hot and stayed steaming hot until the last bite. I was worried about the coffee ice cream on top, since I don't like coffee, but I had nothing to worry about. The chocolate flavor really came through and this was for sure ooey gooey and delicious. NOLA Crème Brûlée Trio - The vanilla crème brûlée was heaven. I also liked the coconut, but the mocha was a tiny bit bitter. I really liked the presentation in the espresso cups, but it made the dish a bit too deep. I like my crème brûlée in a more shallow dish so you don't get too much crème and not enough brûlée. But, this was the best tasting crème brûlée I have had in long time. Overall, we had an amazing dining experience. We were all blown away by the food and the desserts. The service was definitely on point and it seemed like the servers were genuinely enjoying their jobs. Don't miss this down home gem, Emeril seriously knows what he is doing.

    (5)

  • Mike P.

    Tasty but over priced. Probably not worth a second trip. Service was professional but waited a little to long to get some extra rice for the Gumbo. The Gumbo itself was actually excellent but too small of a bowl. Give me a break. Too many other better places to try. We had gumbo which was pretty good and stuffed wings . Shrimp and grits also the salmon. Everything was good but no OMG factor that says i must have again. Definitely not worth the 100 bucks for 2 apps and 2 entrees. I'm not a big fan of Emeralds anyway. I always think he is so overrated as a chef.

    (3)

  • Jamie S.

    Emeril Lagassi has perfected this restaurant! The ambiance is open, sheek, and comtemporary. He has not left out any details with this restaurant. The waiters are very knowledgeable and attentive. The bread for the table was delish. I ordered the tuna steak in coucous, and thought it was just out of this world. My BF crusted white fish was just as good, even better then mine. This is a place that you should experience while in NOLA. If you don't want to do dinner and just taste, I have done that before and you can just sit at the bar have some drinks and grab some pickings, you will get a piece of what this restaurant is all about and make you want some more.

    (5)

  • Tuna D.

    NOLA is getting 3 stars because of the food and price. The service was ok but it was hard trying to figure out who was the main server. Not the back or front but the main server. The bus boy did a good job of keeping our cups filled. Not too happy with the people at the front reception area and I think they knew it because I have an attitude when you put me in a crappy ass table at a 'nice' restaurant. Must have if you go that I thought were great: -crab cakes (the best I have had) -stuffed wings -boudin balls were ok -seared drum was melt in your mouth goodness The food deserves the 4 stars because of the quality of the ingredients and the presentation. You can tell the difference because it wasnt slapped together goodness I keep thinking about the crab cakes--damn good, next time Im ordering 2 as an entree. Parking is offstreet and I strongly recommend reservations. We went on a Monday evening and it was jam packed up in 'der. We were luck to score parking directly across from the restaurant. For locals, to get a grasp of where it's close by, think UAL, Louisiana Supreme Court, and Omni Royal - French Quarter parking. Not much to go by but that's as good as I can remember when Im in that area. Walking distance from Antoine's and all dat. If you do call and make reservations, ask for a 4-top so you can be comfortable as oppose to be placed in a tiny 2 top table in the corner. Horrible! Cash and credit cards are accepted, there is a full bar -- the house wine was great. Whatever it was, I slept good that night! Dress Code---guy was wearing pink shorts at the bar. Must be some Southern prepster thing. Just dont come in with sagging shorts and your boobs falling out.

    (4)

  • Mickey M.

    Came here at 8:45 pm on a Monday night. Restaurant was pretty busy initially, but cleared out quickly. Complimentary cornbread was warm and tasty. Had the stuffed chicken wings and crab-cake as appetizers to share. I ordered the duck entree (good) and my companion ordered the garlic-crusted drum (not bad). We passed on dessert because we were too full. Ordered 3 cocktails (2 martinis and 1 tequila-based drink) and they were all sub-par. Service was prompt and our waters were kept filled. Overall, 5 stars for the service and the food. The cocktails, on the other hand, were poorly done!

    (5)

  • Mark H.

    Service was amazing and food flavor was amazing. The filet was good, but not the best I have had in that price range. The sweet potatoes were good but they were played very safe, could have used a little more pizazz. Excellent mint Julip and cozy atmosphere, but wide two top tables make it a little difficult for dinner conversation and intimate conversation but I'm sure adequately hold a good spread of food.

    (4)

  • Ronny T.

    Simply put, this place s awesome! The duck was tops, the gumbo was equally good, and the ooey gooey cake was a great dessert. One of the best meals I've had. Go for it!

    (5)

  • lan n.

    I rounded my rating up to be generous. It was actually more of a 2.5 star rating for the food. Had the shrimp and grits which were priced at nearly 20 bucks. The dish was very sweet and barbecue sauce-ish. The drinks were pretty weak . I'm a light weight so if i can get away with drinking their drinks without turning even a little pink or getting a wee bit buzzed then it's safe to conclude there is BARELY any alcohol in it. The bread that was served was hard. I was disappointed with my visit here but at least i can take it off my bookmarked list.

    (3)

  • Molly H.

    Meh. My husband loved it- the boudin balls, stuffed chicken wings, and shrimp and grits. I thought the salmon was pretty standard. The wine list was extensive. The cocktails were half the size (for the same price) as the restaurant one block over. This restaurant is not that much fun for GF or celiacs.

    (2)

  • Shelley D.

    Impeccable service & food! Truly an exceptional experience!!

    (5)

  • Jennifer M.

    Make reservations. Unless you normally eat around 10pm. Then you're good. I don't know - maybe it was the end of the night and the cooks were tired, or I was tired and not too hungry from eating my way through NO the entire day, but I was expecting more BAM! here. The food was definitely good, no doubt. But I expected more cause it's Emeril cmonnn! We tried the mussels for appetizers, which was pretty good, especially the broth. Then tried the BBQ shrimp & grits, gumbo, and glazed pork chops (rec by the waiter). Everything was decent - not overcooked, somewhat tasty for the most part, etc. But it didn't blow my mind like I expected it to. Maybe I was just too lofty in my expectations. Dessert was delicious though - had the peanut butter chocolate cheesecake. Overall, somewhat pricey, but good experience. Maybe just a one-time thing though.

    (3)

  • Joseph B.

    Our daughter loves New Orleans so we took her there for her birthday. We made reservations 2 months in advance to make sure we had a table. Everything was great and went as planned until we got our food. They had a summer tasting special and it was advertised correctly a taste. My wife had the crab cakes for an appetizer and I had the duck boudin balls. My wife's crab cakes had more spice than crab and I tasted no duck in the two tiny boudin balls. For soup my wife had the crab bisque but she said it tasted like water and I had gumbo but it tasted plain. We thought they couldn't mess up the salads. WRONG! I got three leaves with a few onion slices. ( two bites) Ok can't wait for the main course. My daughter ordered the kid pasta with marinara sauce and chicken. For $6 you get a few slices of roasted chicken and for $8 you get angel hair pasta with sauce that tasted like it came from a can and had to ask for Parmesan cheese. My wife had the shrimp and grits and that's all she got. There was no cheese or bacon and the sauce tasted like watered down ketchup. (Probably the from the same can as the tomato sauce). The grits were not creamy and to me looked looked like instant grits. The shrimp were not gulf shrimp if they were they must have shrank. I had the fried chicken breast. It was very tasty but it was gone in three bites. Like I said we came there for our daughter's birthday but we had to buy her a piece of cake. When it came out they didn't even put a candle on it. Yes, they knew it was her birthday, I told them and they told Happy Birthday when we came in. She ordered the peach baked Alaska. The peaches were on the side not in the cake but it did taste good. My wife had the warm bread pudding with popcorn ice cream. Well the ice cream didn't melt because the bread pudding was not warm and was more like a soft cookie. I had the key lime pie. It was very good but again tiny. They have cold bread and cold corn bread that I think is made somewhere else and kept on the ice box. Most of the food tasted as if it was prepared else where and warmed up. I expected more after watching Emril cook on TV. I will just keep down loading his recipes and cook at home. Better ingredients and better prices. They staff seem distant and no one smiled. They rushed to get our plates before we were through eating and there was a rush for me to pay the bill. Last time we'll go here because they need to "Kick it up a notch" This restaurant is just using his name because there is nothing worth eating here at all that I'd want to come back for.

    (2)

  • Pa H.

    We were a party of 6, everything we ate from the apps to the dinner plates were extremely salty, agreed by all of us. The place has no "nola" ambiance at all. Skip and save yourself some money.

    (2)

  • Misti L.

    The staff....awesome!! Food...was amazing!! My group and I ordered the buttermilk fried chicken and the shrimp and grits...and we sampled one another's food and we were not disappointed!! Great restaurant to eat and enjoy company!!

    (5)

  • Amanda A.

    Loved it! The service was out of this world. The wait staff made me feel special and was super attentive without constantly asking us if we needed anything. They just did it. The food was great. I dont eat meat and they made me a dish that was not on the menu that was yummy. The salad was great. When we sat down they gave us 2 kinds of bread that was the best bread I have ever had. I would go back to this place in a heartbeat. The prices were reasonable esp compared to the service and quality of food.

    (5)

  • Elaine W.

    Went here on our first night in NOLA. We thought we'd made reservations for here, turns out I called the wrong place--but no matter. They got us in immediately. Hostess took us up to the 2nd floor and was very friendly. Our server was Joe--a fun, professional man that we enjoyed very much. We ordered, on his suggestion, a sampling of things--4 different courses, and I loved it. I had the fried chicken as the entree--oh my heavens. Get it. The staff was wonderful. We never ever had to wait for anything. Plates were cleared away, and our drinks refilled automatically. I asked Joe where the restroom was and when I got up to head there a moment later, he saw me and offered his arm to show me where it was. It was charming and sweet. And the jalapeno cornbread? OH MY GOSH. So good! If you can get there at all, do so. Pricey, but the food and service are both exquisite.

    (5)

  • Kim D.

    Came here on a Saturday night for a last dinner in NOLA with my two friends. We were seated promptly on the third floor. Service was great. Had a group of three serving us throughout the night. That's how they operated at Emeril's as well. Hey, it's a recipe that works. My friend had the catfish and dirty rice. I'm not a fan of catfish so I thought it was just okay but the other two said it was great. What I really loved from her dish was the dirty rice. That was bomb! flavorful, not too dry. Total winning side. My second friend had the shrimp and grits. I tried it. Both agreed it was on the sweet side. I've had plenty of shrimp and grits when I was in Charleston, SC for six weeks so this dish didn't really blow me away here. My meal was the buttermilk fried chicken breast. It was good. The portion was generous. I liked the batter. Didn't love the mashed sweet potato but my friend loved it. I'd rather have regular, buttery mashed potato goodness. Maybe for me, I like dark meat on chicken. That's where the flavor is people! I don't get why they always do white meat. But for white meat, it was good here. Wasn't overly dry (just a tad). One downer was when I was waiting for the rest room I overheard my server say how she can't wait to get off work to eat some fried chicken at some restaurant I can't remember the name of. How swell. I'm eating fried chicken at a place and a worker of said place is saying how they can't wait to eat fried chicken at another place. Should've asked her where she was going so I can try and compare. But all in all, it was a good dining experience.

    (4)

  • Ade O.

    I did a lot of restaurant hopping while in New Orleans and NOLA was clearly the best. One of the challenges you encounter is that the food starts to taste the same after a few restaurants. Not NOLA's. I ordered from the Taste of Summer menu, which gives you a 4-course meal - appetizer, salad, entree and dessert. The gumbo (appetizer) is out of this world. The fried chicken breast was flavorful and lightly battered, unlike other places where there's almost as much batter as the chicken itself, that you miss the taste of the chicken. This was just perfect. For dessert, I got the banana pudding layer cake. Yum yum! My friend who ordered from the same menu is allergic to bananas and doesn't like key lime pie - the other dessert option. Our server was kind enough to let him choose from their full dessert menu at no extra cost. The restaurant's ambience was quiet and classy, and the service was top notch. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Veronica L.

    Food and service were impeccable! We made reservations for a late lunch and were greeted by the host/hostess when we arrived. I gave my name and the host enthusiastically welcomed us and showed us to our seats. The waiter was eager to provide insight into his favorite dishes and even showed us a couple of plates as they were being delivered to the next table. He sold it! We started with a bowl of gumbo and a crab cake. Both were delicious! The gumbo had duck and andouille sausage and was great! I had the garlic crusted drum, my husband had the braised pork cheek po'boy and my son had the buttermilk fried chicken. We cleaned our plates; everything was so good. Our drinks were refilled quickly and the staff was extremely friendly. Love it! You will too!

    (5)

  • Cheyne M.

    Amazing food (I had the pork chops -- yum) and atmosphere... the downstairs bar is small but very fun since the bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable... take the elevator upstairs if you want - I highly recommend this joint.

    (4)

  • Shamik P.

    This place is very warm and friendly. Waiter was attentive and knowledgable. I ordered the shrimp and grits as my main course and it was amazing. Highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Jim M.

    Atmosphere was very noisy and fast paced for dinner, but that's exactly what my party and I had expected and didn't mind. It made for a fun evening but if you're not looking to raise your voice everytime to speak or want a quite calm place to eat then this is certainly not it. Food was very good; we started with the fried soft shell crab and for dinner we had the smoked duck and garlic crusted drum. Garlic drum was excellent and the buerre sauce with it was addicting. The duck was smokey, VERY smokey, but the meat was cooked perfectly and melted in your mouth. Was not too impressed with the bread pudding. It was not bad by any means, but forgettable considering the amount of great food in New Orleans. Overall a great experience, service was excellent, but with all of the amazing places in New Orleans to eat Nola would be on my 'must try while in New Orleans' list.

    (4)

  • Anthony J.

    Emeril's restaurant....very cool. Definitely one of the more trendy places in the French Quarter. The flavors they get out of their food are unbelievable. Each dish had its own very distinct personality, loaded with so much flavor it could be overload for someone with a less daring palette. Excellent menu. We started with the Duck Confit & Fried Egg Pizza, which was so different and amazing. For dinner I had the smoked duck, which was a hearty portion and just bursting with smoky flavor. The other people I was with ordered the cedar planked drum (fish), which was prepared with a citrus flavor that dominated the dish. Everyone loved their meals, and the presentation was so good we all took several photos of the dishes. For dessert we had the "Drunken Monkey" which is banana ice cream flavored with dark rum and chunks of toffee and chocolate. Delicious! Although this restaurant is called "NOLA", it feels more like a cosmopolitan place that you might find in NYC. Don't expect a traditional NOLA experience here, as only some of the menu items are locally-inspired, but the inventive menu, bold flavors, and dressy, trendy atmosphere make this a great place to check out when you are in the area.

    (4)

  • Alex T.

    I was really disappointed in NOLA. Although there were some positives. The waitstaff was incredibly attentive and friendly. Everyone seemed very motivated to make sure we had a great dining experience. I was really disappointed in the food. I had heard really great things. I had the pork chop which was just ok, nothing spectacular. The gumbo was ok, but we got a better one for cheaper at a cheaper restaurant in the quarter. Also I thought the sauce in the BBQ shrimp was too heavy.

    (3)

  • Dee Dee G.

    Shrimp and grits and the chocolate cake.....bamm!

    (5)

  • Fritz L.

    while I wouldn't say that this is a lousy restaurant, I think that more may be raving based on it's lineage. Mrs Hays Stuffed wings are good, but nothing of note. The caprese salad suffered from a lackluster tomato, prolly hard to produce in this environment. The grilled pork chop was a little too sweet and a bit chewy. The almond tart was low on sweet (good) but also low on flavor. Cappuccino was excellent. But the star of the night was the glass of red that the waiter recommended. I wish I could remember what it was, but it was excellent, inexpensive, a little spicy and oaky and not fruit forward. Nice atmosphere and cliental. Not too loud.

    (3)

  • Jermaine C.

    ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS PLACE! Things you have to try: shrimp and grits (i even replicated it at home...menu on foodnetwork.com ), stuffed chicken wing (to die for), and all of the deserts! I swear to you...you wont be dissapointed! Def made my NOLA experience!

    (5)

  • Ness V.

    This was our first trip to New Orleans, and this restaurant (including Johnnie's Po-boys, Coop's and Cafe du Monde) definitely made our experience much more memorable. The next time we're here, we may not even chance it and eat elsewhere since we know the food at these restaurants would guarantee a super-delicious meal! The grilled rib eye with the roasted leeks were so great. The steak was perfect; I haven't had a steak that good in a very long time (and I've gone to several steakhouses recently and nothing compared to NOLA). My boyfriend enjoyed his fried chicken and his banana pie dessert. The service was also awesome. Everyone was on point! We're definitely coming back!

    (5)

  • Kate W.

    I can't tell if I'm downplaying my NOLA experience because it really just wasn't that great or because I feel like I'll lose any indie cred that I have if I actually liked an Emeril restaurant. The space is beautiful; sleek, sexy, modern but still comfortable and welcoming. We came without a reservation at 6:30 p.m. on a weekday and were able to grab two seats at the bar with just a little wait. (They serve the full menu at the bar) We had the crab cake (it's only one) appetizer and it was good, but it's crab cakes- they're already delicious and hard to mess up. I had the duck and again, it was good, but not mind blowing. But my mom had fish, and she really loved it. And now excuse me, I have to go swoop my hair, put on my skinny jeans and checkerboard Vans and go listen to a band you've never heard of. I'm so indie.

    (3)

  • Alyssa H.

    Popped in for lunch when we made it into town. Excellent, as expected. Excellent service, food, and atmosphere. New Orleans is all about food, and this is a great introduction.

    (4)

  • TheGay Z.

    Flavors were amazing as is expected from Emeril, but the service was a bit strange. Attentive but strange. For example, "Angel," our bread boy seemed to have been picked up off the streets of East LA and dressed up in a waiter's uniform. He had swag, talked like a thug and when asked told me he thought the gumbo of the day was "hot dog" (REALLY?). Our actual waiter was much better but came off as a bit novice. When explaining the prep for the seared scallop dish he said sear and then made a searing noise by hissing at us... that kind of behavior may look endearing when done by a celebrity chef on TV, but from your waiter at your restaurant? Save it for the tube, dude. Food overall had amazing flavor but poor presentation. BBQ shrimp was disappointing. The presentation looked like it was squirted out of someone's behind. I actually felt Deanie's was better. The crab cake was a star and I could not get enough of the sauce it came with. If you have doubts as to ordering a crab cake here, don't doubt. It's probably one of the best ones you'll ever have. The duck liver was great, but not crispy enough. The red fish was amazing, had a generous cut and was very flavorful.

    (4)

  • Austin Y.

    Of all the celebrity chef restaurants I've eaten this one is definitely the best. I went to NOLA a few years back, BY, (Before Yelp) and NOLA was absolutely incredible. Luckily I got to visit New Orleans on a business trip and we avoided the weekend crowd. I can imagine the nuttiness on the weekend because even on a normal Wednesday night the wait was fairly long. As for the food, I had the gumbo as the appetizer, braised short ribs, and banana pudding for dessert. Everything tasted wonderful, the gumbo had just the right amount of spicy and thickness. The short ribs were falling off the bone tender, with a perfect amount of sweetness and spice. I was completely stuffed by dessert but couldn't leave without tasting some pudding, of the few bites that I had to contain myself to eat, it was fabulous. The portions were enormous, food fantastic, and service was great. If you are ever in New Orleans, go to NOLA, it is definitely worth the trip.

    (5)

  • Kevin B.

    Had a great lunch here! Sat at the wood stove station and got to chat to the chef while being fed little tidbits along the way, between courses, such as their house-cured pork belly and the like. Great service and staff. The food was bursting with flavor and never dull. Four of us ordered all different dishes and passed around. Loved the stuffed chicken wings, which are really like an Asian-style pot sticker somehow stuffed into a chicken wing and served with a delicious dipping sauce. Shrimp and grits were smoky and spicy. If I had a knock on the place, its that the portion size was a touch too big. If you like that sort of thing, lucky you, but I wished a had a bit of room at the end of the main to try dessert. Had a drink instead. Oh well!

    (5)

  • Kris K.

    One of Emeril's restaurants, we had an expensive but excellent late afternoon lunch here. The buttermilk-marinated boneless skinless fried chicken breast with bourbon mashed potatoes was excellent. The special burger was cooked to order and juicy. I ordered the kimchee out of curiosity and it disappointed but why I would expect good Korean food at a New Olelans restaurant I don't know. A really nice place.

    (5)

  • Geoff C.

    Pretty good, but if you're gonna spend this kind of coin try K-Paul's just around the corner.

    (4)

  • Kathy R.

    We had a great time with good food - everyone in the party happy with their orders, service excellent; Bar had a great selection. Definitely on the top of NOLA list. Food Perfectly prepared. And the Banana Cake for dessert - yum.

    (4)

  • Paul U.

    For starters, the place is obnoxiously loud, even at 9pm on a Wednesday. I had the ribeye, and I've gotten a better steak at Waffle House. It was cooked to the perfect temperature, but tasted burnt and had no seasoning whatsoever. My wife had the filet, mediocre at best, and the "sauce" it came with tasted like a child's first attempt at gravy, terrible. Waiter brought our food and didn't come back to the table until a bus boy had removed the plates and it was time for a dessert menu. Wife said the wine was good, but it was $8 per glass when the local grocery sells it for 12 a bottle.

    (1)

  • Jessie H.

    2nd time at NOLA, and it was everything I remembered. I ordered the exact same meal, The Fried Chicken! It was still delicious (not greasy) and too much food. A table of 8 of us, were celebrating my birthday. Each couple, started with the stuffed chicken wings - I would come back to NOLA just for these. I wish I was talented enough to make them myself. Our server was very funny & present at our table. Since we ordered lots of everything, there was a need for him to be around a lot. For desert, I ordered the ricotta cheesecake and it was so light and tasty. It is a little pricey, but that is expected when you walk in the door. It is perfect for a special occasion. And they had a Cab Franc for a wine selection, which is my favorite!

    (5)

  • Jennifer D.

    I went here with my boyfriend on a summer vacation and I have to admit the food was melt in your mouth good, we walked in and were instantly greeted by the hostess and seated just as fast. There were a total of 3 servers who attended to whatever we needed, water refills, new napkins you name it. Since I was on vacation I didn't mind the paying for the price of the dishes, as pricy as they were, it was most definitely worth it. I got the catch of the day and my boyfriend got what was a giant chunk of pork that literally fell off of the bone when you stick you knife into it. One of my most memorable moments here was actually needing to find a restroom and being escorted in a whimsical manner to the restroom. We had a view that was close to the kitchen and since the kitchen was open for the entire restaurant to see it was amusing to watch while our food was being made. All in all I would say if your looking to splurge a bit then this is the place to be.

    (5)

  • Meredith V.

    Thank you, NOLA. After arriving in N.O. late on a Friday night, we walked around the Quarter to see what was open. My friend recognized NOLA, so we ran in. It was right at 10 pm, but you accommodated us and gave us a great table after a glass of wine at the bar. We started out with wood oven cooked flat bread, which was delicious. For entrees, we had the fried chicken with mashed sweet potatoes and the pork loin with skillet cooked sweet potatoes. The fried chicken was crispy and juicy...just like momma's! It had a great sauce on the side of the bowl/plate. The sweet potatoes were a little too sweet for me. The pork loin was tasty, but a little dry. The skillet sweet potatoes were the veggie winner. Along with our meal, we had a yummy bottle of Pinot Gris. The waitstaff was a little over attentive, which isn't very N.O. But, the building and environment were great! After our meal, we were ready to hit the bars! Thanks again, NOLA.

    (4)

  • Alaysia P.

    The food was so good, I wanted to lick the plate clean. I suggest getting the duck. Thank you Emerald!

    (5)

  • Chip S.

    Modern Creole cooking at its finest. Elements of classic and comfort dishes, paired with those a little more modern. The execution is great for both. I enjoyed the stuffed chicken wings, it was a great take on one of my favorite snacks. All the fish was cooked to perfection. The service is fantastic, no detail was spared by the staff while dining. And I always enjoy looking into the kitchens of high-end restaurants, but that is me. Okay for groups, but you will need a reservation for sure to get a big table together. Restrooms were clean and stocked, as should be expected in an upscale joint. 4 Flushes

    (4)

  • Nicole W.

    We had to try a Emeril restaurant while in New Orleans. Our food came out in a record breaking 8 minutes from the time we ordered it. The shrimp & grits were unbelievable. The duck was unfortunately dry. For dessert we had the banana pudding cake which was just ok. We paid the bill and were in and out within an hour. The evening felt rushed. It was as though they were in some kind of competition to see how many tables they could turn in a single TUESDAY night. In the end there were ups and downs during our NOLA visit so we left with mixed feelings.

    (3)

  • Cara L.

    Wonderfully intimate and casual spot. We had a team of waiters serving us, all of whom treated us with southern hospitality. There is an open kitchen, and a small bar to sit while you wait for a table. We got the pocket bread to start, which was served warm and was a light way to start the meal. I had the buttermilk fried chicken breast with gravy, bourbon mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli. The fried chicken was flaky and crispy, and the chicken was moist and juicy. There were actually 3 fried breasts, so the portion sizes are generous. A must-go-to restaurant when in NOLA! Dessert menu looked great but we were too full!

    (5)

  • Jared D.

    Maybe I was just expecting too much from NOLA, but overall it was hit and miss. Was looking forward to this meal for a while, and while most of the food was good, some things fell flat. The BBQ shrimp app was very good - tasty sauce, but the portion size was weak. Maybe 5 small pieces of shrimp. Felt pretty skimped on this. Would have been more memorable had there been a few more shrimp. Caesar salad was recommended by the waiter, but it was the lowlight of the night. Again, portioning was small and the salad was sort of bland. The entrees were overall good. We had the drum, which was excellent. Good size piece of fish and the flavor worked. The fried chicken was really good. Wasn't overly fried, which I liked. Snap peas and mashed sweet potatoes were awesome. Service was good. I think Raymond was our waiter. Attentive. Personable. Happy we tried this place, but would probably check out several other spots in Nola before returning.

    (3)

  • Billy J.

    We ordered the BBQ shrimp. I asked that the shrimp be cooked well since I like the shrimp firm. The sauce was delicious but unfortunately the shrimp were mushy. $12 The fried chicken was great. The gravy that was on the plate I could have literally drank. No complaints there. $27 Even though we were full I told the walter we would have the ooey gooey cake since we were celebrating my sons bday. The cake was great but they didn't even put a candle in the cake. He turned 10. $8 So that's my experience.

    (3)

  • Deanna V.

    A must try. Good ambiance & great cocktail menu. Went for a late lunch and a reservation is recommended. For appetizer the stuffed chicken wings & boudin balls. The shrimp & grits & buttermilk chicken for entree are both good choices.

    (4)

  • Gia G.

    Service was the best I've ever experienced. Pork cheek boudin balls were delicious, as was the pork chop with glazed sweet potatoes. Wish the crab cake was better - was disappointed. Catfish was good, but not great.

    (4)

  • Amber G.

    What can I say? From atmosphere to service to taste to price, this place is hands down awesome. It has to hold up to a lot too being that it's on of Emerils. Maybe it was the wine, but it was delish. I was surprised we each had an appetizer, an entree, and two glasses of wine and got out of there for $160.00. Especially being the kind of white linen place this is. Our waiter made the experience awesome. And we had been running around town so we were dressed in jeans and shirts and it was fine. There is a cool little bar where you can sit and watch the kitchen. Next time I will sit there!

    (5)

  • Geoffry L.

    Amazing service and great food. The waiters are top notch, personable and fun. The food was expertly prepared and exquisite. This doesn't feel Emirl'ed except for a few items for sale, this felt like a high end fine dining experience.

    (5)

  • Deanna G.

    SHRIMP AND GRITS. SHRIMP. AND. GRITS. If you've never had it before, here is the place to try. A revelation. Pork cheek poboy is also amazing. Banana pudding layer cake was beautiful. As was the wine. We came here for lunch, made reservations and all. Some of the best food we had in the city.

    (5)

  • Thuy V.

    Our nice restaurant experience. Even though the dress is "casual" on yelp, I would dress a little nicer as we got some looks with jeans. The food was good, but not awesome especially for the price. The dessert was great thus giving it a 4. We had the duck (a bit too smoky) and pork chop (good, couldn't finish it and sweet). Dessert was a creme brulee trio and was excellent! My favorite dessert on our trip. Decor is nice and we sat upstairs near the edges so could look down and people walk. Servers were very prompt with refills and service was very good. Reservations needed!

    (4)

  • Lou L.

    This was my first stop in NO and I was not disappointed. Everything here is worth the price, the food is simply delicious and the service was divine. We never lacked anything, our glasses were always full and our table kept clean.

    (5)

  • Dustin T.

    As you'd expect from an Emeril restaurant, the attention to detail is fantastic. Some people complain that it's 'too commercial', but I really like the simple decor that used the old colonial architecture of the building well. The service was fantastic. And the food? Oh my. You've got to try the BBQ shrimp appetizer. Amazing. Only wish there was twice as much. Loved the shrimp and grits. To this day, I'm not sure I've had better shrimp and grits. We also had the fried chicken which tasted so light (for being fried), yet so flavorful. Don't miss the dessert. The banana cream pie is out of this world - and the bread pudding was worth going back for.

    (5)

  • A.J. C.

    You don't go to Emeril's "hippest" restaurant location without high expectations. NOLA both met those and fell short of wowing me. Sure, we saw Doc Rivers and entourage saunter out of the house while we were waiting at the front for our reservation and celebrities are fun. But we waited another 20 minutes (for a total of 30 minutes past our reservation time) to be sat. Once we sat down? We got a quick hello from our waitress and proceeded to waste away at the table for another 20 minutes. Ouch, Emeril. I wish you'd kicked your staffing up a notch. The good news is that things got a lot better once the food hit the table. The foie gras an apple salad I ordered to start was extremely well done and I enjoyed a fresh flavor combination there. The apples and croutons also made the 'paste' texture of the foie (normally a stumbling block) really easy to enjoy. The roasted duck breast was a great entree in portion size and flavors - the meat was perfectly done and the polenta was great; just a little sweet, which was perfect. Unfortunately, the skin wasn't really crispy at all - huge loss of texture there, and I don't know about you but when I order roasted protein like chicken or duck part of what makes my mouth water (as I write this) is the thought of that crispy, sizzling skin. It's a hip place, and I'd go back but not during a busy time of day. One hopes they get better at honoring reservation times and handling the rush for that price point.

    (3)

  • Crissy C.

    On a recent trip to New Orleans my husband and I made reservations at Nola. It was a bit crowded, we got a rather tight table, but our entrees were amazing. I had the duck, he had the drum (a white fish) which was prepared in the most delicious garlic butter topping. We truly enjoyed our entrees. The mussels as an appetizer were more than disappointing. very tiny, not much flavor. No room for dessert.

    (4)

  • Jenny S.

    This was one of our favorite restaurants anywhere and the last two times we have been, we have left disappointed. I am giving two stars only because the service was good. But, the kitchen made mistake after mistake leaving the poor waitstaff to apologize. I am sad to say we will not be back. There are too many great restaurants in Nola to waste any more time here.

    (2)

  • Julie F.

    I had planned to eat at Emeril's in the Warehouse District, but they were closed for a private event. I was disappointed because I wanted to try the much talked about banana cream pie. I guess I'll have to try it at the Vegas Emeril's. Therefore, I ended up at NOLA in the French Quarter, another one of Emeril's restaurants. They have an open kitchen and so many chefs/cooks, wait staff, etc. I've never seen so many workers!! I ordered the gumbo which was okay and the shrimp and grits. Their version was good with six large flavorful shrimp along with bacon and mushrooms. The version of shrimp and grits I had before in Charleston at Husk Restaurant was very different because chefs flavor their shrimp in unique ways. Service was attentive and excellent. My water glass was never empty for long.

    (4)

  • Heather G.

    We were so excited to try this place out after hearing great things. What a disappointment. Food was very sub par for the price. New Orleans has tons of restaurants better than this place worth trying. We left feeling very disappointed and unimpressed. Oh and icing on the cake, the service was poor.

    (3)

  • Colleen S.

    We ended up here thanks to Yelp and had a fabulous meal and wonderful time. We were greeted warmly even though we didn't have a reservation and after a short wait we were seated. It's restaurant week and that meant a special three course menu. I selected the Smoked Duck Spring Roll, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, and Banana Pudding Layer Cake. Oh my, they were all yummy. My friends had Drum fish and Shrimp and Grits and said they were excellent (I don't eat seafood so didn't taste). The service was outstanding. Our waiter, Travis, was friendly, funny, knowledgeable, and all around great. The whole team worked well together, and were attentive but not intrusive. I am not a foodie but I enjoy good, local food and NOLA did not disappoint. I'd definitely eat here again and recommend to others.

    (5)

  • Raymon T.

    Went there with the wife on a recent trip to New Orleans. The restaurant was nicely decorated (I expected sonething with a franchise feel to it but was happily surprised), and the wait staff was polite and professional. We started with the crab cake and duck confit pizza - both delicious. My wife had the shrimp and grits - the grits were creamy and perfect. I ordered the Drum which was well cooked and served with a garlic crust that was great. The bloody Mary I ordered was on point, and we left well satisfied. I would recommend going during the week, I saw several people come in without a reservation and was seated immediately.

    (4)

  • Allison B.

    Hi NOLA. We were that sad table in the corner watching everyone who was seated after us enjoy their meals while you lost our order. It was a Tuesday night and not too busy in the restaurant. But we waited close to an hour to receive our entrées. It seems someone forgot to put in our order. There were two waiters serving our table - neither of whom seemed to want to take responsibility for the error. In the end, one of the managers delivered the entrees but didn't even apologize or offer anything to make up for it like a free drink or dessert. I guess the restaurant reserves their "A" team of servers for weekends and VIPs. Was the food good? Yes. But by the time we received it we were honestly too tired to enjoy it because we had been sitting there so long. We wanted to order dessert but it took the servers so long to get back to our table that we just gave up and asked for the check. Even that was bungled when we requested for it to be split three ways and only one check was delivered. I'm not sure why we ventured back here except we wanted a New Orleans newbie to have her first Emeril dining experience. Thank goodness we had an awesome dining experience at The Pelican Club down the street during our visit!

    (3)

  • Susan G.

    Like Eating in a High Priced Red Lobster Very disappointed in this restaurant. From the moment we stepped inside, my husband and I felt rushed. We were seated on the second floor which was stiflingly hot. Our server was friendly enough, but obviously his interest was to get us in and out quickly on a Saturday night. My husband had the gumbo to start which he said was good. I had the fish of the day (Drum) which was prepared with a garlic coating which was so strong, that all I could taste was the garlic. My husband had the fried chicken breast which was huge because of the buttermilk batter coating on it. I sampled the chicken and it was fine, but the coating didn't add anything to the overall flavor. Not sure why this restaurant is such a big deal because the food really is just average. Cost per person including tax and tip was about $65. would not recommend this place.

    (3)

  • Kristina O.

    I have always loved Emeril and have wanted to try one of his restaurants while in New Orleans. I chose this as a surprise for my husband on our birthday. I did a bit of research on line before deciding on NOLA. They have a summer tasting promotion that featured a lot of the things that I wanted to try for $48 per person. Our reservation was for 8:15 PM and there was a steady flow of people but not too crowded. I made our reservation on opentable.com and had no issues. I mentioned that it was our birthday when completing the reservation and the staff wished us Happy Birthday several times. It is a pretty casual place we were dressed sort of casual and there were several people wearing shorts. So it is most definitely not a stuffy type of place. My one complaint is we did arrive a few minutes early and since we weren't feeling like drinks at the bar we just sort of stood there in the way. There isn't any place to sit and wait. It was really uncomfortable and awkward. Upon being seated we were given cornbread and cibatta with some butter. Neither were that great and the cibatta tasted like a generic frozen grocery store bun. Our selections for the Taste of Summer: Stuffed chicken wings: they literally give you ONE wing. I understand that this is a tasting menu but come on 2 or 3 would have been fair. It was really good and left me wanting more. It had a great Asian flavor and stuffed with glass noodles, veggies and pork? Much like an egg roll. Crispy Duck & Mushroom Boudin Balls: They give you two of these. I am not a fan of duck or Boudin so I can't comment on how I liked them. My husband is and loved them. Panzenella Salad: Pretty small and uneventful looking salad but great fresh taste with a really light balsamic and lovely tomatoes. Shrimp and cheddar grits with an Abita beer chili sauce with bacon and smoked mushrooms: This alone was enough to make me want to come back here. Each bite was bursting with flavor. Nice sweet chili sauce to compliment the salty bacon and cheesy grits. They give you 3 nice size shrimp on this plate but it left me salivating for more. This is hands down one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life. Fried Chicken Breast with Bourbon mashed sweet potatoes, ham cream gravy and snap peas: The chicken was a decent size. Not nearly as big as some of the full size plates I saw coming out. The flavor was definitely missing that BAM! that Emeril is known for. If it weren't for the gravy it would have just been a giant chicken strip on a plate. The mashed sweet potatoes were very good, creamy, velvety and with out any chunks. I wish there was more of a spice with the chicken to compliment those better. I had high hopes and was really sad I didn't get t he wow factor that I was looking for here. Filet Mignon with Cauliflower Puree: Just a steak that's all. Nothing special. Bread Pudding with Popcorn Ice cream and Popcorn Brittle: very sad thin sliver of "bread pudding" tasted more like brownie to me. I could most definitely taste chocolate. The ice cream was good and the brittle was a nice addition. They missed the mark on bread pudding with me. I regret not ordering the layered banana pudding cake. Over all I think this place is pretty much over hyped. There was a man I am assuming the manager who who was walking around talking to people kept skipping our table. Not really sure why that was? It was just the two of us. We had 2 waiters one who was a bigger guy was just not friendly and seemed rushed. I tried to joke with him a little to keep things light and he wasn't having it. At $48 per person I wasn't really wowed by anything other than the Shrimp and Grits. I wish I would have gotten a full size plate for less money. (I consider myself to be a quality over quantity person for the most part) I am glad I got to try a lot of different things but the tasting menu wasn't really worth the price that I paid. I wasn't blown away with service or the food. NOLA's (in the words of it's very own founder) really needs to "Kick it up a notch"

    (3)

  • Dean O.

    The reason I gave this a five is because not only was the food tremendous, the service was top notch. When our water was getting low, one of the young ladies was at our table asking if we wanted more. Great service goes a very long way with me. This was by far my second best meal of the year. I got the Drum and the flavors were top notch. If we every go back to New Orleans, this is a must stop for me.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth B.

    What an amazing experience! From the service to the food it was a wonderful evening. I started with the duck and truffle oil flatbread pizza. The flavors were phenomenal. My main course was the buttermilk fried chicken which was juicy and succulent. The servers were polite and accommodating. It was a great experience.

    (5)

  • Bex F.

    I've never been a big fan, I guess you could say, of Emeril, like his tv shows or whatever. Don't get me wrong, I've got respect for the guy but the whole bam! thing and silliness turned me off. Like way off, so I never had any interest in him. So when we were there in New Orleans, this restaurant was not even a block from our hotel. I didn't realize it was an Emeril place until we stopped to read the menu. The sweetheart decided this would be our "ridiculous" dinner of the trip, our last dinner, the big crazy and expensive one and went in to make a reservation. I had no idea what to expect really. We got seated on the third floor (who knew it was that huge?!), probably because we weren't dressed appropriately enough, but that's ok. Our three servers were so outstanding -- friendly, personable, not intrusive, always available, funny, formal yet casual, and just all around cool. What we ate....the dinner roll, so soft, pillowy, yummy. I could have eaten 40 more. The corn muffin, which I shouldn't have eaten (corn allergy) was so fluffy and light. The Nola Caesar Salad is probably the best Caesar salad I've ever had, ever. Fresh fresh fresh, not over dressed, subtle but garlicky dressing....I'll be dreaming of that one for a good long time. Cauliflower bacon bisque -- who knew you could make cauliflower into such a great soup. Entrees: rib eye steak for him, buttermilk fried breast of chicken for me with a sub of patatas bravas. I think we ordered the wrong stuff, or I should say, not the specialties. While still good, they weren't floor-us good. There were 3 huge pieces of chicken on my plate, a little over cooked, one wasn't seasoned at all, another I started was over seasoned. The potatoes weren't all that great; I think they had been crispy at one point but the sauce on them made them mushy again. All I could think of was Top Chef.....please pack your knives and go. (I mean, not really, the food was good -- just how the judges pick on minor mistakes....you know....all right, never mind.) For dessert, the apple hand pies with buttermilk ice cream and apple butter. Wow, yeah, mmm hmm, that was good. Light but super flavorful. All in all, a really great dinner. We never felt rushed though they were very efficient. Food was piping hot as it seems the thing everywhere in New Orleans. The whole evening, very very pleasant. We really enjoyed it, and if we're ever in town again, we'd likely make another visit.

    (4)

  • Dee S.

    Pros: sat at the chef's table right in front of the kitchen. A chef made us small tastings of duck confit n something else (that I didn't eat bc it contained pork-which I don't eat. Husband liked it though). Very good. Holiday sangria and bbq shrimp app were very good. Chef we spoke to that gave us the little extras was very nice and gave us recommendations to visit in the area. Husband ordered the duck n loved it. Also, the chef gave us this sweet potato mash with caramel to taste. It was AMAZING! Cons: I ordered the shrimp n grits as my entree. The bbq sauce overwhelmed the grits so I couldn't really taste them. Dish was good though, not great. Overall, this is a place I would strongly recommend. It's pricey but the serving sizes are large and the food quality is high.

    (4)

  • Nella B.

    This is one of my favorite restaurants in NOLA, I love the friend chicken and also the atmosphere

    (5)

  • Greg M.

    Where the hell have you people who gave Nola's New Orleans four stars or better been eating at? $40 for a so call rack of lamb that sat on a bed of bland greens with a grit cake that was under cooked was all very suspect and very disappointing. This was a quarter of a rack and over cooked although I requested medium rare. The BBQ Shrimp appetizer taste like it was drenched in a bottle of Heinz 57/BBQ sauce. The weird biscuit thing with the shrimp was hard, dry, and tasteless. My girl had Salmon that was only two bite sizes and dried out. For the first time in six years she was still hungry after dining out with a three course meal. So after the disappointing meal I decided to order the Banana Pudding Cake. I first identified the Stella Dora Cookies stuck to the side where Vanilla Wavers should have been like the menu described. I should have sent it back then. Amazingly the bananas had no taste at all and the drizzled chocolate was chocolate pudding. The entire thing taste like it was frozen and thawed just for us. We ate at Emeril Demonico the night before which was excellent and well worth the money. Nola's prices were comparable and not by far worth the money. I was ripped off and robbed.

    (1)

  • B.J. B.

    The atmosphere is nice and quaint. I went for my birthday on a Friday night and didn't need a reservation. The host was very personable. The waiters were great. Our water and beverage glasses remained full. We received our appetizers within 28 minutes of sitting down and the main entrees in 45 minutes. The cornbread crusted drum was delicious and the shrimp and grits was to die for. The grilled pork chop was on the fatty side and I'm not sure if it was a bad cut or if a fatty cut was the intent. Picking around the fat was not enjoyable so I would not recommend the grilled pork chop. The pecan bread pudding was delicious but the portion was on the small side so you Definitely can't share it. If I had one critique it would be about the cleanliness of the men's bathroom. I've seen bathrooms at gas stations that were cleaner and nicer. For an Emeril's establishment I was very disappointed. Otherwise a great dining experience.

    (4)

  • Gigi C.

    Scrumptious, delightful, southern, did I mention Scrumptious Lunch! Went here last minute (thanks for making it easy to make a reservation yelp!) for an early lunch last week. It was delightful! First of all a lemonade cocktail that was like a mint julep but with lemon and I believe strawberry instead...knocked my tastebuds and socks off! Started the fried green tomato salad-two perfectly breaded and fried green tomato salad topped with a perfectly dressed green salad...did I mention the cornbread and biscuits they bring with it??? Shrimp with grits...I had the same "dish" and commanders palace a day earlier and they were both equally rich, delightful, and unique. It was shrimp backstroking in grits-a sight you must experience. Move on to desert....I had the baked Alaska...it has a delightful sorbet center...we had another dessert which was delicious too but I think my cocktail had kicked in a bit and I forget which one it was! Servers were fantastic. Thank you NOLA for a truly decadent southern summer ladies lunch!

    (5)

  • Mike B.

    Best restaurant in this town in my opinion, have to eat Miss Kays stuffed wings! Incredible!

    (5)

  • Stefanie N.

    I've eaten at Emeril's before at the MGM in Las Vegas, and that meal was excellent. I still remember how delicious the Serrano ham mac and cheese was, *deep sigh*. However, this meal was great too, with some slight speed bumps. My primary reason for giving only 4 stars was the seating. I was seated on the end of the counter facing the cooking staff. My chair was literally inches from where food was being picked up by the waiters. I normally wouldn't have a problem with sitting near the action, but that was tooooo close. After my attitude adjustment I was ok. I enjoyed the flat iron steak with sweet potato fingerlings, chanterelle mushrooms and broccolini. It came with a tasty sauce that complemented everything on the plate. For dessert, I ordered the 7 layer banana pudding cake. Awesome! My friend enjoyed the homemade cinnamon ice cream that tasted super yummy. Overall, I would visit NOLA again, I would just make sure I would be able to sit somewhere else.

    (4)

  • Mitzy R.

    We made a reservation the same day & got it. It was my 3rd time dinning there. We arrived on time and were seated immediately. Waiter was attentive & Honest. Ordered the Nola martini & the 1st round looked like half a drink after that it was Ok. Menu was great but challenging for me due to my allergy to seafood. They asked about allergies right away. My only choice due to possible food contamination was the duck, not even the fried chicken. Ordered a Caesar salad and it was Ok. We brought to kids with us and menu very limited for them. They do not order Mac & cheese, fingers or hot dogs. We split the duck and when the plates arrived thought they served 2 orders since portions were big. It was fine but not memorable in order to make me go back

    (3)

  • Ellen Y.

    DELICIOUS!! Probably my best dining/food experience in New Orleans. Don't miss out on NOLA! I would highly suggest reservations, especially if you're more than 2. My husband and I got lucky in that the chef's bar had two open seats when we got there. I loved having dinner in that spot. We got to watch and talk with with the chef throughout diner. There really isn't a quiet corner in this place, so it didn't make much difference to me. Food run down: Complimentary sweet dinner roll and jalapeño cornbread: so the sweet roll was obviously awesome, but I don't usually care for jalapeño cornbread. However, this was absolutely delicious. I could have eaten two or three more. Perfect amount of sweetness with just a tinge of kick. Stuffed Chicken Wings: ohhh they are so yummy!! I love the hoisin dipping sauce! It's a must get! Pork Chop: holy moly! The meat was cooked to perfection. The sweet potatoes and the onion sauce....I just cannot say enough good things Key Lime bread pudding: this was incredible. The merengue on top was out of this world! Service: A+++ Everyone was so friendly, the drinks stayed full, and you felt like you were being served by old friends. Hospitality was absolutely stellar GREAT JOB RESTAURANT NOLA! You exceeded all of my expectations and I can't wait to come back!

    (5)

  • Dina M.

    I don't even know what to say. After 3 glorious, food-filled days in the Big Easy, we saved Emeril and NOLA for last. BIG mistake!! This was the worst meal we had the entire time we were in New Orleans. We had a late reservation (9:45pm) on a Friday night. We were seated immediately, and that was the best thing about the evening. Our server was terrible. Other than taking our order, taking our credit card was the only time he came to our table. He never even checked on us once. Unacceptable. I can't even talk about the food. It was not good. I had the pork chop and my husband had the shrimp & grits. My pork was mediocre, nothing better than I couldn't make on a Tuesday night, and the S&G was terrible. Watery grits and small shrimp...I'm talking 41-50's at best. For $68 (no alcohol, just two sodas), I was expecting a lot better. Extremely unfortunate.

    (1)

  • Brian K.

    I recently had the opportunity to dine at NOLA while in New Orleans for a long weekend. Unfortunately, it proved to be one of the more underwhelming culinary ventures of the trip. In the end, this place is set on appealing to the low and celebrity-obsessed expectations of the touristic masses, not providing a novel and well-executed dining experience. Food: NOLA features a seemingly eclectic menu of Creole and Acadian cuisine with some occasional Asian and southwestern-influenced deviations. Overall, I was impressed with the menu offerings, but less enthralled with their execution. I opted for the duck confit and fried egg pizza for an appetizer, the roasted duck with whiskey-caramel glaze for an entrée, and the banana pudding layer cake for dessert. Although the dishes were all generously portioned and expertly presented, I found them to be painfully bland, with not even a hint of the culinary ingenuity you'd expect from a chef of this caliber. Service: Exceptional. We were promptly seated by the hostess upon arrival and greeted by our waiter almost immediately thereafter. Throughout the meal, everyone from the waiter to the bussers and management staff were friendly, efficient, and eager to please. The service was also impressively quick, but not to the point where we felt rushed. Atmosphere: NOLA is located in a renovated, three-floor warehouse in the heart of the French Quarter. The main dining rooms are located on the first and second floors, while private dining rooms, a bread and pastry bakery, and wine cellar are on the third floor. The restaurant touts its dress code as casual, but I felt underdressed in jeans and a polo shirt - most male patrons were wearing khakis and many were wearing ties. The clientele is mostly tourists, particularly large groups celebrating various life events. Cost: Expensive by most standards. Appetizers are $5-$12, salads are $8-$14, entrees are $26-$38, sides are $5-$10, and desserts are $7-$8. Other: Lunch is served Thursday-Sunday (11:30AM-2:00PM), while dinner is served nightly (6:00PM-10:00PM). Reservations are highly recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. Validated parking is available at the nearby Omni Royal Orleans Hotel. The restaurant has a centrally located elevator, so all three floors are handicapped accessible.

    (3)

  • John K.

    Went there for dinner Friday night after getting into the city. The staff was incredible. A definite compliment to the incredible food we ate. Watch out for the pineapple infused cosmos..they pack a punch but go down very smooth.

    (5)

  • Patti M.

    I regret that I passed up a free show at the Louisiana Music Factory for this overpriced and overrated restaurant. The service was perfect and friendly. The restaurant itself was cozy, inviting. It was the food......The stuffed chicken wings were tasty but stood out more because they are so unique than for their flavor. I didn't mind so much that I paid $10 for them as they were filling and require a little more effort to prepare. It was the shrimp and grits dish that left me feeling ripped off. I paid $19.00 for a lunch serving of THREE previously frozen medium sized shrimp (they were NOT fresh at all) on about a half cup of gummy super market grits (really Emeril??? You think those were grits?). The bbq sauce (with a int of Asian flavor) was tasty but didn't make up for the paltry grits and overcooked frozen shrimp. At that point I knew better than to say yes to the dessert. My neighbors at the next take shared the profiterole and barely touched it saying it was sickening sweet. I see no reason to visit any other Emeril restaurants at this point. As far as I am concerned he can back to where he came from, Fall River, MA and go suck an egg.

    (2)

  • Victoria M.

    I didn't realize how upscale this restaurant was because the dress code is casual with no sleeveless shirt for men. The service is incredible and the food is sooo sooo tasty. For an appetizer we got the stuffed chicken wings (amazing) and both me and my Dad got the catfish dish with dirty rice. Hubby-to-be got the filet mignon, and my mom got the pork chop. Everything was so flavorful. I especially loved our waiter (Raymond I think) he and his little team of helpers were incredible! Good job NOLA, we will be back on our next trip out to Louisiana!

    (5)

  • Diana S.

    Emeril, your "bams" might be uber annoying, but your restaurant...def not as annoying. This was our first group meal in NOLA and my friend and I showed up roughly 20mins late after having issues finding a street to leave the Bacchus parade. The other four girls had already ordered appetizers which I just had a bite of because we just devoured Krispy Kreme donuts at a random Walgreens after chugging a 4loko. I only tried the chicken part of the stuffed chicken wings because I despise mushrooms with a passion and they are unfortunately stuffed with them. Gross. For my entree I ordered the Garlic Crusted Drum...expect they ran out of Drum and just replaced it with another Gulf fish. I asked for them to not bring it out with mushrooms but they brought it out chock-full of the little fungi. They apologized and took it back to the kitchen. However when they brought a new one out basically all the other girls had already finished eating! Sadface. They did make it up to me by giving us a free banana layer cake for dessert (that was deeelishhhh!!) The food was okay but I don't remember being super blown away - although I was rather tipsy for some parts of dinner. It always sucks/is awkward when everyone has their food and you're just sitting there twiddling your thumbs. Overall, better than I expected but was not one of the best dining experiences I had - despite the free dessert!

    (3)

  • Ashley B.

    I've been to Nola twice now (dinner and brunch) and have been impressed both times. Service is IMPECCABLE. I cannot rave enough about how attentive the wait staff is. It is a 3 story restaurant in the heart of the french quarter. Food was delicious both times. I ordered a Sunday brunch cocktail (can't remember the name) that is the "official drink of Louisiana" and it tasted awful (goes to show I'm not from Louisiana) so they brought me out something else instead and refunded the gross drink which I thought was nice. Love the ambiance albeit it is a little pricey, but hey, you get what you pay for!

    (5)

  • Erin O.

    Super glad I went; the meal was good; the service was spectacular; and having said that, I'll probably not go back. Weird, huh? It's a casual, brick wall, open air place. It was hard to hear in there. Service was stellar. They placed our plates down in perfect unison for every course without making it look and feel stuffy. Water was topped off continuously. I watched our team work. When the head waiter was busy, the 2nd waiter would notice everything and make sure there were no gaps in our service. It was impressive. The food? It was quite good. Not superb, just good. And the reason I'd probably not go back is because the menu wasn't appealing enough to entice me to want to try more. Great places make me almost feel panicked that I can't possibly try all the dishes that I'd like to sample. Here, I tried what I wanted to try and it was good, but it wasn't so good that I now crave it. And this was our last night. I wanted to finally have dessert and I was so looking forward to a great bread pudding. But the bread pudding on the menu was key lime bread pudding and that just sounded atrocious. None of the desserts sounded very appealing. I did end up with the trio of creme brulees and the presentation was adorable, but the brulees themselves weren't the best. At our table, we sampled: -BBQ shrimp appetizer (good, but nothing to rave about) -Chicken wings appetizer (served as my daughter's entree; she thought they were excellent) -Beet salad (reportedly good) -Soup of the day was bacon cauliflower. I was very unimpressed and wish I had picked the beet salad instead. -Two of us had the shrimp and grits. Good, but I had better grits at Stanley's. It was nothing special. -Bloody Mary was my least favorite of all that I had that week So overall, I'm not sad I tried it. I've now been to one of Emeril's restaurants. Unfortunately for Emeril, I can now say "been there, done that" and feel no need to visit the place again. There is nothing calling me back.

    (3)

  • Vanessa E.

    Only had time for lunch since I was there for the weekend only, but I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Had the shrimp and grits - good balance of smoky and sweet flavors with the heartiness of creamy cheese grits. The shrimp were very flavorful. The artichoke oyster soup was creamy and delicious. I'd never had it before but I really enjoyed the flavors. Service was wonderful - the drink refills kept coming and I liked that they sat us on the second floor of the restaurant since we have a baby and enjoyed a more quiet atmosphere. I noticed they had a great selection of coffees and teas along with their dessert menu. They had Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee! This place is a good balance of fine dining and a casual atmosphere. Great food without breaking the bank.

    (4)

  • G H.

    I went here for an early lunch last Sunday while down in New Orleans for a bachelor party. Me and my buddy sat at the small bar so we could watch the Saints game on the only TV in the place. We were dressed in plain old shorts and T-shirts and my friend had sandals on. They didn't care and said we were dressed perfectly fine. It was nice and cool inside too. I had a twist on a Tom Collins which they call a Saint Collins, it was damn good too. The bartender was very friendly and shared a good bit of detail about the area to us. For an appetizer we shared the wood oven roasted pocket bread which reminded me of naan, very good and you could taste every ingredient to it. I had a cup of the gumbo of the day which happened to be cochon au lait and andouille, it was so good, especially the cochon. My friend ordered a personal pizza for lunch, he's a picky eater and did not like the sound of the toppings for the veggie pizza but still wanted something. The chef came out the bar and told him what was available, he was very friendly. He wound up with a simple pie with just mozzarella with garlic and roma tomatoes I believe, so boring but it's what he wanted. He said it was good and since he's a pizza connoisseur that's high praise. I had the shrimp and grits which were among the best I've ever had (nothing beats Charleston for them) my sole complaint was they were too thin and could not easily be eaten with a fork. But there were plenty of tasty fresh shrimp and great bacon. Since we were starving we ordered creme brulee trio and I had a Costa Rican coffee latte. Every single creme brulee was very very good but the vanilla bean was the best creme brulee I've ever had. The coffee was good too.

    (4)

  • K M.

    We had an absolutely amazing meal, although I wouldn't normally order chicken wings, the waiter suggested them and the stuffed chicken wings were delicious. For an entree we had the shrimp and grits which were perfect. The waiter who was personable and attentive suggested a nice wine with the help of the sommelier. For dessert we had the creme brûlée trio and peach pot pie. There was nothing I would change about the meal or atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Nicholas D.

    Underrated and absolutely enjoyable in almost all respects. Service is spot on Atmosphere is inviting Food is creative and well executed Well worth the trip. Honestly they are underpriced a bit, but hopefully they don't figure that out! :)

    (4)

  • Teri H.

    This place is actually pretty large. They took us to the 2nd floor to dine. We had the stuffed chicken wings...they were stuffed with the filling of an egg roll. It was good but not what I expected. I had the garlic encrusted drum which is a white flaky fish. It was very good and cooked perfectly and my boyfriend had the shrimp and cheddar grits. I thought everything was good but nothing that was exceptional or blew my socks off.

    (3)

  • Stephanie L.

    We came here one night while vacationing in New Orleans. We had reservations so when we got there we didn't really have to wait to be seated. Our table was upstairs so we had to take the elevator up and somehow we were able to fit all 12 of us in there. It was cute how our server called everyone young man or young lady, even the parents. I think our parents were all older than him also. The food here is delicious. Most of us has ordered the garlic crusted drum and the braised pork shank and shrimp and grits. I believe one person may have ordered the seasonal fish which wasn't that good. Everything else we ordered was really tasty. For dessert I shared the creme brulee trip with my parents that too was delicious. I would definitely come back here if I'm ever in New Orleans again. This place has delicious food and great service, probably the best I had the entire trip.

    (5)

  • Richard W.

    Despite the description of the restaurant as hip and funky, it is really a high end restaurant with multiple servers, white tablecloths, and high prices. But as a tourist you do get to wear jeans. The food was excellent as was the service. We chose this one over other famous high end restaurants in New Orleans because we felt the menu was more reflective of the area (creole/cajun). There was one small server slip up: tried to fill water glass with ice water - I requested no ice - they recovered beautifully (subsequent water fills were correct.) The sweet potatoes were unevenly cooked but oh that sauce! Yum! We will definitely return during our next visit to this great city! Visited January 2013 ~~~~ back again July 2014 The sweet potatoes were top notch this time and the busboys were less suffocating. Another excellent experience - bumping up to 5 stars!

    (5)

  • Ronnie w.

    Best Bloody Mary I have ever had! Terrible gumbo. It was just rice and a few tiny shrimp. The crab cakes were good and the fried catfish too,

    (3)

  • Stephanie G.

    This was an excellent choice during our visit. The staff did an excellent job explaining each dish and what would compliment the flavors. We had the pork chop which was a large portion and delicious and the drum fish which was seasoned to perfection. I would definitely recommend NOLA.

    (4)

  • Celine T.

    Great ambiance and hospitality. For the price, one would expect everything to be top notch, including drinks. The specialty cocktails were served in a cheap looking glass with ice cubes that look like they were made in a hospital ice cube maker. The Sazarac was average and the presentation was worse than my local dive bar's. Buttermilk fried chicken was the best thing I have ever eaten in my life. The duck was so tender and tasty -- however, very uniform in texture of a dish and although there was the WOW factor of having such tender meat, there really wasn't much dimension to the dish. Yum, but not a knock-your-socks off 5 stars. Dessert creme brulee trio was good -- I feel that desserts are hard to f--- up though and that a basic dessert is expected.

    (3)

  • Anne K.

    Two words: outstanding service. We had a party of nine and felt attended to in every aspect of our dinner. We were seated with an incomplete party - and they were super gracious about our missing guest. I didn't try the 5-course "Taste of Summer" tasting menu, but my friends who did really enjoyed their selections. Everything was portioned just right to make sure you felt satisfied by the end of your meal. I started off with Miss Hay's Stuffed Chicken Wings, which is apparently the most popular item on the menu and for good reason. It's Vietnamese-inspired (hoisin sauce, yum!) and could easily be a meal in itself. Definitely meant to be shared. I had the Hickory-Roasted Duck as my entree and unfortunately, it was too much to finish myself - they really give you your money's worth! One serving would have been sufficient, but they give you two. I'd say the meat was a little bit dry and could have been more tender - not bad, but I've had better duck before. On the other hand, the buttermilk cornbread pudding was delicious and I really enjoyed the haricot-verts and roasted corn salad. I snuck a bite of my friend's key lime pie, which was really well-done. The blackberry compote was a perfect match for the tangy lime.

    (4)

  • Larry B.

    It is very hard to write this review. On business I frequent this place a lot. Over this past New Year's we had our dinner there New Year's Eve. After spending $300 on meals and drinks for two we asked for coffee at the end of our meal and were told they were out of coffee and they were closing up for the New Years celebration . I felt rushed throughout my dinner and my entrées were average. I had been there before and had wonderful service and meals but this New Years night was a disaster . Our waitress had no clue about any entrée and she lacked sophistication that you expect with a professional waitress.

    (2)

  • Sabrina T.

    I go to New Orleans as often as I can and I always try to eat here. I've eaten here 3 times and 3 times, I have had great meals. I've had to sit at the chef's bar and I actually enjoy watching the kitchen and the cook working the wood-fired grill. The NOLA lemonade cocktail is refreshing especially on a hot day. I always order the barbecue shrimp, one of Emeril's signature dishes. The BBQ sauce is amazing.

    (5)

  • Susie M.

    The service was great, but the food was not up to par. I expected more from this palace and ended up leaving disappointed.

    (3)

  • Jerrel T.

    Emeril's restaurant NOLA will make your dinner or lunch experience a great and memorable one. Here I have tried the shrimp and grits, garlic crusted chicken, turkey panini, and vegetable artisan pizza. Everything that I have purchased has been well seasoned, cooked tender, and prepared beautiful even with my random alterations. Service is spot on and attentive making the ambiance that much better. My only wish is that they are open more days for lunch. Their current lunch schedule is Thursday through Monday. Regardless, I know I will be coming back here to sample more of their menu. I recommend trying NOLA.

    (4)

  • Kevin A.

    Nice place in the French Quarter. Nothing amazing, but still really good. I had the shrimp and grits and it was good. I doubt Emeril actually has much oversight or input into the restaurant, but it was still fun to go to one of his places.

    (4)

  • DeSha M.

    Staff is very attentive. You will not go wrong with the Fried Chicken and Sweet Potato dish. They were lucky to get the plate back!

    (4)

  • Matt F.

    Great set up, service, and food. The Vesper is a great cocktail and the pork chops and fried chicken are superb. A wonderful time.

    (5)

  • Robert F.

    I was surprised by our lousy experience here. We go down to New Orleans at least once or twice a year. We'd held off on going to any of Emeril's restaurants eschewing them as too touristy. However a few years back we went to Emeril's in the CBD and had one of my all time best meals ever. Went back the following year and had another wonderful meal and experience. This time we decided to try NOLA in the french quarter as it was easier to get to from our hotel. The food, i will be honest was still very good. Not quite as good as we'd had at Emeril's but still very good nonetheless. Our big problem was the time it took to be served and the service. The waiter was a bit of an odd duck. Seemed very friendly but never looked you in the face, was always looking around the room and didn't really seem to be paying attention to you. Our appetizers came out fairly quickly but it took at least an hour between our apps and the main course. Not once did the waiter come back and say anything about the delay. In fact he only came back at all when we asked the bus boy if we could order another drink. When our food did finally arrive he said something like, "I was about to go down there and start raising hell". Then walked away. I guess this was an apology for the food taking so long. He said the same to the couple next to us when their food arrived too. It did seem as if there was an issue for several tables in our area (maybe the whole restaurant?). But no real apology or amends were offered.

    (2)

  • Denice H.

    Drove down from Birmingham, Al just for dinner. The entire meal was amazing! Highly recommend the rack of lamb!

    (5)

  • Mike H.

    We had an amazing dinner here for my Bachelor party weekend. The staff was great, they were able to handle 6 rowdy guys and keep us in line. It was really nice that they steered us away from the PRE FIX menu, even though it looked great, and made us try the appetizers. The stuffed chicken wings. Duckfat pizza. Gumbo. Fried Chicken. All were so good and they also have a REALLY GOOD WINE LIST. They had 15+ different Gruner Veltliners, killer Pinot's from Oregon, and many other cool choices that are different than then usual overpriced CAB and CHARD. At the end we were so stuffed and happy that we didn't care they forgot the dessert. They gave it to us for free, and had some nice coffee and desert drinks to end the dinner. Can't beat the price for the quality of food.

    (5)

  • Martha G.

    Portion sizes were big. Had the pork chop great flavor, but was big enough for two people to share ( I think). Had a taste of the fried chicken was great!

    (4)

  • Stephanie C.

    The best upscale American with Creole kick. The drinks were superb, the atmosphere was nice and we ate every single bite of the food. The buttermilk fried chicken breast were mouth watering and moist. The gravy is made by hand as you order it, fresh and fresh can be. I personally ordered the pork chop and it compared to no other. Sliced up great and melted in your mouth amazing. I fell in love with the Roasted Beet Salad. Their Apple-Moonshine vinaigrette made the dish! The crab cake was perfect, lots of crab with a light fried coating on the out side. Emeril really did it right here! The strawberry shortcake dessert was really the killer. I thought I was full before dessert but could not walk away from the table until it was all gone. absolutely amazing. I will go back every time I visit New Orleans!

    (5)

  • Emily M.

    We had a great meal here in April 2014. I was excited to return during our current trip to New Orleans. Unfortunately, this time the service and the food was below average. We were very disappointed. Our waiter had 4-5 tables at the same time and we were seated almost simultaneously. My husband's catfish dinner was good but the rice was too salty. My duck 'specialty of the house' dish was actually lukewarm and my bread stuffing was so cold I had to ask for a hot replacement. I would suggest that you try it for yourself because our first dinner was so great. We won't return since there are so many other great places in NOLA. Sorry for the unfavorable review.

    (2)

  • Chuck K.

    Great meal. The pork chop was very good. The chicken was good. Service was good. Would go back.

    (4)

  • Judi E.

    This was just ok and not what I'd expect from emeril. Sad to say but I feel like we wasted one of our nights in Nola by eating here because there are so many outstanding restaurants in the quarter. It was fine but not great. I loved our table- we were perched on the 2nd floor overlooking the downstairs dining room. Waiter gave us specials but didn't say, until we ordered, that they had been sold out almost immediately. That is not very professional, and we had to rethink our whole order. He also was very blasé & unattentive. You won't have a bad meal but it won't be a plate licking experience for sure and the staff could use a little more training. Can't recommend.

    (3)

  • Justin L.

    If You are Going to Spend too much cash Then it should taste like this. Delicious meal.

    (4)

  • Mark B.

    Went to NOLA on a recent trip to New Orleans. I had not been to this Emeril restaurant. The location is in the Quarter and has a great vibe. There is an upstairs and a downstairs dining area as well as a small bar overlooking the open kitchen. If I ever went back it would be great to sit there and watch the kitchen at work. We had a reservation and were seated promptly. Our server was extremely friendly and they have a team approach to serving. I love restaurants that do that because sometimes when your sever is busy there is someone else to help. For cocktails I ordered a sazerac and wife ordered a watermelon martini. Both were outstanding. My sazerac turned out to be the best one I had during the entire trip. Ordered the garlic crusted drum fish and wife ordered the barbecue shrimp appetizer and a salad. My fish was outstanding. Cooked perfectly. Wife's barbecue shrimp was Ok nothing special. Desert was a terrific banana layer cake. What was special was the service. When they bring the entrees they make sure to have enough servers to set everyones plate at the table the same time. You don't see that too often. The other thing I liked was everyone was just so jovial. Everyone was having fun! Just what you would expect from New Orleans. The wonderful attitude just made the whole dining experience! I gave NOLA five stars not so much for the food but for the entire dining experience. I would highly recommend NOLA.

    (5)

  • Rev. Robert D.

    I hate to say it, an be so cliché. This is one of the best restaurants we ate at in New Orleans. Outstanding staff and the food and wine to match! Don't not go because it's Emerils place and you think it will be touristy. You will miss a great experience.

    (5)

  • Ben C.

    This is a must when in New Orleans, a total experience that is rare in today's restaurant world. As soon as you arrive you are made to feel like a special guest. You are introduced to your server and two others that will take care of you. My water was always full, clean utilsils and plates were brought to my table as we made our way from appetizers, to salads and then the main course. Everyone I was in contact with was a food and wine expert, suggestions were valuable and appriciated. The staff displays passion for the food they send to your table. I dined on a Tuesday and asked if the Chef could accomidate an order of Pork Belly or Fioe Gras which was not on the menu. The server brought us a Citrus Cured Fioe Gras that was to die for! Our salad was the Roasted Beet Salad, nicely balanced, I had the Grilled Pork Chop ......the two inch thick cut was amazingly perfectly cooked, moist and flavorful. The sweet potatoes needed some attention from the entremetier. Some portions were cooked through and some were past al dente to raw. Dessert was the Cremé Burlee trio, the preparation was exceptional. A rich creamy custard like no other that you have ever had. The sweetness was perfect. This is a top notch experience that for some guest may not realize it because the staff is so good at it. As the dishes were brought to a table of 5 or 6 several staff would place the plates on the table in unison, perfectly timed. When your here take the time to appreciate what great orchestration looks like. Bon appetite

    (5)

  • Deigh G.

    fabulous dinner, fabulous atmosphere...a must for any visit to NO! I had the drum special, it was done with asian flare, julianne veggies in a light soy ginger sauce. It was cooked perfectly and I devoured it the same. For dessert, the bread pudding...now I've tried several while visiting the city, this might be my favorite...complete with baby! Service was superb, I look forward to coming back!

    (5)

  • Andrew T.

    The pork chop was excellent, it was a big piece of meat cooked perfectly. The sweet potatoes were the best I ever had. The wait staff was attentive. The reason for 4 stars and not 5 is two fold. First it takes a long time to get your food. Which wasn't a huge issue for me, but for some it is. Second some of the wait staff could be seen rolling there eyes and having a look of "I hate my job" on their face. This normally would happen as they walked away from tables they just helped.

    (4)

  • Cheryl E.

    Solid 4. Excellent wait staff - and the BEST kitchen staff management I have ever experienced. One of the dishes was not hot - within 3 min. the general manager was table side, super nice, without asking took the dish off the bill and took care of dessert as well. I really liked NOLA - solid cooking, excellent staff in a really, up beat environment.

    (4)

  • Jeanelle D.

    This place was definitely a hit for our girls weekend trip! The food was hands down one of the best in NOLA. The catfish and dirty rice my friend ordered was sooooo amazing! I pretty much ate most of her meal lol... Ambiance was good, not outstanding. Drinks and food though A++++

    (5)

  • David G.

    It would have been sacrilege to spend a week in New Orleans and fail to visit at least one Emeril Lagasse restaurant. So when I discovered the generically named NOLA a short jaunt from my hotel, I knew I had to check it out. My first impression on a Saturday night: packed solid. After weaving through the crazy crowds, I nabbed a seat by squeezing between two "rotund" and rowdy Southern women at the bar, who were downing glasses of white wine like there's no tomorrow. I decided, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" -- so the first thing I did was order a glass of Sauvignon blanc for myself. It hit the spot nicely. After some smalltalk with the delightful bartender and noshing on some fantastic bread and butter, I decided to start with the stuffed chicken wings appetizer. The stuffing in the wings changes regularly, and I had the pork sausage. The flavor was excellent, although the wings themselves were dry. For the entree, I had the garlic crusted drum. The fish was cooked nicely, but wow -- the garlic was even more overpowering than I expected. The potatoes and veggies were also saturated with garlic. I like garlic, but this was a bit much, even for me. After all that garlic, I was craving something sweet and chocolate-y, so I tried the ooey gooey cake. I love hot+cold desserts, and this one knocked my socks off. That combo of warm chocolate cake, marshmallows, and coffee ice cream... wow! Service was great. I didn't catch the name of my bartender, mostly because he was too busy throwing bottles in the air and being a showman for the benefit of the ladies at the bar. It was a bit much, but it didn't affect the timely delivery of my food whatsoever. (I also managed to score a comp'ed wine refill in the process!) I can officially check "dining at an Emeril restaurant" off my bucket list. The food was a little rough around the edges, but the overall experience was lovely.

    (4)

  • Samantha O.

    When I say I wasn't impressed by the food, I'm not saying it was bad, because that wasn't the case. The thing is, NOLA had been very much hyped up for my friends and I so, we expected to be blown away. For dinner we tried the wings, chicken salad, and fried chicken. and the moment we had been waiting for was dessert, because we are huge fans of banana pudding. We tried the banana pudding cake, and it was good but it was missing something. the service however, was superb. the staff and the waiter was so attentive and made you feel at home. The place was lively and booming with people. I would recommend checking the restaurant out, but just do not expect superb food for the price.

    (3)

  • Sarah C.

    All of our food was delish.. The only unfortunate part (which wasn't a huge mark against them but maybe a tip for a better customer experience) would be that their "menu" online is their summer menu and not what's in season now. I was craving a specific drink and the bartender wouldn't accommodate it. Oh well. Our food was perfect. Between the gumbo, shrimp and steak... All were cooked to perfection. My only regret--- I didn't leave room for dessert ;(

    (5)

  • Marisela S.

    Everything we ate was delicious here. We started with the stuffed chicken wings then had the crab cakes and the shrimp n grits, simply delish! I also have some food allergies and the waiter was very thorough in helping with that, great find!

    (5)

  • Vincent T.

    Food at this spot is onnnnn point. I really wish I could have ordered multiple items. Duck Confit pizza with fried eggs and truffle. Could've used a little more duck, but really good regardless. Buttermilk Fried Chicken was so crispy and tender and juicy, a giant portion of boneless cutlets. Bomb dot com. Same could be said about the Pork Chop. Heard great things about the Duck entree as well. King Cake with Lemon Goat Cheese ice cream was an awesome take on a classic. The only thing I can say as a negative (but a big enough negative to lose a star), one member of our group didn't get his entree for about 5 minutes after the rest of us. Kinda sucks when 5 people are hungry with hot food in front of them and one guy is sitting with nothing. And we are not gentlemen, so no, we did not wait for his plate to come. We did however, gloat about how good OUR dishes were as he sat drooling. Overall I would 100% return and 100% recommend.

    (4)

  • Libby V.

    Dear Emeril....why did I quit seeing you? I need to tell you that it wasn't you...it was me. Really, I got my head turned by some **gasp** younger sexier guys I saw on the food channel and thought I could do better. I was wrong, and it was so good to be back with you on my recent trip. I promise I'll be a better friend from now on. It started when we arrived at Johnny's Po Boys and I noticed you across the street. There weren't trash cans lined up in front of your place, and I got to remembering how damn romantic you were and on impulse I told hubby "change of plans!" and we were off. (I'm glad we were nicely dressed but then we always are) Sat down and ordered a glass of wine for me a Bloody Mary for husband. Holy moly there were so many vegetables in that Bloody Mary that it could have been lunch by itself. Nice. We split a salad (actually they split it for us in the kitchen) just so we could feel like we were eating healthy. Then I ordered Shrimp and Grits, and hubby had fried chicken. Plates were beautiful, as always. All I'm gonna say about those "sexier younger chefs" in town is that they could take some Shrimp and Grits lessons from you! And that fried chicken...it was like no other fried chicken ever. I could eat that every day...oh yes I could. The mashed sweet potatoes were extraordinary as well. Between us we ate every bite and BAM it was good! Sadly, we left no room for dessert. That will have to be rectified on our next visit. We'll give us the pretense of healthy and leave off the salad (though it was a wonderful salad of course) Thank you for taking me back without any questions. From now on I'm going to remember who my real friends are. Not that I won't stray, cause a woman does need some variety, but I will be back. You can count on it...so leave the home fires burning.

    (5)

  • Yulia L.

    Food was delicious!Compliments to the chief! Service was amazing too! Highly recommend while visit New Orleans! I am defiantly coming back for dinner next time while visiting New Orleans!

    (5)

  • Frank F.

    This was one of the places that was recommended to me by my sister to go eat that was not a tourist trap. Wow was I surprised by the food! It was a bit crowded, being Saturday night, so I ate at the bar. First, you guys are NOLA have a first rate bar crew. Second, your whole staff is incredibly efficient. Third, the Duck I ordered was absolutely to die for!!! I finished up my meal with a glass of NOLA Rye Whiskey and called it a night. I would go back to this place again and again!!!

    (4)

  • Margaret D.

    Had our last New Orleans meal at NOLA. Had not been here for many years. Had a wonderful green salad and shared a delicious burger with my hubbie! After being in New Orleans for a week, that was all we could consume. Service was attentive. We will be back for sure!

    (4)

  • Diana H.

    The food was to die for. I'm so glad we were able to come here on our last night in the city. We started with the stuffed drumsticks due to a recommendation and didn't expect much, but when we took our first bite, we just smiled. The chicken was prepared to perfection, it was deboned and stuffed with I can't even remember what, but it was DELICIOUS. The star of the night for me was the garlic crusted drum (fish). I cut a piece off with my fork and it literally just melted in my mouth. It was AMAZING. It was lightly crusted with garlic (must be pan fried?) and the fish was tender and delicious. The service was spot on and I was actually quite impressed with the service for the price of the meal. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't cheap and we don't eat like that regularly, but the type of service we received is more typical of a fancier restaurant. SO SO HAPPY. (We came here after a great lunch experience at Emeril New Orleans and we're so happy we did.)

    (5)

  • Samantha H.

    The restaurant was freezing cold! Food was great. The fried chicken and sweet potatoes and the drum were outstanding. Yummo!

    (4)

  • Ngan T.

    Amazing dining experience coupled with wonderful food and services. We were here for a conference, made a reservation originally for 12 then it increasingly went up to ultimately to 16 on a Saturday night during peak season...Somehow, after much begging, the manager was able to accommodate our large group in a very very busy restaurant, but still able to give the much needed attention and quality of food. It made our New Orleans experience wonderful (especially for New Yorkers who are so used to hustling and bustling). If you're in NO and need an authentic taste, whether business or pleasure, stop by Nola.

    (5)

  • Naiyi C.

    This was my last stop for my New Orleans trip. Kinda of regretted that I wasn't hungry enough to order more. Service was great, everyone we talked to was nice. My buttermilk fried chicken was terrific. Crab cake was the best I ever had. Definitely will go back if ever I visit again.

    (5)

  • Meghan P.

    Although there was nothing awful about NOLA, it really wasn't worth the price tag. I'd give the food a three, and the exemplary service nearly bumps it up a star, but it just wasn't enough to make it an overall 4 star review for me. However, the servers' water pitchers were too full of ice, as were our glasses; they would attempt to give us more water but could pour nothing out but a trickle and more cubes. I had the smoked duck. I was pleasantly surprised at its size. It was a smoked preparation, so the overall flavor was that of smoke- I wouldn't have been able to tell it from turkey or chicken, which is disappointing. I also had a Cesar salad, which was good, with the exception of some lettuce leaves which had odd, red-tinged ribs. My coworkers both had shrimp and grits, which they did not like at all- it tasted like barbeque sauce.

    (3)

  • Nida D.

    If I lived in New Orleans I would eat here at least once a week. The food was cooked to perfection. I wasn't a fan of the stuffed wings and I wouldn't order it again, but the chicken was scrumptious and so was dessert.

    (5)

  • Bob H.

    Father / daughter trip to New Orleans, and this was clearly the highlight. The service was absolutely impeccable, despite the size of the place and the fact that it was filled to capacity. Having worked in the business, I was very conscious of the layers of management on the floor and their interaction with the staff and guests. Very well played indeed. Oh yeah, the food? Freakin awesome. Yah, that should about cover it. IMO this was actually a very good value, considering the pedigree and our experience.

    (5)

  • Shawnee S.

    Excellent food and service! NOLA is a can't miss part of your New Orleans visit! My party had different entrees and loved them all! The creme brulee was delicious! Definitely will be back!

    (5)

  • Adoley J.

    So meals are ordinary and some meals are life changing. Like you think about the meal and tears come to your eyes. Sometimes the meal is so good you take pictures of your food and look at them often. That's the kind of experience I had at NOLA. Recently visited Nola for vacation and was fortunate enough to visit NOLA. This place is amazing. I ordered the shrimp and grits and was blown away. I have had shrimp and grits at many places and let me just tell you they do it better in the south. I see why this is a popular dish. First of all the grits were creamy and the shrimp was amazing. The bacon bits and wild mushroom were a great addition to the meal. If I could I would eat this dish everyday. Next time Nola me and you we got a date.

    (5)

  • Daniel T.

    Stellar dinning environment and excellent service. The food didn't wowed me. The stuffed chicken wings were ok. The ribeye was actually slightly overlooked tonight (ordered medium-rare, but got medium instead).

    (3)

  • Michael G.

    The food was good, nothing great. Very large portions. Overall the place was just very commercial and I wouldn't really come back. Eating in the french quarter...meh. Too touristy. Found out after the fact that this was one of Emeril's restaurants...had I known, I wouldn't have wasted my time.

    (3)

  • Jeff P.

    A solid choice in the quarter, I ate here years ago and had fond memories and I was not disappointed with my recent lunch visit. Fried chicken was surprisingly good and the service there was top notch. I prefer places with a bit more character (ones you find uptown in general) but this is well run restaurant with good food options - it just feels a little corporate to me is my only detractor

    (4)

  • Sam S.

    Hands down the best pork chop I've ever had. The wife had shrimp and grits and it was good but when she had the chop she wanted to swap. Great service blah blah. Almost forgot, the sweet potatoes were equally great. Like candy.

    (5)

  • Brian C.

    The experience I had here was truly exceptional. First of all, the host and hostess went out of their way to be accomodating as I had shown up a bit early for my reservation and one of my party was not able to make it. The ambience is modern and sleek, and the service was impeccable. I would expect nothing less. - Miss Hay's stuffed chicken wings. You have to get this here. The wings are deboned and stuffed with pork, mushrooms, and other goodies (almost like a Vietnamese spring roll), fried to perfection, and served with a nice hoisin dipping sauce. These are heavenly! - Turtle soup. I figured in New Orleans I'd give it a try. This wasn't my favorite dish, but it wasn't bad. - Shrimp and grits. Again, amazing. The shrimp and grits were nice and smoky, with a spicy kick to them. The shrimp were cooked to perfection, and the grits were deliciously creamy. I can't say enough good things. Make a reservation early, you really can't go wrong with the menu. Emeril certainly lives up to the hype!

    (5)

  • Warren D.

    Had dinner tonight. Great time on the second floor with Raymond and his crew. They took great care of us. The fried chicken was outstanding and the Mint Julep was perfect. Not too sweet and a liberal amount of mint. I would go back in a heart beat. Oh and the Ooooey Gooey Chocolate was just what any chocolate lover would want.

    (4)

  • Vina V.

    I had a really great experience at this restaurant. The waiters and staff are fun, lively, and hilarious! My waiter helped us pick some delicious dishes and a nice bottle of wine. We got the stuffed chicken, veggie pizza, filet mignon, and a veggie main entree for my friend. I don't think there was a veggie main entree on the menu but the restaurant helped accommodate my friend. My favorite was the stuffed chicken wing--I have never had anything like it! The food possessed comfort while still remaining elegant. Such a lovely ambiance!

    (4)

  • Dan G.

    I've never reviewed NOLA? That needs to be corrected. We've probably been here about a half dozen times in our many trips to the Crescent City and it remains one of my favorite spots in town. Serendipitously a couple of Libras arrived for birthday celebrations on the very day Chef has his birthday. Sometimes, the stars just align. Our meal and service, as always, was top notch. We had no less than three servers who handled anything that we needed. I was feeling swayed towards the fried chicken I kept drooling over as it came from the kitchen, but made a game time decision and went with the Shrimp. Am I the only one out there that deliberates until the last second only to pull the trigger, sometimes with a completely different option? ROASTED BEET SALAD with Sheaux Fresh Farms Petite Greens, Butternut Squash, Housemade Cheese, Tabasco Pecans, Crispy Country Ham, and Apple-Moonshine Vinaigrette WOOD FIRED PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND BLACK MUSSELS with Charred Corn, Roasted Peppers, Caramelized Onions, Abita Beer-Benton's Ham Broth, and Cornbread Crouton "SHRIMP & GRITS" Sautéed Gulf Shrimp, Grilled Green Onions, Smoked Cheddar Grits, Apple Smoked Bacon, Crimini Mushrooms and Red Chili-Abita Butter Sauce PAN ROASTED SALMON with Herb Couscous, Ratatouille, Red Chili Raita and Preserved Lemon Butter Sauce WARM OOEY GOOEY CAKE Moist Chocolate Cake, Marshmallows, Toasted Coconut, Coffee Ice Cream NOLA always delivers. The salad, which was split for us, was a nice and fresh start. We loved the mussels, though I secretly feared that one will slip from my grasp only to make a big splash. My wife loved the salmon, natch. The shrimp and grits were some of the best I've eaten. About six huge shrimp on a bed of jazzed up grits. Aside from that enormous double cut pork chop I've had on previous visits, the best dish I've had here. The server's call of the gooey cake was a perfectly decadent way to close out another phenomenal meal at our go to restaurant. Happy bday Chef! We enjoyed celebrating with you.

    (5)

  • Maria B.

    From the moment you arrive, you are greeted and treated as if you are VIP. The restaurant has a modern decor and again service is excellent. I ordered the Crab Cake appetizer which was phenomenal. It was meaty and lightly crusted, a real east coast style crab! it was served with a corn salad and a tomato relish/chutney that was so tasty. For lunch I ordered the Salmon which was cooked to perfection. it was glazed and crusted in a way I've never had the privilege to eat before. it was served atop a ratatouille that had a zest of lemon it was delicious. We also shared a banana pudding cake. we ate every morsel. even our picky kids loved NOLA! Thank you Chef Legasse!!!

    (5)

  • Jon F.

    Absolutely wonderful food. My wife and I made reservations the day before (which I highly suggest to avoid waiting) and were seated promptly. You can reserve through the Yelp app. The wait staff were extremely polite and helpful. The food was amazing. I had the duck and my wife had the porkchop. Both were very large portions that were cooked to perfection. We were undecided on the appetizer so the waiter recommended the BBQ shrimp. Honestly, bbq and shrimp doesn't sound like a good combination but it was wonderful. Very pricy! Appetizer, 2 cocktails, 2 entrees was about $120.

    (5)

  • Eric M.

    Although the food was very good, the reason why I am giving one star is because the wait staff hit my 7 year old in the eye with a plate while clearing the table and gave absolutely no apologies whatsoever! She was crying her head off and I mentioned to waiter and no response. This is unacceptable!

    (1)

  • Emily W.

    Perfect dinner! We asked for a wine recommendation, and got one of the best bottles we've had in a while. The service was great, the food was phenomenal and the pricing was very reasonable. I would definitely recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Tony L.

    Emeril definitely does not disappoint with this classy NOLA restaurant. The garlic crusted drum was one of the best fish dishes I've ever had. And the shrimp and grits were perfect. We literally wiped our plates clean to the bone with the bread to soak up all the juices and sauces. Wine selection was good too, as was the service.

    (5)

  • Lauren H.

    Every time I go to New Orleans, a dinner at Nola is necessary to complete the trip. The service is always impeccable, but not to be out done by the food! The drum is my favorite item on the menu, and the mashed sweet potatoes are scrumptious. I also recommend the cheese plate as a starter and bbq shrimp.

    (5)

  • Briana C.

    Walked in without reservations and was graciously sat within 15mins on a Sunday night. While waiting, we decided to head to the bar and test out Emeril's wine that was on the menu (Syrah & Chardonnay). The wine was superb and we drank that during the evening. We started with a crispy, bright crab cake and moist BBQ shrimp- Delicious! For dinner we chose the famous Fried Chicken and Pork Chops. The chops were by far the best along with the accompaniments. The chicken, to me, lacked flavor but the sides were fantastic! The sugar snap peas were so flavorful and I wish I could have had more! In addition to our entrees, we had a side of the grits, which were Gouda-rriffic! To finish, we had some fantastic dessert drinks (Desert Wine & Tawny Port). Would highly recommend stopping in if you can- but make reservations as we were simply lucky without too much of a wait.

    (5)

  • Stephen c.

    Spectacular: The food, the service, the hospitality. When you get up to use the bathroom, you come back and your napkin is folded beautifully on your chair. Our server was a tall, pretty blonde with a wonderful attitude and her hair up in kind of a loose chignon. Lovely girl who knows how to take care of her tables in an effortless yet effective manner. The food is just mouth-wateringly, divinely delicious. My friend had shrimp and grits (never knew it could taste THAT good) and I had a seasonal fish which I savored with every bite. We had nice cocktails and a delicious carpaccio appetizer as well. This was a memorable dining experience that put the two of us out around $100 without tip and honestly, based on the quality of the food and service, and the amazing ambience, it was a total steal.

    (5)

  • Rebecca T.

    Underwhelmed. For an Emeril restaurant, and at these prices, I'd expect more. The dessert was likely the best part of the meal. Enough said. The decor is cool, and it's an interesting touch to travel up a glass elevator to get to your table.

    (3)

  • Lillian P.

    Loved this place. Amazing decor and very cool set up. The wait staff was excellent and knew the menu very well, able to give us really good recommendations. Had the drum fish and the fried chicken (split both with my friend). Both were out of this world! I recommend the fried chicken over the drum though, it was so delicious. For dessert: the ooey gooey, if you're a chocolate lover like me!

    (4)

  • George C.

    I had an awesome meal at NOLA. They started us off with delicious jalapeño corn bread and table bread. Warm and fresh! We shared the muscles and they were really delicious. I would definitely order them again. I had the duck entree and it was really good. It was served with green beans, mashed potatoes, etc... It was a maple glaze duck and it was cooked perfectly. Service was friendly and on point. They did a great job keeping an eye on our table and offering dinner suggestions. The atmosphere was artsy and comfortable. The portions at NOLA are HUGE so you really get a lot of delicious food for the price. I would definitely eat here again...BAM!

    (5)

  • Rachel E.

    8 months later and I still consider dinner at NOLA one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. A group of seven of us went on a Friday night in late January and it was wonderful. We had made a reservation and got a great corner table upstairs by the window. We had two waiters who provided impeccable service throughout the meal; they were personable, made excellent recommendations, and really contributed to the quality of our experience. We started with cocktails, and had the chicken wings for an appetizer and they definitely lived up to the hype! For entrees a few got the drum fish, which they raved about, myself and another group member got the pork chop which was incredible. The desserts were fantastic as well. I highly recommend this restaurant not only for the delicious food, but for the ambiance and overall phenomenal dining experience!

    (5)

  • Mike C.

    I wish he kicked the temperature of our food up a notch. All the food was pretty good, but none of it came out very hot for some reason. The most troubling thing of all is that they brought us the wrong sandwich, and then came back a few minutes later with the right one, and it was not hot at all, which makes me wonder how long that one was sitting around for in the kitchen. Maybe we just didn't order the right things though. The Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza ($12) was really delicious, but Miss Hay's Vietnamese Po Boy ($14), aside from being lukewarm wasn't so great. Definitely not nearly as good as any of the Banh Mi you can get at a dirty little Viatnamese sandwich shop for a quarter of the price. We also started with the Crispy Smoked Duck and Wild Mushroom Boudin Balls ($10), which were decent, but also could have been hotter and weren't quite crispy enough for a fried food (go to Cochon for an amazing version of Fried Boudin). They really made up for everything though with the amazingly good dessert. We couldn't help but order two: we got the Warm Ooey Gooey Cake ($7) and the Popcorn Sundae ($8). I still can't decide which was better, because both were some good and satisfying. Both consisted of some delicious cake/brownie and ice cream, which always make for a perfect combo. These desserts were awesome, but the rest of the food needs some work. I might consider hitting up a different Emeril restaurant next time, but I've had enough of this one.

    (3)

  • Sharon O.

    After having a mediocre experience a few years ago at Emeril's restaurant in Las Vegas, I was reluctant to give him a second chance on his home turf in New Orleans. I don't know if my expectations were set super low or what, but I was impressed. My boyfriend got the pork chop. It is prehistoric-Fred Flinstone-sized. I have no idea how they get the cut so thick, meaty, and tender. Order this entree. I got the drum as my entree, which was juicy and delicious BUT OMG THE LEMON BUTTER GRITS. Lemon + Grits = Game changer. It never occurred to me to put the two together, and it's AWESOME. If you like grits, get the grits. The wait staff is kinda saucy. You love it or you hate it. I thought they were funny, down to earth, and attentive. Overall I had a good time. I would even go back if I found myself in New Orleans again.

    (4)

  • Zashi M.

    Definitely disappointed with NOLA. They ran out of the appetizer and entree I wanted to order. The waiter's excuse was, it was a Sunday night. Started off with the Pork Cheek Boudin Balls appetizer, wasn't what I was expecting. Taste was mediocre. Ordered the duck confit and it was dry and wasn't very tasty. Also ordered the Gulf Fish (Mahi Mahi) and also very mediocre. Didn't dare order dessert. Figured this was Emeril's signature restaurant. Where else to eat in New Orleans but at one of Emeril's. Sorry to say I was very very disappointed.

    (2)

  • Loraine R.

    We had a wonderful dinner at NOLA. We had a nice table for 2. The stuffed chicken wing appetizers are to-die-for! The BBQ shrimp were also amazing. The garlic-crusted drum was outstanding. The pork chop was just ok. The cornbread was also great. Our 6'5" waiter- Paul did a great job of making us feel welcome and special.Would definitely go back.

    (5)

  • Jeanell A.

    Coming from California and being a big fan of Emeril, I figured going to one of his restaurants would be a great part of our experience in New Orleans. Unfortunately, I realize now that I should have listened to one of the locals who said this place was "overrated". It wasn't horrible, but not as wonderful as my Emeril-expectations were. Overall, service, decor, and food (for all 10 of us who ordered different things) was just alright.

    (3)

  • Art C.

    Finally did the fried chicken! Took 5 visits to get to it on the menu - should not have neglected it that long! All food is 5 star worthy but the chicken is possibly the best I have ever had! Service is impeccable - I can say zero bad things about this place - even on all five visits - perfection every time. And lunch is a bargain - almost same size serving, half the price.

    (5)

  • Matt G.

    Service was slow and slightly rude, restaurants was freezing and unconformable. The good was good but far from the best I've especially in new orleans.

    (3)

  • K H.

    Incredible place, incredible meal! It's restaurant week, apparently, and they had a special which included three items, allowing some choices. I started with the avocado crab soup (a cold soup), moved on to the shrimp and grits (mouth watering perfection, seriously) and ended with the banana cake and a latte. My friends meals should get some sort of honorable mention here. Two ordered the fried chicken and it did NOT disappoint. The others ordered the Drum fish and it was literally mouthwatering amazingness! Life on the road can be grueling and stumbling onto a place like this (with the help of yelp) makes it worth it! Finding out it's one of Emeril's restaurants once we read the fine print on the menu, even better! The staff, amazing (we called our primary waiter Mr. T), operated and assisted like a well oiled machine. Seriously. Everyone had their station, knew their role and performed perfectly (so to speak)... They even went our of their way when the coffee diva requested raw sugar and bent over backward to make our dining experience unforgettable. Oh, and we can't forget the most important, getting us in the door, moment. We arrived without a reservation and instead of turning is away or making us feel "less than", the maître d (warmly) asked us if we would mind waiting 10 minutes, rearranging in order to accommodate our party of 5. We gladly sidled on over to the bar and ordered a cold beverage while we waited and, when ready, our hostess gathered us up and showed us to our table.

    (5)

  • Kenneth D.

    Wow! Never did I think or expect to have fried chicken taste like this! And I didn't even order it! Simply amazing! Service was impeccable, the timing from drinks to appetizers to the main course to desert was perfect!

    (5)

  • Lars R.

    Aways our favorite. Returned to NOLA after moving away 15 years ago and this was a must visit. Took my wife there for an early birthday dinner and was not disappointed. Similar menu to Emeril's at half the price.

    (5)

  • Italian S.

    My first review!! I recently went to New Orleans for a getaway from life with my wife because I just turned 40. I was recommended a few places to eat. Nola being the first. All I have to say is this place ranks a 10 with me!! Everything was exceptional. I would recommend anyone that's looking for a really good place to eat that's not out of line price wise, this is your spot. Bravo guys!!

    (5)

  • Chelsea G.

    A trip to New Orleans would be incomplete without visiting at least one establishment of the famed chef Emeril Lagasse. With a mirrored and steel elevator in the middle of a brick warehouse, the restaurant exudes a fun and trendy vibe. It is creole food, but with an inventive twist. The drinks menu is on point, with creative and unique libations. For appetizers, the Stuffed Chicken Wings (yes, I typed that right!) and Barbecue Shrimp are top notch. For your entree, the Garlic Crusted Drum is arguably one of the most delicious fish dishes I have ever had the pleasure of eating. The food is five stars, the atmosphere, while quaint, knocks off a star for me. visit my website for a whole eating itinerary for New Orleans! banglesandbubbly.com

    (4)

  • Arpita B.

    Amazing!!! a MUST try! Came here for a dinner...fantastic dining experience. The service was impeccable! The staff was friendly & attentive...turning just another dinner to an memorable event. Were served cornbread and butter as soon as we were seated. The bread was Oh so soft....& the butter deserves a mention! At most restaurants, the butter served is either frozen & difficult to spread, or completely molten from sitting out too long...This butter was perfection! It was cold... But easy to spread on the bread without being messy. We started out our meal with the duck confit pizza which was delicious. For the main course: hubby got the shrimp & grits which he seemed to enjoy, while I got the garlic crusted drum...lets just say I glimpsed heaven after that dish! It was an explosion of flavor. The garlic and the flaky fish...was like a party in my mouth! It's one of the best dishes I have ever eaten! We wrapped up our meal with the banana bread pudding which was simply stellar...I have never had a bread pudding which had sliced bananas In the middle...pretty genius. Money well spent! Would make another trip just for the drum!

    (5)

  • Amanda C.

    This place is awesome! It has 3 floors of dining. The service was excellent. The food superb. It was restaurant week so they had a three course selection. My husband had the Duck Spring Roll, Chimmchuri Swordfish and Banana Pudding Layer Cake. All were top notch with lots of flavor. I ordered the Pork Chop with sweet potatoes. The chop was juicy with a sweet and tangy sauce. The whole experience was great!! We will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Diane B.

    I was glad that I had the opportunity to go to NOLA because like many I am a big fan of Emeril Lagasse. The host and hostess were quite charming and made me feel welcomed. The service was excellent and our waitress was quite helpful. I had the garlic crusted drum fish, which was good but not outstanding. I had enjoyed bread pudding at another restaurant earlier in the week and wanted to do a comparison. Instead of being served in a more rustic style where the bread was visible and textured, this bread pudding had been disappointingly been put into a mold and was thus more like a gelatin--it was not to my taste both literally and figuratively. Was I totally disappointed in NOLA, not really. But the proof of the pudding (pun intended) is would I go back to NOLA and the response is BAM! no I wouldn't.

    (3)

  • Jane C.

    Had an amazing dinner.. Legit Emeril cuisine, French quarter, beautiful cozy vibe. The service was fun friendly and very attentive. I'm sure there's no wrong way to go here, but here's what I got - free bread was mini cheddar brioche & mini jalapeño corn bread. Nothing amazing here, but good small bites of freshly baked bread - soup of the day, cauliflower bacon. This was amazing, and plenty to order split - stuffed chicken wings, delicious fun eat. They pull the bones & instead stuff with a comforty mishmosh, dipped in a very asian inspired sauce. One order comes with 3 - salmon with ratatouille couscous. The fish is skillet cooked skin on, so had the crispy against the soft. Love a perfect cooked perfectly seasoned piece of fresh fish. The accompaniment was almost as good as the fish itself - banana pie layer cake, famous for a reason, it's amazing! As for drinks, - tried a cocktail, forgot what it was called but topped with an entire bottle of Heineken. Tasted like ounch, at a point started tasting like strawberry lemonade - choose your coffee bean, we went with the first on the list. Then choose the preparation, went standard espresso. Pricey $5.50, but an amazing cup of joe Happy belly is happy indeed

    (5)

  • Cherpumple F.

    Okay, so we went with friends who were newlywed. Service-5 stars. Food? 1 star. If at all. Total tourist trap, too salty, poorly seasoned, lukewarm dishes. Dessert was also a downer...the chocolate cake and key lime tart prolly coulda been better at a local diner. Don't waste your money here, really. Take a cab, rent a bike, go to a real local place not in the quarter!

    (1)

  • Jeff M.

    We arrived around 7:30pm on a Sunday without a reservation. The place was crowded, but we were immediately greeted very pleasantly and told they would accommodate us. We were given menus, a wine list, and our server came over within a couple minutes to take our drink order. The service was great throughout between our waiter, the food runners, and a floor manager all checking on us. We both ordered Caesar salads and had the buttermilk fried breast of chicken. Portions were good and the food flavorful. A good wine list complimented the entire menu. The restaurant is two or three floors and quite large with visibility into the kitchens. It's noisy, but not overly invasive or obnoxious. We could still have a normal conversation and weren't crammed next to other tables. The restaurant is clean and well appointed. Most people were dressed on the more conservative or trendy side (a good pair of jeans works). This isn't a t-shirt kind of place, but there were a couple idiots in baseball hats who stuck out. Prices were reasonable for Emeril's, the portions, and the content. I'd go back.

    (4)

  • Nikki L.

    Not impressed for what you pay for. We go to New Orleans once a year and have a list of food places to try. We have been wanting to try Emeril Lagase's NOLA for a while. First, on a positive note, the service is excellent. 9:00 PM on a Thursday night, we were seated promptly. The hostess was friendly and didn't mind waiting for us to close out our check at the bar. We didn't plan to eat here and were not dressed up, but we still go seated. Our waitress and the bus boys for our table were friendly. And our dishes were placed in front of us and "revealed" exactly at the same time. Definitely 5 star treatment. Now, for the food. We've eaten all types of food from 5 stars to hole in the walls. This place ranks average for me. - The Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza was a simple combination (salty from the confit, earthy from the truffle oil and a hint of freshness from the arugula). I liked it. - Cornmeal crusted catfish was okay. But it paled in comparison to the excellent garlic crusted drum fish of the day. - Hickory roasted duck was average. I'm a duck snob. I didn't get the accompaniments. The cornbread pudding was like soggy cornbread and there were bits of fresh corn. Sometimes everything on the plate comes together so well, but for this dish, I didn't get it. - Shrimp and gritz. Now normally I do not like grits, but I liked the grits in here. 2 people ordered this and one loved the kick the chili oil in the dish had. For the other it was a little too spicy deemed it inedible for her. The waitress happily took it off our check. Again, great service. - Warm ooey gooey cake was a chocolate lovers dessert. Melted marshmallow, coffee ice cream and warm chocolate cake the the highlight of our meal. All in all. The place was good. Not a top pick amongst places we've been to, but a decent place to visit. Service excellent, atmosphere nice, food average (for what you pay for).

    (3)

  • Jenny S.

    One of the best meals my husband and I have ever had. Ever. The gumbo was delicious. The shrimp and grits were creamy and savory. My husband's duck was delicious. Don't even get me started on the banana cream pie. Did I mention we went over 2 years ago? That's how you know a meal is good when you still remember everything you ordered after two years. We have an upcoming trip to New Orleans and can't wait to come back for another delicious meal!

    (5)

  • AJ D.

    Went here for lunch during our New Orleans trip and I got the shrimp and grits. It was a party.in.my .mouth. Absolutely amazing. The service was great. We had the gumbo and it was just "ok" probably because the shrimp and grits was bursting with flavors. Emeril did it again!

    (5)

  • Rob H.

    slow to start but service picked up... food was great... dessert even better. you have to come here!

    (4)

  • Jonathan A.

    Came here on our final night in New Orleans. We entered and took the elevator up to the 2nd floor to our table. Great atmosphere. Upon the recommendation of my server, I got the Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken. He said that even though I could get fried chicken anywhere, it would be the best fried chicken I would ever have. It was definitely one of the best. My friends also had great entrees. For dessert, we split the Warm Ooey Gooey Cake, which was also amazing. We were so full after the meal that we never made it out to the French Quarter or anywhere else that night. Definitely recommend this place to anyone going to New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Paul N.

    Meh. That's how I feel after my first emeril experience. Was the food good? Yes. Was it amazing? No, no it wasn't at all. I'll keep this short and simple. VERY OVERPRICED. The menu, while eclectic just was expensive. The food had a "chain restaurant" feel to it. I had the ribeye (as did my wife) and my friends had the pork chops. The steak was cooked to temperature and was seasoned well, but for the price it was 5 oz too small, and just didn't "wow" me or my wife. The pork chops were actually pretty good, no complaints there. I had the bread pudding for dessert. Just a small portion for the price. For the same price at babins you get a huge piece that is much better. Also had the "official drink of New Orleans". Now I know what they did with all the leftover rocket fuel from NASA. It was 10 bucks, and could get a 18 wheeler across the state of texas. Avoid the drink at all costs. This was a huge disappointment for us. 200 bucks for dinner that should have cost 90. If you want the New Orleans experience, find it elsewhere. Happy yelping!

    (3)

  • Ashley K.

    Good Lord, this is some legit soul food. The barbecue shrimp are AMAZING. So fresh, perfectly cooked, perfect flavor. I had the seasonal gulf fish (swordfish) which was prepared with littleneck clams, rice noodles, bok choy, shitake mushrooms, and coconut curry broth. It was excellent! The flavor and texture of the coconut curry broth was to die for, and it was seasoned with cilantro which really added to the flavor. Amazing dish! Emeril really knows what's good in New Orleans!

    (5)

  • Ariana P.

    The BEST fish I have EVER HAD!! I haven't stopped thinking of the Drum since first bite. I apologized to the bartender (we ate at the bar counter-no reservations walked in and found two bar stools, SCORE!) for making so much noise while eating this meal, it was THAT GOOD. My partner in crime ordered the shrimp and grits, hers was good, but the Drum was the shining star. By far and away the best seafood dish to date, EVER. Meal was served with jalapeno cornbread and a white ciabatta type bread and butter, I used the white bread to ensure I got every bit of the sauce that came with teh drum fish, otherwise I'd have licked the plate. Saved my lady some embarrassment. We ordered the cremultex (sp?) white chocolate dessert, miss-able. ETOH: the wine list for by the glass is short, but the bodega red paired well with the drum. Lady had a mixed drink (gimlet?), not memorable. Order the Drum and try to keep your composure. Good luck with that yelpers....

    (5)

  • Aldo O.

    Good food, was sceptic due to location but I was impressed. Kinda pricy but good good overall would recommend

    (4)

  • Richard R.

    Once again the service and food was fantastic!!!!! I'm never disappointed when I come here. I took some family here for the first time and they enjoyed themselves from entering to exiting the door. The pineapple infused vodka is a must have!!

    (5)

  • Allison V.

    I only wish there were six stars for this review...A. Maz. Ing. I cannot figure out which was better-the food or the service. Everything was perfect,but when I read reviews like that it's not very helpful do I'll elaborate. My husband and I started drinks and an appetizer-I had the carnival punch and my husband had the Moscow mule and we shared the boudin balls. Amazing. I had the assorted baby lettuces which had a great vinegarette! I had the buttermilk fried chicken and my husband had the garlic crusted drum-it was the Best Fried Chicken I Have Ever Had! And the garlic crust was so tasty and light. I finished up with the warm ooey gooey cake and left completely satisfied!!!

    (5)

  • Joan L.

    Enjoyed my raw oysters! It tasted fresh and clean and it just slides in your mouth so effortlessly. All I can say it was so yummy in my tummy!

    (5)

  • Ricardo V.

    Nola is situated in the middle of the French Quarter on this quiet little street with cute French doors/windows and a glass elevator that takes you the second floor. It features rustic Louisiana favs along with some Southern staples. We decided to do multiple courses, I mean how often do you get to eat at one of Emerils restos. Neither one of us had had real "Gumbo" before. Nola's version was our favorite Gumbo of the entire trip. We also go the wood fire oven roasted duck and I had the classic shrimp and grits. My wife and I were basically licking the plates by the time we finshed. The dessert was... Read More: 2views1life.com/2013/11/…

    (5)

  • Will C.

    Service was 5/5. Food 3.5/5 Ambiance 4/5 I did not understand why most of the food had an Asian twist to it. All of our selected foods had a sweetness to it that I did not particularly like. I was expecting a more modern, light approach to NO food. All in all, it was a good experience

    (4)

  • LeAnna Q.

    My fiance and I had dinner here on a Saturday night around 8pm and we were able to be seated right away. We ordered the Prince Edward Island Black Mussels and a nightly special of gulf shrimp with roasted parsnips and greens as appetizers. For our entree we got the Hickory Roasted Duck. Both the mussels and the duck were AMAZING, but that shrimp special? Literally TWO shrimp on a bed of what looked like sauteed kale. Maybe the parsnips were crispy at one point, but as it was served they were either non-existent or buried in the pile of mystery greens. A total disappointment for $12. I definitely would have given them four stars if it were not for that. Everything else was good, but not really memorable in any way (the service, the atmosphere, etc). We would probably return for the mussels, but not much else. A-Ok it is.

    (3)

  • Kelsey W.

    We had a gift card for any of Emeril's 3 restaurants in New Orleans, so I picked the one closest to our hotel and made reservations via OpenTable. I included that it was our first wedding anniversary and we would like something a little out of the way. We got to NOLA much earlier than I anticipated but were sat right then with no wait, upstairs on the 3rd floor, and had brought a cake for dessert, which they had no trouble accommodating until our meal was over. We had Leon and Han(s?) as our wait staff and they were both impeccable. Leon is an excellent sommelier and suggested a wine for us based on what I said I like. For dinner, I had a bibb lettuce salad and my husband had the duck & Andouille gumbo to start, and I had the whiskey-caramel glazed duck and he had garlic-crusted drum. I guess you could say I'm a little difficult when I go out to eat. Technically I try to eat Paleo/Primal, but when we're out I just stick to gluten free. I asked Leon if I could switch out the buttermilk cornbread pudding that my duck came with for something else and he said, "If Emeril is in the restaurant tonight, he'll come up and have some words for you! But yes, we can absolutely give you something different." And made sure I wasn't celiac, which was great that they are up to speed on dietary restrictions! I received sweet potato mash instead, which was delicious (as was all of our dishes). Leon kept bringing over little tastes of wine for us (a white that would've paired with the fish, a red he had suggested that we didn't go with), the attentive service was wonderful! For our dessert they came out with our cake, cut us large pieces, and put candles on them so we could blow them out, Happy Anniversary to us! The table next to us held a couple who had been married 43 years and were just absolutely ecstatic that we were on our way, mentioning that in 42 years, we'd all meet back up and have a wonderful meal! I hope it's not that long before we enjoy this restaurant again!

    (5)

  • Fab O.

    The alcoholic beverages are fantastic and the food is delicious! This is a MUST if you're ever in New Orleans. The service is great too!

    (5)

  • Mandy P.

    Great vibe, great service, good food! All of the food we had was fantastic - except my steak. Decent steak but I ordered it medium rare and it was more like medium to medium well. I expected a restaurant of this caliber to be able to cook a steak correctly. Other than that, no complaints and had a great time! The stuffed wings were killer!

    (4)

  • Vincent Y.

    Very excited to come here. We had the prix fixe menu. Unfortunately the food wasn't entirely wonderful. Everything was a little too salty, a little too sauce-heavy and not entirely recommendable. I really enjoyed the shrimp and grits and the chocolate bread pudding but again the food could've been found elsewhere -- and not at such high price points. IT's nice to come here for the experience of eating at one of Emeril's restaurants but you can certainly find more nuanced food for the price point and the same food at a lower price point. +2 stars for food. +1 star for service. The service here is excellent and we were sure to leave them a great tip, because of their friendliness and attentiveness.

    (3)

  • April M.

    Definitely not the place for a romantic dinner. As we were being seated we advised the hostess we were celebrating our 21st anniversary, she said she would be sure to inform our waiter. 3 waiters to a table and not only did we have to wait 10 minutes to order a second cocktail but another 10 minutes before it arrived. The food was excellent, but the place is very noisy and our waiter not very personable, and no, he did not acknowledge our anniversary. $250 not very well spent!!! Will not return!!

    (2)

  • Sabrina D.

    My coworker recommended that I go to any one of Emeril's restaurant's while I was on vacation in New Orleans. I definitely loved NOLA. The wait was practically non-existant. (But make reservations, and I recommend dining on any day other than a weekend!) We were immediately taken to a glass elevator and seated on the 2nd floor. The wait staff was excellent. They brought out some brioche and jalapeno cornbread. I alerted the waiter to my jalapeno allergy, and he removed the cornbread, and was able to let me know if my dish had jalapenos and was able to make adjustments accordingly. For an appetizer, we ordered the pocket bread, which was garlicky, and buttery, and our next-table neighbors asked what it was so they could order it as well! I ordered the duck, which was heavenly. It came with green beans and a cornbread stuffing that had jalapenos. I asked for it to come on the side so I could see how spicy it was, and it wasn't all that bad, so I chanced it and had no problems. The cornbread stuffing was stuffing was good, even though I am not a stuffing fan. The green beans were wonderful, my only complaint is I would've liked more of them; however, there was so much food it didn't matter in the long run. My companion ordered the steak, which was good. He told me he really enjoyed this dinner. (However, we had steak in a dive joint later in the week that topped this, and the price also was much nicer.) We ordered sorbet for dessert: blueberry-plum. It was strange but definitely delicious. Who knew that those flavors went together so well? Emeril, of course! I would definitely like to return to this or others of his restaurants and give more dishes a try.

    (4)

  • Adam D.

    Wow! This was my first experience at one of Emeril's restaurants. The complementary jalapeño bread was a little dry but the bleu cheese bread was awesome. For appetizers, we had the veggie pizza and the NOLA salad. Both had great flavor. For entrees, we went with the cedar plank drum and the smoked rabbit and andouille étouffée. I highly recommend both. One minor criticism on the rabbit: it had kind of a peppery finish and it was served with a black pepper biscuit. I would have preferred more of a sweeter bread to offset the peppery finish of the rabbit. Overall, the staff was very friendly and helpful and the prices were reasonable. Dinner for two with a bottle of wine came to $130. This is probably the most casual of Emeril's 3 restaurants in New Orleans so I would go here if you're looking for a relaxed environment and not looking to spend a ton of money.

    (4)

  • Jeff K.

    The food underwhelmed for the price. A $30 pork entree shouldn't be just meh. It's pork! Its a cheeper meat and so forgiving! This place isn't worth a 2nd visit for me....I'll even suggest not even a 1st visit for you.

    (2)

  • sheila m.

    This restaurant was amazing,,,great over the top food, impeccable service like you were a dignitary, superb wine list. Best meal and dining experience while visiting New Orleans. Would definitely go back time and again. Great job Nola!

    (5)

  • Francesca G.

    NOLA's namesake is certainly a staple in the city. The staff provides attentive service with a smile. The noise level for brunch was moderate. We had reservations and were seated immediately upon arrival. The bi-level dining room is bright and open, but the second level has more ambiance. I was blown away by the Duck Confit Pizza my first time at Nola so this time I decided to try the Shrimp and Grits. I'm sad to say I wasn't really blown away. I love creamy grits, but these were a bit too creamy with not a lot of texture. The shrimp were small and nothing to write home about. My friend had the fried chicken. The flavor was great and the chicken was delicate and juicy the only downside was the chicken's crust. When cutting into the chicken the crust fell off...not quite the perfect bite you'd expect. If you're a fan of Maryland style lump crab cakes I'd suggest by passing the crab cake app. The Boudin Balls were great and would certainly recommend those. Overall it was a good dining experience.

    (3)

  • G M.

    Excellent food and service. First floor is the kitchen and dining, second floor is dining and the third floor is the bakery. Food was very good with nice sauces. The deserts were fabulous. They make everything from scratch in the bakery and you could tell in the flavors and textures.

    (4)

  • M M.

    Lunched here on February 9th. It's been 2 years since we were last here and the luster has worn off some. Enjoyed more shrimp & grits; can't seem to get enough. Ãœber sweet smokey BBQ sauce overpowers but still a good dish (would've been 4 stars if it weren't so freakin sweet). Server was great, helpful, funny & quite the salesman because he did a bang up job of selling the s'more chocolate cake which was fine but not all that.

    (3)

  • Angel E.

    This is a very commercial, middle of the road eatery. The food is not bad, however, it is overpriced due to the owner's status. The restaurant itself gets extremely loud and it is not for people who want to dine and enjoy a whole dining experience - food, drink, conversation, service, good times. At our table of 2, we were constantly being rushed into the next step of the meal and by the time we were served our entrees, we could not hear each other. The restaurant most definitely does not have fine dining feel to it, nor does the staff know what fine dining really is. A good example of it was the menu I was given - it was wet at the top. 3 people were waiting on us and there was a lot of miscommunication between the 3 which slowed service down. We are glad we have tried it and we do not feel the need to come back.

    (3)

  • Stefanie B.

    We went to dinner here on Monday 10/6 and everything we had was delish! John and justin were two of our servers and they took excellent care of us. One of our party couldn't decide on the entree, so John choose for her, and she couldn't have been happier! The appetizers we had were the boudin balls, BBQ shrimp, and stuffed chicken wings. The BBQ shrimp was our favorite. The entrees we got were the shrimp and grits, the drum, the pork chop, and the duck- you will not go wrong with any of these!!!! Our dessert was amazing as well. We once again put our tasting fate in johns hands and asked for the two best desserts. He brought us the Ooey Gooey dessert and the drunken monkey ice cream-both were phenomenal!!! The atmosphere and over all service was top notch. I will definitely be back soon!!

    (5)

  • Rachel D.

    Yes, this place is where all the tourists go. I'll admit, I am one of them. The "Barbecued Shrimp with Rosemary Biscuit" is so delectable that every time we visit New Orleans I must come have it! Cocktails are on point too. Fish is usually cooked perfectly, although sometimes the food can be a bit salty to my palate. Service is impeccable, restaurant is beautiful, everything's groovy.

    (4)

  • James L.

    My wife and I had a great dining experience at NOLA. Loved the food and the service was top notch. We did not have reservations on a Saturday night but had a chance to sit at the Chefs table looking into the kitchen. It was really entertaining to watch their talented staff. In walking distance from Bourbon Street. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Brenda D.

    There is nothing bad to say about this place. We had several changes in quantity to our party and they were so accommodating even though they were booked solid. So a big thank you to them for their understanding. The service was impecible and the food exquisite. The BBQ gulf shrimp appetizer is a must have. I loved my Heirloom tomato salad which was a seasonal special. I don't know if I can even describe how wonder the drum fish is. The only think I can say is we all when "ahhhh" after the first bite. It is beyond description for taste. Now for dessert....we ordered 4 desserts and the Peanut Butter and jelly dessert was the hit of the table. Yes, that's right - it was better than the banana shooter, the keylime pie, the banana pudding layer cake and the chocolate brownie. Emeril even came in the night we were there but we all missed him because as techies, we were all on our phones - yep, 10 feet from us and we didn't see him. Big bummer - we would have loved to thank him for this restaurant! If these chefs can make PB&J taste that good, you won't be dissapointed in anything you order.

    (5)

  • Catie A.

    PERFECTION. From the second I walked in until we went to leave, this experience was perfection. You must eat the stuffed chicken wings. In fact, you must slap yourself very hard if you d not eat the stuffed chicken wings because they are amazingly delicious. AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS.

    (5)

  • Zachariah C.

    Brought my mother here, on mothers day. Was the worst dinning experience I've ever had. They have a small menu to start off with. Then our waiter shows up and tells us that they are out of three menu items. The guy is a famous chef you should never run out of any menu items. I would recommend McDonalds over this place. What a joke this Mr. Lagasse is

    (1)

  • Michael F.

    Amazing!!! Shrimp Remoulade appetizer was delicious. I ordered the drum... Without a doubt the most flavorful entree I have had in quite some time. I couldn't stop saying "Oh, my God!" My fiancée ordered the shrimp and grits and they were also delicious! Service was impeccable. I want to hide out in the kitchen for a day and steal their recipes!

    (5)

  • Laura G.

    WOW - I was really suprised at how good this was - I thought it would be good but WOW. I took a friend here for her birthday - from the greeting we received at the hostess stand to our waiter, others who came by to say hello - is it being from Los Angeles or are people in the South MUCH nicer? Big, well thought out wine list! For the best values go to Italy - our bottle was GREAT and priced right. Although you could easily drop a couple hundred (or much more) on a bottle. I like the diversity of this list. A bartender at one of the MANY bars we visited told us that NOLA was the best of the 3 Emeril restaurnats - well that's good because I reserved this one! She said no matter what we had to try the Miss Hay's stuffed wings. They were spectacular! Boneless wings stuffed with pork, mushrooms and something else with a great dipping sauce. Next we had the special - Scallops with fried peaches. Perfectly cooked and an oddly great combo. I'm not a fruit with my food type of gal but it worked. The Rib Eye with the Patatas Bravas and Chimichurri was memorable - what a great dish, cooked perfectly with a phenominal Chimichurri sauce. Damn - it was really really good. The warm Ooey Gooey Cake with Moist Chocolate Cake, Marshmallows, Toasted Coconut, Coffee Ice Cream is rich and as the name implies - OOEY GOOEY! Two of us shared all of the above and it was PLENTY. Would I return? YES.

    (5)

  • Gary W.

    This was the best meal we have eaten in New Orleans. From the very start the service was impeccable. The waiters all work well in unison as they deliver your plates at exactly the same time. They are also very entertaining. The only negative was how often my water was getting topped up, no need for a top up every time I take a sip! The dishes themselves were excellent with well balanced flavours. We started with the stuffed chicken wings to share. For the entree my wife had the shrimp and grits which was pretty good while I had the special (seared tuna) with cheesy polenta which was cooked to perfection. The dishes aren't the biggest which was OK for us as we then had room for dessert. The creme brulee trio and the banana layered cake really topped of a great occasion. Both desserts would be very hard to beat. I would highly recommend this restaurant for both the atmosphere and quality of food produced.

    (5)

  • David H.

    The crab bisque and quail appetizers were awesome! The duck, ribeye and shrimp and grits were off the hook. (Yea I tasted all!) dessert was amazing!!

    (5)

  • Matthew R.

    One of my favorite restaurants to go to when I am in new Orleans. The service and the food are both excellent. My favorite is the shrimp and grits. Good wine list, and a good desert menu complete the experience. It does get crowded, so reservations are a must.

    (5)

  • Sarah M.

    Eh. I was disappointed in NOLA. Our server was fabulous, I liked the space, the drinks were great, but the food was not. It was almost too sweet?? We had the crab cake, the fried chicken, and the shrimp and grits. All contained some element that made them a little two sweet. Strange.

    (2)

  • Jay S.

    The cocktails are slightly above average, the wine list extensive. We had the duck confit pizza for an appetizer and it was AMAZING. The entrees were just average (garlic crusted drum and shrimp and grits). We had one bottle of wine ($36), two cocktails, an appetizer, two entrees and a dessert with two espressos and the tab was $160 + tip Honestly, I expected a little more from a restaurant bearing the name of Emeril Lagasse.

    (3)

  • Julie M.

    The dinner, service, atmosphere, drinks and company were wonderful. I split the beef carpaccio and mussels for starters and both tasted terrific, especially the mussels which were cooked in a ham and bacon broth. There were plenty of them, too. Friends also ordered the gumbo and said it was great. For my entree I ordered the drumfish, which was really good but a bit heavy for my liking. I enjoyed the Pretty Rickt cocktail a lot, but others with me ordered the night's specialty drink, a blend of iced tea and blueberry, and said it was too sweet and syrupy. Overall though all of had a very fine time and would surely want to come back!

    (4)

  • Paula H.

    Staff was gr8. Was not fan of the goat cheese dressing at all. We had the pork chop & sweet potato. It was very good but the sweet potato slices were not cooked throughly. Some pieces were & some were not.

    (3)

  • T P.

    Our reservation was made for 3pm through Yelp however NOLA was not open at the time we reserved (lunch ended at 2, dinner began at 6). The bar was open however and the hostess and manager could not have been more apologetic. They offered to open up the kitchen despite the obvious error on the end of the reservation service. We happily rescheduled our reservation for their opening time. Upon returning to NOLA the manager and hostess were extremely welcoming. The manager engaged in a sweet banter with my children and even accommodated my son's request to be seated on the top floor. The atmosphere is classic exposed brick without looking contrived. The stuffed chicken wings were recommended by our waiter Raymond. The crab cake rounded out our appetizers. Both were so flavorful and delicious. I am not a chicken wing fan however the stuffed wings were awesome! Raymond also recommended the duck and fried chicken, neither of which would be our typical dinner choices. Raymond's description of both entrees made them sound irresistible. Our dinner arrived hot and in a timely manner. Both dinners were creative and so delicious! The service was all around impressive. Our water glasses never went even remotely dry and the table was kept crumbed and clean. I highly, highly recommend NOLA!!!

    (5)

  • Brian P.

    Don't miss this spot... Best meal we had in New Orleans during our trip there in November and a memorable night made even more special by our two waiters who went above, beyond and back again to make it special. Had the revel on menu with entrees of stuffed quail and veal chop... I could go on to every detail but I will go back if I am in New Orleans... Awesome...thanks Nola staff and of course Mr. Bam ;)

    (5)

  • Eunice K.

    NOLA was a restaurant recommended to me over and over again - one of Emeril's gems in New Orleans' French Quarters. Glad that I made reservations weeks in advance because the restaurant was PACKED! Came here with a few coworkers and we ordered a variety of plates and shared. Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken ($27) 3 big fried chicken breast pieces was served on top of bourbon mashed sweet potatoes, sauteed sugar snap peas, topped with country ham cream gravy. The chicken breast slices were very thick, and unfortunately the first piece we cut into was RAW. Ugh! Raw chicken! We sent the plate back right away - the servers were very apologetic. Unfortunately it took them almost 15-20 min to have a fresh plate back out to us so one person had to eat alone - totally rushed! Plus - the food wasn't spectacular - maybe it was the raw chicken effect. Grilled Pork Chop ($29) A GIGANTIC pork chop on top of brown sugar glazed sweet potatoes topped with toasted pecans and caramelized onion reduction sauce. Beautiful presentation! The pork chop was delicious but probably due to the huge size, was a little dry. Plus we ordered ours done (and probably should have ordered it medium). My coworkers complained that the sweet potatoes were too sweet for an entree side - but I polished them off :) Garlic Crusted Drum ($30) A nice piece of breaded drum cooked to a crispy texture on a wood burning oven. Drum was served with brabant potatoes, crimini mushrooms, and bacon. I'm a little biased here because I personally don't like the texture of the drum - it's a chewy, wet fish (I like my fish flaky or meaty). But the garlic breading was flavorful and crispy. This dish was a favorite around the table - just not for me! Decaf Cappuccino ($5.50) We saw so many people order a cappuccino or espresso - so we keeled! Delicious way to end the night - a nice, creamy, rich cappuccino! Prices range from $5-12 NOLA Banana Pudding Layer Cake ($7) Loved all the banana pudding in NOLA so had to order this dessert - and talk about layers. This cake had so many delicious layers of banana pudding, banana, cream, graham cracker crust - then repeat! All drizzled with chocolate fudge! DELICIOUS! Not too sweet - perfect for my taste buds! All in all, NOLA is a beautiful restaurant with excellent service. Perfect for a special occasion. Nothing like fancy comfort food!

    (3)

  • Ervin H.

    What a delicious piece of fish! Not only is the garlic crusted drum tender, flavorful, and delicious, but all the bacon bits make it even more satisfying. I am not talking about bacon bites you buy from the store. These are if I can say charred with a crunchy and salty compliment to the fish. With my meal being wonderful, the wifey ordered their special seafood dish, but I would have to say my dish topped hers off. We came here seeing all the rave reviews on Yelp, and left content knowing my fellow Yelpers hit this place right on the spot. The restaurant may seem small but it justifies what all the restaurants in this area are like. We were greeted by the hostess and maitre d with a wonderful smile, and the service was top notch. The maitre d recommended the chicken wings for an appetizer, and I was like, "I don't want chicken wings in NOLA!" However, he insisted these are not ordinary chicken wings, and he was right. Crispy but tender in the inside, but packed with flavor. This was a wonderful dinner to begin our trip. It is pricey, but great for a special occasion.

    (5)

  • Heather S.

    I'm a huge fan of Emeril's restaurants and NOLA is no exception. The food is stellar and worth every penny. I had the Louisiana Drum Fish which was large, crispy, and garlicky, and I ate every bite. We also tried the stuffed chicken wings, which were out of this world. The peach melba/raspberry baked alaska was just ok - the outside was too sticky and not light and fluffy. It was like eating a warm marshmallow, which sounds good, but wasn't really. The cosmos had literally no alcohol in them. I should know - I'm a lightweight and I had 3...no effect. Also the tables upstairs are super close together - you might as well be sharing your table with the couple next to you. This is a place you go for the appetizers and entrees...I could have skipped the drinks and dessert entirely and probably given the place 5 stars. But don't hestitate to visit it if you're a food lover in NOLA!

    (4)

  • Pete F.

    Third time there on Friday and the entrees were disappointing - not so with the other visits - service was excellent as we're the Sazeraca

    (3)

  • chris t.

    One of the best meals I had in New Orleans. I had the gumbo, chicken wings, and we ate upstairs. Service was fantastic.

    (5)

  • Amey R.

    You will not be disappointed. If you are looking for a fine dining experience, without the feeling like you might be under-dressed then this is a great place to go. Wait staff is extremely attentive. Stuffed chicken wings, beet salad, pork chop, fried chicken and key, lime pie were all delightful!

    (5)

  • Dana E.

    Emeril really IS that good!! Tried the stuffed chicken wing appetizer because of Yelp reviews and it was impressive. Truly creative and with an unexpected blend of flavors. The Gazepacho was spectacular. It had a smokey roasted flavor that wasn't overpowering. The Catfish entree was amazing. Traditional cornmeal coating but not greasy or heavy. The crown jewel was dessert...The Elvis. Just get it. You will lick the plate if no one is looking.

    (5)

  • Anastasia T.

    Honestly, if I had known that this is Emeril's restaurant I wouldn't have gone...Not that I have a problem with the guy, but he is way over-exposed and over-stretched to be a good restaurateur and keeping track of all his sh-- But as I once again realized, prejudice is not a good thing. It would have kept me from a magnificent foodie reward. My friend and I were wandering around NOLA trying to avoid Bourbon Street and walked in this place cause the menu looked good. We had no reservations (Friday evening) but thankfully there were two (only two) empty spots at the bar, where we could be served a full menu. As I was looking at the wine list and saw "Emeril's Chardonnay" I got it. Oh, boy, now he has his own wine? Anyway, I guess that's a different way of saying: house wine. Our barman/server was very helpful with the wine as well as the menu selection items. We got the beef carpaccio salad which was fantastic...Great start! The barman suggested the pork chop because it is their most popular item, so I got that, although I never order pork chop when I dine out and I hardly if ever make it at home (although I like pork). What an excellent suggestion. The meat was juicy and tender and had a slight smokey and sweet taste (it was brown-sugar glazed). My friend got the duck which was also good, but the buttermilk bread-pudding that came with it was even better. We also ordered desert: the creme brulee trio, and each of the three samples was better than the other. This was my best meal in NOLA. It was...baaam! (I used to find "baaam" obnoxious and look at me know!)

    (5)

  • Diana P.

    A great restaurant choice when visiting NOLA and we heard the same from others who were vacationing too. I had the 5 course summer tasting menu and would HIGHLY recommend that when coming here. Awesome shrimp and grits. I don't eat meat so they just took out the bacon bits, which was really great they could do. My husband had the stuffed chicken and said it was very unique and tasty. The pizza appetizer (vegetarian) was delicious because they make it in a brick oven. Prices reasonable here, for an Emeril restaurant. We asked the host if he's ever there and they said once in a while which makes me believe he only has his name attached and not much else. Either way, we enjoyed our meal. Atmosphere is lively, open space, friendly waiters and very well trained. Will def be back here next time in town.

    (4)

  • Jackie G.

    The service here was impeccable! The stuffed chicken wings, recommended by our awesome server, was definitely the highlight of the meal. We ordered the steak for the entree and it was fair, nothing spectacular. For dessert, we had the banana cream cake, which was so moist and delicious. Wish we could've met Emeril on our visit!

    (4)

  • Ken K.

    I just love NOLA, period. It has a great bar, and a modern-retro cool elevator....and the food is very, very good. We had appetizers at the bar, and they were de-lish as always. Last year, we hosted 33 clinicians for lunch, upstairs....they do a very, very good job with large groups. It is, without a doubt, a complete restaurant....they do it all so very well.

    (5)

  • Kristen S.

    For our first meal in New Orleans, this was a great choice. The building is beautiful inside, with preserved brick walls, white linen tablecloths and warm lighting. It is an upscale restaurant that still manages to keep the rich local flavors of New Orleans authentic to the core. It's nice, not stuffy. I ordered the specialty vodka martini cocktail and it was refreshing and light with the right amount of sweetness. We shared the BBQ Shrimp appetizer which was also tasty. For an entree I ordered the Shrimp & Grits, which was SO delicious! The cheddar grits were cheesy, comforting and everything that awesome grits should be. The shrimp were plump and tender and paired with smoky, thick-cut bacon bits and an amazing sauce drizzle in the middle. Whatever it was, was just perfect. I also want to acknowledge the great service we had from two young men who gave us a proper welcome to the South. When I asked where the restrooms were, he escorted me by the arm - what a gentleman! Since my sister was the bachelorette (I mentioned this in the reservation), they comp'd a layered banana pudding cake for her and put a candle in it and we all took a bite. It was surprisingly light and fluffy with a yummy fudge sauce and whipped cream. I would definitely recommend NOLA for a special evening in New Orleans!

    (4)

  • Lynsee T.

    Made reservations to NOLA on Sunday evening as we were there for a convention this past weekend and our table was ready and waiting for us upon arrival (which was 15 minutes earlier than our reservation). I regret not ordering the stuffed chicken wings as I've read some great reviews but I shared the Wood Oven Roasted Pocket Bread, which was warm and crispy on the edges but soft in the middle and pretty good. I know, I know...it was shared with a very picky, non-foodie eater. I then had the beet salad which was tossed in a light oil based vinaigrette with petite greens and crispy country ham. I could have done without the greens because the beets were so tender and flavorful. I had the hickory roasted duck in a whiskey caramel glaze with candied pecans which came with haricot verts and cornbread pudding. The duck was AMAZING!!! It was rich, falling off the bone, and cooked perfectly. The waitress told me it was prepared in a 3-day process and I could tell by the depth of flavor. The cornbread pudding was good and the haricot verts were nothing to write home about. For dessert I had a featured special which was a blueberry upside down cake with a nice lemon ice cream/sherbert. I also took a nibble of one of my dining partners' coconut creme brûlée which was great, too. The service was fantastic and the prices were very reasonable for a nicer French Quarter dining experience. I was half expecting Emeril to jump out from behind the kitchen, but no luck there. Oh...and we sat on the first floor that overlooked the entirely open kitchen. Some may be turned off by that but I appreciated the hustle and bustle and transparency. All in all a great dining experience and I will be back the next time I'm in NOLA!

    (5)

  • Duane G.

    Great dinner with my wife and business partner. Wonderful New Orleans flair, great service and wine ... can't really beat that.

    (4)

  • Charles B.

    Repeat patron when I am in town because the food is always good and consistent. I get the blackened chicken Alfredo.

    (5)

  • Dennis D.

    The food was good, but the service was excellent which made up for my mediocre selection of the "Shrimp & Grits".

    (4)

  • Angela R.

    Great food excellent service. I love the shrimp and grits. It was my birthday .. Thought it was a little tacky they charged me for my dessert. Other than that was an awesome dinner.

    (4)

  • Melissa M.

    I wanted to love NOLA. It was the one place I made reservations for when we were in New Orleans. I was excited to try one of Emeril's restaurants. The service was spectacular. They placed a black napkin on my lap to match my dress. My appetizer was good - it had tomatoes, avocado and mango. Then came my entree. I got the pork chop. I don't know what was wrong but it was the worst thing I ever put in my mouth. It didn't taste like pork. It was dripping in fat and it was surrounded by barely cooked sweet potatoes. I literally couldn't eat it and I eat everything. I never send anything back. But, the chef came by and asked what was wrong and I just blurted out that I didn't like it. So, they took it away and didn't charge me for it. They didn't offer to get me a different entree. But, I shared my husband's chicken with whipped sweet potatoes. That was very good. For dessert, we had cream cheese beignets. So, overall, it was good even though the entree left me a little disappointed.

    (3)

  • Steven W.

    We were seated immediately upon arriving but were left sitting for around 10 minutes without receiving anything - including menus or water. After the server was attentive to our table, however, we were well looked after. We placed our lunch orders and then waited around 40 minutes before the orders reached the table. The braised pork cheek po-boy that I ordered was well cooked, but lacked adequate seasoning for my taste, leaving the sandwich somewhat bland. Other members of the party enjoyed their meals and the birthday girl in the party was treated to a dessert gratis. Overall, the experience was pleasant, but the long wait times severely detracted from the rating.

    (3)

  • Rachel E.

    This was a true fine dinning experience! They were super friendly and helpful when I told them I was vegan. The chef made me a special, not on menu, vegan meal and it was amazing!! I appreciate their willingness to accommodate!

    (5)

  • Beth S.

    One of our best restaurant experiences yet. First, the atmosphere. French Quarter. Great exposed brick walls, two-story room with an upstairs loft that overlooks the main floor. Service was fantastic. Our waiter, Raymond, took excellent care of us, with great food suggestions and a super personality. We started with Emeril's Barbecued Gulf Shrimp with Rosemary Biscuit appetizer, which we split. Oh, my goodness. Never had such an amazing combo of fresh, delicious shrimp and a sauce to die for. Dark, rich and spicy, it complemented the shrimp perfectly and we left not a morsel. Wine selection was so-so, but we did find a nice Malbec to enjoy. Would have loved to have seen more chardonnays and cabs, but the Malbec was yummy. Then we split the Iceberg Wedge Salad with Cucumber, Sweet Onion, Housemade Pancetta and Smoked Blue Cheese Dressing. I'm not a huge bleu cheese fan, but this salad was amazing and enough for two. For entrees, I had the Garlic Crusted Drum Cooked in the Wood Burning Oven with Brabant Potatoes, Crimini Mushrooms, Bacon and Sauce Beurre Rouge. Ohhh, my. I started to pass on this, as I'd just had drum the night before, but Raymond convinced me it was awesome, and Raymond was right. Amazing. The mushrooms had a smoky flavor, and it was all I could do to keep Jim from swiping them from my plate. The fish was tender, flaky and light, and the crust was perfect. Beautiful dish. Jim had the Grilled Pork Chop with Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potatoes, Toasted Pecans and Caramelized Onion Reduction Sauce, which they call "Jurassic Pork," and they were right for sure. He loved the pork and the sweet potatoes, but may or may not have secretly coveted my drum. We skipped dessert, but we didn't need it. We both count this meal as one of the best ever, both for the French Quarter experience and the food itself. A definite must-do if you're in New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Char Y.

    came for dinner and ordered miss hays stuffed chicken wings gumbo of the day hickory roasted duck seriously wonderful duck!!!

    (4)

  • Carrington W.

    We were a table of 5 for lunch and shared the shrimp remoulade with homemade fried pickles which was great. Sauce was perfect, but only one bite each! For entrées the chicken breast was very good, bot nothing to yell about. Shrimp and Grits was fantastic and quite rich. My son had the pork cheek po boy which was really good too. But clearly the star of the show was the Garlic Crusted Drum. Luckily that was my plate! Maybe this was the best piece of fish preparation I have ever had. The citrus butter sauce was indescribable. The atmosphere was a great mix of upscale converted loft feel, but I did not feel shy about wearing casual clothes. The service was very good too with 2 waitstaff assigned to our table. This was our best meal of a short 2 day culinary tour of New Orleans. I will definitely be back to NOLA, especially for this fish.

    (4)

  • Alison T.

    Came here with coworkers over the 4th of July weekend at the recommendation of a local. Amazing food, amazing drinks, amazing service! Everyone in our group loved their dish, even the picky eaters. Only disappointment was that no one had room to try a dessert, which sounded divine. Some of the group went back a few days later because they loved it so much. This is definitely my new favorite restaurant in New Orleans! A must try place if you're in New Orleans!

    (5)

  • Olga T.

    NOLA was HANDS DOWN MY FAVORITE MEAL IN NOLA! WOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!! I was completely blown away by the service, preparation & overall experience that we had. Honestly, this New Yorker was seriously impressed!!!! Exceptional from beginning to end!!! Highly recommended......they're worth ever 5 star review they get.

    (5)

  • Marco D.

    Unromantic place to spend an anniversary. The food was delicious; however, we had to yell across the table to hear what the other person was saying (noting that everyone was yelling), acoustics need to be fixed in this place. So we dined without speaking hoping the rest of the second floor would do the same to get the noise level to a decent point. The other nearby table, with a large group, had the misfortune of having a cockroach drop from the airvent behind them. One of the waiters, the only female in the bunch, had no problem stomping and picking it up - not practically running as the other guys did. Few minutes later, another one drops and scuttles in our direction; I pinned it under my shoe until the female waiter took it away. I yelled loudly to my wife "Dinner and a Show".

    (3)

  • Michelle H.

    The best dining experience I had in New Orleans! The service was fabulous. As soon as we got there, there were 3 waiters by our table to serve us. Between 4 girls we ordered 2 appetizers, 4 entrees, 2 sides and 2 desserts. (I won't list the number of drinks we ordered) I recommend: -BBQ gulf shrimp (appetizer): great flavor! -The drum (fish) with potatoes (entree): crispy, filling, and light. Perfect amount to continue with dessert. -Trio of creme brûlée (dessert): you get a taste of 3 great flavors. Very easy to share. This was by far my favorite dinner in the city. Service and food are 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Morrissey S.

    Class, sophistication and flavor is what this restaurant is all about. The atmosphere is amazing with great service. Emeril lived up to his standards. The food was amazing. Highly recommend the stuffed chicken wings and the rib eye was out of this world. Complement your dinner experience with a bottle of Burgess Cabernet from Napa. Make reservations!

    (4)

  • Gigi M.

    I had the duck smoked dish it was magnificent. And the waiters and waitresses were so kind and sweet to me love the ambiance of the place everything was over all A+ will come again

    (5)

  • Tom K.

    We love NOLA so giving it four stars is actually a bit of a let down for us. I have eaten here about 5 times and will go back again, however. As usual the service was top notch. Very attentive, informative, friendly. On a consistent basis this is some of the best service we have had time after time. Thanks Alan. My concern on this go around was in a consistent theme in the food. Had Miss Hayes stuffed wings - really good and fun. Wife had the beet salad and it was killer. Duck and Andouille gumbo(tons of duck in the gumbo((yum)) ). Entrees were Shrimp and Grits and the Drum fish. In everything other than the wings and salad, the salt content just seemed a bit to high. There was bacon or sausage in each of the dishes and it seemed like the salt content in those cured meats took the dish over the top. The same could be said of the spice rub on the Shrimp, it just overpowered the subtle flavors. Banana Pudding Cake and a great wine selection were nice additions to the meal. Really like NOLA. We will be back. For the price expect 5 star food to match the 5 star service but the food on this night was only 4.

    (4)

  • Suzy J.

    LOVED NOLA! It was one of the highlights of our trip! Service was excellent and the food was worth every fattening bite and penny! -Brioche was delicious and soft, jalapeno corn bread was the only downfall. Super salty and dry :( -Stuffed chicken wings- one of the highlights of the meal. Highly recommend -Crawfish pasta app- one of the best pasta dishes I've had -Glazed duck dish- so moist and the candied pecans were a nice touch -Shrimp and grits- spicy, cheesy, fattening and delicious -Salmon with Couscous- also delicious -Apple cider drink special- light and aromatic Definitely coming back here if I come to NOLA again.

    (5)

  • La H.

    I was skeptical about this place having gone to other Emeril restaurants and being totally disappointed. But this place surprised me a bit. Let's start with our service. The waiter was a bit of a jokester and took a picture of him and another waitress with my camera before they took pictures for us. He could see I was not amused the whole night and tried very hard to please me. He was cute and slowly started to get on my good side. He took note of all my allergies and said "so basically you're going to have water." Haha I know I'm difficult, but whatever. He did keep note of every allergy and made changes for me everywhere that needed. He made an error with the cappuccino I ordered and brought me white sugar instead of brown raw sugar. I was totally okay with it, but he brought me a whole new cappuccino so that was nice. I tipped him will, but rather have pinched his butt instead. Food: Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza with Parmesan Cheese, Truffle Oil and Baby Arugula - Tasty! Also I had the salmon with the cheesy grits and that was awesome. ChuBear had the Pork Chops or something with pork and it was great. Eugene had some fish that was awesome and Ro C had the duck. Everything was great. For dessert I ordered the bread pudding and it was orgasmic. I'd say besides my attitude, the experience was worthwhile. The ambiance not so much - exposed brick, not so authentic. I would go here again, but I cannot bring myself to give this place more than four stars.

    (4)

  • Brian L.

    Excellent!!! No reservation - walked in, sat in front of chefs, at bar, great service, Incredible food, and equally incredible wine list!!! A Must!!

    (4)

  • Sagar K.

    After waiting to go to this restaurant for so long the opportunity presented itself on Halloween. Boy was it a scary experience! When I walked in the door, with the wrong attire (shorts), I was treated differently. I was sent to dine on the second floor with all the other misfits, even though the whole of the ground floor was empty. Furthermore constantly asked whether it was my first time there. As in many other fine dining places more than one waiter was serving me, but the number of times they came to the table was slightly disconcerting. The soup of the day was a pumpkin soup with roast duck which was quite good-- a Halloween special of sorts. For entree I ordered the shrimp and grits just to see what it would taste like in a finer dining place. However it was not one of the better shrimp and grits I have had. So bottom line is: decent food, slightly overpriced, snooty fine dining experience. Might still give it one more shot. Could have been an off night.

    (3)

  • Katie S.

    Crab cakes have a good taste but a little too rich to have as a meal. The bread pudding is amazing!

    (4)

  • Victor H.

    An Emeril Lagasse restaurant. Note: this review is for a large party. The event coordinator got the job done, however I can't say that she was the most accommodating. Once the contract was signed, we never really spoke after that. Considering that it was $2300, I expected more follow-up, and at least a thank you. At any rate, onto the normal review... Food: - BBQ Gulf shrimp - very flavorful with plump shrimp. However, for this dish, the best is at Mr. B's (no competition). - Shrimp and grits - definitely a must-try at this restaurant. The grits weren't too grainy or soggy. The texture was just right. As for the sauce, it was pretty good. - Banana pudding layer cake - hands down, very memorable. You'd regret it, if you didn't try this tasty treat. Service: Our two servers were just incredible (so sorry, can't remember the name to give them credit) (event was on 10/22/13, 6pm, if this helps). They were super sharp with the orders, the timing and even the anecdotes. All of the guests felt very comfortable with them. My only complaint is that he went against my request, and upsold the $13 NOLA Cosmo to everyone. Can't really blame him, since his gratuity is completely based on a more expensive tab, however I'd prefer it if the drinks alone weren't over $600. I'd definitely return with family and friends, but probably not with a large party again. Don't get me wrong, the coordinator was fine. But the stresses of an organizer should receive some form of follow-up (after the signatures and the event) to make me want to bring my large party back.

    (4)

  • Michelle S.

    Fabulous dining experience, the server greeted our party by name and made sure our every need was tended to. The BBQ shrimp was amazing and the pork chop melted in my mouth. The pan seared salmon was light and refreshing. The warm ooey gooey cake was decadent and delicious. Don't miss this restaurant on your trip.

    (5)

  • Matt R.

    Very disappointed. After posting my review, I received a message the next day from the restaurant asking for my direct contact information so they could follow up with me. I was encouraged by their interest, so I provided my contact info, thinking maybe our server was an anomaly that they wanted to hear about. I was told I would hear from their general manager, and indeed, he emailed me to set up a time to talk (the following week, since he was on vacation). We set up a day (now several days ago), and I never heard from him again, by phone or email. It makes me think the (lack of) service attitude I experienced at the restaurant maybe stems from the top. Perhaps since this is Emeril's casual restaurant, service isn't as much of a priority here? Interestingly, as I've mentioned this experience to friends who travel to New Orleans, a few of the more recent visitors to Nola report bad experiences with either service and/or food, and said that the restaurant is definitely slipping. In any event, I won't patronize any Emeril establishment in the future.

    (1)

  • Alexandra V.

    It was a great New Orleans experience! Had the best crab cake of my life, and the shrimp and grits tasted better with every bite (and I don't like grits). The service was great, with the minor critique that one of the servers kept calling me sweetie. Stop that. But it was awesome.

    (5)

  • Antaash U.

    Bam! This place ended our trip to New Orleans on a very high note. We should have known how great the food would be here when it was near impossible to get reservations before 9:30pm! Because dinner never worked out, we went to NOLA for lunch on our last day in New Orleans. The wait staff was uber attentive and accommodating. I had a few dietary restrictions and they were so kind to make sure that everything I ordered would be in accordance with what I specified. While we waited for our meals, we were served two types of cornbread. One was plain the other with jalapeno. YUMMMMMMMMMMM! We really had to stop ourselves from eating more than two because we were worried we would spoil our appetites. And it's a good thing we didnt because our entrees were amazing. My friend ordered the fried chicken breast which came with gravy and bourbon mashed sweet potatoes. Oh good god. Those were hands down the best mashed potatoes I have ever eaten in my life, and let me tell you, I've eaten a lot of mashed potatoes. I ordered the shrimp and grits and words can not describe just how wonderful that was as well. I actually wanted to lick my plate clean when it was all said and done. We were so foolish to have eaten everything on our plates that we did not have any room for dessert. It was the only meal over our 4 days that both my friend and I cleaned our plates. So, if it meant missing dessert, so be it :).

    (5)

  • Pat H.

    I had the "shrimp and grits" which I enjoyed very much as far as taste. I did think that the shrimp were few and the grits too thinly ground. My tablemates had the duck, the trout (special), and the mussels. I took bits of each of them and found them very tasty, especially the duck. For dessert I had their creme brulee trio which was among the best creme brulee I've had. Two of my tablemates had the strawbery rhubarb crumble (special) and raved about it (but i did not try that one). Desserts were generously portioned.

    (4)

  • Stone F.

    The food was excellent! Worth the trip not too fancy but still a great dining experience. The only thing was our service was a little slow but that might be due to our table of 11. Other than that I loved it!

    (4)

  • Nathan L.

    My friends and I are embarking on a food journey in New Orleans and NOLA was our first stop and I am so glad it was. Emeril definitely delivered a great dining experience. Located in the heard of the French Quarter, you can see its history as soon as you walk in. The smells of the restaurant overwhelmed my senses and I knew that I would be eating an amazing meal. We started with a bottle of Bordeaux and a few appetizers. The meal was 4 stars but because of miss Maes stuffed chicken wings, I have no choice but to give NOLA 5 stars. I have to put this appetizer as one of my all time favorites. It comes with 3 regular looking chicken wings with a homemade hoison dipping sauce. The first bite took me by surprise as the chicken wing was infused with a whole bunch of ingredients that created an explosion of flavors in your mouth. Its so hard to describe because that first bite was so unsuspecting which made it even better. We also had the duck confit and fried egg pizza which was good but after eating the stuffed chicken wing its hard to even talk about anything else. For my main course entree, I had the hickory roasted duck which had an amazing smokey flavor. It was really good, but I am still talking about that stuffed chicken wing. Please do yourself a favor and try Miss Maes Stuffed Chicken Wings. You wont regret it and it might just change your perspective on life.

    (5)

  • O C.

    New Orleans has great food but NOLA is even better. I had an exceptional dinner at NOLA. The service was at its best. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and friendly. The food was very well prepared. I was very happy with my visit. I think NOLA is the best restaurant I have been in New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Mama D.

    I ate one of the top meals I have ever eaten at NOLA. Sat at the chef's bar. Ate the Taste of NOLA where you choose one of three appetizers, entrees and desserts. It was all very very good! Not quite the same experience you would get at Commander's Palace, but it isn't that type of place. But the food was well worth every penny!!

    (5)

  • Lisa C.

    I was pretty happy with our experience here for many reasons. First of all, lunch for 13 ladies is not exactly an easy party to deal with. Factor in the idea that we were there for a bachelorette party and it gets even harder. The service was friendly and handled us well which I was pretty impressed by. The food was excellent- most of us got shrimp and grits and were definitely not let down. They also happily gave us separate checks which made paying at the end THAT much easier. I totally want to come back here and try more things on the menu. Everything looked and sounded great and if the shrimp and grits is any indication of what the rest of the food is like, I'd want to try everything.

    (4)

  • Jeff F.

    We rolled in here one night for our dessert fix. Seeing as Emeril is also a Fall River native, I thought I should pop in. We posted up at the bar and quickly concluded that a return visit would be in order to grab dinner. We inhaled some Warm Ooey Gooey Cake (I was a huge skeptic of the marshmallows in this dish...& in general, but it worked...really well). Great Port selection - 20 Year Tawny was perfect They are clearly killing it - service, atmosphere, food - all on point.

    (4)

  • Chris R.

    Amazing meal! Service was outstanding! Had the fried chicken breast with mashed sweet potatoes and tried the garlic crusted drum that me wife ordered. Both dishes were absolutely amazing. Finished dinner with the blueberry cobbler...what an amazing finish. Would absolutely come back again!

    (5)

  • Lora K.

    Absolutely love NOLA and the service. I have eaten there several times and each time is very unique and the food is always good. The staff goes over and beyond to make your experience wonderful and hats off to Alan we loved the good conversation to go with dinner. My only complaint was that the food was entirely to salty. The beet salad was to die for but the shrimp and grils was so salty you could hardly enjoy the food. Even the dish my husband ordered had the same issue. Otherwise great night, great conversations, wonderful service and food was good as always. Banana Pudding Cake....to die for!!!!

    (4)

  • Frank L.

    Amazing Experience! First time in New Orleans and NOLA did not disappoint. Wife and I celebrated out anniversary in the Big easy. Atmosphere was New Orleans through and through. Service was top notch, I had the BBQ shrimp to start which you could put the sauce on an old shoe and eat it. I actually was given extra rolls to dip recommended by my waiter, the Pork Chop I'm still dreaming of... We split desert a trio of creme brule outstanding. Would recommend NOLA to anyone in the area. Great food great service and a very reasonable price

    (5)

  • Shelly S.

    This review is from July 2013. Me and the daughter and son in law went to nola for fourth of july week to try out all the great food of the city unfortunately did not find many to rave about......but....NOLA was fabulous! We went for lunch and if I hadn't already made dinner reservations for rest of week I would have come back here every night! We had Miss Hays Stuffed Chicken Wings and the crab cake for appetizers. Both were great. I had the garlic crusted Drum. It was best fish I have ever had in my lif! It was so tender and flavorful. I could eat it at least once a week for rest of my life and die happy! My daughter had duck confit and fried egg pizza and loved it. Son in law had the braised pork cheek poboy. It was great. Service was great only down side of meal was anorexic girl and her horrible mother seated next to us who ordered a salad and ate about 3 bites while the daughter nibbled on the saltines that came with salad. Very sad.

    (5)

  • Cagri T.

    OK well. It's a nice place. And the meal was very nice. My date had the local fish with the bacon. (What was that called again? Not catfish) I had the shrimp and grits. Before that we started with the stuffed chicken wings. Meh... Not all that special. Call me old fashioned but If I'm going to pay nearly 100 a person is it ever worth eating an admittedly very well done shrimp and grits? I respect the skill that goes into making Japanese or French food but despite really enjoying my meal I can't say the level of creativity justifies the price. Maybe I'm spoiled by New York and Washington dc restaurants that are doing some very interesting things these days. Great creme brule though!

    (3)

  • Mal C.

    Food was pretty good and the service was very attentive. Why the three star rating you ask? The food was over salted and must have contained MSG. Unfortunately I have a severe hypersensitivity to MSG and we had to leave early due to me being physically ill. I will say the tomato bisque (soup of the day) and crab cakes were very good. Please be sure to notify restaurant staff if you have any food allergies/hypersensitivities. I just wish I had to I could properly enjoy my meal.

    (3)

  • David L.

    Amazing food and great service. My wife felt like her pork chop was the best pork chop she had ever had. Lots of staff and constant attention to the simple things like keeping the water glasses full. Excellent waitress.

    (5)

  • Heidi F.

    Decent tasting food (fairly unoriginal flavors and lacking salt/pepper) with fairly high prices for what it is. Nice ambience and really great service. Recommend buttermilk fried chicken with snap peas for dinner and banana pudding cake with vanilla wafers for dessert. Skip the BBQ shrimp and Nola Caesar salad. As a side note, bathrooms are really dirty and unkempt...doesn't fit with level of rest of the place.

    (3)

  • Martha X.

    Hands down, my favorite place to have a delicious meal which is artfully crafted and beautifully served. Nat and his team of servers took care of us on our Big Day last Monday night. No wine glass went empty, water glasses full at every turn and dishes brought and removed at exactly the right time. More amazing: all 13 dinner guests were served by the team simultaneously. The meal was flawless. Too bad I had no room for more than a bite of two of dessert. Their coffee offerings are the best in the French Quarter. Kudos to the amazing staff, most notably Nat and manager Jorge. You have a fan for life in me!

    (5)

  • David W.

    Completely disappointed. I really like Emeril and the menu looked great. It was the worst $157 I ever spent. The BBQ shrimp were small and the sauce tasted like from a bottle with cracked black pepper added. The Hickory smoked Duck was mushy and the poorest way to prepare Duck I've ever had. It was like it was pressure cooked and liquid smoke poured in. Fried green tomatoes were horrid. No flavor, like a lousy store bought hot house tomato. My wife did like the shrimp and grits. It was crowded, noisy and just no fun at all. Literally everywhere else we ate was better. The wait staff were superb.... Spoke to locals later who informed me that locals don't go to commercial restaurants like that. Always better to ask a local Before making dinner plans. ;)

    (1)

  • Lindsay C.

    Eat here! Celebrity chef restaurants have always been a disappointment to me; this is the glaring exception. The impeccable service and the phenomenal food with a cajun flair make this place a must try destination in New Orleans. It's a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for! The buttermilk fried breast of chicken is heavenly!

    (5)

  • Ro C.

    Not a big fan of Emeril. But this place surprised me. All of the dishes we had were excellent and service was personable and attentive. They were able to accommodate my gluten problem and La H's host of other allergies. My duck dish was so good and the portions were huge. I had to have E help me with the second half. Pricey but worth it.

    (4)

  • Michael B.

    The appetizers were outstanding but my daiquiri was mostly lime juice with little sugar or liquor. The entrees were ok... The server commented on his favorites then we heard him give different "favorites" to another table. The noise level was high... They really need some sound absorbers on the walls as sound reverberates heavily here. Expected the server to offer another type of drink as I told him about the daiquiri but he did not offer a substitute. This was disappointing.

    (3)

  • Cristina G.

    Wow...another great meal at Nola. The Shrimp and Grits entree is their signature dish but let me tell you...the garlic crusted Drum is out of this world. A wonderful crispy exterior with a nice moist, light fish inside. Yum. The Ooey Gooey dessert was quite tasty as well. If you can get reservations, Nolas is a must.

    (5)

  • Leticia P.

    Great restaurant, its a little hidden and hard to find, but worth it when you find it, the restaurant isn't very big, the waiters are some of the Finest black and mixed men around (I am not kidding) very nice waitstaff very attentive, i had the firecracker cajun pasta and it was really good! Check it out!

    (4)

  • J F.

    I have been to Nola 5 or so times. It is really slipping. Joe, the waiter was working too many tables and was slow to greet me. Took about 10 minutes to get a glass of wine. I said took a long time and he replied "it's a process" yes, it was ...a very poor one at that. Wine was great quality but very small pours! Steak was cooked great and had very little flavor. Puréed mushrooms very good. Bone marrow tasted live live cow hoove....left a 10 min aftertaste. Desert wine was about 1 oz. not real good for this type of place. Very poor service, which you could tell it was run on a shoestring and they were all ragged. Girl at pizza station was nice. I will go to Bayona or one of the many top places.it is resting on its laurels and Emeril needs to send his staff to charm school. The people next me said the same thing. I left a 20% tip because that's what I do, but he deserved a 5%. The rolls were undercooked and the butter was great. Water service was awesome. My water never went below in inch below rim! I eat all over the country and this place is about as good as a good chain restaurant with good wine and stem wear. Manager in suit looked important like a pit boss in casino with Rolex. He needs to go see how the customers are doing and stop prancing around.

    (2)

  • Annice P.

    Casual, elegant dining. The BLT salad was fabulous. The presentation...it was almost too pretty to eat. The chicken sausage gumbo was to die for. I chose the Emeril's Chardonnay which was good. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Jack L.

    As a business traveler, I am at times faced with the prospect of dining alone. Sometimes it means grabbing food to-go or room service, sometimes I venture out alone. I am glad that NOLA offers "chef's table" seating for singles like me. The seat gives me a great view of the kitchen, and I am entertained by the bustle. I also get to chat with the other business traveler "singles" at the table. Food was good, as one would expect for Emeril's restaurant, but I didn't order anything that was truly memorable.

    (4)

  • J B.

    Over the top! So good, so friendly, a jewel! Changed my reservation several times. No problem. Dining alone. No problem. Can't decide. No problem. Catered to me every minute. The food was remarkable. A must do in the Big Easy. Don't hesitate.

    (5)

  • Jennifer K.

    This was fantastic!! I was there last weekend with my brother and my niece. We were "under dressed" - very casual after a day of walking all over the French Quarter. We were a "young" table - with age ranging from 21 - 35. The reason I say this is because I was a little worried we would get less than great service based on our appearance as compared to the rest of the diners. Not a problem at all. Our server was great. He was very open with his recommendations and everything he recommended was great. We ended up doing the "Taste of Summer" menu which allowed us to get a lot of food in smaller portions and each take a couple of bites of each. If I had to focus on just a couple of things it would be this... the bourbon mashed sweet potatoes that came with the fried chicken... AMAZING. Worth ordering on their own!! And the chocolate bread pudding with popcorn ice cream was a flavor explosion in your mouth. And for what it's worth... they pour a perfect martini!!

    (5)

  • Jeffrey C.

    First things first. Two words: Pimm's Cup. Three more: Oh. My. God. This was the first time my friend and I had this fizzy concoction based on a gin-based potation basically Emeril-twisted. Dizzy yet? It's a simple recipe (Pimm's, lemon-lime soda, cucumber garnish), but my assumption is that NOLA put in a special, secret ingredient. Was it crack? I don't know. Maybe. But back to the beginning. Our group was aiming for a "fancy" dinner during our New Orleans stay, and NOLA was price-conscious and casual enough to hit the spot. It's not one of those traditional stodgy places, which is nice. We had reservations at 7, got there a couple minutes after, and were seated in a blink of an eye after that. Our service was spectacular. There was a tag-team rotation for waitstaff, led by a cooky individual that would talk up any dish, strongly considered imbibing in a Pimm's Cup with us, and offered a Four Loko party in the back no less than 3 times. You probably wouldn't want him as your waiter if you were with your parents, but for us he was grand. We bypassed on the wine, and their drink menu is scribbled up on a chalkboard on the first floor dining hall. There's a mixture of traditional drinks, and the girlfriends' martini choices were good (though not as good as the Pimm's Cup, ya hear?). Drinks averaged about $10, which is steep but not unexpected. On the appetizers, I have to take a moment to rave about the Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza. I'm not normally a fan of truffle oil (too overtly strong for my liking), but the oil + parmesan + arugula combination was to die for. The fried egg was also a particularly nice touch, adding an extra complexity I savor in burgers. It worked equally well on this pizza. Some other appetizers were had. The Gumbo, for example, was solid with good seafood chunks, but the taste was not otherworldly. Entree-wise, the fish dishes were heavenly. Our table got the Garlic-Crusted Drum and the Grilled Seasonal Fish. The former was probably the best-tasting, while the seasonal had the best sauce (black truffle butter sauce, if you're interested). I had the Shrimp & Grits, which surprisingly were not as good as the dish I had at Haven in Houston. The girlfriend went with the Buttermilk Chicken, which came heavily recommended by said waiter but was decent at best. The sides were all very complimentary, particularly the Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes that accompanied the chicken. Completely filled with both liquids and solids, we passed on dessert. Well, mostly. Our resident creme brulee lover had to try the NOLA Creme Brulee Trio, three mini-ramekins of custard-y goodness. The flavors are vanilla bean, coconut, and mocha. I forget which one was her favorite, only that she had one. Easy reservations, beautiful space, great waitstaff, and delicious food. That, my friends, is the epitome of a five-star review.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth K.

    Great service and food all around! Will definitely come back on my next trip to New Orleans! The pork cheek boudin balls and Fried chicken were my favorites!

    (5)

  • John G.

    Outstanding food and wonderful service. Wanted to hug the chef when we were done! The key lime bread pudding was delicious. The fried chicken was extraordinary.

    (5)

  • Lisa U.

    This was the second Easter Brunch at NOLA and I have to say it was incredibly disappointing. Our experience in 2013 was superb, the service and food was everything you want when dining at a $$$ restaurant. Because of this we were looking forward to dining there this year. What a disappointment. We were seated on the 3rd floor which initially seemed kind of cool and intimate, but it wound up feeling more like the Host Person didn't think we were dressed well enough for the first or second floor. Our server was cool and any attempt to build rapport met with a judgmental reserve. The lobster eggs benedict was soggy and lacked personality. The panko encrusted drum was soggy, "encrusted" it was not. If this had been our experience in 2013 we would not have returned in 2014.

    (2)

  • Nathan H.

    Ate here this past week on a biz trip and a coworker had overly played up NOLAS prior to us eating here. First apps at high end restaurants are usually small but apps here are taken to the "small" extreme. Our boudain balls were the size of a Brazilian nut. Next came the main courses, there were four of us and the ONLY reason why I am giving them a three star is the three other dishes I tried from the other people eating with me were really good. However the Drum that I ordered was the most fishy fish I have ever eaten and when you pay $30 for drum, a fish I could have caught with a rod in Lake Ponchitrain, it better be incredible. Seriously this dish was simply disgusting. The manager did remove it from the bill but more was really needed to compensate for this cooking disaster. If you want a high end dinner in New Orleans keep looking for another option other than NOLAS. Oh, also the atmosphere is quaint and very loud.

    (3)

  • Sabrina W.

    I visited New Orleans for the first time this past week and had a chance to dine at NOLA restaurant. I ordered the Shrimp & Grits and had the Banana Pudding Layer Cake for dessert. This place is amazing. The service is simply impeccable. I counted at least 4 different servers. All of them equally great. This is one of the best restaurants in the French Quarter hands down.

    (5)

  • Kelly D.

    loved it. go to louisiana every year and this place is the real deal.

    (5)

  • Nicklaus M.

    the food was good and the service was great! its upscale southern style so its worth a try.

    (4)

  • Mark V.

    My wife had a terrific dinner at NOLA's. The chicken wing appetizer is simply deliciously amazing. She had the shrimp and grits and loved it. I had the drum which was exquisitely prepared. Simply a memorable experience. Waiter staff was wonderful. Thank you Emerald!

    (5)

  • Danette B.

    The service alone is a four. Stuffed chicken wings= the bomb! The staff is extra friendly and so helpful. Enjoyed the experience.

    (4)

  • Ravi P.

    The food was buttery and heavy, but then again most of the food around touristy areas here in New Orleans is like that. Excellent service and great presentations.

    (3)

  • Dan P.

    Considering the price and the reputation, I rounded down from a 2.5 star rating to make it a 2 star. I've lived in New Orleans in the past and recently went to NOLA during my latest trip back to my former home. The culinary highlights of the city is definitely one of my main reasons for returning to New Orleans, so I made it a goal of mine to finally sample the city's (arguably) most famous restaurant. Keep in mind that I've eaten at Brennan's, Antoine's, Emeril's, Commander's Palace, Irene's and numerous other fine dining establishments in New Orleans. At NOLA I only ate my main course and dessert, no appetizers because none really appealed to me at the time. I got the Duck, but unlike the Duck dish I got at Emeril's in 2002 which is one of my all-time top-5 meals ever, I wasn't overly impressed with my dinner. The sides that came with the duck were forgettable and just not up to the standards set by my visit to Emeril's years before. The dessert was okay, but not great...certainly not as good as ANY of the other desserts we had during our (far too brief) four day trip. I would actually give the restaurant 3.5 stars if not for the poor service. At Emeril's the service was the best I've ever had. We had a party of 4 and a full staff of 5 to serve us without a single moment where we didn't have someone within a few feet to take care of any request. At NOLA, we were sat down at a table and within 2 minutes a waitress ran into another waitress and dropped a glass of wine, breaking it. Instead of apologizing to the woman in my party who had just been startled by a breaking glass, the waitress who knocked over the glass gave attitude to the other waitress. To make things worse, another waitress broke a wine glass behind the same woman (I was in a party with myself and 5 women) and didn't apologize either. For $50+ a person, I'd expect a lot better. Just a couple blocks away is Irene's...one of the best (if not the best) restaurants in the city where you can get a better meal for less money.

    (2)

  • Audrey H.

    We had a wonderful, funny waiter, ate some delicious jalepeno corn bread, and had a wonderful birthday dinner. Delicious.

    (5)

  • Linda O.

    My husband wanted to take me here for dinner while we were visiting New Orleans. The service was very good. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. The food was just okay. We had the crab cake appetizer and it was tasty. I had the Smoked and my husband had the recommended Pecan-Encrusted Trout. The first few bites of my duck was good, but the remainder was dry and overcooked, My husband's trout was overtaken by the pecan crust. The manager came by to ask how everything was, and I advised that the duck was dry. He just scurried away and never responded or offered an explanation, apology or anything. Our waiter recommended a nice bottle of Cabernet from the Frank Family vineyards in Napa. Loved it and worth every penny. Would not return here on our next visit. Too many other places with better food and more attentive managers.

    (3)

  • Kirsten H.

    When we walked through the door there was an amazing energy. We were seated at our table immediately. The staff was very professional throughout the entire dining experience. The food was good. I split a salad with another person and the size was ridiculously small. I would rather they recommend not splitting a salad than having two pieces of lettuce in a bowl. Dinner was fantastic, we had an array of entries, the drum fish (great but too much garlic) the filet and the duck. Dessert was delish, not a wrong choice!

    (4)

  • Lynne B.

    Excellent food excellent service would recommend highly ! We sat on the outdoor balcony which was very nice atmosphere and the entire Nola experience ...

    (5)

  • Jessie D.

    Got the pork chops and the banana pudding cake. So delicious! Pork chops were flavorful and were cooked to perfection not dry at all. I was having a little food envy though. I really wanted to try the fried chicken.

    (5)

  • Douglas W.

    Wonderful service! Terrific buttermilk chicken! So so burger but great fries. We had the BBQ shrimp appetizer which was excellent. Wonderful shrimp with a great sauce. My wife had the buttermilk chicken. The chicken was wonderful. The crust was snap pea crispy and the gravy was good enough to eat alone but best with the chicken. I'm not sure what happened to my burger. But it just didn't stand out. It was good, but not that much above the ordinary. The fries were very good. Service was very good. Attentive and friendly. However we waited 1/2 hour between appetizer and main course on another very busy restaurant (we got there when they opened at 11:30). I would go back again in a heartbeat.

    (4)

  • Vanessa L.

    Five course meal special is a steal of a deal. I would highly recommend the stuffed chicken wing, panzanella salad, and the Garlic crusted drum. Everyone at the table ordered something a bit different off the menu so we had a chance to try them all. The shrimp and grits were also delicious. And I must also rave about their wine list. They do a fantastic job selecting the good stuff for their guests. Order the Viticcio Chianti Clasico with your meal and you won't regret it.

    (4)

  • Aneles K.

    STUFFED CHICKEN WINGS.... I REPEAT.. STUFFED. CHICKEN. WINGS. I'm sorry. I don't need to say any more that that. Eat them. Eat them NOW. Go to NOLA right now! Not in New Orleans? Start walking there to get these wings. Kidding..sort of. The stuffed chicken wings are just amazing. The shrimp and grits were decent. But don't wast precious stomach space on shrimp and grits. Get a double order of the stuffed chicken wings. That's it. Oh and the watermelon martini was good too. Nice bits of watermelon floating around vodka. I mean, it's like the perfect balance. The bits of watermelon count towards my 5 servings of fruits or veggies a day, right? Service is great. They are always attentive. I've never had a long wait. I've been there maybe 3 times or so. All of those things are very important to me. Food can be fantastic, but if the service isn't quality, I'll never return. I typically throw on a nice dress and heels. Perfect spot for a date night.

    (5)

  • Samantha M.

    This place was much larger than you think with three floors of seating! The service was very good- it was cold up on the third floor where we sat and the staff made sure the air war turned up for us. The food was amazing- based on yelp and other personal recommendations we got the stuffed chicken wings and weren't disappointed, the hoisin sauce that came with was great. We also tried the duck confit pizza which we really enjoyed. For entrees my husband got the garlic crusted drum and I got the shrimp and grits - they were both good, but I was definitely jealous of the fish! Overall I would definitely come back and recommend to others- thanks emeril!

    (5)

  • Shady J.

    Shady rolled into NOLA for day 2 of his onslaught versus New Orleans food and drink. Without doubt the stars of the trip were the NOLA stuffed chicken wings. Just off the charts good. Everyone at the table was loving the wings stuffed w/ sausage,mushrooms and about 5 other ingrediants. The main courses were also excellent, with Shady going Duck which was tender and juicy. Other entrees were the salmon and the drum-all just delicious. For dessert, we went deeep with the Banana pudding and the warm ooey gooey cake.After 6 trips to NOLA, it was time to try an Emeril place, and it was gooood. Loved the location, service and food spot on. The stuffed wings go into the Shady food hall of fame.

    (4)

  • Steve G.

    Like a lot the restaurants in New Orleans the service was great, actually better than great. Unfortunately the food was very average. We started with the mussels and while they were massive and well cooked the flavors were very flat and they were brought out lukewarm. My wife had the pork chop and I had the catfish for our entrees. The pork chop was cooked to absolute perfection but was drenched in sauce. The sauce was VERY salty and unfortunately covered the sliced sweet potatoes that were on the plate. The catfish has great flavor was well cooked and the dirty rice the came with it was amazing. Passed on desert since the rest of the meal just ok.

    (3)

  • Punkin P.

    Solid choice in the French Quarter. Our server was as good as the food. He made the experience wonderful. Would recommend it.

    (4)

  • Tom B.

    Still my favorite restaurant in New Orleans! I visit New Orleans almost every year and Have dined at Nola several times. I am a Chef and people have asked me what I think about that Emeril fellow, based on visits to Nola, The fish house and Del Monaco, I have always said "well he runs perfect restaurants" That image changed last year when we strayed from Nola, to Emeril's. That night it seemed nothing went right, and service was slightly better then poor and amateurish bordering on rude, and our meals were just ok. I really liked Del Monaco, NO and am a big fan of the Fish House in LV but I still see no reason to stray from Nola ever again when I'm in town. Service is as strong as the kitchen, and the food is as good as any great restaurant I have ever been to. I had the BLT salad and a Pizza for lunch on my last visit. The pizza was fine but not what I was expecting but the top notch ingredients shined bright on the less then average crust. It was the BLT salad that was so remarkable. The guys at the table chucked when it was presented cause it is on the small side, but let me tell you it was a perfection of flavors and texture. Location, service and delicious meals all garner 5 stars!!!! In my book NOLA remains PERFECT!!!!

    (5)

  • Betsy W.

    Knowing that this was an Emeril restaurant, I hadn't bothered, thinking that it would be touristy and mundane. Man, was I wrong The service was warm and attentive without being overbearing and the food was inventive and delicious. I'll put this on my list of New Orleans favorites.

    (4)

  • Andy D.

    NOLA was my first food stop with the fiancee for our first visit to New Orleans and we enjoyed the experience! We came here for lunch without a reservation on a Sunday and we were seated within 5 minutes. Everyone who served us was attentive and polite, and they were attentive with serving our dishes simultaneously, folding our napkins when we went to the bathroom, and checking in with us to see how our meal was. The ambience is modern american with red brick and metal air ducts. The bread was delicious and served in separate plates to each person, with each plate having a small round butter roll and a pepper (? jalapeno) cornbread mini muffin, both of which tasted great with butter (of course). We ordered the duck, parmesan, arugula, truffle oil pizza and the pork cheek po'boy with fries, both of which were delicious. The pizza was flavorful but felt light at the same time, and the po'boy was full of well-seasoned juicy pork cheek along with pickled peppers and onions that added a nice contrast to the savory pork. The baguette used on the sandwich was fresh and delicious. The fries were seasoned well with parmesan and cilantro, though I wish the fries were a bit crispier as they came out a bit on the softer side likely from being infused with truffle oil. Overall, the food and service were a great welcome to our New Orleans vacation!

    (4)

  • Rene R.

    Totally awesome. Probably the best food that I have had in New Orleans. Worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Ashley K.

    The food was great- don't get me wrong, but the service made the place horrid. I have worked in the service industry for over ten years and this was laughable. Here's why: Upon arrival the host sat two groups of two who were walk-ins promptly (the restaurant was not full by any means). I asked the woman standing behind the host stand (she seemed to be a manager of some sort) for a table for two and she looked up from her phone and simply replied "No". What?! No I can't take a seat in your restaurant so I can spend an easy $100 dollars? Really?!?! -I then asked her again and she didn't reply so we sat at the bar. The bartender was seemingly drunk (it was 2pm by the way) and took over 10 minutes to even take a drink order. It was like we were invisible to the drunk and stumbling man behind the bar. Unreal! There were two women sitting across the bar from us who started laughing and actually gave us their seats (we were sitting one person in between us prior to this) because they were leaving since they couldn't get served either. Again, UNREAL!!!! Holy. Shit. Worst restaurant experience ever. Hands down.

    (1)

  • J. C.

    Chef came out personally to announce that there were no more tater tots. :( He offered cheesy fries or gravy fries, instead. When my homies asked for both, he not only obliged, there was da-bris toast beef on top! Chef went off-menu; gave me the best fries I've ever had!

    (4)

  • M D.

    Hmmmm, how do I say this, SALTY. service was good, she wasn't too pist when I sent the soup of the day back because it was too salty to eat. The spring roll deep fried was great as was the gumbo soup. The wedge salad was no good nor was the duck pizza (salty and no cheese). She took off my soup thankfully. Loved the tuna salad. Will not go back.

    (1)

  • Marc B.

    the food was good but not memorable, service was a little slow. Its an open kitchen so we saw one entree ready way before the other and of course it came out cold- they did make a new one but i would think a restaurant around for so long would be able to get timing right. Its not bad restaurant but its not the best - its time to kick it up a notch here- where are you emeril?

    (3)

  • Nina K.

    Good food, but they make you feel rushed. In and out in less than an hour is awfully fast for a nice dining experience. The drum is really good as is the ooey gooey dessert.

    (4)

  • J R.

    We ordered the Beet Salad, Shrimp and Grits, and Garlic Crusted Drum, along with CRÈME BRÛLÉE TRIO. All were fantastic and would definitely dine and order again. maître d' who was kind of rude though, but the rest of the staff and our waiter were fantastics!

    (5)

  • Greg G.

    Great service,food was excellent..little pricey $120 for 2 people but it was great atmosphere Derrick and Raymond were great!! definetly will go back next time in the Big Easy

    (4)

  • Jennifer L.

    Yes, NOLA is Emeril Lagasse's restaurant, and yes, you should go! There are 3 floors of dining, and I would suggest making a reservation. We went with the 5 course tasting menu, and every single thing was great. My boyfriend and I chose different items for each course so we both tried many items. The shrimp and grits were SO tasty, as was this amazing sauce that came with the drum (which is a type of fish, not a drumstick, lol). The fried chicken was perfectly fried (actually, everything was perfectly fried), and I want to go back just to have the spicy picked green beans that were part of the bloody mary! I also liked that I never felt rushed -- the experience was pleasant and just a great dining experience overall.

    (5)

  • Lynn H.

    We went to Emeril Lagasse's NOLA with high expectations, ready to be wowed by the great food and service but we were not only disappointed, we were crushed. The worst meal we had in New Orleans, by far. The only good part of the meal was dessert: the creme brûlée trio was simply amazing. The stuffed chicken wings recommended by our waiter were simply gross...Burned and barely stuffed. Tasteless. They seemed to have been sitting in the kitchen since the prior evening. The duck confit, arugula and fried egg pizza came to the table with the yolk hard cooked, not runny, and an undercooked crust. The mussels were good but came with a brick called a cornbread crouton and a broth almost as salty as the Dead Sea. The oversalting continued with the ribeye steak, recommended by our waiter. My son ate his but my husband complained about the intense salt level rendering it inedible and the fact that half the steak was fat and gristle and hard to cut even with the 9 inch steak knife provided. Our waiter trying to minimize the complaint said he liked all that fat. Seriously? The manager came over and offered to replace it with a filet. The filet came out, once again with far, far too much salt. The bone marrow accompaniment was all bone and no marrow. The complaint about the salt level was met with disbelief. It was sent back barely eaten. When the check came, the creme brûlée was comped. However, they charged for the inedible filet, which had been returned as being unsatisfactory. My husband had to walk over to the manager to insist he take it off the bill. What happened to the customer always being right? We had had one of the best meals ever at Emeril's Delmonico's in Las Vegas. The service and food were impeccable. Sad to say, that was not the case last night. It was our last dinner in New Orleans and we wanted it to be spectacular. Instead it was a spectacular failure.

    (1)

  • David C.

    Place is nice and staff are attentive, but the food are just so so

    (3)

  • Angela Z.

    I think I might just not enjoy fine dining. We had the prix-fixe. Everything was, of course, well-made, not bad, but to our disappointment, not really great or memorable either. The chocolate bread pudding was good. Underwhelming for the price, and I would really recommend you take your money elsewhere at the higher price point.

    (3)

  • Denise S.

    This was our first visit to New Orleans and one the items on my "to do" list was to eat at an Emeril restaurant. We chose NOLA because of it's location. I studied the menu before going and had my mouth watering for the Shrimp and Grits. I envisioned it to be spectacular but that was not the case. I love shrimp and grits and was so disappointed that it was nothing like I expected. The service in NOLA started out good.. Very friendly and attentive. We both ordered the Shrimp and Grits. When the dishes arrived, they were covered (I mean covered) in a thin red sauce). One bite confirmed BBQ sauce. The menu description was: ....red chili-abita butter sauce. None of that says BBQ to me. We could taste nothing but the BBQ - no promised smoked cheddar grits (which were so watery they required a spoon), no smoked bacon and I could barely taste the shrimp. In retrospect, we should have sent the dishes back but did not want to complain. Our waitress never checked to see how the food was. The man who cleared the plates asked how the meal was. When I told him it was not my favorite, his reply: I'm sorry sweety, do you want dessert? When the waitress brought the dessert menu, I questioned her about the red sauce and her response: it is basically a BBQ sauce and then she turned and walked away again not asking why. We declined dessert as by this point we just wanted to leave ($27.00 for a disappointing meal that obviously no one cared about). As the bill came the manager came by to ask how our meal was. We again said we did not like it. His response: so the food was good, you just did not like how we prepared it? That is good info to pass along. We probably would have stayed for dessert with a better response, but chose elsewhere for dessert. All in all a major disappointment - save your money!

    (1)

  • Scott W.

    Had a wonderful dinning experience at Nola while visiting New Orleans. Service (Raymond was our waiter) was great. The,staff truly worked as a team to make sure the experience was great. Tried the smoked duck and filet, and both were cooked to perfection. The stuffed chicken wings were like nothing we had, had before.

    (5)

  • Diane W.

    Since this was my first time in New Orleans I knew I had to dine in one of Emeril's famous restaurants. We decided to get it out of the way our first night and made reservations for NOLA's (in the French Quarter). It truly surpassed all of my expectations! Starting from the warm New Orleans welcome we received from the host. We were escorted to our table on the the top level in their elevator. The decor was bright, beautiful, up-scale and inviting. Our server(s) were very attentive and charming and took great care of us throughout our meal. After making our wine selection from their extensive wine list we were ready to see what everyone's been raving about. We started with Emeril's BBQ Shrimp. Wow!!! Let me just say I don't even like shrimp but thought if I was going to try some New Orleans foods this was the place. I wanted to order another serving! (Did I mention I don't like shrimp?) We went right to the entrees. I ordered the Garlic Crusted Drum (local white fish) that was the best fish I've ever eaten. (I am now obsessed to find it in California) My daughter had the Hickory Roasted Duck that was very delicious but rich. Being that this was our first night in New Orleans, it not only was a fabulous treat, it also set the bar very high for the nights that followed. Bravo Emeril, bravo!

    (5)

  • Hilary G.

    I will start by saying my 3 dining companions enjoyed their meal very much, which is why I've chosen 3 stars. On my part, I found it disturbing that (after finding no vegetarian meals on the menu) I was told my only option was to have the salmon without the salmon on the plate, leaving me with the sides. Not having one meal on tap, even if its not listed on the menu, for people who cant or don't eat meat, is just strange and I found it a little offensive. Even the sketchiest restaurants offer maybe spaghetti or mixed veggies. If the meal hadn't ended up $300 for 4 people (I had a salad and drank water) I never would have written a review, but it seems there should be a bit more accommodation at such an expensive place. Also, the ladies room was very dirty but the host seemed genuinely apologetic when I mentioned it on the way out- said someone else had already noticed and it had been taken care of.

    (3)

  • Bill G.

    Try the crab cakes. They are great. Gumbo is average. Good Bloody Marys. The wait staff as you expect in New Orleans is very friendly.

    (3)

  • Natasha A.

    Best Mint Julip ever! Fried chicken was moist with fantastic buttermilk crust but the star of this dish was the almost dessert like sweet potatoes...they were almost a whipped like texture and so darn good. The shrimp and grits wee delish as well... Fresh large shrimp with a sweet heat sauce. Alas so full from meal no dessert ... Just means we have to go back!

    (4)

  • Jennifer C.

    We came on a hot Sunday afternoon. We ordered Vietnamese po- boy and pizza with fried egg. They were awesome. The service was a little slow... But everything else was really nice! Great lunch!!

    (5)

  • Billy A.

    Fantastic! Ate here our first night in NOLA after a very long drive. Sat down to great service and one of the best filet mignon plates I've ever had. I could eat the cauliflower puree everyday for the rest of my life and not get tired. Beet salad also was top notch. Cool cocktail menu as well. Go!

    (5)

  • Amy Q.

    Consistently incredible food & service. Nola is a must when visiting the French Quarter! Make reservations early.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth S.

    At NOLA, the atmosphere is lively, the food and service are good, and the dress is casual. I had the gumbo of the day, seafood gumbo ($10), and the grilled catch of the day, mahi ($30) with fingerling potatoes, sweet corn, grape tomatoes, fennel-arugula salad, and black truffle butter sauce. Both were delicious. I also had a glass of Pinot Grigio, another great pairing suggestion, which pushed the meal price into the $50-range plus tax and tip. In retrospect, I wish I had tried the entrée of the day, the wild boar chop, as my main course as it looked amazing.

    (5)

  • Linda T.

    Great service, had the filet mignon and for the place and the price, I wasn't too impressed. It was a nice big portion but it wasn't even that hot, like it had been sitting on a counter waiting to be picked up, and the flavor or texture wasn't anything out of this world. I guess I should have ordered something more cajun-y. And by the way the banana pie dessert that our waitor raved about WAS NOT THE BUSINESS. It was so whatever. :/

    (3)

  • Norm And Andy Z.

    Had to call for reservations and I asked about the dress code and they said it wasn't quite dressy, but you know, don't look like a slob. They were fast when we got there. Atmosphere was fine, busy but not crazy. Noise was average. Comfortable inside. Service was fine. Not amazing not bad. Food was really great. Yes, expensive. But really tasty. Again, we got 4 things to split. Duck special - really fantastic though it was topped with duck liver, which D does not like so much. It's a mild liver but still liver. Still the overall duck dish was really fantastic. Beet salad - very good, nice combination of tastes. We had gotten 1 other salad in NOLA before this which was dreadful. This was not dreadful, it was good. Chicken wings - stuffed with things, really tasty things. This was incredibly good! Crab cake - D did not love them in Baltimore so was hesitant but agreed to try. We both liked this. Sauce was spicy and tasty. Very good. Dessert was some pear special which was decent. We also tried the banana something-or-other which was also decent. We did try the oysters that our friend had, which were sort of like buffalo-style and were good. Was tempted to get the gumbo or grits, but it's hard to come to this place and order that kind of food. Was hoping they had jambalaya on the menu but no luck. Overall a fantastic meal. Yes it's expensive but the food is worth it. The bottle of wine raises the price but in the end, it was a nice experience and the food was really fantastic. Worth the trip.

    (5)

  • Kim G.

    The food may be the best in New Orleans (this means YOU boudin balls with mustard sauce) but this review is also about the best thing to happen to restaurants since food--the GM at NOLA, Ave Thomas. Ave is everything that New Orleans wants to be--welcoming, warm, funny, slightly raucous and also unfailingly gracious. Thank you Ave--you are a gift to the city and her many new fans.

    (5)

  • Mimi S.

    Very nice atmosphere. If it was only based on that I'd give it a 4. We took an elevator to the 3rd floor and the ambience was very classic old New Orleans style. Service was great but the food was very bland like hospital food. I expected more bc of the price. I had the salmon which was pretty good after I doused it down with some salt and pepper. I also had the mussels for an appetizer which were ok too. The watermelon martini was a good choice. My brother had the duck. Don't get it! Or you will be disappointed. He wasted it and he never wastes. My sister in law had the shrimp/grits & the Nola lemonade. Looked great but she said it was bland but the drink was delish! Apparently the celebs love it. Met grant hill! (check out PICS)

    (3)

  • Hayley H.

    How anyone can come to New Orleans and not go to one of Emeril's restaurants is beyond me. It was the grand finale of our vacation and we were expecting epic levels of creole calories. We were seated on the second floor next to a group of extremelyy loud women. We ended up yelling at each other across the table, which didn't make for a pleasant ambiance. As appetizers we ordered the crab cakes and Emeril's famous bbq'd shrimp. I'm not a huge fan of crab cakes, so I thought they were just okay. The shrimp were classic, but I was disappointed about the size of the corn bread...I want my own platter of it, not just a little popover! How in god's name are 4 people supposed to split that?? yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc… yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc… I had 2 sides as my entree--some sauteed shrimp and a caprese salad and mashed sweet potato's. FINALLY, I have found sweet potato's in New Orleans. I devoured the potato's on my own and enjoyed the shrimp. The salad was typical, nothing unique. yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc… yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc… At this point at NOLA, I was feeling truly disappointed. This was the New Orleans king of cooking! Why am I not completely blown away? Enter dessert. What started off as my friend and I sharing a dessert ended up as each of us (four total) getting our own. We started a rotation, each taking a bit, until the desserts were all gone, not a smidge left on the plate! My warm ooey gooey cake was top notch. The bourbon pecan pie was truly creole and my friend loved the creme brulee trio. I can't remember the fourth dessert, so it must not have been up to par with the other three. If I had to base my review solely on the desserts, it would be 5 stars hands down, but taking into consideration all of the other dishes, its just A-OK. If you want a truly fantastic meal, have dinner at Mr.B's and dessert at Emerils...ahh how lucky those N'awlins are! yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc… yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc…

    (3)

  • c c.

    Very attentive wait staff although restaurant is very noisy. My dinner companion had the special vietanamese meal and loved his shrimp and spring roll. I had the shrimp and grits. My shrimp was a little tough. I don't really eat grits and the ones I had here weren't encouraging. Desert left something to be desired. Nolas is worth a try if you like the prix fixed menu selection. I preferred Commanders Palance.

    (3)

  • Elle W.

    I love all of Emeril's magnificent restaurants..but NOLA was my first and will always be my favorite. Excellent food...magnificent service and that wonderful quality unique to Emeril...a pure New Orleans charm.

    (5)

  • Sarah G.

    One of two dinners enjoyed on my trip to NOLA. Emeril's attention to detail and layers of flavors within the meal are fantastic. Probably the best crabcake I've ever had. We also ordered the pork chop dish (which is sweet but delicious), the gumbo (I needed hot sauce, but it was lovely regardless), and another soup. For desert, we had the ooey gooey, which was true to its namesake. I accompanied my meal with a Sazarac. Apart from the food, the service is really fantastic. We did have reservations and were not rushed at all.

    (5)

  • Matthew A.

    Definitely worth trying the gumbo and red beans and rice. Decent enough service considering the crowd. I'm not a big fan of the Bourbon Street scene, but I brave ut on occasion to eat here.

    (4)

  • Susan N.

    Service was superb and friendly. They spend the time explaining dishes and give great recommendations. Our dishes were perfect. Shrimp & grits were fantastic. My husband had the market fish of Mahi Mahi which had more flavor than anywhere we've had before. The crawfish pasta appetizer was almost gone right after it had arrived. Love the atmosphere. Def would love to come back.

    (5)

  • Jason W.

    Great place. Emeril owned restaurant. Pork chop was great and split the gumbo with a friend to eat as an appetizer.

    (4)

  • Pair A.

    Went to lunch and had the bacon lettuce and tomato salad YUM followed with the fried chicken Wow. I have to admit it was better than I expected.

    (5)

  • Valerie G.

    What other perfect way to kickstart our vacay in NOLA, than to eat at NOLA? My party of 6 and I had a 10PM ressie here on the Sunday before Mardi Gras. We were promptly seated and given our menus; we ordered a combination of the below dishes (all of which were extremely big portions!): Apps: Miss Hay's Stuffed Chicken Wings ($12) - IDK this thing is probably laced with crack. We couldn't stop eating it! Mushroom, pork, I can't even name what else was in here but everything blended together perfectly under the sweet and crisp skin. Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza ($11) - Couldn't really taste the duck confit in this dish...in fact all I remember tasting is dough. Pass! Entrees: Creekstone Farms Filet Mignon ($38) - two of the girls split this entree and they completely wiped their plates so I assume it was good ;) Hickory-Roasted Duck ($29) - my dish! The entree size legit feeds 3 people. The cornbread pudding was so melt-in-yo-mouth! The fish-they-replaced-the-drum-with: I had a few bites and it was really good! Flaky and buttery. Yummo! Unfortunately, it was only after we placed our orders that they informed us that the drum entree was out. So the two girls were given the option of another fish. Diana S. specifically asked for no mushrooms and unfortunately they plopped down a dish doused with mushrooms. She had to wait another 10 or so minutes while the rest of us ate before she got hers. But to make up for that and for running out of the drum they gave us a NOLA banana pudding dessert on the house!

    (4)

  • Shyanie K.

    Really great place, with fantastic wine selection! The service was also very good. I was very impressed with how flawless it was. Everytime you stood up, a waiter would come and fold your napkin, and when you got back, put it back on your lap. Also if you(girl) asked waiter where the restroom was, they escort you there on their arm! Very cute. Appetizers- steamed clams. It was a special for the day, and fantastic. Great flavor and sauce. Dinner- also got the special here- duck with a side of mashed sweet potatoes. SO GOOD! It was so tender and cooked to perfection. Dessert- trio of different creme brûlées. Also a great choice. Everyone at our table got different items and pretty much everyone was very content with their meals!! Definitely going to try Emeril's other restaurants the next time I'm in town!

    (5)

  • Pamela S.

    Great food, great cocktail list, good wines, nice atmosphere, good service. While we were promised that the house stuffed wings were going to "change our lives," we actually preferred the special appetizer of fried oysters with slaw to the wings, which we found to be slightly cool on the inside and a little fatty for our tastes. The oysters, on the other hand, were delicious, and the slaw they were served with was no mere garnish, but was excellent in and of itself. My shrimp and grits entree was what did change my life -- perfect shrimp, fabulous sauce, creamy grits. Portions are large, ingredients are rich. Indulge and enjoy!

    (5)

  • Trent B.

    My wife and I ate here while on vacation. First, the service was pretty good and the restaurant looked nice, but the food is a bit over rated....don't get me wrong the food tasted ok but it just lacked something....would go back for the warm ooey gooey cake that was delicious. As my most honest opinion is skip this choice for something much more local.

    (2)

  • S K.

    Talk about disappointing. The Man and I were so so excited about our return to Nola. When we ate here the first time in New Orleans, I loved it so much, I actually changed my negative opinion of Emril "BAM!" Lagasse from "That moron from Food Network" to "Aww... The fat lovable guy from Food Network" Well... my opinion is back to "That moron from Food Network". Everything we ate was so damned bland. Absolutely no seasoning. This is the WORST mistake any chef can make. It wasn't just one dish, or 2. ALL were completely and totally under seasoned. How the hell do you under season fried chicken?! Hell... I'm a Korean girl from LA and I even know better than to make that kind of idiotic mistake. Jesus F*ckin Christ! Just so wrong. I noticed the executive chef has changed. This guy's palate is either numb from smoking too much crack or he just doesn't know how the hell to use a salt grinder. The only decent dish was the amuse bouche that the girl working the pizza oven made. (Sweet gal, btw) 1 star for the service. 2 star for their wine list. Don't even bother coming here until they have a new executive chef. This guy has no idea what the hell he's doing. OR... if Mr. Celebrity Chef Guy takes a minute to check on his restaurants. But, I'm sure he's too busy now parading his mug on Top Chef.

    (2)

  • Kyla C.

    Had to check out an Emeril restaurant while in NOLA so why not try Nola, right? I took my husband here for his birthday dinner and it was great, not disappointed at all. We got the mussel appetizer, which we could have done without, seeing as the entree portions here are huge, but it was yummy none-the-less. I got the pork chop for my entree and it was super tasty but the size of my head - no joke! The sweet potatoes were amazing though, I wish I had enough room to finish them. The service was good. Wish I wouldn't have stuffed myself so we could have enjoyed dessert. Thanks Emeril!

    (5)

  • Ian P.

    VERY impressed by Emeril's flagship. I really thought it was going to be a tourist trap but I was waaaaaay wrong, and thankfully so. I was there for a bachelor party so we got to try a few things and I can say from the jalapeno and the sun-dried tomato bread, to the BBQ shrimp app to the drum, everything was spectacular - absolutely SPOT ON. Besides the local drum fish entree, I also tried the fried chicken and the pork steak and both were probably the best I've ever had of each, respectively. I would say, don't expect to go here and get healthy fare though, that's not what it's for but as long as you go in knowing Emeril likes butter, you'll be all set. We unfortunately didn't get a chance to go for dessert but I can say the wine and service were both great and very reasonably priced. 100% MUST GO TO place when in Nola.

    (5)

  • Dennis L.

    I visited NOLA for an Easter Brunch while in town on vacation. I has been to the restaurant a few times before, and I always had an excellent experience. On this occasion, my wife and I had a good experience with one notable miscue - her dish. We stared off with the Cochon gumbo, which was delicious. Next, we enjoyed a crab cake, which was amazing! For my entree, I ordered the Shrimp & Grits. It was wonderful as I had expected. Unfortunately, my wife's Eggs Benedict was not cooked properly. The eggs were quite overdone. Our server was very friendly and helpful.

    (4)

  • Abe S.

    Great food, drinks and service!

    (5)

  • Joel E.

    I would stay away from this restaurant because the service was extremely poor and the prices were very high in relation to the service that we received . Also We were served our food after people that had arrived well after we did. Also the food was not warm when It got to our table. The server was not very knowledgeable about the menu and he was more concerned about helping other tables than ours. Our water glasses went empty twice and we had to flag down busboys to get our water glasses filled .My wife and I were very surprised because we eat at Emeril's other restaurant in New Orleans and we were very impressed. We decided to eat at this restaurant because we thought it was going to be as good as his other one.

    (2)

  • Lex D.

    Coming from Napa Valley, my expectations are pretty high for fine dining. I eat out regularly and enjoy most of what I encounter but I rarely come across anything that gets my top mark. Although Nola had a fun, hip yet elegant atmosphere and the service staff was all friendly, I thought the overall experience was so-so. The quality of what we all ordered was good (3 out of 5) but nothing special, our waiter was warm and friendly but his service was a bit slow and he rarely came around to see if we needed anything. We had to wait far too long to place our order and then the glass of wine I was finally able to order never came. That and the restaurant felt like and ice box though it was only in the upper 60s outside that evening, not necessitating such aggressive air conditioning. Nothing terrible, but I expected better from a noteworthy establishment and a fancy chef.

    (2)

  • Desiree O.

    I've visited New Orleans at least 4 times and NOLA was by far our favorite restaurant in the past. I just returned from a trip with a couple of friends who had New Orleans on their bucket list. I highly recommended NOLA and was pretty disappointed in our evening. It was an expensive dinner (which we had prepared for) and the food was not great. Service was slow, which was a big surprise since it has always been a big highlight of this restaurant. I was sooooooo disappointed I had recommended this place and so disappointed in the overall experience. I will not recommend this again, nor probably ever go there again. Sorry Emeril...this place has lost it's touch!

    (2)

  • Linda L.

    We went in for dinner without reservations, even though it was extremely busy, they managed to find us a table for two - albeit by the kitchen. The buttermilk chicken was fantastic, the bourbon mashed sweet potatoes were to die for, and the snap peas were perfect. The shrimp and grits on the other hand were so-so, and the crab cake appetizer was a little scorched (no not blackened!) I will say the service was outstanding - friendly, professional and attentive.

    (4)

  • Abby B.

    My husband thought Nola was a bit overrated; the stuffed chicken wings were delish. My husband ordered the Hickory Roasted Duck which he enjoyed (as always he skipped the greens). I ordered the Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken, which I thought was nothing too special; they did give me 3 large chicken breast (who eats that much in a sitting anyway?) If you are looking for an over priced chilis with the name Emeril, this is your place! The best Part of the meal was the sweet mashed potatoes

    (3)

  • Laura M.

    We came here for dinner. After reading all the reviews we decided to have the fried chicken, pan fried pork chops, and shrimp and grits. All were so finger licking delicious!!!

    (5)

  • Nina N.

    I have been to a few of emeril's restaurants, and of course this one's one of my all time favorites. Well, I was hoping it would be. We had great customer service, and the frog legs and crab appetizers were amazing! oh yeah, and their watermelon martini was yummmmyyyyy!!!! I would recommend eating here for a appetizer and going to cochon for the real meal deal, or mr. b's. Now those are some call in a reservations type restaurants!!!

    (5)

  • Raven G.

    Best. Food. Ever. Get the Drum! Its this amazingly seasoned white fish wow it was good. The duck was good too but nothing compared to the drum. Really happy I got to try this place. Interesting and casual environment. Pricey food and wine. Poison was one of the less expensive ones and still was a really good zin. Waitors were super attentive, knowledgeable and down to earth.

    (5)

  • Nancy V.

    I was really excited to try NOLA and believed the food was going to be great based on what I've heard and all the wonderful reviews. This was my restaurant of choice when I had only one night in New Orleans and it was simply mediocre which was so disappointing. Positives + The wait staff was great. The team was very attentive with refilling water, etc. + The stuffed chicken wings (appetizer) were awesome. + Cool atmosphere although very noisy and not intimate Negatives - Cornbread at the beginning was so dry and bland. - It was Saturday night but the main courses took a ridiculously long time to come out (40 minutes+). - I know I wasn't at a steak house, but rib eye was simply okay. I had to ask for extra chimichurri sauce because of the lack of flavor. - Others in my party had seafood (drum, fish special) and the food did not come out hot. - Side dishes were soooo salty. At the least, I thought the food was going to be good. Overall, it was just okay.

    (2)

  • Missy C.

    In town for business and ate at the bar. Not too many seats at bar so got a bit crowded with people standing behind me but considering there were no available reservations, I won't complain. Started with baby lettuce salad. Beautiful vinaigrette and super fresh. Shrimp and grits were ridiculous. Nothing should be that good- or have that much butter in it. Ended with banana pudding pie which was very light but actually rather plain tasting. Sipped on a really nice, crisp white Burgundy.

    (4)

  • Kelly C.

    Fun place but very load. Stuffed chicken wings were not my fav, but my group went nuts for the duck flatbread with Parmesan and truffle oil. Drum fish was good as was the pork chops. Would def go back again

    (4)

  • Derek W.

    Asked the bartender at the hotel what she recommended for a place to eat at around 9pm and she quickly suggested NOLA. I totally forgot to look up Emeril's restaurants before making the trip out there. I was happy she recommended this place. Best part of the dinner was that their bar offers their full menu and even has a tv with MNF on! We arrived after once again getting lost (damn Google maps) and asked how long it would take before being seated (30 mins). We then headed over to the bar and realized we could dine there while watching MNF! This place was pretty busy for a Monday night but there were only 2 other people dining at the bar, the rest were waiting to be seated. Quickly scored 2 seats and ordered our drinks. Bread - onion foccacia and jalapeno corn bread ( yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc… ). The onion foccacia was ok but I loved the jalapeno corn bread! I started with Miss Hay's stuffed chicken wings ( yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc… ) which was very good. The chicken wings were deep fried to a golden crisp and was very moist. It reminded me of the what one could order at a Thai restaurant. Nevertheless, a nice appetizer to share. BBQ'ed Gulf shrimp ( yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc… ). Didn't look too appetizing when it first arrived but it was very good. Gumbo ( yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc… ). Another outstanding dish that was recommended to us by the bartender. I only tasted it but it was great. Hickory roasted duck breat(s) - recommended by the bartender as one of his favorite entrees ( yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc… ). Wished he told me that it was basically an entire duck served as an entree. Nice smokey flavor served on top of cornbread pudding (wasn't too fond of this), green beans and candied pecans (wished they gave me more). Duck breast was tender and moist. Great entree just couldn't put down all the food. Dessert - though too full to try some of the other desserts like the ooey gooey cake or the banana pudding cake, I opted for the drunken monkey ice cream ( yelp.com/biz_photos/Chlc… ). Emeril's take on Ben and Jerry's chunky monkey only 100x better. This was so good that I couldn't help but to finish it despite being so full. Great restaurant with an awesome bar staff which recommended a few other restaurants to try in the vicinity. Wished Bayona was opened on Tuesday for lunch as this was one of their recommendations.

    (4)

  • Caro D.

    Honestly, a little disappointing. The chicken wings WERE phenomenal, but the service was lackluster and the fried chicken was ovecooked, dry and very tough. Unpleasant. The grilled seasonal fish was memorable, the lobster salad was not. The corpse reviver was not good. The banana pudding dessert was nice. Very hit or miss, depending on what you order. I would suggest scouring yelp reviews for highlights ahead of time or grilling your waiter.

    (3)

  • August R.

    Came back to NOLA as it is a favorite when we are in the French Quarter. The service was excellent as always. We had duck confit and fried egg pizza for an appetizer and this was fantastic. For dinner we tried cornbread crusted catfish (excellent) and the fish of the day. The catfish was over a great dirty rice and had house made pork rinds that were a treat. The amberjack was over a tomato stew. The fish was good but the stew was more spicy than expected, good but not what I was looking for tonight. We always stop here when visiting and would never hesitate to recommend it!

    (4)

  • Dalan C.

    My wife and I were very excited to try Emeril's place this past weekend. Against what I've beent told and from traveling a bunch for work (to stay away from the tourist restaurants), we headed in with high expectations (it is Emeril after all). The place is busy and has a good vibe to it. 2 story place that is decorated like very nicely. The waiters are awesome and very attentive. So I'd give the service 5 stars. The food however was disappointing, especially for the price (2.5* for food quality to price). What did we have.... This is what we had. DUCK CONFIT AND FRIED EGG PIZZA with Parmesan Cheese, Truffle Oil and Baby Arugula DUCK and SAUSAGE GUMBO GRILLED PORK CHOP with Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potatoes, Toasted Pecans and Caramelized Onion Reduction Sauce GRILLED SCALLOPS (special of the day) with potatoes So the pizza was really good, the egg really did work well with the pizza, and the truffle oil made it even better. Gumbo was....well it was gumbo, tasted fine. Grilled pork chop good, but not hot, and to us it looked a little under even though they suvee it (so there might be a little pink, but it was pretty pink). Scallops, first bite crazy salty. Sent it back. Better, but just didn't taste good, and the second batch had a thick sauce in it, which was a bit salty, and just didn't taste that good. But just ate it and was done with it. So overall, good location and great service. Food was mediocre at best especially for who the celebrity chef is and the price he charges.

    (3)

  • Dawn S.

    I really had high expectations having Emeril's name associated with this place. We ate at Emeril's New Orleans the last time we were in town and were crazy impressed with everything. I made my 8:30 reservation for Wednesday evening three weeks in advance and we arrived promptly. The woman at the hostess stand took our name and we waited.... and waited.... and waited. There were four open tables on the ground level and at least two that I could see on the second level. After about 10 minutes she said "I guess I can seat you", and she sat us on the first floor crammed next to a wall when there were several other more spacious tables available (that no one used the entire time we were there). The waiter was friendly, perhaps too friendly as he shook our hands to greet us (so I had to use the restroom to wash my hands). The restroom was gross. I absolutely judge an establishment by the cleanliness, decor, and general state of the restroom. I understand that the building was a rehab and is old, but that is no excuse for unfinished projects and filth. When exiting the restroom you get a glimpse of the back of the kitchen which prominently displays a photo of a bug and a sign that says "close all garbage bags". Thank you very much for the visual of the infestation issues you are experiencing. We made our wine selections and waited... and waited... and waited. We were brought jalapeno corn bread and brioche rolls with butter. The waiter eventually returned to take our order. Wood Oven Roasted Pocket Bread Salad (special) Mushroom pasta (special) Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken Vegetarian Couscous and Vegetables with Citrus Dressing (they apparently have a vegetarian option every day that is not on the specials or on the menu, the waiter will tell you what it is IF you ask) They say the restaurant is casual dress. I saw everything from fancy dresses to harley davidson t-shirts and jean shorts. I wore a casual dress and my husband wore a dress shirt and slacks. If I were to go again I wouldn't bother putting too much effort into my appearance. The food was very good, but I think there are better restaurants to experience in this great city. Sorry Emeril.

    (3)

  • Moooooolly S.

    Just had a terrible experience tonight. Service was below average, my husband waited over 20 minutes for the glass of wine he ordered. When our entrees came (the duck and the catfish) we were both disappointed. My duck was so dry it was hard to eat and my husbands catfish was so salty he had to send it back. The response from the server was complete apathy, and left us feeling like jerks after having legitimate issues with our pricey food. When I asked for my duck to be wrapped up to go, it was returned in a brown box in a brown bag. Which would have been fine had we not watched several people leave prior to us with their leftovers in cool aluminum swans! WTF NOLA?? The topper was when the wrapped up duck was returned to our table and the server knocked over my glass of wine with said brown bag, OVER the balcony and on to other guests! The people below were SO pissed and kept looking up giving my husband and I death stares so much so my husband had to call down to everyone, "It was the server!" to hopefully stop the wrath. Even worse was I had to ask the server for a replacement glass of wine since he spilled mine all over the floor and he seemed annoyed that I did so. Fortunately they were smart enough to not charge for the sent back catfish and spilled wine, but $85 for two soups an entree and two glass of wine??? Completely overpriced TOURIST TRAP. Don't even bother.

    (1)

  • Sheri R.

    Great food. Super busy and noisy. Some aspects of service slightly off, like waiting 15 minutes to take our drink order. Tenderloin great but overcooked....awesome flavor; his shrimp and grits very good. Carrot cake a 3/5, coffee a 6/5.

    (4)

  • Kyle A.

    I have been to NOLA three times now and have never been disappointed. The Duck entree, simply put is one of the most amazing pieces of culinary work I have been lucky enough to taste. Maybe I'm not enough of a food snob and am easily excited by food, but I will make a point to head to NOLA every time I can make a stop in greater NOLA.

    (5)

  • Dee M.

    Dining experience: Who Dat Superbowl Sunday!!! This is somewhat of a mixed review. I love Emeril, so naturally I was very excited about dining at NOLA. Service - Top notch. They waited on me hand and foot - even gave me a black napkin so as not to threaten my black & gold attire. The Food - I started out with Ms Hays Stuffed Chicken Wings and they were to die for! They only give you three, but they are so worth the $10.00 price tag. For my entree I ordered the pork chop and it was just okay, I wish it had more flavor, I didn't care for the tart inside. Of course I couldn't leave without the banana pudding cake - but unfortunately, it was another disappointment. I've also dined at Emerils Delmonico and the New Orleans Fish House restaurants in Las Vegas. I must say that for the most part I've been really disappointed in the food. I don't mind spending $70 on dinner. However, for the price, I expect more from Emeril. There are better dining establishments in New Orleans (K Pauls, Dantes Kitchen), so unfortunately I will not be returning,

    (3)

  • wolf c.

    Incredible service... best I've ever had! Seriously. Watching the staff deliver food to the table was like watching a choreographed dance... Plates lowered at the same time. Outstanding food. Although everything we ordered was delicious, the standouts for me were the crab cake with spicy corn relish appetizer and the pork chop.

    (5)

  • Pooja S.

    NOLA is a must-visit for anyone in "Nawlins"! I expected the food to be good, but this place really exceeded my expectations. The service is absolutely impeccable - the staff was incredibly attentive, and even with all the hustle and bustle - they seemed to be having a really good time. Now let's get down to the food - simply Mind - Blowing! We started with the BBQ shrimp and the Caesar salad. The BBQ shrimp was the BEST SHRIMP I HAVE EVER EATEN!!! No joke - hands down this is an absolute must order, you will not be disappointed. Even after the shrimp and biscuit were gone, the staff came by with another round of delicious jalapeno cornbread to finish up the sauce. For the main dishes we ordered the crusted garlic drumm and the shrimp and grits. The shrimp and grits were good, but the Drumm was AMAZING!!!! This is also an absolute must order dish. The crust was perfectly balanced between the garlic and bread crumbs, and the sauce accompanying the fish was the perfect blend of seasoning, citrus flavor and buttery smooth flavor. Whenever I'm in NOLA - I will have to stop by for another round of the BBQ shrimp and the crusted Drumm. For dessert we tried the beignets, and they were good - but after the high bar set by the previous course we had high expectations for this. We absolutely loved this place fantastic food and incomparable service! I highly recommend dining here.

    (5)

  • Terra L.

    Amazing. Ambiance, service, taste, and location! I will be back once I can afford it! - high end (expensive) but pretty darn good! Stuffed chicken wings! Amazing!

    (5)

  • Ed S.

    First, came here for Fathers Day Lunch. The staff is excellent. The food is good knowing it's comfort food. The desserts are awesome along with their gourmet coffees. This place gets packed so reservations are suggested. Great atmosphere and comfortable. Don't know the difference between lunch and dinner menu, but the food was tasty. For those giving bad reviews, I don't get it cuz this place had first rate service and what we ordered was very good. A memorable place to celebrate Father's Day. Great service and very good food. A must try for good food and great service.

    (4)

  • Kenneth H.

    Had the smoked half duck c sweet potatoes Fri. Best duck I have eaten in years. Going back just to get it again before I leave NO on Sat. The Mgr is great, took wonderful care of us even without a reservation on a busy hectic night.

    (5)

  • Ann W.

    So...ate here years ago when it was newish and a real destination spot. Stopped going because well; too many other places to eat with just as good food and less $$$. Fast forward to biz trip this month and this was the choice for our group. Menu has changed becoming more accessible...not necessarily a compliment so wasn't expecting much. Started with boudin balls. Ok flavour..too bland (see...accessible). Had garlic crusted drum for main...rate it a comfort food. Was cooked nicely, moist and garlicky like i wanted...and decent size serving. Others at table has duck, pork chops, shrimp n grits....everyone seemed happy. But ya see..thats the problem...its decent solid biz dinner fare. Nothing special and no personality. Almost makes me wish for the overblown days of the early 90's. Can't say I would ever personally choose to return. Far too many other waaay more interesting menus in town

    (3)

  • Danesh I.

    With only three days to experience New Orleans, a visit to one of Emril's restaurants seemed like a definite "to-do." Though we were within a few steps of Emril's New Orleans, the reviews on Yelp! seemed much more favorable for NOLA. We came for lunch and had a fantastic meal! The decor, and overall feel of the place is charming, and the service was prompt and friendly. With the setting and service already in the "great" column, we had high expectations for our meal. Needless to say, we were not disappointed. The cocktails here are superb, and the rolls provided by the restaurant are a tasty. Word of advice, lay off on the rolls and save room for the appetizers! My wife and I tried the Barbecued Gulf Shrimp with Rosemary Biscuit and Miss Hay's Stuffed Chicken Wings with Homemade Hoisin Dipping Sauce: D-E-L-C-I-O-U-S. Simple concepts, but packed with lots of amazing! We enjoyed every last morsel, and if this place were a bit less crowded, I may seriously have licked the remaining BBQ sauce from the plate. For her entree, my wife got the Shrimp & Grits which consisted of sautéed Gulf shrimp with grilled green onions, smoked cheddar grits, apple smoked bacon, crimini mushrooms and red chili-abita butter sauce. Every component of that dish was superb, so so delectable! The bacon and fresh shrimp was a match made in heaven when paired with the sauce! As much as I wanted to snatch away her plate, I enjoyed my buttermilk fried breast of chicken with bourbon mashed sweet potatoes, country ham cream gravy and sautéed sugar snap peas. The chicken was juicy, perfectly breaded, and complemented everything else on the plate. The sweet potatoes and snap peas were really good, and the gravy was delicious! When it came to dessert, the choices all seemed really good but we went with the Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Drizzle. As much as I love sweet potato, I was too hesitant to take on the sweet potato ice cream. All things considered, how can you go wrong with any part of this dessert? Chocolate, Bourbon, Pecan Pie, Vanilla Ice Cream, Caramel Drizzle: every syllable in that dessert oozes deliciousness! Please do not come to New Orleans and leave without having eaten here at least once!

    (4)

  • Jimmy M.

    Excellent food and service. Certainly a standout among the many restaurants in New Orleans. Fried chicken was outstanding.

    (5)

  • Flix N.

    wow....pace of service was way too slow. it took hours to get through the meal...i was taking a client out...it actually became uncomfortable as we all had people to see and places to go. food was ok...not amazing. fish cakes tasted like a salt bomb the red fish was a hit...the duck was good. we all liked our desserts. 350 for 4 people with NO alcohol. i have had much better meals for for the same or less in this town, so....a little bit of a disappointment.

    (2)

  • Keith G.

    Absolutely unbelievable. Best service and food. My wife and I had appetizers, shared 2 meals and all of the food was well crafted and cooked to perfection. The wait staff was well skilled, friendly and more than attentive. Kudos to the operators!

    (5)

  • Vince E.

    Wow, was not expecting this place. I had heard all about it from friends prior. Emeril this and that. But I've had enough BAM in my day, I could do without the show. And this place is just that. Good food, not pretentious at all. Make sure you get a reservation ahead of time. Even though I was in town early for a conference. That thursday evening was still filled and I had to sit by the bar. This is not a bad option though, you see the food being made and get to chat it up with all the cooks. That night on tap I had: shrimp and cheddar grits- delicious cheese grits with 6 grilled shrimp. Wasn't blow your mind wow, but very tasty. Don't order this if you're hungry though (I still was), you can easily go through two servings. duck gumbo- My first shot at gumbo during my stay and was not disappointed. Had a very sweet duck taste infused in the gumbo Roasted duck- Friend had a fall off the bone roast duck. Imagine the most succulent ribs, but instead a half a duck sitting on your plate asking to be picked. Portions so big I was impressed! Nothing else during the rest of the trip quite matched. crispy duck liver- An interesting appetizer. Fried liver. something to try. They bring around corn bread and cheese bread as well for you This was one of the better sit down meals we had in NO. Food was good. Wait staff was hilarious. It's dressed like an old mine with lots of wood and machinery, so its got a lot of character. SO much so they let my friend and I walk in with a mojito in a plastic cup in hand, no questions asked! I would definitely come back

    (4)

  • Cheng Q.

    This is a solid five star restaurant as far as the food goes. I came in for dinner by myself and was sat by the kitchen bar. A gentleman sitting next me asked if I was on Yelp or Opentable on my phone. I told him I was going through the tips on Foursquare for some brief suggestions. (which I always do considering I'm always up for trying out new restaurants.) Foursquare may be new to him but apparently he likes to check out reviews too before going to a restaurant. It's always a nice thing to have someone talk to you at a restaurant but sadly it doesn't happen to often in L.A. He recommended me some dishes so I didn't have to look up for suggestions online. Cody (or Kody) was the cute chef working in the kitchen. There're another 7 or 8 chefs working too but he was the one that personally cooked my dishes from scratch. The most interesting part was when he prepared the food for presentation. Aligning the lemon inside a green net, dripping some salt on top of the cooked food. And then a short moment later, the dish is in front me brought by a waiter. It tasted dang good! Don't forget to try the stuffed chicken.

    (5)

  • Tracy L.

    No doubt a good restaurant. Here are some must-knows: 1. Try Hickory-Roasted Duck and Grilled Pork Chop. Both are tender, flavorful and generously portioned. 2. Frank Family Chardonnay is smooth, slightly buttery and extremely enjoyable. A nice touch to those two entrees above. 3. Less than perfect things to note: very average service, plus tiny two-person tables. More importantly, make a reservation in advance, or you don't stand a chance.

    (4)

  • Erin M.

    Whenever you pick the restaurant for a special occasion, it's always a nervewracking experience. However, NOLA did not disappoint. I had the buttermilk chicken and it was.to.die.for.It was moist, tender and was lightly breaded and was light as opposed to greasy, which I didn't expect given that it was fried. I am not the biggest fan of sweet potatoes, and the server was accommodating in changing my selection to the herbed potatoes, which were decent but fairly standard. The snap peas were delish and I barely dinged a third of my dish, which was also surprising as I expected smaller portions. We also split two desserts, the banana pudding cake and a nightly special (chocolate cookies with peanut butter ice cream, bruleed bananas and strawberries). Holy goodness. Pure delight in every bite. The service was a thing if beauty. It was like a choreographed dance as all our entrees were set and removed at the same time. The servers were friendly, offered great suggestions for wine pairings and described the dishes as if they were writing for Saveur. The atmosphere was a little more industrial than I had hoped for, but the elevator that takes guests to the second floor was a fun touch. Our group decided on a 4 rating because sewers hoping for a little more Southern charm in terms of decor and menu choices. Overall, a solid choice. I would go back again! Tip: Parking can be tricky, but they do validate for the nearby Omni.

    (4)

  • Soogi H.

    Perfect intro to classic New Orleans cuisine! Service was impeccable (checked on us repeatedly but not over bearing). Must try the wood fired black mussels and shrimp and grits -- AMAZING! Took my kids to an early dinner on a Wed night and never felt rushed or out of place. (And they do have a kids' menu.) Great vibe all around!

    (5)

  • Lee K.

    My wife and I celebrated our 15th anniversary at Nola on 11/14/13. The restaurant is very nice, with an elegant but casual atmosphere. Our server Travis was very informative and helpful, but not around so much as to detract from the experience. And the food was wonderful. We had the stuffed chicken wing and barbeque shrimp appetizers, the garlic crusted drum and shrimp and grits entrees, followed by a shared ooey gooey cake. Everything was delicious. I highly recommend Nola for a special night out.

    (5)

  • Alex D.

    Overpriced. It didn't have the sensational sensation like other New Orleans restos. We were waited on by 3 different servers. 2 were very rushed to move us along in a near empty resto. The dude Troy learning the ropes was very attentive and a nice guy to bring us bread and water. The other two were not all that good. I had to tip less cuz nothing was all that sensational. Sorry Emeril. Your other digs are good. This wasn't upto par.

    (2)

  • Jonathan W.

    One of Emeril's restaurants, so why not? Give it a shot. Not as dressy as I thought (only wore a polo and jeans). Part of my trip to New Orleans; definitely worth the hype. Mussels were awesome; however, too much fries. Boudin balls were good (different for me as I had never had them before). Soup of the day (shrimp/corn bisque) was good; not too heavy. Worth every penny

    (4)

  • Dan L.

    You know I'm always a bit skeptical about trying restaurants that are from a "celebrity chef" I'm always under the impression that they get business simply due to the fact of the name that is behind it. Emeril Lagasse. If you don't know who that is, I would say that now he is the second biggest celebrity chef now, behind Gordon Ramsay. That's besides the point. The point is the restaurant and the food! I arrived just as dinner service began, without reservations. I actually got in immediately, which is always a plus in my book. They brought us around the host station and by the open kitchen. (open kitchens are always a plus in my book). The host had me go into the elevator and took me to the second floor. (the restaurant has 3 floors) I arrived to my table and took a look to my surroundings. A very tastefully decorated restaurant that was not pretentious, which was to my liking. First up, I was greeted very respectfully by my servers. (the servers work in teams) They came around with baskets of two different types of rolls. One was a traditional roll, that was extremely tasty and the second was a jalapeno corn bread. I for one do not like spicy food at all so I was hesitant to try it, but let me tell you it was delicious. They did not inundate the cornbread with jalapeno and it had a nice texture to it. Next up was appetizers. I ordered the duck confit pizza, and the person I was with ordered the crab cake, which was actually served as her appetizer, but I will get back to that. To the pizza. Great crust, shredded duck, fresh arugula, and a fried egg on top. One bite of this and I was more than happy. I would've been more than happy as this as my appetizer! It was delicious and I could not have asked for anything better. Next was entrees. I happened to order the special of the night which was a drum fish. I actually ordered this because I have never heard of a drum fish before, and god I wish I had. My fish was perfectly cooked, served with potatoes and a reduction wine sauce which I could not figure out, nor remember what the menu said. My company had the crab cake and I had a bite of it and it was delicious! After our 2 courses and several rounds of drinks, neither one of us could fathom eating dessert. We were both extremely pleased with the service, the ambiance and the food that we were served. I would definately recommend this restaurant to anyone who is ever going to NOLA.

    (5)

  • Mark H.

    Really good restaurant by Emeril close to Bourbon. Nice infused vodka cocktails, tasty gumbo, and had a really good piece of braised beef. Bread pudding for desert was good too. Pricey, but it's expected. I will be back if I visit again.

    (4)

  • Kelly F.

    Absolutely scrumpdiddleedumptious. My husband where walking thru the quarter and where starving. We saw NOLA, saw that it had great Yelp reviews and walked in. We where just a bit earlier than the dinner crowd and lucked out - quick seating with no reservations even though we where "dressed down". It wasn't til after we where seated I realized it was an Emeril establishment. NOLA did not disappoint. The service was top notch with the staff referring to us by name as a nice personal touch. We got the mussels as an appetizer and they where little morsels of garlicky awesomeness. My hubby got the garlic crusted drum. I got the crab cake (the best I've had in years) and the fried oyster salad. Filling and delicious. My favorite had to be the chocolate bread pudding though with the popcorn brittle. I was ready to burst at the seams but I just couldn't help myself. Also the Turbo Dog beer was icy cold awesome. Definitely worth every penny we spent!

    (5)

  • Maria M.

    Since this is an Emeril owned restaurant, I guess I expected more. The food was good, service was good. I thought it would be a higher end restaurant but many patrons were dressed VERY casual (flip flops, jeans, tshirts). Apart from that, the restaurant atmosphere was nice and the food was delicious. My husband really liked the pork chop (huge) and I enjoyed the drum (fish).

    (4)

  • Jason A.

    I went for lunch and it's a cool place with a great menu. If it weren't for the quality of the service at the bar I'd have given it three stars though. The food was good, not great if I'm being honest. The gumbo was a complete letdown. The roux wasn't as dark as I'd expect and it tasted accordingly, somewhat weak in my opinion. But the piece of gristle I found myself chomping on was most unpleasant. At $9 it's obscene. The stuffed chicken wings were great although a bit greasy. The braised pork cheek po boy was also very tasty. I'm not sure if I'd go back but it was worth trying.

    (4)

  • Bill T.

    I started with an Aviation cocktail--excellent! I had wings stuffed with shrimp paste, ginger, garlic and rice noodles with some hossein sauce. Wow! Then I had a pork belly bacon, spinach and almond salad. That pork belly bacon was a thick cut and so flavorful. Finally, I had shrimp and grits. I was too full to eat it all. I took it to go and will finish the rest once my own porky belly recedes a bit. The shrimp was so flavorful. The grits were buttery and smooth with a some hot and a bit sweet chili oil sauce. Loved it all, and the service was wonderful. The server team knew their menus perfectly and were very attentive but not too much.

    (5)

  • Kris Marie D.

    Must get the stuffed chicken wings! Then the shrimp and grits! Skip dessert. Service was outstanding.

    (4)

  • Dan G.

    Seriously overrated. Go elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Jennifer T.

    I have been a fan of Emeril's for a long time, so when I was in town, I walked my way over to this restaurant. We had originally made dinner reservations but chose to come for lunch instead. The restaurant was smaller than I thought it would be, but I really liked the way it was decorated. When we got there, there was a small wait so we opted to sit at the bar. The bartender was very friendly and full of personality. I ordered the Seafood Gumbo and was surprised at how much seafood was in it. Everything from oysters to shrimp to crab. It was the best gumbo I have ever ordered. The bread was also very yummy. I watched as the bartender poured a pink, fruity-looking drink into a martini class and gave it to the customer next to us. Without asking, she poured the extra amount into a glass and handed it to me to try. It was hands-down the best Cosmo I have ever tried.

    (5)

  • MistiLynn L.

    Delicious! The staff was very friendly and made the experience all the more enjoyable. We had a main waiter, but there were also 3 others that attended to us, it seemed like a party had gathered each time a dish was brought out. This isn't bad though because they were all so nice and seemed to really enjoy their jobs and the food. I had the frog legs appetizer, my first time having frog legs and was pleasantly surprised, they tasted like a sweet chicken. For the entree I had the duck, which looked & smelled so amazing that the couple at the next table asked me what I had ordered. It also tasted fabulous. My friend ordered fish and was also great.

    (5)

  • Lu E.

    We were seated 5 min before our reservation. The host, waiter and servers were superb. They're a "we can do that" kind of restaurant. If its on the menu, they'll do their best to combine as your like it. The food was superb! Crab cakes, Wedge Salad, Shrimp and Grits, collards with applewood bacon. Service visits were timely, yet, not too often. Our glasses were never empty. NOLA never fails to deliver an amazing dining experience!

    (5)

  • Jay n.

    I've got to agree with Bob below and go with 'Over-hyped and Over-priced'. First, let's talk about the positives of our experience at NOLA - the service was great. Joe, Moe and Flo (not kidding) were very attentive, gave just the right amount of space. Clearly, someone running the 'front of the house' knows what they are doing, because 'Service' isn't an issue. They start you with a small Jalapeno Cornbread muffin, and small herb muffin for bread. Both were OK, but small. My wife had the 'drum' which I guess is a local white fish. Our server said it was the best thing on the menu, and much better than the 'red fish' or 'salmon'. It was apparently 'garlic encrusted' but the garlic crust was more mush than anything, and the fish was merely OK. For the prices charged here, OK doesn't cut it. I had a difficult time deciding what to order. There was a pan seared NY Strip steak that looked appealing but the 'loaded mashed potatoes' that came with it had green onion in them, so I passed on that one. Instead I ordered the 'Filet'. I ordered it Medium, and have to say it was served Medium Well, if not closer to well done. That didn't bother me as much as the size.....this steak could not have been more than 4 or 5 ounces. It was served atop a bed of diced red potatoes and I guess onions (?)....how could you describe this entree....SMALL. We had 'King Cake' for desert, which was good.....but it's really nothing more than a fried tortilla or something with some drizzled chocolate on top. OK, better than the dinner......but just OK. I really could not recommend this place. Our bill came to about $130 without tip, for 2 people......which did include 3 beers. Overall, well over priced for the small serving sizes and average at best food preparation. We ate at a few other restaurants in the area that just blew this place away.....not on service, but on the food. Emeril, if you read this.....step it up. The atmosphere and decor is trendy, service is good....step it up on the food, because we expected much better.

    (2)

  • Dawn P.

    So we sat on the second floor of the restaurant everything we ordered was basically room temperature by time it got to us. The veggie pizza was very tasty but not hot. We wanted the heirloom tomato salad but they were already out of it and it was only 8:30, so we shared a beet salad and it was tiny. My husband got the ribeye and potatoes, the steak was good but the potatoes were mushy. I had the soft shell crab, definitely nothing to write home about and our "warm" bread pudding was cold, they were kind enough to take it off the menu. Everyone was nice but we were not impressed. Cochon and GW Fins were much better.

    (3)

  • Caitlin S.

    I came to NOLA with my mom, who is a big Emiril fan. We made reservations for 8:15 and still had to wait (no more than around 5 minutes), and I can see why. We were there until around 10:30/11. It was just that, we figured, if you're going to NOLA, you go all out, and make it worth it. And it was. We shared the roasted garlic reggiano buttermilk soup. Yum omg. And she had the fried chicken, which is so much more than fried chicken, with specialty crust and mashed sweet potatoes. I almost got that, but got the pork chop with cut sweet potatoes and little pecans and onions cooked all together. It was so good, I had to force myself to stop eating (doggie bag, anyone?) because we wanted to squeeze in a desert while we were on the splurge track. To drink, NIcholson (sp?) Syrah from Petaluma, CA. Woot woot. Great wine, so good I'm getting some when I get back home. Then we had the three creme brulees, vanilla, coconut, and mocha. Wow. The service was really good, we had three waiters that shared all of us, and they were totally genuine and nice and really good (I wonder what their day job is? no, none, because they're pros). And the maitre'd thought we were special and noticed we were going high so he came over and he was so cute and was shooting the shit. It was great. Love the place. A must see for those who love Emiril, love great dining, love Nola, or who can afford to scrounge their pockets for a great, worthwhile experience over great conversation and a fun time.

    (5)

  • Amy W.

    I love how NOLA manages to feel both casual and high-end at the same time. My husband and I walked in at 8:45 on a Saturday night with a wing and a prayer of getting a table--and found ourselves being seated within 5 minutes! The service was delightful and perfectly timed throughout dinner. We split a Caesar (wish I'd ordered it for myself, it was so tasty) and I ordered the fried chicken while my husband ordered the shrimp and grits. After watching the fried chicken challenge in the last season of Top Chef, I wanted to see how Emeril's kitchen handled it. ;) Of course, it was done beautifully. Not crazy crispy, but great crispy edges and the chicken was so moist and delicious. When dipped in the ham cream gravy--heaven! I loved the bourbon mashed sweet potatoes, but craved some starchy white potatoes with the gravy, i have to admit. My husband's dish was too spicy for me, but the grits were some of the tastiest I've ever had. The restaurant isn't that expensive, considering Emeril's name is on it, so we really felt like it was worth every penny. Would recommend to anyone!

    (5)

  • C E.

    We had dinner here last night. I had the Garlic Crusted Drum and my husband had the Shrimp and Grits. Both meals were outstanding! We sat at the bar right by the wood burning oven and enjoyed the view of the kitchen. The service was outstanding...had two excellent servers who were very entertaining. We came in with plastic cups from Boubon Street and they welcomed us and classed us up by pouring our drinks into glasses. Was no wait to get in due to Hurricane Isaac reducing the crowds. Highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Madeleine S.

    Nola is one of my go-to-places on the quarter for consistently good food and service. It's not a five star fine dining experience - it is also not stuffy or dressy kind of place. My husband and I like good food, cooked with fresh unpretentious ingredients and Nola delivers. We often will eat in the bar - I love watching the hustle and bustle of the kitchen while eating. The bartenders also provide great entertainment and stories from the quarter. The stuffed chicken wings are amazing, the duck crispy and juicy and the fish cooked to perfection. Salads may be tiny bit overdressed for my taste - I like to taste the flavors of the salad greens. The deserts are delicious and the home made sorbets a real treat as are the espressos.

    (4)

  • Rachel P.

    As MC Hammer would say, Emeril Lagasse is too legit too quit! We had late night dessert (two orders of ooey gooey chocolate cake) which is normally served with coffee ice cream; however, not being big coffee fans our server had no problem substituting for graham cracker and vanilla ice cream. The ice cream was homemade and light making it a nice compliment to the rich layer of chocolate cake with a flavorful ooze of chocolate sauce and oh so good coconut toasted marshmallow. Not being a huge chocolate fan I thought the portion was appropriate; however, my 12-year old LOVES chocolate and felt the portion could have been a little bigger for the $8 charge. The staff was friendly and helpful. I forgot to mention that we ordered to go because the restaurant was closing in 15 minutes when we arrived and wanted to be considerate of the staff. Warming up the cake in the microwave did not deter from this desserts true flavors!

    (4)

  • Matthew T.

    Emeril has not let me down when it comes to tasty meals. I've eaten at his place in the MGM in Las Vegas, and at Delmonico in NO, and now at NOLA. Each meal was fantastic. Here at NOLA, I had the gumbo of the day (pork cheek & andouille), and the hickory-roast duck. Out of this freakin' world!

    (4)

  • Arlyn A.

    From the moment we walked into the restaurant, we were flooded by hospitality. The whole crew was AMAZING! Our waiter, Raymond was SO polite and outstanding. The menu was full of delicious new foods and I couldn't decide what to eat. The choices were endless. Now for the food, oh my gosh I don't know where to start! This might have been THE BEST fried chicken I have ever had. The flavors burst out of the dish and the food couldn't have been better. I couldn't have found a better way to kickstart our New Orleans vacation.

    (5)

  • David W.

    Great place. The food was great. My favorite was the stuffed chicken wings.. Wow! Make sure to get that for an appetizer. I had fried chicken. The broccoli is steamed in garlic and it was fantastic. My friend had the pork chop. I tasted it and now regret not ordering that. Fried chicken was good but the pork chop was off the charts. I had bread pudding for dessert and a mint julep to drink; Both were spot on! A little pricey and upscale but it's worth it.

    (4)

  • Joe F.

    For all the great reviews on this plus my admiration for Emeril I had high expectations. Thus I judged it more critically. Overall a great atmosphere in a great location. Went with a group from work on a business trip. Had gumbo which was very flavorful. The one issue was it wasn't hot temperature wise. Otherwise good. Had pork chop for entire. I'm a firm believer that pork should be cooked medium to have the greatest texture. I've also visited many restaurants that ask specifically how you would like it cooked. Nola did not. Came out very tasty but a bit tough because it was over cooked. Overall a great place to eat.

    (4)

  • Cindy S.

    This is a very late review from our experience here when my husband and I were vacationing in New Orleans years ago. We couldn't decide if we should try Commander's Palace or this place, but we decided to go here since I am a big Emeril fan BAM! I remember having a wonderful dinner experience at the restaurant. We sat by the window, it was a nice night out, and everything we ordered was delicious! And the flavors were great! Like heavenly good! I don't think I've ever tasted grits that good in my life! I would definitely comeback here if ever we're in the area again!

    (5)

  • Joel G.

    Hit this place when we arrived in New Orleans for lunch. Food was rock solid and the cocktails were very good. This really falls between a 3 and 4 star rating for me. Did the pork cheek boudin balls... recommend them Shrimp and grits... these were good but I wasn't blown away which is was what I was expecting from Emeril's place Braised Pork cheek Po Boy... should have gone with the Vietnamese one as again this was good but didn't blow me away. Also the fried chicken breast looked incredible and I felt sudden food envy as it went by. Cocktails were solid, wife had an aviation which was a fine example of an aviation... maybe a touch too much creme de violet I had the Pretty Ricky which was very good. Recommended Overall I enjoyed myself but I had very high expectations. Dinner may perform better than lunch so I would not dismiss this place and would try it again.

    (3)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Garage, Validated
    Bike Parking : No
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Upscale
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

NOLA Restaurant

Share with your social network

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

© 2024 Restaurant Listings. All rights reserved.